Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Polls Close in Iraq; Turnout Estimated at Above 70 Percent

Aired January 30, 2005 - 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.


TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, polls are closing at this moment in the country's first free elections in half a century. Turnout is estimate at just above 70 percent. But despite security precautions at least 23 Iraqis have lost their lives today as they lined up to vote.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is January 30th. And good morning everyone, I'm Tony Harris.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen. It is 9:00 a.m. here in the East.

This just in to CNN, the latest attack this Election day in Iraq, a bus carrying voters was targeted and blown up near Hilla, south of Baghdad. The explosion killed three and wounded 14 others. Now it wasn't clear if the people aboard the bus had already voted or were on their way to vote.

In Baghdad, a series of suicide bombings at polling stations killed at least 23 other Iraqis today. The insurgent group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for those attacks.

Well, the voting is over and the counting now begins. Election Day in Iraq was unique in many ways and Iraqi voters seem more aware than anyone that they were making history.

The polls closed just minutes ago at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 5:00 p.m. in Iraq, in an election marked by long lines, voter celebrations, insurgent attacks and, of course, casualties.

Iraq's Election Commission says the voter turnout was 72 percent, a remarkable figure if it is confirmed. Now, before the election some Iraqi officials said 50 percent would be an acceptable turnout.

Some Iraqis paid with their lives for the opportunity to vote. At least 20 were killed in insurgent attacks and a group headed by terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says it carried out those attacks.

HARRIS: Voters turned out in force at some Baghdad polling places and at many stations in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region. At other polling sites, like Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, only a trickle of voters showed up.

CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour is live from Baghdad and, Christiane, give us your take on what has been an historic day throughout Iraq. CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well here I am again outside this one polling station in central Baghdad. The polls have closed here and there's an awful lot of tension now amongst the police, the army here and we've just seen them running around pointing their guns as cars sort of draw up, even police cars.

They're terribly afraid that even now at the end of this there may be some incident but so far so good. There hasn't been here and for the most part this vote has gone off peacefully.

Here, as we've been talking to people who have come out to vote, even those who have come out at the last minute have told us that they've had to walk for miles and they walked sometimes 45 minutes or an hour but they wanted to do it. They wanted to come and cast their vote.

This was always going to be a test of wills and today they proved that the will of the people was stronger than the will of the insurgents who have been intimidating them and threatening them and trying to keep away from this polling day.

For the people who came out, they said that this was historic for them that they -- it made them very happy to feel that they were casting a free vote. They reminded us that in the past when there was a referendum on Saddam Hussein's rule it was always just yes or not and, of course, it always had to be yes. Otherwise, people and their families paid with their lives.

So, things are very, very different obviously and people very, very pleased to have come out today and we saw a steady stream of voters walking to these polling stations.

We've seen the U.S. security out in force but we've also seen Iraqi security out at all these polling stations and at major intersections in Baghdad. And we've seen some of the voters as they left. We saw people sort of waving their hands at the Americans and saying thank you for this day.

So, it's been -- it's been really incredible. Many, many people didn't expect that it would go off this well. Many people, and I've talked to people, colleagues who have been calling up their friends who have gone to different polling stations in this city, nobody believed that people would come out in the way they have done today and they've done it and they're proud of it and they wave their ink- stained finger at the badge of honor and pride they tell us.

HARRIS: And, Christiane, let me ask you a question on just that very point. Is there any concern being expressed by Iraqis that they are identifying themselves to the insurgents with the ink, as you mentioned, on their fingers?

AMANPOUR: You know today there doesn't seem to be any fear. The people have waved their fingers in as much pride as defiance. They've said this is, you know, here we are. We're marked. This is our freedom. This is our voting day and who knows when they go to bed tonight what they might think when they get up whether the nerves will set in again tomorrow?

But on this day they have -- they have defied those unbelievable threats, the terrible violence, the terrible bloodshed that has taken place and those awful vicious leaflets that were dropped all over the place warning people that they would, you know, wash the streets with blood and warning people to stay 500 meters away from the polling stations, telling them not to be anywhere near windows and all of that. It ended up so far to have been empty threats.

HARRIS: And, Christiane, one last question. What are people expecting, the expectation game for Iraqis with the outcome of this vote today?

AMANPOUR: Well, I think expectations are incredibly high and, you know, they've been high ever since Saddam Hussein was ousted but what people have had to get used to is the violence, the basic post- war plan which seemed to be very slow and cumbersome, lack of reconstruction, lack of basic services, things that they really expected to have as a proper country they haven't yet got.

And so all of these things they're going to want and I think the U.S. commanders here now fully understand that their job is not just to help fight the insurgency and get the Iraqi forces up and ready to fight that insurgency but to also provide the people here with, you know, a better quality of life so that these people will have more faith in their government.

I think people believe that this is one step forward to a legitimate government. This, of course, is not a presidential election but it will be choosing the National Assembly that will write the constitution that will govern post Iraqi, post-election political life here in Iraq. Proper elections, permanent elections are going to be held at the end of this year. So, this is a beginning and there is a lot of hope.

HARRIS: CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour in Baghdad, Christiane thank you.

NGUYEN: In Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, the atmosphere at one polling station has been enthusiastic and celebratory and voters there tell CNN's Senior Baghdad Correspondent Jane Arraf they're not afraid of insurgents or anyone else.

Now Jane joins us from Baquba at a polling site that has been so busy today. Jane, I have to ask you have Iraqis showed up before the polls close and they're still waiting in line to cast that ballot?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Betty, I think we have one last voter here. I think you can see this gentleman, a very elderly gentleman who showed up distraught that the polls had closed but they have indeed let him vote and he seems to be the last Iraqi voter at this polling station in Baquba. It closed just a few moments ago.

The day started with explosions. It ended with explosions but in between, Betty, a steady stream of voters who came in here and in other polling sites throughout the city in the heart of the Sunni Triangle.

Now, two-thirds of the polling stations were open, which means that one-third of them were not when people expected to vote. There was sporadic violence, no serious attacks here and in between absolutely jubilation as people put their mark on these ballots and put them in those plastic boxes and said, some of them, that this was the happiest day of their lives -- Betty.

NGUYEN: We heard from Christiane Amanpour that Iraqis have walked for miles to take part in this election. Have you seen those Iraqis who showed up just as the polls closed and were turned away unfortunately from this election?

ARRAF: Well, we did see some who showed up fairly close to the end of the day saying that they were waiting at home to see if there was violence that they wouldn't take the risk of coming out earlier.

Now, we've seen, Betty, people coming literally on crutches. One person came being wheeled in a wheelchair. This is not going to be the majority of the population that could have voted that has come out to vote. There have been polling stations that did not open because election workers were intimidated. But the people who came here went to great length. I believe we've lost the audio.

NGUYEN: And as Jane...

ARRAF: Oh, we're back, came to great lengths to get here, Betty, despite the danger, despite the threats saying that this was extremely important that they show the terrorists, that they show the insurgents that this was their response -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Standing in defiance and making their vote count, a truly historic day there, thank you Jane Arraf in Baquba for us today.

Well, in the southern Iraqi city of Basra the lines of voters were long and orderly, women in one line, men in the other. They waited patiently to get their fingers indelibly marked and cast their ballot. Basra is a Shiite city and Iraqi Shiites had much to gain in today's election.

HARRIS: President Bush is, of course, being briefed on the election. Iraqi election officials estimate turnout at 72 percent. Earlier a top U.S. election adviser had a more conservative take.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has reaction from the White House on the Iraq vote, good morning Suzanne.

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

We saw President Bush and the first lady earlier today attending church, St. John's Episcopal Church. We are told that the president, of course, received a couple of briefings about the Iraqi elections and how they're going from his new National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Also a spokesperson for the White House saying today that the president believes this is a great day for democracy. We have also seen his new Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice making the rounds on the talk shows saying that this is much better than they expected.

This is not surprising to get this kind of reaction from the White House. The strategy has been from the beginning to lower expectations that the mere existence, the very existence of Iraqi elections certainly means success.

Now, President Bush has a lot of political capital invested in the success in the U.S. mission of Iraq. We don't know whether or not we're going to actually hear from the president today.

