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Lou Dobbs Tonight
Saddam Captured
Aired December 14, 2003 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was just caught like a rat.
GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. ARMY: There were no injuries, and in fact, not a single shot was fired.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH P.M.: Saddam is gone from power. He won't be coming back.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions.
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!
(CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of LOU DOBBS TONIGHT, for Sunday, December 14. Here now, Lou Dobbs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOU DOBBS, HOST: Good evening. Tonight, millions of Iraqis celebrating the capture of Saddam Hussein. U.S. troops found him, hidden in a hole in the ground beneath a farmhouse near Tikrit, a few hundred yards from what was once one of his presidential palaces. The Iraqis started celebrating immediately after a news conference held in Baghdad at 7:15 Eastern time this morning. The military commander in Iraq, General Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. Administrator Paul Bremer made the announcement of Saddam's capture.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BREMER: This is a great day in Iraq's history. For decades, hundreds of thousands of you suffered at the hands of this cruel man. For decades, Saddam Hussein divided you citizens against each other. For decades, he threatened and attacked your neighbors. Those days are over forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Saddam Hussein was captured by 600 troops from the 4th Infantry Division and the Special Operations Unit Task Force 121. They were acting on intelligence that led them to that hole in the ground beneath a farmhouse in which the so-called Ace of Spades was hiding. Senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has the report -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, for months, the U.S. military has been convinced it was hot on the trail of Saddam Hussein, but always seemed to be one step behind. Today, they were one step ahead, and U.S. commanders were jubilant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Today is a great day for the Iraqi people and for the coalition. Last night, at approximately 8:00 p.m. local, forces from the 4th Infantry Division, commanded by Major General Ray Odierno, together with coalition special operations forces conducted Operation Red Dawn to capture the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. This was done during a cordon and search operation at a remote farmhouse near the city of Tikrit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCINTYRE: Operation Red Dawn, as it was called, was actually born at 10:50 in the morning, when they began to get intelligence about the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein. Two possible locations were identified. By 5:00, the final piece of the puzzle has fallen into place. A piece of actionable intelligence from an Iraqi informant.
After that, it was less than three hours or just over three hours between the time the areas were sealed off and when a meticulous search turned up Saddam Hussein in an underground crawl space.
Here's how General Odierno, who is the commander in charge of that area, reacted to the news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. RAYMOND ODIERNO, 4TH INFANTRY COMMANDER: This is a significant event for the Iraqi people. The intimidation and fear this man generated for over 30 years are now gone. Many will rest much better tonight knowing Iraq is moving forward to a more secure environment. A significant blow has been dealt to the former regime elements still trying to hamper progress in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCINTYRE: After the raid, U.S. soldiers could be seen congratulating each other. They seemed to be taking pictures. Even at one point, it looked like they were handing out cigars, a clear signal that they had been in on something big, but it would be today, the next day, before the Pentagon would acknowledge what had happened. They took Saddam Hussein to a secure location, which Pentagon sources say is the Baghdad International Airport. There, the former Iraqi dictator was identified by some of his former regime colleagues, and he was given a medical examination. But the U.S. military, especially once they shaved his beard, was convinced that this was, in fact, Saddam Hussein -- Lou. DOBBS: Secretary Rumsfeld, Jamie, likes to say there are good and bad days in Baghdad. This one would have to go down as a great day. Jamie, thank you very much. Jamie McIntyre, senior Pentagon correspondent.
The capture of the Butcher of Baghdad is a huge intelligence success. It suggests that intelligence gathering, analysis and action on that intelligence is much improved. National security correspondent David Ensor reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man who urged supporters to fight to the death not only gave himself up without firing a shot, say U.S. officials, but he is now providing information to his American interrogators.
LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, COMMANDER U.S. FORCES: Saddam Hussein, the captive, has been talkative, and is being cooperative.
ENSOR: If Saddam is willing, officials say, he could be the best possible source for the CIA's David Kay, the man in charge of looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
In a statement, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss said "with this capture, many lingering questions will be answered, but we cannot forget that Saddam has engaged in deceit and deception for decades."
How did they find Saddam? It was low tech human intelligence, U.S. officials say, actionable intelligence, painstakingly gathered.
BUSH: The operation was based on the superb work of intelligence analysts who found the dictator's footprints in a vast country.
ENSOR: The information did not come from a tip. U.S. officials pulled in former Saddam bodyguards and members of Tikriti families close to his regime for intense interrogation. Information extracted from one person led to another.
ODIERNO: Over the last 10 days or so we brought in about five to 10 members of these families, who then were able to give us even more information, and finally we got the ultimate information from one of these individuals.
ENSOR: Once captured, Saddam was shown to some other prisoners like Tariq Aziz, his former senior aide, who eventually confirmed his identity beyond a shadow of a doubt.
(on camera): Saddam's capture is not expected to end the attacks against coalition forces in Iraq. One senior official calling it, quote, "necessary but not sufficient for a peaceful Iraq."
David Ensor, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) DOBBS: "TIME" magazine's Brian Bennett has been reporting on the hunt for Saddam Hussein since U.S. troops forced the Iraqi dictator to flee Baghdad in April. Brian is one of the contributors to this week's cover story on "TIME" magazine. Brian Bennett joins me tonight from Baghdad.
BRIAN BENNETT, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Good to be with you.
DOBBS: General Sanchez said that Saddam Hussein appeared resigned, tired, and cooperative with his captors. Do you know whether or not he is at this point cooperating with his interrogators?
BENNETT: I spoke with a U.S. intelligence official who had just read the transcript from Saddam Hussein's first interview with his interrogators, and it was clear to this man who had read the transcript that Saddam Hussein was not forthcoming with information. He was answering questions, but effectively being his same old self and evading the answer or just giving the old line.
I think what General Sanchez meant when he said that Saddam Hussein was cooperating was that he didn't resist arrest, that he went through his medical examination following instructions from the doctors. However, it doesn't seem that they're getting anymore information out of Saddam Hussein than they were before.
DOBBS: And Bryant, that fits the pattern with the other high ranking officials of his regime, does it not?
BENNETT: Absolutely. This is the intelligence official I spoke with said that Tariq Aziz and Abdoc Mood (ph), both senior ranking lieutenants of Saddam Hussein have been in custody for several months now and have not been forthcoming with information.
Saddam Hussein was asked tonight at the Bagdad Airport directly if his regime had weapons of mass destruction. Saddam replied, no, we did not have weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. invented this as a reason to invade when interrogators further asked him, he -- if he did have -- if he did not weapons of mass destruction, then why did you play a cat and mouse game with the U.N.? He said that he was trying to protect the privacy of his presidential areas.
DOBBS: Brian, are there other questions that the interrogators are more hopeful they will be successful in having answered by Saddam Hussein or does it look like this is going to be pretty much the attitude, the posture, by Saddam?
BENNETT: Well, it seems that this indicates that Saddam is going to try to hide as much information as possible from his interrogators. However, they would like to get information about the resistance out of him. There's still a question as to whether or not he is leading the resistance, handing down commands, is in touch with certain cell leaders.
One senior ranking intelligence official I spoke with today said that along with Saddam Hussein when they captured him today, they also found a briefcase containing a letter from senior members of a Bagdad resistance cell. The letter contained minutes of a meeting and they're hoping that the information contained within that memo, names and locations, will lead them to disrupting the operations of some of those resistance cells operating within the Sunni triangle.
DOBBS: Brian, few people have your knowledge and depth of knowledge about Iraq and the people in all quarters. Give us your best assessment of the impact today of the arrest and the capture of Saddam Hussein.
BENNETT: Well, certainly, what I have seen after talking to several Iraqis and also several members of the former regime today, many of the vast majority of the population of Iraq is heartened by the capture of Saddam Hussein. They feel like it's a proof that the Americans can provide -- move towards providing security for this country. It's definitely restore a lot of peoples' faith in the American occupation and the Americans' intention to get rid of the former regime.
For those who benefited from Saddam's regime, a lot of people in Tikrit and high ranking officials from the former regime, many of them were still in a state of shock today as they received this news, and they are going to have to figure out they move forward from here with no hope that Saddam Hussein will come back.
DOBBS: Brian Bennett reporting for us from Bagdad, thank you very much.
