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War in Iraq: Rescued POW Heads Stateside

Aired April 12, 2003 - 15:00   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, here's what's ahead this hour on the network.
A live preview of Jessica Lynch's return to the U.S. The rescued POW right now is on a plane on her way back to Washington.

Plus, a look at bringing other American POWs safely home. We'll talk with a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who specializes in combat search and rescues.

And ancient artifacts lost forever. Billions of dollars in treasures looted from a museum in Baghdad. We'll have more on that.

But for now, let's go back to Judy Woodruff in Washington, and Daryn Kagan in Kuwait City.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Saddam Hussein's top scientist surrenders. He says he wants the truth to come out about Iraqi weapons. But will coalition forces believe what he has to say?

I'm Judy Woodruff in Washington. For more of the headlines in the war with Iraq, though, let's go now to CNN's Daryn Kagan in Kuwait City.

Hello again, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Judy. Good evening from Kuwait City.

Let's begin with the U.S. Marines set out today for Tikrit. That is Saddam Hussein's home town and the last major holdout against coalition forces. They face unknown threats ahead, even as they leave dangers in Baghdad behind.

Gunfire echoed near the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad. In that same hotel today, U.S. military officials interviewed retired Iraqi police officers. They're working to create a police force to bring law and order to the city.

In southern Baghdad, an Iraqi informant led soldiers to the remains of one of their own. The troops prayed and then removed the body from the area.

At this hour, Private Jessica Lynch is heading even farther away from the war zone. The rescued POW and other injured troops are on a flight from Germany to the Washington, D.C., area. Perhaps the most notable development today in Baghdad was the surrender of one of the Iraqi regime's most wanted, a man believed to have intimate knowledge of Iraq's chemical weapons program.

For all the day's news from the Iraqi capital, we bring in now Rula Amin from Baghdad.

Rula, hello.

RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

You know, Amir al-Saadi is the first Iraqi official that we know of who had surrendered and turned himself in to the U.S. Marines here in Baghdad. He's British educated, he's very well spoken. His title was the presidential adviser for the scientific affairs. And so many times, he headed Iraq's team to deal with the United Nations weapons inspectors. And he always said that Iraq doesn't have weapons of mass destruction.

Today, before he turned himself in, he had an in -- the German television had an interview with him, and he maintained that line, that Iraq doesn't have such weapons. And he said that is exactly what he's going to tell the U.S.

Now, at the same time, this comes as very surprising news to many Iraqis. They regard him as very respectable man, but not actually part of the regime, the loyalist to Saddam, in terms of the persecution and the dictatorship image that the Iraqi regime had. He's more of a technocrat, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) people were surprised to hear of him turning himself in.

This comes at a time when Iraqis are trying to cope with the new reality and survive it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMIN (voice-over): They looted almost everything -- ministries, banks, government buildings, hospitals, and even the Iraqi museum, spreading fear and panic among residents of Baghdad.

(on camera): In Al Karah (ph), the neighborhood in Baghdad, residents decided to take matters into their own hands. They erected barricades, carried guns, and stopped the looters from coming into their own neighborhoods. And then they went even one step further.

(voice-over): This retired soldier, along with other neighbors, started stopping the looters and confiscating their spoils, like this public bus that was loaded with goodies.

Everything is being stored here, medicine and medical equipment, cigarettes, tires, furniture, and loot from the home of Saddam Hussein's personal secretary, Abed Lehmoud (ph).

"We are sure," the guard here says, "the looters told us that's where they got it." "He used the best perfume," the guard here tells me. "You need dollars to get this, and they were the only ones who had it, while we were starving."

On the door, a note that was sent to the highest religious authority for Iraqi Shiites asking if looting was OK. The answer came, No way.

So people started bringing stuff back to this mosque, from chandeliers to bathroom sinks, and everything has to be registered. No one is to touch it. It will be returned to the new authority in Iraq.

But there is none yet, and these Iraqis are trying to figure out how to bring law and order back to Iraq.

"The Americans can't do it," says this old man. "They just don't know how things work here." "Yesterday the Marines came and took our guns away," says one Karada (ph) resident. "We tried to explain to them we needed the guns to stop the looters. But they had their guns pointed at us, and our pleas felt on muffed ears."

On the streets, there is anger and frustration. Many don't understand why the U.S. Marines won't stop the looters. "They're always there watching but won't do anything about it," says this store owner. "They're encouraging the looters. Everyone is fed up. They removed Saddam Hussein, but what is the result?"

The U.S. Marines say for now, their priority is to protect the power and water plants and the U.N. headquarters. But they can't do much more.

"It really hurts me to see my whole country being looted," says this Iraqi, his pain shared by many here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that's our Rula Amin reporting to us from Baghdad today.

Judy, back to you in D.C.

WOODRUFF: Boy, what a picture that was, Daryn, people bringing back sinks and chandeliers. I have a feeling there's much more to come along those lines.

Well, in northern Iraq, U.S. forces have run a second set of tests on an Iraqi warhead first suspected of containing chemical nerve agents.

CNN's Thomas Nybo has the latest now on materials found at a storage facility near Kirkuk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THOMAS NYBO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. Army says it's been a busy day in the search for chemical weapons in and around the area of the Kirkuk military airfield. They say there are a couple of key developments today, the first one dealing with the discovery of a possible chemical warhead.

Now, there were mixed results on the tests. They were done in pairs, and the first pair of tests showed trace amounts of a nerve agent, the Army says. The second tests, which were conducted not too long ago, just moments ago, I'm standing a couple hundred yards from the suspected warhead here, and I spoke with the public affairs officer traveling with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, I spoke with him before the second test.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elements of the 173rd Airborne Brigade were clearing the airfield, going from building to building, facility to facility, and they came across a weapon. They checked it. It appeared as though it had some markings that indicated it was -- could be a chemical weapon. They came back later and checked it with some technical instruments, and it did test positive for a nerve agent.

NYBO: Regarding those tests, they operate on a scale of 0 to 6 with a device called the ICAM (ph). The first few tests that were conducted showed trace elements that registered at 1. The second test, which just happened a short while ago, showed no trace whatsoever.

One of the testers says, though, you really can't tell with any certainty until they crack them open, crack open the warheads. and examine them. And the 173rd doesn't have those tools. They're bringing in other teams with more sophisticated technology to answer that question.

Another development here was the presence of a former Iraqi air force official. I spoke with Major Gowan (ph) about this man, and here's what he had to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An Iraqi gentleman has come forth claiming to have some specific knowledge about possible chemical weapons that may be stored here on this air base. It appears as though the air base was evacuated hastily. A lot of indicators seem to say that the Iraqi forces that were here left very quickly.

NYBO: I read a U.S. Army intelligence summary which essentially said this man was imprisoned during the time of Saddam Hussein's regime. And he was liberated with the fall of Kirkuk. He showed up at a security gate and said he had information regarding possible chemical weapons. More specifically, he said he knew of 120 missiles buried in a radius of about 30 miles. And he said of these 120 missiles, 24 of them have chemical munitions.

This question also won't be answered for some time, but there are already U.S. Army teams searching for those weapons.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Want to go ahead and share with you an interesting, yet unconfirmed, development on the question of Saddam Hussein's condition. Our Martin Savidge reports that an Iraqi man who surrendered to U.S. Marines today said that he performed plastic surgery on both Saddam Hussein and some of his relatives. The man said he knows where Saddam's family has fled, but he did not say if he knew where Saddam Hussein could be found.

At Centcom headquarters, General Vincent Brooks said that there are what he called conflicting reports about whether Saddam is dead or alive.

Also today, a follow-up to that firefight involving U.S. Marines Wednesday near the campus of Baghdad University. The Marines today said they have discovered a large amount of weapons on the campus, and what they believe is an ammunitions dump. The ammo was presumably part of the arsenal used by Iraqi gunmen in a fierce firefight about the same time as a large statue of Saddam Hussein was pulled down in central Baghdad just a couple miles away, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Well, the family of Private First Class Jessica Lynch sent their prayers to U.S. forces still on the battlefield, even as the rescued POW left Germany for the United States today. She's due to land here in the Washington area a little over two hours from now.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center where Lynch will continue her recovery.

