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CNN Sunday Morning

Hamas Leader Assassinated, Palestinians Vow Revenge; Clinton's Testimony to 9/11 Commission Unveils Plans to Kill Bin Laden

Aired April 18, 2004 - 09:00   ET

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

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


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, and I'm Catherine Callaway.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, ANCHOR: I'm Renay San Miguel. Thanks to all of you for starting your day with us. Here's what we've got coming up in the next hour.

Tensions run high after the Hamas leader is assassinated. Thousands of leaders pack the streets and vow revenge. We'll get the latest in a live report.

CALLAWAY: Bill Clinton meets with the 9/11 commission, but not in public. And now, an executive -- an exclusive report on what he said. "TIME" magazine's Timothy Berger will join us with details on that.

SAN MIGUEL: And growing up in the shadows of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. A new documentary sheds light on the world's most dangerous terrorist. We'll get a preview just ahead.

But first, here's what's happening at this hour.

CALLAWAY: In Iraq, U.S. forces in Fallujah are trading sporadic gunfire with insurgents, despite a tentative cease-fire. At least three Marines were killed in an ambush near the Syrian border. Two more were wounded.

This as the U.S. military shuts down key highways in and out of Baghdad. They say the closure is for road repairs.

And in the city of Najaf, about 2,500 U.S. forces remain in the tense standoff with the militia of a radical Shiite cleric.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the offices of Shell Oil Company in Manila suffered a grenade attack earlier today. Police are saying that the grenade was fired from a government issued weapon. Officials suspect it was related to a labor dispute. No injuries have been reported.

In Iowa police had to use tear gas when an annual college festival got a bit out of control. No injuries but property damage is reported there. The two-day festival being billed as the largest student-run alcohol-free event of its kind in the country.

SAN MIGUEL: Back now to our top story. Hamas confirms it has picked a replacement for its assassinated leader. Abdel Aziz Rantisi's funeral was a short time ago, but Hamas will not say who will take his place, citing security concerns.

CNN's John Vause joins us now from Gaza with the latest -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Renay, the body of Abdel Aziz Rantisi was buried a short time ago at a cemetery near his home here in Gaza City.

But hours earlier, he was carried through the streets of Gaza in a funeral procession attended by tens of thousands of mourners. His face was exposed to show them the shrapnel wounds he suffered during that Israeli missile strike last night.

Now, in that funeral procession those mourners were calling for revenge, many of them at least calling for revenge. Hamas has vowed to retaliate with 100 attacks on Israelis, unique attacks, they say, which will take time. And they're planning, and they're urging those Palestinians sympathetic with their cause to be patient.

He was leader of Hamas for less than a month. He took over from Sheikh Yassin, who was also killed in a missile strike. Rantisi's death has caused an outpouring of not only anger but also grief in many Palestinian cities across the West Bank.

In Nablus and Jenin and Ramallah there have been very large protests, and there have been pro-Hamas rallies in Lebanon, as well. There, in a Palestinian refugee camp, hundreds marched carrying pictures of Rantisi, as well as Sheikh Yassin. They also burned tires.

Many Palestinians are directing their anger not just at the Israelis but also at the United States. Many believe that this targeted killing, as Israel calls them, could not have happened without a so-called green light from Washington.

Israel is now on high alert with as many as 50 terrorist alerts in the last 24 hours. Boarder crossing between Gaza and Israel remains closed, but this morning at his weekly cabinet meeting, Ariel Sharon congratulated the Israeli security forces for carrying out a successful operation -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: John Vause live from Gaza. Thank you so much, John.

The assassinated Hamas leader, Rantisi, held office less than a month. When he took over, he knew he was a marked man but said he wasn't afraid of death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDEL AZIZ RANTISI, ASSASSINATED LEADER OF HAMAS: I am not afraid to die. It's death either by killing or by cancer. The same thing. We are all waiting for the last day of our life. Nothing will be changed. If it is by Apache or by cardiac arrest, I prefer to be by Apache. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SAN MIGUEL: Rantisi was an Egyptian trained pediatrician. He was one of the most extreme voices of the fundamentalist group Hamas.

Hamas vows to avenge Rantisi's death, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vows to target more Hamas leaders. In that atmosphere peace prospects look even dimmer today than usual.

Aaron David Miller is a former senior State Department official and Middle East negotiator. He now heads the group Seeds of Peace and joins us from Washington with his perspective on the current situation.

Now Mr. Miller, a lot of Americans waking up this morning, seeing the headlines and might be thinking to themselves, what road map to peace? What do you think?

AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: Well, I think that's probably right. The situation, as I said, in the wake of Sheikh Yassin's assassination is going to get worse before it gets worse.