President Bush was told that U.S. troops had likely caught Saddam Hussein at 3:15 p.m. Eastern yesterday, but the former dictator's identity was not confirmed until 5:00 a.m. Eastern this morning. President Bush said the capture is a hopeful sign for Iraq. White House correspondent Dana Bash reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the speech President Bush had been waiting nine months to give. The leader of the U.S. went to war to remove is finally in American custody.
BUSH: In the history of Iraq, a dark and painful era is over.
BASH: Vowing Saddam Hussein will be brought to justice, the president issued a pledge to the Iraqi people he's made several times before hoping these pictures give his words a new meaning.
BUSH: I have a message for the Iraqi people. You will not have to fear the rule of Saddam Hussein ever again. All Iraqis who take the side of freedom have taken the winning side.
BASH: Administration officials have been hoping a dead or captured Saddam Hussein would ease Iraqi fears and help stop a violent insurgency that claimed the lives of 198 soldiers since the president declared major combat over May 1.
But here, Mr. Bush tried to keep expectations low. BUSH: I also have a message also for all Americans. The capture of Saddam Hussein does not mean the end of violence in Iraq.
BASH: It was Saturday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. Eastern, the president at Camp David got a call from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying Saddam Hussein may have been captured. But it was not until the next morning, 5:14 a.m., National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice called the president back at the White House with final confirmation. It was, in fact, Saddam Hussein.
The president spent much of the morning thanking allies like British Prime Minister Tony Blair and leaders of Australia, Italy and Poland, also talking to heads of state in the Middle East to make sure they got word straight from him about Saddam Hussein's fate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: And officials here are hoping Saddam Hussein's capture will help with a key mix that starts tomorrow. Former secretary of state James Baker will be meeting in France, Germany and Russia with leaders there, who oppose the war in Iraq pressing them to forgive Iraq of billions in debt -- Lou.
DOBBS: Dana, thank you very much. Dana Bash reporting from the White House.
Coming up, what is next for U.S. troops in Iraq? General David Grange joins us.
And world leaders congratulate President Bush and the French, well, they still want those lucrative Iraqi rebuilding contracts. Kitty Pilgrim reports.
And have the Democrats in the race for the White House today lost an issue in the campaign? Senior political analyst Bill Schneider and a reporter of "The Los Angeles Times" joins us. Please stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Saddam Hussein's capture has overshadowed news of two more deadly bombings in Iraq today. An American soldier was killed when he tried to disarm a roadside bomb that had been attached to a telephone pole. That incident occurred south of Baghdad. And a suicide bombing killed at least 17 people at an Iraqi police station in Kaldea (ph) 50 miles west of Baghdad.
That attack occurred hours after Saddam Hussein was taken into custody but before his capture was announced. Coalition officials were quick to say that arrest is not likely to stop violence in Iraq.
Joining me now is General David Grange. And General, I want to start with how important is this to U.S. military personnel morale?
GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It's a big shot in the arm, Lou. It's one of those things they know that they're still there for quite a long time to come, but this kind of puts a little light at the end of the tunnel. It is just a great morale boost. A lot of hard work, especially in this area with the 4th Infantry Division, their sector of operations, and with the special operating forces involved, many, many plans and practice take-downs and dry holes and this just kind of brings it all to a culminating point that's great for morale.
DOBBS: And the operation apparently took about three hours from the point at which the area was sealed down until his capture. That means that some people were moving very, very quickly. Does that speak to the operational capability of this Task Force 121?
GRANGE: Well, it speaks to the supporting roles, that the partnership between conventional forces and special operating forces. 121 Task Force, and also, the 4th Infantry Division soldiers involved to cordon off the area, to provide coverage from the ground and the air, to do a detailed search of the area, to keep people out, to keep people in until they were assured that they had 100 percent of the area searched, and obviously that's how they found this particular spider hole.
DOBBS: And let's talk about the implications here. This is obviously a very successful operation from intelligence gathering, analysis, to carrying out this operation. Does this in your judgment -- I know it's one but very important event, does it portend for much better things in U.S. intelligence and operations now?
GRANGE: You know, this is one of those situations, I believe, that you had maybe 80 percent, 85 percent of connecting the dots on a picture of a good target. And they got a little bit more information from an informer, let's say. They combined that with other sources of intelligence, and there it was. Voila. And I think there's probably a dozen more of these types of situations going on in Iraq right now. And once they get that one little other tidbit, it brings it all together and then you go for the target.
DOBBS: General David Grange, as always, thank you.
GRANGE: My pleasure.
DOBBS: Coming up next, reaction to the news of Saddam Hussein's capture from all across this country. Peter Viles will have that happy report. And Kitty Pilgrim will report on responses from around the world. Even countries that opposed the war against Saddam Hussein are celebrating the former dictator's capture.
And a few still want to do business in Iraq. Stay with CNN tonight for the very latest developments and analysis. At 8 p.m., Eastern, Paula Zahn will be joined by Saddam Hussein biographer Simon Henderson. At 9:00 p.m., Larry King joined by the Iraqi ambassador to the United States. At 10:00, Aaron Brown brings you the latest developments in this continuing story. Stay with CNN tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: The remarkable success in Iraq today led to celebrations all across this country, as well, from snowy and rainy midtown Manhattan to Fort Hood, Texas, home of the 4th Infantry Division. Peter Viles has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this Sunday morning, breaking news was good news. A moment to savor. Where were you when you heard the news?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She yelled for me. She said they got him. That's the first thing we heard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm ecstatic. I can tell you, my wife came running up the stairs and screaming.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was so very happy. I was elated. I put the television on. I woke my husband up, I woke the kids up. I said, hooray for Bush.
VILES: On 5th Avenue in Manhattan, patriotism cut through a driving snowstorm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elation. A little bit of surprise, but I think it's a great accomplishment for the troops over there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great Christmas present for all of us.
VILES: In Times Square, where news has broken for generations, the picture said it all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He looks bad. He looks sad and he looks like he's defeated. He's definitely defeated. And you can tell it in his face.
VILES: In Dearborn, Michigan, Iraqi-Americans waved the American and Iraqi flags together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A very, very happy day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great. We feel this is the day of the liberation. This is the real liberation of Iraq. As long as Saddam Hussein was not captured, we didn't feel the liberation.
VILES: At NFL games, football fans came ready to cheer for the military.
And in Fort Hood, Texas, home of the division that captured Saddam, a moment of triumph.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man. Everybody's going crazy. The post is in clear pandemonium right now, so it's a great day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are looking good. One more to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then all his brothers, sisters and everybody else over there, we're going to bring our guys back. (END VIDEOTAPE)
VILES: A great story, also, out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. There were 180 members of the 101st Airborne on a plane this morning headed home to Kentucky. Almost all of them sound asleep when the news broke. Somehow the pilot, Lou, got wind of the good news from Iraq, he woke up all these men and women on the plane, told them the good news. We were told at that moment on that plane, it was absolute pandemonium, a celebration in the skies -- Lou.
DOBBS: We can only imagine. Outstanding. Peter Viles, thank you.
Coming up next here, opponents of the war from all around the world express hope for the future of Iraq, and they congratulate even the White House on the news of Saddam's capture, but they also want to do a little business in Iraq. Kitty Pilgrim will have that story, and a look at the major issues still facing our forces in Iraq now that Saddam Hussein can no longer pay insurgents to carry out attacks. We'll be joined by CNN analyst Ken Pollack, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: International reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein was swift, it was celebratory, even from countries that opposed the United States in going to war against Saddam.
But beneath some of those cheers, some opponents of the war were simply looking for business. Kitty Pilgrim has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KITTY PILGRIM, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prime Minister Tony Blair, staunch supporter of the war, gave credit where credit was due.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Our thanks go to the coalition forces and the intelligence services who brought about Saddam's capture.
PILGRIM: Key ally Spain offered congratulations.
JOSE MARIA AZNAR, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The arrest of Saddam Hussein is very good news for the world.
PILGRIM: And U.S. ally in the region, Israel.
ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Today is a great day for the democratic world.
PILGRIM: Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, which sent 2,300 troops to Iraq, also offered congratulations. Another strong coalition supporter, Poland, commands thousands of international troops in Iraq, and welcomed the news.
Arab television showed images of celebrating in Baghdad. Kuwait expressed relief Saddam was captured, although the Arab League reaction was muted. Even those vehemently opposed to the war offered congratulations with a twist.
