Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Extreme Heat Across U.S.; Senate Hearing on Iraq War; Cuban Exiles Speculate on Castro's Fate

Aired August 03, 2006 - 09:59   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We will continue to listen and monitor what's happening there on Capitol Hill, but also want to check in with our Barbara Starr at the Pentagon -- Barbara.
All right. We will go ahead and listen in to the hearings.

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We're ideologically motivated by al Qaeda and its associated movements -- remains as serious danger to global peace and stability.

My duties took me to both Iraq and Afghanistan, central Asia and elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf, where our troops continue to perform with great professional calm and determination under dangerous and difficult circumstances.

Of course, over the past several weeks, the media has been filled with images of war in Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. Indeed, U.S. forces under CENTCOM helped evacuate nearly 15,000 Americans from Lebanon's war zone. And while the media's eye often directs public attention to Iraq and Afghanistan, it's important to remember that U.S. and coalition forces served throughout central Asia, the Middle East, the horn of Africa, increasing regional states capacity to battle extremism and keeping open the vital air and sea links of the region.

In the broader struggle against extremism, we face complex and potentially intersecting problems. Our strategic imperatives are formidable, but the continuing help of our friends, we must focus on three strategic objectives. We must synchronize the appropriate diplomatic, economic and military means to defeat al Qaeda and its associated movements. We must deter Iranian designs for regional hegemony to include its sponsorship of terrorist organizations and its development of nuclear weapons. Finally, we must find a comprehensive solution to the corrosive Arab-Israeli conflict.

I fully recognize that each of these tasks is filled with danger and enormous difficulties. I also realize that trying to solve any of these problems will take a considerable amount of time and effort. But failure to apply coordinated regional and international pressure against these three problems will further encourage extremism and could eventually lead to a broader, even more dangerous conflict.

The arming of independent militias and the subsequent undermining of state institutions by these militias is the curse of the region. In many ways, interconnectedness, brought on by 21st century globalization, has been turned to the advantage by non-state actors. Globalization brings with it great benefits. But it also accelerates the dissolution of sovereignty in weak or corroded states. If this century is to be dominated by non-state actors with no responsibility to the international community, we are in for even greater dangers. It should not be . . .

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We've been listening in to testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill. Our Barbara Starr, a Pentagon correspondent, telling us more about this.

Barbara, first tell us about the controversy or the discussions, shall we say, about whether the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, would appear before this public part of the hearing.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Daryn, there was quite a shift late last night when Secretary Rumsfeld's staff called the Senate Armed Services Committee and said that, yes, the secretary would like to testify before this hearing because until then he had said that he would not appear. He was going to be on Capitol Hill conducting a closed door briefing for members of Congress about the latest developments in the war in Iraq and he had the expectation that that would satisfy their interest.

But, of course, both Democrats and Republicans on the committee had really wanted the secretary to appear in public. They had not had the chance to question him before TV cameras, let's be clear, since February. And this hearing comes at a very -- it's always a sensitive time. But this time it's a very delicate time in the situation in Iraq.

By all accounts, of course, violence is on the rise. The generals, the secretary, they'd all been hoping that this would be the time frame in which they would be telling Congress that some troops would be coming home. But because of that rise in violence, it's exactly the opposite. About 3,500 U.S. troops you're going to be hearing throughout the day about this stryker brigade.

That's a unit that was expecting to be coming home now. They're going to be sent to Baghdad. They'll be staying in Iraq for perhaps as many as three or four additional months. And that's bad news. That's not what Congress had wanted to hear.

So Senator Warner talking a lot about this today. Senator Levin talking about it. Everybody saying they want to know more about exactly what the outlook is for U.S. troops in Iraq.

Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Barbara, thank you. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

We'll continue to listen in on Capitol Hill. We'll monitor it and bring you the highlights. And we will go back live once the question and answer session begins.

Meanwhile, I do believe if you'd like to keep on listening, you can just go to cnn.com/pipeline. They'll keep up one of the pipes with a constant stream of that hearing.

We're going to move on to other news. News affecting a lot of people around the country. The extreme heat. It is another scorcher ahead today.

