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The Situation Room
U.S. Military Strategy in Iraq Under Review; Will Sanctions Be Imposed on North Korea?
Aired October 12, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And to our viewers you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world, to bring you tonight's top stories. Happening now, the U.S. military strategy in Iraq under review, a striking acknowledgment from the nation's top general. It's 7:00 p.m. here in Washington. Is the commander in chief now willing to change course in Iraq's bloody battlefield?
Also this hour, will North Korea's dictator escape tough sanctions for his nuclear defiance. There's new trouble tonight for the United States and its push for punishment. And a new target in the political ad wars. The former secretary of state of Madeline Albright takes a stunning virtual beating. Are Republicans claiming responsibility for the Internet attack? I'm Wolf Blitzer, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
We'll have more on those stories this hour. But we begin tonight with that plane crash into a New York City high rise that killed Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor Tyler Stanger. It's raising troubling new questions about air traffic over New York City and other major cities across the country. Issues many people thought had been resolved after 9/11. CNN's Mary Snow is joining us from New York with more. Mary?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, here at the crash site as investigators try to piece together exactly what happened, others are asking whether or not aviation rules are leaving the city vulnerable.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): This is what investigators have pieced together so far of the final moments of the crash that killed Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and flight instructor Tyler Stanger. The NTSB says Lidle's plane left New Jersey's Teterboro Airport, made a 180-degree turn around the Statue of Liberty, headed north of the East River. At East 70th Street the plane began a left-hand turn at 700 feet. Radar last showed the plane one-quarter of a mile from the crash site turning at 500 feet. Some New Yorkers are shocked that in the wake of 9/11, a small plane could fly so low and so close to the city's skyline.
JOHN GARRISON, RESIDENT: I have often wondered why would they allow this. I mean this is really crowded air space. PATRICIA MONTAGUE, BUSINESS OWNER: I thought after 9/11 that was totally supposed to be banned.
SNOW: New York Governor George Pataki says he didn't know that a small plane could fly above New York's East River under flight visual rules only.
GOV. GEORGE PATAKI, (R) NEW YORK: This is something that I was surprised as any other New Yorker yesterday, that someone flying visually, not under the control, I believe of any of the towers of the airports, could just circle Manhattan.
SNOW: Pataki is calling on the FAA to review its rules. As some security analysts are asking what ifs in the wake of Wednesday's accident.
CHARLES SLEPIAN, CEO, FORESEEABLE RISK CENTER: If in that aircraft sitting alongside the pilot in that aircraft, was not an instructor or a passenger, but rather 200 pounds of explosives, when that plane flew into that building, we would have seen a major disaster.
SNOW: Some pilots say more restrictions are not necessary. They point out it would be easier to load a car or a truck with explosives than a plane.
PHIL BOYER, AIRCRAFT OWNERS & PILOTS ASSN.: A small plane, a type of airplane that went into the east side building, is about the size of a Honda Civic and the weight. It doesn't carry much fuel. It can't carry much of payload.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: And Wolf, tonight, the FAA released a statement saying, "With its partners it will work to review current guidelines for general aviation and temporary flight restrictions." Now after the accident yesterday, the FAA did impose temporary flight restrictions, requiring planes under 1500 feet to have authorization from air traffic control. Those restrictions have since been lifted but the governor wants to make them permanent. Wolf?
BLITZER: Mary Snow on the streets of New York. Thank you Mary for that.
And there are new developments tonight in the investigation, just a few hours ago, officials revealed the plane's parachute was discharged. But it's not clear yet, whether it was done by the pilot or by heat from the fiery crash.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBBIE HERSMAN, NTSB: The parachute is tightly packed. I looked at that this afternoon. Evidence of charring and burn damage. The manufacturer did look at the charge. It was discharged. And his estimate was that that was done as a thermal discharge. We're certainly looking at some other evidence as part of the system to see if it could have been induced by the crew. At this point in time, we can't say for certain. We're going to follow up on the information that we have.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: Deborah Hersman from the National Transportation Safety Board speaking with me earlier here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Moving on now from Washington to New York, a flurry of diplomacy right now as the Bush administration pushes the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution punishing North Korea for what Pyongyang says was a nuclear test this week. The Bush administration would like a vote by tomorrow. Some diplomats are now quoted as saying, "It won't happen until Saturday at the earliest." And while the U.S. Security Council unanimously condemned word of the test on Monday, cracks are now appearing in what was a united front. Let's get some details now. CNN's Zain Verjee joining us with details. Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, a blow to the U.S. as cracks in alliances appear to put the brakes on a mission to get tough with North Korea at the United Nations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE (voice-over): Any confidence in a coalition of states against North Korea may be waning. In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sounded sure the U.S. would be backed by all the key countries when it comes to North Korea.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States is joined by China, which has very deep relations with North Korea and has criticized North Korea very strongly this time. With Russia, with Japan and with South Korea.