Some used the opportunity to pitch for business contracts. France's Jacques Chirac said he was "delighted." French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin, outspoken critic of U.S. action in Iraq, was now angling for inclusion in rebuilding.
DOMINIQUE DE VILLEPIN, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Now there really is a path towards the reconstruction of Iraq, and we should all be committed to it.
PILGRIM: Germany also opposed the war. But German foreign minister Joschka Fischer, in Berlin, expressed hope for Iraq. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov still took the occasion to push for U.N. authority in the country.
Reconstruction was clearly on everyone's mind. Lucrative contracts are now slated to go to supporters of the coalition effort.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: Countries that were opponents of the war were talking about putting past differences behind. But for many, focusing on the future means trying to benefit commercially or get in on the business of reconstruction -- Lou.
DOBBS: Combining economics and politics. Kitty, thank you. Kitty Pilgrim.
My next guest says the entire intelligence process finally worked in the capture of Saddam Hussein.
Joining me now from Washington, D.C., Ken Pollack, CNN analyst from the Brookings Institution. Ken, good to have you here.
KEN POLLACK, CNN ANALYST, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Thanks, Lou. Good to be here.
DOBBS: This was a remarkable success, the most remarkable success so far in the -- following combat operations on May 1st, ending.
Do you think this augers the introduction of a new era in U.S. intelligence and its effectiveness in the field?
POLLACK: Well, certainly, Lou, it does point out the fact that U.S. intelligence has kind of learned from early mistakes. It's reorganized itself to deal with the insurgency that we're now facing in Iraq.
And what you saw play out over the last few weeks and what we've heard from CNN correspondents like David Ensor, is how that process finally came together. Intelligence analysts working with the people out in the field to create a harmonious, a synergistic system that allowed the U.S. to finally pinpoint Saddam and nail him. DOBBS: And to nail him, the fact is that a lot of people working very well together here. But it's an open-ended question. Ken, does this appear to you to be a template that's going to be effective in the days and weeks ahead in rooting out the insurgents?
POLLACK: Well, certainly it'll be very helpful. It's good that they have done this reorganization, and it does seem to be functioning well.
But the most important element of the intelligence picture, Lou, and what we heard about in these discussions about what led to the capture of Saddam Hussein, the key there is actually the piece that's outside the intelligence realm.
It's the willingness of Iraqis to come forward with key pieces of information that allowed the intelligence analysts to make deductions, which then allowed them to task other people out in the field to gather additional pieces of information.
And that willingness of Iraqis to come forward, that's principally a political issue. It shows that there are more Iraqis who are willing now to help the United States and provide the information that is the critical starting point to this whole process.
DOBBS: Brian Bennett, "TIME" magazine correspondent in Baghdad, making it very clear that he saw sizable, measurable changes in attitude and mood amongst the Iraqi people.
We didn't go into what his forecast was for the future. What is yours?
POLLACK: Well, honestly, Lou, I think that this is -- it's an incredible moment. It's an opportunity for the Bush administration.
I'll say that, so far, I think the Bush administration has played this very well. Right now you've got Iraqi people who are mostly euphoric over this.
And this is the kind of a moment when the U.S. can step in and say, all right. We know we've made some mistakes early on. Let us tell you how we're going to fix things. Let us tell you how we're going to make things better.
Because in truth, the biggest thing for Iraqis before today was the fact that the U.S. really wasn't providing them with the security and the basic services which they had expected months and months ago.
This is the kind of moment that could really turn things around, if the Bush administration is really willing to do it.
DOBBS: It is a very big day in the history of Iraq, as they lead up to their constitution. We heard, as Kitty Pilgrim reported, a number of countries, principally Germany and France, now trying to move into Iraq.
What would be the -- should the Bush administration relent on this -- what would be the impact on the relationship amongst those stalwarts of the coalition, that is, Spain, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom and a handful of others?
POLLACK: Well, honestly, I think bringing in as many countries as we can can only be helpful.
But I think that there is an implicit deal out on the table. And that is that countries like France and Russia and Germany have got to be willing to work with us on the issue of Iraq's debt. And in return, I think that they should get access to the contracts in Iraq.
DOBBS: Ken Pollack, as always, thank you.
POLLACK: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: Coming up next, the capture of Saddam wipes out one of the driving issues on the campaign trail. Or does it?
Tonight, the Democrats in the race for the White House are scrambling. And our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, and Ron Brownstein of the "Los Angeles Times" join us to discuss the domestic political impact, as well as the geopolitical prospects. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: For the Democrats in the race for the White House, Saddam Hussein's capture perhaps eliminates one of the political issues in the campaign.
Frontrunner Howard Dean has been the most outspoken critic of the Bush administration's handling of the war and the hunt for Saddam. Now even Dean must acknowledge an undeniable win for the Bush White House heading into 2004.
Senior political analyst Bill Schneider reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Just last week, the CNN USA TODAY Gallup poll asked Americans, will U.S. accomplishments in Iraq be a success, even if Saddam Hussein is not captured? Most Americans said no. That was President Bush's problem.
Now it's the Democrats problem. Iraq was driving the Democratic race. Specifically, it was driving Howard Dean's surge.
Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and John Edwards voted for the war resolution in October 20, '02. Dean threw that vote in their face.
HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was the wrong thing to do. This was an abdication and a failure on the part of Congress, and Senator Kerry was part of that failure. I don't think that's the kind of experience we need in foreign affairs in the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Dean's opponents now get to throw it back at him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I don't think Howard Dean has the experience or the knowledge or, in fact, ever showed the kind of thoughtfulness about Saddam Hussein and how we deal with Iraq necessary for a president of the United States.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Howard Dean had his way, Saddam Hussein would still be in power today, not in prison, and the world would be a much more dangerous place. The American people would have a lot more to fear.
SCHNEIDER: Will the capture of Saddam Hussein turn the Democratic race around? Not necessarily.
As recently as last week, 60 percent of all Americans supported the decision to go to war in Iraq. But 64 percent of Democrats disapproved of the war.
While Democrats' criticism of the war may now soften, it is unlikely to reverse. Much depends on what happens on the ground now in Iraq.
BUSH: For the Baathist holdouts, largely responsible for the current violence, there will be no return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held.
SCHNEIDER: But if the killing of Americans continues, controversy over the war will go on and continue to fuel the Democratic campaign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: In 1992, Democrats thrived because the Gulf War just disappeared from the political agenda. But you know, next year the war issue is not likely to vanish for several reasons.
There's 9/11, the forthcoming trial of Saddam Hussein, which is certain to rivet public attention, and the prospect of an election in Iraq and the likelihood of a ceremonious transfer of power to the Iraqis, all of that reminding Americans this isn't 1992 -- Lou.
DOBBS: Bill, thank you. And a very important point.
Bill, as you know, the candidates for the Democratic nomination each spoke out about the capture of Saddam Hussein and what it means for the future of the Iraqi people and the safety of American coalition forces in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS) DEAN: I want to first congratulate our extraordinary military on an extraordinary effort and an extraordinary success. This I hope will change the course of the occupation of Iraq.
KERRY: This is a great moment for the President of the United States. It is a moment to reach out to the world with some humility, and recognize that everybody has a stake in the outcome in Iraq.
LIEBERMAN: This is a day of victory and joy for the American people and everybody in the world who values freedom, human rights and peace, because Saddam Hussein was a homicidal maniac.
REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D-MO), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Everybody is elated for America and for the Iraqi people, especially, that Saddam Hussein has been found.
REV. AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think while all of us can celebrate the capture of Hussein, there's still some very ugly things that we need to look into.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's the Iraqi people who have suffered and seen the consequences of Saddam's rule over a long period of time. They should be responsible for bringing him to justice.
WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have to succeed in Iraq. I disagreed with going in. And grabbing Saddam Hussein is one of the measures that we need to succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
DOBBS: Carol Moseley Braun, for her part, emphasized the fact that U.S. troops remain in harm's way, and no closer to coming home. Congressman Dennis Kucinich went even further, calling for an end to what he called the occupation of Iraq.
Joining me now for more on how all this is likely to affect the upcoming presidential election, Ron Brownstein of the "Los Angeles Times." And staying with us, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.
Let me first ask you, Ron, it is pretty clear that Dean is out on the edge here now, given this tremendous development today. Your best judgment about its effect on his candidacy.
RON BROWNSTEIN, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": Well, let's look at it short term and long term. In the short term, I agree with Bill.
