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Tornadoes Wreak Damage in Midwest; Problems Arise in Moussaoui Sentencing; Violence Over Weekend in Iraq; Bush Discusses Strategy, Progress in Iraq

Aired March 13, 2006 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live here in Atlanta, Georgia.
All together now: a week before the third anniversary of the war in Iraq. President Bush sees unity as critical to victory. Last month's bombing of a Shiite mosque sparked fears of civil war, and some say it's already started.

Iraq is not the only house divided. Poll after poll shows Americans are discontented, disgruntled, disillusioned with that war and with President Bush's leadership.

With all that as a backdrop, Mr. Bush plans another series of speeches beginning this hour at George Washington University. We're going to take you there live in just about 15 minutes from now.

A wall of flames too hot to handle igniting disaster on the Texas Panhandle. These pictures just east of Groom, Texas. Wildfires burning out of control. At least six fire-related deaths are reported. More than half a million acres scorched so far. That's about two-thirds the size of Rhode Island.

The smoke from the fire contributed to a nine-car accident on Interstate 40 yesterday, killing four people. Some 200 people have been forced out of two communities in the northeast Texas Panhandle.

Neighborhoods in ruin. Almost a dozen people killed and fears of a repeat. Heavy rains, hail as big as softballs and swarms of tornadoes ripped across the Midwest overnight. The storms peeled roofs off buildings, caused others to collapse as dropped trees and power lines around like matchsticks. At least 10 people were killed, mostly in Missouri, though damage wise, perhaps the hardest hit city is Springfield, Illinois, where the mayor says every square inch was affected.

CNN's Keith Oppenheim is right in the middle of all that devastation.

Keith, give us a feel for what you're seeing and what's happening.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm at the home backyard of Pat and Dana Custer in Springfield. And as you look behind me you can see that there are folks who are working inside their house, a house that has no roof on it, Kyra. And while the mom, and dad and grandson, along with their pet dog, were inside a bathroom, inside the house. No basement in this house. It's a slab. They were in the bathroom. They say that is when the roof blew off around 8 p.m. last night here.

And just to kind of get down here to take a look at this tree, not only uprooted but leaned over into the backyard. We're seeing all kind of tree damage in this neighborhood just like that.

Let's walk out to traffic to see what's going on out there because that really tells a big part of the story. An inconvenience after the tornado here in Springfield. Traffic actually is moving relatively better than it was maybe about 10 minutes ago, and that's in part because the traffic cop just got over to that intersection where the power lights -- or the traffic lights, rather, are not working. And it's perhaps one of the greatest problems after this tornado, Kyra, is just it's a huge snarl just due to the fact that there's no power.

And you know, as you look at this fencing and all this stuff uprooted. This is the aftermath of a tornado. For those of us who witnessed what happened in New Orleans, you know, things like this can seem so small, but you know, if you live here, it's not.

And I think people here are on the one sense, very -- feeling fortunate that there are only 19 injuries, nobody seriously hurt as a result of this tornado. But there's fairly widespread damage throughout the city, particularly the downed power lines and many streets that are not passable.

Back to you.

PHILLIPS: Right now we're looking at the various devastation. Do I dare ask about insurance? Do families like the Custers there, do they have the proper insurance to handle this?

OPPENHEIM: It seems that they do, although, you know, it's interesting that you ask that because when I've asked people that question, they feel immediately anxious about insurance because of the stories that they have heard from Hurricane Katrina. So I think there's sort of -- I wouldn't say a combative attitude about that but a sense that they want to make sure that their insurance company is going to meet its obligations to pay up.

PHILLIPS: All right. Keith Oppenheim. We'll continue to talk throughout the day. Thanks, Keith.

And parts of Indiana remains under a tornado watch. Hoosiers are bracing for strong winds, hail and just what they don't need, more rain. A state of emergency has been declared in two southern Indiana counties swamped by the storms overnight. One man died after falling from a boat.

Who could face a violent storm today? Let's check in with CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen. What does it look like, Dave? Where is it headed?

(WEATHER REPORT)

Dave, thanks.

Broken rules, a furious judge, an abrupt recess. The Zacarias Moussaoui sentencing trial was full of surprises today, and they could end up for disaster for prosecutors.

The judge has put the trial on hold while she considers whether the only person charged in the U.S. in connection with 9/11 should still face the possibility of a death sentence.

Let's get the latest now from homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve. She's just outside the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia.

Jeanne, what happened?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, Judge Leonie Brinkema is angry. She will hold a hearing tomorrow to consider what to do about what she calls an egregious breach of a court order that prevented witnesses from being coached and from hearing about the testimony of other witnesses.