Hello again, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Judy.

Judy, Jessica Lynch and 49 other war wounded are expected to join 23 wounded soldiers who are at Walter Reed behind me. For Jessica Lynch and her traveling companions, the journey began about seven hours ago when they left Germany.

While she was in Germany, Jessica Lynch received treatments for her injuries. She had several surgeries. She now has pins and bolts in her right arm and in both of her legs, which is where she had the fractures. She also sustained fractures in her ankle and in her foot. She also had head lacerations. She also had fractures in her disk.

A military spokesman earlier today read a statement from her family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. MIKE YOUNG, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN: "Jessie's recovery continues, and she is doing well. She is in pain, but she is in good spirits. Although she faces a lengthy rehabilitation, she is tough. We believe she will regain her strength soon. Our family is proud of Jessie."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Jessica Lynch's family and the military have made it very clear that her recovery and rehabilitation will be done in private. We don't expect to see very much of Private Lynch for quite awhile, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Elizabeth, what about some of the other returned soldiers and Marines returned to the U.S. with war wounds? Do we know what kinds of wounds they're treating there at Walter Reed and other hospitals in the U.S.?

COHEN: They're treating a variety of wounds. There are many, many orthopedic wounds that they're treating, many fractures. There's also minor injuries. There are also gunshot wounds. Here at Walter Reed, only one patient is in critical but stable condition. The other ones are in much better condition, Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, where, as we said, she is at Walter Reed Army hospital where, within a few hours, Jessica Lynch will be taken there to continue her recuperation.

Well, for more on Private Lynch's journey home, tune in tonight for a CNN special, The Rescue of Jessica Lynch. That's at 8:30 p.m. Eastern -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, Judy, other news now.

Family and friends of Private Lori Piestewa are gathering there in Tuba City, Arizona. Several thousand people are expected to fill a local high school gym to remember Private Piestewa. She died in the same Iraqi ambush where Private Jessica Lynch was captured on March 23. The two women were also former roommates. Piestewa is believed to be the first Native American woman ever killed in combat in a foreign war.

And while mourners remember those lost in battle, others are still holding out hope that their loved ones will be found. Seven Americans remain listed as prisoners of war. Five of them were members of the Army's 507th Maintenance Company based at Fort Bliss, Texas.

WOODRUFF: When we return, we'll get the latest on the lawlessness that has been evident in the streets of Iraq's third- largest city over the last few days. A live report on the situation in Mosul just a head.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Want to focus right now again on northern Iraq. Across that part of the country, there are efforts under way to restore order in areas where chaos has been the rule over the last few days. Much of the lawlessness has been in the city of Mosul.

With us now to talk about the situation there, our Ben Wedeman. He is in the nearby city of Erbil -- Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Daryn. Well, the situation in Erbil still very, very unstable. Now, this follows yesterday, the surrender of Iraqi forces in that city, which is the third-largest city in Iraq, and the largest city with an Arab Sunni majority, of course, Saddam Hussein also being an Arab Sunni.

Now, yesterday there was an orgy of looting, a real rampage by hundreds, if not thousands, of people who attacked government buildings and facilities, ripped everything to pieces. Now, today the situation is somewhat more stabilized, but not much. We went there this morning.

As we approached the city, we saw several fires burning on the horizon. There's also an oil storage facility that was also on fire. Today the looting seems to have tapered off somewhat, partially as a result of efforts by local people, who are trying to take matters into their own hands.

We saw on several of the main highways, for instance, roadblocks set up by ordinary people who have armed themselves with automatic rifles, clubs, and knives. They're trying to prevent looters from entering their neighborhoods. They're trying to confiscate the things that the looters have already taken. So that has somewhat stabilized the situation.

But nerves are very much on edge. Now, we heard lots of mixed emotions from people in Mosul, some of them happy to see an end to Saddam Hussein, others actually expressing regret, saying that they wished the president, Saddam Hussein, had stayed in power. They said at least under him, despite his brutal rule, there was law and order, law and order that simply isn't there any longer.

Now, at the moment, in Mosul itself, there are two different forces working, trying to maintain or restore order. One of them, several hundred Kurdish fighters who came up into Mosul with the approval of the United States. They're trying to restore order. But the local people told us that, in fact, the Kurdish fighters are encouraging the looting. So it's not clear what exactly they're up to.

There's also a fairly modest force of Americans. We saw them deployed in several parts around the city, calling on the people to take -- con -- to regain their confidence now that the coalition, as it's described, has arrived, that they will try to restore peace and order, Daryn.

KAGAN: Cannot come soon enough to the people of northern Iraq. Ben Wedeman, thank you so much.

Judy, back to you.

WOODRUFF: Thanks, Daryn and Ben.

And we turn our focus now to the Pentagon and reaction there to the latest developments in Iraq.

Here's CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Plante. Chris, there seemed to be some mixed signals about to what extent U.S. forces are supposed to be focused, of course, on security, on getting this war won, but also on the looting, the lawlessness. What have they been saying over the last day or so at the Pentagon about that?

CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Secretary Rumsfeld was actually a little bit defensive about that the last time he had an opportunity to respond to it. He said the news media was really kind of making much too much of some of the issues, that they were focused on the looting, and he kept seeing the same pieces of video over and over again, which was apparently a source of some aggravation to him.

That said, it's quite possible that this train just moved just a little more quickly than everybody had anticipated in terms of taking over downtown Baghdad, and that they weren't fully prepared for the consequences of that.

Certainly, you expect some civil unrest, and even the types of things that we saw with looting in these situations. But was the reaction quick enough? That's something that's being debated now. It doubtless will be debated for some time.

Clearly, they don't have the situation fully under control. There's a lot that still has to be done. But they say that they'll get to it in due time, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Chris, a lot of concern still, of course, about the American prisoners of war. We know there are several still being held by the Iraqis. The hope is, of course, that they're still alive. What are they saying at the Pentagon about these young people?

PLANTE: Well, this is the kind of thing that they say, and they genuinely believe, I think, is the highest priority, certainly on the top tier of their highest priorities.

There are seven POWs that it is known the Iraqi forces had taken into custody. The first five from the 507th Maintenance Company that Jessica Lynch was a part of, and then two you see in the lower part of the screen, in the color photos there, a pilot crew from an Apache helicopter.

Now, these are very high priority for the military. In fact, at the defense briefing, the Central Command briefing in Doha earlier today, General Vince Brooks addressed this very issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. VINCENT BROOKS, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We view them as alive until we know they're not. And that's why we don't forget them. And so we remain focused on them until we have any confirming information that says we should stop. Right now, we don't have anything that tells us that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLANTE: So clearly, very much a front-burner issue with them, and they expect that these people will be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. And they're very insistent that there will be consequences if that's not followed, Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right, Chris Plante at the Pentagon.

I know one additional concern is reading today that the Red Cross has lost contact with their people they were talking to inside the Iraqi regime about the well-being of these prisoners of war. They no longer have those contacts. And, of course, that is of great concern to all. Well, with me now to talk more about the search for the seven American prisoners of war in Iraq is retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Darrell Whitcomb. He's an expert on combat search and rescue. He's also the author of two books on that subject, "The Rescue of BAT 21," and another book that is awaiting publication.

Colonel Whitcomb, thanks very much for being with us.

What, at this point, what should the U.S. military and anyone else concerned about these prisoners of war be doing, be trying to do?

COL. DARRELL WHITCOMB (RET.), U.S. AIR FORCE: Well, we've got our forces in the field, our intelligence sources are scouring Iraq from north to south, east and west, looking for our troops. We know -- we have a pretty good idea where they're -- the prisons are, where they might be holding these. And as we occupy these areas, we're going through these prisons very quickly.

One large one in Basra, one in Rashid we've already gone through, I understand, fairly thoroughly. Found some remnants, but we have not found the individuals themselves.

But it's a very, very high priority for us to bring these young troops home. We have an extensive rescue capability, really, in all of our services, and we have a bond with our people that says, Look, we're going to send you out to do tough things, we're going to send you into harm's way.