The fact is, we have a vacuum. We have no political process, and we have an ongoing war between the government of Israel and the number of Palestinian terrorist groups, each trying to inflict the maximum pain and damage on the other.

I think it's incumbent on us to try to look beyond the tick-tock day-to-day events to try to get to the issue of what would change the situation on the ground. And I think there are basically three realities.

No. 1, a decision by the Palestinian Authority, which basically ends the arm struggle, which has never succeeded in liberating an inch of Palestine.

No. 2, a decision on the part of the government of Israel to end settlement activity. And if they're going to pursue unilateral withdraw from Gaza, do so in a way that strengthens, not undermines a credible Palestinian partner.

And No. 3, a different approach by the administration, an approach which makes Arab-Israeli peace a top priority. The fact is you're got a willful, forceful president who on tax cuts, on Iraq has demonstrated his capacity to see this thing through. If he were to attach the same sort of level of urgency and importance to Arab- Israeli peace, within six months I suspect we could change the situation on the ground.

SAN MIGUEL: Just last week, though, the president said that this gave an opportunity for the Palestinians here. If they can show that they can build a state in Gaza in the areas the Israelis are withdrawing from, maybe that would give the Palestinians new credibility. What do you think on that? MILLER: I mean, I think that would help, but again, it can't be one hand clapping. There's -- the Palestinians have to take key decisions but they have to be buttressed and bucked up in those decisions, not only by the government of Israel, but by a third party mediator, the United States.

They have historic decisions to take, and it's not too much to expect them to end terror and violence. But at the same time, the Israelis have a set of responsibilities and obligations that they need to take as well.

The role of a third party, and we played this role for the last 30 years, and we've actually left a bad situation frankly in many instances better. The role of a third party when there is no trust, no confidence between two warring parties, is to build that trust and to act as an effective broker.

We've played it in the past, and we can play that role again.

SAN MIGUEL: Back to Israel's action yesterday. When things like this happen and also with the attack on Sheikh Yassin, the danger that this just makes Hamas more popular in the Palestinian street.

MILLER: I think that's right. The motivation, clearly, on the part of Hamas is higher than ever.

And not only that, you're going to get actions and operations not just by Hamas, but by al Aqsa, by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In fact, you may even see, as we've seen in the past, cooperation between these groups as a consequence of events over the last several weeks.

SAN MIGUEL: You talked about the responsibilities that Ariel Sharon and the Israelis have to protect themselves. Israel says Rantisi was planning a big attack. And the language used hear, very, very important, calling Hamas Israel's al Qaeda. Very potent connection to make.

MILLER: Yes. I mean, I think that works in terms of trying to convince the Americans and the American public that the government of Israel and the United States share a common predicament, democracies coping with the threat of suicide terror. And I think there's a degree of legitimacy to that argument.

Look, whether you're the District of Columbia, the state of New York, the highest order of business for any government, any authority, is to protect its citizens. There's no question that Israel has the right and responsibility to do that.

The problem is, is this going to be effective in making what is a volatile situation any better?

The only way that is going to be done is through a viable, credible process. And that's going to take actions by the Palestinians, action by the Israelis and, of course, as I mentioned before, actions by the United States. SAN MIGUEL: Aaron David Miller is a former senior State Department official and Middle East negotiator, who brings unique insight into this particular issue. Thanks for joining us this morning. We appreciate your time.

MILLER: Thank you very much.

CALLAWAY: And here are the latest developments in Iraq. More Americans killed this weekend.

A U.S. soldier died when a roadside bomb exploded as a convoy passed in southeastern Baghdad. And CNN confirms that three American soldiers have been killed just south of Baghdad.

No further word today on Army PFC Keith Matthew Maupin, a hostage in Iraq. His captors have suggested a prisoner exchange, but a coalition spokesman says that there will be no negotiations with hostage takers.

A firefight reported between insurgents and U.S. Marines near the Syrian border. CNN is confirming that at least three Marines were killed and two were wounded there.

Meanwhile, the Reverend Jesse Jackson is calling on religious leaders in Iraq to help negotiate the release of American hostage Thomas Hamill and others that are being held there.

He was instrumental in the 1984 release of an American Navy pilot in Syria. And in the first Gulf War, Jackson went to Iraq to bring home civilians who were being held as so-called guests of Saddam Hussein. In 1999, he was able to help win the lease of three American soldiers being held in Yugoslavia.

I talked with Jackson a short time ago about his latest effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW COALITION/PUSH: I talked with Mrs. Hamill twice and had prayer with her, reaching out to the family in Ohio of the soldier. I talked with Terry Anderson last night, who himself an A.P. reporter who was held hostage in Lebanon, now running for state Senate in that area.