The defense has moved, saying that the death penalty should be thrown out of this case. The judge appears to be seriously considering that possibility, and a 9/11 family member who was in the courtroom today reacted very strongly to that possibility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDDIE BRACKEN, SISTER KILLED ON 9/11: I was, you know -- I was, like, dumbfounded. My jaw dropped. I thought that that meant they were just going dismiss it and have a new trial. In regards to everything. I didn't know that it was just two choices. I thought there was other choices, but I found out today there wasn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Just to clarify, Moussaoui has already pled guilty to six charges of terrorism conspiracy. If, if, if the judge throws out death penalty, he would still receive life in prison.

The judge will be holding an evidentiary hearing tomorrow to discuss possible ways this might be dealt with. Also, she's going to talk to seven FAA people who are at the heart of this problem.

A TSA lawyer who was in charge of preparing those FAA witnesses sent them transcripts of testimony in opening statements. She also sent them e-mails discussing possible lines of questioning. The judge will want to determine tomorrow just how much damage might have been done.

Back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So if this pre-trial order was given, then why would lawyers even take the risk and send these transcripts to the witnesses, Jeanne?

MESERVE: Well, that's a big question. Prosecutors appear to have known absolutely nothing about this until late on Friday. As soon as they got word of this they transmitted it to the judge and let her know what was going on, but clearly an error was made here.

PHILLIPS: Jeanne Meserve, thank you so much. Continue to follow the story.

In Iraq, a new wave of sectarian violence, the deadliest since the bombing of a Shiite shrine last month. More than 50 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since yesterday. A lot more have been wounded.

CNN's Nic Robertson is in Baghdad with the latest -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the political situation here is pivoting around whether or not the prime minister of Iraq is prepared, the prime minister nominee will step down and answer, essentially, the calls of all of the other opposition politicians, the Sunnis, the secularists and the Kurdish politicians, who are saying that he is the obstacle to forming a new government.

And it's in that vacuum, the three months since the elections, that the violence has been continuing, and as these debates goes on that the violence has been ramping up.

A U.S. Marine was killed yesterday to the west of Baghdad. Another killed to the north of the city today. There was violence in Baghdad, where two competing security companies mistakenly opened fire on each other.

Policemen were targeted in the northern town of Kirkuk.

And in Baghdad earlier in the day, one civilian was killed and at least nine wounded when a roadside bomb intended for a passing U.S. convoy hit them, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Just because there is this new priority dealing with the sectarian violence doesn't mean that the issue of insurgency has gotten any better, and that's still a focus for the U.S. military and Iraqi forces, right?

ROBERTSON: Oh, absolutely. The insurgency is still very much part of their focus. I talked with Iraq's prime minister today, and I said to him, "Are more people dying because of the sectarian violence or because of the insurgency?" The insurgents certainly target U.S. troops as a priority.

But he indicated that the sectarian violence is as deadly as the insurgency at the moment. He said, "Can you call it all-out civil war?" He said, "No, you can't do that."

But certainly, a lot of people in Iraq at the moment do see that potential, and he said the violence is getting worse and there is a potential for the civil war. PHILLIPS: So, Nic, there's this back and forth that Iraq is on the brink of civil war, that Iraq will definitely venture into civil war. Yet there are a lot of critics saying what are you talking about? There's already a civil war that's taking place over there. How do you define civil war?

ROBERTSON: Well, I think the politicians here would define civil war as an all-out conflict where everyone had taken sides, where roadblocks had gone up, where there were pure Sunni neighborhoods and pure Sunni neighborhoods. That's how they'd define it.

The reality is it's a lot more messy than that. The people would say that there is a civil war underway right now are the ones that are pointing to the Sunnis leaving the Shia communities, the Shias leaving the Sunni communities, roadblocks being set up around communities to protect those communities and violence on a large scale.

For instance, over the weekend in Sadr City, a predominantly Shia neighborhood in Baghdad, more than 50 people killed there on Sunday. That type of violence is the violence that most people would call a civil war, because it's targeted at a sectarian, a part of a community by the other community, that the politicians want to read it a different way at the moment, Kyra, here.

PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, thanks so much. I know Nic's going to listen to the president's speech. As soon as he steps up the podium, we are going to take that live. We'll talk to Nic after the president's speech, as well.

We're going to take a quick break. More LIVE FROM right after this.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An American soldier died after a roadside bomb today. Yesterday a marine was killed in western Anbar province, the so-called Sunni Triangle. Those deaths now raise the total of U.S. troops killed in Iraq to 2,309.

Four more U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan. That happened yesterday when a roadside bomb rocked the soldiers' armored vehicle in the eastern part of the country. It was the deadliest attack on coalition forces in a month and brings the number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan to 277 since that 2001 invasion.

Sunday marks the third anniversary of the start of Iraq war. In just a few minutes, President Bush will give the first of three speeches this week on the war and the civil war that some fear is underway.

Our White House correspondent Dana Bash joins us now with a preview.

