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CNN Live Today

Thousands Evacuated from Lebanon; Secretary Rice to Visit Middle East on Sunday; Bolton Speaks at United Nations

Aired July 21, 2006 - 10:30   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're at the half hour.
Let's take a look what we know. More Hezbollah rockets rained down on northern Israel today. Israel reporting at least 19 people injured. Rockets hitting the port city of Haifa and several other towns. Tightened concern today about an all-out Israeli ground assault against Hezbollah. The Israeli military says it is ready to call up a few thousand reserve troops.

Diplomatic forces are gearing up right now, trying to end the Middle East crisis. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in New York. She's meeting in U.N. officials ahead of a trip to the region which may not happen until sometime next week. The Bush administration has been criticized for its measured response to the crisis, though White House spokesman Tony Snow tells CNN the administration has been fully engaged right from the start.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: When the cross border incursion began, the president, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense, the national security advisers and their designees immediately started working the problem. We dispatched Elliott Abrams from the National Security Council and David Welch from the Department of State to the region immediately. So the notion that we've been just sort of sitting around and having glacial diplomacy is just flat wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has visited more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries since becoming secretary of state. In fact, she made a surprise visit to Lebanon just five months ago. Her last stop in Beirut came last February, amid an anti-Syrian movement there. Rice also visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates during that trip to the region. Those three countries are strong U.S. allies.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from Lebanon by land, air and sea. Our Anderson Cooper flew along with U.S. marines for a firsthand look at the effort to get Americans out of harm's way. He filed this report last night for "A.C. 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Today the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon began in earnest. Early in the morning, we hitched a ride on a Marine Corps helicopter flying into Beirut.

(on camera): On Sunday, Marines began evacuating Americans out of Beirut. They created this air bridge that links Cyprus to Beirut. And using these large Marine Corps helicopters, they've been able to get out as many as 400 or 500 Americans as of Wednesday night. It's now Thursday, the big ships have come, and today they say they will be able to get out as many as 3,000 Americans.

(voice-over): We flew over one of the ferries now regularly bringing foreigners out of war torn Lebanon.

(on camera): By now we've all heard the figure that there may be some 25,000 Americans currently living in Lebanon, but the problem for the Marine Corps and for the U.S. Embassy officials trying to plan this evacuation is that they simply don't know how many Americans actually want to get out.

(voice-over): The flight takes just one hour. The ferries can take up to 12. Beirut only becomes visible moments before you land, suddenly appearing outside the rear hatch. When the chopper landed at the U.S. Embassy, we rushed off. Nearby, anxious Americans waited to board.

Embassy personnel made sure all the passengers had helmets. Even the youngest were protected. They then were quickly ushered onboard.

(on camera): It's the first chopper flight out today. From the time it landed to the time the Americans boarded and it took off was probably about five or 10 minutes maximum. It's able to carry 30 American at any one time. And there'll be three more flights out of Beirut today.

(voice-over): In a nearby embassy lounge, another group of Americans waited for their flight out. Tired, anxious, some still sat glued to the latest news.

Amanda Martinez and her friends came here on holiday.

AMANDA MARTINEZ, DEPARTING BEIRUT: I have mixed emotions leaving. It's bittersweet. I'm happy to be going home, to reunite with my family and my friends, get back to my life there. But it was very sad to say goodbye to people here who have no way to evacuate and are going to be staying here.

COOPER (on camera): For you, what was it like seeing that chopper?

ALISON WEAVER, DEPARTING BEIRUT: Makes me feel proud. Just really proud to be an American that we have -- that we can get the people out and I know that we'll be back and I know we'll be here to help and I know that our people have big hearts and we're here to help.

COOPER (voice-over): Outside, another chopper arrives. The U.S. has flown in the patriarch of the Lebanese Maraniss (ph) church, assigned to Lebanese, say State Department officials, but the U.S. government is not abandoning them.

And another group of Americans is ushered onboard. A few more steps, a few more minutes and they're safe. It has been a long week, a difficult journey. But now this group of Americans finally headed home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And our Anderson Cooper is live on the front lines from Beirut. "A.C. 350" airs weeknights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

And this just in to CNN. We're learning that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has set a date for her trip to the Middle East. She will be going on Sunday. We expect to learn a lot more in about three hours. The State Department briefing taking place. You'll see that live here on CNN. And we expect the secretary of state to lay out her plans there and you'll see it live here. More on that as it becomes available.

The number of injured is on the rise, while medical supplies are dwindling. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta on what could become a medical crisis in the Middle East.

Keeping you informed, CNN is the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Here at CNN, we're just learning about plans for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, learning that plans to leave for the Middle East on Sunday. We expect to hear more. The secretary of state is in New York City today, having a chance to meet with some U.N. officials. But she will head to the Mideast Sunday.

At 1:30, less than three hours from now, she'll be at the State Department briefing and she will tell us herself about what her plans are for the region and what her hopes are when she goes there.

While that's developing, so is this. Sirens going off in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. This has been happening for much of the afternoon -- what is afternoon there. Ten people have been hurt in this city.