But in addition to Hamill and the soldier in Ohio, there are about seven other hostages. And so we join the pope in appealing for their release. We do so on moral and humanitarian grounds. If I knew exactly who was holding them, I would appeal to them directly.

In the case of Syria and Assad and Iraq and Hussein and Milosevic and Yugoslavia, I knew who had the power. But power is sort of fused in Iraq right now. You can only make an appeal -- the religious leaders that we know in that area, national council and world council, church contacts, we're reaching out to them.

The good news is that Jessica Lynch was found in good condition and Shoshana Johnson, her crew was found in good condition. Three Japanese citizens were released last week. So that's the high side. The low side, some have been killed while in captivity.

We hope that this humanitarian appeal will help because, there must always be some window for negotiation, some window for prisoner swap. There must be something that will help break the cycle of violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: Jackson is also calling for the Bush administration to withdraw troops from Iraq as soon as possible.

SAN MIGUEL: As some debate the reasons for going to war in Iraq in the first place, journalist Bob Woodward is set to release a book titled "Plan of Attack." And in it, he makes new allegations about the buildup to the invasion.

Among them some $700 million that Congress OK'd for military work in Afghanistan was secretly used to prepare for war with Iraq.

The author also says Vice President Cheney had an unhealthy fixation on Saddam Hussein. Woodward writes, "The secretary of state saw this in Cheney to such an extent he, Powell, told colleagues that Cheney has a fever. It is an absolute fever. It is almost as if nothing else exists."

Iraq is still making news on the campaign trail, as well. Vice President Dick Cheney fired off a verbal shot yesterday, saying the country must stay its current course in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our will is still being tested in Iraq, as we have seen in the heavy fighting this month. Yet as Americans, we understand what is at stake.

America accepts the responsibilities we've been given as freedom's home and defender. And we will continue taking decisive action until the dangers to our country are removed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAN MIGUEL: Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry says the U.S. needs to remove the made in America label from the Iraqi occupation. He says we can do that by creating an international mission authorized by the United Nations. That mission should become the main civilian power in helping the Iraqi people hold free elections, restore government services and rebuild their economy.

We're going to have plenty more on Iraq coming up. We're going to talk with two U.S. senators about the coming transfer of power there.

CALLAWAY: Also news from across America. And a sad discovery in Minnesota. After months of searching, the worse has come true. Police find the body of missing college student Dru Sjodin. We'll have reaction from the family. And he was spared the lights and cameras of the 9/11 commission, but Bill Clinton's private sessions are revealed in an exclusive "TIME" magazine report. We will talk with the correspondent, coming up in a moment.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center. KUSA is our affiliate in the mile high city of Denver, Colorado, where currently temperatures are in the 50s. It will be a little cooler, and winds will pick up also. In fact, it will be windy across much of the country. Detailed forecast in about 10 minutes.

CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

A town holds out hope for one of its missing sons held captive in Iraq. The latest from Ohio when "CNN Sunday morning" returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Police have finally found the body of Dru Sjodin. The 22-year-old college student, missing since November, was found in a previous search area that had been covered by snowdrifts.

The weather led police to call off that search last December. It resumed yesterday.

Sjodin's family and friends were understandably devastated by the discovery, saying that they've been going through a living hell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALLAN SJODIN, DRU'S FATHER: It's a bittersweet day. It's kind of what -- it's kind of what we've been preparing ourself for, you know, mentally, but it's -- it's just a devastating day, obviously. We don't have our little baby anymore and she's going to watch over us now. She's going to lead us. She's going to direct us and take care of us.

CHRIS LAND, DRU'S BOYFRIEND: It's very bittersweet, but she is looking down. and she is happy today, because we are going to bring her home, Finally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: A convicted sex offender is in jail on kidnapping charges stemming from Sjodin's November disappearance.

SAN MIGUEL: President Bush and Vice President Cheney have yet to testify before the 9/11 commission, but earlier this month, former President Clinton did testify in private about what his administration did to try to stop Osama bin Laden.

In the new edition of "TIME" magazine, which hits newsstands tomorrow, there is a special report called "Did Bill Clinton Do Enough?"

And joining us now is "TIME" correspondent Timothy Berger, who contributed to that report.

Thanks for joining us this morning.

TIMOTHY BERGER, "TIME" MAGAZINE: My pleasure.

SAN MIGUEL: The former president said he became obsessed with bin Laden after the '98 embassy bombings in Africa and wanted him dead. So why didn't that happen?