Then the east finally get as break from a dangerous heat wave. In New York cooling centers will be open for extended hours through today. At least count more than 27,000 people have taken refuge from the shelter and cities are setting all-time records for power usage.

Thousands of customers saw their air conditioners grind to a halt during scattered black-outs yesterday. So far no major disruptions in the nation's power grid. Chicago and Boston get some relief from the heat today. Still, temperatures will be in the high 90s and 100s from Dallas to Philadelphia, to parts of Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina.

The heat's not just uncomfortable. You know, it can really be dangerous. CDC Director Julie Gerberding talked about the danger on CNN's "American Morning."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JULIE GERBERDING, CDC DIRECTOR: The main problem is the high body temperature. Your body just can't cool down fast enough to keep up with the outside temperatures. And what happens is your central nervous system begins to fail, your cardiovascular system doesn't pump blood appropriately and you basically go into a state of collapse. This is very dangerous and people need to recognize the signs and get help early.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: So the best advice really is just to stay inside where it's cool. But for some workers not an option. Our senior correspondent Allan Chernoff live in New York.

Good morning, Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

And for the third day in a row, we've got temperatures well above 90 degrees. But you know what, at this point, it really just doesn't matter whether we hit 98, 99, go up to 100. Everybody knows it's just miserable out here. And, in fact, the misery index is simply terrible for people, as you say, who have to work outside.

Particularly people doing heavy labor like construction. We've got a huge apartment complex going up right behind us and we've got the supervisor her, Joe Corvina of Defama Concrete.

Joe, you guys must really be sweating.

JOE CORVINA, DEFAME CONCRETE: Well, I think the last two days it's like boot camp. So they're getting conditioned. If it holds up, we might get used to working in this weather.

CHERNOFF: I would think the worst of it all is way up on the top, 33 stories up. You've basically got a frying plate there.

CORVINA: That's exactly what it's like, a frying pan. All that steel. All that heat reflecting off of it. Pretty hot.

CHERNOFF: Now do the guys work a full day on a day like today?

CORVINA: Well, we might make the whole day today. The last few days we've lost less than half. But a good portion of the workers.

CHERNOFF: So if it get to hot, call it a day?

CORVINA: Yes, we do.

CHERNOFF: OK. Joe, thanks very much. Drink plenty of liquid. Stay cool.

Daryn, a very tough situation for people who have to be outside. Con Edition workers also trying to fix those power lines that have gone out. They've been under tremendous stress. As a matter of fact, we know of at least three workers who had to go to the hospital yesterday because of heat exhaustion.

KAGAN: Meanwhile, tell us about these cooling centers the city has set up.

CHERNOFF: They're basically senior centers and community centers, places where people can go where there is air conditioning. We spent much of the day at one of them yesterday. Frankly, it was a nice break from being outdoors. But they're very popular these days and understandably so.

KAGAN: You didn't think we were going to be that nice to you two days in a row? You know better. You know better.

CHERNOFF: That's right. Well, I think we're heading to a pool a little later on.

KAGAN: Oh, lovely. OK. Thank you. We'll check back in with you.

Well, people can be underground and still feeling the heat. The stifling air is taking a toll on subway commuters. Even air conditioned trains provide little relief. Phil Lipof of our affiliate WHDH in Boston goes along for that ride.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need help. We need help.

PHIL LIPOF, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Before our train ride even began, we found passengers desperately looking for help. Help for this 22-year-old woman who passed out right on top of another passenger. And she wasn't the only one. Just one car behind her, this woman getting a collective fanning from perfect strangers. Everyone's in this together.

BILL STATRY, COMMUTER: Open doors, 100 degrees. It was hot as hell in there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes, dripping with sweat. Hot.

LIPOF: Many commuters told us one of the biggest problem for them is that when these trains pull up to the station the doors stay open for an extend period of time, letting whatever AC is on the train out.

STATRY: Stopped at every station with the doors open for about 10, 15 minutes each station. So no wonder why people are dropping.