But yesterday in his radio address he made it very clear to the American people in making the case once again that Iraqi elections, as well as democracy, is a matter of U.S. security and also that it's the central front in the war on terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As democracy takes hold in Iraq, America's mission there will continue. Our military forces, diplomats and civilian personnel will help the newly elected government of Iraq establish security and train Iraqi military police and other forces. Terrorist violence will not end with the election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: President Bush, of course, made the case for war, the U.S. invasion of Iraq saying initially that it was because Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. That, of course, has turned out not to be the case. The emphasis has somewhat changed from the White House saying, of course, emphasizing the importance of bringing democracy to Iraq as well as the rest of the Middle East.

Big question now here, of course, Tony is just when are we going to see some of those U.S. troops pull out of Iraq? That is something that the president is going to have to contend with -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, military families all across the country want the answer to that question. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, Suzanne thank you.

Our e-mail question today: "Is Iraq worth the American sacrifice?" What do you think? E-mail us at wam@cnn.com and we'll read your responses throughout the morning.

NGUYEN: Still to come on this Sunday morning, the voting, the violence, a critical weekend for the future of an independent Iraq. What's at stake?

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did not go there to establish elections in Iraq. That wasn't the reason why these people were placed in harm's way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: A father of a slain soldier disillusioned with the president, the human and political price of war.

And, you're looking at scenes from Chicago where Iraqi Americans are still voting in their country's election. Good morning Chicago.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The world's spotlight shines brightly on Iraq this morning as thousands cast their ballots in an historic election.

This morning on "CNN LIVE SUNDAY," the expatriates share some of the world's stage. A team of reporters bring you reaction from outside Iraq live 11:00 a.m. on "CNN LIVE SUNDAY."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And checking our top stories, a landmark day in Iraq is now one for the history books. Voters went to the polls to cast ballots in the country's first free election since it became a republic more than 50 years ago.

Iraqi officials estimate the turnout was 72 percent. The election, however, was marred by violence. Suicide bombings and mortar attacks killed at least 25 people and wounded upwards of 66 people across the country.

In a statement posted on several Islamic Web sites, a group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claims responsibility for the attacks.

Iraqis across the U.S. are still turning out to vote in their country's elections. We'll get a live report from a polling station in Maryland in about 15 minutes.

NGUYEN: In Iraq, the vote, the turnout and the violence, the stakes are high for President Bush in Iraq's landmark election.

CNN Military Analyst Major General Don Shepperd joins us now with his perspective, good morning to you.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, let's start with the insurgency. It really predicted or said or at least put a threat out there that it was going to cause a bloodbath in this election. That hasn't been quite the scale as of today. But let's talk about where they did attack.

SHEPPERD: Yes, typical insurgent rhetoric, Betty, but it's gone better than expected. We got the CNN flyover maps. We're going to zoom in here. We're going to fly over Saudi Arabia and down past Kuwait and into Baghdad and take a look at what's actually unfolded in Baghdad itself.

This is the Baghdad map that we've looked at several times and this is the location of the attacks as we know them. I'm going to put a couple of X's up here.

Starting out in Sadr City we've had mortar attacks. You've had other attacks as shown here. They are a combination of IEDs, vehicle bombs and also suicide bombs. Now, there are some areas that have not had attacks that we expected attacks.

One of them was up in the Kadamia (ph) area up here in northwest Baghdad and other one was in the university area, another heavily Shia neighborhood down here in southwest Baghdad. Nothing has taken place there. So, in Baghdad it's been much more peaceful than we thought despite the fact there has been some loss of life.

We're going to take a look at some other areas as well. We're going to zoom in first of all on south Iraq and then central Iraq and northern Iraq, again we're flying in over Saudi Arabia and going on down into southern Iraq.

We have had some attacks in Basra. There are just reports in of a bus attack in Hilla and we expected attacks, a lot of attacks in the Karbala and Najaf, Nassiriya area. These have not materialized. So, it's been much calmer in southern Iraq than we thought.

We'll take a look at central Iraq which, of course, also included Baghdad and we'll fly in again over Saudi Arabia into central Iraq and put the cities up there.

We expected a lot of problems in the Sunni Triangle area. We have had a minor attack in the Baquba area and we've had another one up in Balad on Highway 1, north toward Tikrit. But, on the other hand, these have not been major attacks. They have been suicide bomber and vehicle attacks.

Taking a look at the north it's also been much better than expected up north. We'll fly into the northern area. Remember the northern area is the Kurdish area.

We have had reports of attacks in the Mosul area. There are reports coming in of seven or eight attacks up there being claimed by Zarqawi on the net but we have not confirmed those. It's been very calm, unexpectedly calm in Sulaimaniya and Erbil. Nic Robertson is in Sulaimaniya.

Overall if you look at the picture in Iraq you'll have to say the level of violence has been much less than predicted by us and much less than claimed by the insurgents, so Betty so far so good.

NGUYEN: Well, but what's the reason behind that? Is it the fact that the security forces have stopped all the vehicular movement throughout Iraq. Has that been the major issue here which has stopped all these attacks from happening as the insurgency had predicted it would?

SHEPPERD: Hard to say what's really worked but for sure stopping the vehicular traffic has been very important. Suicide bombers can use those vehicles to move about quickly and the fact that you stopped all vehicular traffic except for government vehicles has been very important.

Also, both the coalition and the Iraqi forces have conducted aggressive, offensive operations in the past few weeks rounding up insurgents and inspected insurgents as a result of interrogating the suspects that they've captured. This has been a big factor. So, you'd have to say overall the security situation, although people have died, has been much, much better than anyone predicted.

NGUYEN: OK, but since the insurgency didn't derail this election it doesn't mean that they're done. It doesn't mean more attacks aren't on the way, correct?

SHEPPERD: Betty, this is a first step. Remember you got two weeks before the votes are certified here or we know the results of the election and then we have to name a president. We have to name a prime minister. We have to write a constitution. There has to be a national referendum on the constitution. The new government has to be elected and then the new government has to be seated.

We have two years of follow-on election activities, all of which the insurgents will try to interdict. It's going to be a tough time. But the Iraqis have spoken today and that's very important.

NGUYEN: They sure have. Major General Don Shepperd we appreciate your insight. Thank you.

SHEPPERD: Pleasure.

HARRIS: So, how is the Iraqi election playing across the Arab airwaves?

Our Senior Editor for Arab Affairs will join us with some insights when we return.

But first, a CNN extra, the whole of Iraq forms a single electoral district. Seats in the 275-member assembly will be distributed to political entities based on the proportion of total votes they receive. Parties representing the Shiite majority are expected to win the most seats in the assembly. Kurdish parties are also expected to fare well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: I want to give you a live look now at a polling station in Baghdad now. As we've been reporting those polls closed at 9:00 Eastern Time, just about 24 minutes ago. And, as you can see, everyone has left. They've made their mark today by voting in this historic election. I also want to say good morning Chicago, one of a handful of U.S. cities where native Iraqis living in the Midwest can go vote today in the Iraqi elections. Those votes are still being placed as we speak.

HARRIS: And it looks a little cloudy in Chicago but I'll tell you what, we'll take it over what we've been getting here.

NGUYEN: Over the ice?

HARRIS: Over the ice.

NGUYEN: Any day.

HARRIS: Everything else over the last couple of days. Rob Marciano is there in the weather center, good morning Rob.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

NGUYEN: Thank you.

HARRIS: Thank you, Rob, appreciate it.

Let's get you caught up with other news across America this morning.

A horrific bus crash outside of Rochester, New York kills three passengers. The charter bus carrying members of a Canadian women's hockey team rear-ended a truck stopped on the side of the road. The impact was so great it split the bus halfway down the middle. The truck driver was also killed.

An adopt-a-road program near Salem, Oregon has an unpopular sponsor. Some people living there are protesting participation in the cleanup program by the American Nazi Party. County officials say they've gotten some complaints but barring the group would violate First Amendment rights to free speech.

NGUYEN: Catching Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, what happens if the U.S. leaves Iraq before he's captured? We'll get a live report from Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

HARRIS: Plus, the shadow of the Iraq War, will it haunt President Bush's legacy when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The loss and sacrifice in Iraq, will it hang in the shadow of President Bush's legacy? Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. That story is coming up, first here is what's happening now in the news:

The polls are now closed in Iraq's historic election. Iraq's Independent Election Commission has turned out of 72 percent, at least a dozen deadly insurgent attacks have been record add cross the country. But Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice says the elections are going, quote, "better than expected."

