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Countdown to Iraqi Handover Begins
Aired May 24, 2004 - 13:00 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Thirty-seven days, 7 hours. We're counting down to the transfer of power in Iraq, now barely five weeks away. And to the first of presidential speeches aimed at charting a free and sovereign nation. That's at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, seven hours from now. CNN's Dana Bash joins us from Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania with a preview -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. The whole goal here later tonight according to the White House is essentially to get the president out there, to get his voice out there, to use the bully pulpit, something that a lot of Republicans even say that the White House has simply not done enough of in trying to explain and communicate to the American people that the images that they're seeing and the way they feel about Iraq and essentially the fact that that's transferred over to what they feel about the president, that it's not as bad as it seems.
So essentially, several Bush aides talked to me about the fact that this is an attempt to cut through the clutter and eventually get the theme out there that we have been reporting on, from the specifics that we all have been reporting on, but do it in a comprehensive way.
And the way they're going to do that is the president is going to talk about what the White House is calling five steps. Essentially those are really just five themes for moving forward in Iraq. First, he'll talk about the transfer of political power to Iraqis, talk about the interim government that will take over June 30 and give some details about that.
He'll talk about improving security and how the U.S., along with the coalition and Iraqis, attempt to do that. Will talk a little bit about the U.S. troops and how they will be involved vis a vis a multinational force and how the Iraqi army is going to play into all of this.
Also talk about the expanded international role. We know at the U.N. the U.S. and Great Britain have introduced a five-page resolution that gives some specifics about the interim government and beyond moving towards the elections that they plan in January of 2005.
And fourth, he's going to talk about rebuilding the infrastructure and economy. And fifth he'll talk essentially about the elections and how moving towards Iraqi elections will actually happen.
Now the other major point of tonight's speech is for the president to say to the American people that the stakes are high and to be patient.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUZY DEFRANCIS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS: I believe the president feels that not only will it be important as we move forward to June 30 to build support in the country for this new Iraqi government, but also as we move past that he's going to council the American people on the need for patience and determination and persistence because, as I said, the stakes are extremely high here.
We must win on the war on terror and Iraq is a essential front on the war on terror.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now one thing Americans should not expect to hear tonight is any kind of exit date, when the U.S. troops will come home. The president will say that they'll come home essentially when the job is done, but won't necessarily define what that will mean.
A lot of Republicans and Democrats, but even more Republicans lately, have been saying that they want to hear specifics from the president. unclear how many new bits and information we're going to hear from him tonight. But certainly it will be packaged in a way that the White House hopes people will understand that they do think that there is a plan in Iraq -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Dana Bash. Thanks so much. President Bush's speech tonight at the Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania is at 8:00 Eastern. It will be part of "PAULA ZAHN NOW"'s special report.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Not coincidentally, the U.N. Security Council today pouring over a draft resolution that would take up where the U.S. occupation leaves off. Apart from endorsing a still unnamed interim government there, the measure circulated by the U.S. and Britain includes a one-year renewable mandate for foreign troops, Iraqi control over oil and gas and scheduled elections in Iraq. It's not clear when the council might vote on that.
In Baghdad, more violence. An entrance to the Green Zone is once again a war zone. Two civilians dead after a bomb blast at a checkpoint. CNN's Guy Raz checks in with that live -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Drew, good night from Baghdad on another day of violence here in this beleaguered capital. Two British nationals, CNN's been able to confirm to the British Foreign Offices. But British nationals were killed in an explosion right in the heart of Baghdad today, two others were badly injured.
Now these four individuals were traveling in the center of Baghdad, very close to, as you say, the Green Zone, the Coalition Provisional Authority's main headquarters here in the city. The SUV was hit, some kind of explosive device, either a roadside bomb or was struck by a Rocket-Propelled Grenade. The vehicle they were traveling in was armored.
I managed to see the aftermath of this attack and the damage was quite extraordinary. This vehicle was very badly burned, very badly charred.
