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U.N. Delegates Support Kofi Annan; Ukraine Election Crisis Straining U.S.-Russian Relations

Aired December 08, 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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up armor our vehicles, and why don't we have those resources readily available to us?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Defense secretary, on the defensive. Soldiers firing some tough questions in Kuwait.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CO-HOST: A show of support for the embattled United Nations secretary -- secretary-general, Kofi Annan, while he faces a growing scandal. We're LIVE FROM the U.N.

PHILLIPS: Last ditch defense, what will Scott Peterson's attorneys do to keep him off of Death Row? Today's their last chance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANUEL ZAMORANO, COMMITTEE TO SAVE MERRY CHRISTMAS: Removing "merry Christmas" is political correctness gone amuck.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a campaign to turn happy holidays back into Merry Christmas.

From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Miles O'Brien.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

We begin this hour with Rumsfeld under fire from his own troops and a give and take with G.I.'s in Kuwait City. The U.S. defense secretary was put on the defensive more than once today over pay, extended tours of duty and armor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up armor our vehicles, and why don't we have those resources readily available to us? DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Well -- I missed the first part of your question. And could you -- could you repeat it for me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Mr. Secretary. Our soldiers have been fighting in Iraq for coming up on three years. A lot of us are getting ready to move north relatively soon. Our vehicles are not armored.

We're digging pieces of rusted scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass that's already been shot up, dropped, busted, picking the best out of this scrap to put onto our vehicles to take into combat. We do not have proper armament vehicles to carry with us north.

RUMSFELD: I talked -- I talked to the general coming out here about the pace at which the vehicles are being armored. They have been brought from all over the world, wherever they're not needed, to a place here where they are needed. I'm told that they're being -- the Army is -- I think it's something like 400 a month are being done.

And it's -- it's essentially a matter of physics. It isn't a matter of money. It isn't a matter, on the part of the Army, of desire. It's a matter of production and capability of doing it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now a little later came this exchange over unexpected hitches in hitches.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband and myself, we both joined a volunteer army. Currently, I'm serving under the stop-loss program. I would like to know, how much longer do you foresee the military using this program?

RUMSFELD: Stop-loss has been used for the military for years and years and years. It's all well understood when someone volunteers to join the service. It is something that you prefer not to have to use, obviously, in a perfect world.

If you think about it the whole principle of stop-loss is based on unit cohesion. And -- and the principle is that, in the event that there's a -- something that requires a unit to be involved and people are in a personal situation where their time was ending, they'd put a stop-loss on it so that the cohesion can be maintained.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: So is this a case of military brass or flagging morale or both? CNN military analyst Don Shepperd sheds some light for us later in this hour of LIVE FROM.

WHITFIELD: And despite calls in the U.S. for his resignation, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan enjoyed a dramatic show of support today from the U.N. General Assembly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Only yesterday Annan publicly addressed criticism by some U.S. lawmakers over the pre-Iraq war oil-for-food program.

More on all of this now from CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Unprecedented, considering that the U.N. is in a bit of a crisis here. Secretary- General Kofi Annan gets a standing ovation from the 191 countries here, including delegates that were sitting at the United States table.

You see everyone, including the U.S. team there, sitting and applauding after Annan delivered a prescheduled speech on U.N. reform. And then several countries, including Iran and some of the African countries, stood up. And it was sort of choreographed ahead of time. Diplomats had told us they wouldn't be surprised if it took place.

You don't see a standing ovation in this house of negotiation often. Former President Clinton received one when he was in the midst of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

The members of the General Assembly told CNN later that they did this standing ovation because they feel Kofi Annan is doing an excellent job and that the U.N. needs to be recognized for doing an excellent job. And Kofi Annan is doing his best.

Many diplomats feel that it's a biased media campaign or select political circles in the Republican Party. However, some here know that things could get worst, they say, and that many officials and Annan's aides have not fully recognized the nature of the problem early enough to ward off the perception of corruption.

Kofi Anna's son, Kojo, is at the center of some of the investigations. He has received money, which was known by his father, for working for a Swiss company called Cotecna, which was handling U.N. goods going into Iraq.