Several Islamic Web sites posted a statement purportedly by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claiming responsibility for a number of today's attack. In one attack, three mortar rounds landed just behind a police station in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. Four Iraqis civilians were killed and eight were wounded.

Michael Jackson will issue a statement on his Web site this morning, commenting on leaks of grand jury testimony in his case. Earlier this month, ABC News reported details of grand jury testimony that had been ordered sealed. Jackson's trial on child molestation charges begins tomorrow with jury selection.

NGUYEN: The voting is over, and the counting now begins. Election Day in Iraq was unique in many ways. And Iraqi voters seem more aware than anyone that they were making history. The polls closed just after -- just about a half hour ago at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, 5:00 p.m. in Iraq, in an election marked by long lines, voter celebrations, insurgent attacks, and casualties. Iraq's election commission says the voter turnout was 72 percent, a remarkable figure, if it's confirmed.

Now, before the election, some Iraqi officials said 50 percent would be an acceptable turnout. Some Iraqis paid with their lives for the opportunity to vote today. Violence across the country has left at least 25 people dead. And a group headed by terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says it carried out some of those attacks.

So, how does the U.S. Military view Zarqawi now that he's claiming responsibility for even more attacks? And what will happen with the policy of hunting him down if U.S. troops are asked to leave Iraq? CNN's Barbara Starr joins us now live from the Pentagon with more on that.

Good morning, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. Well, these claims by Zarqawi come as no surprise to anyone. Here he is the man that is believed to be responsible for so many attacks in Iraq that have killed, both, so many Iraqis and U.S. troops.

The question now is whether this election has fundamentally altered his network, his power structure inside Iraq. Will he be able to still launch significant attacks in Iraq? Or is he now somewhat decimated by the political victory of this election having happened? Officials say both are true, that he is still capable of launching attacks, but there have been some key developments. The Iraqi interim government says that is now has, in its custody, of course, three of his key lieutenants, including a man known as the "Amir of Baghdad," responsible for many of the attacks in the capital, and several of his key lieutenants have been killed, hunted down by both Iraqi and U.S. forces.

The question, of course, is Zarqawi himself. The U.S. now characterized him as al-Qaeda inside Iraq. They believe he is now -- now must considered a top al-Qaeda operative. U.S. military officials saying he has had two-way communications with the al-Qaeda network. So, they continue to look for him. And U.S. officials say, they are not giving up. That that counterterrorism mission, the hunt for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, will go on -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Thank you for that.

Well, today is the final opportunity for Iraqis living abroad to cast their votes in their homeland's historic election. Some quarter million Iraqis live in the U.S. Washington, D.C. has a large Iraqi expatriate population, and national correspondent, Bob Franken, is live at their polling station in New Carrollton, Maryland, just outside of D.C.

How's turnout so far today?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, it's quite low, as you can see the weather is a bit of a factor. There was a heavy turnout yesterday, heavy compared to what, perhaps, they might have expected. There are only about 10 percent of the Iraqis in the United States who registered to vote. And about 30 percent of those showed up yesterday. Now, when they get to the polls, they are - encounter a variety of pieces of literature. Here you'll see some instructions that are in Arabic, they're also presented in Kurdish, as well as in English.

Now, a lot of people consider this a very moving experience. We have the story, for instance, Abdullah Salaam (ph). He and his family escaped in fear from Iraq in 1998, went through Syria and then came to the United States, so voting for him today was an emotional experience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDULLAH SALAAM, ESCAPED FROM IRAQ: Now Iraq freedom my country freedom, that Iraqi people are freedom of dictator Saddam.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And people like Almoun Salaam -- excuse me, Abdullah Salaam, who came from Boston, by the way, have about 7-1/2 hours left to vote before the polls close in the United States on the East coast -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Bob Franken in Maryland. Thank you for that -- Tony.

HARRIS: The shadow of the Iraq war and the political aftermath of the election loom large over President Bush. They are issues that not only speak to his credibility, but may shape his presidency, as well. CNN White House correspondent John King looks at the human and political toll of the war.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brandon Sloan at 18, his boot camp graduation photo, a new beginning after leaving high school because of poor grades.

REV. TANDY SLOAN, BRANDON'S FATHER: He and I sat down and we put a plan together where he might better himself.

KING: A little more than a year later at 19, dead. Among the first Americans killed in the Army's desert sprint to Baghdad, caught in an ambush his father says was bad planning and an obsession of Saddam Hussein.

SLOAN: I was told by a U.S. Army general of the United States Army that they were working at the behest of President Bush, and that he said that he wanted, I'll quote him, he said, "he wanted a fast hit."

KING: Brandon was enjoying the Army, making new friends, agreeing with his father that the mission was worth supporting.

SLOAN: My president stood and told me that there were weapons of mass destruction that had to be alleviated.

KING: No weapons of mass destruction were found, of course, a fact that to Tandy Sloan makes the president's upbeat talk about this weekend's elections in Iraq ring hollow.

SLOAN: We should not have been there. We did not go there to establish elections in Iraq. That wasn't the reason why these people were placed in harm's way.

KING: The funeral was nearly two years ago. Reverend Sloan, now a new member of the Mt. Zion Church in suburban Cleveland. More skeptical than ever of the war and of the commander of chief beginning a new term in Washington.

SLOAN: He's lost credibility, with, I would imagine with anybody. Once you tell somebody something's a certain way, and it turns out to not to be that way, and it was your idea, you lose credibility. That's unavoidable.

KING: Just a few miles away, the president is putting that credibility and his political muscle to the test. At the Cleveland clinic to push a health care initiative, and rally support for an ambitious second-term domestic agenda, but the morning paper brings yet another reminder of Iraq's shadow. The rising death toll leads page one. Presidential visit relegated to the inside.

For Mr. Bush, an impressive election victory has not meant a second honeymoon.

PETER HART, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: The second term will be determined by how Iraq goes. If there is a sense that it is working well, he will have a breeze at his back. If it isn't going well, you'll find the republicans in Congress will leave him and look for their own perch. KING: Talk of another $80 billion in war spending and 100,000 troops in Iraq for another year or more is adding to, what at the moment, is much more head wind than breeze.

HART: There is no confidence that this election is going to turn the corner for America. The president is working on the short end of the stick here where a majority of Americans have said the war is not worth it.

KING: There is no doubt, Andy Sloan wishes Mr. Bush lost the election.

SLOAN: And I don't see why these people were not held accountable for that they said and their actions, because they should be accountable, because the repercussions have been tremendous.

KING: Yet not worth it is a much more difficult question.

SLOAN: I could never say that my son died in vein. I have respect for the presidency. George W. Bush is the president of the United States. He is my president. whether -- irrespective of what I think, he is still the president, and we are still at war.

KING: Lakeview cemetery is a mile from where the president spoke. Brandon Sloan rested on a snow covered hill, home, and still part of a president's uncertain legacy.

John King, CNN, Cleveland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Today's "Best of the Web" tangles out three Web sites where you can learn more about the Iraq election. At the BBC Web site, people in Iraq have posted their thoughts on this historic day. Now, for a different perspective, you might want to check out Motherjones.com. Among the articles you will find, there is one that argues the Iraqi national assembly was already chosen before the election. And for an in-depth look at the vote among the Iraqi expatriates, there's a wealth of information at your fingers at Iraqocd.org.

HARRIS: For some perspective now on the Iraqi election as it is being covered in the Arab media, let's bring in our senior editor for Arab affairs, Octavia Nasr.

Octavia, I've wanted to talk to you all morning about this. In the run up to this election, I sort of scanned some of the editorial pages of the Arab media, and the editorial writers were skeptical? Cynical? About this election. What are you seeing today, so far?

OCTAVIA NASR, SR. EDITOR, ARAB AFFAIRS: I think we're pessimistic, too, weren't they?

HARRIS: Yes.

NASR: Well, it's a diferent story. It has a different reaction. It seems like there's a mixture of cynicism, still, but a lot of hope because the story changed. I'm going to give you an example. This is an example taken from Asharq al-Awsat, it's a Saudi-owned London-based newspaper.

