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Two U.S. Soldiers Found Dead in Iraq; National Guard Troops Head Back to New Orleans

Aired June 20, 2006 - 15:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Two missing soldiers, two brutal deaths, two desecrated bodies. U.S. Army Privates Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca have been found dead four days after an insurgent attack on their checkpoint south of Baghdad. What began as a huge rescue mission turned into a hugely dangerous recovery operation for Tucker's and Menchaca's comrades.
The latest now from our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, it's a grim end to the search for those two missing soldiers -- evidence now that they were brutally murdered and then their bodies booby-trapped to try to take the lives of those who came to recover them.

The bodies were found last night, just three days after they were abducted in an attack while they were guarding the bridge in Yusufiyah. The bodies were found along a road. Local Iraqis spotted the bodies, tipped the U.S. military off, along with a warning that the remains could be booby-trapped.

Military sources could not say exactly how and when Private Kristian Menchaca and Thomas Tucker died, but they -- they suffered what was described as significant trauma, so much so that DNA -- DNA tests will be required to make the final identification.

Recovery took nearly 12 hours, because the bodies had been booby- trapped with -- rigged with explosives, and IEDs had been planted along the path, the route, that the recovery team would taken to get to the bodies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN, COALITION FORCES IN IRAQ: The initial report I got was, it was the coalition forces down there operating that did spot them, but perceived what they -- to be an unstable condition right there.

So, we secured the area with a fairly large group of soldiers last night, so as to protect that and allow nobody either to enter or exit that location, and, then, at first dawn, brought in explosive ordnance and other assets and went in and recovered our -- what we believe to be our two American soldiers.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MCINTYRE: Now, one of the IEDs along the routes where the bodies were located did explode, but we are told nobody was hurt.

This, by the way, is a very similar tactic used by insurgents back in April, when they claimed to have shot down an Apache helicopter. In that case, it took the recovery team about half-a-day to get to the site, because they said, according to a military spokesman, 19 IEDs had been planted in or near the wreckage of that helicopter.

An Islamist, a radical Islamist Web site that often posts messages from the insurgency claims that the successor to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi personally executed these soldiers. But, at this point, the U.S. military says it has nothing to verify that claim -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jamie, thanks.

Well, the people who raised Kristian Menchaca will now have to bury him. Menchaca's family met the news of his death with grief, anger, and a lot of questions.

Our Ed Lavandera listened to them in their hometown of Houston.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The extended family of Army Private 1st Class Kristian Menchaca lives in this Houston neighborhood, just north of downtown. This is where Menchaca grew up.

He has an extended family of uncles and aunts and cousins, and a brother who lives here as well. They received the word this morning, that from U.S. military officials, that one of the bodies discovered in Iraq today was that of Kristian Menchaca, who was taken hostage on Friday at a military checkpoint, after insurgents attacked the checkpoint he was working near Baghdad.

They received the gruesome news this morning. And the family has been specifically pressing for many of the details regarding his death. The family has said that they want to hear from the U.S. military, not from news reports coming on the of Iraq, the gruesome discovery that was made where Menchaca's body was found, near Baghdad.

The family says they want to hear that from the U.S. military once. They would prefer it from them than from the reports coming out of Iraq. And, after hearing some of those details, one of Menchaca's uncles -- uncles had very angry words for the people responsible for his nephew's death.

MARIO VASQUEZ, KRISTIAN MENCHACA'S UNCLE: And I wish they punish people that did -- does this kind of things right away, instead of taking forever and spending millions of dollars trying to figure out, you know, keeping them prisoners, and then trying to get truth out of them or what their plans.

I mean, I think, you capture them, make them pay for what they did. You know, don't think that it's just two more soldiers. And don't negotiate anything. They didn't. They didn't negotiate it with my nephew. They didn't negotiate with Tucker. You know, make them pay.

LAVANDERA: Twenty-three-year-old Kristian Menchaca was married just a few weeks before he was deployed to Iraq in January.

His family says that his mother and new wife are struggling the most with the news that has emerged out of Iraq today. And they say, in the meantime, they will continue and begin preparations for funeral services, which will be held in Brownsville, Texas.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, in Madras, Oregon, yellow ribbons of hope are giving way to memorials and grief right now.

Thomas Tucker grew up in a small town that is suddenly face to face with the worst that war has to offer.

Our Brianna Keilar is in Madras right now. She joins me live to talk more about this young man.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, Madras is a very small community, just about 5,000, a little more than 5,000 people living here in this city.

And it's a place where everybody knows everybody. So, people here in the community have been following these developments on the fate of PFC Tom Tucker very closely. The family of Tom Tucker, at this point, is not talking to the media, but they did release yesterday an audio recording of a phone message that he left them around the time he was deploying in Iraq around February.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

PRIVATE 1ST CLASS THOMAS TUCKER, U.S. ARMY: Hey, mamma. I love you. I love you too, dad.

