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Back in Space; Troop Pullout?

Aired July 27, 2005 - 13:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, yes, orbiting to the oldies. Sonny and Cher waking up the Shuttle Discovery astronauts this morning, the dawn of their first full day in space. Plenty accomplished already today, including a check of the shuttle's exterior. Of course our Miles O'Brien, back to Cape Canaveral, full of Tang and flushed with excitement from yesterday's launch.
Hi, Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Kyra.

You know, that was an important song in the movie "Groundhog Day," remember that?

PHILLIPS: I own the movie. What are you talking about?

O'BRIEN: Engineers are probably wondering right now if they're up for a Groundhog Day scenario with the media, talking about these debris strike. Now of course they never promised that there wouldn't be debris strikes and they never promised that there wouldn't be dings and dents in the tile, which are on the belly on the Space Shuttle Discovery, but nevertheless, we have witnessed that, and they've been getting some tough questions today.

First of all, live pictures right, International Space Station. And that's us below. If we wave, maybe they can see us. No, probably not.

In any case, let's take a look back to yesterday, and take a look at that launch and give you a sense of what has got people a little bit stirred up. The Space Shuttle Discovery on its way to orbit, moving along at a rather rapid clip, and if you look in that highlighted spot -- I want to point you attention right to that spot right there. I'm going to clear it out so you can see it one more time. What you're going to see there is a very tiny little ding in the heat shield tile there. And here's what's interesting about that, Kyra. It's right near the landing gear door, the nose gear door; it's right about in that area there. That's a critical spot. The tiles there are subjected to some of the hottest heat.

Fortunately, they're also four inches thick. That's a good thing. Because if there is a ding taken out, that gives them a little bit of margin.

Now, let's just talk a little bit about what the astronauts are up to today. They had a much extended boom, 50-foot extension, which allowed them to take pictures all on the underside. They haven't gotten to this spot yet that we're curious about. That will happen Friday, after they've doctored the space station, but more important right now, they're looking here along the leading edge, which of course was critical for the Space Shuttle Columbia. Remember two-and- a-half years ago, a piece of debris struck the left wing and was a fatal breach that ultimately let to the disintegration of the vehicle and the loss of the crew.

These are the kind of images that they've been feeding down, really, tight close-ups, and it flicker because you're seeing only half of a 3-D image that's coming down. And it literally gives the engineers on the ground the ability to almost kind of reach out and touch the leading edge of the wing. That's what you're seeing here. Those are some of those reinforced carbon carbon tiles there. There's some of the tiles beneath.

All right, so the question is, as this data continues to flow in, and engineers are assessing what sort of dings and dents might have occurred, many reporters are asking the question, how serious is it? And it caused a little bit of a testy exchange in Houston a little while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL HILL, FLIGHT DIRECTOR: We are prepared to say that this doesn't -- this doesn't need to be repaired. We're not prepared to say it does need to be repaired. But what we are prepared to say is we've seen some things in E.T. video and some other imagery that causes some concern among the experts that imagery folks, the guys that evaluate the radar, saw things that they thought were indications of debris, in a couple of cases, indications of damage on the vehicle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: All right, damage on the vehicle. Now, they have so much information, the question is how to go through it. One of the things they'll probably be looking at is what happened just as the shuttle was clearing the tower. I've got to orient you. Imagine this is going up, and there is the launch tower there. And what you're seeing there is a bird who had his final moments there, yesterday at 10:39 a.m., in a few seconds. The question is, did that cause debris to come off?

Now if you look at it very closely, though, it's on the back side of the orbiter. So if there was any debris that came off there, it would have been way far away many from the space vehicle itself. So what we're dealing with here, Kyra, is something a lot of engineers predicted. So much information, so many more views than they ever thought they would have, that they're seeing things that they never saw before. And the question is, how are they going to respond to these things? We're going to have another briefing from them in about four-and-a-half hour's time. All throughout the mission, of course, we'll be asking questions about whether that heat shield is safe and sound for a return -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, Miles, when we're talking about all these images and these pictures that we're seeing for the first time and how technologically savvy capturing these images has actually become, what's the deal with these photo planes that were launched for the very first time? And is that how we're seeing some of these images? Because I'm not sure if I heard you mention that.