I don't see it having a huge impact on the Democratic race now, although what it has done is provide the first opportunity for the candidates who supported the war to say they were right. That's something they've been very reluctant to do while conditions were deteriorating in Iraq, to begin questioning Dean's judgment in opposing it.
The problem they have, as Bill pointed out, is that Democratic rank-and-file voters remain hostile to the war, largely on philosophical grounds, not operational grounds. Improved conditions on the ground there probably isn't going to reverse their opposition.
The problem they've got, though, is that Dean is being propelled toward the nomination by this anti-war sentiment. And if, in fact, this does produce -- and that's a big if -- a lasting improvement on the ground in Iraq, you'd have a situation where you have a nominee who is against the war at a time when the war is looking much more positive for the President.
That's the real risk to Democrats here. Bad conditions in 2003 give them an anti-war nominee. Better conditions in 2004 potentially make that a real vulnerability.
DOBBS: A beneficiary for any of the problems that beset Howard Dean? Is it John Kerry? Is it Senator Lieberman? Is it Dick Gephardt, Bill?
SCHNEIDER: I think there's a -- a lot of Democrats are worried about Howard Dean. And they're going to try to find a stop Dean candidate.
You know, what's interesting to me, that in the last few weeks as Dean was going up, so was Wesley Clark in a number of the polls, just inching up a little bit, because you've got a sense that there were reservations about Dean. And the Dean opponents were looking for someone to oppose him.
I think these developments will embolden them now, and they'll be looking to close ranks behind someone. Gore tried to throw cold water on that by saying, don't try to stop Howard Dean. But now I think their view is, we'd better try to stop him, or the disaster that Ron just described could be the Democratic campaign.
DOBBS: With this, the most marked success in Iraq since May 1, with the declaration of the end of major combat, the capture of Saddam Hussein, a number of countries suddenly in the congratulatory notes to the President, saying, and by the way, we'd like to participate in some business with you.
The President has, to this point, has he not gotten pretty good marks for saying, either you were with us or you weren't. And if you weren't, you're not going to be participating.
Is that a strong issue for the President? Or is it problem?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, the President, like most people have, has his strengths and his weaknesses are really reverses. They're different sides of the same coin.
He is seen as person of great resolve and of great determination. And when things are going well, that comes across as a positive attribute. When things aren't going well, it can come across as stubbornness.
So, to some extent, you know -- to a large extent -- how this affects 2004, and really how it affects our relations with the world, will depend on how it plays out in Iraq.
If conditions improve, the idea of the President drawing this hard line in the sand and not really bending so much to bring in other countries, will look like strengths.
If they don't, if conditions don't improve, the Democrats will have the opening again to say, look. He's freezing out the world. We need more help.
DOBBS: Bill, the idea of France, in particular, and the caboose that has been trailing France of late, Gerhardt Schroeder's Germany, is there any likelihood or any benefit that the United States needs a Gaullist government to assist it over the course of the next decade or two?
SCHNEIDER: No. They knew -- they need us more than we need them. That's the bottom line.
And Jim Baker is going over on this trip to try to get them to forgive debt. I think he's going to get a lot more sympathy today than he would have yesterday.
DOBBS: Bill Schneider, Ron Brownstein -- gentlemen, thank you both very much.
Coming up next, Saddam's capture could bring about a last gasp of violence from Iraqi insurgents, according to Noah Feldman, who is the senior advisor to the coalition provisional authority in Iraq. Professor Noah Feldman is our guest next.
And stay with CNN tonight for the very latest developments on the capture of Saddam Hussein. At 8:00 Eastern tonight, Paula Zahn will be joined by Saddam Hussein biographer Simon Henderson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: My next guest says prosecuting Saddam Hussein will be the first major challenge for Iraq's new judicial system.
Noah Feldman earlier this year served as senior constitutional advisor to the coalition provisional authority. He is the author of "After Jihad: America and the Struggle for Islamic Democracy," and an assistant professor of law at New York University.
Noah Feldman joins us tonight from Washington. Noah, good (UNINTELLIGIBLE) will proceed of Saddam Hussein, because, as the President has promised, there will be justice. Will that justice occur in Iraq, or perhaps the Hague or another international venue?
NOAH FELDMAN, AUTHOR, "AFTER JIHAD: AMERICA AND THE STRUGGLE FOR ISLAMIC DEMOCRACY": The great advantage of Iraq is that it's the Iraqis who have suffered under Saddam, and they're the ones who would very much like to bring him to justice.
An international trial would have the advantage of gaining more legitimacy internationally, in the sense that people in the Muslim and Arab worlds would be more likely to think it was objective. But the costs of that are really very, very high, especially because the penalties would be different.
In an international trial, the death penalty would be off the table. Whereas in Iraq, if you're convicted of murder, you can be executed.
DOBBS: The judiciary in Iraq, to whatever form it has taken, is still made up of the judicial personages of the Baath regime, is it not?
FELDMAN: There's been some vetting. Judges who were high rankers in the Baath Party, which is not actually that many judges, have all been stripped of their positions. Low level Baath judges remain, although they wouldn't serve on a special tribunal that was designed to put Saddam on trial.
But there is an extraordinary poetic justice to the fact that the lawyers, the prosecutors, the judges who would be involved in Saddam's trial, would be people who had initially been appointed under Saddam's regime.
DOBBS: There might be poetic justice, but would it be effective justice?
FELDMAN: I think it would likely to be effective. The important thing is that it be fair and that it be seen to be fair. That means that Saddam has to have the opportunity to actually put forward a defense.
Painful as it seems, and as much as we know that he's going to be found guilty, the trial can't just be a mockery of a real trial. It has to actually allow him to express his point of view, unfortunately.
It also has to show Iraqis that the rule of law is going to operate in Iraq, that this is not going to be like it was under Saddam.
DOBBS: How confident are you that by the time the decisions are made -- and the governing council has said that they want it to be an Iraqi court that tries Saddam Hussein -- Wesley Clark today said that he would prefer to see it be an international court.
What is your best judgment as to which would be the more intelligent? You've acquainted us with the advantages of both. Now give us your best decision.
FELDMAN: Ultimately I think that I would probably opt for an Iraqi court, not without some trepidation, because I am concerned about responses elsewhere in the world.
But in the end, the man is guilty, at a bare minimum, of the murder of many hundreds of thousands of his own people. And to deny an Iraqi court the opportunity to try him for that crime, in addition to the other crimes, international crimes like genocide and violations of the laws of war, would just be outrageous. It would be outrageous to deny that Iraqis.
DOBBS: We're just about out of time. In just a few seconds, if you could, give us your best assessment. Will Iraq have a thriving, constitutional document by spring?
FELDMAN: I don't think we're going to have a final constitution by spring. I think what we'll have is a fundamental or basic law that sets the basic ground rules for the short term.
DOBBS: That's not a bad beginning. Noah Feldman, thank you very much for being with us.
FELDMAN: Thanks for having me.
DOBBS: Coming up next, celebration in the streets of Iraq today after decades of brutal dictatorship. We'll share some of the emotional highlights of what has been an extraordinary 24 hours.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: That's our show for this evening. We thank you for being with us. We leave you tonight with some of the sights and sounds of this extraordinary day.
As President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair today said, the capture of Saddam Hussein sets the stage for a hopeful, new beginning in Iraq.
For all of us here, we hope so. And we wish you a good evening from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
BUSH: In the history of Iraq, a dark and painful era is over. A hopeful day has arrived.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of these people lost a member of their family by the torture and killing of Saddam. So today is the day of revenge from Saddam, the day of victory. This is the celebration of victory, of God and of freedom and the free world and democracy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've always wanted him to be captured, because I've heard stories of what he's done to my parents and everything, and like what he's done to like my family, that when they lived in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The reason I wanted to -- I wanted to stay and listen to the news. But I said, no, I've got to go give thanks to God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brilliant news. Brilliant news. Yes, it was excellent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just really happy. What a Christmas present, especially when you have active duty Marines like you do in here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man. Everybody's going crazy. The post is in pure pandemonium right now.
LT. GEN. THOMAS METZ, U.S. ARMY: Well, they've gotten their Christmas bonus in the sense that they've got a tremendous victory and boost to their morale.
BLAIR: Now is a time of great opportunity. Let us seize it and use it for the good of the people of Iraq, for the people in the Middle East and for the people of our world.