But apparently, the father didn't know that Kojo was receiving money up until this year, for three or four more years longer than Kofi Annan knew.

This is all being investigated by former Fed chairman Paul Volcker and several congressional investigations. No formal charges have been labeled against anyone.

There's also some doubt as to what will happen if someone charges a U.N. employee. Will they be hauled off to the world court, international criminal court? No one knows. There are grand juries in New York looking at it. It's still a very open situation here.

But the U.N. today, the members, Daryn (sic), wanted to put it on record that they liked Kofi Annan, and they don't think he's done anything wrong so far.

WHITFIELD: All right. Richard Roth at the U.N., thanks so much -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now to Capitol Hill, where the suspense is less but the stakes are just as high as the Senate prepares to sign off on the monumental overhaul of U.S. intelligence.

After months of hand wringing, arm twisting and foot dragging over in the House, the measure passed last night by a lopsided 336-75. That still means 67 Republicans and eight Democrats voted against it.

Passage in the Senate is all about guaranteed, and President Bush is sure to put his name on the dotted line.

Earlier today, one of the measure's sponsors reflected on the system that many say was obsolete long before September 11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: It failed us. And to keep the status quo going is to invite the kind of failure that will bring about more attacks. We can't accept that.

We've given some tough, new powers to this national intelligence director. And I'm just bottom line confident, as is Tom Kean, Lee Hamilton, the president and the majority of members of both parties in Congress, that we're going to get more for the billions we're investing in intelligence after this bill becomes law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Put off for another day is a bid to stop illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM SENSENBRENNER (R-WI), JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN: The president has plenty of political capital, and he's sent the conferees and leadership a letter saying that he is looking forward to working with us for the development of good standards on driver's licenses and on asylum reform.

I take the president at his word. He recognizes that we have a problem in both of these areas. And he just didn't have the time to work things through the administration, to reach some kind of an agreement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The Senate vote is expected within the next 90 minutes. We'll keep you posted. WHITFIELD: Fifteen years after the deaths of three babies in her care, a baby-sitter goes to court. Details on her story, later on, on LIVE FROM.

Also ahead, Jackie Peterson takes the stand in defense of her son, Scott. We're LIVE FROM the California courthouse.

And later, he plays the harmonica well, and he plays it loud, doesn't he? Guess what? He's an elephant. He's coming your way, later on LIVE FROM.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Ukraine may be closer to defusing its political crisis. Today, Parliament voted to change the constitution and the country's election laws, paving the way for a new presidential runoff this month.

A former Soviet republic, Ukraine has become a point of contention between Russia and the United States.

CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ukraine's Orange Revolution is souring relations between the United States and Russia and even threatening a new Cold War.

Moscow watchers say Russian President Vladimir Putin damaged his prestige and hurt Russia's relations with the European Union and the United States by actively trying to engineer the election of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych to Ukraine's presidency.

Yanukovych initially was declared the winner, but that was overturned by Ukraine Supreme Court, citing massive voter fraud.

On the streets of Kiev, Mr. Putin's actions anger many.

"Russia always wants to see Ukraine as its little sister," this woman says, "that it can lead around on a rope, but always keep it down."

But the Russian president is angry, too, about the west's superior attitude.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I don't want a situation where you have first class people able to live according to stable and democratic laws, while second class people get told by well intentioned gentlemen what political course to follow. And if the ungrateful native objects, they'll get punished by having bombs dropped on their heads, as in Belgrade.

DOUGHERTY (on camera): If the West thought Mr. Putin was meddling in Ukraine, Mr. Putin thought the West was doing the same thing, trying to pull Ukraine away from Russia.

(voice-over) This Ukrainian campaign poster is a good illustration of the anxiety, depicting opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko sporting an Uncle Sam hat, as a puppet of the U.S., and warning, "After Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and Iraq, Ukraine could be next."

And as one Kremlin expert sees it, Vladimir Putin feels betrayed by George W. Bush.

DMITRI TRENIN, MOSCOW CARNEGIE CENTER: Putin thought that because of his special relationship with Bush, because of this anti- terrorist coalition, he would be able to get some understanding from Bush.

DOUGHERTY: Mr. Putin, according to this analyst, does not forgive treason. And in Russia, the president's feelings soon become government policy.