LIPOF: Forty-five minutes later, at South Station, these two women need oxygen and a quick blood pressure check. Eventually taken away in an ambulance. The familiar scene all over today as people tried desperately to keep themselves cool as the temperatures soar and people pack the trains.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, it's the kind of day -- well, any day's a good day to talk with Chad Myers. But it is the kind of day that we want to talk with Chad. He is working hard, seated and cooled at our big weather center. Yes, working hard. Oh, yeah, you don't even need that it's so air conditioned over there. But we will check in with Chad in just a moment. He'll tell us if any relief might be in sight. Also the latest on Tropical Storm Chris.

But let's take a look right now at what we know is happening in the Middle East.

Israel resumes its bombardment of Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut. Looking at video of the war torn Lebanese capital. Just minutes ago we learned at least five Israelis have been killed today by Hezbollah rockets.

On the diplomatic front, they're working to defuse the crisis. British Prime Minister Tony Blair says an agreement to end the fighting could be reached in the U.N. within days.

Journalist Anthony Mills is in the Lebanese capital of Beirut and brings us the latest from there.

Anthony, hello.

ANTHONY MILLS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.

The Lebanese capital had been quiet for a few days in terms of bombardment. That quite was shattered last night with a series of explosions, loud explosions, that echoed across the city. There's also been bombardment in the east of the country, in the Bekaa Valley, and also in the north where a bridge was reportedly destroyed, linking Beirut to the border between Lebanon and Syria.

A short while ago, as well, I spoke to a U.N. official who told me that in south Lebanon Israeli forces appeared to be continuing to carve out a security zone, a buffer zone. He said there had been fighting between the Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters. He also said there had been heavy artillery shelling across the border from Israel into Lebanon. So continued fighting there between entrenched Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Anthony Mills live in Beirut. Thank you.

On to Iraq now where more Iraqis are dying in Baghdad. This morning, a motorcycle bomb exploded near a market in the Iraqi capital. Let's go live now to CNN's Harris Whitbeck who brings us the latest from there.

Harris, hello.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Again, civilians were attacked in Baghdad today. The latest attack was an explosion. A bomb attached to a motorcycle went off near the Al Resati (ph) Square, which is a very, very busy shopping area near central Baghdad.

The bomb went off at about 3:50 in the afternoon local time, which is a very busy time of day. Most shop keepers are starting to wind up their activities, closing their shops, and a lot of people out there trying to do their last minute shopping. That area is also frequented by a lot of people who come in from the provinces, from out of town, to take care of their weekly or daily, in some cases, shopping needs. Again, there were 10 people killed in that incident and 32 wounded.

A lot of people reacting with shock to an explosion which occurred yesterday on a soccer field in a predominantly Shia Baghdad neighborhood. There were a group of kids out there playing soccer. There were at least a dozen people killed. Among them, three soccer players who were under the age of 15. So people are shocked at the fact that not even a soccer game seems safe these days in the Iraqi capital.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Thank you. Harris Whitbeck. I don't know what to say after that. They continue to raise the bar in terms of what can make your jaw drop in terms of what's happening in Baghdad. Harris, thank you. Harris Whitbeck live in Baghdad.

It is about what's happening in Baghdad and all across Iraq. That is the topic on Capitol Hill today. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. There is Senator Levin of Michigan. We will listen into the Q&Q when it begins. And we do expect that shortly. Meanwhile, we're going to fit in a break and also let you know that we have other news ahead, including a brother and sister estranged but still feeling the family ties.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You see Fidel as two different people to you, right?

: Yes, I do. Two different people. One as the Cuban dictator. The other side, my brother Fidel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Ed Lavandera finds Fidel Castro's sister in Florida. We'll listen to their chat just ahead. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: For the latest pictures and information from there.

Let's check in on the weather. Boy, is the heat affecting a lot of people -- actually we will do the weather in just a moment. But let's go to Capitol Hill. And this is the Senate Armed Services Committee questioning, among many other people, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

SEN. JOHN WARNER, CHAIRMAN, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Hopefully as an honest broker in this. Are we mindful of the broader picture and the enormity of our investment in Iraq as we try to do what we can to bring about a cessation of the fighting in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah?

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Mr. Chairman, in the meetings that I've been in with the president and the secretary of state and those that are intimately involved in the situation in Lebanon and Israel with respect to the Hezbollah, there is a sensitivity to the desire to not have our country or our interests or our forces put at greater risk as a result of what's taking place between Israel and Hezbollah.

