Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Condition of Citizens in Falluja Unclear as U.S., Iraqis Take Control; Arafat Funeral Turns Into Chaos; Bush, Blair Committed to Middle East Peace

Aired November 12, 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, CO-HOST: The fight for Falluja: block-by-block, American and Iraqi forces taking control of the city. Will they be able to keep insurgents out when the bullets stop flying?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNSON, SON KILLED IN IRAQ: After he was killed, it made me want to go that much more. I mean, I guess maybe there's an element of revenge involved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TONY HARRIS, CO-HOST: A dad's duty. A father set to fight in Iraq after his son is killed during the war.

PHILLIPS: Emotional outpouring as Yasser Arafat is buried at his compound. Who will lead the Palestinian cause? This hour, we'll focus on the next steps for a possible Middle East peace.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris, in for Miles O'Brien. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

PHILLIPS: Up first this hour, the push through Falluja. The city that was the nerve center of the Iraqi insurgency is under siege for a fifth day. U.S. military officials say 80 percent of it is now under U.S. and Iraqi control.

But the fighting isn't over yet. From rooftops to alleys, U.S. and Iraqi forces are battling pockets of remaining fighters.

CNN's Karl Penhaul reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've heard from coalition commanders about the state of military casualties in the fight for Falluja so far, but no firm word on how many civilians may have been affected by the fighting in the five days the ground assault on Falluja has been underway.

We heard from coalition commanders before the offensive started that as many as 50,000 civilians may have been left inside of Falluja. But certainly, according to our teams on the ground, they haven't seen signs of any major gatherings of civilians inside the city.

Talking to humanitarian aid organizations today, they say that they haven't yet had a chance to go into the city because of the battlefield conditions that currently prevail there.

One official at the Iraqi Red Crescent, however, did say that his estimate was 157 families were left inside of Falluja. That totals about 750 people, according to his estimate. He said that those people still left inside were in dire conditions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are some families still living inside with their children facing a troubled situation, a situation from fighting around them, from mortar shell, Iraqi military, from the resistance from inside, from Falluja, and they are in between.

They don't have water. They are taking tap water (ph). Some one or two children we heard they died; they are starving.

PENHAUL: At one end of the spectrum, Marine commanders say that they believe that few or no civilians have been harmed in the current offensive.

At the other end of the spectrum, medical sources inside of Falluja say they believe hundreds of civilians are dead and lying on the streets inside the city.

The Iraqi Red Crescent says that it plans to try and enter the city over the weekend. At that stage, we should have a better picture of what the real situation is.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Every car, house, and alleyway is a potential death trap in Falluja, so U.S. and Iraqi forces retaking the city from insurgents take no chances.

ITN's Lindsey Hilsum reports on their tough advance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDSEY HILSUM, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gate to gate, door to door, breaking and entering, aware that any house may be booby-trapped or occupied by gunmen. Cars are detonated just in case they are car bombs.

And they are having to fight as insurgents leave an area and then creep back. The units captured about 12 prisoners who've been taken away for interrogation. The unit leader says they killed several insurgents.

CAPT. BRIAN CHONTOSH, 1ST MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE: Yes, we found a lot of weapons today. It was the largest stockpiles of weapons. We found about six, six sites. HILSUM: some weapons, like these rockets and rifles, are gathered up and taken away to be destroyed. Others left where they're found, to be dealt with on the spot.

The armored vehicles wreak their destruction, too. The Marine attitude is that such force is necessary. And whatever is demolished now, they can always rebuild later.

Insurgents may have pushed the people out of these houses sometime back. Still, it's strange to think that these family homes where ordinary people lived, now abandoned to war. Photos staring at no one. Once caged birds bewildered to be free.

(on camera) The soldiers are still going from house to house, but now they're staying in the houses and holding them. The firefight is still going on. There's resistance in the surrounding areas.

Later on, they hope to start patrolling to flush out the last of the insurgents, some of whom, they say, left and then came back during the day.

(voice-over) American forces are consolidating their hold on Falluja, hoping they fatally wounded the insurgency in Iraq, not simply driven the rebels out of this town to set up in another.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: That was ITN's Lindsey Hilsum reporting.

PHILLIPS: Now to the grieving gunfire in the West Bank. Yasser Arafat's body is lying inside a concrete and marble tomb in Ramallah, but the Palestinian leader's final homecoming turned into chaos earlier today.

Thousands of people burst through the gates of his compound and climbed over the walls to give him an emotional, frenzied farewell. As that coffin was moved toward the gravesite, police jumped on top of it, waving their arms and flashing the victory sign.

Ambulances had to be called to treat people who were trampled in that chaos. One of Arafat's former aides says he would have loved the massive outpouring of support.

Israeli police were on their highest state of alert during that burial. Let's get more on today's events from John Vause. He joins us live now from Ramallah -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

All's quiet here now at Yasser Arafat's West Bank compound, certainly a very different scene from a few hours ago.