BERGER: Well, the position is that there was a lack of actionable intelligence, which means they didn't know exactly where bin Laden was with enough certainty and where he would be for enough time to send a cruise missile over or to have one of various proxy groups such as the Northern Alliance, with whom the CIA was doing some business back then, come in and do a capture or a kill of Osama bin Laden.

So basically they didn't quite have enough good intelligence on where he was at a point in time that would give them time to grab him or kill him.

SAN MIGUEL: And did that check out with your intelligence sources, the magazine's sources and the CIA and the FBI who were there at the time?

BERGER: It did. They -- You know, my intelligence folks that I speak to did say that that was -- that was a big problem.

However, another big problem was a horrendous miscommunication between, at the very least, between the White House and the CIA, where the CIA thought that they were supposed to only mount a capture operation. And if they happened to kill Osama bin Laden in the course of something like that, because obviously he's not likely to go quietly even back then, if they happened to kill him in the course of a legitimate capture, that was OK.

But the CIA thought that they had to set up only a capture, which is a huge complex type of operation, as opposed to a kill, which could be from, you know, from a sniper to anything.

SAN MIGUEL: And that leads to -- I mean, it seems like all the political problems the CIA went through, you know, in the past, the '60s and the '70s and, you know, targeting of Central American leaders, things like this, for assassination, kind of came back to haunt them in this case.

These memorandum of notification, it seems like the CIA wasn't sure what kind of legal ground it was on, even though Osama bin Laden was a military target, a legitimate target?

BERGER: That's right. I don't know, you know, -- it's understandable that the CIA has faced horrendous congressional investigations, even prosecutions over what I'm sure they thought they were doing in the interest of the country and with the blessing of the White House in the past, as you say, as chairman of the commission Tom Kean said, you know, assassinations in central America and that sort of thing.

So they were, indeed, quite conservative apparently, according to the commission, in interpreting the memoranda of notification.

SAN MIGUEL: So you know, considering the kind of questioning some of the members on the panel gave to Condoleezza Rice, how did the questioning go for Bill Clinton?

BERGER: Apparently it was quite a statesman-like appearance all around. You didn't -- you know, the commission has lately been accused in some quarters of having some elements of partisanship and acrimony.

This session was quite a lofty one. President Clinton was asked very detailed and direct questions, but it was all in a tone of respect and understanding, apparently.

It was around a four-hour session. You had all the commissioners there, but no one was apparently grinding a political axe. And in fact, the tone of that is going to be important going forward, because I think that Republicans on the commission are going to be watching how President Bush's is treated when he and Cheney appear, whenever that is.

By the way, it could be happening right now. It's being done in a secret manner. So we'll just have to see when it's done.

SAN MIGUEL: And what did Clinton tell president -- what did Clinton tell the commission about what he told President Bush about bin Laden and the threat of terrorism during the transition period between administrations?

BERGER: That's also an incredibly fascinating part, because President Clinton has said publicly before that he told Bush during their -- during a meeting in the transition in 2000 that Osama bin Laden would be his No. 1 national security problem or priority.

And what happened from there until September 11, I'm sure the commission will be asking President Bush, because they've got President Clinton's side of that conversation. Now they're going to have to ask Bush.

SAN MIGUEL: All right. "TIME" magazine, the story's in the issue of "TIME" magazine that hits news stands tomorrow. Timothy Berger, "TIME" correspondent, thanks for your time. We appreciate it.

BERGER: Thank you.

SAN MIGUEL: A member of the September 11 commission says she has received death threats. Jamie Gorelick says she got a bomb threat and harassing e-mails last week.

Some critics say her past work as deputy attorney general may have contributed to the failure to stop the terrorist attacks. Despite the threats, Gorelick says she won't step down. The FBI is investigating those threats.

CALLAWAY: Well, the deadline draws near for the transfer of power in Iraq, but plenty of questions still linger about how the exchange of power will occur. We will talk with some senators, both members of the Foreign Relations Committee, when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

CALLAWAY: First we're going to have the top stories for you now.

Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City today for the funeral of slain Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi, who was killed by a targeted Israeli missile strike yesterday. Hamas says it has already appointed a new leader but that his identity is being kept secret.

A number of deaths to report in Iraq this weekend. CNN has confirmed that at least three Marines were killed and two wounded during some intense fighting along Iraq's border with Syria. Another four soldiers were killed in two separate convoy attacks on Saturday.