I think I'd suggested that it be phrased slightly differently because there are risks, as you point out. But there are -- it's a matter of relative risk. There are also risks, if one thinks about it, that Iran is the principle sponsor of Hezbollah.

Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, as you posed. Iran is a supplier of weapons to Hezbollah. The rockets that are heading into Israel, by Hezbollah, tend to be, in a number of cases, Iranian rockets. And clearly, to the extent that Iran were to achieve weapons of mass destruction, the -- and with a history of a willingness to work intimately with a terrorist organization like Hezbollah, there is that risk as well. So there are a variety of risks that we face in that region and it's a difficult and delicate situation.

As I indicated in my opening remarks, I do believe what we're seeing is really the face of the 21st century. The wars we're engaged in and we see are not wars between militaries only. They're clashes between systems --.political, economic, and military. And they're being fought with asymmetric and irregular warfare, which is very much to the advantage of the attackers.

WARNER: Mr. Secretary, I deem that situation in Iraq as fragile. We need only look at the Baghdad situation. Baghdad could literally tilt this thing if it fails to be brought about measured security for those people. Tilted in a way that we could slide towards a civil war that General Abizaid recalled.

General Pace, I go back to the resolution of October 16, 2002, which I participated in. My good friend to the left in drawing up that resolution with the Senate. It authorized the president of the United States to use the armed forces of the United States to, one, defend the national security of our country against the continuing threat posed by Iraq. Two, enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.

Many of those missions set out and envisioned by the Congress when it gave this authority, namely the toppling of the Saddam Hussein's regime, have been achieved. But now, in the words of General Abizaid, we're on the brink of a civil war. And I don't have the exact words before me, but I was struck by General Surelli's (ph) statement the other day that in his 35 years of military training he really never spent a day preparing for what faces him as our commander of forces in Iraq. Sectarian violence. Civil war.

What is the mission of the United States today if, under this resolution, if that situation erupts into a civil war. What are the missions of our forces?

PETER PACE, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Sir, I believe that we do have the possibility of that devolving to a civil war, but it does not have to be a fact. I believe that U.S. armed forces today can continue to do what we're doing, which is to help provide enough security inside of Iraq, for the Iraqi government to provide governance and economic opportunity for their citizens.

The weight of that opportunity rests with the Iraqi people. We can provide support, we can help provide security, but they must now decide about their sectarian violence. Shia and Sunni are going to have to love their children more than they hate each other. If they do that, and seize the opportunity that the international community has provided to them, then this will be what we want it to be, which is a success for ourselves and the Iraqi people. But the weight of that shift must be on the Iraqi people and Iraqi government.

WARNER: I think we have to examine very carefully what Congress authorized the president to do in the context of a situation . . .

KAGAN: That was Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is one of many people testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, talking about what's happening in Iraq. Interesting comments from the chairman saying that there is the possibility of civil war in Iraq. But he said the U.S. is there to provide support. Ultimately, though, he says, the decision about the way and the direction that Iraq is going to go is up to the Iraqi people. They must make a choice in favor of their children's future.

We're going to continue to listen in on that. You can do that, too, if you go to cnn.com/pipeline. We have other news and information to get to, including our Gerri Willis with her "Top Tips" today.

Hi, Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn. Good to see you.

You know, making your home energy efficient can be expensive, but we'll show you how to cut those costs. That's coming up next on "Top Tips."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Markets have been open about an hour. Looking kind like a bunch of flowers that hasn't been filled up with water in the vase. You know, just kind of wilting a little bit with the summer heat. The Dow is down four points. Not tragically, but just down a bit. And the Nasdaq headed that direction as well. It is down five points.

But we're all about saving money. And talking about the heat wave. It's making electric bills too hot to handle for plenty of homeowners. So how about this? How about some energy efficient relief in your mortgage? Now this is a new interesting hook and Gerri Willis is here to tell us more.

Hi, Gerri.

WILLIS: That's right. It's different, isn't it?

KAGAN: It is.