HARRIS: OK.

NASR: An editorial, there, add at Asharq about the Iraqi election says it's "An unprecedented and historic event, an Iraqi scene unlike any other in the region. The elections will serve as a lesson for neighboring countries to assume power through voting and not overthrowing." Big message in the region to watch what's happening in Iraq and maybe learn a lesson or two from it.

HARRIS: Well the -- are we seeing this change in tone because there is a sense that this has come off better than anticipated?

NASR: Perhaps, but, you know, Arabs are known to be skeptics, they're known to talk about the conspiracy theory. They love to argue. It is a known fact. So leading up to the elections, of course, the skepticism was to be expected. They were just trying to be smart about it, and ask the important questions, it seems. Now that the elections are over with, sort of, I think they will have new questions. They're going to be looking at who voted, who did not vote, how well the Shia did and how well the Sunnis did, if any. The placement of the Kurds in all this, because, you know, Arab media is very aware of the fact that this is not so much an Iraqi story as it is a neighbor story, it's turkey and Iran and the rest of the Middle East. It's also the U.S. and...

HARRIS: And in a real sense, you just ticked off a list of stake-holders, it's not just the Iraqi people, it's not the president of the United States, it's all of the neighboring countries that you've just listed, they're stake-holders in this process today.

NASR: Right. Arab media are focusing on that a lot, and they're saying, you know, Iraqis are excited about the elections, it's just the fact they can go to the poll and vote for someone, in a free way. That's big enough for them. But they are saying that, you know, there's the U.S. and the President Bush in particular, there's Zarqawi who heads a terrorist network inside Iraq that keeps growing, it seems, and keeps getting more violent, and of course the neighbors. Here we were looking at pictures from al-Jazeera, talk a little bit about networks and how they covered the story.

Al Jazeera remains grim in its view of this election. These are their graphics that they rolled out especially for the election. But again, the focus is on the violence, the focus is on how many people died, and how many polls did not open. You cross over to al-Arabia and it's all upbeat on al-Arabia. Here you go, you see the new studios, you see the fresh look and the Iraqi flag....

HARRIS: Octavia, I have to interrupt because we have breaking news. I'm guessing on this story.

NASR: OK.

HARRIS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: And speaking of that breaking news, it is out of Madrid, we understand. Let's go to CNN's Anand Naidoo with the latest on this.

What do you know?

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Betty. Yeah, what we do know right now, we have this breaking news piece just crossed the wires just a few minutes ago. A bomb has exploded at a hotel in a holiday resort hotel in southeastern Spain. CNN has confirmed that, that bomb explosion at a resort hotel on the Mediterranean coast in southeast Spain. We have no reports of casualties, right now. As I said, this story just crossed the wires only minutes ago.

The bomb detonated at the Hotel Ft. Denier, which is on the southeast coast of Spanish. It's located in the Spanish region of Alicante which is on the Casablanca, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

So, what we know right now is that a bomb has exploded at a resort hotel in southeastern Spain. No reports on casualties. Our people are working the story, right now. We'll bring you the figures as soon as we get it, but we can confirm that that bomb has exploded.

NGUYEN: Anand, let me ask you this. I know the information is very preliminary right now, but any indication as to who may be claiming responsibility for this?

NAIDOO: No. Very early stages. What we do know right now is that we've confirmed that this bomb explosion has taken place. We don't know how many people have been injured or whether anyone has been killed in this explosion, so, I think we -- we're a bit away from getting to know who might have caused this explosion.

NGUYEN: OK. And of course we will continue to follow this story. Thank you for that, but right now we're going take a quick break. Stay tuned for more CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Here's a look at our top stories. The polling stations in Iraq's historic election closed almost a half hour ago. An election official says the country saw a nationwide voter turnout of almost 72 percent.

Nearly a dozen insurgent attacks terrorized, but didn't halt today's voting. At least 25 Iraqis have been killed in Election Day attacks across the country. On several Islamic Web sites, a group tied to Iraqi terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks.

And we're asking you this morning, is Iraq worth the American sacrifice? We're reading your e-mails coming up in the next 10 minutes. NGUYEN: Yet this morning, Iraqi expatriates are still voting right here in the U.S. Let's get a grip on the weather outside and see what they're facing as they head to the polls.

Here there, Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Nice sunrise there. OK Rob, we thank you for that. And we have some breaking news we want to tell about you right now. A British C-130 military transport plane has crashed north of Baghdad. Now, this is according to wire reports coming into CNN.

HARRIS: Now, just to give you a little more information on this, there is no immediate word on casualties involved. And once again, this is a British C-130 military transport plane. And we understand that the wreckage from this accident, from this crash is spread over a large area, and this plane went down near the city of Balad, about 25 miles northwest of Baghdad. And Baghdad has been the area where we have seen a lot of activity, a lot of insurgent activity this morning. We're going to keep following this story and bring you the latest information.

But once again, just to recap, that a British C-130 military transport plane has gone down in Balad, that is about 25 miles south -- northwest of Baghdad. No reports on casualties at this time.

NGUYEN: Right now we're going to take a quick break and be right back. Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right, let's quickly get to you the international desk now, and Anand Naidoo who is reporting of an explosion at a hotel in southeastern Spain.

Anand, what's the latest?

NAIDOO: Tony, I'll tell you what's the latest, just to bring our viewers up to date here, that bomb exploded at a resort hotel in southeast Spain. We have no immediate word of casualties, but what we've learned in the last minute, that there was a telephone call made by ETA, that's the Baath separatist organization looking for independence in that part of Spain. They made a telephone call claiming responsibility for this explosion. In fact, the telephone call was a warning for that hotel to be evacuated, and we're getting this information from wire services, from agencies who are quoting Spanish interior ministry officials who are saying they received that call from ETA the Baath organization, warning people to leave the hotel. Apparently the hotel was evacuated and the explosion went off 30 minutes later. We have no word on casualties at all, but that's the situation at the moment. That bomb explosion at a resort hotel in southeastern Spain. More details as we get them here at CNN.

HARRIS: OK, Anand, thank you. We appreciate it. NGUYEN: And we also want to update you on some of the other breaking news this morning, about the British C-130 military transport plane that crashed north of Baghdad. Now, it was headed to Balad, and we have General Don Shepperd with us, right now, to talk about the insurgency in that area.

We don't know if this was the result of an insurgent fire, but we know it did go down and the crash scene is quite large, what does that tell you?

SHEPPERD: Yeah Betty, I'd be very careful tying it to the insurgency. The C-130 is a reliable airplane. It could be mechanical failure, it would be insurgent activity, but that would likely be something like a shoulder-fired missile would bring an airplane like that down. Also, these airplanes carry dangerous material. They carry fuel, they carry ammunition, that type of thing, so that can cause it. Also, an airplane can hit flat and spread itself over a large area. So you can't draw any conclusions this early. What we know, or at least what has been confirmed, is that it is an REF, a British C-130. Wherever it is flown is made by Lockheed Martin, here, about 1,850 of them around the world in 55 nations, very safe airplane, used as tactical transport for armies in the field.

NGUYEN: Now, it was headed to Balad, do you know anything about what it was doing there, what it was transporting?

SHEPPERD: No, I don't for sure, but Balad is a major air base north of Baghdad. The C-130s are based in Kuwait, many of them are based in Kuwait, they fly in daily to Baghdad Airport, and from Baghdad Airport to Balad and all of the outlying areas. Wherever you see armies the field, they can service them from nearby airfields and they can even land on unimproved roads, and this type of thing. It's a rugged airplane.

NGUYEN: But of course, any operation in Iraq carries with it some risk, and of course, we've seen this C-130 military British plane go down today, and a lot of information still sketchy on that. We thank you for your insight.

SHEPPERD: You bet.

NGUYEN: And for those of you just watching, we do want to tell you one more time, that we are continuing to follow this breaking news out of Iraq, today. A British C-130 military transport plane has crashed north of Baghdad. CNN has confirmed this crash, and we also want to tell you that it was headed to Balad, so a lot of information still sketchy, but that is what we know at this time.

HARRIS: And that's it. That's all of our time. Thank you for watching this morning. We'll see you back here next weekend. "Inside Politics Sunday" is next.