Dana, what are we likely to hear from the president today at George Washington University?

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, you mentioned the fact that there is an anniversary, the third anniversary coming up this Sunday. The White House tends to try to look for news pegs, if you will, for the president to step up how he talks about the Iraq war.

You remember the last time they did this public relations push was about three months ago in December in and around the elections there. Well, since then, needless to say, it goes without saying, that things In Iraq, particularly over the past couple of weeks, as you were talking about with Nic, have become incredibly violent.

So the White House hopes that, starting with this speech and then one next week and the week after, Mr. Bush will be talking more specifically about security, how security force are being trained.

There you hear the president. Let's listen.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thanks for the warm welcome.

Cliff, thanks for the introduction.

It's a pleasure to be with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. This organization was formed in the wake of the September the 11th attacks to fight the ideologies that drive terrorism.

You recognized immediately that the war on terror is a struggle between freedom and tyranny and that the path to lasting security is to defeat the hateful vision that the terrorists are spreading with the hope of freedom and democracy.

The foundation is making a difference across the world. And I appreciate the difference you're making.

You've trained Iraqi women and Iranian students in the principles and practice of democracy.

You've translated democracy readers into Arabic for distribution across the broader Middle East.

You've helped activists across the region organize effective political movements so they can help bring about democratic change and ensure the survival of liberty in new democracies.

By promoting democratic ideals and training a new generation of democratic leaders in the Middle East, you're helping us to bring victory in the war on terror. And I thank you for your hard work in freedom's cause.

I also want to thank the members of the board of the Foundation for the Defense of the Democracies.

I want to thank Steve Trachtenberg, the president of George Washington University, and his wife, Fran, for joining us today.

Thanks for letting me come to your campus; honored to be here.

He informed me that my dad will be giving the graduation speech this year. And Mother's getting an honorary degree.

(LAUGHTER)

Smart man.

(APPLAUSE)

Mr. Secretary, thanks for joining us.

I'm proud that secretary Rumsfeld is with us.

I want to thank Senator Dick Lugar for being with us today.

Mr. Chairman, I'm proud you're here. Thanks for coming.

I want to thank the members of the United States Congress who have joined us, Congressman Lundgren, Adam Schiff, Joe Wilson, Tom Cole and Dan Boren. I appreciate you all taking time to be here today. It means a lot.

I want to thank the ambassadors who have joined us. I see two for certain, one from Jordan and one from Israel.

I'm proud you both are here.

If there are any other ambassadors here, I apologize for not introducing you. And you don't have as good a seat as these two guys have.

(LAUGHTER)

The mission of this foundation is to defeat terror by promoting democracy and that is the mission of my administration.

Our strategy to protect America is based on a clear premise: The security of our nation depends on the advance of liberty in other nations.

On September the 11th, 2001, we saw that problems originating in a failed and oppressive state 7,000 miles away could bring murder and destruction to our country.

We saw that dictatorships shelter terrorists, feed resentment and radicalism, and threaten the security of free nations.

Democracies replace resentment with hope. Democracies respect the rights of their citizens and their neighbors. Democracies join the fight against terror.

And so America's committed to a historic long-term goal: To secure the peace of the world, we seek the end of tyranny in our world.

We're making progress in the march of freedom and some of the most important progress has taken place in a region that has not known the blessings of liberty: the broader Middle East.

Two weeks ago, I got a chance to visit Afghanistan and to see firsthand the transformation that has taken place in that country. Before September the 11th, 2001, Afghanistan was ruled by a cruel regime that oppressed its people, brutalized women and gave safe haven to the terrorists who attacked America.

Today, the terror camps have been shut down. Women are working. Boys and girls are going to school. Afghans voted in free elections; 25 million people have had the taste of freedom.

Taliban and al Qaeda remnants continue to fight Afghanistan's democratic progress. In recent weeks, they've launched new attacks that have killed Afghan citizens and coalition forces.

The United States and our allies will stay in the fight against the terrorists and we'll train Afghan soldiers and police so they can defend their country.

The Afghan people are building a vibrant, young democracy that is an ally in the war on terror. And America is proud to have such a determined partner in the cause of freedom.

(APPLAUSE)

Next week, we will mark the three-year anniversary of the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In less than three years, the Iraqi people have gone from living under the boot of a brutal tyrant to liberation, to sovereignty, to free elections, to a constitutional referendum and, last December, to elections for a fully constitutional government.

In those December elections, over 11 million Iraqis -- more than 75 percent of the Iraqi voting age population -- defied the terrorists to cast their ballots.

Americans were inspired by the images of Iraqis bringing elderly relatives to the polls, holding up purple ink-stained fingers, dancing in the streets and celebrating their freedom.

By their courage, the Iraqi people have spoken and made their intentions clear. They want to live in democracy and they are determined to shape their own destiny.

