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On the Story
Story of Presidents Surprise Baghdad Trip on Thanksgiving; Story of one D.C. Sniper Sentenced to Death, His Alleged Accomplice Still on Trial
Aired November 29, 2003 - 10:00 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.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to CNN's ON THE STORY, where our journalists have the inside word on the stories we covered this week. I'm Kelly Wallace, on the story of how the country, the president, and families mourn the losses in Iraq.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash in Crawford, Texas, on the story -- or really off the story -- of the president's surprise Baghdad trip on Thanksgiving.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Christiane Amanpour in Baghdad, on the story of Iraq (UNINTELLIGIBLE). When will the Iraqi security forces be able to take over responsibility for their own security?
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Deborah Feyerick, in New York, on the story of how a drug bust here fires up new questions about airport security in the war on terrorism.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Patty Davis, on the story of one D.C. sniper is sentenced to death, his alleged accomplice still on trial.
Also coming up, we'll talk to Barbara Starr, somewhere in Afghanistan. We'll talk about how hot, new government numbers on the economy will ripple across the presidential campaign. And we'll listen to the president's weekly radio address at the end of the hour.
E-mail us at onthestory@cnn.com.
Right now to Dana Bash and President Bush in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will win because we will stay on the offensive. And we will win because you're part of the finest military ever assembled.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: The cheers of some 600 military troops in Baghdad, surprised, completely surprised, by the president on Thanksgiving. And while that was going on, I was sitting right where I am right now, giving reports that the White House gave us, detailed reports on the president's dinner menu for the quiet Thanksgiving we were told he was having at his ranch here in Crawford, giving reports on the calls he was going to make to troops from his ranch here in Crawford, Texas.
All the while, just a few hours later, back in our filing press area here in Crawford, we saw the flash wire go up on all of our computers. It said "Bush in Baghdad." And we all stood up, really not knowing what to do. We were absolutely incredulous that we were here covering -- what we thought, covering the president here in Crawford, and he ended up in Baghdad.
AMANPOUR: Dana, everybody here was stunned as well. And, in fact, people couldn't believe it when it first flashed. How thorough was the deception? I mean, didn't you notice that some journalists had disappeared? What was the story you were given?
BASH: The way they did it was really remarkable. First of all, they only took a couple of journalists from here in Crawford. And they picked up the rest when the president and Air Force One stopped. They switched planes at air force Andrews base in Washington.
But the way it works around here, particularly on a holiday weekend, there is a filing center, which is where we were, but not a lot of people were around. But it was very interesting because we all -- you know, our colleagues have a camaraderie.
There was one reporter, Richard Kyle (ph) of Bloomberg, who was actually asked and did make the trip. He and a couple of us had plans for a potluck Thanksgiving dinner we were going to make on Thanksgiving. I called him and asked him what I should pick up. He, in a panicked mode, actually made up a story about he lost his wallet and how he needed me to go to the supermarket and by him a turkey, giving me very specific instructions on how to do it.
All the while, he was sitting next to senior Bush official who was telling him that he was going to Baghdad. It was just a ruse to try to get me off the phone and really off his trail. That was just one example of the way reporters were told not to say a word, and even to tell White lies in order -- so that nobody knew they were going.
WALLACE: Dana, it was really stunning. We were watching you and the other reporters on TV that day, of course, learning, of course, that President Bush was in Iraq. But what's going on behind the scenes now, Dana? How much discussion, how much debate, when it comes to the journalists and the White House, about whether there was maybe too much of this deliberate deception and, in fact, whether the White House lied and kept you all guessing while he was in Iraq?
BASH: Well, there is a lot of discussion about that, Kelly. And certainly, it will be discussion in the weeks and months to come about who was taken and from where and from what news organizations. But the bottom line is that the White House does say this was an issue of national security. And what's really interesting is what happened to the reporters who were actually on the trip. When they got on the plane, they were taken -- their cell phones were taken away. The batteries were taken out of their cell phones first, and then they were taken away. And they were confiscated. And they were told not only by senior officials, but by the president himself, as they were getting on the plane, they were absolutely, positively not to make any calls. They were told if word leaked out, if anybody found out at all, that they were going to turn Air Force One around and the mission wouldn't happen at all.