SAN MIGUEL: U.S. soldier Matt Maupin is still held in Iraq by enemy forces. Concerns for his safety are great, especially in his hometown.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Lawrence in Batavia, Ohio, Matt Maupin's hometown, where everyone is putting up yellow ribbons and trying to stay focused on getting him home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 18, 2004 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, and I'm Catherine Callaway.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, ANCHOR: I'm Renay San Miguel. Thanks to all of you for starting your day with us. Here's what we've got coming up in the next hour.

Tensions run high after the Hamas leader is assassinated. Thousands of leaders pack the streets and vow revenge. We'll get the latest in a live report.

CALLAWAY: Bill Clinton meets with the 9/11 commission, but not in public. And now, an executive -- an exclusive report on what he said. "TIME" magazine's Timothy Berger will join us with details on that.

SAN MIGUEL: And growing up in the shadows of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. A new documentary sheds light on the world's most dangerous terrorist. We'll get a preview just ahead.

But first, here's what's happening at this hour.

CALLAWAY: In Iraq, U.S. forces in Fallujah are trading sporadic gunfire with insurgents, despite a tentative cease-fire. At least three Marines were killed in an ambush near the Syrian border. Two more were wounded.

This as the U.S. military shuts down key highways in and out of Baghdad. They say the closure is for road repairs.

And in the city of Najaf, about 2,500 U.S. forces remain in the tense standoff with the militia of a radical Shiite cleric.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the offices of Shell Oil Company in Manila suffered a grenade attack earlier today. Police are saying that the grenade was fired from a government issued weapon. Officials suspect it was related to a labor dispute. No injuries have been reported.

In Iowa police had to use tear gas when an annual college festival got a bit out of control. No injuries but property damage is reported there. The two-day festival being billed as the largest student-run alcohol-free event of its kind in the country.

SAN MIGUEL: Back now to our top story. Hamas confirms it has picked a replacement for its assassinated leader. Abdel Aziz Rantisi's funeral was a short time ago, but Hamas will not say who will take his place, citing security concerns.

CNN's John Vause joins us now from Gaza with the latest -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Renay, the body of Abdel Aziz Rantisi was buried a short time ago at a cemetery near his home here in Gaza City.

But hours earlier, he was carried through the streets of Gaza in a funeral procession attended by tens of thousands of mourners. His face was exposed to show them the shrapnel wounds he suffered during that Israeli missile strike last night.

Now, in that funeral procession those mourners were calling for revenge, many of them at least calling for revenge. Hamas has vowed to retaliate with 100 attacks on Israelis, unique attacks, they say, which will take time. And they're planning, and they're urging those Palestinians sympathetic with their cause to be patient.

He was leader of Hamas for less than a month. He took over from Sheikh Yassin, who was also killed in a missile strike. Rantisi's death has caused an outpouring of not only anger but also grief in many Palestinian cities across the West Bank.

In Nablus and Jenin and Ramallah there have been very large protests, and there have been pro-Hamas rallies in Lebanon, as well. There, in a Palestinian refugee camp, hundreds marched carrying pictures of Rantisi, as well as Sheikh Yassin. They also burned tires.

Many Palestinians are directing their anger not just at the Israelis but also at the United States. Many believe that this targeted killing, as Israel calls them, could not have happened without a so-called green light from Washington.

Israel is now on high alert with as many as 50 terrorist alerts in the last 24 hours. Boarder crossing between Gaza and Israel remains closed, but this morning at his weekly cabinet meeting, Ariel Sharon congratulated the Israeli security forces for carrying out a successful operation -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: John Vause live from Gaza. Thank you so much, John.

The assassinated Hamas leader, Rantisi, held office less than a month. When he took over, he knew he was a marked man but said he wasn't afraid of death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDEL AZIZ RANTISI, ASSASSINATED LEADER OF HAMAS: I am not afraid to die. It's death either by killing or by cancer. The same thing. We are all waiting for the last day of our life. Nothing will be changed. If it is by Apache or by cardiac arrest, I prefer to be by Apache. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SAN MIGUEL: Rantisi was an Egyptian trained pediatrician. He was one of the most extreme voices of the fundamentalist group Hamas.

Hamas vows to avenge Rantisi's death, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vows to target more Hamas leaders. In that atmosphere peace prospects look even dimmer today than usual.

Aaron David Miller is a former senior State Department official and Middle East negotiator. He now heads the group Seeds of Peace and joins us from Washington with his perspective on the current situation.

Now Mr. Miller, a lot of Americans waking up this morning, seeing the headlines and might be thinking to themselves, what road map to peace? What do you think?

AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: Well, I think that's probably right. The situation, as I said, in the wake of Sheikh Yassin's assassination is going to get worse before it gets worse.

The fact is, we have a vacuum. We have no political process, and we have an ongoing war between the government of Israel and the number of Palestinian terrorist groups, each trying to inflict the maximum pain and damage on the other.