BREMER: Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 14, 2003 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was just caught like a rat.
GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. ARMY: There were no injuries, and in fact, not a single shot was fired.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH P.M.: Saddam is gone from power. He won't be coming back.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions.
PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!
(CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of LOU DOBBS TONIGHT, for Sunday, December 14. Here now, Lou Dobbs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOU DOBBS, HOST: Good evening. Tonight, millions of Iraqis celebrating the capture of Saddam Hussein. U.S. troops found him, hidden in a hole in the ground beneath a farmhouse near Tikrit, a few hundred yards from what was once one of his presidential palaces. The Iraqis started celebrating immediately after a news conference held in Baghdad at 7:15 Eastern time this morning. The military commander in Iraq, General Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. Administrator Paul Bremer made the announcement of Saddam's capture.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BREMER: This is a great day in Iraq's history. For decades, hundreds of thousands of you suffered at the hands of this cruel man. For decades, Saddam Hussein divided you citizens against each other. For decades, he threatened and attacked your neighbors. Those days are over forever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Saddam Hussein was captured by 600 troops from the 4th Infantry Division and the Special Operations Unit Task Force 121. They were acting on intelligence that led them to that hole in the ground beneath a farmhouse in which the so-called Ace of Spades was hiding. Senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has the report -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, for months, the U.S. military has been convinced it was hot on the trail of Saddam Hussein, but always seemed to be one step behind. Today, they were one step ahead, and U.S. commanders were jubilant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Today is a great day for the Iraqi people and for the coalition. Last night, at approximately 8:00 p.m. local, forces from the 4th Infantry Division, commanded by Major General Ray Odierno, together with coalition special operations forces conducted Operation Red Dawn to capture the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. This was done during a cordon and search operation at a remote farmhouse near the city of Tikrit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCINTYRE: Operation Red Dawn, as it was called, was actually born at 10:50 in the morning, when they began to get intelligence about the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein. Two possible locations were identified. By 5:00, the final piece of the puzzle has fallen into place. A piece of actionable intelligence from an Iraqi informant.
After that, it was less than three hours or just over three hours between the time the areas were sealed off and when a meticulous search turned up Saddam Hussein in an underground crawl space.
Here's how General Odierno, who is the commander in charge of that area, reacted to the news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. RAYMOND ODIERNO, 4TH INFANTRY COMMANDER: This is a significant event for the Iraqi people. The intimidation and fear this man generated for over 30 years are now gone. Many will rest much better tonight knowing Iraq is moving forward to a more secure environment. A significant blow has been dealt to the former regime elements still trying to hamper progress in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCINTYRE: After the raid, U.S. soldiers could be seen congratulating each other. They seemed to be taking pictures. Even at one point, it looked like they were handing out cigars, a clear signal that they had been in on something big, but it would be today, the next day, before the Pentagon would acknowledge what had happened. They took Saddam Hussein to a secure location, which Pentagon sources say is the Baghdad International Airport. There, the former Iraqi dictator was identified by some of his former regime colleagues, and he was given a medical examination. But the U.S. military, especially once they shaved his beard, was convinced that this was, in fact, Saddam Hussein -- Lou. DOBBS: Secretary Rumsfeld, Jamie, likes to say there are good and bad days in Baghdad. This one would have to go down as a great day. Jamie, thank you very much. Jamie McIntyre, senior Pentagon correspondent.
The capture of the Butcher of Baghdad is a huge intelligence success. It suggests that intelligence gathering, analysis and action on that intelligence is much improved. National security correspondent David Ensor reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man who urged supporters to fight to the death not only gave himself up without firing a shot, say U.S. officials, but he is now providing information to his American interrogators.
LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, COMMANDER U.S. FORCES: Saddam Hussein, the captive, has been talkative, and is being cooperative.
ENSOR: If Saddam is willing, officials say, he could be the best possible source for the CIA's David Kay, the man in charge of looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
In a statement, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss said "with this capture, many lingering questions will be answered, but we cannot forget that Saddam has engaged in deceit and deception for decades."
How did they find Saddam? It was low tech human intelligence, U.S. officials say, actionable intelligence, painstakingly gathered.
BUSH: The operation was based on the superb work of intelligence analysts who found the dictator's footprints in a vast country.
ENSOR: The information did not come from a tip. U.S. officials pulled in former Saddam bodyguards and members of Tikriti families close to his regime for intense interrogation. Information extracted from one person led to another.
ODIERNO: Over the last 10 days or so we brought in about five to 10 members of these families, who then were able to give us even more information, and finally we got the ultimate information from one of these individuals.
ENSOR: Once captured, Saddam was shown to some other prisoners like Tariq Aziz, his former senior aide, who eventually confirmed his identity beyond a shadow of a doubt.
(on camera): Saddam's capture is not expected to end the attacks against coalition forces in Iraq. One senior official calling it, quote, "necessary but not sufficient for a peaceful Iraq."
David Ensor, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) DOBBS: "TIME" magazine's Brian Bennett has been reporting on the hunt for Saddam Hussein since U.S. troops forced the Iraqi dictator to flee Baghdad in April. Brian is one of the contributors to this week's cover story on "TIME" magazine. Brian Bennett joins me tonight from Baghdad.
BRIAN BENNETT, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Good to be with you.
DOBBS: General Sanchez said that Saddam Hussein appeared resigned, tired, and cooperative with his captors. Do you know whether or not he is at this point cooperating with his interrogators?
BENNETT: I spoke with a U.S. intelligence official who had just read the transcript from Saddam Hussein's first interview with his interrogators, and it was clear to this man who had read the transcript that Saddam Hussein was not forthcoming with information. He was answering questions, but effectively being his same old self and evading the answer or just giving the old line.
I think what General Sanchez meant when he said that Saddam Hussein was cooperating was that he didn't resist arrest, that he went through his medical examination following instructions from the doctors. However, it doesn't seem that they're getting anymore information out of Saddam Hussein than they were before.
DOBBS: And Bryant, that fits the pattern with the other high ranking officials of his regime, does it not?
BENNETT: Absolutely. This is the intelligence official I spoke with said that Tariq Aziz and Abdoc Mood (ph), both senior ranking lieutenants of Saddam Hussein have been in custody for several months now and have not been forthcoming with information.
Saddam Hussein was asked tonight at the Bagdad Airport directly if his regime had weapons of mass destruction. Saddam replied, no, we did not have weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. invented this as a reason to invade when interrogators further asked him, he -- if he did have -- if he did not weapons of mass destruction, then why did you play a cat and mouse game with the U.N.? He said that he was trying to protect the privacy of his presidential areas.
DOBBS: Brian, are there other questions that the interrogators are more hopeful they will be successful in having answered by Saddam Hussein or does it look like this is going to be pretty much the attitude, the posture, by Saddam?
BENNETT: Well, it seems that this indicates that Saddam is going to try to hide as much information as possible from his interrogators. However, they would like to get information about the resistance out of him. There's still a question as to whether or not he is leading the resistance, handing down commands, is in touch with certain cell leaders.
One senior ranking intelligence official I spoke with today said that along with Saddam Hussein when they captured him today, they also found a briefcase containing a letter from senior members of a Bagdad resistance cell. The letter contained minutes of a meeting and they're hoping that the information contained within that memo, names and locations, will lead them to disrupting the operations of some of those resistance cells operating within the Sunni triangle.
DOBBS: Brian, few people have your knowledge and depth of knowledge about Iraq and the people in all quarters. Give us your best assessment of the impact today of the arrest and the capture of Saddam Hussein.
BENNETT: Well, certainly, what I have seen after talking to several Iraqis and also several members of the former regime today, many of the vast majority of the population of Iraq is heartened by the capture of Saddam Hussein. They feel like it's a proof that the Americans can provide -- move towards providing security for this country. It's definitely restore a lot of peoples' faith in the American occupation and the Americans' intention to get rid of the former regime.
For those who benefited from Saddam's regime, a lot of people in Tikrit and high ranking officials from the former regime, many of them were still in a state of shock today as they received this news, and they are going to have to figure out they move forward from here with no hope that Saddam Hussein will come back.
DOBBS: Brian Bennett reporting for us from Bagdad, thank you very much.