TRENIN: This is the most serious crisis that the U.S. and Russia have experienced since -- well, since the 1980s.

DOUGHERTY: As Ukraine moves slowly towards compromise and a rerun election, Moscow and Washington are being forced to reassess their relationship. This political standoff proves that just being allies in the war on terror isn't enough.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And January of next year, just weeks from now, is the scheduled date for the new Iraq's nationwide elections. But top Iraqi officials now are floating the idea of spreading the balloting out over several days. Prime Minister Allawi, among others, suggests that will help relieve security concerns. No reaction yet from the Bush administration.

And a Dutchman who allegedly helped Saddam Hussein buy potentially dangerous chemicals is said to be in custody today in his home country. Officials in Washington tell CNN that Frans van Anraat is accused of arranging large shipments of a key ingredient of mustard gas from a U.S. company in the late 1987 and early '88. Those shipments reportedly made their way to a known Iraqi chemical weapons plant.

The suspect was arrested in Italy in 1989, but the Italians refused to extradite him to America. The Dutch got involved in January of this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, a clothing optional college? Find out why the dean of one Vermont school is going on a campus crusade against nudity.

Later on LIVE FROM, the fallout from the basket brawl. Players and fans find out who will be facing criminal charges. That's live at 2 p.m. Eastern.

And tomorrow on LIVE FROM, tarnished gold? We'll go in depth into the investigation into doping allegations against Olympic track star Marion Jones.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Bennington College in Vermont has long been known as a very free-spirited environment. Well, it's even known to allow an occasional nude appearance in public by students. Well, the new dean is trying to put a stop to it. And critics are calling it a crackdown on freedom of expression.

The dean may have a natural ally. Icy weather is expected by Friday in Bennington.

WHITFIELD: Well, first a breaking story. This just in: five Indiana Pacers who were involved in that brawl that was caught on videotape apparently have been charged officially now, coming out of -- just outside of Detroit.

They are -- they are Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison and Anthony Johnson, all being charged with one count each of assault and battery. And that's a misdemeanor. It could bring a maximum of up to three months in jail and fines.

Jermaine O'Neal was also charged, but he was charged with two counts of assault and battery. More on this story a little bit later on in this broadcast.

Meantime, automakers are fighting back against a California law that requires lower emission standards. Rhonda Schaffler joins us from the New York Stock Exchange with more on that -- Rhonda.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Taking a look at stories now in the news.

President Bush steps into the steroid squabble. The president's spokesperson says that Mr. Bush is urging professional baseball players and owners to crack down on steroid use. Both sides are negotiating a tougher steroid testing policy.

There's word of a possible lead in the investigation into a series of suspicious fires in a Maryland subdivision. Authorities are searching for a blue van seen leaving that area where dozens of homes were burned. The driver is not being called a suspect, though.

A tragic accident in Los Angeles. A commuter van from NASA's jet propulsion laboratory tumbled 20 feet down a mountain road this morning. Firefighters responding to the scene found three people dead. A total of 10 people were inside that vehicle.

WHITFIELD: Well, you saw the fight. You saw the fallout. Now authorities are jumping into the NBA basketball brawl controversy. Criminal charges have been announced, involving five Pacers players, and it's anticipated that there may be some charges that are coming against five fans, at least five fans who were involved in last month's melee.

CNN's Eric Philips joins me now with some of the details.

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, who can forget what happened during that infamous Pistons-Pacers game back on November 19? No one will ever forget it, because that's the point where a lot of folks thought that both the fans and the players had absolutely lost their minds.

The brawl broke out when someone, presumably a Pistons fan, threw a cup at Ron Artest, hitting him in the head. Artest then charged the fans, going after the one who he thought threw the cup. From there, several more players and fans got sucked in.

The fallout from all of this: Ron Artest was suspended for the rest of the season, 73 games. Stephen Jackson was suspended for 30 games, Jermaine O'Neal for 25 and Anthony Johnson for five games, a combined loss of over $10 million in income.