Now, I spoke to a senior U.S. military official at the scene who told me he believes this has all the hallmarks of a targeted attacks. In other words, these four individuals traveling in this car were targeted. Why? Because there was no collateral damage, very little damage to the shop fronts on the streets nearby where the attack took place. No other damage to cars around the scene.
Forensics teams have inspected the area and are trying to find out more information about how this attack occurred -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: Guy, thank you for that report from Baghdad -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Wedding party or way station for foreign insurgents? Almost a week after U.S. troops laid waste to a site near the Syrian border, locals still insist that dozens of people were killed, dozens of innocent civilians. Centcom still insist otherwise. Today, both sides have pictures to back up their claims.
CNN's Barbara Starr is sorting things out from the Pentagon. Hi, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kyra. No resolution to this controversy, but, indeed, the coalition in Baghdad said they will investigate the matter thoroughly.
Indeed, two competing sets of pictures, news agency video being released today of what local people in the area say was a wedding party. You see it here. By all accounts celebration, music, that sort of thing.
But at the coalition news briefing, a very different story, Kyra. There was a virtual slide show of military evidence, what military -- the military found on the ground after it went to the site that attacked. Weapons, potential drug paraphernalia, cash, that sort of thing. Military officials saying this site had the capacity for sleeping a large number of people, that they believed based on all of the evidence that they saw, this was a way station for foreign fighters.
Here's what General Kimmitt had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: We understand that there are inconsistencies. But I would tell you that again, day after day after day, as we continue to get more evidence in, as we continue to get more new evidence coming in, it is pretty clear to us that what happened that night, from about after midnight until about 0400 -- that the activities that we saw happening on the ground were somewhat inconsistent with a wedding party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But still, Kyra, coalition officials say they continue to investigate the incident. They do realize there are inconsistencies, in their words, between the video that has been seen from the area and the evidence they gathered on the ground -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barbara, coalition forces saying that they were fired upon, so, of course, they fired back. Now the question is, were these gunshots going off in celebration at this wedding party or were there SAMs that were going off?
STARR: The real answer is, who knows because the investigation goes on. Originally when this happen there were eyewitnesses, people on the ground who said it was a wedding party and that they were celebratory fire in the air.
There is gun camera video from the U.S. aircraft that were in the air at the time. That is classified. It has not been released. But military officials who have seen it say it looks and it appears that they were going against a set of warehouses.
But this was a very remote area in the desert. The investigation goes on. It's simply not certain yet what exactly happened.
PHILLIPS: And you bring up a good point. That HUD video would clear up a lot. Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon, thanks.
GRIFFIN: We move on, "News Across America" now. A major decision in the state murder trial of Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols. The judge has just ruled that prosecutors would be able to seek the death penalty in this case. Nichols is already serving a life sentence on federal charges. Closing arguments scheduled for later this afternoon.
In St. Paul, Minnesota they're investigating the weekend death of a circus performer who plunged 35 feet to her death, the first fatality in at least a decade for the Ringling Brothers show. The 32- year-old was twirling on a chiffon scarf when the accident happened. She was not working with a net as is required by city law there.
And new security measures are being implemented on the nation's subways and rail systems today. They come on the heels of heightened terror concerns after Spain's rail attack and part of a new federal mandate. The new measures include use of bomb-sniffing dogs, more staff and frequent security announcements.
The governor of Nebraska says he's never seen anything like it. Sheer devastation caused by a series of tornadoes this weekend in the Midwest. Nebraska was hit the hardest. Eighteen twisters tearing through the state Saturday. One person killed in the town of Hallam, which was virtually left in pieces. Randi Peterson from CNN affiliate KETV shows us the damage there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI PETERSON, KETV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The storm is over, but the damage remains. Houses flatten, trees and power lines down. Everywhere you look just north of Platonia, Nebraska a mess.
DAVE DONEGAN, LOST HOME IN STORM: Got pretty windy. And we saw the tornado coming, went downstairs and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
PETERSON: Dave and Joy Donegan were at home when Saturday's twister hit.