As you mentioned, thousands of pretty much uninvited mourners crashed the funeral service. They climbed over those walls. They rushed the security guards. Police fired wildly into the air, but the crowd simply didn't flinch. This was a moment when they would not be denied.

They just wanted to get close to the coffin, to get close to the Palestinian leader they call the old man.

Now at one stage, Palestinian officials who had accompanied Yasser Arafat's body on the Egyptian helicopter stood at the door of the helicopter, pleading with the crowd to push back so they could take the coffin out, but it was to no avail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: I kept the door in my hand holding it, and I was shouting and screaming. Because you know, you have to think, take it down then you're still on the plane.

Somebody may shoot and then somebody shoots, it would break loose. And President Arafat deserved to be given the honors he deserved. And that's, I think, what -- I mean, amongst these emotions and it was a chaotic situation, actually. But at the same time it reflected, you know, the attachment of these people towards him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: And amid all the chaos, Kyra, there was, in fact, some ceremony. They read passages from the Koran, and they also prayed at Yasser Arafat's casket. And now, as the Palestinians left and night falls here in Ramallah, for many Palestinians, their thoughts turn to what tomorrow will hold after Arafat is gone -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: John Vause, thanks so much -- Tony.

HARRIS: President Bush says Arafat's death has created an opening for peace in the Middle East. Now, it is certainly high on the agenda as the host British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House for two days. Both leaders held a joint news conference not long ago.

Let's get details from senior White House correspondent John King.

And John, if the world was waiting for a clear indication from Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair as to their intentions, did they hear it today?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The world certainly heard the intention of these two men to commit themselves and all the time and personal energy they say is necessary to try to revive the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.

The question, of course, will be in the days and weeks and months ahead as to what specific actions will they take.

But the two emerged from their meetings in the Oval Office. You see them here, walking down the hallway to enter the East Room here at the White House. These are the two men, the closest allies when it comes to the war in Iraq, now promising to make a joint effort to try to revolve -- revive, excuse me, the Middle East peace process. Mr. Bush even going so far as saying that if he sees a new Palestinian leadership emerge after the death of Yasser Arafat that he believes is committed to democratic reforms and to peace with Israel, that he believes it is possible, with the help of the United States and others, to get to the point where you have a final status agreement, meaning an independent Palestine by the end of his second term.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it is fair to say that I believe that we've got a great chance to establish a Palestinian state, and I intend to use the next four years to spend the capital of the United States on such a state.

I believe it is in the interest of the world that a truly free state develop. I know it is in the interest of the Palestinian people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, both the president and the prime minister saying that for any effort, any involvement, any financial or other diplomatic resources they could commit to the process, that the most important thing is for the Palestinian people to choose new leadership and for the Palestinian leadership and the Palestinian people to commit themselves to making peace with Israel.

Prime Minister Blair saying he believes it is also critical that the new Palestinian political system emerge as a strong democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I think what we are learning today is that there is not stability of any true long-term kind without democratic rights for free people to decide their government.

Now, that doesn't mean to say we try to interfere with every state around the world, but it does mean there's been a shift, and I think a shift dramatically since 9/11 in the thinking that is forming our view of how we make progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Optimistic talk from both leaders, a great deal of energy and commitment in their voice, but also some key decisions ahead and key questions unanswered.

Prime Minister Blair favors some international peace conference. The president said that would be fine with him but first, he needs to see responsible Palestinian leadership to make such a conference worthwhile.

Prime Minister Blair and others think that perhaps it would be best for the president to name a new special U.S. envoy to deal with any peace negotiations. The president said he was open to that, but he did not commit that.

Both leaders stressing the first thing they need to see is a new Palestinian leadership committed to peace and then everything else would flow from there -- Tony.

HARRIS: And John, let's talk about that. How much do you think the Bush administration will work to shape and inform that pre- election process, perhaps behind the scenes?

KING: Well, behind the scenes and now in public, because the president touched on a bit today. The United States is promising any financial resources, perhaps election observers, anything the Palestinians want to bring about the mechanics, if you will, of those elections.

The United States is doing that, offering support for the process while trying to be a bit careful about not publicly saying who would like to emerge from that process, believing that the U.S. stamp of approval, if you will, could actually hurt a Palestinian leader running in those elections.

But the president had some brief dealings with Mahmoud Abbas back when he was the prime minister. And he very much liked Mr. Abbas, very much felt he was someone who wanted to make peace and who could be dealt with in a pragmatic way.

Behind the scenes here at the White House, they are hoping Mr. Abbas emerges as the new Palestinian leader, but they say the first thing is to have those elections. And they say they'll help if asked. They say that's up to the Palestinians.

HARRIS: John King at the White House. John, thank you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: A family hit hard by the war in Iraq faces another challenge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNSON: If he could talk to me right now, he'd probably tell me to stay home. But I can't.

PHILLIPS: A father prepares to fight the same war that killed his son. The rest of the family speaks out, just ahead.