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


Aired January 30, 2005 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, polls are closing at this moment in the country's first free elections in half a century. Turnout is estimate at just above 70 percent. But despite security precautions at least 23 Iraqis have lost their lives today as they lined up to vote.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is January 30th. And good morning everyone, I'm Tony Harris.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen. It is 9:00 a.m. here in the East.

This just in to CNN, the latest attack this Election day in Iraq, a bus carrying voters was targeted and blown up near Hilla, south of Baghdad. The explosion killed three and wounded 14 others. Now it wasn't clear if the people aboard the bus had already voted or were on their way to vote.

In Baghdad, a series of suicide bombings at polling stations killed at least 23 other Iraqis today. The insurgent group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for those attacks.

Well, the voting is over and the counting now begins. Election Day in Iraq was unique in many ways and Iraqi voters seem more aware than anyone that they were making history.

The polls closed just minutes ago at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 5:00 p.m. in Iraq, in an election marked by long lines, voter celebrations, insurgent attacks and, of course, casualties.

Iraq's Election Commission says the voter turnout was 72 percent, a remarkable figure if it is confirmed. Now, before the election some Iraqi officials said 50 percent would be an acceptable turnout.

Some Iraqis paid with their lives for the opportunity to vote. At least 20 were killed in insurgent attacks and a group headed by terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says it carried out those attacks.

HARRIS: Voters turned out in force at some Baghdad polling places and at many stations in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region. At other polling sites, like Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, only a trickle of voters showed up.

CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour is live from Baghdad and, Christiane, give us your take on what has been an historic day throughout Iraq. CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well here I am again outside this one polling station in central Baghdad. The polls have closed here and there's an awful lot of tension now amongst the police, the army here and we've just seen them running around pointing their guns as cars sort of draw up, even police cars.

They're terribly afraid that even now at the end of this there may be some incident but so far so good. There hasn't been here and for the most part this vote has gone off peacefully.

Here, as we've been talking to people who have come out to vote, even those who have come out at the last minute have told us that they've had to walk for miles and they walked sometimes 45 minutes or an hour but they wanted to do it. They wanted to come and cast their vote.

This was always going to be a test of wills and today they proved that the will of the people was stronger than the will of the insurgents who have been intimidating them and threatening them and trying to keep away from this polling day.

For the people who came out, they said that this was historic for them that they -- it made them very happy to feel that they were casting a free vote. They reminded us that in the past when there was a referendum on Saddam Hussein's rule it was always just yes or not and, of course, it always had to be yes. Otherwise, people and their families paid with their lives.

So, things are very, very different obviously and people very, very pleased to have come out today and we saw a steady stream of voters walking to these polling stations.

We've seen the U.S. security out in force but we've also seen Iraqi security out at all these polling stations and at major intersections in Baghdad. And we've seen some of the voters as they left. We saw people sort of waving their hands at the Americans and saying thank you for this day.

So, it's been -- it's been really incredible. Many, many people didn't expect that it would go off this well. Many people, and I've talked to people, colleagues who have been calling up their friends who have gone to different polling stations in this city, nobody believed that people would come out in the way they have done today and they've done it and they're proud of it and they wave their ink- stained finger at the badge of honor and pride they tell us.

HARRIS: And, Christiane, let me ask you a question on just that very point. Is there any concern being expressed by Iraqis that they are identifying themselves to the insurgents with the ink, as you mentioned, on their fingers?

AMANPOUR: You know today there doesn't seem to be any fear. The people have waved their fingers in as much pride as defiance. They've said this is, you know, here we are. We're marked. This is our freedom. This is our voting day and who knows when they go to bed tonight what they might think when they get up whether the nerves will set in again tomorrow?

But on this day they have -- they have defied those unbelievable threats, the terrible violence, the terrible bloodshed that has taken place and those awful vicious leaflets that were dropped all over the place warning people that they would, you know, wash the streets with blood and warning people to stay 500 meters away from the polling stations, telling them not to be anywhere near windows and all of that. It ended up so far to have been empty threats.

HARRIS: And, Christiane, one last question. What are people expecting, the expectation game for Iraqis with the outcome of this vote today?

AMANPOUR: Well, I think expectations are incredibly high and, you know, they've been high ever since Saddam Hussein was ousted but what people have had to get used to is the violence, the basic post- war plan which seemed to be very slow and cumbersome, lack of reconstruction, lack of basic services, things that they really expected to have as a proper country they haven't yet got.

And so all of these things they're going to want and I think the U.S. commanders here now fully understand that their job is not just to help fight the insurgency and get the Iraqi forces up and ready to fight that insurgency but to also provide the people here with, you know, a better quality of life so that these people will have more faith in their government.

I think people believe that this is one step forward to a legitimate government. This, of course, is not a presidential election but it will be choosing the National Assembly that will write the constitution that will govern post Iraqi, post-election political life here in Iraq. Proper elections, permanent elections are going to be held at the end of this year. So, this is a beginning and there is a lot of hope.

HARRIS: CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour in Baghdad, Christiane thank you.

NGUYEN: In Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, the atmosphere at one polling station has been enthusiastic and celebratory and voters there tell CNN's Senior Baghdad Correspondent Jane Arraf they're not afraid of insurgents or anyone else.

Now Jane joins us from Baquba at a polling site that has been so busy today. Jane, I have to ask you have Iraqis showed up before the polls close and they're still waiting in line to cast that ballot?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Betty, I think we have one last voter here. I think you can see this gentleman, a very elderly gentleman who showed up distraught that the polls had closed but they have indeed let him vote and he seems to be the last Iraqi voter at this polling station in Baquba. It closed just a few moments ago.

The day started with explosions. It ended with explosions but in between, Betty, a steady stream of voters who came in here and in other polling sites throughout the city in the heart of the Sunni Triangle.

Now, two-thirds of the polling stations were open, which means that one-third of them were not when people expected to vote. There was sporadic violence, no serious attacks here and in between absolutely jubilation as people put their mark on these ballots and put them in those plastic boxes and said, some of them, that this was the happiest day of their lives -- Betty.

NGUYEN: We heard from Christiane Amanpour that Iraqis have walked for miles to take part in this election. Have you seen those Iraqis who showed up just as the polls closed and were turned away unfortunately from this election?

ARRAF: Well, we did see some who showed up fairly close to the end of the day saying that they were waiting at home to see if there was violence that they wouldn't take the risk of coming out earlier.

Now, we've seen, Betty, people coming literally on crutches. One person came being wheeled in a wheelchair. This is not going to be the majority of the population that could have voted that has come out to vote. There have been polling stations that did not open because election workers were intimidated. But the people who came here went to great length. I believe we've lost the audio.

NGUYEN: And as Jane...

ARRAF: Oh, we're back, came to great lengths to get here, Betty, despite the danger, despite the threats saying that this was extremely important that they show the terrorists, that they show the insurgents that this was their response -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Standing in defiance and making their vote count, a truly historic day there, thank you Jane Arraf in Baquba for us today.

Well, in the southern Iraqi city of Basra the lines of voters were long and orderly, women in one line, men in the other. They waited patiently to get their fingers indelibly marked and cast their ballot. Basra is a Shiite city and Iraqi Shiites had much to gain in today's election.

HARRIS: President Bush is, of course, being briefed on the election. Iraqi election officials estimate turnout at 72 percent. Earlier a top U.S. election adviser had a more conservative take.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has reaction from the White House on the Iraq vote, good morning Suzanne.

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

We saw President Bush and the first lady earlier today attending church, St. John's Episcopal Church. We are told that the president, of course, received a couple of briefings about the Iraqi elections and how they're going from his new National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Also a spokesperson for the White House saying today that the president believes this is a great day for democracy. We have also seen his new Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice making the rounds on the talk shows saying that this is much better than they expected.

This is not surprising to get this kind of reaction from the White House. The strategy has been from the beginning to lower expectations that the mere existence, the very existence of Iraqi elections certainly means success.

Now, President Bush has a lot of political capital invested in the success in the U.S. mission of Iraq. We don't know whether or not we're going to actually hear from the president today.

