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CNN Live Today

Building Support for Rebuilding Iraq; Front Lines of Battle in Iraq; Beltway Battles

Aired June 22, 2005 - 11:00   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening ""Now in the News."
The military says U.S. and Afghan forces have killed about 40 insurgents in southern Afghanistan. Five U.S. soldiers and two Afghan police officers were wounded in the fighting. The coalition troops came under attack while on a mission to destroy militant hideouts.

We learned today that the pile of a U-2 spy plane that crashed in southwest Asia was killed. The Air Force has not disclosed the location of the crash. The military says the pilot was returning from a mission in support of the Afghan war when the plane crashed yesterday evening.

President Bush visited a nuclear power plant in Maryland this morning to push for passage of his energy plan. The plant is one of the sites being considered for a new advanced reactor. Expanding nuclear power is a major part of the president's energy plan.

And a Boy Scout who spent four days lost in the Utah wilderness is recovering at home this morning. Brennan Hawkins was released from the hospital overnight. Police say he is in remarkably good shape. A volunteer searcher found Brennan yesterday about five miles from where he went missing on Friday.

And now CNN.com is offering a whole new way to get the headlines. Just log on to our Web site and click on "Watch" to check out the most popular stories, everything from politics and sports to entertainment. And it's free on CNN.com.

Good morning. Welcome to CNN LIVE TODAY.

Let's check the time around the world. 8:00 in Sacramento, California; 10:00 a.m. in Philadelphia, Mississippi; and 5:00 p.m. in Brussels.

From CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Daryn Kagan.

Up first this hour, building support for rebuilding Iraq. The U.S. and the European Union opened a conference in Brussels today on the future of Iraq. This conference brings together dozens of senior officials from the U.N., the European Union and the U.S. They pledge support for Iraq as it tries to overcome a deadly insurgency and trying to rebuild.

Iraqi officials outlined their plans for the future. They also announced that Egypt is the first Arab nation to send an ambassador to the new Iraq.

Our John King is in Brussels with more on the conference.

John, hello.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Daryn, from Brussels.

This conference designed to build some momentum for the Iraqi government as it continues to go through what has proven to be quite a difficult political transition. The political transition difficult enough, complicated, of course, by the very fragile, unstable, many would say, security environment because of the continuing deadly insurgency in Iraq.

So the meeting here in Brussels today bringing together some 80 countries who have promised at least their moral and political support to the Iraqi government. Many have also promised billions in reconstruction aid. Much of that money, though, held up because of the insurgency and the bad security.

So the Iraqi government making its case here that it will reach a political accommodation to Shia, the Sunni and other ethnic groups, that it will write a constitution and that it will hold elections by the end of the year, appealing for support, financial and otherwise, from the international community.

Among those on hand, of course, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is hoping the results of this conference not only help the government of Iraq -- in Iraq, but help President Bush deal with what we have seen back home, which is a slide in public opinion polls when voters are asked, Americans are asked what they think of the mission in Iraq. Also, dealing with other issue while here.

We sat down with Secretary Rice, and, of course, as the Iraqi government goes forward, many of its issues and problems will be handled by the United Nations. And the United States has no permanent ambassador at the moment. Senate Democrats twice blocking a vote on the president's choice, John Bolton.

Mr. Bush has the power if he wants to give a so-called recess appointment when Congress goes out for the summer. That is quite controversial. I repeatedly asked Secretary Rice if the president would exercise that authority. All she would say for now is that Mr. Bush will continue to fight for an up-and-down vote in the Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: John Bolton is the person to do this job. And we're seeing why, because the reforms that are being contemplated about -- for the U.N. are pretty fundamental. And we need a strong voice and somebody who has -- who has the knowledge and who cares about these issues.

I just would urge everybody in the Senate to just give him a vote. Let's just see. If he doesn't win the vote, he doesn't win the vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: During that interview, I also asked Secretary Rice about comments made earlier this week by the CIA director, Porter Goss, who told "TIME" Magazine that he had a pretty good idea of where Osama bin Laden was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICE: My view of the hunt for Osama bin Laden is that, on the day that I get the phone call that he's been found, that will be a very important day. But close is not good enough.

We just have to -- and there's a very active campaign to get him. His world has clearly gotten a lot smaller.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: And back on the subject of this conference, Secretary Rice voicing confidence it would help the Iraqi government get more support from around the world, including many governments who oppose the war in Iraq. She's also hoping, of course, that it helps rebut the criticism back home.