And later, after a second jury shake-up, they're back to deliberating the Peterson case. We're going to go live to the courthouse for the latest developments.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Returning now to the events unfolding in Iraq. A U.S. Marine Corps commander in Falluja told reporters today that U.S. and Iraqi forces now control 80 percent of that city, long regarded as a center of insurgency and extremism.

Let's get the very latest on operations there and in Mosul, a place described as calmer today after several days of street violence and U.S. air strikes.

U.S. Army Brigadier General Carter Ham is the commanding general of Task Force Olympia, a multinational unit based in northern Iraq. And General Ham joins us now from Mosul.

General, good to see you.

BRIG. GEN. CARTER HAM, U.S. ARMY: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Well, General, let me start with a description from one other general describing Falluja. He says that "the operation is going extremely well and we continue to press the enemy until we return Falluja to the Fallujan people."

For us, break that down just a little bit and what does a general mean when he describes the action as going extremely well.

HAM: Well, I don't know. I -- to tell you the truth, I have my hands full in Mosul. So I'm not terribly focused on what's going on in Falluja.

We -- I did talk with the overall commander, Lieutenant General Metz. And he conveyed that he is satisfied with the progress that's being made in Falluja.

HARRIS: OK. Well, give us a sense -- I'm sorry. I thought you could talk a little bit about Falluja for us. My apologies.

Let me have you describe the situation in Mosul, in your city, the third largest city in Iraq.

HARRIS: Well, I would tell you that yesterday was a tough day in Mosul. With the -- with the on -- with the start of operations in Falluja a few days ago, we expected that there would be some reaction here in Mosul. There was in April. And we expected it again this time and, certainly, that occurred.

There were groups of -- ranging in size from about 15 to about 50, conducting attacks throughout the city yesterday, principally focused against Iraqi security forces and, notably, against the police.

For us, in collaboration with the Iraqi National Guard, we worked to counter those and to disrupt the enemy's ability to conduct further attacks.

HARRIS: Are these insurgents that you have known to be in that area, or do you believe that some of these insurgents have been on the move and have come to your area, perhaps, from Falluja?

HAM: Well, we -- we expected that there would -- there could be some movement of fighters from Falluja to the north. Frankly, we haven't seen much of that. And we think most of the fighters yesterday were from the northern part of Iraq, in and around Mosul and the Tigris River valley that's south of the city.

HARRIS: How would you describe your posture right now? Are you defensive? Can you aggressively go after these insurgents?

HAM: We are offensively minded. And we do go after these enemy cells wherever we are able to identify them to kill or capture them and to disrupt their efforts that are counter to progress here in northern Iraq.

The enemy is -- is pretty savvy, and I don't want to underestimate the -- their capability. They look for weakness, and they try to strike that. They try to convey a sense of disarray and disorder and instability, and they do that by attacking Iraqi security forces, symbols of government, and infrastructure.

And our job, obviously, is to help the Iraqis counter that and prevent those attacks from being successful.

HARRIS: Have you had to use air strikes to help put down some of this insurgency, some of this activity?

HAM: Yes, we have. We have -- we have -- we have a wide variety of weapons with which to attack the enemy. And we -- we have and will use those means that are appropriate for the targets, for the enemy as they present themselves.

Yesterday, for example, there was a clearly identified enemy mortar firing position, and we were able to clear the area, make sure there was no collateral damage, and we did drop bombs from a fixed wing aircraft, destroying those sites.

HARRIS: General Ham, I know you're very busy. But thanks for taking the time to talk to us and give us the update on Mosul. We appreciate it. Thank you.

HAM: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now to a Georgia family that has already sacrificed one loved one to the war in Iraq and has been called upon to send another into harm's way.

Nicole Allshouse from our affiliate, WAGA, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICOLE ALLSHOUSE, WAGA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Joe Johnson and his wife stand over their son's grave. An explosion killed him seven months ago in Iraq. Now, Joe is going there. JOE JOHNSON: If he could talk to me now, he'd probably tell me to stay home. But I can't.

ALLSHOUSE: Joe says Justin died doing what he loved. But he was only 22.

JOE JOHNSON: After he was killed, it made me want to go that much more. I mean, I guess maybe there is an element of revenge involved.

ALLSHOUSE: At a Veteran's Day service, people waited in line to send Joe off.

(on camera) But Johnson's family says they don't want him to go to war. They say they've already been through one funeral, and they can't bear to go through another.

JAN JOHNSON, WIFE: Yesterday made seven months that he died, and the numbness is gone now, but the pain is still there.

ALLSHOUSE: Jan Johnson says her husband will be gone for at least a year, maybe a year and a half.

JAN JOHNSON: Because of what happened to Justin, I'm scared. It's like I told him, I can't do it again. So I worry about him.

JOLEEN GLADNEY, DAUGHTER: It is dangerous over there, especially if he gets stationed in Baghdad. People are dying every day.

ALLSHOUSE: Justin's sister says she's already lost her brother. She wants her children to know their grandpa.