But yesterday in his radio address he made it very clear to the American people in making the case once again that Iraqi elections, as well as democracy, is a matter of U.S. security and also that it's the central front in the war on terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As democracy takes hold in Iraq, America's mission there will continue. Our military forces, diplomats and civilian personnel will help the newly elected government of Iraq establish security and train Iraqi military police and other forces. Terrorist violence will not end with the election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: President Bush, of course, made the case for war, the U.S. invasion of Iraq saying initially that it was because Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. That, of course, has turned out not to be the case. The emphasis has somewhat changed from the White House saying, of course, emphasizing the importance of bringing democracy to Iraq as well as the rest of the Middle East.

Big question now here, of course, Tony is just when are we going to see some of those U.S. troops pull out of Iraq? That is something that the president is going to have to contend with -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, military families all across the country want the answer to that question. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, Suzanne thank you.

Our e-mail question today: "Is Iraq worth the American sacrifice?" What do you think? E-mail us at wam@cnn.com and we'll read your responses throughout the morning.

NGUYEN: Still to come on this Sunday morning, the voting, the violence, a critical weekend for the future of an independent Iraq. What's at stake?

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did not go there to establish elections in Iraq. That wasn't the reason why these people were placed in harm's way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: A father of a slain soldier disillusioned with the president, the human and political price of war.

And, you're looking at scenes from Chicago where Iraqi Americans are still voting in their country's election. Good morning Chicago.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The world's spotlight shines brightly on Iraq this morning as thousands cast their ballots in an historic election.

This morning on "CNN LIVE SUNDAY," the expatriates share some of the world's stage. A team of reporters bring you reaction from outside Iraq live 11:00 a.m. on "CNN LIVE SUNDAY."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And checking our top stories, a landmark day in Iraq is now one for the history books. Voters went to the polls to cast ballots in the country's first free election since it became a republic more than 50 years ago.

Iraqi officials estimate the turnout was 72 percent. The election, however, was marred by violence. Suicide bombings and mortar attacks killed at least 25 people and wounded upwards of 66 people across the country.

In a statement posted on several Islamic Web sites, a group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claims responsibility for the attacks.

Iraqis across the U.S. are still turning out to vote in their country's elections. We'll get a live report from a polling station in Maryland in about 15 minutes.

NGUYEN: In Iraq, the vote, the turnout and the violence, the stakes are high for President Bush in Iraq's landmark election.

CNN Military Analyst Major General Don Shepperd joins us now with his perspective, good morning to you.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, let's start with the insurgency. It really predicted or said or at least put a threat out there that it was going to cause a bloodbath in this election. That hasn't been quite the scale as of today. But let's talk about where they did attack.

SHEPPERD: Yes, typical insurgent rhetoric, Betty, but it's gone better than expected. We got the CNN flyover maps. We're going to zoom in here. We're going to fly over Saudi Arabia and down past Kuwait and into Baghdad and take a look at what's actually unfolded in Baghdad itself.

This is the Baghdad map that we've looked at several times and this is the location of the attacks as we know them. I'm going to put a couple of X's up here.

Starting out in Sadr City we've had mortar attacks. You've had other attacks as shown here. They are a combination of IEDs, vehicle bombs and also suicide bombs. Now, there are some areas that have not had attacks that we expected attacks.

One of them was up in the Kadamia (ph) area up here in northwest Baghdad and other one was in the university area, another heavily Shia neighborhood down here in southwest Baghdad. Nothing has taken place there. So, in Baghdad it's been much more peaceful than we thought despite the fact there has been some loss of life.

We're going to take a look at some other areas as well. We're going to zoom in first of all on south Iraq and then central Iraq and northern Iraq, again we're flying in over Saudi Arabia and going on down into southern Iraq.

We have had some attacks in Basra. There are just reports in of a bus attack in Hilla and we expected attacks, a lot of attacks in the Karbala and Najaf, Nassiriya area. These have not materialized. So, it's been much calmer in southern Iraq than we thought.

We'll take a look at central Iraq which, of course, also included Baghdad and we'll fly in again over Saudi Arabia into central Iraq and put the cities up there.

We expected a lot of problems in the Sunni Triangle area. We have had a minor attack in the Baquba area and we've had another one up in Balad on Highway 1, north toward Tikrit. But, on the other hand, these have not been major attacks. They have been suicide bomber and vehicle attacks.

Taking a look at the north it's also been much better than expected up north. We'll fly into the northern area. Remember the northern area is the Kurdish area.

We have had reports of attacks in the Mosul area. There are reports coming in of seven or eight attacks up there being claimed by Zarqawi on the net but we have not confirmed those. It's been very calm, unexpectedly calm in Sulaimaniya and Erbil. Nic Robertson is in Sulaimaniya.

Overall if you look at the picture in Iraq you'll have to say the level of violence has been much less than predicted by us and much less than claimed by the insurgents, so Betty so far so good.

NGUYEN: Well, but what's the reason behind that? Is it the fact that the security forces have stopped all the vehicular movement throughout Iraq. Has that been the major issue here which has stopped all these attacks from happening as the insurgency had predicted it would?

SHEPPERD: Hard to say what's really worked but for sure stopping the vehicular traffic has been very important. Suicide bombers can use those vehicles to move about quickly and the fact that you stopped all vehicular traffic except for government vehicles has been very important.

Also, both the coalition and the Iraqi forces have conducted aggressive, offensive operations in the past few weeks rounding up insurgents and inspected insurgents as a result of interrogating the suspects that they've captured. This has been a big factor. So, you'd have to say overall the security situation, although people have died, has been much, much better than anyone predicted.

NGUYEN: OK, but since the insurgency didn't derail this election it doesn't mean that they're done. It doesn't mean more attacks aren't on the way, correct?

SHEPPERD: Betty, this is a first step. Remember you got two weeks before the votes are certified here or we know the results of the election and then we have to name a president. We have to name a prime minister. We have to write a constitution. There has to be a national referendum on the constitution. The new government has to be elected and then the new government has to be seated.

We have two years of follow-on election activities, all of which the insurgents will try to interdict. It's going to be a tough time. But the Iraqis have spoken today and that's very important.

NGUYEN: They sure have. Major General Don Shepperd we appreciate your insight. Thank you.

SHEPPERD: Pleasure.

HARRIS: So, how is the Iraqi election playing across the Arab airwaves?

Our Senior Editor for Arab Affairs will join us with some insights when we return.

But first, a CNN extra, the whole of Iraq forms a single electoral district. Seats in the 275-member assembly will be distributed to political entities based on the proportion of total votes they receive. Parties representing the Shiite majority are expected to win the most seats in the assembly. Kurdish parties are also expected to fare well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: I want to give you a live look now at a polling station in Baghdad now. As we've been reporting those polls closed at 9:00 Eastern Time, just about 24 minutes ago. And, as you can see, everyone has left. They've made their mark today by voting in this historic election. I also want to say good morning Chicago, one of a handful of U.S. cities where native Iraqis living in the Midwest can go vote today in the Iraqi elections. Those votes are still being placed as we speak.

HARRIS: And it looks a little cloudy in Chicago but I'll tell you what, we'll take it over what we've been getting here.

NGUYEN: Over the ice?

HARRIS: Over the ice.

NGUYEN: Any day.

HARRIS: Everything else over the last couple of days. Rob Marciano is there in the weather center, good morning Rob.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

NGUYEN: Thank you.

HARRIS: Thank you, Rob, appreciate it.

Let's get you caught up with other news across America this morning.

A horrific bus crash outside of Rochester, New York kills three passengers. The charter bus carrying members of a Canadian women's hockey team rear-ended a truck stopped on the side of the road. The impact was so great it split the bus halfway down the middle. The truck driver was also killed.

An adopt-a-road program near Salem, Oregon has an unpopular sponsor. Some people living there are protesting participation in the cleanup program by the American Nazi Party. County officials say they've gotten some complaints but barring the group would violate First Amendment rights to free speech.

NGUYEN: Catching Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, what happens if the U.S. leaves Iraq before he's captured? We'll get a live report from Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

HARRIS: Plus, the shadow of the Iraq War, will it haunt President Bush's legacy when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The loss and sacrifice in Iraq, will it hang in the shadow of President Bush's legacy? Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. That story is coming up, first here is what's happening now in the news:

The polls are now closed in Iraq's historic election. Iraq's Independent Election Commission has turned out of 72 percent, at least a dozen deadly insurgent attacks have been record add cross the country. But Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice says the elections are going, quote, "better than expected."