JOY DONEGAN, LOST HOME IN STORM: The first big wave came through, we were under the stairs. And then our propane tank had ruptured, so we knew we needed to get out. And we went up to shelter for the next big wave that kept coming through up.
PETERSON: Rescue crews found Dave and Joy and got them to safety. They spent Sunday morning sorting through clothes, tossing aside the boards that used to be their home.
J. DONEGAN: Now we're just trying to figure out what to do next and it's kind of overwhelming.
PETERSON: As we were talking we heard a whimper a few feet away.
J. DONEGAN: Just trying to get a hold of all our...
D. DONEGAN: Oh, my god.
PETERSON: The couple's dog was trapped under the rubble. He was badly injured and the video was too graphic to broadcast. But he was alive.
Less than a block away, one woman knows what it is like to be trapped. She and her son were in this car for several hours as the storm swirled around them outside and destroyed their home only a few feet away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what we're going to ask the Lord to do right now is just even though these storms just never seem to stop, we just need to have quiet and peace and warmth within this car. And he said, I feel it, Mom. I said, I feel it, too.
PETERSON: Gage County officials say this is the worst storm they have ever seen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not this bad, no. I helped (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tornado last year, it was bad. But this is such a wide area that was covered. I can't imagine what the total loss is going to be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: (AUDIO GAP) the conditions are right for more severe weather across the Midwest.
(WEATHER UPDATE)
PHILLIPS: Straight to the White House. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is stepping up to the podium. Of course, will talking about the president's speech tonight among other issues. Let's listen in.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
PHILLIPS: Scott McClellan briefing reporters there at the White House. Thirty-seven days until the transfer of power. Bush will outline plans for the Iraq handover tonight in a special speech. Scott McClellan saying he will talk about five steps to build a free and Democratic Iraq.
Meanwhile, a number of members of Congress saying they want to see an exit strategy. Once again, the presidential address, "PAULA ZAHN NOW," special live coverage, 8:00 a.m. Eastern time. We'll carry it live.
We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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 May 24, 2004 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Thirty-seven days, 7 hours. We're counting down to the transfer of power in Iraq, now barely five weeks away. And to the first of presidential speeches aimed at charting a free and sovereign nation. That's at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, seven hours from now. CNN's Dana Bash joins us from Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania with a preview -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. The whole goal here later tonight according to the White House is essentially to get the president out there, to get his voice out there, to use the bully pulpit, something that a lot of Republicans even say that the White House has simply not done enough of in trying to explain and communicate to the American people that the images that they're seeing and the way they feel about Iraq and essentially the fact that that's transferred over to what they feel about the president, that it's not as bad as it seems.
So essentially, several Bush aides talked to me about the fact that this is an attempt to cut through the clutter and eventually get the theme out there that we have been reporting on, from the specifics that we all have been reporting on, but do it in a comprehensive way.
And the way they're going to do that is the president is going to talk about what the White House is calling five steps. Essentially those are really just five themes for moving forward in Iraq. First, he'll talk about the transfer of political power to Iraqis, talk about the interim government that will take over June 30 and give some details about that.
He'll talk about improving security and how the U.S., along with the coalition and Iraqis, attempt to do that. Will talk a little bit about the U.S. troops and how they will be involved vis a vis a multinational force and how the Iraqi army is going to play into all of this.
Also talk about the expanded international role. We know at the U.N. the U.S. and Great Britain have introduced a five-page resolution that gives some specifics about the interim government and beyond moving towards the elections that they plan in January of 2005.
And fourth, he's going to talk about rebuilding the infrastructure and economy. And fifth he'll talk essentially about the elections and how moving towards Iraqi elections will actually happen.
Now the other major point of tonight's speech is for the president to say to the American people that the stakes are high and to be patient.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUZY DEFRANCIS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS: I believe the president feels that not only will it be important as we move forward to June 30 to build support in the country for this new Iraqi government, but also as we move past that he's going to council the American people on the need for patience and determination and persistence because, as I said, the stakes are extremely high here.