GLADNEY: Everyone is scared. Jordan, my oldest daughter, she's asking questions and everything about it. She don't want him to go. And then Justine will be about a year old when he leaves. When he gets back, she'll be about 2 and a half, and she don't know him.

ALLSHOUSE: Joe says leaving his family will be the hardest part, but he has to serve his country.

JOE JOHNSON: I feel like when your time's up, your time's up. It don't matter where you're at or what you're doing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And one more note: Justin's brother, Joshua, is a private first class in the 7th Special Forces based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, strange twist in the Scott Peterson trial. A boat used by the defense turns into a shrine for Laci Peterson. We're live from the courthouse as the jury goes back to deliberating.

Later on LIVE FROM, cell phone safety alert. What you can do to prevent exploding batteries.

And next week, the Clinton legacy. Live coverage as his presidential library is unveiled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: News across America now.

It's been three months since the state of Florida first got walloped by a string of hurricanes. But the number of people left homeless is still rising.

FEMA says more than 3,000 hurricane victims are already on a federal waiting list for temporary housing. But that number grows daily as hundreds more are forced out of damaged homes due to mold and other problems.

In Queens, New York, cold rain mixed with tears as hundreds marked the third anniversary of the second worst aviation accident in U.S. history. Two-hundred-sixty-five people were lost in the crash of American Airlines 587 on this date in 2001. Plans were announced today for a permanent memorial to the victims.

Another health scare for Olympic skater Scott Hamilton. The 1984 gold medalist has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. But doctors say the growth near Hamilton's pituitary gland is benign. He's on a treatment plan after complaining of vision problems. Hamilton was previously battling testicular cancer.

And finally, shock and great grandma. A 59-year-old Georgia woman is awaiting the birth of twins next month. The unexpected pregnancy comes three decades after Frances Harris had her tubes died and after she became grandmother to, Kyra, 14 and great-grandmother to six.

Hello, lady. Harris thought she was just gaining weight when a doctor told her about the pregnancy.

PHILLIPS: Is the family excited? Do we know? Can we talk to the husband?

HARRIS: Not related, but we're on the phone line right now. I'll get you an update.

PHILLIPS: All right. That's a shock and awe (ph), all right.

Well, after a week of twist and turns, the revised jury is back at it in the Scott Peterson double murder trial. But as observers have watched the jury box turn into a Pandora's box, no one is predicting what will happen next.

CNN's Rusty Dornin is standing by in Redwood City, California. She's not predicting anything, but I know, Rusty, you know a number of indications that things just aren't right. RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. Nothing would surprise us at this point, Kyra. But so far, it is all quiet on the Redwood City front.

That, of course, was not the case earlier in the week when two jurors, including the foreman, was dismissed in as many days. Now, that brand new panel began deliberating Wednesday afternoon for about two and a half hours. Then they had off yesterday. They were sequestered in their hotel.

Then they began deliberating this morning. So far they've been in there about two and a half hours, but it's going to be a short day because apparently one of the jurors has personal business. So they'll be quitting about 2 p.m. local time -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Rusty, tell me about the D.A. investigator, you know, these other indications that things just weren't going right within the jury.

DORNIN: Very mysterious. On Wednesday afternoon right after the new panel began deliberating, the chief D.A. investigator went back into chambers with both sides.

We have now learned that apparently there was some kind of anonymous tip about possible inappropriate behavior by one of the jurors. It was investigated. They have now decided there was absolutely nothing to it. So deliberations are on going.

But we do know there have been a lot of problems in that jury room, a lot of battles, very contentious. Perhaps the election of this new foreman, a firefighter who said to be sort of a peacemaker and liked by everyone, has been good, because apparently when they left on Wednesday, people were talking and laughing. And they seemed in a good mood when they arrived this morning.

PHILLIPS: Well, there have been all these different types of bizarre twists and turns to this case.

Rusty, you've got to tell me about the boat. Brought in by the defense, now turned into this shrine. It's sort of become a pro- prosecution item.

DORNIN: Well, it's gone now. It started out -- defense attorney Mark Geragos wanted to show a demonstrate where they had thrown a body out of the boat similar to the size of Scott Peterson's, and it capsized. The judge didn't let him do it. He took it and parked it in a parking lot of an office building, and it had something that looked like a body that was in the bottom of it and some anchors. Well, it turned into a shrine for Laci and Conner Peterson. People would put signs, "Justice for Laci and Conner," "rot in prison." There were flowers arriving from apparently all over the world. Some of them came addressed just to the boat In Redwood city, and the FTD florist knew where to deliver them. But that was apparently -- the boat was removed on Wednesday night. We're not sure whether if that involved a court order or not.

PHILLIPS: Yes, talk about a media catastrophe for the defense there.

All right, Rusty Dornin, live from Redwood City, thanks so much. We'll continue to check in. And tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE," Larry goes inside the jury shakeup. How could the replacement of two jurors this week affect deliberations and the outcome of the Scott Peterson trial?