Several Islamic Web sites posted a statement purportedly by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claiming responsibility for a number of today's attack. In one attack, three mortar rounds landed just behind a police station in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. Four Iraqis civilians were killed and eight were wounded.

Michael Jackson will issue a statement on his Web site this morning, commenting on leaks of grand jury testimony in his case. Earlier this month, ABC News reported details of grand jury testimony that had been ordered sealed. Jackson's trial on child molestation charges begins tomorrow with jury selection.

NGUYEN: The voting is over, and the counting now begins. Election Day in Iraq was unique in many ways. And Iraqi voters seem more aware than anyone that they were making history. The polls closed just after -- just about a half hour ago at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, 5:00 p.m. in Iraq, in an election marked by long lines, voter celebrations, insurgent attacks, and casualties. Iraq's election commission says the voter turnout was 72 percent, a remarkable figure, if it's confirmed.

Now, before the election, some Iraqi officials said 50 percent would be an acceptable turnout. Some Iraqis paid with their lives for the opportunity to vote today. Violence across the country has left at least 25 people dead. And a group headed by terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says it carried out some of those attacks.

So, how does the U.S. Military view Zarqawi now that he's claiming responsibility for even more attacks? And what will happen with the policy of hunting him down if U.S. troops are asked to leave Iraq? CNN's Barbara Starr joins us now live from the Pentagon with more on that.

Good morning, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. Well, these claims by Zarqawi come as no surprise to anyone. Here he is the man that is believed to be responsible for so many attacks in Iraq that have killed, both, so many Iraqis and U.S. troops.

The question now is whether this election has fundamentally altered his network, his power structure inside Iraq. Will he be able to still launch significant attacks in Iraq? Or is he now somewhat decimated by the political victory of this election having happened? Officials say both are true, that he is still capable of launching attacks, but there have been some key developments. The Iraqi interim government says that is now has, in its custody, of course, three of his key lieutenants, including a man known as the "Amir of Baghdad," responsible for many of the attacks in the capital, and several of his key lieutenants have been killed, hunted down by both Iraqi and U.S. forces.

The question, of course, is Zarqawi himself. The U.S. now characterized him as al-Qaeda inside Iraq. They believe he is now -- now must considered a top al-Qaeda operative. U.S. military officials saying he has had two-way communications with the al-Qaeda network. So, they continue to look for him. And U.S. officials say, they are not giving up. That that counterterrorism mission, the hunt for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, will go on -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Thank you for that.

Well, today is the final opportunity for Iraqis living abroad to cast their votes in their homeland's historic election. Some quarter million Iraqis live in the U.S. Washington, D.C. has a large Iraqi expatriate population, and national correspondent, Bob Franken, is live at their polling station in New Carrollton, Maryland, just outside of D.C.

How's turnout so far today?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, it's quite low, as you can see the weather is a bit of a factor. There was a heavy turnout yesterday, heavy compared to what, perhaps, they might have expected. There are only about 10 percent of the Iraqis in the United States who registered to vote. And about 30 percent of those showed up yesterday. Now, when they get to the polls, they are - encounter a variety of pieces of literature. Here you'll see some instructions that are in Arabic, they're also presented in Kurdish, as well as in English.

Now, a lot of people consider this a very moving experience. We have the story, for instance, Abdullah Salaam (ph). He and his family escaped in fear from Iraq in 1998, went through Syria and then came to the United States, so voting for him today was an emotional experience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDULLAH SALAAM, ESCAPED FROM IRAQ: Now Iraq freedom my country freedom, that Iraqi people are freedom of dictator Saddam.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And people like Almoun Salaam -- excuse me, Abdullah Salaam, who came from Boston, by the way, have about 7-1/2 hours left to vote before the polls close in the United States on the East coast -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Bob Franken in Maryland. Thank you for that -- Tony.

HARRIS: The shadow of the Iraq war and the political aftermath of the election loom large over President Bush. They are issues that not only speak to his credibility, but may shape his presidency, as well. CNN White House correspondent John King looks at the human and political toll of the war.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brandon Sloan at 18, his boot camp graduation photo, a new beginning after leaving high school because of poor grades.

REV. TANDY SLOAN, BRANDON'S FATHER: He and I sat down and we put a plan together where he might better himself.

KING: A little more than a year later at 19, dead. Among the first Americans killed in the Army's desert sprint to Baghdad, caught in an ambush his father says was bad planning and an obsession of Saddam Hussein.

SLOAN: I was told by a U.S. Army general of the United States Army that they were working at the behest of President Bush, and that he said that he wanted, I'll quote him, he said, "he wanted a fast hit."

KING: Brandon was enjoying the Army, making new friends, agreeing with his father that the mission was worth supporting.

SLOAN: My president stood and told me that there were weapons of mass destruction that had to be alleviated.

KING: No weapons of mass destruction were found, of course, a fact that to Tandy Sloan makes the president's upbeat talk about this weekend's elections in Iraq ring hollow.

SLOAN: We should not have been there. We did not go there to establish elections in Iraq. That wasn't the reason why these people were placed in harm's way.

KING: The funeral was nearly two years ago. Reverend Sloan, now a new member of the Mt. Zion Church in suburban Cleveland. More skeptical than ever of the war and of the commander of chief beginning a new term in Washington.

SLOAN: He's lost credibility, with, I would imagine with anybody. Once you tell somebody something's a certain way, and it turns out to not to be that way, and it was your idea, you lose credibility. That's unavoidable.

KING: Just a few miles away, the president is putting that credibility and his political muscle to the test. At the Cleveland clinic to push a health care initiative, and rally support for an ambitious second-term domestic agenda, but the morning paper brings yet another reminder of Iraq's shadow. The rising death toll leads page one. Presidential visit relegated to the inside.

For Mr. Bush, an impressive election victory has not meant a second honeymoon.

PETER HART, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: The second term will be determined by how Iraq goes. If there is a sense that it is working well, he will have a breeze at his back. If it isn't going well, you'll find the republicans in Congress will leave him and look for their own perch. KING: Talk of another $80 billion in war spending and 100,000 troops in Iraq for another year or more is adding to, what at the moment, is much more head wind than breeze.

HART: There is no confidence that this election is going to turn the corner for America. The president is working on the short end of the stick here where a majority of Americans have said the war is not worth it.

KING: There is no doubt, Andy Sloan wishes Mr. Bush lost the election.

SLOAN: And I don't see why these people were not held accountable for that they said and their actions, because they should be accountable, because the repercussions have been tremendous.

KING: Yet not worth it is a much more difficult question.

SLOAN: I could never say that my son died in vein. I have respect for the presidency. George W. Bush is the president of the United States. He is my president. whether -- irrespective of what I think, he is still the president, and we are still at war.

KING: Lakeview cemetery is a mile from where the president spoke. Brandon Sloan rested on a snow covered hill, home, and still part of a president's uncertain legacy.

John King, CNN, Cleveland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Today's "Best of the Web" tangles out three Web sites where you can learn more about the Iraq election. At the BBC Web site, people in Iraq have posted their thoughts on this historic day. Now, for a different perspective, you might want to check out Motherjones.com. Among the articles you will find, there is one that argues the Iraqi national assembly was already chosen before the election. And for an in-depth look at the vote among the Iraqi expatriates, there's a wealth of information at your fingers at Iraqocd.org.

HARRIS: For some perspective now on the Iraqi election as it is being covered in the Arab media, let's bring in our senior editor for Arab affairs, Octavia Nasr.

Octavia, I've wanted to talk to you all morning about this. In the run up to this election, I sort of scanned some of the editorial pages of the Arab media, and the editorial writers were skeptical? Cynical? About this election. What are you seeing today, so far?

OCTAVIA NASR, SR. EDITOR, ARAB AFFAIRS: I think we're pessimistic, too, weren't they?

HARRIS: Yes.

NASR: Well, it's a diferent story. It has a different reaction. It seems like there's a mixture of cynicism, still, but a lot of hope because the story changed. I'm going to give you an example. This is an example taken from Asharq al-Awsat, it's a Saudi-owned London-based newspaper.

