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CNN Live Today

Insurgents Attack U.S. Base Near Mosul, Iraq

Aired December 21, 2004 - 11:30   ET

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

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


TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Insurgents attack a U.S. base near Mosul, Iraq today. At least 22 people inside a dining hall were killed. The casualties are said to include American and Iraqi, but a breakdown is not yet known. The FDA is warning the over-the-counter pain killer Naproxen can increase the risk of heart attack. It's sold under the brand Aleve. For now, the government says Aleve users should not exceed the recommended dose, or take the drug for more than 10 days.
The Army Reserve is doubling enlistment bonuses in some cases to get troops to sign up. The increased cash ranges from $10,000 to $15,000. Recruitment for the Army Reserve is still on target, unlike the National Guard.

We want to take you now to Mosul, Iraq for the briefing we've been promising you from Brigadier General Carter Ham.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIG. GEN. CARTER HAM, CMDR., TASK FORCE OLYMPIA IN MOSUL: The investigation is ongoing by explosives experts to determine the source. The attack today had a very negative effect against multinational forces and our Iraqi partners here in Mosul. So far, more than 20 have been killed and more than 60 wounded. The killed include U.S. military personnel, U.S. contractors, foreign national contractors and Iraqi army. The wounded also come from those various groups. We're going through the process now of making notification to the families and the units of those who were killed and wounded in today's tragic attack.

Our hearts go out to the families and friends and fellow soldiers who lost comrades in arms today, who lost husbands, fathers, brothers, both American and Iraqi. It is indeed a very, very sad day.

But I would also say in their typical magnificent manner, U.S. soldiers today responded to that attack just as we would expect them to, with bravery, with unselfish caring for one another. It was a heartwarming experience to see the wounded soldiers caring for those who were more severely wounded. And in that chaos that followed that attack, there was no differentiation by nationality, whether one wore a uniform or civilian clothes, they were all brothers in arms, taking care of one another. And I think that's something that all Americans, and indeed, all Iraqis can be very proud of.

I would ask you on this sad day to keep in your thoughts, in your hearts and in your prayers those who have lost many dear friends today. It's a sad day in Mosul. But as they always do, soldiers will come back from that, and they will do what they can do best to honor those who were fallen today, and they will see this very important mission through to a successful completion. That's what we owe you, the American people, and that's what we owe the people of Iraq, and that is exactly what we shall do.

Thank you. May god bless America. May god preserve peace in Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. We've just heard the statement from Brigadier General Carter Ham in Mosul, Iraq. He's just describing, and you could hear it in his voice, how devastating the attack was on the U.S. base in Mosul. He gave us a bit of an update on the numbers, more than 20 dead, more than 60 wounded. He said in his own words, a very negative impact on the troop there's today. A number of foreign national contractors killed, a number of U.S. contractors killed. Family notifications going out right now as you take a look at the pictures immediately following that attack on that camp, that U.S. camp in Mosul.

KAGAN: As we go ahead and look at those pictures and talk about this new information coming courtesy of Brigadier General Carter Ham, I want to bring in and bring in one of our military analyst, Lieutenant David Grange, retired general, usually joining us from Chicago. Is that where we find you today.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: I'm in Chicago, yes.

KAGAN: All right, the information that we're getting from Brigadier General Carter Ham, this attack on the dining hall in Mosul, he said had a devastating effect on the troops, yet at the same time he used the word heartwarming to see how individual soldiers, wounded themselves, coming to the aid of their fellow soldiers.

GRANGE: Well, that's exactly right. That's what is ingrained in you in the military, that is to help your comrades in need, never leave a fallen comrade, respond immediately the situation, and that's what you're seeing right now.

KAGAN: Yes, and these are new photos, courtesy, I believe, it's of Associated Press that we're getting in, that tells that story, and sometimes a still photo telling the story of the devastation, and the emotion, and the strength and the courage even better than video can, or even live pictures.