In the past few weeks, the world has seen very different images from Iraq, images of anger and violence and despair. We have seen a great house of worship, the Golden Mosque of Samarra, in ruins after a brutal terrorist attack. We've seen mass protests in response to provocation. We've seen reprisal attacks by armed militias on Sunni mosques, and random violence that has taken the lives of hundred of Iraqi citizens. The terrorist attacked the Golden Mosque for a reason. They know that they lack the military strength to challenge Iraqi and coalition forces directly, so their only hope is to try and provoke a civil war. So they attacked one of the Shia Islam's holiest sites, hoping to incite violence that would drive Iraqis apart and stop their progress on the path to a free society.

Immediately after the attack, I said that Iraq face a moment of choosing. And in the days that followed, the Iraqi people made their choice. They looked into the abyss and did not like what they saw.

After the bombing, most Iraqis saw what the perpetuators of this attack were trying to do. The enemy had failed to stop the January 2005 elections. They failed to stop the constitutional referendum. They failed to stop the December elections. And now they were trying to stop the formation of a unity government.

By their response over the past two weeks, Iraqis have shown the world they want a future of freedom and peace.

And they will oppose a violent minority that seeks to take that future away from them by tearing their country apart.

The situation in Iraq is still tense and we're still seeing acts of sectarian violence and reprisal. Yet out of this crisis we've also seen signs of a hopeful future.

We saw the restraint of the Iraqi people in the face of massive provocation. Most Iraqis did not turn to violence and many chose to show their solidarity by coming together in joint Sunni and Shia prayer services.

We saw the leadership of Sunni and Shia clerics who joined together to denounce the bombing and call for restraint.

Ayatollah Sistani issued a strong statement denouncing what he called "sectarian sedition." And he urged all Iraqis, in his words, not to be "dragged into committing acts that would only please the enemies."

We saw the capability of the Iraqi security forces who deployed to protect religious sites, enforce a curfew and restore civil order.

We saw the determination of many of Iraq's leaders who rose to the moment, came together and acted decisively to diffuse the crisis.

Iraq's leaders know that this is not the last time they will be called to stand together in the face of an outrageous terrorist attack. Iraq's leaders know they must put aside their differences, reach out across political, religious and sectarian lines and form a unity government that will earn the trust and the confidence of all Iraqis.

Iraqis now have a chance to show the world that they have learned the lesson of Samarra. A country that divides into factions and dwells on old grievances risks sliding back into tyranny. The only path to a future of peace is the path of unity.

Soon the new parliament will be seated in Baghdad, and this will begin the process of forming a government. Forming a new government will demand negotiation and compromise by the Iraqis; it will require patience by America and our coalition allies.

In the weeks ahead, Americans will likely see a good deal of political maneuvering in Iraq as different factions and leaders advance competing agendas and seek their share of political power.

Out of this process a free government will emerge that represents the will of the Iraqi people instead of the will of one cruel dictator.

The work ahead in Iraq is hard, and there will be more difficult moments.

The Samarra attack was a clear attempt to ignite a civil war. And we can expect the enemy will try again and they will continue to sow violence and destruction designed to stop the emergence of a free and democratic Iraq.

The enemies of a free Iraq are determined. Yet so are the Iraqi people, and so are America and coalition partners. We will not lose our nerve. We will help the Iraqi people succeed.

Our goal in Iraq is victory. And victory will be achieved when the terrorists and Saddamists can no longer threaten Iraq's democracy, when the Iraqi security forces can provide for the safety of their own citizens, and when Iraq is not a safe haven for terrorists to plot new attacks against our nation.

We have a comprehensive strategy for victory in Iraq, a strategy I laid out in the series of speeches last year.

Our strategy has three elements.

On the political side, we're helping Iraqis build a strong democracy so that old resentments will be eased and the insurgency marginalized.

On the economic side, we're continuing the reconstruction efforts and helping Iraqis build a modern economy that will give all its citizens a stake in a free and peaceful Iraq.

And on the security side, we're striking terrorist targets and training the Iraqi security forces, which are taking responsibility for more Iraqi territory and becoming increasingly capable of defeating the enemy.

In the coming weeks, I'll update the American people on our strategy, the progress we're making, the lessons we have learned from our experiences and how we are fixing what hadn't worked.

Today I will discuss the third element of our strategy, the progress of our efforts to defeat the terrorists and train the Iraqi security forces so they can take the lead in defending their own democracy.

At the end of last year, I described in detail many of the changes we had made to improve the training of Iraqi security forces. And we saw the fruits of those changes in recent days in Iraq.

After the Samarra bombings, it was the Iraqi security force, not coalition forces, that restored order.

In the hours after the attack, Iraqi leaders put the Iraqi security forces on alert, canceling all leaves and heightening security around mosques and critical sites.