But if you get in trouble, you get shot down, you get trapped behind enemy lines, we're going to try to get you out. And if you are captured and made a prisoner, as you saw with Jessica Lynch now, it doesn't end there. We will work as hard as we can to either try to rescue you at that point, or, when the war is over, we will bring you home as quickly as we can.

WOODRUFF: But before any rescue attempt is put together, presumably you need to have pretty solid intelligence, don't you?

WHITCOMB: Oh, absolutely. And our intelligence services, both at the tactical, operational, and strategic level, are keyed on this type of information, because the recovery of our young men and women is extremely high priority with us. We understand that we are going to lose soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in war, because there are things worth fighting for in this world.

But we don't give up those losses lightly. And we'll do everything we can to try to bring in all of our young men and women home and thank them for the great job that they did. So search and rescue is very, very high priority with us.

WOODRUFF: How significant is it, colonel, that the Red Cross officials, International Red Cross officials, now are saying they've lost contact with the people inside the Iraqi regime they were talking to about these prisoners?

WHITCOMB: Well, it shuts down one of our avenues of information. But I don't think that that's that necessarily important, or that much of a show-stopper, because we have excellent intelligence capabilities at all levels, and we dedicate the resources, both in terms of human intel and technical intelligence, to try to search out our folks.

WOODRUFF: Well, Air Force retired colonel Darrell Whitcomb, we thank you very much for talking with us. And, of course, all of us hope that those POWs are found and found safe and sound.

WHITCOMB: God bless them all.

WOODRUFF: Thank you very much.

WHITCOMB: Thanks, Judy.

WOODRUFF: And now Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Judy, still ahead, his secret police helped Saddam Hussein rule through fear. They no longer have power, but that fear is still out there. A report on that just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Back to Baghdad now, where some residents are exploring the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's palaces. And also, their much- feared secret police. They're hoping to find something, and half afraid that they actually will.

Details now from CNN's Richard Blystone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It would be a pity to let the roses go to waste. For with any luck, this place won't be restored.

This was the headquarters of perhaps the regime's most important institution, the Muhabarat (ph), literally, the informers, the secret police.

(voice-over): A few people are here for some light looting, others just to have a look. This man says he used to be afraid just to drive past here.

A guide appears and shows us the scars of his personal experience of the Muhabarat. He brings us documents, another illustration of the banality of evil. This one says the Muhabarat need more and better cars.

At a military camp, hundreds have gathered.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about 10 years underground, and don't see him.

BLYSTONE: These people believe there's a complex of underground cells here, thousands of them, five stories deep. They tear up floors and find nothing. They rifle documents. A mother searches for word of her son. They lead U.S. special forces here and there. They think there are prisoners alive down there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know how to get under the ground for them.

BLYSTONE: They want bulldozers to come and dig the whole place up, now. They think they've heard voices from below. But it looks more and more like the reflection of their own mind-sets, molded by totalitarianism, where you can believe anything or nothing.

It's down here. No, that's a pump house. Here are cells, but above ground, clean and empty.

CAPT. DANIEL HESMAN, U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES: It's always important to show people that you're here to help them, take a little time and listen to them.

BLYSTONE: The soldiers hear there are tunnels leading all the way from the river. But the sad fact is, these people don't know this place. They are still in the grip of Saddam Hussein's deadliest weapon, fear.

Richard Blystone, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(NEWSBREAK)

WOODRUFF: Still ahead in this hour, casualties of war, heavy collateral damage in the cities, especially in Baghdad. Christiane Amanpour's report. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: No major firefights reported today in Baghdad, and no bombs fell on the city this day. But Iraq's capital and the people who live there still bear the wounds of battle. Coming up now, a report by Christiane Amanpour. And we do want to warn you, there are some scenes showing civilians with war wounds, some scenes that may be difficult to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Baghdad wallows in the wreckage of war. Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles blown up on the city streets, cars and trucks still waving the white flag, lest they be mistaken for the enemy. And here right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, a missile, we're told a Sam II.

Marines are here to make sure it's safely towed away, and the people complain loudly about the fallen regime placing such targets in their midst. They said they were afraid of U.S. bombs dropped in this neighborhood, perhaps aiming for the missile. (on camera): This is a deep crater caused by a bomb. And around what seems to be the remnants of some kind of vehicle. But just 20 yards away, there are private homes. And the doctors here tell us that they've received many more civilian casualties during this war than they did during the first Gulf War of 1991.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a shell to the abdomen. We open the abdomen, and have injury to the bowel.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): At this one hospital alone, doctors tell us they have received 500 civilians, with everything from slight to critical injuries, and they conducted 170 major operations in just 21 days of war.

DR. ABOUL MOHAMMED HAKEEM, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON: In the first war, we didn't see such a huge number. This is number one. And secondly, the type of injuries here is more serious, as I note, than before.

AMANPOUR: And now, with the looting, Dr. Hakeem says he simply can't get the staff to come to work. Today, no anesthetists, no radiologists.

HAKEEM: But thank God, we cope. What to do.

AMANPOUR: That's because they brought their own guns to keep the bandits at bay. U.S. Marines have set up a position near another hospital. Children bring them flowers, and the Marines say they're trying to calm the fears of the past few chaotic days.

CPI QUENTIN MELROE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: We let them know we're not here to harm them. We're here for peace now. That's our mission, is to give them security.

AMANPOUR: Inside the hospital filled with more war wounded, including this 5-year-old boy with a shrapnel wound to the head, the doctor says he's got mixed feelings. Relief that Saddam Hussein is gone, but a deep desire for more security.

DR. ABDUL KARIM YAKHGAM, NEUROSURGEON: When Mr. Bush and Blair and others decided to bomb to change the regime, should be planned immediately.

AMANPOUR: Down by the main Marine base, a group of Iraqis decided to make that demand more clear. Waving a banner, calling for a new order, and yelling for peace. At one point, it got ugly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here for your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) freedom. So back up right now!

AMANPOUR: In the end, though, calm prevailed with both the Iraqis and the Marines deciding that discretion is the better part of valor.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE) DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Still ahead, opponents of the war, a high-level meeting in Russia, and protests around the world. Now that Saddam Hussein has fallen, has the peace movement lost some of its urgency?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

WOODRUFF: Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations says that Saddam Hussein's government is gone. And now Mohammed Aldouri is gone, too. Before leaving the United States, though, Aldouri seemed to change his tune about the war, and he offered this message for America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I hope that the United States Army will leave Iraq soon, and we will have free election for a free government for a free future for Iraq and the people for Iraq. This is my message to you, to the people of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Of course, that's a very different philosophy than the one he espoused when he worked for Saddam Hussein. Mr. Aldouri said he was headed for Syria, and he said he hopes to find out what happened to his family inside Iraq -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, Judy, a leading European opponent of the war in Iraq met today in Russia. French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder joined Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. President Chirac called for the United Nations to lead the post-war reconstruction effort in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. JACQUES CHIRAC, FRANCE (through translator): After the phase of making it secure, we have to engage political, administrative, institutional and social and economical reconstruction of Iraq. It is an immense task. The United Nations and the European Union are going to play a central role. Only the United Nations shall have the necessary legitimacy and a long experience to deal with this crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The three leaders offered little direct criticism of the U.S., and President Chirac also voiced confidence that relations with the United States can be improved.

The humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations reports that the first U.N. relief convoy to Iraq is on its way to Basra from Iran. The official says the U.N. is hoping to reestablish its presence inside Iraq by Monday. U.N. staff were removed from Iraq on March 18. U.N. says that water, sanitation and medical services are the most pressing needs inside Iraq right now.

WOODRUFF: In his weekly radio address, President Bush today repeated his pledge that the U.S.-led coalition will help rebuild Iraq when the war is over. He also said that U.S. forces may still face what he called "hard fighting" in the days ahead. But he said the Iraqi regime is, quote, "passing into history."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The nightmare of Saddam Hussein's rule in Iraq is ending. Soon the good and gifted people of Iraq will be free to choose their leaders, who respect their rights, and reflect their character. And all that is to come. They will have the good will of the entire world, and they will have the friendship of the people of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: On a related note, Congress today approved almost $80 billion in spending, much of it to pay for the war in Iraq. The Senate passed the bill yesterday. President Bush is expected to sign it soon.