GRANGE: Well, that's right. And what's going to happen now is you're going to have even more of a bonding situation with the soldiers. It's a shame sometimes that something this dramatic has to happen to really bond people. It's not that they're not, but this will drive them even harder to defeat the enemy. And again, you can see the General Ham, his comments, which are very important, a commander getting out there right away and talking about the situation for all to hear. KAGAN: And let's talk about the situation and what troops, what the U.S. and what the Iraqi national military faces in this area in Mosul. These were people at noon gathering in a dining hall, having lunch in what has been described as a casual environment, instantly losing their lives and the danger they're surrounded by.

GRANGE: Well, that's the thing in an insurgency. The danger is always 360 degrees. It's always the unexpected that gets you, that troops get wounded or killed is the unexpected. You have 95 percent routine and sometimes boredom, and then you have 5 percent of the time of just terrifying experience. There's a security issue, obviously, where the enemy could get in here and do this, but they'll take action, there's no doubt about it. And I happen to know the leaders of this outfit. In fact, Carter Ham used to work for me in the Big Red One (ph), the 1st Division. He's very capable, very thorough, competent officer. So this is, for me, very much of a surprise that it even happened.

KAGAN: You talk about knowing some of the people involved here. It strikes me, we talked about the Fort Lewis, Washington area. There's about 8,500 troops in this area, a number of them from Fort Lewis. You know that when news like this breaks, that there are military family all around the country that are looking, they are now watching, they're looking at these pictures for the first time, like we are, perhaps searching for their loved ones.

As someone who has served, general, what would be your words of advice to families watching these pictures and waiting for word from their loved ones?

GRANGE: Well, obviously, it's a very tough situation, because you don't know, when the unknown is terrifying. You don't know if one of your family members -- son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister -- is involved in something like this. The military will notify you as soon as possible. Obviously, the families need to know first, not the public. That's the process they're going through. Tough time of the year, obviously, right before Christmas here. The life of a soldier is full of danger, and it's very sad, but proper procedures will take place, and it'll be expedited to notify the families.

KAGAN: Lieutenant General David Grange, thank you for your input this morning on this developing story. Once again, we're hearing from the coalition commander in the Mosul area, Brigadier General Carter Ham, saying over 20 were killed, more than 60 injured. It's a mixture of military, Iraqi military, U.S. and international contractors who were hit this morning as this dining hall was attacked just outside the Mosul area.

While this is going on, other military operations taking place, of course, across Iraq. Also, efforts to entertain the troops. I'll be having a chance to talk with a professional wrestler who is just back from Iraq with his insights on his trip there.

HARRIS: And, Daryn, we will meet a man in just a couple of minutes who is making, producing hero bracelets, a way to honor U.S. soldiers who are fighting, and unfortunately dying, in Iraq. We'll meet him when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Wrestling superstars head to Iraq for a holiday tribute to the troops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait a minute. You're not Santa Claus. You're Mick Foley!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Eighteen WWE wrestlers, past and present, toured U.S. bases -- check this out -- around the Middle East, to bring the spirit of the season to those in uniform. Their television special will this Thursday night on UPN. Mick Foley, you know him. He's a former WWE wrestler known as Mankind, just back from Iraq and joining me this morning live in New York.

Good morning.

MICK FOLEY, FORMER WWE WRESTLER: Good morning. I'm sorry I have to be on on the tale of such tragic news.

KAGAN: Well, I'm actually interested to hear your perspective, because that really has to make you pause, having just been there, to really appreciate just how dangerous what you did is.

FOLEY: Yes, especially because we were eating with some of the troops when the fort we were at came under rocket fire. And just a few minutes previously, there had been a loud explosion and my heart kind of jumped and I was assured it was outgoing. A couple minutes later, there was another loud explosion and then they said, well, that one was incoming. And the troops started scurrying for their vests and their helmets.

It was a traumatic moment. And we were lucky. I was told by one of the soldiers, yes, this type of thing goes on once in a while and once in a while, they, meaning the insurgents, get lucky. There's really no way to really be precise with those type of rockets. But I guess in this case, they got lucky and a lot of lives were lost.

KAGAN: A lot of lives were lost, a lot of people hurt today. Tell us really what you were trying to do, you and the other wrestlers, by going over?