Using security plans developed for the December elections, they deployed Iraqi forces in Baghdad and to other troubled spots.

Iraqi police manned checkpoints, increased patrols and ensured that peaceful demonstrators were protected while those who turned to violence were arrested.

Public order brigades deployed as rapid reaction forces to areas where violence was reported. The 9th Mechanized Division of the Iraqi army, which was in the midst of a major training event, regrouped and entered the Baghdad city gates, taking up assigned positions throughout the city with T72 tanks and armored infantry vehicles.

During the past two weeks, Iraqi security forces conducted more than 200 independent operations, each of them Iraqi-planned, Iraqi- conducted and Iraqi-led.

Having Iraqi forces in the league has been critical to preventing violence from spinning out of control.

For example, on the day of the Samarra bombing, the Iraqi national police responded to an armed demonstration in an area immediately adjacent to Sadr City, where an angry Shia crowd had surrounded the Sunni Al-Quds mosque. The Iraqi brigade commander placed his troops -- who are largely Shia -- between the crowd and the mosque and talked to the crowd using megaphones and calling for calm and urging them to disperse.

After a two-hour standoff, the crowd eventually left without incident. And the national police remained in position overnight to guard the mosque until the threat was over.

The fact that Iraqis were in the lead in negotiating with their own countrymen helped defuse a potential confrontation and prevented an escalation to violence.

In another Baghdad neighborhood, a similar situation unfolded. A group of armed militia members had gone in and occupied the Almeda (ph) Mosque. An Iraqi army brigade quickly arrived on the scene, and the brigade commander negotiated with the group and secured their peaceful departure. Once again, because Iraqi forces spoke their language and understood their culture, they were able to convince the Iraqi militia to leave peacefully.

Not all Iraqi units performed as well as others. And there were some reports of Iraqi units in eastern Baghdad allowing militia members to pass through checkpoints.

But American commanders are closely watching the situation, and they report these incidents appear to be the exception, not the rule.

In the weeks since the bombing, the Iraqi security forces turned in a strong performance.

From the outset, Iraqi forces understood that if they failed to stand for national unity, the country would slip into anarchy. And so they've stood their ground and defended their democracy and brought their nation through one of its most difficult moments since liberation.

General Marty Dempsey, our top commander responsible for training the Iraqi security forces, says this about their performance: "They were deliberate, poised, even-handed and professional. They engaged local tribal, political and religious leaders. They patiently but deliberately confronted armed groups to let them know that they had control of the situation."

He went on to say, "I'm sure we'll find instances where they could have performed better. But in the face of immense pressure, they performed very, very well."

As a result of their performance, the Iraqi security forces are gaining the confidence of the Iraqi people. And as the Iraqi security forces make progress against the enemy, their morale continues to increase.

When I reported on the progress of the Iraqi security forces last year, I said that there were over 120 Iraqi and police combat battalions in the fight against the enemy, and 40 of those were taking the lead in the fight.

Today, the number of battalions in the fight has increased to more than 130, with more than 60 taking the lead.

As more Iraqi battalions come on-line, these Iraqi forces are assuming responsibility for more territory. Today, Iraqi units have primary responsibility for more than 30,000 square miles of Iraq; an increase of roughly 20,000 square miles since the beginning of the year.

And Iraqi forces are now conducting more independent operations throughout the country than do coalition forces.

This is real progress. But there's more work to be done this year. Our commanders tell me that the Iraqi police still lag behind the army in training and capabilities, so one of our major goals in 2006 is to accelerate the training of the Iraqi police.

One problem is that some national police units have been disproportionately Shia. And there have been some reports of infiltration of the national police by militias. So we're taking a number of steps to correct this problem.

First, we've begun implementing a program that has been effective with the Iraqi army, partnering U.S. battalions with the Iraqi national police battalions.

These U.S. forces are working with their Iraqi counterparts, giving them tactical training so they can defeat the enemy. And they're also teaching them about the role of a professional police force in a democratic system so they can serve all Iraqis without discrimination.

Second, we're working with the Iraqi leaders to find and remove any leaders in the national police who show evidence of loyalties to militia.

For example, last year there were reports that the 2nd Public Order Brigade contained members of an illegal militia who were committing abuses. So last December, the Interior Ministry leadership removed the 2nd Brigade commander and replaced him with a new commander who then dismissed more than a hundred men with suspected militia ties.

Today this Iraqi police brigade has been transformed into a capable, professional unit. And during the recent crisis after the Samarra bombing, they performed with courage and distinction.

Finally, we're working with Iraqis to diversify the ranks of the national police by recruiting more Sunni Arabs.

For example, the basic training class for the national police public order forces that graduated last October was less than 1 percent Sunni. The class graduated in April will include many, many more Sunnis.