And we will -- there we go. Lost that picture there. But looking at Haifa, maybe we can put the map up and get a feel of how close that is to the Lebanese border. A number of sirens and Katyusha rockets landing in that city today. Ten people have been hurt so far in the barrage so far today.

Well, let's go to Beirut now. The rubble of war is there. Now the rattling of sabers from Lebanon's president. He gave an exclusive interview to our Nic Robertson. And in that interview he said that his country's army is ready to fight, but it's ready to fight Israel, if Israel launch as full-scale ground invasion.

With more on that here is Nic Robertson with a CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT (on camera): In fact, if I'm not mistaken, you can almost sort of see where the old green line was.

PRES. EMILE LAHOUD, PRESIDENT: Exactly. Exactly. Look, you see now, this smoke is still going up. This is the area they're -- been shelling all the time.

ROBERTSON: And the planes are still flying. I can hear them.

LAHOUD: Yes, they are here. You can hear them. They're all the time. Look right -- you can hear. And (INAUDIBLE) is just next there. And have all Beirut in front of you there.

ROBERTSON: It looks as if that's a fairly fresh strike, because there's new smoke coming up.

LAHOUD: There are strikes every few minutes. All the time.

ROBERTSON: How many strikes in the city so far, do you know? Is anyone tracking?

LAHOUD: I don't have, really. But a lot, because every few minutes you hear and then you see the smoke and then you hear the noise, just...

ROBERTSON: I mean, you can see it and hear it from your office?

LAHOUD: Of course. The country is being torn apart and nobody is doing anything in the world. Is that possible? Is that human rights? There is something wrong. They must stop that, and then talk. If they think by force they're going to take the things politically, they're not going to succeed because force engenders force, and it will never happen. Nobody is going to and everybody is going to lose.

ROBERTSON: It almost looks as if -- you know, it almost looks as if there's been a second strike. Because there's more smoke coming off of it.

LAHOUD: Yes, yes. But you hear it when it goes down. It must be something.

ROBERTSON: Yes, you can hear it.

LAHOUD: They have been hit a few -- I mean, minutes ago. And something is burning now. There is gasoline.

ROBERTSON: And this is a southern suburbs we're looking into here, where Hezbollah is real supported.

LAHOUD: This is the southern suburb. And they think by just hitting, they're going to get them. They cannot. And it's all -- you know, there is at least more than 300,000 people there. Civilians.

ROBERTSON: In this area here?

LAHOUD: Yes. Now most of them run away. Now refugees, they're welcomed in the homes of other Lebanese and other (INAUDIBLE). It's making unity stronger between the Lebanese, because whenever they come to your home and then you stay for so many -- in the future, it will bond them together.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And once again, that was our Nic Robertson live -- not live, but on tape from Beirut. But we do expect to see live the secretary of state at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. The State Department briefing will be taking place, and we expect to learn more about her plans. CNN has confirmed that the secretary of state plans to go to the Middle East region Sunday. More coverage straight ahead on those plans.

Also here in the states, Tropical Storm Beryl, it hit Nantucket. We are live there in the next hour. Our Rob Marciano on the scene. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're following all the developments for you from the Middle East, including diplomatic developments, getting word now that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will head to the region Sunday. We expect a State Department briefing at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, where we will hear more about those plans.

Meanwhile, while that development happens, there also continues to be a barrage of fire power going on both sides of the border, of the Lebanese-Israeli border.

With more on that, let's go to our Carol Lin -- Carol.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Daryn, We have some fresh pictures on the attack on Haifa in Israel this morning. Haifa, Israel's third largest city, as Hezbollah militants continue the rocket attacks. Israeli military sources tell CNN about 15 rockets were fired just in the latest wave of guerrilla attacks. Israeli medical sources tell CNN that they have confirmed that at least 19 people in the city of Haifa have been injured. These attacks started about four hours ago, early afternoon Israeli time, in the Middle East.

So, Daryn, these are the dramatic pictures that we're seeing here. Again, 15 rockets fired in this last wave. And there is confirmed heavy exchanges of fire continuing along the blue line -- what they call the blue line -- just in the last 24 hours. A little less intensity, but more injuries in Israel this morning.

KAGAN: And we'll get live pictures from Haifa there. Carol, thank you.

While that's happening, getting back to the diplomatic angle. Once again, getting word that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is in New York City today, has announced that she will be going to the Middle East region on Sunday.

Let's learn more about that trip and talk more about that. Former Ambassador Edward Walker, president of the Middle East Institute. He was also assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs in the first administration of President George W. Bush and the second Clinton administration. He joins me from Washington.

Mr. Ambassador, good morning.

EDWARD WALKER, JR., FMR. AMB. TO ISRAEL, EGYPT, UAE: Good morning. How you doing?

KAGAN: Let's talk about the timing of the trip. Is this the time for Secretary of State Rice to go?