President Bush was told that U.S. troops had likely caught Saddam Hussein at 3:15 p.m. Eastern yesterday, but the former dictator's identity was not confirmed until 5:00 a.m. Eastern this morning. President Bush said the capture is a hopeful sign for Iraq. White House correspondent Dana Bash reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the speech President Bush had been waiting nine months to give. The leader of the U.S. went to war to remove is finally in American custody.
BUSH: In the history of Iraq, a dark and painful era is over.
BASH: Vowing Saddam Hussein will be brought to justice, the president issued a pledge to the Iraqi people he's made several times before hoping these pictures give his words a new meaning.
BUSH: I have a message for the Iraqi people. You will not have to fear the rule of Saddam Hussein ever again. All Iraqis who take the side of freedom have taken the winning side.
BASH: Administration officials have been hoping a dead or captured Saddam Hussein would ease Iraqi fears and help stop a violent insurgency that claimed the lives of 198 soldiers since the president declared major combat over May 1.
But here, Mr. Bush tried to keep expectations low. BUSH: I also have a message also for all Americans. The capture of Saddam Hussein does not mean the end of violence in Iraq.
BASH: It was Saturday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. Eastern, the president at Camp David got a call from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying Saddam Hussein may have been captured. But it was not until the next morning, 5:14 a.m., National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice called the president back at the White House with final confirmation. It was, in fact, Saddam Hussein.
The president spent much of the morning thanking allies like British Prime Minister Tony Blair and leaders of Australia, Italy and Poland, also talking to heads of state in the Middle East to make sure they got word straight from him about Saddam Hussein's fate.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: And officials here are hoping Saddam Hussein's capture will help with a key mix that starts tomorrow. Former secretary of state James Baker will be meeting in France, Germany and Russia with leaders there, who oppose the war in Iraq pressing them to forgive Iraq of billions in debt -- Lou.
DOBBS: Dana, thank you very much. Dana Bash reporting from the White House.
Coming up, what is next for U.S. troops in Iraq? General David Grange joins us.
And world leaders congratulate President Bush and the French, well, they still want those lucrative Iraqi rebuilding contracts. Kitty Pilgrim reports.
And have the Democrats in the race for the White House today lost an issue in the campaign? Senior political analyst Bill Schneider and a reporter of "The Los Angeles Times" joins us. Please stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Saddam Hussein's capture has overshadowed news of two more deadly bombings in Iraq today. An American soldier was killed when he tried to disarm a roadside bomb that had been attached to a telephone pole. That incident occurred south of Baghdad. And a suicide bombing killed at least 17 people at an Iraqi police station in Kaldea (ph) 50 miles west of Baghdad.
That attack occurred hours after Saddam Hussein was taken into custody but before his capture was announced. Coalition officials were quick to say that arrest is not likely to stop violence in Iraq.
Joining me now is General David Grange. And General, I want to start with how important is this to U.S. military personnel morale?
GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It's a big shot in the arm, Lou. It's one of those things they know that they're still there for quite a long time to come, but this kind of puts a little light at the end of the tunnel. It is just a great morale boost. A lot of hard work, especially in this area with the 4th Infantry Division, their sector of operations, and with the special operating forces involved, many, many plans and practice take-downs and dry holes and this just kind of brings it all to a culminating point that's great for morale.
DOBBS: And the operation apparently took about three hours from the point at which the area was sealed down until his capture. That means that some people were moving very, very quickly. Does that speak to the operational capability of this Task Force 121?
GRANGE: Well, it speaks to the supporting roles, that the partnership between conventional forces and special operating forces. 121 Task Force, and also, the 4th Infantry Division soldiers involved to cordon off the area, to provide coverage from the ground and the air, to do a detailed search of the area, to keep people out, to keep people in until they were assured that they had 100 percent of the area searched, and obviously that's how they found this particular spider hole.
DOBBS: And let's talk about the implications here. This is obviously a very successful operation from intelligence gathering, analysis, to carrying out this operation. Does this in your judgment -- I know it's one but very important event, does it portend for much better things in U.S. intelligence and operations now?
GRANGE: You know, this is one of those situations, I believe, that you had maybe 80 percent, 85 percent of connecting the dots on a picture of a good target. And they got a little bit more information from an informer, let's say. They combined that with other sources of intelligence, and there it was. Voila. And I think there's probably a dozen more of these types of situations going on in Iraq right now. And once they get that one little other tidbit, it brings it all together and then you go for the target.
DOBBS: General David Grange, as always, thank you.
GRANGE: My pleasure.
DOBBS: Coming up next, reaction to the news of Saddam Hussein's capture from all across this country. Peter Viles will have that happy report. And Kitty Pilgrim will report on responses from around the world. Even countries that opposed the war against Saddam Hussein are celebrating the former dictator's capture.
And a few still want to do business in Iraq. Stay with CNN tonight for the very latest developments and analysis. At 8 p.m., Eastern, Paula Zahn will be joined by Saddam Hussein biographer Simon Henderson. At 9:00 p.m., Larry King joined by the Iraqi ambassador to the United States. At 10:00, Aaron Brown brings you the latest developments in this continuing story. Stay with CNN tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: The remarkable success in Iraq today led to celebrations all across this country, as well, from snowy and rainy midtown Manhattan to Fort Hood, Texas, home of the 4th Infantry Division. Peter Viles has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this Sunday morning, breaking news was good news. A moment to savor. Where were you when you heard the news?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She yelled for me. She said they got him. That's the first thing we heard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm ecstatic. I can tell you, my wife came running up the stairs and screaming.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was so very happy. I was elated. I put the television on. I woke my husband up, I woke the kids up. I said, hooray for Bush.
VILES: On 5th Avenue in Manhattan, patriotism cut through a driving snowstorm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elation. A little bit of surprise, but I think it's a great accomplishment for the troops over there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great Christmas present for all of us.
VILES: In Times Square, where news has broken for generations, the picture said it all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He looks bad. He looks sad and he looks like he's defeated. He's definitely defeated. And you can tell it in his face.
VILES: In Dearborn, Michigan, Iraqi-Americans waved the American and Iraqi flags together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A very, very happy day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great. We feel this is the day of the liberation. This is the real liberation of Iraq. As long as Saddam Hussein was not captured, we didn't feel the liberation.
VILES: At NFL games, football fans came ready to cheer for the military.
And in Fort Hood, Texas, home of the division that captured Saddam, a moment of triumph.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man. Everybody's going crazy. The post is in clear pandemonium right now, so it's a great day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are looking good. One more to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then all his brothers, sisters and everybody else over there, we're going to bring our guys back. (END VIDEOTAPE)
VILES: A great story, also, out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. There were 180 members of the 101st Airborne on a plane this morning headed home to Kentucky. Almost all of them sound asleep when the news broke. Somehow the pilot, Lou, got wind of the good news from Iraq, he woke up all these men and women on the plane, told them the good news. We were told at that moment on that plane, it was absolute pandemonium, a celebration in the skies -- Lou.
DOBBS: We can only imagine. Outstanding. Peter Viles, thank you.
Coming up next here, opponents of the war from all around the world express hope for the future of Iraq, and they congratulate even the White House on the news of Saddam's capture, but they also want to do a little business in Iraq. Kitty Pilgrim will have that story, and a look at the major issues still facing our forces in Iraq now that Saddam Hussein can no longer pay insurgents to carry out attacks. We'll be joined by CNN analyst Ken Pollack, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: International reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein was swift, it was celebratory, even from countries that opposed the United States in going to war against Saddam.
But beneath some of those cheers, some opponents of the war were simply looking for business. Kitty Pilgrim has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KITTY PILGRIM, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prime Minister Tony Blair, staunch supporter of the war, gave credit where credit was due.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Our thanks go to the coalition forces and the intelligence services who brought about Saddam's capture.
PILGRIM: Key ally Spain offered congratulations.
JOSE MARIA AZNAR, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The arrest of Saddam Hussein is very good news for the world.
PILGRIM: And U.S. ally in the region, Israel.
ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Today is a great day for the democratic world.
PILGRIM: Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, which sent 2,300 troops to Iraq, also offered congratulations. Another strong coalition supporter, Poland, commands thousands of international troops in Iraq, and welcomed the news.
Arab television showed images of celebrating in Baghdad. Kuwait expressed relief Saddam was captured, although the Arab League reaction was muted. Even those vehemently opposed to the war offered congratulations with a twist.
Some used the opportunity to pitch for business contracts. France's Jacques Chirac said he was "delighted." French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin, outspoken critic of U.S. action in Iraq, was now angling for inclusion in rebuilding.