FOLEY: Well, you know, we understand that a lot of troops really enjoy what we do and we understand the sacrifices they're making. They're a long way from home, they face constant danger. And Vince McMahon, the head of WB, thought, that as we did last year, that we'd bring a little piece of America to the troops.

So, you know the wrestlers themselves are split among their feelings about the war, but we're all united, as I think a lot of the country is, you know, at an admiration for the troops. So we looked at it as a great honor to be over there and put some smiles on their faces.

KAGAN: And besides mixing the danger firsthand, what did you see there that you didn't expect?

FOLEY: Well, you know what, honestly, I saw a lot of positive developments. It's hard to say that, coming off this situation in Mosul, but we spent a lot of time traveling the country in blackhawk helicopters. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) group was divided into three groups for the first two days of our tour and We crisscrossed the country. I think we hit ten bases each.

I was really excited to see so many Iraqi children running out and waving. It seems to me, that even though clearly, there's an insurgency and the area is very dangerous, that there are a lot of Iraqis who do like us being there. And I was also struck by the sense of purpose that our soldiers had, that they all seemed to believe they were doing important work and even though a lot of them were clearly frustrated and longing for home, they had a feeling that they were doing something important in Iraq.

KAGAN: And apparently you were, too. We could see a lot of smiles you put on the soldiers' faces as we looked at some of that video. The special is on Thursday night on UPN. We'll look for it.

FOLEY: Thank you very much. And thanks for having me on.

KAGAN: Mick Foley. Thank you so much.

HARRIS: And Daryn, when we come back, we'll meet the man behind herobracelets.org. He is providing bracelets for those who want to buy a bracelet to honor the soldiers who are fighting and dying in Iraq. Chris Greta is our guest, and he'll join us after break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Business is booming for Texas entrepreneur. Unfortunately, he's making hero bracelets to honor American servicemen and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. So many bracelets he can't keep up. Chris Greta joins us from Austin this morning.

Chris, good morning.

CHRIS GRETA, HERO BRACELETS CREATOR: Good morning.

HARRIS: What was the inspiration from this, was it the POW bracelets. of the '60s and '70s tied to the Vietnam War?

GRETA: Yes, I grew up in the '60s and '70s, you know, watching the war. Everybody I knew had a POW bracelet on. And it just made a real impression on me.

HARRIS: Have you seen some of the other bracelets kind of cause issue? Bracelets -- I know Lance Armstrong has a bracelet out there, there's the AIDS bracelet. Was that part of the inspiration as well?

GRETA: Yes. I mean, Lance Armstrong is big here in Austin. So everybody here is wearing them.

HARRIS: So, I know as an ad man, you had some kind of an expectation of what you wanted to accomplish here. Has this exceeded your expectations?

GRETA: Yes. In a huge way. It's -- the Web site's only been up three weeks and we're already way beyond what me and my kids can do. We've been putting these together in our kitchen. We spend up most of the night last night doing it. We're pretty overwhelmed.

HARRIS: Why did you step up this way?

GRETA: Pardon?

HARRIS: Why did you step up this way?

GRETA: You know, I don't know. I felt that the soldiers needed -- they deserve more than what they had been getting. A little tongue-tied about all of this, because it's been overwhelming. We put the Web site up and immediately I started getting e-mails from soldiers in Iraq that were ordering bracelets and were thanking us for doing this. I mean, I've had nothing but phenomenal e-mails from people all around the world, you know, thanking us for putting this together. And we were pretty unprepared for that.

HARRIS: Chris, I want the heart and soul of this. You mentioned some of those e-mails. What are folks saying to you?

GRETA: Just a lot of people thanking us for doing this. You know, a lot of people don't feel as though the soldiers have been getting enough attention in the media or anywhere. You know, I wanted to be able to put a real name and a real face on every soldier that we're losing and for people to be able to respect and honor them.

HARRIS: Yes. And what's the Web site, Chris?

GRETA: It's fallen hero -- excuse me, herobracelets.org. We contacted the fallen heroes -- the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and it's a pretty amazing organization. 100 percent of the money they get in is going directly to the families and the children of these soldiers.

HARRIS: Seems like a fitting tribute.

GRETA: So every sale that we make, we're able to make a donation to that fund.