WALKER: Depends on what her objectives are. If she wants to try to galvanize a coalition of states like the Saudis and the Egyptians, the Jordanians and so on, to bring pressure to bear on the Syrians, then it's the right time. If she's going to go out there and try and tell the Israelis that they need to go forward on a cease-fire, that's a fool's errand.

KAGAN: Well, that doesn't look like that's happening, given how the administration has been treating Israel.

WALKER: No, and I don't think it will happen, either, because Israel didn't start this, Hezbollah did. And it's really up to Hezbollah to pull back and to cease the attacks on Israel. No prime minister can allow this kind of action to go forward without responding, and responding forcefully. The only thing I worry about is that it can still escalate from here.

KAGAN: Talk about that in just a moment. But first, looking forward to the State Department briefing at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, which, by the way, people will see live here on CNN. What will you be listening for, in terms of the announcement of the plans of what the secretary of state has?

WALKER: I'm going to be listening to hear that the United States first of all is actively seeking to build that kind of coalition that can actually do something in this kind of -- in this kind of a situation. I'm going to want to see that she's going to a couple of countries that are critical. I'd like to see her going to Saudi Arabia. I'd like to see her going to Egypt and Jordan.

She obviously will stop by in Israel, but I don't think that it's an opportunity to bring pressure to bear on the Israelis. It's simply as a sign of solidarity in the face of what is an unacceptable breach of international law by the Hezbollah.

KAGAN: Let's talk about some of the countries you just mentioned. Saudi Arabia. Have not heard a lot from there over the last ten days.

WALKER: Well, actually, you had a very surprising statement, which was reiterated, blaming Hezbollah for this problem and blaming its backers in other countries. I was stunned to hear the Saudis publicly making such statements. It's very atypical of their normal behavior. And it actually encourages me to think that this kind of coalition could pull together, the same coalition that got the Syrians to withdraw from Lebanon before.

KAGAN: Mr. Ambassador, I'd like to continue this conversation. We have a little timing issue. We need to get into commercial break. If you could stick around?

WALKER: Sure, I'd be happy to.

KAGAN: OK, great. We'll do that. We'll go make some money, get in some commercials, and we'll be back with the former ambassador and continue this discussion right after this. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go live now to the United Nations. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton at the microphone.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

JOHN BOLTON, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: We'll have a bearing on that, as well.

QUESTION: Can you tell us about the meetings that took place between 10:00 and 11:00 when the Security Council was delayed for the hour?

BOLTON: I don't know. I was in my mission between 10:00 and 11:00, so maybe you know more about the meetings than I do.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: ... meetings involving the secretary or...

BOLTON: As far as I know, she left for Washington, if the storm permitted.

QUESTION: As a result of the meetings and after overnight, does the U.S. have a more substantive or detailed response to the secretary general's package proposal than he sort of unveiled yesterday?

BOLTON: I had a substantive response yesterday. I'll have a more detailed and substantive response this morning.

QUESTION: Could you characterize the meetings between the secretary of state and the secretary general, and also the flavor of this morning's meeting which you sat in on?

BOLTON: Right. Well, the subject was obviously the situation in the Middle East, and particularly last night they discussed general ideas, and I think the secretary explained what her plans -- her tentative plans were.

This morning's meeting was really more of a briefing by Ambassador Nambiar and de Soto and Larsen on their trip. And part of the secretary's intense preparation for her announced plans later today, to be able to get her fully up to speed with all of their impressions from their recent visit.

QUESTION: Ambassador, do you expect that the U.N. team will be heading to Syria, perhaps at the same time that the secretary of state heads to Egypt and Jerusalem, et cetera?

BOLTON: It's very unclear in terms of the secretary general's team when or under what circumstances it will be going to Syria. And as I think I described in some detail yesterday, that, I think, is a problem, if Syria won't receive the secretary general's team, how we put all of that together.

Let me just take one or two more here.

QUESTION: Mr. Ambassador, do you have any comment on the statement by the president of Lebanon, Emile Lahoud, that their army will fight side by side Hezbollah if south Lebanon invaded?

BOLTON: Well, I think that the statements that we look to as defining the position of the government of Lebanon come from the Prime Minister Siniora. And Secretary Rice has been in touch with him, and that's where we look to for definitive statements there.

QUESTION: Since every human rights organizations are worrying about the innocent people in Lebanon, is United States have any plan to just asking not killing innocent people? The amounts, according to report, was (INAUDIBLE).

BOLTON: We are working closely with both the government of Lebanon and the government of Israel on the question of humanitarian assistance. And I think both I, in my statement here in the council shortly, and Secretary Rice will have some things to say on that.

OK. Thank you very much.

KAGAN: There you have the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, answering some questions what's taking place there in New York City. He was in those meetings where the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, was meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Now, the news of the day is that Secretary Rice has announced that she will be heading to the region on Sunday. More on that all ahead.

Also, the Secretary-General Annan, his only television interview will be right here on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE." You'll see that tonight at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 pacific. Also they're asking -- Larry is asking you to e-mail your questions to Larry. Just go to CNN.com/larryking and they will include some of the questions tonight with that interview.

CNN is the most trusted name in news.

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