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CNN Live Today

The War on Terror; Top Secret Betrayal; California Wildfire

Aired October 06, 2005 - 10:59   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, let's go ahead and take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
A former U.S. Marine who worked at the White House is now under investigation for allegedly stealing classified information. Leandro Aragoncillo had worked in the vice president's office for three years and had top-secret clearance. Multiple U.S. government sources tell CNN that Aragoncillo funneled his information to the Philippines.

A drug maker has announced a new vaccine that could provide a major breakthrough against cervical cancer. Merck & Company says an experimental vaccine has shown 100 percent short-term effectiveness against the two most common viruses that cause the disease. Cervical cancer kills about 300,000 women around the world each year.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair saying today his country's forces would stay in Iraq as long as they're needed. That pledge coming during a meeting in London with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. Mr. Talabani says Iraq needs both U.S. and British troops to fight the insurgency.

And here in the U.S., in Riverside County, California, look at these pictures. About 700 firefighters trying to knock down a brushfire that erupted yesterday between Highway 60 and Interstate 10. The blaze has since grown to about 6,000 acres. Officials say winds have died down a bit, allowing firefighters to make some progress against the blaze.

We'll have a live report from California just ahead.

Good morning. Welcome back to the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. Let's check the time around the world.

Just a little bit after 11:00 a.m. here in Atlanta; just after 8:00 in Los Angeles; and just after 7:00 in Baghdad.

From CNN Center in Atlanta, I am Daryn Kagan.

First up, a presidential address. You saw it live here on CNN just a few minutes ago. The commander-in-chief working to get the public back on board with his war policies.

U.S. deaths in Iraq are nearing 2,000. And they spiked in Afghanistan over a bloody summer. Many recent polls bearing it out, more Americans than ever are doubting Mr. Bush's strategy.

The White House billed the president's speech this morning as major, promising new specifics. Let's get started at the White House.

Suzanne Malveaux is there.

Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, of course, we were listening very carefully to see if there were new details or unprecedented details, as the White House said, in terms of Iraq and the war on terror. There was one particular sentence that stood out here.

President Bush essentially telling the American people to "trust me here." "You don't know what we're doing. Even the things you don't know here, we are succeeding when it comes to the war on terror." He specifically talked about for the first time terrorist plots that have been disrupted since 9/11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Overall, the United States and our partners have disrupted at least 10 serious al Qaeda terrorist plots since September the 11th, including three al Qaeda plots to attack inside the United States. We've stopped at least five more al Qaeda efforts to case targets in the United States or infiltrate operatives into our country.

Because of this steady progress, the enemy is wounded. But the enemy is still capable of global operations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Daryn, really this is a typical White House strategy that it uses. The president goes forward and asks for Americans to trust him, saying that even the things that you do not see on television, perhaps all this bad news, we counter it with things that we're doing behind the scenes, things that you can't even identify or see.

That is what the president did today. But, of course, he also broadened this out as well, saying that, look, there is going to be plenty of sacrifice ahead, warning of continued violence, and also asking, urging the American people to be patient.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: No act of ours invited the rage of the killers. And no concession, bribe or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder. On the contrary, they target nations whose behavior they believe they can change through violence.

Against such an enemy there is only one effective response. We will never back down, never give in and never accept anything less than complete victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Daryn, of course the president directly taking on his critics there, saying, of course, now is not the time for U.S. troops to pull out of Iraq. This, of course, comes at a time when the president faces some dwindling poll numbers, poll numbers that show many Americans have lost faith in the U.S. mission in Iraq.

It also comes at a really important time here for Iraqis themselves. In about a week or so is when they're going to be voting on their constitution. It is widely expected, the president has even warned, that they expect an uptick in violence in the next seven days -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And Suzanne, not to just address his critics, but perhaps re-energize his base at a time when conservatives -- the conversation of the recent week has been that they're not too happy with his selection for a nomination for the next Supreme Court justice.

MALVEAUX: It's an interesting parallel when you look at this, Daryn, because it really is a strategy that this White House uses. The president puts forward, he takes a chance and says, trust me on this one, I'm doing the right thing.

It comes to Harriet Miers, his Supreme Court pick, that is the message he's putting forward to conservatives. Today he is addressing the American people, saying, again, trust me on this, there are things that are going on behind the scenes that you're not even aware of that prove that perhaps this U.S. mission in Iraq is a success after all -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House.

