Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Iraq Violence; Russia Roof Collapse

Aired February 23, 2006 - 13:33   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go straight to the newsroom and check in with Carol Lin, who's working on a developing story -- Carol.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Fred, some indictments came down in a criminal case that the Brooklyn district attorney describes as a cheap horror movie. The case is against Michael Mastromarino. He is the owner of the Biomedical Tissue Service, and the allegation is that he and three coconspirators stole body parts, tissue and bones from corpses without the family's permission.

In one particular case, it involved the bones of Alistair Cooke. You might recall, that he died in 2004. He was the host of quest Masterpiece Theater. And the allegation is that they stole bones from his legs.

So in this particular case, Fred, this is part of a widening investigation into conspiracies between -- alleged conspiracies between funeral homes and owner of this tissue service, alleging that these funeral homes sold these body parts without the family's permission to this man. Hard to believe, but we cover it all here at LIVE FROM.

WHITFIELD: Yes, that's a gruesome investigation. All right, thanks so much, Carol.

Well, probably the last thing U.S. troops in Iraq need to deal with right now is sectarian violence sweeping the country. Troops are under orders to stop all-but-essential travel in a bid to avoid being caught up in street protests and roadblocks. But is it possible not to get involved?

Joining me to talk about that, CNN military analyst, retired U.S. Army Brigadier General James Marks.

Good to see you, general.

BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, this is indeed the last thing, the last obstacle that U.S. troops need there. It was one thing, the insurgency. They're still dealing with that, and now sectarian violence. How in the world will the U.S. military not be involved, especially as they continue to train, defend and protect there?

MARKS: Fredricka, there are multiple missions. You've touched on several of those. The U.S. forces and all the coalition forces are going to be involved. The objective, clearly, is to stay out the way as much as possible, not take sides. The challenge with that is that you have to have an ability to get in between clashing forces and/or growing violence, so that you can -- you can prevent and you can literally keep at arms length any expanding, or what I would call spiraling violence, that's certainly going to occur. So the U.S. and coalition forces have a role to play, but they can't take a lead role, and they need to try to stay not as visible as -- they need to stay as invisible as possible, but visible enough to make a difference.

WHITFIELD: And at the same time, Barbara Starr reported earlier this the Pentagon, U.S. forces, are watching the situation, hoping that somewhere within the next 24 to 48 hours things quiet down. But if they don't, what might be the strategy U.S. military forces will consider?

MARKS: Well, certainly, hope is not a methodology. They're hopeful that there will be an amelioration of the violence, that it could peter out itself. But clearly, the U.S., again, the coalition forces are walking through a number of scenarios that will increase their presence in very precise areas in order to prevent an escalation. That's the key mission for the coalition forces right now.

MARKS: The numbers are not there, nor is the training for the Iraqi military or Iraqi police to work independently; they're still in great need of the U.S. military forces. So does this new sectarian violence, or perhaps the widening gap between the Sunnis and the Shiites indicate that U.S. forces are likely to indicate that U.S. forces will be there longer than anyone anticipated?

MARKS: I think it's far too early to draw that conclusion. Clearly, we're on a path to try to normalize U.S. presence in Iraq, and in many cases, we are at a state of normalized state of affairs.

What we see in terms of the Shia and the Sunni sectarian violence, again, is not new. What we are seeing is it's much broader and it's very specific based on the incidents that took place at Samarra, and then the vengeance that's going to follow. But the U.S. presence in country will not be dependent upon these event that we are seeing in the last 24 hours.

WHITFIELD: Well, what's your gut feeling say, that this new wave of violence was, indeed, started between -- in these strikes between Sunnis and Shiites, or do you see an outside force, perhaps a terrorist group like al Qaeda, really starting this, igniting this most recent wave of violence?

MARKS: Great question. You always have to smell a rat. You don't know that it is delineated as perfectly as a Shia and Sunni conflict. Clearly, that's the result that we see now. But you don't know who instigated it. And those kinds of forensics, that type of criminal intelligence investigation is taking place right now.

And clearly the U.S. has a role to assist in that. But it's very, very difficult to draw -- again, to draw the conclusion that this was, in fact, very precisely a Shia and Sunni type of instigated event.

WHITFIELD: And regardless of who started it, do you see that this country is on the brink of a civil war. And, if so, did you see it coming?

MARKS: Well, a civil war takes place at many, many levels. I think the short answer is -- sure, we always have to be aware of the possibility. All the ingredients are there. We're beginning to see some initial insights that this might be the path that they go down. But again, civil war takes place and it is not necessarily cathartic and immediate. It takes place at the economic level, at the representation level. This is an immature government. It's trying to get its legs underneath it and figure out how they can truly make a difference for all Iraqis. So you're seeing the incipient stages of a civil war, but again, it's not there in front of us right now.

WHITFIELD: All right, retired Brigadier General James Marks, thank you so much for joining us.

MARKS: Thanks, Fredricka. Sure.

WHITFIELD: Well, the news keeps coming. We'll bring it to you as it happens. More of LIVE FROM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A grim scene and rising death toll in Moscow. Before dawn today, the roof of an indoor marketplace covered with heavy snow collapsed. Dozens of people were killed. Dozens more are injured. Rescuers are still there. And a very cold night has fallen.

CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is in Moscow.

Matthew, what's happening now?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, this is exactly the kind of tragedy that has shocked many people in the city. But because of the generally decrepit state of Russia's infrastructure, it won't have surprised many.

Nevertheless, the casualty figures, as I say, have been extremely shocking. I'll give you the latest ones that have come to us from Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, which is overseeing the search-and-rescue operation on the ground in the northwest of the Russian capital Moscow, where that roof collapsed on a market that was covered after a night of heavy snow. They're now saying at least 49 people are confirmed dead. Another 29 are said to have been rescued from the rubble. Most of them injured, some of them quite badly, requiring hospital treatment.

More than 150 rescue personnel were deployed on the scene throughout the course of this day, since 5:20 in the morning here local time, when the roof of the market collapsed. They've been sifting through that wreckage, trying to find any trace of survivors, using sniffer dogs, not using very heavy equipment, very fearful of disturbing the rubble, that in case it may actually disrupt the internal workings of that rubble and cause more casualties. So a very delicate indeed, Fredricka, that's been under way throughout the course of this day.

WHITFIELD: And as part of the investigation, they're also incorporating questions to the architect. Why?

CHANCE: Well, the authorities have launched a criminal investigation into what was responsible, who was responsible for the negligence that caused this. They questioned the architect of this building, although no charges has yet been brought against them. But he's the guy, obviously, who designed the building, but he also designed another building, a swimming pool, a water park that collapsed in 2004, the roof collapsing under the weight of heavy snow back then as well, killing at least 28 people back in 2004, many of them have children who were swimming with their families.

And so he's been brought in for questioning. He's been asked about designs and whether they were sufficient or not. But the authorities aren't ruling out other possibilities either. They're saying it could just have been bad maintenance and a heavy snow that came down here in Moscow overnight -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much, Matthew Chance in Moscow.

Well, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrive in the United Arab Emirates. She's expected to face plenty of questions about the controversy stirring in Washington. Members of Congress vowing to block a deal to give management of six U.S. ports to a company based in and owned by the UAE.

Earlier, Rice made a surprise stop in Lebanon, offering support for efforts to reduce Syria's influence in that country. She also talked about the need to promote democracy there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECY. OF STATE: When Lebanese have made changes, and there have been tremendous changes in this country over the last several months, they have been peaceful, they have been constitutional and they have been within a legal framework, is as befitting a democracy. And so I think Lebanon will resolve these situations in ways that are consistent with Lebanon's desire to be a democracy in which all can participate and a democracy that is looking to its future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Rice also called for Syria to cooperate with the U.N. investigation into last year's murder of Lebanon's former prime minister.

It is election day in Uganda, not just any election day, the first multiparty vote for president in more than 25 years. The polls have closed with no reports of violence or disruptions. The main opposition candidate is Kiiza Besigye. He is trying to end the 20- year reign of the man who seized power in the 1980s. Voter turnout was reportedly more than 60 percent nationwide. We'll know initial results by Saturday.

And perhaps you've been looking for a good excuse to open a great bottle of wine? We've conducted a LIVE FROM investigation and found that very reason. So get your corkscrews and your cabernet ready for "Open That Bottle Night." "Wall Street Journal" wine columnist Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher uncorked on LIVE FROM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

. THOMAS HADEN CHURCH, ACTOR: Wow.

PAUL GIAMATTI, ACTOR: Mmm.

CHURCH: Strawberries, yes.

GIAMATTI: Good.

CHURCH: Strawberries. Not the cheese.

GIAMATTI: Put your glass down, get some air into it. Oxygenating opens it up. It unlocks the aromas, the flavors. Very important. Smell again. That's what you do with every one of them.

CHURCH: Wow, when are we drinking?

GIAMATTI: Now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wine connoisseurs loved that movie, as did people who are not wine connoisseurs. Well, if you've been saving a splendid bottle of Sirah or stockpiling a precious Pinot, our next guests say now is the time to drink it. The special occasion you've been waiting for has finally arrived.

This Saturday has been designated "Open That Bottle Night" by the "Wall Street Journal" wine columnists Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher. Good to see both of you guys. They've written several books about wine, including their most recent, "Wine for Every Day and Every Occasion: Red, White and Bubbly, to Celebrate the Joy of Living."

Dorothy and John, hello.

JOHN BRECHER, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Hi, how are you?

DOROTHY GAITER, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Hi.

WHITFIELD: I love that you guys have this new edict, don't save that great bottle for a special occasion, because we've designated a special occasion for everybody. It's Saturday, at the end of February. GAITER: That's right.

BRECHER: Exactly.

GAITER: Be there or be square.

WHITFIELD: How did this come about?

BRECHER: Well, you know, everybody seems to have that one bottle of wine that they can't stand to open. It came from Uncle Al, it came from their wedding, it came from a trip to Italy. They're always saving it for a special occasion. And the longer they save it, the more special the occasion has to be. So they never open it. This Saturday night, all over the world, "Open That Bottle Night." People will gather friends, make special meals, and open that bottle.