As you're well aware, Daryn, many Democrats saying not only has the president's policy failed, in their view, but they believe the administration has been far too optimistic in its assessments of the situation in Iraq. Secretary Rice hoping this helps the president back home -- Daryn.

KAGAN: John, let's talk a little bit about some of the help that Iraq had been hoping it would get over the last year. They had a conference just like this last year. You were mentioning I think $32 billion in commitments. But it sounds like you're saying because the situation is so shaky in Iraq, a lot of the countries that committed to send money are holding back for now.

KING: That's exactly right. Many of the countries are holding back on their money, and most of them saying they won't give it because there is such an unstable environment.

Many also had promised aid in the form of construction workers, humanitarian workers, and the like. Many of those workers, if they had actually gone into Iraq in the first place, have been pulled out because of security concerns. So the entire reconstruction package essentially on hold because of the insurgency.

One of the reasons the Iraqi government wanted to have this conference, to begin to try to build confidence among the other countries. That if you won't send money or those aid workers next week, perhaps get ready to send in a month or three down the road. The government making the case that is increasingly ready and increasingly able to handle the security situation -- Daryn.

KAGAN: John King live from Brussels. John, thank you. The ongoing violence is one of the biggest challenges in the fight for Iraq's future, as you heard John reporting. U.S. troops are constantly on the move, trying to uproot insurgents and foreign fighters.

Are Jane Arraf takes us to the front lines of the battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN SR. BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hundreds of miles from Baghdad, there's a battle being fought on Iraq's frontier for the survival of the country. Limited numbers of American forces move through towns and cities to keep insurgents and foreign fighters from digging in. There aren't enough American troops to eliminate the violence and stop all the foreign fighters still coming across from Syria. And, commanders say, it's unlikely there ever will be.

COL. STEPHEN DAVIS, U.S. MARINE CORPS: My mission out here is to make sure the insurgents don't get any more of a firm foothold than what they may have. We seek to interdict and disrupt them wherever they appear. So the forces I have are what I have.

ARRAF: The insurgency is a moving target. As the Marines destroy their safe havens, some of the insurgents and foreign fighters invariably slip away and reappear in other places.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We take it in chunks, you know. We had the Operation Matador. We cleared an area north of the Euphrates River a couple of weeks ago. It's just with the forces we have on hand we concentrate on areas where we think they are concentrated.

ARRAF: The latest operation was in the city of Karabila, five miles from the Syrian border, where foreign fighters are launching attacks on other parts of Iraq. Here Marines moved in with tanks, air strikes, missiles, destroying safe houses and car bomb factories. It's a very basic fight.

Trying to capture insurgents is a luxury the Marines don't believe they can afford. They were here to kill them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm out.

ARRAF (on camera): This is the kind of fight U.S. forces are facing here. In this house, they found a sniper rifle with armor piercing bullets. Just outside, they detonated a car bomb. The Marines have killed and captured foreign fighters and insurgents here, but soon they'll pull out, and no one is sure what will happen when they do.

(voice-over): It's a reoccurring pattern. Last year, Marine units here in western Al Anbar were pulled out to fight in Falluja. In the security vacuum that was left, Iraqi police forces just getting on their feet disintegrated. Insurgents retook control of some of the cities. In northwestern Iraq, stretched U.S. forces all but pulled out last year, leaving only 400 troops in this vast territory stretching to the Syrian border. Now, the U.S. Army has poured in 4,000 soldiers. This month, they launched a major operation to uproot insurgents controlling parts of the city at Tal Afar. There are no illusions it's a lasting solution.

LT. COL. CHRIS HICKEY, U.S. ARMY: So far, we believe it's disrupted the terrorists. The question is for how long.

ARRAF: There are also no illusions that U.S. military force will defeat this insurgency. An Iraqi government and Iraqi troops will have to do that. U.S. troops there are still training Iraqis, like these soldiers brought in from other parts of the country who were part of the fight in Karabila.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not your fault. Let's try and fix it. This way they don't get mowed down.

ARRAF: A self-sufficient Iraqi Army is still a long way off. In the meantime, U.S. forces in this huge territory will keep moving, trying to keep the insurgents off balance until Iraqi forces are ready to step in.