We heard President Bush say today, and we've heard him say in recent weeks, he does expect there to be a rise in violence in Iraq with the upcoming election a week from Saturday. That appears to be coming true.

Let's go to Baghdad and our Aneesh Raman for more on that -- Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning.

The president really hitting home some points, both on the security situation here, but also the political process. And on the former, he did something by linking terrorist attacks worldwide, by using the name "al Qaeda" that we hear from the Iraqi government.

They have long said the terrorists have to be fought in Iraq for terrorism worldwide to be dealt with. But it's important to note, when we speak of al Qaeda in Iraq, that they are not the exclusive element of Iraq's insurgency. There are still Saddam loyalists, there are still those working against the current government. And so while al Qaeda is clearly the most visible component of Iraq's insurgency, it is not nearly the entirety.

Also, the president talked about Iraq's security forces. We heard Jennifer speak of it a short time ago.

There are about 198,000 trained and equipped Iraqis right now, about one battalion. Five hundred Iraqis are able to operate on their own. But we're told that there are a good number of level two Iraqis who are able to lead the fight with U.S. military support. And as they continue those three operations in the western part of the country, the Iraqi security forces are part of that operation. And they are, we're told, going to stay, and their numbers increased in order to prevent insurgents from coming back.

But on the political front, Daryn, the president really saying we have to look at how much has been achieved in the past two-and-a-half years, an interim government that became a transitional government, and now a constitution. Clearly, a lot has been done. The question is whether it was done too quickly.

This constitution, a document meant to bridge divides, it seems on the ground is now deepening them (ph). The president said, "Democratic federalism is the best hope for unifying Iraq."

Well, he would meet with some fierce operation from Sunni politicians who see that as exactly the thing that will separate Iraq, that could lead this country to further divisions among the Shia, Kurd and Sunni populations. And so that October 15 vote does remain critical, how many Iraqis turn out, by what margin does this constitution pass, and what the implications of that will be for the process going forward.

But as you mentioned at the top, the violence does go on. A suicide bomber today, boarding a minibus of police recruits, detonating just outside of Iraq's oil ministry. At least 10 people were killed, eight others wounded in that attack.

We also understand a suicide car bomb detonated as a convoy of American contractors was passing by. That incident left eight Iraqi civilians wounded.

And in the southern city of Hilla, Daryn, the residents there awaking to an absurd tragedy. Thirty-six people killed, upwards of 95 others wounded when a suicide bomber last night detonated inside a Shiite mosque as a funeral was taking place for someone who had been killed in an explosion just days before.

So, clearly, the insurgency is raising the attacks as we head towards that critical vote. Security, an omnipresent concern at the polling stations throughout the country -- Daryn.

KAGAN: You know, and Aneesh, these examples of violence fit right into something that President Bush said in his speech, that most of the victims of insurgents are actually Iraqi civilians. I'm sure that's a fact that is not lost on the Iraqi people.

RAMAN: Not at all. If we've seen the insurgency from the beginning, clearly at first it was the U.S. military, then it was Iraqi governmental officials, then Iraqi security forces. But now, explicitly, it is Iraqi civilians. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi just recently came out with a statement declaring all-out war on the Shia population here. And it is the civilians that are dying on a near-daily basis. The civilians want to know why this keeps happening, where is the security. Those answers difficult at the moment, Daryn, for the government.

KAGAN: Aneesh Raman, live in Baghdad.

Aneesh, thank you so much.

And while we were talking with Aneesh, the House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat, having a response to the speech we just heard from President Bush. Let's listen to a little bit about what Ms. Pelosi had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA) MINORITY LEADER: The president went into Iraq on the basis of a false premise, without a plan, and has totally mismanaged the war in Iraq. And now he's trying to justify his action with a series of excuses that are not reasons for us to be there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Once again, Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, responding to the speech she and we just heard from President Bush.

Well, the other major frontline in the war on terror is Afghanistan. NATO is expanding its presence in that country. That move could allow U.S. -- the U.S. to reduce troop levels in Afghanistan.

Here now, CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson, who was in Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Flying in to Afghanistan's relatively peaceful central highlands, NATO's top diplomats and commanders come to the most remote outpost with their PRTs, provincial reconstruction or stabilization teams, to get answers on their most pressing question, how to expand NATO forces to the far more dangerous south of the country. In effect, putting NATO troops into their first ever ground combat mission.

JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: There's still, unfortunately, combat to do. There is still counterinsurgency necessary against Taliban and other spoilers of the process. But the PRTs, as such, will need more robust rules of engagement.

ROBERTSON: And it's not just the rules of engagement, how and when troops can open fire that need to be changed to meet the new dangers. GEN. JAMES JONES, SUPREME ALLIED CMDR., EUROPE: We will have to make sure that our intelligence and information gathering is of the highest quality. We will have to make sure that we have quick response forces that are tested and ready.

ROBERTSON: Time to make decisions is running out.

(on camera): Early next year, about 6,000 NATO troops, Canadian first, then British, then Dutch, are expected to begin to replace the U.S. forces in south and eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban heartland. It comes at a time when attacks in the area are up. More than 50 U.S. soldiers have been killed in the last four months. That's far more than the same time last year.

(voice-over): The ambassadors of 20 of NATO's 26 countries are on the fact-finding mission. But getting them to agree on all issues, in particular, easing off so-called national caveats, what each country's soldiers can and cannot do, is likely to be a significant challenge.

SCHEFFER: National caveats are always, should always be at an absolute minimum. And one of my main points is to bring them down considerably.

ROBERTSON: While NATO already has more than 9,000 soldiers operating in the relative safety of the north and west, it is stabilizing and securing the south and east that is seen as critical.

HIKEMT CETIN, NATO REP. FOR AFGHANISTAN: If you do not go to Afghanistan, Afghanistan will come to us. Will come to you by terror.

ROBERTSON: Another significant detail also requiring speedy resolution, the precise working relationship between NATO and the U.S.-led hunt for Osama bin Laden.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Chaghcharan, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: On to Britain now, where Tony Blair is suggesting again that Iran may be meddling in Iraq. It is a meeting between Iraq's president in London today. The prime minister linked some explosives used by insurgents to Iran, or to Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. He cautioned, "We cannot be sure at this present time."

Mr. Blair also said he would set no timetable for the withdrawal of troops. He said such a move would only help terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This is the fact. I mean, this is what we're up against. And my point is, when you're up against these types of forces that are trying to impose their will against the will of the Iraqi people, we don't fold up and go away. We don't run away from that situation. We stand up to it. And do so as long as the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government want us to. And they're the people in the end who will say, look, this is the moment now we can handle our own security, you can leave. And then we do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Iraq's president, Mr. Talabani, backing up Mr. Blair, warning that an early pullout would be what he calls catastrophic.

Coming up in the next hour, we're going to have a fact check of President Bush's speech. National Security Correspondent David Ensor will be along with that.

We're also following this other major story out of Washington this morning, allegations of a spy inside the White House. Investigators are focusing on a former U.S. Marine who had top-secret clearance. He worked in the vice president's office for three years. His name is Leandro Aragoncillo. He is under investigation for allegedly stealing classified information from computers.

Our National Correspondent Bob Franken has been tracking this story and joins us now with details.

Bob, good morning.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And just some house cleaning here. His lawyer just informed us that former Gunnery Sergeant Leandro Aragoncillo pronounces his name that way, Aragoncillo. So the record is now corrected on that.

The record shows that as a gunnery sergeant in the Marines he was assigned to the vice president's offices of vice presidents Cheney and Gore from the years 1999 to 2001. And he is under investigation for possibly having downloaded classified material from White House computers and provided it to opposition groups in the Philippines.

We're told by officials that in New Jersey there's the possibility of indictment, perhaps as early as today, not of Aragoncillo, but of an associate, an alleged associate, Michael Ray Aquino, who is identified as a former member of the Philippine Secret Service.

Now, Aragoncillo currently works for the FBI. He was arrested last month. We're told by officials that he is cooperating with the investigation. He has not been indicted.

Officials explain that he was very, very partial to opposition groups in the Philippines and was taking this material and turning it over to those opposition groups, material that is described as the type that might be embarrassing to U.S. officials because of their candor about their counterparts in the Philippines.

This was a story that was originally broken by ABC News. But all of the information we have is confirmed by several U.S. government officials that this is an ongoing investigation. The White House says it is cooperating in the investigation. They had no further comment, nor is there official comment from the Justice Department -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Aragoncillo is how we're going it with it then. OK. Bob Franken, live in Washington, D.C.

Thank you.

A lot of other news to get to today. There is a possible breakthrough in the war on cancer, a vaccine that targets the common cause of cervical cancer. A closer look at how effective it is and when it will be on the market.