Well, with the war in Iraq nearly a month old, anti-war protesters in the United States have now changed their focus. They are now marching to bring the troops home. Protesters gathered today in Washington, but in far fewer numbers than back in January or in March. Tens of thousands of people showed up then. But today, organizers obtained a permit for only 20,000.

The anti-war movement abroad still has staying power. Organizers of this demonstration today in Rome say that several hundred thousand people turned out. Demonstrators against the war also were held across Asia. An estimated 4,000 protesters attended this rally in Seoul, South Korea.

KAGAN: Just ahead, after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq is suffering the loss of some national treasures that can never be replaced. That story just ahead when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, ordinary Iraqis in the city of Mosul are getting to see something they had never seen before, the luxurious interior of the presidential palace there. But today much of that luxury has vanished, at the hands of looters. Here's CNN's Jane Arraf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): For the longest this time, no one was allowed to actually even see the outside of the palace. Now you can see things have changed. And people are not just coming in to take a look, they're coming in to take whatever they can get their hands on. This was just a few hours ago a beautiful wooden banister. All of them have been carted out by people. But if we take a look up, you can still see the stained glass that they have not been able to get to. Obviously there's not much left of the electrical system. That's all gone. I'm sure that was good for something in somebody's home.

Here we seem to have an elevator. This is a three-story palace, so it needed these elevators. Smashed, but possibly still open -- I'm not sure what that was, but something breaking obviously. This is a view that hardly anyone would have seen up until today. And it's actually facing the hotel, the best hotel in Mosul, as a matter of fact, just behind -- my goodness, that's smoke. The hotel itself has been absolutely looted to the floorboards this morning. There's almost nothing left there either. But here you can see this palace, it's really quite well maintain maintained. Even now, it has this beautiful garden, these outlying buildings, and for the first time, really, ordinary Iraqi people allowed to go in the gardens and stand here and marvel at the architecture and the money that was put into this palace.

This is probably one of the most interesting rooms. It might have been used as a small salon. It's fairly small by palace standards. But it has this amazing ceiling. You can see that incredible wooden woodwork that actually looks like billowing fabric. It has some green silk behind it. And in the middle there, it's typical Iraqi carpet. Mostly from the south, those patterns. As you can see, virtually the only things that have remained here are on the ceiling, because people haven't been able to get to them.

But people are incredibly happy. I don't know whether it's the looting, being able to see this palace for the first time, but many people have told me, this is a great day for Iraqis.

And on this ground floor, one of two indoor swimming pools. This one still actually filled with water, though put to a use that the original builders of this palace never imagined.

Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Al-Ruwah (ph) palace in Mosul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, it is a -- it is not a great day for Iraqis as some historic treasures are victims of the chaos that broke out this weekend in Baghdad. Looters thrashed the national museum. They carted off with the country's most important artifacts. Glass display cases were shattered, and broken pieces of ancient pottery and statutes were scattered everywhere. Art historian John Russell is with us now to talk -- from Boston -- about the loss of these treasures. John, thanks for joining us.

JOHN RUSSELL, ART HISTORIAN: Thank you.

KAGAN: Can you tell us more specifically what kind of treasures you think were housed at this Baghdad museum?

RUSSELL: The museum was the national collection of antiquities for Iraq. So among the things that were there would be items that would be in all the art history survey books that cover Iraq from the beginning, say, 8,000 BC until the Islamic period. And in addition, material from every excavation that took place in Iraq was kept there as well. So 100 years worth of excavated materials. Maybe -- who knows, hundreds of thousands of objects.

KAGAN: One hopeful note, there is some word that possibly it looks like some of the most valuable objects were stored away before the war began. Does that give you any sense of hope that perhaps these items are in a safe place?

RUSSELL: There are many one-of-a-kind pieces. And if they were -- if the most rare pieces were in another site, I'd at least be hopeful that they survived. The problem is that everything in the museum was one-of-a-kind. And when we talk about losses in the hundreds of thousands of objects, it's going to take a long time before we know really the extent of the catastrophe.

KAGAN: Had you ever had a chance to visit this museum?

RUSSELL: Yes, I visited it when I worked in Iraq, at the site of Menova (ph) in 1989 and 1990. It's a beautiful museum. Very well maintained, with the best, as I say, the best Mesopotamian antiquities collection in the world, until today.

KAGAN: And in fact, I understand the museum has actually been closed since '91, since that Gulf War, and only opened only in the last year.

RUSSELL: Apparently it reopened a year or two ago, with some of the exhibits on display. It may be that some of the most unique or rare objects never went back on display. Oh my gosh, I'm looking at pictures of things I can't believe here. What I'm concerned about, of course, is that this material will just disappear, what's not broken. And people will remember this event long after they've forgotten what this Gulf War was all about.

KAGAN: Yes, let's hope that some of your fellow art historians and archaeologists in Baghdad had the foresight to try to protect some of those timeless and priceless treasures before the war and the looting began. John Russell, thanks for joining us for this brief time from Boston. I appreciate your insight.

RUSSELL: Thank you.

KAGAN: Still ahead, Saddam Hussein's information minister, a folk legend in his own time, but it appears his time had come and gone. We'll have a report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Iraq's government information minister under Saddam Hussein was last seen on a Baghdad street corner, the smoke from burning buildings in the background, telling reporters that Iraq was winning the war. Declarations like that made Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf a pop icon of sorts in the Western media, as CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Liar, liar, his regime is on fire.

MOHAMMED SAEED AL-SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: We besieged them and we killed most of them.

MOOS: After telling whopper...

AL-SAHAF: They are trapped everywhere in the country.

MOOS: ... after whopper...

AL-SAHAF: And I think we will finish them soon.

MOOS: ... it's Iraq's information minister who is finished. But his place in pop culture grows.

CONN NUGENT, WEB SITE CO-CREATOR: The funniest comedian since Buddy Hackett.

MOOS: He has been the butt of countless cartoons, even Arabic cartoons. He's made David Letterman's top 10 list.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN," CBS)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST: The number one thing the Iraqis' information minister has to say about the war, "War? What war?"

There you go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: On the "Tonight" show, he's been parodied as a contestant playing International Jeopardy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The answer is, can you hear me now? Mohammed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes. What is Saddam saying to the people who are digging him out from the rubble?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: He even has a Web site devoted to him.

NUGENT: WelovetheIraqiinformationminister.com.

MOOS (on camera): And do you?

NUGENT: Yes, in a weird, warped kind of way. MOOS (voice-over): They refer to him as M.S.S., Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf. The six creators of the Web site describe themselves as bloodthirsty hawks and ineffectual doves smitten by the minister's twisted quotes.

AL-SAHAF: My feelings, as usual, we will slaughter them all.

MOOS: That classic ended up on one of several shirts for sale. They've sold hundreds of these. There's a whole Web site started as a joke. Another site, based in Britain, sells a similar T-shirt, different quote.

Sahaf was no laughing matter to Iraqis. He was the public face of a brutal, repressive regime. Now the minister's history is being spoofed. He's depicted giving misinformation at the battles of Gettysburg, Waterloo, the Alamo, Little Big Horn, and even Normandy.

NUGENT: "Americans? What Americans? There are no American infidels in France."

MOOS: The words of the Butcher of Baghdad's mouthpiece now adorn a barbecue apron, "God will roast their stomachs in hell."

This is one spokesman who never learned not to talk with his mouth full of falsehoods.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: There was always something, he would stand there with the smoke rising behind him and the sirens and keep talking.

Well, straight ahead on a special edition of INSIDE POLITICS, we'll go live to Baghdad for the latest.