But that was just the beginning, folks. Now the prosecutor in Oakland County, Michigan, is expected to weigh in with criminal charges. As Fredricka just said, five charges -- five players have been charged so far. We're still waiting to hear if five fans will be charged.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired December 8, 2004 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up armor our vehicles, and why don't we have those resources readily available to us?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Defense secretary, on the defensive. Soldiers firing some tough questions in Kuwait.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CO-HOST: A show of support for the embattled United Nations secretary -- secretary-general, Kofi Annan, while he faces a growing scandal. We're LIVE FROM the U.N.

PHILLIPS: Last ditch defense, what will Scott Peterson's attorneys do to keep him off of Death Row? Today's their last chance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANUEL ZAMORANO, COMMITTEE TO SAVE MERRY CHRISTMAS: Removing "merry Christmas" is political correctness gone amuck.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a campaign to turn happy holidays back into Merry Christmas.

From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Miles O'Brien.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

We begin this hour with Rumsfeld under fire from his own troops and a give and take with G.I.'s in Kuwait City. The U.S. defense secretary was put on the defensive more than once today over pay, extended tours of duty and armor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up armor our vehicles, and why don't we have those resources readily available to us? DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Well -- I missed the first part of your question. And could you -- could you repeat it for me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Mr. Secretary. Our soldiers have been fighting in Iraq for coming up on three years. A lot of us are getting ready to move north relatively soon. Our vehicles are not armored.

We're digging pieces of rusted scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass that's already been shot up, dropped, busted, picking the best out of this scrap to put onto our vehicles to take into combat. We do not have proper armament vehicles to carry with us north.

RUMSFELD: I talked -- I talked to the general coming out here about the pace at which the vehicles are being armored. They have been brought from all over the world, wherever they're not needed, to a place here where they are needed. I'm told that they're being -- the Army is -- I think it's something like 400 a month are being done.

And it's -- it's essentially a matter of physics. It isn't a matter of money. It isn't a matter, on the part of the Army, of desire. It's a matter of production and capability of doing it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now a little later came this exchange over unexpected hitches in hitches.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband and myself, we both joined a volunteer army. Currently, I'm serving under the stop-loss program. I would like to know, how much longer do you foresee the military using this program?

RUMSFELD: Stop-loss has been used for the military for years and years and years. It's all well understood when someone volunteers to join the service. It is something that you prefer not to have to use, obviously, in a perfect world.

If you think about it the whole principle of stop-loss is based on unit cohesion. And -- and the principle is that, in the event that there's a -- something that requires a unit to be involved and people are in a personal situation where their time was ending, they'd put a stop-loss on it so that the cohesion can be maintained.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: So is this a case of military brass or flagging morale or both? CNN military analyst Don Shepperd sheds some light for us later in this hour of LIVE FROM.

WHITFIELD: And despite calls in the U.S. for his resignation, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan enjoyed a dramatic show of support today from the U.N. General Assembly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Only yesterday Annan publicly addressed criticism by some U.S. lawmakers over the pre-Iraq war oil-for-food program.

More on all of this now from CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Unprecedented, considering that the U.N. is in a bit of a crisis here. Secretary- General Kofi Annan gets a standing ovation from the 191 countries here, including delegates that were sitting at the United States table.

You see everyone, including the U.S. team there, sitting and applauding after Annan delivered a prescheduled speech on U.N. reform. And then several countries, including Iran and some of the African countries, stood up. And it was sort of choreographed ahead of time. Diplomats had told us they wouldn't be surprised if it took place.

You don't see a standing ovation in this house of negotiation often. Former President Clinton received one when he was in the midst of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

The members of the General Assembly told CNN later that they did this standing ovation because they feel Kofi Annan is doing an excellent job and that the U.N. needs to be recognized for doing an excellent job. And Kofi Annan is doing his best.

Many diplomats feel that it's a biased media campaign or select political circles in the Republican Party. However, some here know that things could get worst, they say, and that many officials and Annan's aides have not fully recognized the nature of the problem early enough to ward off the perception of corruption.

Kofi Anna's son, Kojo, is at the center of some of the investigations. He has received money, which was known by his father, for working for a Swiss company called Cotecna, which was handling U.N. goods going into Iraq.

But apparently, the father didn't know that Kojo was receiving money up until this year, for three or four more years longer than Kofi Annan knew.