By ensuring the public order forces reflect the general population, Iraqis are making the national police a truly national institution, one that is able to serve and protect and defend all the Iraqi people.

As more capable Iraqi police and soldiers come on-line, they will assume responsibility for more territory with the goal of having the Iraqis control more territory than the coalition, by the end of 2006.

And as Iraqis take owe more territory, this frees American and coalition forces to concentrate on training and are hunting down high- value targets, like the terrorist Zarqawi and his associates.

As Iraqis stand up, America and our coalition will stand down. And my decisions on troop levels will be made based upon the conditions on the ground and on the recommendations of our military commanders, not artificial timetables set by politicians here in Washington, D.C.

These terrorists know they cannot defeat us militarily, so they've turned to the weapon of fear. And one of the most brutal weapons at their disposal are improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. IEDs are bombs made from artillery shells, explosives and other munitions. They can be hidden and detonated remotely.

After the terrorists were defeated in battles in Fallujah and Tal Afar, they saw they could not confront Iraqi or American forces in pitch battles and survive. So they turned to IEDs, a weapon that allows them to attack from a safe distance without having to face our forces in battle.

The principal victims of IED attacks are innocent Iraqis. The terrorists and insurgents have used IEDs to kill Iraqi children playing in the streets, shoppers at Iraqi malls, and Iraqis lining up at police and army recruiting stations.

They use IEDs to strike terror in the hearts of Iraqis in an attempt to break their confidence in the free future of their country.

The enemy is also using IEDs in their campaign against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq. And we're harnessing every available resource to deal with this threat.

My administration has established a new high-level organization at the Department of Defense, led by retired four-star General Montgomery Meigs.

On Saturday, General Meigs, along with the secretary of defense, briefed me at the White House on our plan to defeat the threat of IEDs. Our plan has three elements: targeting, training and technology.

First part of our plan is targeting and eliminating the terrorists and bomb-makers. Across Iraq, we're on the hunt for the enemy, capturing and killing the terrorists before they strike, uncovering and disarming their weapons before they go off, and rooting out and destroying bomb-making cells so they can't produce more weapons.

Because the Iraqi people are the targets -- primarily the targets of the bombers, Iraqis are increasingly providing critical intelligence to help us find the bomb-makers and stop new attack attacks. The number of tips from Iraqis has grown from 400 last March to over 4,000 in December.

For example, just three weeks ago, acting on tips provided by local citizens, coalition forces uncovered a massive IED arsenal hidden in a location in northwest of Baghdad. They found and confiscated more than 3,000 pieces of munitions and one of the largest weapon caches discovered in the region to date. Just two weeks ago, acting on intelligence from Iraqis, coalition forces uncovered a bomb-making facility northeast of Fallujah. They capture 61 terrorists at the facility and confiscated large numbers of weapons.

In all, during the past six months, Iraqi and coalition forces have found and cleared nearly 4,000 IEDs, uncovered more than 1,800 weapons caches and bomb-making plants, and killed or detained hundreds of terrorists and bomb-makers.

We're on the hunt for the enemy, and we're not going to rest until they've been defeated.

The second part of our plan is to give our forces specialized training to identify and clear IEDs before they explode.

Before arriving in Iraq and Afghanistan, our combat units get training on how to counter the threat of IEDs.

And to improve our training, last month we established a new IED Joint Center of Excellence, headquartered at Fort Irwin, California, where we're taking lessons learned from the IED fight in Iraq and sharing them with our troops in the field and those preparing to deploy.

This new initiative will ensure that every Army and Marine combat unit headed to Afghanistan and Iraq is prepared for the challenges that IEDs bring to the battlefield.

Before deploying, our troops will train with the equipment they will use in the IED fight. They'll study enemy tactics and experience live fire training that closely mirrors what they will see when they arrive in the zone of combat.

Our goal with this training is to ensure that when our forces encounter the enemy that they're ready.

The third part of our plan is to develop new technologies to defend against IEDs. We're putting the best minds in America to work on this effort. The Department of Defense recently gathered some 600 leaders in industry and academia, the national laboratories, the National Academy of Sciences, all branches of the military and every relevant government agency to discuss technology solutions to the IED threat.

We now have nearly 100 projects under way. For security reasons, I'm not going to share the details of the technologies we're developing. The simple reason is the enemy can use even the smallest details to overcome our defenses.

Earlier this year, a newspaper published details of a new anti- IED technology that was being developed. Within five days of the publication, using details from that article, the enemy had posted instructions for defeating this new technology on the Internet.

We cannot let the enemy know how we're working to defeat them. But I can assure the American people that my administration is working to put the best technology in the hand of our men and women on the front lines. And we're mobilizing resources against the IED threat.

I assured General Meigs that he will have the funding and personnel he needs to succeed.

In 2004, the administration spent $150 million to fight the IED threat. This year, we're providing $3.3 billion to support our efforts to defeat IEDs.