HARRIS: Chris, we appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.

GRETA: Thanks.

KAGAN: Question for you now, what do you do if you can't be home for the holidays? You're going to meet one military family that found a heartwarming solution to that problem.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We want to update you on a situation we've been following out of Mosul, Iraq, with some new photos that we're getting in, coming both from the Associated Press, also from the "Richmond Times Dispatch," photographer on the scene there in this dining hall, took place at noon Eastern, 4:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest numbers we're getting from the coalition commander for the Mosul area, Brigadier General Carter Ham, more than 20 were killed, about 22 killed, 60 injured, 60 or more. The people who are the victims, a mixture of U.S. military, Iraqi military and U.S. and international contractors. Notification of next of kin taking place as we speak. These photos telling the story of injured soldiers coming to the aid of those who were injured more severely or perhaps even killed.

You can see the hole that was blown in the top of the mess tent. An estimate of as many as 500 people, 400 to 500 people in that tent at the time of the attack. Exactly the nature of the attack and where it came from, we're not sure at this point, but we did get these comments just a little bit earlier from General Ham. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAM: More than 20 have been killed and more than 60 wounded. The killed include U.S. military personnel, U.S. contractors, foreign national contractors and Iraqi army. The wounded also come from those various groups. We're going through the process now of making notification to the families and the units of those who were killed and wounded in today's tragic attack. Our hearts go out to the families, the friends and the fellow soldiers who lost comrades in arms today, who lost husbands, fathers, brothers, both American and Iraqi. It is indeed a very, very sad day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Brigadier General Carter Ham coming to us from Mosul, Iraq.

HARRIS: And on a very difficult day in Iraq, we are reminded that this is Christmas week, even though it may not feel much like it at this moment. Christmas is Saturday. But for troops getting ready to ship off to Iraq, Christmas can't wait. One way around that, fool the calendar and hold Christmas early. That's what one family did.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LT. COL. CURTIS MATTISON, 319 SIGNAL BATTALION COMMANDER: Only 10 percent of the unit will be able to be home for Christmas. That means when I'm going to over 500 people I'm in command that are going to be over there, and that's where I need to be, is I need to be with them. You know, it's kind of part of a brotherhood.

Daddy's working. I know.

It's been about 26 years, I guess more or less my entire adult life have been in the service in some way, shape or form. I get a sense of trying to make the world a better place for my children. We have six kids in our family, so that's something that I consider really worthwhile to do.

You want me to pick him up?

ANNELENA MATTISON, COMMANDER'S WIFE: Come here. I know. You want daddy.

It's hard not to have your spouse there. I have to make all the decisions. I can't discuss it with him, and I just get tired of having to be the one in charge all the time. That's why we're having Christmas early, because it wouldn't be the same if we waited until the 25th. It would just be too weird not to have him here.

Come on Jesus.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Come on Jesus.

A. MATTISON: Be our guest.

It does feel like Christmas. If you plan it, it doesn't really make any difference. You know, the smells are the same. The kids are excited. The 4-year-old is like Santa's coming tomorrow!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello there!

C. MATTISON: I'm leaving in a couple of days. You recognize the precious moments for what they are. I've already missed already missed a lot of them. I'll never see that first step from the three babies. I'll never hear the first words.

Hear my little girl go ooh over a tea set.

The kids especially are going to be different people by the time I come back, so I really want to kind soak up as much as you can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Look at those faces.

HARRIS: That's the moment, isn't it? That's all you want.

KAGAN: That's all you get.

The sacrifices that people are making, a lot of these military families are making, if you're thinking about a white Christmas or whatever you want for Christmas, it seems kind of trite.

HARRIS: Yes, it really does.

KAGAN: And yet people care about the weather and travel plans, trying to get together.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: That's going to wrap it up for us, but CNN will not leave the story what is taking place in Mosul, Iraq. Wolf Blitzer will have that at the top of the hour after this break. Meanwhile, Tony Harris, thank you for your help.

HARRIS: Thank you. Daryn, thank you.

KAGAN: Come back later in the week.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

KAGAN: I can use the help.