We must win on the war on terror and Iraq is a essential front on the war on terror.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now one thing Americans should not expect to hear tonight is any kind of exit date, when the U.S. troops will come home. The president will say that they'll come home essentially when the job is done, but won't necessarily define what that will mean.
A lot of Republicans and Democrats, but even more Republicans lately, have been saying that they want to hear specifics from the president. unclear how many new bits and information we're going to hear from him tonight. But certainly it will be packaged in a way that the White House hopes people will understand that they do think that there is a plan in Iraq -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Dana Bash. Thanks so much. President Bush's speech tonight at the Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania is at 8:00 Eastern. It will be part of "PAULA ZAHN NOW"'s special report.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Not coincidentally, the U.N. Security Council today pouring over a draft resolution that would take up where the U.S. occupation leaves off. Apart from endorsing a still unnamed interim government there, the measure circulated by the U.S. and Britain includes a one-year renewable mandate for foreign troops, Iraqi control over oil and gas and scheduled elections in Iraq. It's not clear when the council might vote on that.
In Baghdad, more violence. An entrance to the Green Zone is once again a war zone. Two civilians dead after a bomb blast at a checkpoint. CNN's Guy Raz checks in with that live -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Drew, good night from Baghdad on another day of violence here in this beleaguered capital. Two British nationals, CNN's been able to confirm to the British Foreign Offices. But British nationals were killed in an explosion right in the heart of Baghdad today, two others were badly injured.
Now these four individuals were traveling in the center of Baghdad, very close to, as you say, the Green Zone, the Coalition Provisional Authority's main headquarters here in the city. The SUV was hit, some kind of explosive device, either a roadside bomb or was struck by a Rocket-Propelled Grenade. The vehicle they were traveling in was armored.
I managed to see the aftermath of this attack and the damage was quite extraordinary. This vehicle was very badly burned, very badly charred.
Now, I spoke to a senior U.S. military official at the scene who told me he believes this has all the hallmarks of a targeted attacks. In other words, these four individuals traveling in this car were targeted. Why? Because there was no collateral damage, very little damage to the shop fronts on the streets nearby where the attack took place. No other damage to cars around the scene.
Forensics teams have inspected the area and are trying to find out more information about how this attack occurred -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: Guy, thank you for that report from Baghdad -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Wedding party or way station for foreign insurgents? Almost a week after U.S. troops laid waste to a site near the Syrian border, locals still insist that dozens of people were killed, dozens of innocent civilians. Centcom still insist otherwise. Today, both sides have pictures to back up their claims.
CNN's Barbara Starr is sorting things out from the Pentagon. Hi, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kyra. No resolution to this controversy, but, indeed, the coalition in Baghdad said they will investigate the matter thoroughly.
Indeed, two competing sets of pictures, news agency video being released today of what local people in the area say was a wedding party. You see it here. By all accounts celebration, music, that sort of thing.
But at the coalition news briefing, a very different story, Kyra. There was a virtual slide show of military evidence, what military -- the military found on the ground after it went to the site that attacked. Weapons, potential drug paraphernalia, cash, that sort of thing. Military officials saying this site had the capacity for sleeping a large number of people, that they believed based on all of the evidence that they saw, this was a way station for foreign fighters.
Here's what General Kimmitt had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: We understand that there are inconsistencies. But I would tell you that again, day after day after day, as we continue to get more evidence in, as we continue to get more new evidence coming in, it is pretty clear to us that what happened that night, from about after midnight until about 0400 -- that the activities that we saw happening on the ground were somewhat inconsistent with a wedding party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But still, Kyra, coalition officials say they continue to investigate the incident. They do realize there are inconsistencies, in their words, between the video that has been seen from the area and the evidence they gathered on the ground -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barbara, coalition forces saying that they were fired upon, so, of course, they fired back. Now the question is, were these gunshots going off in celebration at this wedding party or were there SAMs that were going off?