VERJEE: But China is not on board with the harsh sanctions the U.S. wants slapped on North Korea for its claimed nuclear test. China appears to be taking a step back, saying punishment is not the purpose. While it says strong action against North Korea does need to be taken, it doesn't want to shut the door on talks. China is seen by many U.S.-based experts as the key to persuading North Korea to come back to talks. China also provides a lifeline to North Korea, giving it the food and the fuel it needs to survive. Turning that off would hurt.
China doesn't want to squeeze North Korea so hard with sanctions that the regime collapses. A collapse would mean millions of North Korean refugees on their doorstep. The differences at the U.N. have cast doubt on whether there will even be a vote on Friday on sanctions put forward by the U.S.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: It may also mean any final resolution would further be watered down. North Korea says any sanctions will be considered an act of war. Wolf?
BLITZER: Zain, thank you. And the United States clearly hoping the sanctions will at least crack down on North Korea's booming smuggling operations. CNN's Brian Todd is joining us now with this part of the story. Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the U.S. and its allies have already taken their own measures to crack down on those operations by among other things freezing some of the regime's bank accounts. But experts say Kim Jong Il's government still has an organized lucrative smuggling network and we've seen glimpses of it over the past few years.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): December 2002, U.S. and Spanish forces seize a North Korean freighter in the Indian Ocean. Hidden beneath sacks of cement, scud missiles bound for Yemen. Four months later the North Korean vessel Pong Sue intercepted off Australia carrying 150 kilograms of heroin. Windows into a smuggling network that experts say raises hundreds of millions of dollars a year helping underwrite North Korea's nuclear program.
ASHTON CARTER, FORMER ASST. DEFENSE SECRETARY: They have sold ballistic missiles we know to Iran, Pakistan and marketed them to others. So they're always trying to find some way to raise hard currency.
TODD: Analysts say North Korea's primary missile shipping route rammed through the South China Sea, through the ports of Singapore and Dubai. Then up to Iran and Pakistan until Dubai, Singapore and western navies crack down. Now analysts point to smuggling routes across the border into China. Then by land, or air to the Middle East. But the contraband can also travel under water.
MICHAEL GREEN, FORMER NATL. SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBER: The semi submergibles they use were designed for inserting special operations forces into South Korea and Japan, but they now use them primarily to drop off methamphetamines in the ocean near Japan with homing beacons on them. Then their counterparts in Japan often the Yakuza, the gangsters, will come out in shipping boats, pick them up and then sell them to Japanese kids.
TODD: An official at the Japanese embassy in Washington says Japanese police have investigated significant shipments of methamphetamine believed to have come from North Korea and have arrested members of Japanese crime gangs. Experts say Kim Jong Il also uses his bureaucratic and military machinery to sell cigarettes, counterfeit American dollars, even fake Viagra and a ripped-off version of an Asian sexual enhancement concoction called reindeer antler.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: But so far no tangible evidence that North Korea has exported any nuclear technology. Now for the record, Pakistani officials deny ever buying missiles from North Korea. We pressed an Iranian officials at the United Nations on that count, he did not comment. We also called North Korea's mission to the United Nations for a response to the charges of smuggling, they didn't return our calls. Wolf? BLITZER: All right Brian Todd, thank you very much. Let's go up to New York, Jack Cafferty has The Cafferty File. Jack?
JACK CAFFERTY: You think politics doesn't get dirty, listen to this. When it comes to House Speaker Dennis Hastert's handling of the Mark Foley congressional page scandal, no one died, like during the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident involving Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy. That lovely comparison was made by Republican Congressman Christopher Shays of Connecticut, one of many House Republicans who may wind up looking for work soon. After that remark, maybe he should be. He went on to tell the "Hartford Courant" in an interview this, quote, "I know the speaker didn't go over a bridge and leave a young person in the water, and then have a press conference the next day. Dennis Hastert didn't kill anybody." What's your point Congressman Shays, that as long nobody got killed it's ok for some scummy congressman to go around hitting on teenage congressional pages. Here's the question, is it unfair for Representative Christopher Shays to compare the Foley scandal to the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident involving Senator Ted Kennedy? E-mail us at "Cafferty File" at cnn.com or go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. Election's getting closer and the mudslinging's getting worse.
BLITZER: Just wait, Jack, the next 3 1/2 weeks it's going to get even worse. Jack Cafferty, we'll see you soon.