Plus, helping U.S. troops heal after doing battle on the front lines. We'll talk with a doctor who knows what it takes. He was in Kuwait for Desert Storm and he now commands the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

First, the hour's top headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

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LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, here's what's ahead this hour on the network.
A live preview of Jessica Lynch's return to the U.S. The rescued POW right now is on a plane on her way back to Washington.

Plus, a look at bringing other American POWs safely home. We'll talk with a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who specializes in combat search and rescues.

And ancient artifacts lost forever. Billions of dollars in treasures looted from a museum in Baghdad. We'll have more on that.

But for now, let's go back to Judy Woodruff in Washington, and Daryn Kagan in Kuwait City.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Saddam Hussein's top scientist surrenders. He says he wants the truth to come out about Iraqi weapons. But will coalition forces believe what he has to say?

I'm Judy Woodruff in Washington. For more of the headlines in the war with Iraq, though, let's go now to CNN's Daryn Kagan in Kuwait City.

Hello again, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Judy. Good evening from Kuwait City.

Let's begin with the U.S. Marines set out today for Tikrit. That is Saddam Hussein's home town and the last major holdout against coalition forces. They face unknown threats ahead, even as they leave dangers in Baghdad behind.

Gunfire echoed near the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad. In that same hotel today, U.S. military officials interviewed retired Iraqi police officers. They're working to create a police force to bring law and order to the city.

In southern Baghdad, an Iraqi informant led soldiers to the remains of one of their own. The troops prayed and then removed the body from the area.

At this hour, Private Jessica Lynch is heading even farther away from the war zone. The rescued POW and other injured troops are on a flight from Germany to the Washington, D.C., area. Perhaps the most notable development today in Baghdad was the surrender of one of the Iraqi regime's most wanted, a man believed to have intimate knowledge of Iraq's chemical weapons program.

For all the day's news from the Iraqi capital, we bring in now Rula Amin from Baghdad.

Rula, hello.

RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

You know, Amir al-Saadi is the first Iraqi official that we know of who had surrendered and turned himself in to the U.S. Marines here in Baghdad. He's British educated, he's very well spoken. His title was the presidential adviser for the scientific affairs. And so many times, he headed Iraq's team to deal with the United Nations weapons inspectors. And he always said that Iraq doesn't have weapons of mass destruction.

Today, before he turned himself in, he had an in -- the German television had an interview with him, and he maintained that line, that Iraq doesn't have such weapons. And he said that is exactly what he's going to tell the U.S.

Now, at the same time, this comes as very surprising news to many Iraqis. They regard him as very respectable man, but not actually part of the regime, the loyalist to Saddam, in terms of the persecution and the dictatorship image that the Iraqi regime had. He's more of a technocrat, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) people were surprised to hear of him turning himself in.

This comes at a time when Iraqis are trying to cope with the new reality and survive it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMIN (voice-over): They looted almost everything -- ministries, banks, government buildings, hospitals, and even the Iraqi museum, spreading fear and panic among residents of Baghdad.

(on camera): In Al Karah (ph), the neighborhood in Baghdad, residents decided to take matters into their own hands. They erected barricades, carried guns, and stopped the looters from coming into their own neighborhoods. And then they went even one step further.

(voice-over): This retired soldier, along with other neighbors, started stopping the looters and confiscating their spoils, like this public bus that was loaded with goodies.

Everything is being stored here, medicine and medical equipment, cigarettes, tires, furniture, and loot from the home of Saddam Hussein's personal secretary, Abed Lehmoud (ph).

"We are sure," the guard here says, "the looters told us that's where they got it." "He used the best perfume," the guard here tells me. "You need dollars to get this, and they were the only ones who had it, while we were starving."

On the door, a note that was sent to the highest religious authority for Iraqi Shiites asking if looting was OK. The answer came, No way.

So people started bringing stuff back to this mosque, from chandeliers to bathroom sinks, and everything has to be registered. No one is to touch it. It will be returned to the new authority in Iraq.

But there is none yet, and these Iraqis are trying to figure out how to bring law and order back to Iraq.

"The Americans can't do it," says this old man. "They just don't know how things work here." "Yesterday the Marines came and took our guns away," says one Karada (ph) resident. "We tried to explain to them we needed the guns to stop the looters. But they had their guns pointed at us, and our pleas felt on muffed ears."

On the streets, there is anger and frustration. Many don't understand why the U.S. Marines won't stop the looters. "They're always there watching but won't do anything about it," says this store owner. "They're encouraging the looters. Everyone is fed up. They removed Saddam Hussein, but what is the result?"

The U.S. Marines say for now, their priority is to protect the power and water plants and the U.N. headquarters. But they can't do much more.

"It really hurts me to see my whole country being looted," says this Iraqi, his pain shared by many here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that's our Rula Amin reporting to us from Baghdad today.

Judy, back to you in D.C.

WOODRUFF: Boy, what a picture that was, Daryn, people bringing back sinks and chandeliers. I have a feeling there's much more to come along those lines.

Well, in northern Iraq, U.S. forces have run a second set of tests on an Iraqi warhead first suspected of containing chemical nerve agents.

CNN's Thomas Nybo has the latest now on materials found at a storage facility near Kirkuk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THOMAS NYBO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. Army says it's been a busy day in the search for chemical weapons in and around the area of the Kirkuk military airfield. They say there are a couple of key developments today, the first one dealing with the discovery of a possible chemical warhead.

Now, there were mixed results on the tests. They were done in pairs, and the first pair of tests showed trace amounts of a nerve agent, the Army says. The second tests, which were conducted not too long ago, just moments ago, I'm standing a couple hundred yards from the suspected warhead here, and I spoke with the public affairs officer traveling with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, I spoke with him before the second test.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elements of the 173rd Airborne Brigade were clearing the airfield, going from building to building, facility to facility, and they came across a weapon. They checked it. It appeared as though it had some markings that indicated it was -- could be a chemical weapon. They came back later and checked it with some technical instruments, and it did test positive for a nerve agent.

NYBO: Regarding those tests, they operate on a scale of 0 to 6 with a device called the ICAM (ph). The first few tests that were conducted showed trace elements that registered at 1. The second test, which just happened a short while ago, showed no trace whatsoever.

One of the testers says, though, you really can't tell with any certainty until they crack them open, crack open the warheads. and examine them. And the 173rd doesn't have those tools. They're bringing in other teams with more sophisticated technology to answer that question.

Another development here was the presence of a former Iraqi air force official. I spoke with Major Gowan (ph) about this man, and here's what he had to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An Iraqi gentleman has come forth claiming to have some specific knowledge about possible chemical weapons that may be stored here on this air base. It appears as though the air base was evacuated hastily. A lot of indicators seem to say that the Iraqi forces that were here left very quickly.

NYBO: I read a U.S. Army intelligence summary which essentially said this man was imprisoned during the time of Saddam Hussein's regime. And he was liberated with the fall of Kirkuk. He showed up at a security gate and said he had information regarding possible chemical weapons. More specifically, he said he knew of 120 missiles buried in a radius of about 30 miles. And he said of these 120 missiles, 24 of them have chemical munitions.

This question also won't be answered for some time, but there are already U.S. Army teams searching for those weapons.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Want to go ahead and share with you an interesting, yet unconfirmed, development on the question of Saddam Hussein's condition. Our Martin Savidge reports that an Iraqi man who surrendered to U.S. Marines today said that he performed plastic surgery on both Saddam Hussein and some of his relatives. The man said he knows where Saddam's family has fled, but he did not say if he knew where Saddam Hussein could be found.

At Centcom headquarters, General Vincent Brooks said that there are what he called conflicting reports about whether Saddam is dead or alive.

Also today, a follow-up to that firefight involving U.S. Marines Wednesday near the campus of Baghdad University. The Marines today said they have discovered a large amount of weapons on the campus, and what they believe is an ammunitions dump. The ammo was presumably part of the arsenal used by Iraqi gunmen in a fierce firefight about the same time as a large statue of Saddam Hussein was pulled down in central Baghdad just a couple miles away, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Well, the family of Private First Class Jessica Lynch sent their prayers to U.S. forces still on the battlefield, even as the rescued POW left Germany for the United States today. She's due to land here in the Washington area a little over two hours from now.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center where Lynch will continue her recovery.