You guys, be -- be safe while I'm gone. You know, be careful out there on the road, because you guys -- I worry about you guys, too. I am going to be OK. Everything is going to be OK. I am going to go defend my country.

Be proud of me. I love you guys.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KEILAR: A National Guard spokesperson said that that recording was very representative of the type of person that PFC Tom Tucker was. And, so, that is why the family wanted to play that.

Also, we have seen a -- a big outpouring of support here in the community, a lot of signs, ribbons. We have seen flags. However, as the news of Tom's fate came out this morning, we have seen at least one flag flying at half-staff, Kyra. And, also, we saw a reader board at Tom's old high school that did read yesterday "A safe return for Private Tucker," today now reads "Proud of our American hero" -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Thank you so much, Brianna.

President Bush arrives in Europe today, but he need not unpack. He will visit two cities in two days, three counting today.

White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has the details -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, we expect Air Force One to touch down momentarily, fairly soon, in Vienna, Austria, where we are.

He will be meeting with his European counterparts for this annual summit to discuss international diplomacy, trade, energy, those issues, but, of course, Iraq on the top of the list. It was National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, who is traveling with the president, as well as the press secretary, Tony Snow, both of them giving a readout to reporters.

Just moments ago, we got a call about that readout, saying that they do believe those soldiers that were found, the bodies found today, were those soldiers abducted yesterday. And this really comes at a critical time for this administration. They have been trying to emphasize the progress inside of Iraq.

But it underscores, really, just the volatility of that region. But, Kyra, don't expect the president or European leaders to talk about disagreements in the past over U.S. invasion and the war. They are moving forward, both sides pledging to see what can be done with Iraqi reconstruction.

We expect that President Bush, as he said, is going to be pushing European allies to come good, make good on their promises, their pledges of money, $13 billion, $3 billion which has been made available. So, he's not asking for troops, but, this time, he's asking for cash.

And, as you know, Kyra, another very hot issue, another member of the so-called axis of evil, Iran, is going to be on the table. And the administration really hopes to highlight the unity of the international community, not only European Union, but also those members who are engaged in those direct talks with Iran. They want Iran to come back to the negotiating table.

But they are making it very clear here. They have offered incentives. If that doesn't happen, if Iran decides it will not cooperate, abandon its nuclear ambitions, then the other side, of course, is going to be U.N. Security Council sanctions -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much.

Well, some of Iraq's best and brightest can't stand it anymore. It is the war. And thousands of people have left Iraq to escape it. Inside the country, many others are on the move as well, refugees in their own land.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Ramadi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The refugee problem in Iraq has been growing massively over the last few years. About a million Iraqi refugees are believed to live in Jordan. Many others have moved into neighboring Syria; others throughout the Middle East; some to Europe; some to the United States.

The bigger problem that's happening right now, many people say, is a sectarian shift, a displacement of people internally along sectarian lines, Shias moving out of Sunni neighborhoods, Sunnis moving out of Shia neighborhoods.

Here in Ramadi, the problem has been generated by the violence of the insurgency. Many of those who can afford to leave the city have left the city.

The recent increase in military tempo here to what they say -- what they describe as isolating the city to surround it, to contain the insurgents here, to move forward operating bases deeper into the city, trying to root out the insurgency, that has caused, in some areas, some people of Ramadi to flee the city.

This is a city of normally over 400,000 people. According to the military here, dozens, perhaps hundreds, of families have fled. In one suburb of this city that we went to right after U.S. troops had moved in to seal off and control that suburb, about half the population have moved out.

We've been told that those people are expected to move back. But that is how the insurgency is affecting this city, refugees leaving, if they can, if they have the money to, many going to the nearest place possible, one of the neighboring countries in this region.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Ramadi, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, the National Guard back on the streets of New Orleans. This time, the focus is crime, not Katrina. I will speak with a retired New Orleans police major and former SWAT commander.

Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Live pictures once again from our affiliate KPHO out of Sedona, Arizona. This is a 1,500-acre wildfire that has forced evacuations now of hundreds of home in this scenic Oak Creek Canyon area. We have been following it for a couple days now.

It's giving firefighters more time to build up defenses around threatened buildings. Crews have continued to install sprinklers around homes. In the canyon, they have cleared a lot of brush that could provide fuel for the flames. We are told at least 11 helicopters and air tankers are available to battle this fire. And more than 450 firefighters are now on the scene working this.

Our Jacqui Jeras is also following not only the Arizona brushfires, but she's following the floodwaters, also, too, in Texas.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Mmm-hmm.