Happening now, President Bush on the Foley scandal, he's backing the speaker of the House who's been under serious fire for his handling of the Foley affair. We're going to take you live to Chicago where the president is raising money for the GOP with Hastert.
Also, U.S. strategy in Iraq under review right now in a plan to divide the country into three, should the U.S. simply pull out. We're joined by Max Cleland and Terry Jeffrey. And Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger goes "Late Night with Jay Leno" again. Find out why the governor's opponent's complaining. Stay with us, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Tonight President Bush is standing with House Speaker Dennis Hastert literally in the wake of the Mark Foley congressional page scandal. They're both attending a political fundraiser in Chicago only hours after a key witness was questioned by lawmakers about the Foley fiasco. Our congressional correspondent Dana Bash is standing by. But let's go to Chicago, our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux with the latest. Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, it wasn't a hug or a big wet kiss, but it certainly was unequivocal support for the speaker, President Bush style. Both of them sharing the stage at this GOP fundraiser. The president sending a very clear message to the Republican Party, to get onboard, get in line here, that the only way that the Republicans are going to be able to maintain the House and the Senate as if they back Speaker Hastert. Now this is all a part of a White House strategy. First and foremost, that is to get back on the offense and then secondly back on message. President Bush earlier this evening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I want to say this to you -- I am proud to be standing with the current speaker of the House who is going to be the future speaker of the House.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And Wolf, we heard that applause time and time again as the president went forward, very supportive of Speaker Hastert. Now this is really an evolution for the president when the scandal first broke, of course, President Bush like many people, waited for a couple of days, to see how the facts were going to unfold. And then of course when Hastert came out publicly, taking responsibility for this, launching these investigations, President Bush picking up the phone, called Hastert and essentially threw him a lifeline for the speakership. So that of course sending a very strong message. What you are seeing tonight is part political calculus but also genuine loyalty. Wolf?
BLITZER: Suzanne, thanks very much. Suzanne in Chicago.
A former congressional aide in the hot seat today could put the speaker in a little bit more hot water, maybe a lot of hot water. Mark Foley's ex-chief of staff Kirk Fordham was questioned by members of the House Ethics Committee. Let's go to our congressional correspondent Dana Bash. Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf Kirk Fordham returned to Capitol Hill today for about 4 1/2 hours of potentially explosive testimony, telling the House Ethics Committee under oath that he tried to warn senior Republicans here about Mark Foley's inappropriate behavior.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIMOTHY HEAPHY, KIRK FORDHAM'S ATTORNEY: -- and will continue to be throughout this and other investigations.
BASH (voice-over): Fordham says he began alerting senior Republicans, including the House Speaker Scott Palmer at least three years ago about Foley's inappropriate conduct with pages. That contradicts the speaker's timeline, which says his staff learned about Foley just last year, when informed of a troubling e-mail exchange with a 16-year-old former page. CNN is told Fordham was so concerned about Foley's behavior, he arranged a meeting three or four years ago between the speaker's chief of staff and Mark Foley. That move was prompted in part by an alarming report Fordham got. His boss, Mark Foley had allegedly shown up at the page's dorm drunk, CNN is told by a source familiar with Fordham's account. The only thing Palmer has said in response to Fordham's charge he alerted GOP officials about Foley, is this one-line statement last week. "What Kirk Fordham said did not happen." Who's telling the truth, that's what the ethics committee must determine as it judges how the Republican leadership dealt with the Foley matter, if any one tried to cover it up. Also testifying, GOP Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito, angry about how fellow Republicans handled Foley. Capito is one of three lawmakers on the board that oversees House pages, yet only the GOP chairman confronted Foley last year about a worrisome e-mail exchange with a former page. Capito and the Democrat on the board were kept in the dark.
REP. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, (R) WEST VIRGINIA: I'm a member of the page board who was not informed of the e-mail messages that were sent and I want to see this investigation go forth quickly and reach a conclusion.
BASH: Capito is getting pounded back home by her Democratic opponent, who took out a newspaper add saying, "This House Page Board has failed our children and the American people."
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: And the speaker's office would not respond directly to Kirk Fordham's testimony but did take a veiled shot at him by issuing a statement saying that they are confident that the ethics committee will, "determine the real facts." Now, tomorrow, Wolf, there will be another key witness going before the ethics committee and that is Congressman John Shimkus, the chairman of this board. The only member of Congress we understand that actually confronted Mark Foley about this.
BLITZER: Dana thank you very much.