This is all being investigated by former Fed chairman Paul Volcker and several congressional investigations. No formal charges have been labeled against anyone.

There's also some doubt as to what will happen if someone charges a U.N. employee. Will they be hauled off to the world court, international criminal court? No one knows. There are grand juries in New York looking at it. It's still a very open situation here.

But the U.N. today, the members, Daryn (sic), wanted to put it on record that they liked Kofi Annan, and they don't think he's done anything wrong so far.

WHITFIELD: All right. Richard Roth at the U.N., thanks so much -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now to Capitol Hill, where the suspense is less but the stakes are just as high as the Senate prepares to sign off on the monumental overhaul of U.S. intelligence.

After months of hand wringing, arm twisting and foot dragging over in the House, the measure passed last night by a lopsided 336-75. That still means 67 Republicans and eight Democrats voted against it.

Passage in the Senate is all about guaranteed, and President Bush is sure to put his name on the dotted line.

Earlier today, one of the measure's sponsors reflected on the system that many say was obsolete long before September 11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: It failed us. And to keep the status quo going is to invite the kind of failure that will bring about more attacks. We can't accept that.

We've given some tough, new powers to this national intelligence director. And I'm just bottom line confident, as is Tom Kean, Lee Hamilton, the president and the majority of members of both parties in Congress, that we're going to get more for the billions we're investing in intelligence after this bill becomes law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Put off for another day is a bid to stop illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM SENSENBRENNER (R-WI), JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN: The president has plenty of political capital, and he's sent the conferees and leadership a letter saying that he is looking forward to working with us for the development of good standards on driver's licenses and on asylum reform.

I take the president at his word. He recognizes that we have a problem in both of these areas. And he just didn't have the time to work things through the administration, to reach some kind of an agreement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The Senate vote is expected within the next 90 minutes. We'll keep you posted. WHITFIELD: Fifteen years after the deaths of three babies in her care, a baby-sitter goes to court. Details on her story, later on, on LIVE FROM.

Also ahead, Jackie Peterson takes the stand in defense of her son, Scott. We're LIVE FROM the California courthouse.

And later, he plays the harmonica well, and he plays it loud, doesn't he? Guess what? He's an elephant. He's coming your way, later on LIVE FROM.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Ukraine may be closer to defusing its political crisis. Today, Parliament voted to change the constitution and the country's election laws, paving the way for a new presidential runoff this month.

A former Soviet republic, Ukraine has become a point of contention between Russia and the United States.

CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ukraine's Orange Revolution is souring relations between the United States and Russia and even threatening a new Cold War.

Moscow watchers say Russian President Vladimir Putin damaged his prestige and hurt Russia's relations with the European Union and the United States by actively trying to engineer the election of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych to Ukraine's presidency.

Yanukovych initially was declared the winner, but that was overturned by Ukraine Supreme Court, citing massive voter fraud.

On the streets of Kiev, Mr. Putin's actions anger many.

"Russia always wants to see Ukraine as its little sister," this woman says, "that it can lead around on a rope, but always keep it down."

But the Russian president is angry, too, about the west's superior attitude.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I don't want a situation where you have first class people able to live according to stable and democratic laws, while second class people get told by well intentioned gentlemen what political course to follow. And if the ungrateful native objects, they'll get punished by having bombs dropped on their heads, as in Belgrade.

DOUGHERTY (on camera): If the West thought Mr. Putin was meddling in Ukraine, Mr. Putin thought the West was doing the same thing, trying to pull Ukraine away from Russia.

(voice-over) This Ukrainian campaign poster is a good illustration of the anxiety, depicting opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko sporting an Uncle Sam hat, as a puppet of the U.S., and warning, "After Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and Iraq, Ukraine could be next."

And as one Kremlin expert sees it, Vladimir Putin feels betrayed by George W. Bush.

DMITRI TRENIN, MOSCOW CARNEGIE CENTER: Putin thought that because of his special relationship with Bush, because of this anti- terrorist coalition, he would be able to get some understanding from Bush.

DOUGHERTY: Mr. Putin, according to this analyst, does not forgive treason. And in Russia, the president's feelings soon become government policy.