Jane Arraf, CNN, Karabila, Iraq.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

KAGAN: Back here in the U.S., President Bush is supporting Social Security reform legislation that doesn't include personal investment accounts. But the White House says that does not mean the president is (INAUDIBLE) from his position on personal accounts. Democrats have fought hard against the idea. Republicans say the legislation is an effort to move the issue forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ROBERT BENNETT (R), UTAH: The Democrats have made it clear they will not back personal accounts. And in response to the president's position that, let's try to get something done, I will be proposing a bill that does not include personal accounts. And the president's aware of that. He indicated that I should go forward and do that, and I'm grateful to have him do that even though his own preference would be to have personal accounts included.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: House lawmakers plan a news conference today to discuss their legislation.

Washington insiders know that lobbyists are key players on Capitol Hill. They specialize in working behind the scenes to make things happen, but now the activities of one lobbying scheme are drawing a lot of public scrutiny today.

Our congressional correspondent, Joe Johns, is here to explain why from Capitol Hill.

Good morning.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

In the big picture, Indian gaming is simply a huge business interest now in the United States. Nineteen billion dollars a year and growing at a rate of about 12 percent.

This is a story about how big money attracts big players in politics, including former super lobbyists Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon, a public relations consultant to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Of course, Abramoff and Scanlon apparently made millions of dollars off the tribes. Now two Senate committees, including the committee you see right before us now, is investigating whether there were false pretenses, allegations, including fraud, as well as inflated billing.

Earlier today, the chairman of the committee talked a little bit about the allegations against the two.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: From our first hearing emerged the utter contempt that Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Scanlon held for their tribal clients. In the second, Mr. Abramoff's and Mr. Scanlon's insatiable greed came to the fore.

Today's hearing is about more than contempt, even more than greed. It's simply and sadly a tale of betrayal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: The focus of today's hearing, the Mississippi ban of the Choctaw Indians, perhaps the largest client of the two men. Some close associates of Abramoff and Scanlon expected to testify, apparently just now being sworn in before the committee.

One of the big questions is whether they will in fact testify. We have been given advanced warning there is a distinct possibility they will invoke their right not to testify.

Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: All right. Well, you'll be tracking that for us. Also, the Bolton nomination to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, this one has more twists and turns than a daily soap opera.

JOHNS: Well, that's for sure. But we're also now at the point of political reality for the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist.

He's certainly getting pressure from the White House to try to get the Bolton nomination through. But on the other hand, there are Democrats who continue to demand additional information about the nomination from the administration, and the administration is not willing to give that up. So now that Senator Frist has actually tried two times to get a vote on Bolton, it's very hard to see whether and when he'll bring it back until there's an agreement between the administration and those Democrats seeking the information -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Joe Johns on Capitol Hill. Joe, thank you.

JOHNS: OK.

KAGAN: Another political soap opera. This one's in California.

Former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger was hugely popular when he took over as governor, promising a lean and muscular state government. Well, now it's less than two years later. His approval rating has turned from fab to flab.

CNN's Brian Todd takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A political honeymoon comes crashing down.

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I guarantee you that all of us in this building can share blame. All of us. Including myself.

TODD: Arnold Schwarzenegger responds to devastating poll numbers. Worse than Gray Davis had a year before he was recalled.

SCHWARZENEGGER: It's very clear what the people are basically saying to us is work together, do what you did so well last year. Work together and solve the problems together.

TODD: The Field Poll just released gives Governor Schwarzenegger an approval rating of just 37 percent among California's registered voters. Fifty-three percent disapprove. Still we above Davis' all- time low just before the recall, but how did it get to this point for the Hollywood star who swaggered into Sacramento as a nonpartisan outsider.

DAN WALTERS, "SACRAMENTO BEE": The relationship began to erode when they got into a squabble over the state budget and Schwarzenegger came to believe he was being jerked around by the legislature, which they deny, of course. And ever since then, an escalating war.

TODD: Schwarzenegger's attempts to cut costs have also angered some important unions. He's gone against the firefighters over pension plans.

CROWD: Schwarzenegger's got to go.

TODD: Against nurses over staffing and has clashed with the teachers' union over funding and tenure, leading to some brutal political ads.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The governor's always running around talking about reform. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But to me, it sounds a lot more like breaking his word on education.

TODD: Schwarzenegger's aides tell CNN this ad campaign is largely the reason for his slide in the polls, but the governor so adept at managing his message has had some public embarrassments like last week when some in the crowd turned on him during a commencement address at Santa Monica Community College, his alma mater. And when he made one of his boldest political moves.