And still to come, changing strategy in Iraq. Should the U.S. pull out or stay the course and try something radically different. Former Senator Max Cleland always outspoken and Terry Jeffrey, they're here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Plus, political low blow. The man behind "Scary Movie IV" makes a scary video about the Clinton administration. Our Jeanne Moos on the story. Stay with us, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Arnold Schwarzenegger may not be an actor anymore, but the California governor still is a star as he proved during a high-profile TV appearance last night. Is there anything wrong with that? His Democratic challenger certainly thinks so. Let's bring in CNN's Tom Foreman, he's here to explain what's going on. Tom?
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Do you know why he's upset? He's upset because Arnold always said he would be back and he is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: He's back! Arnold Schwarzenegger returned to the place he first announced he wanted to be California governor, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
JAY LENO: What have you been doing, what's going on?
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (R) CALIFORNIA: Oh I'm having a great time governing I tell you that.
FOREMAN: And he wants to keep governing. Schwarzenegger's late night gig gave him about 20 minutes of free nationwide TV air time, less than a month before election day. Leno asked him about his opponent's ads linking him with President Bush.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well I think to link me to George Bush is like linking me to an Oscar. I mean it's ridiculous.
FOREMAN: Schwarzenegger's Democratic challenger Phil Angelides isn't amused. Far behind in the polls, Angelides' campaign is asking for equal air time under Federal Communications Commission rules.
STEVE MAVIGLIO, ANGELIDES CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN: You have two candidates running for political office, they ought to be given equal time over the public air waves. Certainly the network is giving the governor free time and it's just not fair.
FOREMAN: But NBC says Schwarzenegger's chat with Leno is exempt from the FCC's equal time rule. No one disputes that the former movie star is entertaining.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Those girly men out there in Sacramento.
FOREMAN: Sure Leno asked him about some serious subjects including immigration reform, Iraq and the Mark Foley scandal. But Schwarzenegger wasn't shy about going for the punch lines. He even managed to get in a plug for his first movie while joking about his 20th anniversary celebration with his wife Maria.
SCHWARZENEGGER: She put on something really sexy and then we watched pumping iron. It really was very romantic, a huge hit. She loved it. It was a great anniversary.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: And sure we're going to hear more about all this. You know I had a walk on role on pumping iron.
BLITZER: You did?
FOREMAN: Yeah, it got cut.
He's a very funny guy.
FOREMAN: There will be more about this I'm sure.
BLITZER: Thanks very much Tom Foreman. And just ahead -- with casualties mounting by the day, the U.S. policy in Iraq now under review with one top U.S. military commander speaking very candidly about it. We're going to get the latest from the Pentagon.
And one of the leading possible contenders for the White House suddenly dropping out of the race. We're going to tell you who that is, why. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: To our viewers you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Happening now, enduring days of death. Today 17 people were killed in Baghdad. In one incident gunmen stormed the offices of a TV station killing nine people. One journalist group says it's the deadliest single attack against the news media since the war began.
Britain's new army commander reportedly says Britain's 7,000 troops in Iraq are making the situation worse and should leave Iraq soon. The British newspaper "The Daily Mail" reports General Richard Dannett also calls Prime Minister Tony Blair's policies, and I'm quoting now, "naive."
And a darling of the Democratic Party decides against a ticket to the dance. Mark Warner says he will not run for president in 2008. The former Virginia governor says he wants to, "have a real life." I'm Wolf Blitzer, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Even as Iraq explodes with violence one top U.S. military officer says it will only get worse. U.S. military spokesman Bill Caldwell says the violence tends to spike during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is now underway. And General Caldwell says the violence will quote, "Get worse before it gets better." Meanwhile, U.S. officials say the overall Iraq plan is now under review. Let's get some details from our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Marine Corps General Peter Pace, the Joints Chiefs chairman, tells CNN today that it's not a formal review, it's not a panel, but nevertheless the U.S. policy in Iraq is getting a hard, fresh look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE (voice-over): With U.S. casualties in Iraq on pace to make October the deadliest month in two years, the top general at the Pentagon tells CNN the overall strategy is under review, including the linchpin of the U.S. exit strategy, relying on Iraqi forces to take up the fight.
GEN. PETER PACE, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Are those assumptions still valid? If they are, OK. Then how are we doing in getting to where we're supposed to be going? If we're getting there, how do we reinforce that? If we're not, what should we change?
MCINTYRE: Pace's candid comments come a day after Iraq commander General George Casey met with President Bush, whose Iraq policy is being questioned by key members of his own party. Armed Services Committee Chairman, Republican Senator John Warner, for instance, returned from Iraq saying a change of course may be needed if the current level of violence continues.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If the plan is now not working, the plan that's in place isn't working, America needs to adjust. I completely agree.