PHILLIPS: But what do you think Jacqui? How are the winds right now? And is it making things worse, better?

JERAS: Well, they are not bad. They're a lot better than they were yesterday.

As you look at some of those images, I wish we could actually pull out and get a little bit of a wider shot, but we don't have the control to be able to do this. We are getting this in from our affiliate there, KPHO-TV. There you can see them zooming out a little bit.

This looks a little bit more plumy. You can see that the smoke itself, yes, obviously, it's being blown in one direction or the other. Winds are a little bit more southerly today. But you can see that it's kind of plume -- pluming up a little bit higher into the atmosphere. And that's a good sign that winds are a little bit lighter.

Conditions across the area, temperatures are into the 80s. This is an estimate from our computer. We don't have an actual observing site right out there at that fire, so about 86 degrees, winds out of the south, just west of south, at about 10 miles per hour. So, they certainly could be a lot worse. They are certainly not at critical levels.

To the east of there, we do have critical fire conditions. And what does that mean? Well, take a look at the conditions there, 10 to 20 percent relative humidity, so just bone-dry, ongoing drought here, with temperatures in the middle 90s to over 100 degrees. And the winds are gusty here into parts of Colorado, New Mexico, panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. So, we will be watching for maybe those fires to be spreading eastward today -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jacqui, thanks so much.

JERAS: Mmm-hmm.

PHILLIPS: Now to one of our other big stories of the day.

New Orleans may struggle for years to again be the city it used to be. But one part of old New Orleans is back with a vengeance. Though police say violent crime is not out of control, National Guard troops are back in the city, at the mayor's request.

My next guest says, most New Orleans police officers are glad about this. Howard Robertson was one of them for 35 years, serving as SWAT team commander. And he's a retired major.

He joins us now live.

So, Howard, what's the reaction from the guys about the -- the troops? I mean, in a way, it's sort of a slap to the face, but, on the other side of things, they probably need the assistance right now.

HOWARD ROBERTSON, RETIRED NEW ORLEANS POLICE MAJOR: The reaction is very mixed, Kyra.

You know, if -- if -- I -- I talked to some residents from several areas of the city this morning, especially in the Lakeview area, which is, you know, where the levee broke. And they have been trying to rebuild their homes, but they are still fighting for electricity and water just to get back in.

And when they are rebuilding their homes, they are building in the building supplies. And they're trying to build -- bring in stoves and refrigerators. And that's being stolen at nighttime, when they leave to come back the next day. It's being looted. So, they are glad the National Guard is coming in and going to start patrolling those areas.

That will allow them to rebuild their homes. And, of course, when those areas get populated, that -- here, again, it reduces the risk of somebody coming in and burglarizing the area.

The actual police officers, I think, as myself being a police officer, anybody would say, wow, I don't like the National Guard coming in, because we can do our job.

And I know the police, the NOPD (AUDIO GAP) professional. And they really want to do their job. Then, if you look at it from a police perspective, you have to say, the population is down by two- thirds in the city of New Orleans. Your police force is down by 400.

So, right now, your -- your police force, the ratio of police officers to citizens, is higher than it's ever been in the last 200 years. So, what is the police department not doing to attack the crime, and what can they do to make the crime rate go down?

Most of the people who are still here in the city are all hard- working people, working to rebuild their homes. As you know, like, I just moved back in my house two weeks ago. So, it took me a year to rebuild my house. And most people are in the same predicament that I was. So, most of the people are here working. The actual crime element is very small.

And it's being contained in a very small law element. So, I -- I think the NOPD, by -- by increasing their -- their work force in certain areas, can start attacking the problem.

PHILLIPS: So, all right, so you think there are enough officers to handle the amount of people there, right?

ROBERTSON: Yes, I do. PHILLIPS: OK.

So, the crime situation, is it really as out of control as it's being portrayed? I mean, is -- do you think that the National Guard is -- really needs to come in and help with the looting, and, if they do that, that officers will be able to attack this -- this crime problem right now? Or do you think this is getting blown out of proportion?

ROBERTSON: I think it's a great, great move to bring in the National Guard. And I am saying that for several reasons.

The first, naturally, is a political reason. We have to rebuild the city. You know, this is a beautiful city, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And people, if they are afraid to come back, they are going to sell their homes. They are not going to spend the money and the time to rebuild these homes and come back.

PHILLIPS: Howard, hold that thought for a minute. I'm going to come right back to you.

ROBERTSON: Go ahead.

PHILLIPS: Just real quickly, we want to mention that the president has landed in Vienna -- live pictures now you can see of the president and the first lady. They have arrived in Vienna for the E.U. summit.