O'BRIEN: Well, that's one little piece of the puzzle. I mean, there were more than 100 cameras put on the ground just to get good ground-tracking imagery. And then there were two that were put on airlines at 60,000 feet, these WB-57s. I don't think we have the tape of those shot ready for you. It doesn't look that impressive, because what we got was sort of a TV version of what is a high-definition product. But that's just all part of the big picture.

What you're seeing -- just showed you awe few moments ago, showing you that tile damage, came from a tiny little camera embedded into the fuel tank. So there are images that are being created every step of the way.

As a matter of fact, tomorrow, 7:30 Eastern Time, 7:15 Eastern Time, when they dock at the space station, they're going to do a little pirouette and flip around and actually fly toward the station blind, showing the belly of the shuttle, and the crew on board the station will take a bunch of digital pictures, and that could actually help them quite a bit on this little piece of damage that we just told you about.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about great images. The live picture right there over your shoulder, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's not bad.

PHILLIPS: Isn't that pretty cool? You can see the clouds. That's pretty awesome.

O'BRIEN: Don't ask me where that is, though.

PHILLIPS: Oops. Well, that's the loss of camera.

PHILLIPS: It's somewhere...

O'BRIEN: Somewhere in space.

PHILLIPS: They're having a bad day there right now. It looks a little cloudy. We'll have to get Chad Myers involved in that one.

O'BRIEN: There you go. Thank you, my dear.

All right, stay put, plenty more of LIVE FROM straight ahead. This is what we're going to be talking about: the face of a hero. We think so. And we're not alone. Find out why in just a few minutes.

And American troops in Iraq, more than two years in harm's way. When will they come home? The generals are talking withdraw and hinting at a date. Yes, a date, 2006, we hear. Details on the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: The fight for Iraq. How soon before it's decided that U.S. troops are no longer needed there? Well today, we have a new, high-level prediction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. GEORGE CASEY, CMDR., U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ: If the development of the security forces continues to go as it is going, I do believe we'll still be able to take some fairly substantial reductions after these elections in the spring and summer of next year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: That's U.S. Army General George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq. If the development of Iraqi troops continues, if the political situation stabilizes, if upcoming elections go well.

Retired Major General Don Shepperd joins me now. General, a lot of ifs.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, a lot of big ifs, Kyra. But I tell you, I think it's going to happen. I think the American public wants us out of Iraq, and also the new Iraqi government. After the -- after the constitution is approved and ratified and after the elections are held, I think they'll also want us out of there, Kyra. So I think you're going to see substantial reductions starting in '06.

PHILLIPS: All right, well, that's good news. And let's talk about how the U.S. needs to get there. Number one, of course, the insurgency. The general coming forward and saying if the insurgency does not expand -- that's one of their main concerns right now. How do you think it's doing right now? We're seeing a lot of new training, a lot of new video. Do you think it is not expanding? do you think it's stagnant right now, or remaining the same, or do you think it's getting better?

SHEPPERD: No, I don't think it's getting better. The insurgency clearly is not going to run out of suicide bombers. They're not going to run out of money, they're not going to run out of arms. So I don't think they -- you can see a major expansion of them. But their ability to continue to do what they're doing right now, which is sow death and destruction among the Iraqi population, I don't think that's going to go away. The Iraqis themselves are the ones that have to put this to an end. I don't think U.S. troops can do it -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about the variety of security forces that are there now. Let's talk about Iraqi army. The latest numbers I see are 77,000 soldiers in place right now. Of course, they're hoping to train more. They're putting together special forces. Aneesh Raman brought us a great piece yesterday, taking us inside of -- it looks like SWAT training, basically, General. Tank battalions being formed. But let's talk about these intervention forces. What do you know about these intervention forces that are supposed to focus specifically on suicide bombings and insurgency issues?