MCINTYRE: Pace says he and the other joint chiefs are debriefing commanders just back from the frontlines, including one colonel recognized as a rising star and creative thinker. Colonel H.R. McMaster is the author of the 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty," considered the seminal work on the military's responsibility during Vietnam to confront their civilian bosses when the strategy wasn't working.
Meanwhile, the other key aspect of the U.S. strategy, getting the Shia and Sunni to form a unity government, also appears to be unraveling. Bitter debate is raging between Iraqi politicians over a just-passed law that would allow the creation of semi-autonomous federal regions, something the Sunnis see as a step toward partition, with the Kurds getting the north, the Shia the south, and the Sunni isolated without oil in the central part of the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: A separate review of Iraq's strategy is being conducted by the Independent Iraq Survey Group, headed by former Secretary of State Jim Baker. But sources tell CNN so far there's little consensus among those experts except for the general agreement that the current strategy isn't working -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jamie, thanks very much. Jamie at the Pentagon.
Iraq many experts believe, will be the key issue voters will consider as they vote in the midterm elections, now less than four weeks ago. And part of both parties' strategies is to try to convince you that you'd be better off with them in control.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Joining us from Cleveland, the former Democratic Senator Max Cleland of Georgia. Here in our D.C. bureau, Terry Jeffrey. He's the editor of "Human Events."
Thanks very much to both of you for coming in.
Senator Cleland, the president of the United States was very forceful yesterday in depicting you and other Democrats as being a party, in his words, of cut-and-run. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: When you pull out before the job is done, that's cut-and- run, as far as I'm concerned. And that's cut-and-run as far as most Americans are concerned.
And, so, yes, I'm going to continue reminding them of their words and their votes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: But other Republican strategists are saying they're going to try to do to other Democrats what they did to you when you lost your bid for reelection in Georgia. What do you make of this Republican strategy?
MAX CLELAND (D), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Well, first of all, I would like to remind the American people and the president that he cut and ran from Vietnam. So did his vice president.
I mean, they cut and ran from Osama bin Laden. They are cut-and- running from America's veterans. They spend $8 billion a month in Iraq and underfund the V.A. by $6 billion a year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
So, this cut-and-run stuff is just bumper-sticker stuff. It is not a plan to win. It is certainly not an exit strategy. So, we have 140,000 troops on the ground getting blown up and shot in a civil war. It's time to redeploy them, bring our Guard and Reserve home to guard our own borders, and go after Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. It's still, al Qaeda, stupid. And that is what the president doesn't get.
BLITZER: You know, a lot of Americans agree with the senator, Terry.
In our most recent CNN poll, we asked if you favor or oppose the U.S. war in Iraq. Look at this. Thirty-two percent say they favor it. Sixty-two percent say they oppose it. That's the lowest number of support for the war since we have been conducting these polls over the past three-and-a-half years.
TERRY JEFFREY, EDITOR, "HUMAN EVENTS": Well, Wolf, I agree with Senator Cleland that cut-and-run can become a bumper sticker, and it's really not going to be helpful for Republicans.
But the truth is that a lot of Democrats, like Senator Cleland, voted to authorize this war. And now we have both a moral responsibility and a responsibility to our national interests to make sure that, in the way we get out of the Iraq war, we don't entail greater consequences than we are suffering right now.
So, I think it is a good strategy for the president and the other Republicans to point out that the Democrats are not presenting a realistic, viable alternative for getting out of Iraq...
BLITZER: All right.
JEFFREY: ... without bringing...
(CROSSTALK)
JEFFREY: ... consequences.
BLITZER: What is a realistic, viable alternative, Senator?
CLELAND: Get out. Redeploy. Take care of our own troops.
I mean, I think that's what we're talking about here. We have -- we do not have a plan to win. Well, that's not -- stay the course is no strategy. It is no strategy to win. It is no strategy to exit. We're just getting kids blown up. We have lost 2,700 kids over there. We have got 20,000 wounded, 10,000 wounded for life, maimed for life. And it's time to end this thing.
Now, the Iraqis are going to settle their differences, one way or the other. They have been at this for 5,000 years. Let them have it. And it is not our 51st state. We have got to take care of our country. We have got to bring the Guard and Reserve home to take care of our country. We got to focus our active forces, covertly and overtly, on killing or capturing Osama bin Laden and his terrorist cadre.
JEFFREY: But ...
CLELAND: They are the real threats to America right now.
JEFFREY: But, Wolf, what Senator Cleland is not dealing with is the potential consequences of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq now.
How are we going to prevent a civil war? The problem we have had over the summer there is an intensification of sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia. You have Iranian-backed and armed Shia militia there. You have Sunni insurgents who don't want to give up the fight.
BLITZER: All right.
JEFFREY: How is Senator Cleland going to stop, if he removes our troops from Iraq, Shiite civil war from breaking out all down the Persian Gulf?