HARRIS: OK.

NASR: An editorial, there, add at Asharq about the Iraqi election says it's "An unprecedented and historic event, an Iraqi scene unlike any other in the region. The elections will serve as a lesson for neighboring countries to assume power through voting and not overthrowing." Big message in the region to watch what's happening in Iraq and maybe learn a lesson or two from it.

HARRIS: Well the -- are we seeing this change in tone because there is a sense that this has come off better than anticipated?

NASR: Perhaps, but, you know, Arabs are known to be skeptics, they're known to talk about the conspiracy theory. They love to argue. It is a known fact. So leading up to the elections, of course, the skepticism was to be expected. They were just trying to be smart about it, and ask the important questions, it seems. Now that the elections are over with, sort of, I think they will have new questions. They're going to be looking at who voted, who did not vote, how well the Shia did and how well the Sunnis did, if any. The placement of the Kurds in all this, because, you know, Arab media is very aware of the fact that this is not so much an Iraqi story as it is a neighbor story, it's turkey and Iran and the rest of the Middle East. It's also the U.S. and...

HARRIS: And in a real sense, you just ticked off a list of stake-holders, it's not just the Iraqi people, it's not the president of the United States, it's all of the neighboring countries that you've just listed, they're stake-holders in this process today.

NASR: Right. Arab media are focusing on that a lot, and they're saying, you know, Iraqis are excited about the elections, it's just the fact they can go to the poll and vote for someone, in a free way. That's big enough for them. But they are saying that, you know, there's the U.S. and the President Bush in particular, there's Zarqawi who heads a terrorist network inside Iraq that keeps growing, it seems, and keeps getting more violent, and of course the neighbors. Here we were looking at pictures from al-Jazeera, talk a little bit about networks and how they covered the story.

Al Jazeera remains grim in its view of this election. These are their graphics that they rolled out especially for the election. But again, the focus is on the violence, the focus is on how many people died, and how many polls did not open. You cross over to al-Arabia and it's all upbeat on al-Arabia. Here you go, you see the new studios, you see the fresh look and the Iraqi flag....

HARRIS: Octavia, I have to interrupt because we have breaking news. I'm guessing on this story.

NASR: OK.

HARRIS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: And speaking of that breaking news, it is out of Madrid, we understand. Let's go to CNN's Anand Naidoo with the latest on this.

What do you know?

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Betty. Yeah, what we do know right now, we have this breaking news piece just crossed the wires just a few minutes ago. A bomb has exploded at a hotel in a holiday resort hotel in southeastern Spain. CNN has confirmed that, that bomb explosion at a resort hotel on the Mediterranean coast in southeast Spain. We have no reports of casualties, right now. As I said, this story just crossed the wires only minutes ago.

The bomb detonated at the Hotel Ft. Denier, which is on the southeast coast of Spanish. It's located in the Spanish region of Alicante which is on the Casablanca, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

So, what we know right now is that a bomb has exploded at a resort hotel in southeastern Spain. No reports on casualties. Our people are working the story, right now. We'll bring you the figures as soon as we get it, but we can confirm that that bomb has exploded.

NGUYEN: Anand, let me ask you this. I know the information is very preliminary right now, but any indication as to who may be claiming responsibility for this?

NAIDOO: No. Very early stages. What we do know right now is that we've confirmed that this bomb explosion has taken place. We don't know how many people have been injured or whether anyone has been killed in this explosion, so, I think we -- we're a bit away from getting to know who might have caused this explosion.

NGUYEN: OK. And of course we will continue to follow this story. Thank you for that, but right now we're going take a quick break. Stay tuned for more CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Here's a look at our top stories. The polling stations in Iraq's historic election closed almost a half hour ago. An election official says the country saw a nationwide voter turnout of almost 72 percent.

Nearly a dozen insurgent attacks terrorized, but didn't halt today's voting. At least 25 Iraqis have been killed in Election Day attacks across the country. On several Islamic Web sites, a group tied to Iraqi terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks.

And we're asking you this morning, is Iraq worth the American sacrifice? We're reading your e-mails coming up in the next 10 minutes. NGUYEN: Yet this morning, Iraqi expatriates are still voting right here in the U.S. Let's get a grip on the weather outside and see what they're facing as they head to the polls.

Here there, Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Nice sunrise there. OK Rob, we thank you for that. And we have some breaking news we want to tell about you right now. A British C-130 military transport plane has crashed north of Baghdad. Now, this is according to wire reports coming into CNN.

HARRIS: Now, just to give you a little more information on this, there is no immediate word on casualties involved. And once again, this is a British C-130 military transport plane. And we understand that the wreckage from this accident, from this crash is spread over a large area, and this plane went down near the city of Balad, about 25 miles northwest of Baghdad. And Baghdad has been the area where we have seen a lot of activity, a lot of insurgent activity this morning. We're going to keep following this story and bring you the latest information.

But once again, just to recap, that a British C-130 military transport plane has gone down in Balad, that is about 25 miles south -- northwest of Baghdad. No reports on casualties at this time.

NGUYEN: Right now we're going to take a quick break and be right back. Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right, let's quickly get to you the international desk now, and Anand Naidoo who is reporting of an explosion at a hotel in southeastern Spain.

Anand, what's the latest?

NAIDOO: Tony, I'll tell you what's the latest, just to bring our viewers up to date here, that bomb exploded at a resort hotel in southeast Spain. We have no immediate word of casualties, but what we've learned in the last minute, that there was a telephone call made by ETA, that's the Baath separatist organization looking for independence in that part of Spain. They made a telephone call claiming responsibility for this explosion. In fact, the telephone call was a warning for that hotel to be evacuated, and we're getting this information from wire services, from agencies who are quoting Spanish interior ministry officials who are saying they received that call from ETA the Baath organization, warning people to leave the hotel. Apparently the hotel was evacuated and the explosion went off 30 minutes later. We have no word on casualties at all, but that's the situation at the moment. That bomb explosion at a resort hotel in southeastern Spain. More details as we get them here at CNN.

HARRIS: OK, Anand, thank you. We appreciate it. NGUYEN: And we also want to update you on some of the other breaking news this morning, about the British C-130 military transport plane that crashed north of Baghdad. Now, it was headed to Balad, and we have General Don Shepperd with us, right now, to talk about the insurgency in that area.

We don't know if this was the result of an insurgent fire, but we know it did go down and the crash scene is quite large, what does that tell you?

SHEPPERD: Yeah Betty, I'd be very careful tying it to the insurgency. The C-130 is a reliable airplane. It could be mechanical failure, it would be insurgent activity, but that would likely be something like a shoulder-fired missile would bring an airplane like that down. Also, these airplanes carry dangerous material. They carry fuel, they carry ammunition, that type of thing, so that can cause it. Also, an airplane can hit flat and spread itself over a large area. So you can't draw any conclusions this early. What we know, or at least what has been confirmed, is that it is an REF, a British C-130. Wherever it is flown is made by Lockheed Martin, here, about 1,850 of them around the world in 55 nations, very safe airplane, used as tactical transport for armies in the field.

NGUYEN: Now, it was headed to Balad, do you know anything about what it was doing there, what it was transporting?

SHEPPERD: No, I don't for sure, but Balad is a major air base north of Baghdad. The C-130s are based in Kuwait, many of them are based in Kuwait, they fly in daily to Baghdad Airport, and from Baghdad Airport to Balad and all of the outlying areas. Wherever you see armies the field, they can service them from nearby airfields and they can even land on unimproved roads, and this type of thing. It's a rugged airplane.

NGUYEN: But of course, any operation in Iraq carries with it some risk, and of course, we've seen this C-130 military British plane go down today, and a lot of information still sketchy on that. We thank you for your insight.

SHEPPERD: You bet.

NGUYEN: And for those of you just watching, we do want to tell you one more time, that we are continuing to follow this breaking news out of Iraq, today. A British C-130 military transport plane has crashed north of Baghdad. CNN has confirmed this crash, and we also want to tell you that it was headed to Balad, so a lot of information still sketchy, but that is what we know at this time.

HARRIS: And that's it. That's all of our time. Thank you for watching this morning. We'll see you back here next weekend. "Inside Politics Sunday" is next.

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