WILLIS: You know, paying for home improvements and cutting your energy bills is no easy task. Look, replacing your furnace alone will cost you about $4,000. And blowing in insulation can cost you $1,500 to $2,000. But energy efficient mortgages let you roll these costs into your mortgage. Of course you'll pay a higher monthly payment, but ideally your utility bills will be lower.

Daryn.

KAGAN: OK. So I guess we all have a rating, and we're not talking PG-13. No.

WILLIS: Indeed we do. OK. So you'll need to get that rating and appraisal with a certified energy rater in your state. Go to this website, natresnet.org. That's a mouthful. Now these raters test your home and determine what you need to do to make it more energy efficient. And getting this rating is not cheap. It will cost you about $300. So you have to be very serious from the get go.

KAGAN: Can you roll that $300 into your mortgage? No. WILLIS: You know, that's a great question and I don't know the answer.

KAGAN: But you'll find it.

WILLIS: But we can find out.

KAGAN: OK. How do you find a lender that's willing to play this way with you?

WILLIS: Well, see, this is the problem, a lot of lenders don't want to deal with this because it's too complicated. You know, there's a lot more paperwork. The loans are more complicated. But here's how you can find somebody in your area. Go to energystar.gov to look for lenders who offer special financing. You can also go to those certified energy raters we were talking about before to ask about lenders in your area.

KAGAN: I love trip three. You write don't let Uncle Bob do your repairs. In my case it would be Uncle Leonard. Not to worry, Uncle Leonard is not coming to repair anything at my house.

WILLIS: There's always one, isn't there?

KAGAN: Yes.

WILLIS: You've got to choose your contractor wisely. You know why? Because if the energy improvements don't cut your utility bill, you're still on the hook for the larger mortgage. So you've got to get the work done really well. You can either use a contractor you trust or find a certified contractor at the Building Performance Institute, which naturally has a website, bpi.org. Just remember, improvements have to be made 90 days after you close on the house.

And, of course, for you viewers out there, if you have a question, we'll be back on Friday to answer them. Send us an e-mail at toptips@cnn.com.

Daryn.

KAGAN: You know, this topic -- call me crazy, but I think this would be a perfect topic for your "Open House" show.

WILLIS: It is. Yes. Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN. On "Open House" we're going to be talking about this energy crisis. We've got on one senator who says he has a solution.

Plus, we've got a special interview with Martha Stewart. We take a look at her unique houses right outside of Atlanta. You want to join for us that. I sit down with a one-on-one, too, about her brand is very interesting stuff about Martha. Where she's going and what she needs to do.

Join us, Saturday morning at 9:30. And course, Daryn, if you can't make that, we're on Headline News later in the day. KAGAN: Yes. And about the Martha Stewart thing, for those people at home, Gerri was able to tell me about that meeting and interesting stuff. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

WILLIS: It's really interesting. And she, of course, a very compelling character.

KAGAN: Absolutely. As are you, Gerri. Thank you.

WILLIS: Daryn, thank you.

KAGAN: We were talking heat. Let's talk about the extreme heat. Another scorcher ahead today. And the East finally gets a break from dangerous heat wave, we hope. In New York, cooling centers will be open for extended hours through today. At last count, more than 27,000 people have taken refuge from the swelter -- actually, that would be shelter from the swelter.

Cities are setting all-time records for power usage. Thousands of customers saw the air conditioners grind to a halt during scattered black-outs yesterday. So far, no major disruptions in the nation's power grid. Chicago and Boston get some relief from the heat today. Still, temperatures will be in the high 90s and 100s from Dallas and Philadelphia, to parts of Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina.

Well, there's Donald Rumsfeld. First he said he was too busy, but he's done an about-face. You can see the defense secretary is testifying at an open Senate hearing on the Iraq war. His reluctance to appear irritated senators from both parties.

Our Barbara Starr joins me live at the Pentagon to talk about how we got here; and even more importantly, what the defense secretary has to say.

Good morning.

STARR: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, the hearing now under way for just about one hour. And it appears to have rapidly -- at this point, at least -- moved into substantive matters beyond the politics of yesterday's events when the secretary reversed his position and said, OK, yes he will come testify at this hearing.