BLITZER: All right, what about that, Senator?
CLELAND: If people don't understand that there is a civil war going on there, and more than 100 Iraqis dying every day, and that three out of five Iraqis want to kill Americans, then, I can't make them -- make this point any clear -- any more clearly. It is time to redeploy our forces...
BLITZER: All right.
CLELAND: ... from Iraq, and bring them home, and refocus on the real enemy.
BLITZER: Terry -- hold on, Terry, because there is another poll I want to show. This may be even more worrisome to Republicans right now.
Who is doing a better job in fighting terrorism? Back in September, the Republicans had a 47-41 majority -- advantage on that issue. But, in our most recent numbers, right now, the Democrats get 45 percent. The Republicans get 40 percent.
This was supposed to be the big -- the rallying cry for Republicans, but, in this poll, the Democrats are doing a better job.
JEFFREY: Well, it is very bad news for the Republicans, politically. There's no doubt about it, Wolf.
But voters should remember the Democrats tried to stall the Patriot Act. Many Democrats have opposed intercepting international communications of al Qaeda in and out of the United States. They have objected to a military tribunal for terrorists that we have detained.
So, I think, on the merits, the Republicans have the high ground. They have lost the political high ground. I think that, in large part, is fallout from the public dissatisfaction with the course of the war in Iraq. I believe, were it not for the public dissatisfaction with what's going on in Iraq, the Democrats would have no chance at this time of winning in November.
BLITZER: All right.
JEFFREY: However, now, I think they have a very real chance of doing it.
BLITZER: You want to respond, Senator?
CLELAND: If a frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his rear end.
I mean, this has been a disaster for the country, not just for the Republicans. We had four years in this war. We have lost a lot of fine, young Americans there. It's time to redeploy the forces, our forces, and bring them -- bring the Guard and Reserve home, and refocus on the real enemy.
It is al Qaeda, stupid. And this crash in New York should just remind us that it's been five years since 9/11. And, if we don't get it now that it's al Qaeda, stupid, we...
BLITZER: All right.
CLELAND: ... we should be...
JEFFREY: Wolf...
(CROSSTALK)
JEFFREY: ... sent up the creek.
BLITZER: Hold on. Terry, hold on.
We're almost out of time, but a final question for you, Senator.
What advice do you have for your fellow Democrats who may be in tough battles right now to avoid what happened to you when you sought reelection?
CLELAND: Fight back. Fight like hell. And that's exactly what a lot of them are doing. That's what all of them are doing, especially the fighting Dems out there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Max Cleland, Terry Jeffrey, joining me earlier.
And as we head into the crucial midterm elections, stay up to date with the CNN Political Ticker. The daily news service on CNN.com gives you an inside view of the day's political stories. Go see for yourself, CNN.com/ticker.
New details tonight on Tuesday's mortar attack on a U.S. military compound that set off a series of huge explosions shaking building across Baghdad. Now an insurgent video emerging online giving us a closer look.
Let's bring in our Internet reporter, Jacki Schechner -- Jacki.
JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, that's right.
There's a new perspective we're getting from the ground on this video that showed up on a radical Islamic blog. Octavia Nasr, who is CNN's senior editor of Arabic affairs, tells us this does appear to be an insurgent video, and it showed up on a blog with a banner that reads "Iraqi Resistance TV."
Now, an organization that calls itself Jaish al-Fatiheen or Media Committee of the Army has claimed responsibility for the explosions in a post online. They're also now claiming responsibility for this video as well. They say one of their fighters captured this video, and there's a full 20 minutes of it. Only a minute of it has shown up online. CNN's international desk says there is no evidence that this group is or is not responsible for the attacks or the video.
In fact, another, more established insurgency group that is known as the Islamic Army in Iraq has posted online and claimed responsibility for explosion. They say that they used two Katyusha missiles and three mortar rounds, but that is inconsistent with what the U.S. says triggered those explosions -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Jacki, thanks very much.
Still ahead tonight, renewed interest in the Korean Peninsula and one of the world's most guarded borders. Our Zain Verjee visits the Demilitarized Zone. Stay with us for that.
And later, the campaign ad that never aired. It may be funny, but is it too mean for T.V.? CNN's Jeanne Moos is going to show it to us and you can be the judge.
Stay with us. You're in the SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BUILDING)
BLITZER: Let's get to more now on one of our top stories. The crisis over North Korea's claim it conducted a nuclear test this week. It's heightening tension along the border of between North and South Korea.