These investments are making a difference. Today nearly half IEDs in Iraq are found and disabled before they can be detonated.

In the past 18 months, we've cut the casualty rate per IED attack in half.

More work needs to be done. Yet by targeting the bomb-makers and training our forces in deploying new technologies, we will stay ahead of the enemy and that will save Iraqi and American lives.

Some of the most powerful IEDs we are seeing in Iraq today includes components that came from Iran.

Our director of national intelligence, John Negroponte, told the Congress, Tehran has been responsible for at least some of the increasing lethality of anti-coalition attacks by providing Shia militia with the capability to build improvised explosive devices in Iraq.

Coalition forces have seized IEDs and components that were clearly produced in Iran. Such actions, along with Iran's support for terrorism and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, are increasingly isolating Iran.

And America will continue to rally the world to confront these threats.

(APPLAUSE)

We still have difficult work ahead in Iraq.

I wish I could tell you that the violence is waning and that the road ahead will be smooth. It will not.

There will be more tough fighting and more days of struggle, and we will see more images of chaos and carnage in the days and months to come.

The terrorists are losing on the field of battle, so they're fighting this war through the pictures we see on television and in the newspapers every day.

They're hoping to shake our resolve and force us to retreat. They're not going to succeed. (APPLAUSE)

The battle lines in Iraq are clearly drawn for the world to see and there is no middle ground.

The enemy will emerge from Iraq one of two ways: emboldened or defeated.

The stakes in Iraq are high. By helping Iraqis build a democracy, we will deny the terrorists a safe haven to plan attacks against America.

By helping Iraqis build a democracy, we will gain an ally in the war on terror.

By helping Iraqis build a democracy, we will inspire reformers across the Middle East.

And by helping Iraqis build a democracy, we'll bring hope to a troubled region. And this will make America more secure in the long term.

Since the morning of September the 11th, we have known that the war on terror would require great sacrifice. And in this war, we have said farewell to some very good men and women.

One of those courageous Americans was Sergeant William Scott Kinser Jr. He was killed last year by the terrorists while securing polling sites for the Iraqi elections.

His mom, Debbie, wrote me a letter. She said these words are straight from a shattered but healing mother's heart: "My son made the decision to join the Army. He believed that what he was involved in would eventually change Iraq and that those changes would be recorded in history books for years to come.

"On his last visit home, I asked him what I would ever do if something happened to him in Iraq. He smiled at me with his blue eyes sparkling and he said, 'Mom, I love my job. If I should die, I would die happy. Does life get any better than this?'"

His mom went on, "Please do not let the voices we hear the loudest change what you and Scott started in Iraq. Please do not let his dying be in vain. Don't let my son have given his all for an unfinished job. Please commit to complete the mission."

I make this promise to Debbie and all the families of the fallen heroes. We will not let your loved ones' dying be in vain. We will finish what we started in Iraq. We will complete the mission.

We will leave behind a democracy that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself.

(APPLAUSE)

And a free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will make the American people more secure for generations to come.

May God bless the families of the fallen. May God bless our troops in the fight. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: The president of the United States, live there at George Washington University, giving his first of three speeches this week on his Iraq policy.

We pretty much got the gist of this speech from our Dana Bash there live at the White House, that he was going hit hard talk about the Iraqi forces there in Iraq, that the president would talk about how they were making progress and getting more involved, taking the lead in a number of operations there in the country.

Also the IED, the Joint Center of Excellence, that the president talked about that has been started here in The States to try to develop new technology to battle what's become a daily threat to forces there in country every day. One of the biggest enemies there fighting the men and women in Iraq.

Of course, our reporter on the ground in Iraq listened to Mr. Bush's speech on the war. Nic Robertson joining me again live from Baghdad.

Nic, you and I talked prior to this more about civil war breaking out in Iraq. The president seemed -- first, let me ask you about Iraqi forces. He pointed out a number of instances where he said Iraqi forces were taking the lead in operations, protecting mosques and progressing day by day. Give us a reality check. Do you see that progress?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, for example today I did see that progress. I did see Iraqi officers and soldiers in uniforms and I hadn't seen them in before. I didn't see them in armored personnel carriers in positions that I hadn't seen them in before. That was in Baghdad.

How far does it spread around the country? I don't really have a good analysis of that at this time. Certainly, if you measure the strides the president talks about being taken in the Iraqi security forces, and measure that against the violence that's going on at the moment, the prime minister, who I spoke with today told me that he thought the violence was increasing. So certainly there are changes and the president talked about them.

He talked about the violence in the holy shrine in Samarra two weeks ago that spawned a lot of sectarian killings that came right after that. He talked about how some areas of the city, the police and the security forces had responded well. Some they hadn't. He talked about units that had deployed and saved mosques from damage. But by official account, some 120 mosques and shrines were damaged in the ensuing violence.