I'm Daryn Kagan, Wolf Blitzer after this break.

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


Aired December 21, 2004 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Insurgents attack a U.S. base near Mosul, Iraq today. At least 22 people inside a dining hall were killed. The casualties are said to include American and Iraqi, but a breakdown is not yet known. The FDA is warning the over-the-counter pain killer Naproxen can increase the risk of heart attack. It's sold under the brand Aleve. For now, the government says Aleve users should not exceed the recommended dose, or take the drug for more than 10 days.
The Army Reserve is doubling enlistment bonuses in some cases to get troops to sign up. The increased cash ranges from $10,000 to $15,000. Recruitment for the Army Reserve is still on target, unlike the National Guard.

We want to take you now to Mosul, Iraq for the briefing we've been promising you from Brigadier General Carter Ham.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIG. GEN. CARTER HAM, CMDR., TASK FORCE OLYMPIA IN MOSUL: The investigation is ongoing by explosives experts to determine the source. The attack today had a very negative effect against multinational forces and our Iraqi partners here in Mosul. So far, more than 20 have been killed and more than 60 wounded. The killed include U.S. military personnel, U.S. contractors, foreign national contractors and Iraqi army. The wounded also come from those various groups. We're going through the process now of making notification to the families and the units of those who were killed and wounded in today's tragic attack.

Our hearts go out to the families and friends and fellow soldiers who lost comrades in arms today, who lost husbands, fathers, brothers, both American and Iraqi. It is indeed a very, very sad day.

But I would also say in their typical magnificent manner, U.S. soldiers today responded to that attack just as we would expect them to, with bravery, with unselfish caring for one another. It was a heartwarming experience to see the wounded soldiers caring for those who were more severely wounded. And in that chaos that followed that attack, there was no differentiation by nationality, whether one wore a uniform or civilian clothes, they were all brothers in arms, taking care of one another. And I think that's something that all Americans, and indeed, all Iraqis can be very proud of.

I would ask you on this sad day to keep in your thoughts, in your hearts and in your prayers those who have lost many dear friends today. It's a sad day in Mosul. But as they always do, soldiers will come back from that, and they will do what they can do best to honor those who were fallen today, and they will see this very important mission through to a successful completion. That's what we owe you, the American people, and that's what we owe the people of Iraq, and that is exactly what we shall do.

Thank you. May god bless America. May god preserve peace in Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. We've just heard the statement from Brigadier General Carter Ham in Mosul, Iraq. He's just describing, and you could hear it in his voice, how devastating the attack was on the U.S. base in Mosul. He gave us a bit of an update on the numbers, more than 20 dead, more than 60 wounded. He said in his own words, a very negative impact on the troop there's today. A number of foreign national contractors killed, a number of U.S. contractors killed. Family notifications going out right now as you take a look at the pictures immediately following that attack on that camp, that U.S. camp in Mosul.

KAGAN: As we go ahead and look at those pictures and talk about this new information coming courtesy of Brigadier General Carter Ham, I want to bring in and bring in one of our military analyst, Lieutenant David Grange, retired general, usually joining us from Chicago. Is that where we find you today.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: I'm in Chicago, yes.

KAGAN: All right, the information that we're getting from Brigadier General Carter Ham, this attack on the dining hall in Mosul, he said had a devastating effect on the troops, yet at the same time he used the word heartwarming to see how individual soldiers, wounded themselves, coming to the aid of their fellow soldiers.

GRANGE: Well, that's exactly right. That's what is ingrained in you in the military, that is to help your comrades in need, never leave a fallen comrade, respond immediately the situation, and that's what you're seeing right now.

KAGAN: Yes, and these are new photos, courtesy, I believe, it's of Associated Press that we're getting in, that tells that story, and sometimes a still photo telling the story of the devastation, and the emotion, and the strength and the courage even better than video can, or even live pictures.

GRANGE: Well, that's right. And what's going to happen now is you're going to have even more of a bonding situation with the soldiers. It's a shame sometimes that something this dramatic has to happen to really bond people. It's not that they're not, but this will drive them even harder to defeat the enemy. And again, you can see the General Ham, his comments, which are very important, a commander getting out there right away and talking about the situation for all to hear. KAGAN: And let's talk about the situation and what troops, what the U.S. and what the Iraqi national military faces in this area in Mosul. These were people at noon gathering in a dining hall, having lunch in what has been described as a casual environment, instantly losing their lives and the danger they're surrounded by.