General John Abizaid is getting some very significant questioning from the committee about the situation. And General Abizaid, never one to really pull his punches, answered very candidly just a short time ago when he was asked about the rise in sectarian violence in Iraq and what it all may mean.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABIZAID: As the primary security problem in Iraq has shifted from a Sunni insurgency to sectarian violence; al Qaeda terrorists, insurgents and Shia militants compete to plunge the country into civil war. Prime Minister Maliki and his new government know...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Daryn, General Abizaid going on to say that the sectarian violence is, in his words, as high as he's ever seen it. He does not think Iraq is in civil war at the moment, but he worries, clearly, that it could be headed in that direction -- Daryn.

KAGAN: I thought his comments were really interesting. Honest in that he said, yes, this could happen, but setting limits in how much he thinks the U.S. military could do in really putting pressure on what the Iraqi people need to come through for their own future.

STARR: All of the military basically is going along with that thinking at the moment. What they are trying to do is make sure that the new Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces really understand the U.S. position that the U.S. isn't going to stay there forever. You know, it's a delicate fine line of U.S. and Iraqi politics. In a strange way, the administration and Democrats agree, which is that U.S. forces won't be there forever. A question of timing, however, as to when they will leave.

General Abizaid making it very clear that he wants the Iraqis to understand they are going to have to take over the situation. But he also said this morning that he thinks the insurgency will persist beyond the time when the U.S. forces do leave, and the Iraqi forces will be left on their own eventually at some point in time, and they will have to continue to deal with the insurgency -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon. We're continuing to monitor what happens on Capitol Hill. And our viewers can do that, as well. Go to CNN.com/pipeline, and those hearings are being streamed through one of the four pipes.

On to what's happening in the Middle East. The Israeli police say Hezbollah rockets killed at least five people today. Here is what we know at the half hour.

More than two dozen Hezbollah rockets have slammed into Israel one day after Hezbollah fired a record number of the records. The Israeli bombs are again calling on Beirut's southern suburbs, ending a lull in the onslaught there.

And on the ground, the Israeli troops battle Hezbollah guerrillas while the U.N. tries to forge a resolution to stop the fighting.

From the front line to the diplomatic line, is President Bush doing enough to end the crisis in the Middle East? We'll take a closer look on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush is under increasing fire, accused of sitting on the sidelines of the Middle East crisis. Some believe -- some of his critics believe he's making a major miscalculation. CNN's John King has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The White House says, results will prove the many critics wrong.

JOHN BOLTON, UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS: We have been making progress on that here in New York and in -- in the exchanges between capitals. And I think that's really significant.

KING: Meeting Secretary of State Rice's goal of passing a U.N. cease-fire plan this week appears in jeopardy, and her work and words are increasingly under fire.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: What we're seeing here in a sense is the growing -- the birth pangs of a new Middle East.

KING: That line was ridiculed in the Arab world and drew this rare rebuke from Saudi Arabia's foreign minister.

SAUD AL-FAISAL, SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): We want to go back to the old Middle East. The only thing we see from this new Middle East is more problems and more disasters.

KING: Such complaints and images like these reflect one major dynamic complicating Middle East diplomacy, a sense among Arabs that with the exception of Iraq, this administration has all but ignored their region and that when it does get involved, it is biased against them. And in favor of Israel.

ELLEN LAIPSON, STIMSON CENTER: One of the structural problems of getting to an ending that pleases all the parties here is that U.S. credibility and U.S. stature in the region is despairingly low.

KING: Another obstacle, an image that the United Nations is inflexible, even pushy. Critics of Ambassador John Bolton complain he's not interested in the personal relationships that are often the grease of diplomatic compromise.

ED LUCK, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Unfortunately, it looks as if his tactics have back fired and isolated the U.S.

KING: The administration says the facts run counter to the "my way or the highway" label favored by its critics. Bolton, for example, is involved in intensive negotiations with France on a cease- fire plan.

BOLTON: It's been a discussion that we've had at, I think, very serious levels, very intensely, and -- and in real good faith.

KING: And Mr. Bush is, as the White House often notes, the first U.S. President to explicitly call for an independent Palestinian state. Critics say he lost interest when early efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process went nowhere. And is now consumed by Iraq. SANDY BERGER, CLINTON NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: The problem is there has not been a great deal of groundwork laid. This administration doesn't really have the architecture for engagement in the Middle East.