I think it's incumbent on us to try to look beyond the tick-tock day-to-day events to try to get to the issue of what would change the situation on the ground. And I think there are basically three realities.

No. 1, a decision by the Palestinian Authority, which basically ends the arm struggle, which has never succeeded in liberating an inch of Palestine.

No. 2, a decision on the part of the government of Israel to end settlement activity. And if they're going to pursue unilateral withdraw from Gaza, do so in a way that strengthens, not undermines a credible Palestinian partner.

And No. 3, a different approach by the administration, an approach which makes Arab-Israeli peace a top priority. The fact is you're got a willful, forceful president who on tax cuts, on Iraq has demonstrated his capacity to see this thing through. If he were to attach the same sort of level of urgency and importance to Arab- Israeli peace, within six months I suspect we could change the situation on the ground.

SAN MIGUEL: Just last week, though, the president said that this gave an opportunity for the Palestinians here. If they can show that they can build a state in Gaza in the areas the Israelis are withdrawing from, maybe that would give the Palestinians new credibility. What do you think on that? MILLER: I mean, I think that would help, but again, it can't be one hand clapping. There's -- the Palestinians have to take key decisions but they have to be buttressed and bucked up in those decisions, not only by the government of Israel, but by a third party mediator, the United States.

They have historic decisions to take, and it's not too much to expect them to end terror and violence. But at the same time, the Israelis have a set of responsibilities and obligations that they need to take as well.

The role of a third party, and we played this role for the last 30 years, and we've actually left a bad situation frankly in many instances better. The role of a third party when there is no trust, no confidence between two warring parties, is to build that trust and to act as an effective broker.

We've played it in the past, and we can play that role again.

SAN MIGUEL: Back to Israel's action yesterday. When things like this happen and also with the attack on Sheikh Yassin, the danger that this just makes Hamas more popular in the Palestinian street.

MILLER: I think that's right. The motivation, clearly, on the part of Hamas is higher than ever.

And not only that, you're going to get actions and operations not just by Hamas, but by al Aqsa, by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In fact, you may even see, as we've seen in the past, cooperation between these groups as a consequence of events over the last several weeks.

SAN MIGUEL: You talked about the responsibilities that Ariel Sharon and the Israelis have to protect themselves. Israel says Rantisi was planning a big attack. And the language used hear, very, very important, calling Hamas Israel's al Qaeda. Very potent connection to make.

MILLER: Yes. I mean, I think that works in terms of trying to convince the Americans and the American public that the government of Israel and the United States share a common predicament, democracies coping with the threat of suicide terror. And I think there's a degree of legitimacy to that argument.

Look, whether you're the District of Columbia, the state of New York, the highest order of business for any government, any authority, is to protect its citizens. There's no question that Israel has the right and responsibility to do that.

The problem is, is this going to be effective in making what is a volatile situation any better?

The only way that is going to be done is through a viable, credible process. And that's going to take actions by the Palestinians, action by the Israelis and, of course, as I mentioned before, actions by the United States. SAN MIGUEL: Aaron David Miller is a former senior State Department official and Middle East negotiator, who brings unique insight into this particular issue. Thanks for joining us this morning. We appreciate your time.

MILLER: Thank you very much.

CALLAWAY: And here are the latest developments in Iraq. More Americans killed this weekend.

A U.S. soldier died when a roadside bomb exploded as a convoy passed in southeastern Baghdad. And CNN confirms that three American soldiers have been killed just south of Baghdad.

No further word today on Army PFC Keith Matthew Maupin, a hostage in Iraq. His captors have suggested a prisoner exchange, but a coalition spokesman says that there will be no negotiations with hostage takers.

A firefight reported between insurgents and U.S. Marines near the Syrian border. CNN is confirming that at least three Marines were killed and two were wounded there.

Meanwhile, the Reverend Jesse Jackson is calling on religious leaders in Iraq to help negotiate the release of American hostage Thomas Hamill and others that are being held there.

He was instrumental in the 1984 release of an American Navy pilot in Syria. And in the first Gulf War, Jackson went to Iraq to bring home civilians who were being held as so-called guests of Saddam Hussein. In 1999, he was able to help win the lease of three American soldiers being held in Yugoslavia.

I talked with Jackson a short time ago about his latest effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW COALITION/PUSH: I talked with Mrs. Hamill twice and had prayer with her, reaching out to the family in Ohio of the soldier. I talked with Terry Anderson last night, who himself an A.P. reporter who was held hostage in Lebanon, now running for state Senate in that area.