SCHWARZENEGGER: Today I signed the proclamation calling for a special election.

TODD: That was the same day of the Michael Jackson verdict and Schwarzenegger got scant statewide media coverage. That special election this fall when he seeks support on budgeting, redistricting and teachers' initiatives is seen as crucial for him. Analysts say he may not run for reelection next year if he loses on those ballots.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: One-eighth of Americans live in California. So -- and it is a trendsetter. He's also a test case of whether someone can govern above politics and reconcile Democrats and Republicans. And if he fails, it will look like partisan polarization has once again triumphed.

TODD: Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Trying to find her daughter, Natalee Holloway's mother meets someone. Was it a friend or a foe? Details on the missing teenager coming up next.

What he's accused of him makes him infamous. Now the BTK suspect speaks out. We'll hear from him in his own works after the break.

And it may seem a world away to us now, but the avian flu may be closer than you think. Our "Daily Dose" segment is coming up a little bit later in the show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: The man -- oh, actually, we're going to get to that story in just a second. Want to show you this live picture.

You'll recognize some of those faces. Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

We had our John King on a little while ago telling us about this. These foreign ministers getting together, trying to show support for Iraq. Iraq calling and asking for support to back their roadmap to reform with expertise, also aid, as they work to secure order, rejuvenate the economy and draft a new constitution. So that's happening right now in Brussels. Wanted to show you that picture. Now we come back here to the U.S. and talk about the man accused of being the BTK killer. He's going to appear in court. He has a hearing coming up next week. But today we are hearing -- actually hearing from Dennis Rader.

He's accused of murdering at least 10 people over the span of four decades in Wichita, Kansas. Rader talked recently to a local news station.

With more on that, here is CNN's Bob Franken.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From anyone else, these would be routine complaints about life behind bars. But they're chilling when they come from Dennis Rader, the man charged with at least 10 murders over four decades.

DENNIS RADER, BTK SUSPECT: I can't tell you what's going to happen.

FRANKEN: He was coy about his upcoming court appearance Monday, accused of being the so-called BTK serial killer starting back in 1974. Other homicides are still being investigated.

In a wide-ranging telephone interview Sunday with Wichita station KSNW, Rader charges his legal rights are being violated and that he's being harassed as his hearing gets closer.

RADER: Yes, they're putting a lot of pressure on me. I don't know whether -- I think it's coming from the prosecution or from the jail, but I don't know where it's coming from. But anyway, it's about to rip me open.

FRANKEN: He would not discuss specifics of the case at all, but he complained he's had trouble getting mail. The sheriff's office acknowledged that it does examine the mail for contraband. Rader said he had heard from his wife.

RADER: Yes, Paula has opened up more and more. She's -- she's writing a little bit more. The kids are hit and miss. They're busy. But, you know, I'm getting some letters and phone calls.

FRANKEN: When Rader was arrested last February he was living a relatively unobtrusive life: a family man, married over 30 years and president of his Lutheran church.

Sometimes, strangely, as he complains, he describes himself in the third person. Other times, as "We."

RADER: We haven't had a haircut for almost two months. We haven't had a pair of clippers in two months.

FRANKEN: The sheriff's office says it routinely provides hair clippers to inmates. Officials have not given any further response to CNN. And the man who is charged with 10 murders so far, who allegedly named himself BTK for bind, torture, kill, is worried about how he looks to the community.

RADER: Remember, not too much negative. That's -- I don't like to see too much negative. I mean, you know, on my family or, you know...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: All right. Well, that's coming to us from our Bob Franken reporting on that.

Up next, we're going to have the very latest on the Natalee Holloway missing case. And who did her mother have a chance meeting with in Aruba? We'll tell you coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Yes, it is summer, but check out this from Colorado. Snow plows in June. That's what it took to clear the streets in Colorado Springs.

A slow-moving thunderstorm dumped up to a foot of hail on the city. Heavy rain from the storm left up to four feet of water in the streets. Dozens of motorists were rescued. Some had to be treated for hypothermia.

So if you are somewhere in the country complaining that it's too hot, look what it could be like.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: It's 41 years after the killings of three civil rights workers. A former Klansman is convicted of manslaughter. Coming up, we're going to look at the fallout in the small town of Philadelphia, Mississippi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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