KING: And no matter the outcome of the immediate crisis, many experts already see a partial Hezbollah victory and a deeper credibility gap for the United States among Arabs and Muslims.

LAIPSON: We haven't yet experienced all the ways in which this summer of rage and unhappiness will play out when we try to achieve other policy goals in the region. But I imagine there will be a price to pay.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And let's go back to Capitol Hill, the Senate Armed Services Committee in the question and answer phase. Senator John McCain is questioning General John Abizaid, commander of the U.S. Central Command.

MCCAIN: ... accepting in conference, and that requires that operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, funding for it, be included in the regular budgetary process. We're hearing story after story about mismanagement of funds, corruption, et cetera. We must have sufficient congressional oversight. I hope you are making plans to include the expenses involved in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the normal budgetary process and not as a, quote, "emergency supplemental." And I think you should be able at this time after this many years involved in this conflict to be able to predict what those costs might be.

And I want to say, again, we will have a showdown, both within this body and with the executive branch, unless we work within this body and with the executive branch unless we start going through the normal budgetary process to fund this conflict, which I think all of us agree will be involved in for a long period of time.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R), VIRGINIA: I'd like to have you respond, Mr. Secretary?

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECY. OF STATE: We're aware of the amendment, and needless to say we'll comply with the law. From our standpoint we can do it either way. And it's been a matter that's been worked out generally over the years between the White House, the Office of Management and Budget and the leadership in Congress. And the reality is that what we would have to do, as you suggested, would be to provide the best estimates that we can and projections, and then make adjustments for them as time actually passed, and we'd be happy to do that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman? WARNER: Yes?

PETER PACE, CHMN., JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Can I make one clarification so that the parents watching this do not believe that somehow their sons and daughters are not properly trained to handle the kind of violence that the sectarian violence is creating. What General Corelli (ph) said is exactly true, that we do not train to separate sectarian violence, and that that is very much a responsibility of the politicians, and as we talked about already, the Iraqi people need to do that. With regard to Lieutenant Pace, who's on patrol in Baghdad with his platoon, and the kind of violence he's going to come across, regardless if it's Sunni, Shia or whoever, as an armed group our soldiers and Marines are certainly well trained to handle that. So there's a difference between the kind of violence they have to handle and what will prevent that violence. And preventing that violence is very much the role of the political leaders Iraq to solve, sir.

WARNER: That's the purpose of this hearing to allow you and other witnesses to clarify these bullet statements that come before us and the American public.

Thank you, Chairman Pace.

Senator Reed?

SEN. JACK REED (D), RHODE ISLAND: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

General Abizaid, in your opinion is the Mahdi Army a terrorist organization with implicit at least support from the Iranian government?

ABIZAID: In my opinion, there are groups within the army that are under the pay of the Iranian government that are terrorist organizations. I'm not sure I can say that necessarily true about the entire organization.

REED: As Senator McCain pointed out, there's an outstanding warrant for Muqtada al-Sadr, who is the leader of the Mahdi army, but also he is a prominent member -- his followers are prominent members of the Iraqi government, is that correct?

ABIZAID: That's correct.

REED: So when you say the Iraqi government will dispose of Sadr and the Mahdi Army, he in fact is part of that government.

ABIZAID: Well, I believe that the prime minister and his government will take the steps necessary to get the sectarian violence under control and do what has to be done against the death squads.

REED: Do you have any sort of sense of the timing of this particularly with respect to the Mahdi Army and Sadr?

ABIZAID: Again, i wouldn't characterize the target as being either Sadr or the Mahdi Army. I would say there are elements within the (INAUDIBLE) Mahdi that will be targeted, because they are participating in death-squad activities.

REED: With the encouragement, permission, tolerance of Sadr?

ABIZAID: I couldn't say whether there's a permission or tolerance or anything of Sadr. I can say that the prime minister knows and has been very forceful about saying that militias must be brought under control. He has a wide range of points that go all the way from direct military confrontations.