Hello again, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello again, Judy.

Judy, Jessica Lynch and 49 other war wounded are expected to join 23 wounded soldiers who are at Walter Reed behind me. For Jessica Lynch and her traveling companions, the journey began about seven hours ago when they left Germany.

While she was in Germany, Jessica Lynch received treatments for her injuries. She had several surgeries. She now has pins and bolts in her right arm and in both of her legs, which is where she had the fractures. She also sustained fractures in her ankle and in her foot. She also had head lacerations. She also had fractures in her disk.

A military spokesman earlier today read a statement from her family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. MIKE YOUNG, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN: "Jessie's recovery continues, and she is doing well. She is in pain, but she is in good spirits. Although she faces a lengthy rehabilitation, she is tough. We believe she will regain her strength soon. Our family is proud of Jessie."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Jessica Lynch's family and the military have made it very clear that her recovery and rehabilitation will be done in private. We don't expect to see very much of Private Lynch for quite awhile, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Elizabeth, what about some of the other returned soldiers and Marines returned to the U.S. with war wounds? Do we know what kinds of wounds they're treating there at Walter Reed and other hospitals in the U.S.?

COHEN: They're treating a variety of wounds. There are many, many orthopedic wounds that they're treating, many fractures. There's also minor injuries. There are also gunshot wounds. Here at Walter Reed, only one patient is in critical but stable condition. The other ones are in much better condition, Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, where, as we said, she is at Walter Reed Army hospital where, within a few hours, Jessica Lynch will be taken there to continue her recuperation.

Well, for more on Private Lynch's journey home, tune in tonight for a CNN special, The Rescue of Jessica Lynch. That's at 8:30 p.m. Eastern -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, Judy, other news now.

Family and friends of Private Lori Piestewa are gathering there in Tuba City, Arizona. Several thousand people are expected to fill a local high school gym to remember Private Piestewa. She died in the same Iraqi ambush where Private Jessica Lynch was captured on March 23. The two women were also former roommates. Piestewa is believed to be the first Native American woman ever killed in combat in a foreign war.

And while mourners remember those lost in battle, others are still holding out hope that their loved ones will be found. Seven Americans remain listed as prisoners of war. Five of them were members of the Army's 507th Maintenance Company based at Fort Bliss, Texas.

WOODRUFF: When we return, we'll get the latest on the lawlessness that has been evident in the streets of Iraq's third- largest city over the last few days. A live report on the situation in Mosul just a head.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Want to focus right now again on northern Iraq. Across that part of the country, there are efforts under way to restore order in areas where chaos has been the rule over the last few days. Much of the lawlessness has been in the city of Mosul.

With us now to talk about the situation there, our Ben Wedeman. He is in the nearby city of Erbil -- Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Daryn. Well, the situation in Erbil still very, very unstable. Now, this follows yesterday, the surrender of Iraqi forces in that city, which is the third-largest city in Iraq, and the largest city with an Arab Sunni majority, of course, Saddam Hussein also being an Arab Sunni.

Now, yesterday there was an orgy of looting, a real rampage by hundreds, if not thousands, of people who attacked government buildings and facilities, ripped everything to pieces. Now, today the situation is somewhat more stabilized, but not much. We went there this morning.

As we approached the city, we saw several fires burning on the horizon. There's also an oil storage facility that was also on fire. Today the looting seems to have tapered off somewhat, partially as a result of efforts by local people, who are trying to take matters into their own hands.

We saw on several of the main highways, for instance, roadblocks set up by ordinary people who have armed themselves with automatic rifles, clubs, and knives. They're trying to prevent looters from entering their neighborhoods. They're trying to confiscate the things that the looters have already taken. So that has somewhat stabilized the situation.

But nerves are very much on edge. Now, we heard lots of mixed emotions from people in Mosul, some of them happy to see an end to Saddam Hussein, others actually expressing regret, saying that they wished the president, Saddam Hussein, had stayed in power. They said at least under him, despite his brutal rule, there was law and order, law and order that simply isn't there any longer.

Now, at the moment, in Mosul itself, there are two different forces working, trying to maintain or restore order. One of them, several hundred Kurdish fighters who came up into Mosul with the approval of the United States. They're trying to restore order. But the local people told us that, in fact, the Kurdish fighters are encouraging the looting. So it's not clear what exactly they're up to.

There's also a fairly modest force of Americans. We saw them deployed in several parts around the city, calling on the people to take -- con -- to regain their confidence now that the coalition, as it's described, has arrived, that they will try to restore peace and order, Daryn.

KAGAN: Cannot come soon enough to the people of northern Iraq. Ben Wedeman, thank you so much.

Judy, back to you.

WOODRUFF: Thanks, Daryn and Ben.

And we turn our focus now to the Pentagon and reaction there to the latest developments in Iraq.

Here's CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Plante. Chris, there seemed to be some mixed signals about to what extent U.S. forces are supposed to be focused, of course, on security, on getting this war won, but also on the looting, the lawlessness. What have they been saying over the last day or so at the Pentagon about that?

CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Secretary Rumsfeld was actually a little bit defensive about that the last time he had an opportunity to respond to it. He said the news media was really kind of making much too much of some of the issues, that they were focused on the looting, and he kept seeing the same pieces of video over and over again, which was apparently a source of some aggravation to him.

That said, it's quite possible that this train just moved just a little more quickly than everybody had anticipated in terms of taking over downtown Baghdad, and that they weren't fully prepared for the consequences of that.

Certainly, you expect some civil unrest, and even the types of things that we saw with looting in these situations. But was the reaction quick enough? That's something that's being debated now. It doubtless will be debated for some time.

Clearly, they don't have the situation fully under control. There's a lot that still has to be done. But they say that they'll get to it in due time, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Chris, a lot of concern still, of course, about the American prisoners of war. We know there are several still being held by the Iraqis. The hope is, of course, that they're still alive. What are they saying at the Pentagon about these young people?

PLANTE: Well, this is the kind of thing that they say, and they genuinely believe, I think, is the highest priority, certainly on the top tier of their highest priorities.

There are seven POWs that it is known the Iraqi forces had taken into custody. The first five from the 507th Maintenance Company that Jessica Lynch was a part of, and then two you see in the lower part of the screen, in the color photos there, a pilot crew from an Apache helicopter.

Now, these are very high priority for the military. In fact, at the defense briefing, the Central Command briefing in Doha earlier today, General Vince Brooks addressed this very issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. VINCENT BROOKS, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We view them as alive until we know they're not. And that's why we don't forget them. And so we remain focused on them until we have any confirming information that says we should stop. Right now, we don't have anything that tells us that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLANTE: So clearly, very much a front-burner issue with them, and they expect that these people will be treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. And they're very insistent that there will be consequences if that's not followed, Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right, Chris Plante at the Pentagon.

I know one additional concern is reading today that the Red Cross has lost contact with their people they were talking to inside the Iraqi regime about the well-being of these prisoners of war. They no longer have those contacts. And, of course, that is of great concern to all. Well, with me now to talk more about the search for the seven American prisoners of war in Iraq is retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Darrell Whitcomb. He's an expert on combat search and rescue. He's also the author of two books on that subject, "The Rescue of BAT 21," and another book that is awaiting publication.

Colonel Whitcomb, thanks very much for being with us.

What, at this point, what should the U.S. military and anyone else concerned about these prisoners of war be doing, be trying to do?

COL. DARRELL WHITCOMB (RET.), U.S. AIR FORCE: Well, we've got our forces in the field, our intelligence sources are scouring Iraq from north to south, east and west, looking for our troops. We know -- we have a pretty good idea where they're -- the prisons are, where they might be holding these. And as we occupy these areas, we're going through these prisons very quickly.

One large one in Basra, one in Rashid we've already gone through, I understand, fairly thoroughly. Found some remnants, but we have not found the individuals themselves.

But it's a very, very high priority for us to bring these young troops home. We have an extensive rescue capability, really, in all of our services, and we have a bond with our people that says, Look, we're going to send you out to do tough things, we're going to send you into harm's way.