DOMINIQUE DE VILLEPIN, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Now there really is a path towards the reconstruction of Iraq, and we should all be committed to it.
PILGRIM: Germany also opposed the war. But German foreign minister Joschka Fischer, in Berlin, expressed hope for Iraq. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov still took the occasion to push for U.N. authority in the country.
Reconstruction was clearly on everyone's mind. Lucrative contracts are now slated to go to supporters of the coalition effort.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: Countries that were opponents of the war were talking about putting past differences behind. But for many, focusing on the future means trying to benefit commercially or get in on the business of reconstruction -- Lou.
DOBBS: Combining economics and politics. Kitty, thank you. Kitty Pilgrim.
My next guest says the entire intelligence process finally worked in the capture of Saddam Hussein.
Joining me now from Washington, D.C., Ken Pollack, CNN analyst from the Brookings Institution. Ken, good to have you here.
KEN POLLACK, CNN ANALYST, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Thanks, Lou. Good to be here.
DOBBS: This was a remarkable success, the most remarkable success so far in the -- following combat operations on May 1st, ending.
Do you think this augers the introduction of a new era in U.S. intelligence and its effectiveness in the field?
POLLACK: Well, certainly, Lou, it does point out the fact that U.S. intelligence has kind of learned from early mistakes. It's reorganized itself to deal with the insurgency that we're now facing in Iraq.
And what you saw play out over the last few weeks and what we've heard from CNN correspondents like David Ensor, is how that process finally came together. Intelligence analysts working with the people out in the field to create a harmonious, a synergistic system that allowed the U.S. to finally pinpoint Saddam and nail him. DOBBS: And to nail him, the fact is that a lot of people working very well together here. But it's an open-ended question. Ken, does this appear to you to be a template that's going to be effective in the days and weeks ahead in rooting out the insurgents?
POLLACK: Well, certainly it'll be very helpful. It's good that they have done this reorganization, and it does seem to be functioning well.
But the most important element of the intelligence picture, Lou, and what we heard about in these discussions about what led to the capture of Saddam Hussein, the key there is actually the piece that's outside the intelligence realm.
It's the willingness of Iraqis to come forward with key pieces of information that allowed the intelligence analysts to make deductions, which then allowed them to task other people out in the field to gather additional pieces of information.
And that willingness of Iraqis to come forward, that's principally a political issue. It shows that there are more Iraqis who are willing now to help the United States and provide the information that is the critical starting point to this whole process.
DOBBS: Brian Bennett, "TIME" magazine correspondent in Baghdad, making it very clear that he saw sizable, measurable changes in attitude and mood amongst the Iraqi people.
We didn't go into what his forecast was for the future. What is yours?
POLLACK: Well, honestly, Lou, I think that this is -- it's an incredible moment. It's an opportunity for the Bush administration.
I'll say that, so far, I think the Bush administration has played this very well. Right now you've got Iraqi people who are mostly euphoric over this.
And this is the kind of a moment when the U.S. can step in and say, all right. We know we've made some mistakes early on. Let us tell you how we're going to fix things. Let us tell you how we're going to make things better.
Because in truth, the biggest thing for Iraqis before today was the fact that the U.S. really wasn't providing them with the security and the basic services which they had expected months and months ago.
This is the kind of moment that could really turn things around, if the Bush administration is really willing to do it.
DOBBS: It is a very big day in the history of Iraq, as they lead up to their constitution. We heard, as Kitty Pilgrim reported, a number of countries, principally Germany and France, now trying to move into Iraq.
What would be the -- should the Bush administration relent on this -- what would be the impact on the relationship amongst those stalwarts of the coalition, that is, Spain, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom and a handful of others?
POLLACK: Well, honestly, I think bringing in as many countries as we can can only be helpful.
But I think that there is an implicit deal out on the table. And that is that countries like France and Russia and Germany have got to be willing to work with us on the issue of Iraq's debt. And in return, I think that they should get access to the contracts in Iraq.
DOBBS: Ken Pollack, as always, thank you.
POLLACK: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: Coming up next, the capture of Saddam wipes out one of the driving issues on the campaign trail. Or does it?
Tonight, the Democrats in the race for the White House are scrambling. And our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, and Ron Brownstein of the "Los Angeles Times" join us to discuss the domestic political impact, as well as the geopolitical prospects. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: For the Democrats in the race for the White House, Saddam Hussein's capture perhaps eliminates one of the political issues in the campaign.
Frontrunner Howard Dean has been the most outspoken critic of the Bush administration's handling of the war and the hunt for Saddam. Now even Dean must acknowledge an undeniable win for the Bush White House heading into 2004.
Senior political analyst Bill Schneider reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Just last week, the CNN USA TODAY Gallup poll asked Americans, will U.S. accomplishments in Iraq be a success, even if Saddam Hussein is not captured? Most Americans said no. That was President Bush's problem.
Now it's the Democrats problem. Iraq was driving the Democratic race. Specifically, it was driving Howard Dean's surge.
Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and John Edwards voted for the war resolution in October 20, '02. Dean threw that vote in their face.
HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was the wrong thing to do. This was an abdication and a failure on the part of Congress, and Senator Kerry was part of that failure. I don't think that's the kind of experience we need in foreign affairs in the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Dean's opponents now get to throw it back at him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I don't think Howard Dean has the experience or the knowledge or, in fact, ever showed the kind of thoughtfulness about Saddam Hussein and how we deal with Iraq necessary for a president of the United States.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Howard Dean had his way, Saddam Hussein would still be in power today, not in prison, and the world would be a much more dangerous place. The American people would have a lot more to fear.
SCHNEIDER: Will the capture of Saddam Hussein turn the Democratic race around? Not necessarily.
As recently as last week, 60 percent of all Americans supported the decision to go to war in Iraq. But 64 percent of Democrats disapproved of the war.
While Democrats' criticism of the war may now soften, it is unlikely to reverse. Much depends on what happens on the ground now in Iraq.
BUSH: For the Baathist holdouts, largely responsible for the current violence, there will be no return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held.
SCHNEIDER: But if the killing of Americans continues, controversy over the war will go on and continue to fuel the Democratic campaign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: In 1992, Democrats thrived because the Gulf War just disappeared from the political agenda. But you know, next year the war issue is not likely to vanish for several reasons.
There's 9/11, the forthcoming trial of Saddam Hussein, which is certain to rivet public attention, and the prospect of an election in Iraq and the likelihood of a ceremonious transfer of power to the Iraqis, all of that reminding Americans this isn't 1992 -- Lou.
DOBBS: Bill, thank you. And a very important point.
Bill, as you know, the candidates for the Democratic nomination each spoke out about the capture of Saddam Hussein and what it means for the future of the Iraqi people and the safety of American coalition forces in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS) DEAN: I want to first congratulate our extraordinary military on an extraordinary effort and an extraordinary success. This I hope will change the course of the occupation of Iraq.
KERRY: This is a great moment for the President of the United States. It is a moment to reach out to the world with some humility, and recognize that everybody has a stake in the outcome in Iraq.
LIEBERMAN: This is a day of victory and joy for the American people and everybody in the world who values freedom, human rights and peace, because Saddam Hussein was a homicidal maniac.
REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D-MO), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Everybody is elated for America and for the Iraqi people, especially, that Saddam Hussein has been found.
REV. AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think while all of us can celebrate the capture of Hussein, there's still some very ugly things that we need to look into.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's the Iraqi people who have suffered and seen the consequences of Saddam's rule over a long period of time. They should be responsible for bringing him to justice.
WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have to succeed in Iraq. I disagreed with going in. And grabbing Saddam Hussein is one of the measures that we need to succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
DOBBS: Carol Moseley Braun, for her part, emphasized the fact that U.S. troops remain in harm's way, and no closer to coming home. Congressman Dennis Kucinich went even further, calling for an end to what he called the occupation of Iraq.
Joining me now for more on how all this is likely to affect the upcoming presidential election, Ron Brownstein of the "Los Angeles Times." And staying with us, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.
Let me first ask you, Ron, it is pretty clear that Dean is out on the edge here now, given this tremendous development today. Your best judgment about its effect on his candidacy.
RON BROWNSTEIN, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": Well, let's look at it short term and long term. In the short term, I agree with Bill.