That's tonight at 9:00 Eastern.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(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 November 12, 2004 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: The fight for Falluja: block-by-block, American and Iraqi forces taking control of the city. Will they be able to keep insurgents out when the bullets stop flying?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNSON, SON KILLED IN IRAQ: After he was killed, it made me want to go that much more. I mean, I guess maybe there's an element of revenge involved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TONY HARRIS, CO-HOST: A dad's duty. A father set to fight in Iraq after his son is killed during the war.

PHILLIPS: Emotional outpouring as Yasser Arafat is buried at his compound. Who will lead the Palestinian cause? This hour, we'll focus on the next steps for a possible Middle East peace.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris, in for Miles O'Brien. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

PHILLIPS: Up first this hour, the push through Falluja. The city that was the nerve center of the Iraqi insurgency is under siege for a fifth day. U.S. military officials say 80 percent of it is now under U.S. and Iraqi control.

But the fighting isn't over yet. From rooftops to alleys, U.S. and Iraqi forces are battling pockets of remaining fighters.

CNN's Karl Penhaul reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've heard from coalition commanders about the state of military casualties in the fight for Falluja so far, but no firm word on how many civilians may have been affected by the fighting in the five days the ground assault on Falluja has been underway.

We heard from coalition commanders before the offensive started that as many as 50,000 civilians may have been left inside of Falluja. But certainly, according to our teams on the ground, they haven't seen signs of any major gatherings of civilians inside the city.

Talking to humanitarian aid organizations today, they say that they haven't yet had a chance to go into the city because of the battlefield conditions that currently prevail there.

One official at the Iraqi Red Crescent, however, did say that his estimate was 157 families were left inside of Falluja. That totals about 750 people, according to his estimate. He said that those people still left inside were in dire conditions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are some families still living inside with their children facing a troubled situation, a situation from fighting around them, from mortar shell, Iraqi military, from the resistance from inside, from Falluja, and they are in between.

They don't have water. They are taking tap water (ph). Some one or two children we heard they died; they are starving.

PENHAUL: At one end of the spectrum, Marine commanders say that they believe that few or no civilians have been harmed in the current offensive.

At the other end of the spectrum, medical sources inside of Falluja say they believe hundreds of civilians are dead and lying on the streets inside the city.

The Iraqi Red Crescent says that it plans to try and enter the city over the weekend. At that stage, we should have a better picture of what the real situation is.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Every car, house, and alleyway is a potential death trap in Falluja, so U.S. and Iraqi forces retaking the city from insurgents take no chances.

ITN's Lindsey Hilsum reports on their tough advance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDSEY HILSUM, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gate to gate, door to door, breaking and entering, aware that any house may be booby-trapped or occupied by gunmen. Cars are detonated just in case they are car bombs.

And they are having to fight as insurgents leave an area and then creep back. The units captured about 12 prisoners who've been taken away for interrogation. The unit leader says they killed several insurgents.

CAPT. BRIAN CHONTOSH, 1ST MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE: Yes, we found a lot of weapons today. It was the largest stockpiles of weapons. We found about six, six sites. HILSUM: some weapons, like these rockets and rifles, are gathered up and taken away to be destroyed. Others left where they're found, to be dealt with on the spot.

The armored vehicles wreak their destruction, too. The Marine attitude is that such force is necessary. And whatever is demolished now, they can always rebuild later.

Insurgents may have pushed the people out of these houses sometime back. Still, it's strange to think that these family homes where ordinary people lived, now abandoned to war. Photos staring at no one. Once caged birds bewildered to be free.

(on camera) The soldiers are still going from house to house, but now they're staying in the houses and holding them. The firefight is still going on. There's resistance in the surrounding areas.

Later on, they hope to start patrolling to flush out the last of the insurgents, some of whom, they say, left and then came back during the day.

(voice-over) American forces are consolidating their hold on Falluja, hoping they fatally wounded the insurgency in Iraq, not simply driven the rebels out of this town to set up in another.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: That was ITN's Lindsey Hilsum reporting.

PHILLIPS: Now to the grieving gunfire in the West Bank. Yasser Arafat's body is lying inside a concrete and marble tomb in Ramallah, but the Palestinian leader's final homecoming turned into chaos earlier today.

Thousands of people burst through the gates of his compound and climbed over the walls to give him an emotional, frenzied farewell. As that coffin was moved toward the gravesite, police jumped on top of it, waving their arms and flashing the victory sign.

Ambulances had to be called to treat people who were trampled in that chaos. One of Arafat's former aides says he would have loved the massive outpouring of support.

Israeli police were on their highest state of alert during that burial. Let's get more on today's events from John Vause. He joins us live now from Ramallah -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

All's quiet here now at Yasser Arafat's West Bank compound, certainly a very different scene from a few hours ago.

As you mentioned, thousands of pretty much uninvited mourners crashed the funeral service. They climbed over those walls. They rushed the security guards. Police fired wildly into the air, but the crowd simply didn't flinch. This was a moment when they would not be denied.