GRANGE: Well, that's the thing in an insurgency. The danger is always 360 degrees. It's always the unexpected that gets you, that troops get wounded or killed is the unexpected. You have 95 percent routine and sometimes boredom, and then you have 5 percent of the time of just terrifying experience. There's a security issue, obviously, where the enemy could get in here and do this, but they'll take action, there's no doubt about it. And I happen to know the leaders of this outfit. In fact, Carter Ham used to work for me in the Big Red One (ph), the 1st Division. He's very capable, very thorough, competent officer. So this is, for me, very much of a surprise that it even happened.

KAGAN: You talk about knowing some of the people involved here. It strikes me, we talked about the Fort Lewis, Washington area. There's about 8,500 troops in this area, a number of them from Fort Lewis. You know that when news like this breaks, that there are military family all around the country that are looking, they are now watching, they're looking at these pictures for the first time, like we are, perhaps searching for their loved ones.

As someone who has served, general, what would be your words of advice to families watching these pictures and waiting for word from their loved ones?

GRANGE: Well, obviously, it's a very tough situation, because you don't know, when the unknown is terrifying. You don't know if one of your family members -- son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister -- is involved in something like this. The military will notify you as soon as possible. Obviously, the families need to know first, not the public. That's the process they're going through. Tough time of the year, obviously, right before Christmas here. The life of a soldier is full of danger, and it's very sad, but proper procedures will take place, and it'll be expedited to notify the families.

KAGAN: Lieutenant General David Grange, thank you for your input this morning on this developing story. Once again, we're hearing from the coalition commander in the Mosul area, Brigadier General Carter Ham, saying over 20 were killed, more than 60 injured. It's a mixture of military, Iraqi military, U.S. and international contractors who were hit this morning as this dining hall was attacked just outside the Mosul area.

While this is going on, other military operations taking place, of course, across Iraq. Also, efforts to entertain the troops. I'll be having a chance to talk with a professional wrestler who is just back from Iraq with his insights on his trip there.

HARRIS: And, Daryn, we will meet a man in just a couple of minutes who is making, producing hero bracelets, a way to honor U.S. soldiers who are fighting, and unfortunately dying, in Iraq. We'll meet him when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Wrestling superstars head to Iraq for a holiday tribute to the troops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait a minute. You're not Santa Claus. You're Mick Foley!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Eighteen WWE wrestlers, past and present, toured U.S. bases -- check this out -- around the Middle East, to bring the spirit of the season to those in uniform. Their television special will this Thursday night on UPN. Mick Foley, you know him. He's a former WWE wrestler known as Mankind, just back from Iraq and joining me this morning live in New York.

Good morning.

MICK FOLEY, FORMER WWE WRESTLER: Good morning. I'm sorry I have to be on on the tale of such tragic news.

KAGAN: Well, I'm actually interested to hear your perspective, because that really has to make you pause, having just been there, to really appreciate just how dangerous what you did is.

FOLEY: Yes, especially because we were eating with some of the troops when the fort we were at came under rocket fire. And just a few minutes previously, there had been a loud explosion and my heart kind of jumped and I was assured it was outgoing. A couple minutes later, there was another loud explosion and then they said, well, that one was incoming. And the troops started scurrying for their vests and their helmets.

It was a traumatic moment. And we were lucky. I was told by one of the soldiers, yes, this type of thing goes on once in a while and once in a while, they, meaning the insurgents, get lucky. There's really no way to really be precise with those type of rockets. But I guess in this case, they got lucky and a lot of lives were lost.

KAGAN: A lot of lives were lost, a lot of people hurt today. Tell us really what you were trying to do, you and the other wrestlers, by going over?

FOLEY: Well, you know, we understand that a lot of troops really enjoy what we do and we understand the sacrifices they're making. They're a long way from home, they face constant danger. And Vince McMahon, the head of WB, thought, that as we did last year, that we'd bring a little piece of America to the troops.