We are going to monitor this, of course. Suzanne Malveaux has been reporting on a big event for the president and his staff. Of course, we are hoping that he will talk about the soldiers that now have been discovered in Iraq, and -- and have some type of comment, now that we have gotten that news out today.

But he's there to talk about Iran and threats, of course, with nuclear weapons, and, then, even more recently, North Korea. You know, there's concern about the possible launching and -- and testing of missiles.

So, we are going to follow the president's trip, as he has now landed in Vienna -- Suzanne Malveaux bringing us the latest from there.

Let's get back to Howard Robertson now, talking about the National Guard in New Orleans.

Howard, I remember, whether it was Mardi Gras or issues of the hurricane, you worked side by side with the National Guard. You were glad they were there. I think people are asking two questions. What will their role really be? Will -- they are sworn in and could use those weapons, if something does go awry, right?

ROBERTSON: That's correct.

And several of the National Guardsmen are actual police officers in their regular job. And, like, for instance, the -- the colonel, Colonel Thibodeaux, has a law enforcement background. And he's coordinating this for the National Guard.

Jacques is very well versed and trained in law enforcement and law enforcement techniques. So, he's going to be a great asset to the New Orleans Police Department in training his officers.

And the -- the National Guard -- to my understanding right now, the National Guard is going to be placed in areas where the storm hit worst, where it's not populated, where people are renovating their -- their homes. And they are going to be helping these people build that area by patrolling the streets and stopping the looting that is still occurring on a daily basis in -- in the city.

So, in that regard, the National Guard is going to be a great help. Then, the NOPD can transfer officers from those areas to the high-crime-rate areas. Remember, the -- the city is much smaller now than it was before. So, the crime is concentrated in a smaller area. So, when the police officers control that crime, they have a lot more officers to address that issue.

PHILLIPS: Howard Robertson, sure appreciate your insight. We will keep our eyes on it.

ROBERTSON: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead: seeking safe haven. These children walk a trail of tears every night -- their story straight ahead on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Now a message of hope for millions of people who have precious little else -- this is World Refugee Day. And the United Nations says this year's theme is, never give up hope.

The U.N. says that more than eight million people have been driven out of their home countries around the world. Almost 21 million people around the world are considered displaced. And more than half of those are children.

Five nationalities account for almost half of the uprooted, Afghans, Colombians, Iraqis, Sudanese, and Somalis. Common destinations for refugees include Pakistan, Iran, and Germany.

Eight months after a catastrophic earthquake shook the border of Pakistan and India, hundreds of thousands of quake victims struggle to survive each day. Relief supplies once poured in, but now they're a trickle, at best.

Earlier this year, when the snow were -- snows were very deep, our Dan Rivers and his crew saw for themselves just how dire that situation is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The children of Moori Patan have survived another night. Their bedding is damp, their tents freezing. Their shoes are wet through.

(on camera): Well, it's about 7:00 in the morning on our second day here. And, as you can see, the children are just beginning to come out of these tents.

It was freezing enough for us in all this warm clothing and in a sleeping bag overnight. I can't imagine what it was like for these children in this flimsy cotton tent, with only a couple of blankets to keep them warm.

(voice over): Their day starts with a walk to the village spring. They wash in icy water.

Ten-year-old Nassim (ph) helps her 4-year-old sister, Tairu (ph). Nassim (ph) has had to grow up fast. Their mother died in the earthquake.

They take breakfast in one of the few standing houses. Tea and biscuits is all that's on offer.

(on camera): Ask any of them, have any of them got a cough? I hear someone coughing.

(voice over): As I chat to the children, it's obvious many are suffering illnesses because of the total lack of medical supplies.

(on camera): This is little Raman (ph), who is just 2 years old. And you can see he has got a really nasty eye infection. He can't see out of either eye. He's got a bit of a chesty cough as well. Now, if this eye infection that he's had for five days isn't treated, he could end up going blind.

(voice over): Sadik (ph) is 8. He seems healthy, until he removes his hat. He has scabies. Like the eye infection, it's easily treated, if only he could get to a doctor.

Lacking the proper protection against the biting cold, the children are run down and succumbing to infections, a pathetic and depressing situation.

Everywhere, the sound of coughing children -- they survived the earthquake, but can they really survive living like this?

Night brings with it bitter cold. I go back to my tent, wondering how on earth these children will endure months more of this, tiny hands trying to stay warm, their feet numb with cold, infant minds asking why this winter is so bleak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And an update: Dan tells us the child you saw with the terrible eye infection did receive antibiotics and is doing much better now.

Anderson Cooper has more stories about the global refugee problem tonight. Plus, watch actress Angelina Jolie in her first TV interview since the birth of her daughter. She talks with Anderson about her work with refugees -- "A.C. 360" at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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