Zain Verjee recently visited the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two countries. Zain is joining us now with a closer look at one of the world's most heavily fortified borders, maybe the most heavily fortified border around the world -- Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It is Wolf. There are more than a million men with heavy weapons on both sides of the DMZ poised and ready to fight. The DMZ's essentially a no man's land, a buffer zone about two and a half miles wide that splits North and South Korea. It's a fairly mountainous area. There are plenty of rules, though, for troops and visitors at the DMZ, and breaking them could be dangerous.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): North Korean soldiers guarding their side of the DMZ and each other. The story goes, if one makes a run for freedom to the South, the others' job: shoot him. A third soldier faces his nation squarely, and forms a triangle to warn potential defectors.
A major with the U.N. Command says there's no way to know their orders. But he says things did change in 1984 after a Soviet visitor to the North made a dash for it. Since then the guards on the frontline keep a watchful eye on each other and their visitors.
MAJ. DEE ROSSER, U.N. COMMAND: They'll post security on their side when they have guests that come down.
VERJEE: The South Koreans have their rituals, too. They've to be tall, at least six foot, dark shades for effect, some boast black belts, and all pose head on in the Korean martial arts stance of Tae Kwon Do.
We follow orders here, too.
ROSSER: There's a certain dress code and there's certain regulations.
VERJEE: No jeans, no shorts, no sandals, no skin, and no pointing or gesturing. It could give the other side a propaganda photo-op.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Major Rosser, we're just at Unification Bridge.
VERJEE: Tight security, high tension from the moment we arrive at Check Point Bravo.
(on camera): For anyone entering the Demilitarized Zone, there are a lot of protocols to follow. Every class has a flag. We've been seeing cars with blue flags or yellow flags. Arm bands have to be on people to have them identified. As you can see, we've got our blue media armbands.
(voice-over): Unarmed troops wear yellow M.P. badges if they're carrying a gun.
ROSSER: And everything that we do is designed to ensure that there's not a resumption of hostilities. VERJEE: And so the show goes on, each side following the careful script with bravado and gusto. One wrong move, and the bullets could fly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE (on camera): North and South Korea signed an armistice in 1953, but the two countries are still officially at war -- Wolf.
BLITZER: What was the most striking thing that you observed along that DMZ, Zain?
VERJEE: It was actually one moment, Wolf, when we were doing live shots for you. It was really a strange feeling, having the North Koreans standing behind me, looking their binoculars at everything that we were doing. And also, just a few feet away were guards from the U.N. Command, that were standing there in case everything happened. It was very tense, but we were there -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Zain, thanks very much.
Zain's going to have more of her reporting from Korea coming up tomorrow here in the SITUATION ROOM.
Just ahead tonight, Jack Cafferty and his question of the hour, it is unfair for Congressman Chris Shays of Connecticut, to compare the Foley scandal to the 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident involving Senator Ted Kennedy? Jack, with your e-mail, that's coming up.
And later, the political video you may never seen, unless you want to watch this with Jeanne Moos. She's standing by with the story. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's a look at some of the "Hot Shots" coming in from our friends at the Associated Press.
Baghdad, an Iraqi boy runs from scene after the explosion of a carbomb.
On the North Korean-Chinese border, a North Korean soldier points at an A.P. photographer passing by in a boat.
In Paris the French president Jacques Chirac can kisses the hand of the visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
And in New York, a small tribute to the late Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle sits outside Yankee Stadium. Lidle and his flight instructor died yesterday in that plane crash in New York.
Some of today's "Hot Shots", pictures often worth a thousand words.
Jack in New York with "Cafferty File" -- Jack. JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, when it comes to House Speaker Dennis Hastert's handling of the Mark Foley Congressional page scandal, no one died like during the 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident, involving Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy. That's what Republican Congressman Chris Shays told the "Hartford Courant" in Connecticut today. The question is, was that an unfair comparison for Shays to make?
Lots of letters...
Rick in Phoenix writes: "Jack, no, it's not fair, the Kennedy incident was way worse. Kennedy should have been tried for a crime and never allowed to be a U.S. Senator. It's not OK for Foley or anyone to stalk children. Both should not be in the U.S. government."
J.R., Deltona, Florida: "Jack, Shays is a fool! He is just another politically crippled idiot (this time from Connecticut), trying to save his political ass!"
Ron in San Francisco: "I'm not paying attention to the question of fairness at this statement. Let's see it as an encouraging sign of Republican desperation. Keep at it, guys, your days of running this once-great country into the ground are coming to an end. It's time to muck out the barn."
Bill in Cedar Park, Texas: "Of course the comparison's fair. Shays was not saying, "As long as someone doesn't get killed, it's OK to go after young kids," as you've suggested. What he was saying was "If someone can kill a person while allegedly driving drunk and still stay in office, then why can't Foley?""