KAGAN: We're going to continue to do this. We're going to listen in some. We're going get to other news. This is the Senate Armed Services Committee, and they are having a chance to talk to and question the top military brass, including Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. We'll be showing you some and getting to other news, as I was saying. But also, if you'd like to watch on a continuous basis, just go to CNN.com/pipeline. It will be were on a continuous stream in one of the pipes there.

We were talking about President Bush. He has made a dramatic concession to reporters -- they're getting new White House workspaces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: You want to double the size?

CROWD: Yes!

BUSH: Forget it!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: OK, so they don't get that, but there is an extreme makeover happening for the White House media. And our Suzanne Malveax is going to give us a very interesting tour of why this is needed. You won't want to miss it. You're going to see it on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Some Cuban exiles are celebrating Fidel Castro's health crisis. He is said be recovering from surgery, but one Miami woman is not joining that party, Fidel Castro's sister. She hasn't spoken to her brother in more than 40 years, but she did speak with our Ed Lavendera for this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fidel Castro is the headline of every conversation around Miami. But inside this modest pharmacy, that conversation is personal. It's about family.

Juanita Castro has owned this business 34 years. She's Fidel Castro's estranged sister living in exile. She talks about her brother with me while customers shopped around us and the frenzy of speculation swirled outside.

(on camera): Is it difficult living here among so many people who are happy to see that's what happening to your brother?

JUANITA CASTRO, SISTER OF FIDEL CASTRO: First of all, we are blood. He's very strong, and he's my brother. I am his sister, and really I feel worried about the situation that he has now.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Juanita Castro left Cuba for Mexico in 1964. A year later she moved to Miami. She says when she first arrived here some labelled her a communist who could not be trusted. Juanita says that's changed over the years. She says she left Cuba because she disagreed with her brother's politics, but to her, blood is thicker than ideology.

(on camera): You see Fidel as two different people to you, right.

CASTRO: Two different people, one as Cuban dictator and the other side, my brother Fidel and it's the same blood, it's very strong feelings. I can't...

LAVANDERA (voice-over): She can't deny it, she says. But to south Florida's Cuban exile community Fidel Castro is an evil thug, his failing health something to be celebrated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The man who hurt my family is now getting what he deserves.

LAVANDERA: That is hard for Juanita Castro to hear. She says she understands how much Cuban exiles have suffered, but that it's still hard to watch people celebrate.

CASTRO: I am very upset about this, the show that they had the last night, two days ago, and I don't think it's necessary. He's not dead. He's very sick, but he's not dead.

LAVANDERA: Juanita Castro's family, like so many others, has been bitterly divided by the Cuban revolution. She's feeling the pain of realizing that her brother, who she hasn't spoken to since 1963, could die any time and she's wondering why it had to be this way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Ed Lavandera joins us now from Florida. Ed, tell me a little bit more about her story and how she sends up coming here to this country and starting a new life.

LAVANDERA: Well, you know, it was about three or four years after the revolution, after her brother had come into power in Cuba. And she just started developing a distrust of exactly what he was doing in Cuba and became completely opposed to him politically. She then went to Mexico in 1963. And it was a year later -- excuse me, 1964 -- a year later, she ended up here in Miami. And for the last more than three decades or so, she has been making her own way here, just as every other Cuban exile did here in Miami, starting her own business and running this small pharmacy here in Miami.

KAGAN: Just with a really, really famous last name. Ed Lavandera in Florida, thank you.

We are keeping an eye on the heat. Chad Myers will have the forecast coming up next. There's Chad. Look, he's so intent on the heat. It's got him riveted.

There's also this straight ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't be at the beach today so I'd just assume be in here, where it's nice and cool. No sweating. It's beautiful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Well, it's beautiful if you work in an ice cream factory. How perfect is that? A slice or a scoop of life on the job in the dog days of summer. That's ahead on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Lots of new things happening here at CNN. We are starting something that we want you to be a part of. Watch and learn how you can become a bigger part of the world's most trusted name in news.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ever wish you could say "I report for CNN"? Well, here's how you can join the most trusted name in news. When you have pictures or video of breaking news or cool stories from your part of the world, go to CNN.com and click on I-Report. There you'll get complete instructions on how to submit your stories to CNN.

It's fast and easy, and if we use your pictures or video on air, you can tell your friends, "I report for CNN."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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