So, you know the wrestlers themselves are split among their feelings about the war, but we're all united, as I think a lot of the country is, you know, at an admiration for the troops. So we looked at it as a great honor to be over there and put some smiles on their faces.

KAGAN: And besides mixing the danger firsthand, what did you see there that you didn't expect?

FOLEY: Well, you know what, honestly, I saw a lot of positive developments. It's hard to say that, coming off this situation in Mosul, but we spent a lot of time traveling the country in blackhawk helicopters. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) group was divided into three groups for the first two days of our tour and We crisscrossed the country. I think we hit ten bases each.

I was really excited to see so many Iraqi children running out and waving. It seems to me, that even though clearly, there's an insurgency and the area is very dangerous, that there are a lot of Iraqis who do like us being there. And I was also struck by the sense of purpose that our soldiers had, that they all seemed to believe they were doing important work and even though a lot of them were clearly frustrated and longing for home, they had a feeling that they were doing something important in Iraq.

KAGAN: And apparently you were, too. We could see a lot of smiles you put on the soldiers' faces as we looked at some of that video. The special is on Thursday night on UPN. We'll look for it.

FOLEY: Thank you very much. And thanks for having me on.

KAGAN: Mick Foley. Thank you so much.

HARRIS: And Daryn, when we come back, we'll meet the man behind herobracelets.org. He is providing bracelets for those who want to buy a bracelet to honor the soldiers who are fighting and dying in Iraq. Chris Greta is our guest, and he'll join us after break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Business is booming for Texas entrepreneur. Unfortunately, he's making hero bracelets to honor American servicemen and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. So many bracelets he can't keep up. Chris Greta joins us from Austin this morning.

Chris, good morning.

CHRIS GRETA, HERO BRACELETS CREATOR: Good morning.

HARRIS: What was the inspiration from this, was it the POW bracelets. of the '60s and '70s tied to the Vietnam War?

GRETA: Yes, I grew up in the '60s and '70s, you know, watching the war. Everybody I knew had a POW bracelet on. And it just made a real impression on me.

HARRIS: Have you seen some of the other bracelets kind of cause issue? Bracelets -- I know Lance Armstrong has a bracelet out there, there's the AIDS bracelet. Was that part of the inspiration as well?

GRETA: Yes. I mean, Lance Armstrong is big here in Austin. So everybody here is wearing them.

HARRIS: So, I know as an ad man, you had some kind of an expectation of what you wanted to accomplish here. Has this exceeded your expectations?

GRETA: Yes. In a huge way. It's -- the Web site's only been up three weeks and we're already way beyond what me and my kids can do. We've been putting these together in our kitchen. We spend up most of the night last night doing it. We're pretty overwhelmed.

HARRIS: Why did you step up this way?

GRETA: Pardon?

HARRIS: Why did you step up this way?

GRETA: You know, I don't know. I felt that the soldiers needed -- they deserve more than what they had been getting. A little tongue-tied about all of this, because it's been overwhelming. We put the Web site up and immediately I started getting e-mails from soldiers in Iraq that were ordering bracelets and were thanking us for doing this. I mean, I've had nothing but phenomenal e-mails from people all around the world, you know, thanking us for putting this together. And we were pretty unprepared for that.

HARRIS: Chris, I want the heart and soul of this. You mentioned some of those e-mails. What are folks saying to you?

GRETA: Just a lot of people thanking us for doing this. You know, a lot of people don't feel as though the soldiers have been getting enough attention in the media or anywhere. You know, I wanted to be able to put a real name and a real face on every soldier that we're losing and for people to be able to respect and honor them.

HARRIS: Yes. And what's the Web site, Chris?

GRETA: It's fallen hero -- excuse me, herobracelets.org. We contacted the fallen heroes -- the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and it's a pretty amazing organization. 100 percent of the money they get in is going directly to the families and the children of these soldiers.

HARRIS: Seems like a fitting tribute.

GRETA: So every sale that we make, we're able to make a donation to that fund.

HARRIS: Chris, we appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.