STARR: The real answer is, who knows because the investigation goes on. Originally when this happen there were eyewitnesses, people on the ground who said it was a wedding party and that they were celebratory fire in the air.
There is gun camera video from the U.S. aircraft that were in the air at the time. That is classified. It has not been released. But military officials who have seen it say it looks and it appears that they were going against a set of warehouses.
But this was a very remote area in the desert. The investigation goes on. It's simply not certain yet what exactly happened.
PHILLIPS: And you bring up a good point. That HUD video would clear up a lot. Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon, thanks.
GRIFFIN: We move on, "News Across America" now. A major decision in the state murder trial of Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols. The judge has just ruled that prosecutors would be able to seek the death penalty in this case. Nichols is already serving a life sentence on federal charges. Closing arguments scheduled for later this afternoon.
In St. Paul, Minnesota they're investigating the weekend death of a circus performer who plunged 35 feet to her death, the first fatality in at least a decade for the Ringling Brothers show. The 32- year-old was twirling on a chiffon scarf when the accident happened. She was not working with a net as is required by city law there.
And new security measures are being implemented on the nation's subways and rail systems today. They come on the heels of heightened terror concerns after Spain's rail attack and part of a new federal mandate. The new measures include use of bomb-sniffing dogs, more staff and frequent security announcements.
The governor of Nebraska says he's never seen anything like it. Sheer devastation caused by a series of tornadoes this weekend in the Midwest. Nebraska was hit the hardest. Eighteen twisters tearing through the state Saturday. One person killed in the town of Hallam, which was virtually left in pieces. Randi Peterson from CNN affiliate KETV shows us the damage there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI PETERSON, KETV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The storm is over, but the damage remains. Houses flatten, trees and power lines down. Everywhere you look just north of Platonia, Nebraska a mess.
DAVE DONEGAN, LOST HOME IN STORM: Got pretty windy. And we saw the tornado coming, went downstairs and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
PETERSON: Dave and Joy Donegan were at home when Saturday's twister hit.
JOY DONEGAN, LOST HOME IN STORM: The first big wave came through, we were under the stairs. And then our propane tank had ruptured, so we knew we needed to get out. And we went up to shelter for the next big wave that kept coming through up.
PETERSON: Rescue crews found Dave and Joy and got them to safety. They spent Sunday morning sorting through clothes, tossing aside the boards that used to be their home.
J. DONEGAN: Now we're just trying to figure out what to do next and it's kind of overwhelming.
PETERSON: As we were talking we heard a whimper a few feet away.
J. DONEGAN: Just trying to get a hold of all our...
D. DONEGAN: Oh, my god.
PETERSON: The couple's dog was trapped under the rubble. He was badly injured and the video was too graphic to broadcast. But he was alive.
Less than a block away, one woman knows what it is like to be trapped. She and her son were in this car for several hours as the storm swirled around them outside and destroyed their home only a few feet away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what we're going to ask the Lord to do right now is just even though these storms just never seem to stop, we just need to have quiet and peace and warmth within this car. And he said, I feel it, Mom. I said, I feel it, too.
PETERSON: Gage County officials say this is the worst storm they have ever seen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not this bad, no. I helped (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tornado last year, it was bad. But this is such a wide area that was covered. I can't imagine what the total loss is going to be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: (AUDIO GAP) the conditions are right for more severe weather across the Midwest.
(WEATHER UPDATE)
PHILLIPS: Straight to the White House. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is stepping up to the podium. Of course, will talking about the president's speech tonight among other issues. Let's listen in.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
PHILLIPS: Scott McClellan briefing reporters there at the White House. Thirty-seven days until the transfer of power. Bush will outline plans for the Iraq handover tonight in a special speech. Scott McClellan saying he will talk about five steps to build a free and Democratic Iraq.
Meanwhile, a number of members of Congress saying they want to see an exit strategy. Once again, the presidential address, "PAULA ZAHN NOW," special live coverage, 8:00 a.m. Eastern time. We'll carry it live.
We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