I don't see it having a huge impact on the Democratic race now, although what it has done is provide the first opportunity for the candidates who supported the war to say they were right. That's something they've been very reluctant to do while conditions were deteriorating in Iraq, to begin questioning Dean's judgment in opposing it.
The problem they have, as Bill pointed out, is that Democratic rank-and-file voters remain hostile to the war, largely on philosophical grounds, not operational grounds. Improved conditions on the ground there probably isn't going to reverse their opposition.
The problem they've got, though, is that Dean is being propelled toward the nomination by this anti-war sentiment. And if, in fact, this does produce -- and that's a big if -- a lasting improvement on the ground in Iraq, you'd have a situation where you have a nominee who is against the war at a time when the war is looking much more positive for the President.
That's the real risk to Democrats here. Bad conditions in 2003 give them an anti-war nominee. Better conditions in 2004 potentially make that a real vulnerability.
DOBBS: A beneficiary for any of the problems that beset Howard Dean? Is it John Kerry? Is it Senator Lieberman? Is it Dick Gephardt, Bill?
SCHNEIDER: I think there's a -- a lot of Democrats are worried about Howard Dean. And they're going to try to find a stop Dean candidate.
You know, what's interesting to me, that in the last few weeks as Dean was going up, so was Wesley Clark in a number of the polls, just inching up a little bit, because you've got a sense that there were reservations about Dean. And the Dean opponents were looking for someone to oppose him.
I think these developments will embolden them now, and they'll be looking to close ranks behind someone. Gore tried to throw cold water on that by saying, don't try to stop Howard Dean. But now I think their view is, we'd better try to stop him, or the disaster that Ron just described could be the Democratic campaign.
DOBBS: With this, the most marked success in Iraq since May 1, with the declaration of the end of major combat, the capture of Saddam Hussein, a number of countries suddenly in the congratulatory notes to the President, saying, and by the way, we'd like to participate in some business with you.
The President has, to this point, has he not gotten pretty good marks for saying, either you were with us or you weren't. And if you weren't, you're not going to be participating.
Is that a strong issue for the President? Or is it problem?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, the President, like most people have, has his strengths and his weaknesses are really reverses. They're different sides of the same coin.
He is seen as person of great resolve and of great determination. And when things are going well, that comes across as a positive attribute. When things aren't going well, it can come across as stubbornness.
So, to some extent, you know -- to a large extent -- how this affects 2004, and really how it affects our relations with the world, will depend on how it plays out in Iraq.
If conditions improve, the idea of the President drawing this hard line in the sand and not really bending so much to bring in other countries, will look like strengths.
If they don't, if conditions don't improve, the Democrats will have the opening again to say, look. He's freezing out the world. We need more help.
DOBBS: Bill, the idea of France, in particular, and the caboose that has been trailing France of late, Gerhardt Schroeder's Germany, is there any likelihood or any benefit that the United States needs a Gaullist government to assist it over the course of the next decade or two?
SCHNEIDER: No. They knew -- they need us more than we need them. That's the bottom line.
And Jim Baker is going over on this trip to try to get them to forgive debt. I think he's going to get a lot more sympathy today than he would have yesterday.
DOBBS: Bill Schneider, Ron Brownstein -- gentlemen, thank you both very much.
Coming up next, Saddam's capture could bring about a last gasp of violence from Iraqi insurgents, according to Noah Feldman, who is the senior advisor to the coalition provisional authority in Iraq. Professor Noah Feldman is our guest next.
And stay with CNN tonight for the very latest developments on the capture of Saddam Hussein. At 8:00 Eastern tonight, Paula Zahn will be joined by Saddam Hussein biographer Simon Henderson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: My next guest says prosecuting Saddam Hussein will be the first major challenge for Iraq's new judicial system.
Noah Feldman earlier this year served as senior constitutional advisor to the coalition provisional authority. He is the author of "After Jihad: America and the Struggle for Islamic Democracy," and an assistant professor of law at New York University.
Noah Feldman joins us tonight from Washington. Noah, good (UNINTELLIGIBLE) will proceed of Saddam Hussein, because, as the President has promised, there will be justice. Will that justice occur in Iraq, or perhaps the Hague or another international venue?
NOAH FELDMAN, AUTHOR, "AFTER JIHAD: AMERICA AND THE STRUGGLE FOR ISLAMIC DEMOCRACY": The great advantage of Iraq is that it's the Iraqis who have suffered under Saddam, and they're the ones who would very much like to bring him to justice.
An international trial would have the advantage of gaining more legitimacy internationally, in the sense that people in the Muslim and Arab worlds would be more likely to think it was objective. But the costs of that are really very, very high, especially because the penalties would be different.
In an international trial, the death penalty would be off the table. Whereas in Iraq, if you're convicted of murder, you can be executed.
DOBBS: The judiciary in Iraq, to whatever form it has taken, is still made up of the judicial personages of the Baath regime, is it not?
FELDMAN: There's been some vetting. Judges who were high rankers in the Baath Party, which is not actually that many judges, have all been stripped of their positions. Low level Baath judges remain, although they wouldn't serve on a special tribunal that was designed to put Saddam on trial.
But there is an extraordinary poetic justice to the fact that the lawyers, the prosecutors, the judges who would be involved in Saddam's trial, would be people who had initially been appointed under Saddam's regime.
DOBBS: There might be poetic justice, but would it be effective justice?
FELDMAN: I think it would likely to be effective. The important thing is that it be fair and that it be seen to be fair. That means that Saddam has to have the opportunity to actually put forward a defense.
Painful as it seems, and as much as we know that he's going to be found guilty, the trial can't just be a mockery of a real trial. It has to actually allow him to express his point of view, unfortunately.
It also has to show Iraqis that the rule of law is going to operate in Iraq, that this is not going to be like it was under Saddam.
DOBBS: How confident are you that by the time the decisions are made -- and the governing council has said that they want it to be an Iraqi court that tries Saddam Hussein -- Wesley Clark today said that he would prefer to see it be an international court.
What is your best judgment as to which would be the more intelligent? You've acquainted us with the advantages of both. Now give us your best decision.
FELDMAN: Ultimately I think that I would probably opt for an Iraqi court, not without some trepidation, because I am concerned about responses elsewhere in the world.
But in the end, the man is guilty, at a bare minimum, of the murder of many hundreds of thousands of his own people. And to deny an Iraqi court the opportunity to try him for that crime, in addition to the other crimes, international crimes like genocide and violations of the laws of war, would just be outrageous. It would be outrageous to deny that Iraqis.
DOBBS: We're just about out of time. In just a few seconds, if you could, give us your best assessment. Will Iraq have a thriving, constitutional document by spring?
FELDMAN: I don't think we're going to have a final constitution by spring. I think what we'll have is a fundamental or basic law that sets the basic ground rules for the short term.
DOBBS: That's not a bad beginning. Noah Feldman, thank you very much for being with us.
FELDMAN: Thanks for having me.
DOBBS: Coming up next, celebration in the streets of Iraq today after decades of brutal dictatorship. We'll share some of the emotional highlights of what has been an extraordinary 24 hours.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: That's our show for this evening. We thank you for being with us. We leave you tonight with some of the sights and sounds of this extraordinary day.
As President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair today said, the capture of Saddam Hussein sets the stage for a hopeful, new beginning in Iraq.
For all of us here, we hope so. And we wish you a good evening from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
BUSH: In the history of Iraq, a dark and painful era is over. A hopeful day has arrived.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of these people lost a member of their family by the torture and killing of Saddam. So today is the day of revenge from Saddam, the day of victory. This is the celebration of victory, of God and of freedom and the free world and democracy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've always wanted him to be captured, because I've heard stories of what he's done to my parents and everything, and like what he's done to like my family, that when they lived in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The reason I wanted to -- I wanted to stay and listen to the news. But I said, no, I've got to go give thanks to God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brilliant news. Brilliant news. Yes, it was excellent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just really happy. What a Christmas present, especially when you have active duty Marines like you do in here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man. Everybody's going crazy. The post is in pure pandemonium right now.
LT. GEN. THOMAS METZ, U.S. ARMY: Well, they've gotten their Christmas bonus in the sense that they've got a tremendous victory and boost to their morale.
BLAIR: Now is a time of great opportunity. Let us seize it and use it for the good of the people of Iraq, for the people in the Middle East and for the people of our world.
BREMER: Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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