But if you get in trouble, you get shot down, you get trapped behind enemy lines, we're going to try to get you out. And if you are captured and made a prisoner, as you saw with Jessica Lynch now, it doesn't end there. We will work as hard as we can to either try to rescue you at that point, or, when the war is over, we will bring you home as quickly as we can.

WOODRUFF: But before any rescue attempt is put together, presumably you need to have pretty solid intelligence, don't you?

WHITCOMB: Oh, absolutely. And our intelligence services, both at the tactical, operational, and strategic level, are keyed on this type of information, because the recovery of our young men and women is extremely high priority with us. We understand that we are going to lose soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in war, because there are things worth fighting for in this world.

But we don't give up those losses lightly. And we'll do everything we can to try to bring in all of our young men and women home and thank them for the great job that they did. So search and rescue is very, very high priority with us.

WOODRUFF: How significant is it, colonel, that the Red Cross officials, International Red Cross officials, now are saying they've lost contact with the people inside the Iraqi regime they were talking to about these prisoners?

WHITCOMB: Well, it shuts down one of our avenues of information. But I don't think that that's that necessarily important, or that much of a show-stopper, because we have excellent intelligence capabilities at all levels, and we dedicate the resources, both in terms of human intel and technical intelligence, to try to search out our folks.

WOODRUFF: Well, Air Force retired colonel Darrell Whitcomb, we thank you very much for talking with us. And, of course, all of us hope that those POWs are found and found safe and sound.

WHITCOMB: God bless them all.

WOODRUFF: Thank you very much.

WHITCOMB: Thanks, Judy.

WOODRUFF: And now Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Judy, still ahead, his secret police helped Saddam Hussein rule through fear. They no longer have power, but that fear is still out there. A report on that just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Back to Baghdad now, where some residents are exploring the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's palaces. And also, their much- feared secret police. They're hoping to find something, and half afraid that they actually will.

Details now from CNN's Richard Blystone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It would be a pity to let the roses go to waste. For with any luck, this place won't be restored.

This was the headquarters of perhaps the regime's most important institution, the Muhabarat (ph), literally, the informers, the secret police.

(voice-over): A few people are here for some light looting, others just to have a look. This man says he used to be afraid just to drive past here.

A guide appears and shows us the scars of his personal experience of the Muhabarat. He brings us documents, another illustration of the banality of evil. This one says the Muhabarat need more and better cars.

At a military camp, hundreds have gathered.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about 10 years underground, and don't see him.

BLYSTONE: These people believe there's a complex of underground cells here, thousands of them, five stories deep. They tear up floors and find nothing. They rifle documents. A mother searches for word of her son. They lead U.S. special forces here and there. They think there are prisoners alive down there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know how to get under the ground for them.

BLYSTONE: They want bulldozers to come and dig the whole place up, now. They think they've heard voices from below. But it looks more and more like the reflection of their own mind-sets, molded by totalitarianism, where you can believe anything or nothing.

It's down here. No, that's a pump house. Here are cells, but above ground, clean and empty.

CAPT. DANIEL HESMAN, U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES: It's always important to show people that you're here to help them, take a little time and listen to them.

BLYSTONE: The soldiers hear there are tunnels leading all the way from the river. But the sad fact is, these people don't know this place. They are still in the grip of Saddam Hussein's deadliest weapon, fear.

Richard Blystone, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(NEWSBREAK)

WOODRUFF: Still ahead in this hour, casualties of war, heavy collateral damage in the cities, especially in Baghdad. Christiane Amanpour's report. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: No major firefights reported today in Baghdad, and no bombs fell on the city this day. But Iraq's capital and the people who live there still bear the wounds of battle. Coming up now, a report by Christiane Amanpour. And we do want to warn you, there are some scenes showing civilians with war wounds, some scenes that may be difficult to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Baghdad wallows in the wreckage of war. Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles blown up on the city streets, cars and trucks still waving the white flag, lest they be mistaken for the enemy. And here right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, a missile, we're told a Sam II.

Marines are here to make sure it's safely towed away, and the people complain loudly about the fallen regime placing such targets in their midst. They said they were afraid of U.S. bombs dropped in this neighborhood, perhaps aiming for the missile. (on camera): This is a deep crater caused by a bomb. And around what seems to be the remnants of some kind of vehicle. But just 20 yards away, there are private homes. And the doctors here tell us that they've received many more civilian casualties during this war than they did during the first Gulf War of 1991.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a shell to the abdomen. We open the abdomen, and have injury to the bowel.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): At this one hospital alone, doctors tell us they have received 500 civilians, with everything from slight to critical injuries, and they conducted 170 major operations in just 21 days of war.

DR. ABOUL MOHAMMED HAKEEM, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON: In the first war, we didn't see such a huge number. This is number one. And secondly, the type of injuries here is more serious, as I note, than before.

AMANPOUR: And now, with the looting, Dr. Hakeem says he simply can't get the staff to come to work. Today, no anesthetists, no radiologists.

HAKEEM: But thank God, we cope. What to do.

AMANPOUR: That's because they brought their own guns to keep the bandits at bay. U.S. Marines have set up a position near another hospital. Children bring them flowers, and the Marines say they're trying to calm the fears of the past few chaotic days.

CPI QUENTIN MELROE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: We let them know we're not here to harm them. We're here for peace now. That's our mission, is to give them security.

AMANPOUR: Inside the hospital filled with more war wounded, including this 5-year-old boy with a shrapnel wound to the head, the doctor says he's got mixed feelings. Relief that Saddam Hussein is gone, but a deep desire for more security.

DR. ABDUL KARIM YAKHGAM, NEUROSURGEON: When Mr. Bush and Blair and others decided to bomb to change the regime, should be planned immediately.

AMANPOUR: Down by the main Marine base, a group of Iraqis decided to make that demand more clear. Waving a banner, calling for a new order, and yelling for peace. At one point, it got ugly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here for your (EXPLETIVE DELETED) freedom. So back up right now!

AMANPOUR: In the end, though, calm prevailed with both the Iraqis and the Marines deciding that discretion is the better part of valor.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE) DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Still ahead, opponents of the war, a high-level meeting in Russia, and protests around the world. Now that Saddam Hussein has fallen, has the peace movement lost some of its urgency?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

WOODRUFF: Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations says that Saddam Hussein's government is gone. And now Mohammed Aldouri is gone, too. Before leaving the United States, though, Aldouri seemed to change his tune about the war, and he offered this message for America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I hope that the United States Army will leave Iraq soon, and we will have free election for a free government for a free future for Iraq and the people for Iraq. This is my message to you, to the people of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Of course, that's a very different philosophy than the one he espoused when he worked for Saddam Hussein. Mr. Aldouri said he was headed for Syria, and he said he hopes to find out what happened to his family inside Iraq -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, Judy, a leading European opponent of the war in Iraq met today in Russia. French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder joined Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. President Chirac called for the United Nations to lead the post-war reconstruction effort in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. JACQUES CHIRAC, FRANCE (through translator): After the phase of making it secure, we have to engage political, administrative, institutional and social and economical reconstruction of Iraq. It is an immense task. The United Nations and the European Union are going to play a central role. Only the United Nations shall have the necessary legitimacy and a long experience to deal with this crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The three leaders offered little direct criticism of the U.S., and President Chirac also voiced confidence that relations with the United States can be improved.

The humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations reports that the first U.N. relief convoy to Iraq is on its way to Basra from Iran. The official says the U.N. is hoping to reestablish its presence inside Iraq by Monday. U.N. staff were removed from Iraq on March 18. U.N. says that water, sanitation and medical services are the most pressing needs inside Iraq right now.

WOODRUFF: In his weekly radio address, President Bush today repeated his pledge that the U.S.-led coalition will help rebuild Iraq when the war is over. He also said that U.S. forces may still face what he called "hard fighting" in the days ahead. But he said the Iraqi regime is, quote, "passing into history."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The nightmare of Saddam Hussein's rule in Iraq is ending. Soon the good and gifted people of Iraq will be free to choose their leaders, who respect their rights, and reflect their character. And all that is to come. They will have the good will of the entire world, and they will have the friendship of the people of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: On a related note, Congress today approved almost $80 billion in spending, much of it to pay for the war in Iraq. The Senate passed the bill yesterday. President Bush is expected to sign it soon.