He has a good point, don't you think? Why is Teddy continually reelected? For that matter, why isn't Teddy in jail?
John in Brooklyn writes: "Fair? It's just embarrassingly irrelevant. It's odd how the more scandals erupt over current Republican corruption and immorality, all the GOP can do is invoke Bill Clinton's sex life or Ted Kennedy's accident from 1969. Representative Shays' analogy would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic."
And Barry in Hillsdale writes this: "What's unfair about the comment? Perhaps a concept foreign to you is that it's fact. Can't both left sides of your brain surround the issue? Maybe you should go lie down."
We invite you -- it's actually pretty funny -- we invite you to tune in next Thursday, October the 19th, 7:00, when management of this network has totally lost its mind and is going to turn over a whole hour to us to look at everything that's gone wrong with our broken government down in Washington.
It's actually your show. We look forward to your e-mails, your thoughts. You can send us these little homemade video things. You can go to JackBrokenGovernment@CNN.com to do an e-mail or send us your video at CNN.com/iReport. And, depending how it goes, it might be my last night here on the network -- Wolf.
BLITZER: I doubt it, Jack. Our viewers love you. Stay with us. Jack, we'll be watching your special next Thursday night. In the meantime, let's see what's coming up at the top of the hour. That means Paula is standing by -- Paula.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Wolf, thanks.
Just about six minutes from now, we'll be taking a look at the very latest from the high-rise plane crash right here in New York. As you know, it killed Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor. At this hour, still not clear who actually was in control of the plane at the time of the crash.
Tonight, we're also taking an in-depth look at big-name athletes and some of the risky behavior they take on. I will ask a "Top Story" panel if it's time for a crackdown.
Plus, the bizarre but fascinating world of Kim Jong-Il, the man with 20,000 movies and his finger on North Korea's nuclear button.
All that and more coming, top of the hour -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We'll be watching, Paula. Thanks very much.
And still ahead here, tonight in the SITUATION ROOM, the man behind "Airplane!" and "Scary Movie 4" does a serious spoof that's hitting hard.
CNN Video Columnist Jeanne Moos with the story, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: A political spoof too edgy for T.V.
Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You can bet the real Madeleine Albright thinks this is anything but bright. A Republican-inspired Internet video showing and Albright look-alike serving cookies to terrorists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kumbaia, my Lord, kumbaia.
MOOS: A suicide bomber set off on a mission.
The video is called...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Basketball diplomacy.
MOOS: ... because it starts with something that really did happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madeleine Albright gave North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il a basketball signed by Michael Jordan.
MOOS: Sort of like when Donald Rumsfeld gave Saddam Hussein gold cowboy spurs as a gift. Kim Jong-Il is a huge basketball fan. Here's the real toast back in the year 2000.
The basketball diplomacy video is the creation of film maker David Zucker, best known for slapstick comedies like "Naked Gun 2 1/2" and "Scary Movie 3".
But were Republicans scared of this video? Zucker did at the request of the Republican National Committee, but now he says the RNC won't release it.
DAVID ZUCKER, FILM MAKER: They may have been a little appalled.
MOOS (on camera): Appalled? Maybe, but analysts say there is no downside for the Republicans to have this thing circulating unofficially. The Republican National Committee clammed up when we asked about the video, no comment.
(voice-over): It shows Albright helping to paint Osama bin Laden's cave.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fact remains, there is evil in the world.
MOOS: Not that Bush foes haven't used Osama.
OSAMA BIN LADEN (dubbed over): Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had.
MOOS: This was put out by an individual, not the Democratic Party.
As for using impersonators, Will Ferrell played a bumbling President Bush in 2004.
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: I'm getting my groove on.
MOOS: Now it's Madeline Albright's turn to get beaten up on. Last month she was portrayed as a shrew in "The Path to 9/11".
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are regional factors involved here.
MOOS: For the record, Albright is considered to be more gregarious than shrewish.
JAMIE RUBIN, FORMER STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: She's got a pretty good sense of humor, but I don't think she would laugh, nor should the American people laugh at this phony attempt to divert blame for what has happened on Bush's watch.
MOOS: Albright's office notes that during the two terms of the Clinton administration, there was no nuclear weapons tests by North Korea.
"President Bush chose a different path, and the results are evident for all to see."
Also evident for all to see, in the Zucker video, is Albright's skirt splitting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Evil needs to be confronted.
ZUCKER: I could do a non-apology apology, where they say, I'm sorry if anyone took offense.
MOOS: At the very least, he could offer Ambassador Albright cookies and kumbaia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kumbaia, my Lord...
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Let's go to Paula in New York -- Paula.
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