SHEPPERD: Yes, I think there's two types of intervention forces. One is the special forces, or the special forces type of forces within the military. The other of these intervention forces, within the police themselves. These guys are being trained, they're being equipped to do exactly what we have seen prevent suicide bombers in this country, in Britain, in other countries. And, of course, in this case, Iraq.

The problem with all these forces is, you can train them and equip them, but it takes time for them to become competent. It takes time for them to train together, exercise together and develop confidence in their leadership. Also, there's infiltration with the insurgents on all of these forces that you have to expect. So this is a real rough road to a capability down the line -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, you bring up a good point about the trust factor. And here in the United States, I mean, the successful tactical teams trust each other, know each other, spend time together. And now you have insurgents infiltrating army and police, and so mixed in with good guys. How do you work on that trust factor? The psychological aspect, not just the tactical aspect, but the psychological training that goes along with that?

SHEPPERD: Yes, time is what does it. I mean, being able to exercise and work together over time, you'll find out who the bad guys are, who the good guys and bad guys -- and the Iraqis themselves will know. You know, when you're in a police force or in a firefighting unit, who the weak guys on your team are. And they'll know it, they'll be able to ferret these guys out. We'll never do it, Kyra, they have to do it.

PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk police now. Latest number I see, 94,000 police officers in place in Iraq, mostly with traffic and patrol. But they are training some special police, paramilitary, commando types. And then this counterinsurgency unit. Tell me about these high-risk areas where they're deploying these counterinsurgency units with light-armored personnel carriers and how that will help.

SHEPPERD: Yes, well, obviously it will help, just to have this capability. It takes some of the burden off U.S. forces, it builds confidence in the Iraqi forces as they see themselves become successful. As the Iraqi population sees these people operate, they themselves feel they're becoming responsible for their country, not the United States. Again, the problem is the insurgents are almost always better armed than these forces. So they're going to take some real knocks around the head as they conduct operations in the early stages.

PHILLIPS: I understand trained prison guards, another issue that they're dealing with now, too. General Don Shepperd, thank you so much.

SHEPPERD: Pleasure.

PHILLIPS: All right.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, if you think one person can't make a difference, and that superheroes don't wear flannel, well, you're going to change your mind after this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They locked me in the back of a crack house, and they sent men in for days.

Remembering the cop who got dozens of young women out of the death spiral of drugs and prostitution. That's next on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Coming up in our second hour of LIVE FROM, hey ya, don't miss the always fabulous, super-happening, multitalented Andre 3000. But for the movie, we're calling him Andre Benjamin. He's in the house today, talking about his new movie and his latest artwork. Oh, yes, he paints, too, folks.

And one Florida community has an upsetting claim to fame. More of their neighbors are sex offenders than any other zip code in the country. We're going to find out why and what their doing about it next hour.

Well, the city of St. Paul is a diminished place right now. I say that because a man would who was making a real difference to real people there is gone. He saw potential where others saw failure and made saving lives his own life's work. Does that make him a hero? Decide for yourself.

Here's Deborah Feyerick.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a rare cop that understands a prostitute's life isn't always what it seems. Sergeant Jerry Vick was one of those cops. Sheila was one of those prostitutes.

(on camera): He kind of understood where you had come from, what you'd been through?

"SHEILA", SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIM: Yeah. It's pretty much one girl's story is any girl's story out there. Yeah, it's pretty universal.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Sheila started turning tricks four years ago when she was 16. She asked us to change her name and shield her face, afraid in part of an ex-pimp.

"SHEILA": He wrote his name on our bodies all over and said, you are mine. And I didn't see a dime of the money. And they locked me in the back of a crack house, and they sent men in for days. Sent men and rocks of cocaine into me.

FEYERICK: Jacinta Garrett didn't have a pimp, but like "Sheila," she did have a drug problem, one she says that cost her about $400 a night. She was turning tricks the night she met Jerry Vick.

JACINTA GARRETT, SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIM: We started talking about, you know, me performing sexual acts on him or whatever. And then I told -- he asked me, did I know a place to come to? And I said, well, I don't have a house, but I know where a little park is at.