Well, with the war in Iraq nearly a month old, anti-war protesters in the United States have now changed their focus. They are now marching to bring the troops home. Protesters gathered today in Washington, but in far fewer numbers than back in January or in March. Tens of thousands of people showed up then. But today, organizers obtained a permit for only 20,000.

The anti-war movement abroad still has staying power. Organizers of this demonstration today in Rome say that several hundred thousand people turned out. Demonstrators against the war also were held across Asia. An estimated 4,000 protesters attended this rally in Seoul, South Korea.

KAGAN: Just ahead, after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq is suffering the loss of some national treasures that can never be replaced. That story just ahead when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, ordinary Iraqis in the city of Mosul are getting to see something they had never seen before, the luxurious interior of the presidential palace there. But today much of that luxury has vanished, at the hands of looters. Here's CNN's Jane Arraf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): For the longest this time, no one was allowed to actually even see the outside of the palace. Now you can see things have changed. And people are not just coming in to take a look, they're coming in to take whatever they can get their hands on. This was just a few hours ago a beautiful wooden banister. All of them have been carted out by people. But if we take a look up, you can still see the stained glass that they have not been able to get to. Obviously there's not much left of the electrical system. That's all gone. I'm sure that was good for something in somebody's home.

Here we seem to have an elevator. This is a three-story palace, so it needed these elevators. Smashed, but possibly still open -- I'm not sure what that was, but something breaking obviously. This is a view that hardly anyone would have seen up until today. And it's actually facing the hotel, the best hotel in Mosul, as a matter of fact, just behind -- my goodness, that's smoke. The hotel itself has been absolutely looted to the floorboards this morning. There's almost nothing left there either. But here you can see this palace, it's really quite well maintain maintained. Even now, it has this beautiful garden, these outlying buildings, and for the first time, really, ordinary Iraqi people allowed to go in the gardens and stand here and marvel at the architecture and the money that was put into this palace.

This is probably one of the most interesting rooms. It might have been used as a small salon. It's fairly small by palace standards. But it has this amazing ceiling. You can see that incredible wooden woodwork that actually looks like billowing fabric. It has some green silk behind it. And in the middle there, it's typical Iraqi carpet. Mostly from the south, those patterns. As you can see, virtually the only things that have remained here are on the ceiling, because people haven't been able to get to them.

But people are incredibly happy. I don't know whether it's the looting, being able to see this palace for the first time, but many people have told me, this is a great day for Iraqis.

And on this ground floor, one of two indoor swimming pools. This one still actually filled with water, though put to a use that the original builders of this palace never imagined.

Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Al-Ruwah (ph) palace in Mosul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, it is a -- it is not a great day for Iraqis as some historic treasures are victims of the chaos that broke out this weekend in Baghdad. Looters thrashed the national museum. They carted off with the country's most important artifacts. Glass display cases were shattered, and broken pieces of ancient pottery and statutes were scattered everywhere. Art historian John Russell is with us now to talk -- from Boston -- about the loss of these treasures. John, thanks for joining us.

JOHN RUSSELL, ART HISTORIAN: Thank you.

KAGAN: Can you tell us more specifically what kind of treasures you think were housed at this Baghdad museum?

RUSSELL: The museum was the national collection of antiquities for Iraq. So among the things that were there would be items that would be in all the art history survey books that cover Iraq from the beginning, say, 8,000 BC until the Islamic period. And in addition, material from every excavation that took place in Iraq was kept there as well. So 100 years worth of excavated materials. Maybe -- who knows, hundreds of thousands of objects.

KAGAN: One hopeful note, there is some word that possibly it looks like some of the most valuable objects were stored away before the war began. Does that give you any sense of hope that perhaps these items are in a safe place?

RUSSELL: There are many one-of-a-kind pieces. And if they were -- if the most rare pieces were in another site, I'd at least be hopeful that they survived. The problem is that everything in the museum was one-of-a-kind. And when we talk about losses in the hundreds of thousands of objects, it's going to take a long time before we know really the extent of the catastrophe.

KAGAN: Had you ever had a chance to visit this museum?

RUSSELL: Yes, I visited it when I worked in Iraq, at the site of Menova (ph) in 1989 and 1990. It's a beautiful museum. Very well maintained, with the best, as I say, the best Mesopotamian antiquities collection in the world, until today.

KAGAN: And in fact, I understand the museum has actually been closed since '91, since that Gulf War, and only opened only in the last year.

RUSSELL: Apparently it reopened a year or two ago, with some of the exhibits on display. It may be that some of the most unique or rare objects never went back on display. Oh my gosh, I'm looking at pictures of things I can't believe here. What I'm concerned about, of course, is that this material will just disappear, what's not broken. And people will remember this event long after they've forgotten what this Gulf War was all about.

KAGAN: Yes, let's hope that some of your fellow art historians and archaeologists in Baghdad had the foresight to try to protect some of those timeless and priceless treasures before the war and the looting began. John Russell, thanks for joining us for this brief time from Boston. I appreciate your insight.

RUSSELL: Thank you.

KAGAN: Still ahead, Saddam Hussein's information minister, a folk legend in his own time, but it appears his time had come and gone. We'll have a report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Iraq's government information minister under Saddam Hussein was last seen on a Baghdad street corner, the smoke from burning buildings in the background, telling reporters that Iraq was winning the war. Declarations like that made Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf a pop icon of sorts in the Western media, as CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Liar, liar, his regime is on fire.

MOHAMMED SAEED AL-SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: We besieged them and we killed most of them.

MOOS: After telling whopper...

AL-SAHAF: They are trapped everywhere in the country.

MOOS: ... after whopper...

AL-SAHAF: And I think we will finish them soon.

MOOS: ... it's Iraq's information minister who is finished. But his place in pop culture grows.

CONN NUGENT, WEB SITE CO-CREATOR: The funniest comedian since Buddy Hackett.

MOOS: He has been the butt of countless cartoons, even Arabic cartoons. He's made David Letterman's top 10 list.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN," CBS)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST: The number one thing the Iraqis' information minister has to say about the war, "War? What war?"

There you go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: On the "Tonight" show, he's been parodied as a contestant playing International Jeopardy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The answer is, can you hear me now? Mohammed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes. What is Saddam saying to the people who are digging him out from the rubble?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: He even has a Web site devoted to him.

NUGENT: WelovetheIraqiinformationminister.com.

MOOS (on camera): And do you?

NUGENT: Yes, in a weird, warped kind of way. MOOS (voice-over): They refer to him as M.S.S., Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf. The six creators of the Web site describe themselves as bloodthirsty hawks and ineffectual doves smitten by the minister's twisted quotes.

AL-SAHAF: My feelings, as usual, we will slaughter them all.

MOOS: That classic ended up on one of several shirts for sale. They've sold hundreds of these. There's a whole Web site started as a joke. Another site, based in Britain, sells a similar T-shirt, different quote.

Sahaf was no laughing matter to Iraqis. He was the public face of a brutal, repressive regime. Now the minister's history is being spoofed. He's depicted giving misinformation at the battles of Gettysburg, Waterloo, the Alamo, Little Big Horn, and even Normandy.

NUGENT: "Americans? What Americans? There are no American infidels in France."

MOOS: The words of the Butcher of Baghdad's mouthpiece now adorn a barbecue apron, "God will roast their stomachs in hell."

This is one spokesman who never learned not to talk with his mouth full of falsehoods.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: There was always something, he would stand there with the smoke rising behind him and the sirens and keep talking.

Well, straight ahead on a special edition of INSIDE POLITICS, we'll go live to Baghdad for the latest.

Plus, helping U.S. troops heal after doing battle on the front lines. We'll talk with a doctor who knows what it takes. He was in Kuwait for Desert Storm and he now commands the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

First, the hour's top headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

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