They just wanted to get close to the coffin, to get close to the Palestinian leader they call the old man.

Now at one stage, Palestinian officials who had accompanied Yasser Arafat's body on the Egyptian helicopter stood at the door of the helicopter, pleading with the crowd to push back so they could take the coffin out, but it was to no avail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: I kept the door in my hand holding it, and I was shouting and screaming. Because you know, you have to think, take it down then you're still on the plane.

Somebody may shoot and then somebody shoots, it would break loose. And President Arafat deserved to be given the honors he deserved. And that's, I think, what -- I mean, amongst these emotions and it was a chaotic situation, actually. But at the same time it reflected, you know, the attachment of these people towards him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: And amid all the chaos, Kyra, there was, in fact, some ceremony. They read passages from the Koran, and they also prayed at Yasser Arafat's casket. And now, as the Palestinians left and night falls here in Ramallah, for many Palestinians, their thoughts turn to what tomorrow will hold after Arafat is gone -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: John Vause, thanks so much -- Tony.

HARRIS: President Bush says Arafat's death has created an opening for peace in the Middle East. Now, it is certainly high on the agenda as the host British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House for two days. Both leaders held a joint news conference not long ago.

Let's get details from senior White House correspondent John King.

And John, if the world was waiting for a clear indication from Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair as to their intentions, did they hear it today?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The world certainly heard the intention of these two men to commit themselves and all the time and personal energy they say is necessary to try to revive the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.

The question, of course, will be in the days and weeks and months ahead as to what specific actions will they take.

But the two emerged from their meetings in the Oval Office. You see them here, walking down the hallway to enter the East Room here at the White House. These are the two men, the closest allies when it comes to the war in Iraq, now promising to make a joint effort to try to revolve -- revive, excuse me, the Middle East peace process. Mr. Bush even going so far as saying that if he sees a new Palestinian leadership emerge after the death of Yasser Arafat that he believes is committed to democratic reforms and to peace with Israel, that he believes it is possible, with the help of the United States and others, to get to the point where you have a final status agreement, meaning an independent Palestine by the end of his second term.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it is fair to say that I believe that we've got a great chance to establish a Palestinian state, and I intend to use the next four years to spend the capital of the United States on such a state.

I believe it is in the interest of the world that a truly free state develop. I know it is in the interest of the Palestinian people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, both the president and the prime minister saying that for any effort, any involvement, any financial or other diplomatic resources they could commit to the process, that the most important thing is for the Palestinian people to choose new leadership and for the Palestinian leadership and the Palestinian people to commit themselves to making peace with Israel.

Prime Minister Blair saying he believes it is also critical that the new Palestinian political system emerge as a strong democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I think what we are learning today is that there is not stability of any true long-term kind without democratic rights for free people to decide their government.

Now, that doesn't mean to say we try to interfere with every state around the world, but it does mean there's been a shift, and I think a shift dramatically since 9/11 in the thinking that is forming our view of how we make progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Optimistic talk from both leaders, a great deal of energy and commitment in their voice, but also some key decisions ahead and key questions unanswered.

Prime Minister Blair favors some international peace conference. The president said that would be fine with him but first, he needs to see responsible Palestinian leadership to make such a conference worthwhile.

Prime Minister Blair and others think that perhaps it would be best for the president to name a new special U.S. envoy to deal with any peace negotiations. The president said he was open to that, but he did not commit that.

Both leaders stressing the first thing they need to see is a new Palestinian leadership committed to peace and then everything else would flow from there -- Tony.

HARRIS: And John, let's talk about that. How much do you think the Bush administration will work to shape and inform that pre- election process, perhaps behind the scenes?

KING: Well, behind the scenes and now in public, because the president touched on a bit today. The United States is promising any financial resources, perhaps election observers, anything the Palestinians want to bring about the mechanics, if you will, of those elections.

The United States is doing that, offering support for the process while trying to be a bit careful about not publicly saying who would like to emerge from that process, believing that the U.S. stamp of approval, if you will, could actually hurt a Palestinian leader running in those elections.

But the president had some brief dealings with Mahmoud Abbas back when he was the prime minister. And he very much liked Mr. Abbas, very much felt he was someone who wanted to make peace and who could be dealt with in a pragmatic way.

Behind the scenes here at the White House, they are hoping Mr. Abbas emerges as the new Palestinian leader, but they say the first thing is to have those elections. And they say they'll help if asked. They say that's up to the Palestinians.

HARRIS: John King at the White House. John, thank you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: A family hit hard by the war in Iraq faces another challenge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNSON: If he could talk to me right now, he'd probably tell me to stay home. But I can't.

PHILLIPS: A father prepares to fight the same war that killed his son. The rest of the family speaks out, just ahead.