Plus, firefighters in California struggling to gain control over a massive fire. We will go to southern California live.

Plus, rebuilding homes and lives along the Gulf Coast. A status report coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's get to some news for those of you on the West Coast.

New wildfire worries today in southern California. These pictures courtesy of our affiliate KABC.

Crews are tackling a blaze this morning in Riverside County. It's just east of Los Angeles. More than 6,000 acres have burned.

And it's also where we find our Thelma Gutierrez, with late- breaking details.

Thelma, good morning.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, I can tell you that the good news is that things are changing dramatically out here. The ridge that you see behind me was in flames just a couple of hours ago. Now, firefighters say they're just dealing with sporadic hot spots that are tucked away in the canyons right behind me.

And there were 100 structures in this area that were also threatened which are no longer in danger. In fact, the Riverside Fire Department had four tankers ready to fly this morning to drop fire retardant out on those hot spots, but a fire captain told us that they are standing down for the moment. They're going to let some of that brush burn. They say they will, however, keep a very, very close eye, because all it takes is for those winds to kick up, and then you have a potentially dangerous situation once again.

Now, the fire captain told us that they were waiting for daybreak so that they could fly and have an assessment of how many acres have burned, and also what the containment figure is. Well, so far, the latest number that we have is 6,000 acres have burned, and containment is at 25 percent. The fire captain told us that those numbers are likely to change very soon, which is probably very good news.

Also, thousands are -- thousands of -- actually, there were several hundred people who were watching this very closely, very concerned in this rural area, and no longer have to worry.

Now, earlier, the firefighters were lighting controlled burns in this area to burn off the fuel to stay ahead of the fire. And it seems as though that made a big difference.

Firefighters say that it was clearly the weather that gave them a huge break. Those Santa Ana winds that were blowing last night at 30 miles an hour went down to about 5 miles an hour. And the residents here told us that that was a huge relief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DUNCAN BUSH, RIVERSIDE COUNTY RESIDENT: With the Santa Ana kick- up -- and there's nothing to stop the fires coming through the badlands. You can't fight it on the ground. It's pretty much air fighting only. And once it gets dark, that stops.

So -- but the wind was real strong, blowing a lot of embers and stuff. But people pretty much have pretty good dispensable areas. We recently had another fire here about a week ago, so it came real close also.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTIERREZ: Now, the 60 Freeway was closed out in this area in both directions because a wall of flames was threatening that area yesterday. But it has opened. And so there's a lot of good news to report this morning -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Thelma Gutierrez, live from southern California in Riverside County. Good to hear the encouraging update.

So, while dry weather and fire the story in California, rain is the big story in the southeastern part of the U.S. Look at what we look like in Atlanta, Georgia, today.

It is Tropical Storm Tammy. Now, it could bring 10 inches to parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. Nothing like that here in Atlanta, though. Some street flooding is reported along the I-95 corridor in north Florida and south Georgia. The Savannah River Valley may see the heaviest downpours.

Our Rob Marciano, we've somehow lured him back from the Gulf Coast to bring him back here to Atlanta and talk about what's happening with Tammy and weather across the country.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Other news from the Gulf Coast, Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Katrina left that building in ruins. Now will the hospital be forced to close? Plus, we are remembering Alex Scott. She was a very special young girl who was a young cancer victim. She left an inspiring legacy known as Alex's Lemonade Stand. How is her foundation doing? We're going to check in with mom when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Charity Hospital is a goner. So is University Hospital. Those were the two major facilities in New Orleans. State health officials say inspectors have determined the flooding damage was too great, and both aging structures will have to be torn down.

Congress is dealing today with the hurricane aftermath, especially how to pay for the recovery. David Paulison, acting director of FEMA, has appearances today before both House and Senate panels. He said the agency is now revisiting many of the contracts that were recently rewarded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PAULISON, ACTING DIR., FEMA: We're going to re-bid all of those no-bid contracts. And they were in the process of starting to do that. And maybe they should have done that sooner. That's one of the things that our -- that your committee will obviously research and we will do also internally, you know, for our lessons learned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And live picture now, Capitol Hill, where those hearings are going on in the Senate. The hearing focuses on aiding the recovery through federal tax policy. The House is looking to the actual costs from Hurricane Katrina.

An announcement of what could be a major medical breakthrough to report this morning. A new tool in fighting one of cancer's biggest killers. That's ahead when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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