FEYERICK: Sergeant Jerry Vick, or Vick, as he's called, worked undercover vice on the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota. Deanna Fink was his partner.

(on camera): How many times was he up and down this street in the course of his career, working vice?

DEANNA FINK, ST. PAUL POLICE: Thousands. Thousands.

FEYERICK: And somehow, they never recognized him? They never spotted him as being the same cop?

FINK: No. And not until after they were arrested again, and then they'd go, oh, Jerry, I should have known it was you!

FEYERICK (voice-over): He won two medals of valor, one of them for saving a child from a burning building.

But working vice was his passion.

CHIEF JOHN HARRINGTON, ST. PAUL POLICE: Jerry Vick I think probably was the most effective vice cop I've ever seen. He was able to make inroads into the juvenile prostitution scene that we have never been able to get into before.

FEYERICK: When Sergeant Vick arrested "Sheila" last year, she was making $2,000 a night. She was tired and scared and couldn't break free from her pimp.

"SHEILA": He wouldn't let me sleep if there was work to be done. It's unbelievable mental abuse. It's like being in a trance.

FEYERICK: "Sheila's" mom, Mary, had given up, refusing to bail her daughter out of jail again.

(on camera): Tell me about the first call you ever got from Officer Jerry Vick.

MARY, "SHEILA'S" MOM: He called that night, along with the other officer that arrested her, and told me what he believed she really needed was to be home with her mom.

FEYERICK: This house in St. Paul helps women out of prostitution. It's called Breaking Free. And it's where Sergeant Vick brought many of the girls he'd arrested.

JOY FRIEDMAN, BREAKING FREE: He fought for them even when they didn't fight for themselves. And that was cool. He fought in front of the judges. He fought with probation officers.

FEYERICK: He also fought to make prostitutes see there was another way, a life outside of sex and drugs.

GARRETT: He was like, you're better than that, you need to be at home being a mom to your kids instead of out here prostituting. And I told him the reason why I was out there prostituting was to get something to eat. But he just said that I was lying, and he was like, no, I don't believe you.

FEYERICK (on camera): You came to this parking lot expecting to turn a trick.

GARRETT: Yeah.

FEYERICK: When something else happened.

GARRETT: Yeah. I got busted for prostitution.

FEYERICK: But more than that.

GARRETT: It changed my life around.

"SHEILA": He believed I was a victim and believes all the other women are victims.

FEYERICK (voice-over): It's also something he taught officers like Paul Schnell to believe.

OFFICER PAUL SCHNELL, ST. PAUL POLICE: Jerry recognized his own weaknesses and weaknesses in others, but I think focused more on people's strengths.

FEYERICK: On May 6th, it ended.

(on camera): It was 2:00 in the morning when Sergeant Vick and his partner left this bar on St. Paul's East Side. They'd been working overtime on a prostitution investigation. They met two men outside. Words were exchanged. Within minutes, Sergeant Vick was dead.

(voice-over): He was given a hero's funeral. Crowds lining the streets of St. Paul.

FINK: He wore his flannel shirt all the time. I teased him that superheroes don't wear flannel. And -- but he was -- to me, that's what he was. He was very much a superhero.

FEYERICK (on camera): How did he make you a better person?

FINK: He did for me what he did for, you know, the girls on the street. He believed in me.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Now drug-free, "Sheila" is studying criminal justice at a community college.

"SHEILA": I think Jerry was brought into my life for a specific reason. And I hope I was brought into his for a reason. I hope I gave him hope that he was doing something out there on the street.

FEYERICK: Mary has her daughter back.

MARY: And I do believe Jerry Vick saved her life.

FEYERICK: And Jacinta Garrett never went back to that park.

(on camera): What has the world lost now that he's gone?

GARRETT: Oh, wow. They lost a true friend.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Sergeant Vick's family is in shock. They hope his dream of a safe house to help women find a better life will one day be built to carry on the work Sergeant Vick was unable to finish.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, St. Paul, Minnesota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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