And later, after a second jury shake-up, they're back to deliberating the Peterson case. We're going to go live to the courthouse for the latest developments.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Returning now to the events unfolding in Iraq. A U.S. Marine Corps commander in Falluja told reporters today that U.S. and Iraqi forces now control 80 percent of that city, long regarded as a center of insurgency and extremism.

Let's get the very latest on operations there and in Mosul, a place described as calmer today after several days of street violence and U.S. air strikes.

U.S. Army Brigadier General Carter Ham is the commanding general of Task Force Olympia, a multinational unit based in northern Iraq. And General Ham joins us now from Mosul.

General, good to see you.

BRIG. GEN. CARTER HAM, U.S. ARMY: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Well, General, let me start with a description from one other general describing Falluja. He says that "the operation is going extremely well and we continue to press the enemy until we return Falluja to the Fallujan people."

For us, break that down just a little bit and what does a general mean when he describes the action as going extremely well.

HAM: Well, I don't know. I -- to tell you the truth, I have my hands full in Mosul. So I'm not terribly focused on what's going on in Falluja.

We -- I did talk with the overall commander, Lieutenant General Metz. And he conveyed that he is satisfied with the progress that's being made in Falluja.

HARRIS: OK. Well, give us a sense -- I'm sorry. I thought you could talk a little bit about Falluja for us. My apologies.

Let me have you describe the situation in Mosul, in your city, the third largest city in Iraq.

HARRIS: Well, I would tell you that yesterday was a tough day in Mosul. With the -- with the on -- with the start of operations in Falluja a few days ago, we expected that there would be some reaction here in Mosul. There was in April. And we expected it again this time and, certainly, that occurred.

There were groups of -- ranging in size from about 15 to about 50, conducting attacks throughout the city yesterday, principally focused against Iraqi security forces and, notably, against the police.

For us, in collaboration with the Iraqi National Guard, we worked to counter those and to disrupt the enemy's ability to conduct further attacks.

HARRIS: Are these insurgents that you have known to be in that area, or do you believe that some of these insurgents have been on the move and have come to your area, perhaps, from Falluja?

HAM: Well, we -- we expected that there would -- there could be some movement of fighters from Falluja to the north. Frankly, we haven't seen much of that. And we think most of the fighters yesterday were from the northern part of Iraq, in and around Mosul and the Tigris River valley that's south of the city.

HARRIS: How would you describe your posture right now? Are you defensive? Can you aggressively go after these insurgents?

HAM: We are offensively minded. And we do go after these enemy cells wherever we are able to identify them to kill or capture them and to disrupt their efforts that are counter to progress here in northern Iraq.

The enemy is -- is pretty savvy, and I don't want to underestimate the -- their capability. They look for weakness, and they try to strike that. They try to convey a sense of disarray and disorder and instability, and they do that by attacking Iraqi security forces, symbols of government, and infrastructure.

And our job, obviously, is to help the Iraqis counter that and prevent those attacks from being successful.

HARRIS: Have you had to use air strikes to help put down some of this insurgency, some of this activity?

HAM: Yes, we have. We have -- we have -- we have a wide variety of weapons with which to attack the enemy. And we -- we have and will use those means that are appropriate for the targets, for the enemy as they present themselves.

Yesterday, for example, there was a clearly identified enemy mortar firing position, and we were able to clear the area, make sure there was no collateral damage, and we did drop bombs from a fixed wing aircraft, destroying those sites.

HARRIS: General Ham, I know you're very busy. But thanks for taking the time to talk to us and give us the update on Mosul. We appreciate it. Thank you.

HAM: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now to a Georgia family that has already sacrificed one loved one to the war in Iraq and has been called upon to send another into harm's way.

Nicole Allshouse from our affiliate, WAGA, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICOLE ALLSHOUSE, WAGA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Joe Johnson and his wife stand over their son's grave. An explosion killed him seven months ago in Iraq. Now, Joe is going there. JOE JOHNSON: If he could talk to me now, he'd probably tell me to stay home. But I can't.

ALLSHOUSE: Joe says Justin died doing what he loved. But he was only 22.

JOE JOHNSON: After he was killed, it made me want to go that much more. I mean, I guess maybe there is an element of revenge involved.

ALLSHOUSE: At a Veteran's Day service, people waited in line to send Joe off.

(on camera) But Johnson's family says they don't want him to go to war. They say they've already been through one funeral, and they can't bear to go through another.

JAN JOHNSON, WIFE: Yesterday made seven months that he died, and the numbness is gone now, but the pain is still there.

ALLSHOUSE: Jan Johnson says her husband will be gone for at least a year, maybe a year and a half.

JAN JOHNSON: Because of what happened to Justin, I'm scared. It's like I told him, I can't do it again. So I worry about him.

JOLEEN GLADNEY, DAUGHTER: It is dangerous over there, especially if he gets stationed in Baghdad. People are dying every day.

ALLSHOUSE: Justin's sister says she's already lost her brother. She wants her children to know their grandpa.