But in addition to Hamill and the soldier in Ohio, there are about seven other hostages. And so we join the pope in appealing for their release. We do so on moral and humanitarian grounds. If I knew exactly who was holding them, I would appeal to them directly.

In the case of Syria and Assad and Iraq and Hussein and Milosevic and Yugoslavia, I knew who had the power. But power is sort of fused in Iraq right now. You can only make an appeal -- the religious leaders that we know in that area, national council and world council, church contacts, we're reaching out to them.

The good news is that Jessica Lynch was found in good condition and Shoshana Johnson, her crew was found in good condition. Three Japanese citizens were released last week. So that's the high side. The low side, some have been killed while in captivity.

We hope that this humanitarian appeal will help because, there must always be some window for negotiation, some window for prisoner swap. There must be something that will help break the cycle of violence.

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CALLAWAY: Jackson is also calling for the Bush administration to withdraw troops from Iraq as soon as possible.

SAN MIGUEL: As some debate the reasons for going to war in Iraq in the first place, journalist Bob Woodward is set to release a book titled "Plan of Attack." And in it, he makes new allegations about the buildup to the invasion.

Among them some $700 million that Congress OK'd for military work in Afghanistan was secretly used to prepare for war with Iraq.

The author also says Vice President Cheney had an unhealthy fixation on Saddam Hussein. Woodward writes, "The secretary of state saw this in Cheney to such an extent he, Powell, told colleagues that Cheney has a fever. It is an absolute fever. It is almost as if nothing else exists."

Iraq is still making news on the campaign trail, as well. Vice President Dick Cheney fired off a verbal shot yesterday, saying the country must stay its current course in Iraq.

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DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our will is still being tested in Iraq, as we have seen in the heavy fighting this month. Yet as Americans, we understand what is at stake.

America accepts the responsibilities we've been given as freedom's home and defender. And we will continue taking decisive action until the dangers to our country are removed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAN MIGUEL: Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry says the U.S. needs to remove the made in America label from the Iraqi occupation. He says we can do that by creating an international mission authorized by the United Nations. That mission should become the main civilian power in helping the Iraqi people hold free elections, restore government services and rebuild their economy.

We're going to have plenty more on Iraq coming up. We're going to talk with two U.S. senators about the coming transfer of power there.

CALLAWAY: Also news from across America. And a sad discovery in Minnesota. After months of searching, the worse has come true. Police find the body of missing college student Dru Sjodin. We'll have reaction from the family. And he was spared the lights and cameras of the 9/11 commission, but Bill Clinton's private sessions are revealed in an exclusive "TIME" magazine report. We will talk with the correspondent, coming up in a moment.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center. KUSA is our affiliate in the mile high city of Denver, Colorado, where currently temperatures are in the 50s. It will be a little cooler, and winds will pick up also. In fact, it will be windy across much of the country. Detailed forecast in about 10 minutes.

CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

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A town holds out hope for one of its missing sons held captive in Iraq. The latest from Ohio when "CNN Sunday morning" returns.

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CALLAWAY: Police have finally found the body of Dru Sjodin. The 22-year-old college student, missing since November, was found in a previous search area that had been covered by snowdrifts.

The weather led police to call off that search last December. It resumed yesterday.

Sjodin's family and friends were understandably devastated by the discovery, saying that they've been going through a living hell.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALLAN SJODIN, DRU'S FATHER: It's a bittersweet day. It's kind of what -- it's kind of what we've been preparing ourself for, you know, mentally, but it's -- it's just a devastating day, obviously. We don't have our little baby anymore and she's going to watch over us now. She's going to lead us. She's going to direct us and take care of us.

CHRIS LAND, DRU'S BOYFRIEND: It's very bittersweet, but she is looking down. and she is happy today, because we are going to bring her home, Finally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: A convicted sex offender is in jail on kidnapping charges stemming from Sjodin's November disappearance.

SAN MIGUEL: President Bush and Vice President Cheney have yet to testify before the 9/11 commission, but earlier this month, former President Clinton did testify in private about what his administration did to try to stop Osama bin Laden.

In the new edition of "TIME" magazine, which hits newsstands tomorrow, there is a special report called "Did Bill Clinton Do Enough?"

And joining us now is "TIME" correspondent Timothy Berger, who contributed to that report.

Thanks for joining us this morning.

TIMOTHY BERGER, "TIME" MAGAZINE: My pleasure.

SAN MIGUEL: The former president said he became obsessed with bin Laden after the '98 embassy bombings in Africa and wanted him dead. So why didn't that happen?