So while those steps are happening and the president appears to be quite accurate in his analysis, there are improvements, one measures that against what the insurgents are doing. The president also talked about the sort of political progress. The hard decisions that will have to be made, that politicians here will have to compromise. People in the United States will have to watch this process play out as the Iraqis try to form, Iraqi politicians, try to form a new government and that's what I was hearing from the prime minister today saying this will take a long, long process. Perhaps, a month, maybe more than that.

So the president does seem to be preparing people for some of the problems that lie ahead. So there's probably very significant problems, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Did you think that there was something the president might have missed? Just because you are there every single day. You are covering the story every single day. He's obviously getting briefed by his men and women in the field on a regular basis, but he's not there like you are. Did he miss anything and did you find anything -- did you disagree with anything?

ROBERTSON: I think the president when he talked about what's being done to combat the IEDs, that will be welcome news, those improvised explosive devices and roadside bombs, welcome news for troops who are here who are targeted every day by them. He talked about a program of training, of targeting of resources towards that and of technology.

Certainly, the development of technologies to defeat those roadside bombs will be welcomes, but the idea of targeting and of training, targeting insurgents who are building those bombs that IED some 3,000 sets of munitions that could have been used for improvised explosive device found in Baghdad late last year. Again, one measures that against a number of improvised explosive devices that still going of day by day here.

So while those steps are being taken. Troops trained before they come here, what to look out for improvised explosive devices. That goes on, they're very aware of that, but those devices still prove deadly.

Technologies are being used to defeat the improvised explosive devices at the moment. I won't go into details of those technologies, but some are being used. Those bombs are still effective.

Is it welcome news here for troops? Absolutely. Is this the right area to focus on for the survival of the troops here? Absolutely, but the reality is is that many of those steps that the president talks about are already in place. Are already ongoing and the attacks do continue, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson live in Baghdad, also listening to the president's speech at George Washington University. On the phone with us now from Baghdad, Washington Post reporter Ellen Knickmeyer, just recently coming out with an article in today's Post, sectarian fighting, changes in face of conflict for Iraqis and we'll get to that in just a moment.

Ellen, I want to get your quick reaction. I know you were not able to hear the president's speech. You probably heard the last part of what Nic had to say, but the president trying to make the point that Iraqi forces are taking charge, are progressing, are doing better with regard to taking control of security in their country. Do you agree with that?

ELLEN KNICKMEYER, WASHINGTON POST REPORTER: I was in Sadr City after the mosque bombing in Samarra that set off this explosion of sectarian violence a couple of weeks ago. What I saw was Shiite militia pouring out of Sadr City with guns and with rocket launchers and Iraqi police standing by and the Iraqi Army nowhere to be seen.

One problem that no on one -- everyone credits the efforts building up the army and the size of the military here, but one problem that will be a lasting problem is that the Army and the police force are overwhelmingly Shiite and there are lots of concern that they're dominated by the Shiite political leaders and they may not be neutral in any situation.

PHILLIPS: So you are definitely seeing the opposite side of what the president is saying. As a matter of fact, in your article you say that Baghdad and Iraq have nevertheless begun to look like Lebanon during the country's 15-year civil war. Give me a little more detail on that, Ellen.

KNICKMEYER: I guess it varies depending on how bad the violence is on any one day, but there are neighborhoods where most people don't go now because they're just too dangerous. I mean, you don't go there unless you live there and you can't support your rent some place else. There are other neighborhoods, Sunni neighborhoods, where people don't cross over anymore into a Shiite neighborhood.

It is kind of a Beirut situation where a road becomes the dividing line between the district and people don't cross over and that's not to say that's the way in every neighborhood, but that is happening in several places now and these neighborhoods are guarded by, you know, gunmen who check to make sure that whoever is going in the neighborhood belongs there.

PHILLIPS: You have actually pointed out in your article that there are organized neighborhood watches. So are these civilians that are just taking security into their own hands?

KNICKMEYER: These are civilians. I talked to a couple of Sunni men from the neighborhood there was close to Sadr City and they said they were being raided by the Shia militia as from Sadr City and that the security forces, the government security forces, were nowhere to be seen. They said they were happy to see Americans roll by every now and then, but the Americans didn't come often enough. Purely to protect their houses and to protect their mosques, they have set up night watches for the men of the neighborhood to stand guard for several hours until the morning and it's not any kind of vigilante thing. It's just the way they portrayed it because there's a vacuum of security there and they have to do that.

PHILLIPS: Washington Post reporter Ellen Knickmeyer, thank you for your time. Once again, you can catch her piece in The Post, "Sectarian Violence Changes the Face of Conflict for Iraqis." It's a great read. Ellen, thank you. We'll take a quick break. More LIVE FROM right after this.

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