GRETA: Thanks.

KAGAN: Question for you now, what do you do if you can't be home for the holidays? You're going to meet one military family that found a heartwarming solution to that problem.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We want to update you on a situation we've been following out of Mosul, Iraq, with some new photos that we're getting in, coming both from the Associated Press, also from the "Richmond Times Dispatch," photographer on the scene there in this dining hall, took place at noon Eastern, 4:00 a.m. Eastern. The latest numbers we're getting from the coalition commander for the Mosul area, Brigadier General Carter Ham, more than 20 were killed, about 22 killed, 60 injured, 60 or more. The people who are the victims, a mixture of U.S. military, Iraqi military and U.S. and international contractors. Notification of next of kin taking place as we speak. These photos telling the story of injured soldiers coming to the aid of those who were injured more severely or perhaps even killed.

You can see the hole that was blown in the top of the mess tent. An estimate of as many as 500 people, 400 to 500 people in that tent at the time of the attack. Exactly the nature of the attack and where it came from, we're not sure at this point, but we did get these comments just a little bit earlier from General Ham. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAM: More than 20 have been killed and more than 60 wounded. The killed include U.S. military personnel, U.S. contractors, foreign national contractors and Iraqi army. The wounded also come from those various groups. We're going through the process now of making notification to the families and the units of those who were killed and wounded in today's tragic attack. Our hearts go out to the families, the friends and the fellow soldiers who lost comrades in arms today, who lost husbands, fathers, brothers, both American and Iraqi. It is indeed a very, very sad day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Brigadier General Carter Ham coming to us from Mosul, Iraq.

HARRIS: And on a very difficult day in Iraq, we are reminded that this is Christmas week, even though it may not feel much like it at this moment. Christmas is Saturday. But for troops getting ready to ship off to Iraq, Christmas can't wait. One way around that, fool the calendar and hold Christmas early. That's what one family did.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LT. COL. CURTIS MATTISON, 319 SIGNAL BATTALION COMMANDER: Only 10 percent of the unit will be able to be home for Christmas. That means when I'm going to over 500 people I'm in command that are going to be over there, and that's where I need to be, is I need to be with them. You know, it's kind of part of a brotherhood.

Daddy's working. I know.

It's been about 26 years, I guess more or less my entire adult life have been in the service in some way, shape or form. I get a sense of trying to make the world a better place for my children. We have six kids in our family, so that's something that I consider really worthwhile to do.

You want me to pick him up?

ANNELENA MATTISON, COMMANDER'S WIFE: Come here. I know. You want daddy.

It's hard not to have your spouse there. I have to make all the decisions. I can't discuss it with him, and I just get tired of having to be the one in charge all the time. That's why we're having Christmas early, because it wouldn't be the same if we waited until the 25th. It would just be too weird not to have him here.

Come on Jesus.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Come on Jesus.

A. MATTISON: Be our guest.

It does feel like Christmas. If you plan it, it doesn't really make any difference. You know, the smells are the same. The kids are excited. The 4-year-old is like Santa's coming tomorrow!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello there!

C. MATTISON: I'm leaving in a couple of days. You recognize the precious moments for what they are. I've already missed already missed a lot of them. I'll never see that first step from the three babies. I'll never hear the first words.

Hear my little girl go ooh over a tea set.

The kids especially are going to be different people by the time I come back, so I really want to kind soak up as much as you can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Look at those faces.

HARRIS: That's the moment, isn't it? That's all you want.

KAGAN: That's all you get.

The sacrifices that people are making, a lot of these military families are making, if you're thinking about a white Christmas or whatever you want for Christmas, it seems kind of trite.

HARRIS: Yes, it really does.

KAGAN: And yet people care about the weather and travel plans, trying to get together.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: That's going to wrap it up for us, but CNN will not leave the story what is taking place in Mosul, Iraq. Wolf Blitzer will have that at the top of the hour after this break. Meanwhile, Tony Harris, thank you for your help.

HARRIS: Thank you. Daryn, thank you.

KAGAN: Come back later in the week.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

KAGAN: I can use the help.

I'm Daryn Kagan, Wolf Blitzer after this break.

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