BERGER: Well, the position is that there was a lack of actionable intelligence, which means they didn't know exactly where bin Laden was with enough certainty and where he would be for enough time to send a cruise missile over or to have one of various proxy groups such as the Northern Alliance, with whom the CIA was doing some business back then, come in and do a capture or a kill of Osama bin Laden.

So basically they didn't quite have enough good intelligence on where he was at a point in time that would give them time to grab him or kill him.

SAN MIGUEL: And did that check out with your intelligence sources, the magazine's sources and the CIA and the FBI who were there at the time?

BERGER: It did. They -- You know, my intelligence folks that I speak to did say that that was -- that was a big problem.

However, another big problem was a horrendous miscommunication between, at the very least, between the White House and the CIA, where the CIA thought that they were supposed to only mount a capture operation. And if they happened to kill Osama bin Laden in the course of something like that, because obviously he's not likely to go quietly even back then, if they happened to kill him in the course of a legitimate capture, that was OK.

But the CIA thought that they had to set up only a capture, which is a huge complex type of operation, as opposed to a kill, which could be from, you know, from a sniper to anything.

SAN MIGUEL: And that leads to -- I mean, it seems like all the political problems the CIA went through, you know, in the past, the '60s and the '70s and, you know, targeting of Central American leaders, things like this, for assassination, kind of came back to haunt them in this case.

These memorandum of notification, it seems like the CIA wasn't sure what kind of legal ground it was on, even though Osama bin Laden was a military target, a legitimate target?

BERGER: That's right. I don't know, you know, -- it's understandable that the CIA has faced horrendous congressional investigations, even prosecutions over what I'm sure they thought they were doing in the interest of the country and with the blessing of the White House in the past, as you say, as chairman of the commission Tom Kean said, you know, assassinations in central America and that sort of thing.

So they were, indeed, quite conservative apparently, according to the commission, in interpreting the memoranda of notification.

SAN MIGUEL: So you know, considering the kind of questioning some of the members on the panel gave to Condoleezza Rice, how did the questioning go for Bill Clinton?

BERGER: Apparently it was quite a statesman-like appearance all around. You didn't -- you know, the commission has lately been accused in some quarters of having some elements of partisanship and acrimony.

This session was quite a lofty one. President Clinton was asked very detailed and direct questions, but it was all in a tone of respect and understanding, apparently.

It was around a four-hour session. You had all the commissioners there, but no one was apparently grinding a political axe. And in fact, the tone of that is going to be important going forward, because I think that Republicans on the commission are going to be watching how President Bush's is treated when he and Cheney appear, whenever that is.

By the way, it could be happening right now. It's being done in a secret manner. So we'll just have to see when it's done.

SAN MIGUEL: And what did Clinton tell president -- what did Clinton tell the commission about what he told President Bush about bin Laden and the threat of terrorism during the transition period between administrations?

BERGER: That's also an incredibly fascinating part, because President Clinton has said publicly before that he told Bush during their -- during a meeting in the transition in 2000 that Osama bin Laden would be his No. 1 national security problem or priority.

And what happened from there until September 11, I'm sure the commission will be asking President Bush, because they've got President Clinton's side of that conversation. Now they're going to have to ask Bush.

SAN MIGUEL: All right. "TIME" magazine, the story's in the issue of "TIME" magazine that hits news stands tomorrow. Timothy Berger, "TIME" correspondent, thanks for your time. We appreciate it.

BERGER: Thank you.

SAN MIGUEL: A member of the September 11 commission says she has received death threats. Jamie Gorelick says she got a bomb threat and harassing e-mails last week.

Some critics say her past work as deputy attorney general may have contributed to the failure to stop the terrorist attacks. Despite the threats, Gorelick says she won't step down. The FBI is investigating those threats.

CALLAWAY: Well, the deadline draws near for the transfer of power in Iraq, but plenty of questions still linger about how the exchange of power will occur. We will talk with some senators, both members of the Foreign Relations Committee, when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

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(WEATHER REPORT)

CALLAWAY: First we're going to have the top stories for you now.

Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City today for the funeral of slain Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi, who was killed by a targeted Israeli missile strike yesterday. Hamas says it has already appointed a new leader but that his identity is being kept secret.

A number of deaths to report in Iraq this weekend. CNN has confirmed that at least three Marines were killed and two wounded during some intense fighting along Iraq's border with Syria. Another four soldiers were killed in two separate convoy attacks on Saturday.

SAN MIGUEL: U.S. soldier Matt Maupin is still held in Iraq by enemy forces. Concerns for his safety are great, especially in his hometown.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Lawrence in Batavia, Ohio, Matt Maupin's hometown, where everyone is putting up yellow ribbons and trying to stay focused on getting him home.

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