WHITFIELD: OTBN. So I wonder, do people save that bottle because we're all conditioned to think that the older a bottle of wine is, the better it gets, and they keep waiting for someone to tell them, OK now is the time to open it?

GAITER: I think part of it is that. But a lot of times people just can't bear to open it. They -- we've heard from people who've observed 50th wedding anniversaries and not opened the bottle. They've had babies, not opened the bottle.

WHITFIELD: It's still not a special occasion.

GAITER: And the poor bottle is in prison.

WHITFIELD: And you're saying, release it. Let it out, let it be free.

GAITER: Liberate that bottle.

BRECHER: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: There's a nice ritual you have going that everyone has to get involved in if they are going to recognize this "Open The Bottle Night." And for one, it means planning a few days ahead. You got to get the temperature right. You've got to make sure it's upright. Tell me how we get started.

BRECHER: Well, the most important thing is to choose the bottle. Choose a bottle that's important to you. Grit your teeth, open that bottle. What a lot of people are doing this year is having parties.

Lots of people have sent us their invitations. We got this one from Burlington, North Carolina. Because people are gathering friends together and they're opening bottles together. All sorts of stuff. It doesn't have to be a special bottle, in terms of the vintage or in terms of its pedigree. We got a letter from someone just the other day who's planning to open an ice wine from Nebraska.

WHITFIELD: Wow. BRECHER: Because they remember that trip to Nebraska so fondly. That's what's it's about. It's not about the liquid, it's about the memories.

WHITFIELD: Oh, so no longer is the bottle the centerpiece, but really just how it has lured everyone together and you guys can celebrate and have fun.

GAITER: That's right.

BRECHER: That's exactly what it's all about.

GAITER: We've actually heard from Zenobia Evans (ph). She's with the National Science Foundation's outpost in Antarctica, and their 45 scientists are going to be celebrating "Open That Bottle Night." And she's making port flan.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

BRECHER: In Antarctica.

GAITER: In Antartctica!

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. How elaborate. How fun. OK, so you picked the bottle of wine. And now, because it may be an old bottle of wine, you want to make sure it sits upright for a couple of days, right?

BRECHER: That's right.

WHITFIELD: Before you actually uncork it.

GAITER: That's right.

WHITFIELD: Why?

GAITER: So the sediment can fall to the bottom.

WHITFIELD: OK.

BRECHER: And then when you actually do open it on that night...

WHITFIELD: Yes?

BRECHER: ... be prepared to drink it right away. Because especially older bottles may not have that much left to them, so you want to pour, drink, see how it is. But conversely, if it's not great, give it some time, let it open up a little bit. We hear every year from people -- and this is the seventh "Open That Bottle Night," and we've heard from thousands of people over the years.

It's amazing how many people open a bottle, it doesn't seem that great. An hour later, two hours later, it's a lot better. Is it because of the wine's better, or is it because the memories and the conversation's better?

WHITFIELD: Or because you're getting drunk?

BRECHER: Who cares?

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Now, so the darker wines -- reds, burgundies, et cetera, though -- you want them to breathe a little bit when you open them up. You're not going to pour a drink right away, right?

GAITER: It depends. If the bottle is really old...

WHITFIELD: Uh huh?

GAITER: ... air will really ruin a fragile bottle. So you want to open it and pour it.

WHITFIELD: And I love the tips that you all have given in your column, given I'm a real novice wine drinker. So I don't know all the rules. So this was, you know, a new one on me. But if it's an old bottle and you've gotten cork in it while you tried to open it, a good idea is to use like a coffee filter to strain some of that out. You don't necessarily want to decant all your wines, but if you got cork in it, then you might want to use a carafe or something.

BRECHER: Absolutely. This isn't a night to be fussy about the wine. This is a night to remember the circumstances under which you got the wine, perhaps the person who gave it to you -- that's really what it's really all about. Don't get so focused on the wine being perfect or serving it in a perfect way that you forget what's really important here. We've had people write who drove two and a half hours to the favorite pizza place, the pizza place where they first met. They brought...

WHITFIELD: Pizza and wine?

BRECHER: They brought their pizza back.

GAITER: Oh, yes.

BRECHER: Because they remembered their first date. They actually had it with a 1986 Chateaux Latour, which wasn't bad.

GAITER: With Barry White in the background.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

BRECHER: What could be better?

GAITER: What could be better?

WHITFIELD: What could be better? OK, so what are your recommendations for us this weekend?

GAITER: Well, I think we'll probably have a red. We haven't decided which red.

WHITFIELD: Very nice.

GAITER: But it will be red.

BRECHER: And it will something from a winery. Because we're like everybody else, we visit wineries, we love visiting wineries, and then we can never open the bottle.

WHITFIELD: And you'll revisit that memory as you do.

GAITER: That's right.

BRECHER: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, thanks so much, at "Wall Street Journal." And we are all inspired to open up that bottle this weekend, this Saturday night.

GAITER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot. And chin chin, or cheers.

Well, she got her FEMA trailer, but lost the key. True stories of life after Katrina. The news keeps come and we'll bring it to you. More of LIVE FROM straight ahead.

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