GLADNEY: Everyone is scared. Jordan, my oldest daughter, she's asking questions and everything about it. She don't want him to go. And then Justine will be about a year old when he leaves. When he gets back, she'll be about 2 and a half, and she don't know him.

ALLSHOUSE: Joe says leaving his family will be the hardest part, but he has to serve his country.

JOE JOHNSON: I feel like when your time's up, your time's up. It don't matter where you're at or what you're doing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And one more note: Justin's brother, Joshua, is a private first class in the 7th Special Forces based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, strange twist in the Scott Peterson trial. A boat used by the defense turns into a shrine for Laci Peterson. We're live from the courthouse as the jury goes back to deliberating.

Later on LIVE FROM, cell phone safety alert. What you can do to prevent exploding batteries.

And next week, the Clinton legacy. Live coverage as his presidential library is unveiled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: News across America now.

It's been three months since the state of Florida first got walloped by a string of hurricanes. But the number of people left homeless is still rising.

FEMA says more than 3,000 hurricane victims are already on a federal waiting list for temporary housing. But that number grows daily as hundreds more are forced out of damaged homes due to mold and other problems.

In Queens, New York, cold rain mixed with tears as hundreds marked the third anniversary of the second worst aviation accident in U.S. history. Two-hundred-sixty-five people were lost in the crash of American Airlines 587 on this date in 2001. Plans were announced today for a permanent memorial to the victims.

Another health scare for Olympic skater Scott Hamilton. The 1984 gold medalist has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. But doctors say the growth near Hamilton's pituitary gland is benign. He's on a treatment plan after complaining of vision problems. Hamilton was previously battling testicular cancer.

And finally, shock and great grandma. A 59-year-old Georgia woman is awaiting the birth of twins next month. The unexpected pregnancy comes three decades after Frances Harris had her tubes died and after she became grandmother to, Kyra, 14 and great-grandmother to six.

Hello, lady. Harris thought she was just gaining weight when a doctor told her about the pregnancy.

PHILLIPS: Is the family excited? Do we know? Can we talk to the husband?

HARRIS: Not related, but we're on the phone line right now. I'll get you an update.

PHILLIPS: All right. That's a shock and awe (ph), all right.

Well, after a week of twist and turns, the revised jury is back at it in the Scott Peterson double murder trial. But as observers have watched the jury box turn into a Pandora's box, no one is predicting what will happen next.

CNN's Rusty Dornin is standing by in Redwood City, California. She's not predicting anything, but I know, Rusty, you know a number of indications that things just aren't right. RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. Nothing would surprise us at this point, Kyra. But so far, it is all quiet on the Redwood City front.

That, of course, was not the case earlier in the week when two jurors, including the foreman, was dismissed in as many days. Now, that brand new panel began deliberating Wednesday afternoon for about two and a half hours. Then they had off yesterday. They were sequestered in their hotel.

Then they began deliberating this morning. So far they've been in there about two and a half hours, but it's going to be a short day because apparently one of the jurors has personal business. So they'll be quitting about 2 p.m. local time -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Rusty, tell me about the D.A. investigator, you know, these other indications that things just weren't going right within the jury.

DORNIN: Very mysterious. On Wednesday afternoon right after the new panel began deliberating, the chief D.A. investigator went back into chambers with both sides.

We have now learned that apparently there was some kind of anonymous tip about possible inappropriate behavior by one of the jurors. It was investigated. They have now decided there was absolutely nothing to it. So deliberations are on going.

But we do know there have been a lot of problems in that jury room, a lot of battles, very contentious. Perhaps the election of this new foreman, a firefighter who said to be sort of a peacemaker and liked by everyone, has been good, because apparently when they left on Wednesday, people were talking and laughing. And they seemed in a good mood when they arrived this morning.

PHILLIPS: Well, there have been all these different types of bizarre twists and turns to this case.

Rusty, you've got to tell me about the boat. Brought in by the defense, now turned into this shrine. It's sort of become a pro- prosecution item.

DORNIN: Well, it's gone now. It started out -- defense attorney Mark Geragos wanted to show a demonstrate where they had thrown a body out of the boat similar to the size of Scott Peterson's, and it capsized. The judge didn't let him do it. He took it and parked it in a parking lot of an office building, and it had something that looked like a body that was in the bottom of it and some anchors. Well, it turned into a shrine for Laci and Conner Peterson. People would put signs, "Justice for Laci and Conner," "rot in prison." There were flowers arriving from apparently all over the world. Some of them came addressed just to the boat In Redwood city, and the FTD florist knew where to deliver them. But that was apparently -- the boat was removed on Wednesday night. We're not sure whether if that involved a court order or not.

PHILLIPS: Yes, talk about a media catastrophe for the defense there.

All right, Rusty Dornin, live from Redwood City, thanks so much. We'll continue to check in. And tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE," Larry goes inside the jury shakeup. How could the replacement of two jurors this week affect deliberations and the outcome of the Scott Peterson trial?

That's tonight at 9:00 Eastern.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(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