TRENIN: This is the most serious crisis that the U.S. and Russia have experienced since -- well, since the 1980s.

DOUGHERTY: As Ukraine moves slowly towards compromise and a rerun election, Moscow and Washington are being forced to reassess their relationship. This political standoff proves that just being allies in the war on terror isn't enough.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And January of next year, just weeks from now, is the scheduled date for the new Iraq's nationwide elections. But top Iraqi officials now are floating the idea of spreading the balloting out over several days. Prime Minister Allawi, among others, suggests that will help relieve security concerns. No reaction yet from the Bush administration.

And a Dutchman who allegedly helped Saddam Hussein buy potentially dangerous chemicals is said to be in custody today in his home country. Officials in Washington tell CNN that Frans van Anraat is accused of arranging large shipments of a key ingredient of mustard gas from a U.S. company in the late 1987 and early '88. Those shipments reportedly made their way to a known Iraqi chemical weapons plant.

The suspect was arrested in Italy in 1989, but the Italians refused to extradite him to America. The Dutch got involved in January of this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, a clothing optional college? Find out why the dean of one Vermont school is going on a campus crusade against nudity.

Later on LIVE FROM, the fallout from the basket brawl. Players and fans find out who will be facing criminal charges. That's live at 2 p.m. Eastern.

And tomorrow on LIVE FROM, tarnished gold? We'll go in depth into the investigation into doping allegations against Olympic track star Marion Jones.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Bennington College in Vermont has long been known as a very free-spirited environment. Well, it's even known to allow an occasional nude appearance in public by students. Well, the new dean is trying to put a stop to it. And critics are calling it a crackdown on freedom of expression.

The dean may have a natural ally. Icy weather is expected by Friday in Bennington.

WHITFIELD: Well, first a breaking story. This just in: five Indiana Pacers who were involved in that brawl that was caught on videotape apparently have been charged officially now, coming out of -- just outside of Detroit.

They are -- they are Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison and Anthony Johnson, all being charged with one count each of assault and battery. And that's a misdemeanor. It could bring a maximum of up to three months in jail and fines.

Jermaine O'Neal was also charged, but he was charged with two counts of assault and battery. More on this story a little bit later on in this broadcast.

Meantime, automakers are fighting back against a California law that requires lower emission standards. Rhonda Schaffler joins us from the New York Stock Exchange with more on that -- Rhonda.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Taking a look at stories now in the news.

President Bush steps into the steroid squabble. The president's spokesperson says that Mr. Bush is urging professional baseball players and owners to crack down on steroid use. Both sides are negotiating a tougher steroid testing policy.

There's word of a possible lead in the investigation into a series of suspicious fires in a Maryland subdivision. Authorities are searching for a blue van seen leaving that area where dozens of homes were burned. The driver is not being called a suspect, though.

A tragic accident in Los Angeles. A commuter van from NASA's jet propulsion laboratory tumbled 20 feet down a mountain road this morning. Firefighters responding to the scene found three people dead. A total of 10 people were inside that vehicle.

WHITFIELD: Well, you saw the fight. You saw the fallout. Now authorities are jumping into the NBA basketball brawl controversy. Criminal charges have been announced, involving five Pacers players, and it's anticipated that there may be some charges that are coming against five fans, at least five fans who were involved in last month's melee.

CNN's Eric Philips joins me now with some of the details.

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, who can forget what happened during that infamous Pistons-Pacers game back on November 19? No one will ever forget it, because that's the point where a lot of folks thought that both the fans and the players had absolutely lost their minds.

The brawl broke out when someone, presumably a Pistons fan, threw a cup at Ron Artest, hitting him in the head. Artest then charged the fans, going after the one who he thought threw the cup. From there, several more players and fans got sucked in.

The fallout from all of this: Ron Artest was suspended for the rest of the season, 73 games. Stephen Jackson was suspended for 30 games, Jermaine O'Neal for 25 and Anthony Johnson for five games, a combined loss of over $10 million in income.

But that was just the beginning, folks. Now the prosecutor in Oakland County, Michigan, is expected to weigh in with criminal charges. As Fredricka just said, five charges -- five players have been charged so far. We're still waiting to hear if five fans will be charged.

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