DAVIS: But this has been a really good week for the president overall. He looked strong flying to Baghdad. And he's had really good economic news and good news on Medicare.
BASH: It certainly was. It started out as a week that was very big for him domestically. It almost seems like three weeks ago, at this point, because the past 48 hours have been so remarkable. But you're right, he was able to -- certainly going to try to claim credit for getting a prescription drug benefit pass ford Medicare. He got great economic news. And now this.
And the way they are making sure that we knew the stories of how the president was able to really slip away from us here in Crawford is pretty remarkable. The president -- his ranch, just to set the scene, is about seven miles away from where I'm sitting right now. So we don't -- we're not even able to get that close. But we're told that even if -- just maybe to make us feel better here -- even if we were standing at the door, right by the president's ranch, we wouldn't have known that he left because he left without a motorcade, he left in an unmarked car with tinted windows.
The Secret Service had him put a baseball hat on just so nobody would know it was him. And he experienced regular rush hour traffic like everybody else. He was joking that was the first time he'd done that in three years. This was all so that nobody had any idea that he was leaving Crawford, nobody had any idea he was getting on that plane and heading to Baghdad.
FEYERICK: Dana, journalists can be a pretty cynical bunch. But how is this trip being perceived? Is it different than the landing on the air force carrier when he declared the end of the hostilities, or is this something totally different, as to how it's being perceived?
BASH: Well that's an interesting question. Because you remember, when the president landed on the aircraft carrier, it was just -- I mean, people were absolutely in awe. And not just journalists, but Democrats. Democrats did not criticize him at all for that.
And of course it was a different situation. He was talking about the war specifically. And he made a very specific speech, declaring major combat over. And the controversy about that is more about how -- whether or not he really was prepared and the White House is prepared for what is going on now.
But with this particular trip, you heard from Democrats on the campaign trail applauding it, because the White House was very careful. They tried -- they made this and the images of this trip about the president, the commander in chief visiting the troops to give a morale boost. And that is something that is very hard for Democrats to criticize.
But they are trying to move forward, move past that, and say that they applaud the trip, they applaud the fact that he's going to meet with troops. But they also want to make sure to point out the policy in Iraq.
AMANPOUR: Dana, in terms of what the press is talking about amongst themselves, I mean, how unusual was the whole issue of changing the pool or picking certain reporters to go?
BASH: It was very unusual. The White House did pick journalists, a couple of journalists who were here. They did take all of the wires. But the way the process was carried out wasn't your -- the typical process.
They took some of the wires, the wires who are normally on the plane, from Washington. They took some from here. But it is standard to have a small pool.
Just for people who don't understand the way the press works, there are -- there's a representative from television, there's a representative from newspapers, there's a representative from magazines, and then all of the wires, and of course a representative from TV, always with the president. In the end that is what happened. And the question of who was chosen and why and from where, that is something that we're going to be talking about certainly for a long time.
AMANPOUR: Well, despite the president's trip, the grim reality is that, in Iraq, U.S. soldiers keep getting targeted and the violence continues. We will be back with that after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMB. PAUL BREMER, CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: In the past, attacks against coalition forces were predominant. Now terrorist attacks against Iraqis are occurring regularly. This is a repugnant, but not unexpected, tactic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: That was Paul Bremer, the head of the U.S. occupation authority here in Baghdad, speaking on Tuesday. And, certainly, we've been discussing and covering all sorts of issues over the past couple of weeks in which security is always the number one topic.
We're trying to get to the bottom on raids with U.S. forces, going to various towns with U.S. forces, trying to get to the bottom of who are these people? Who are the militants who are attacking U.S. forces and, as you heard Bremer say, shifting their tactics towards attacking Iraqis as well? Those Iraqis who are predominantly helping the American forces here.
November has been the deadliest month for the American forces since the end of major combat. There were about 70 or so American deaths here, military deaths. And this is causing great consternation.
Although today, the head of the forces here, General Sanchez, said that some of the attacks against the American forces over the last week seem to have decreased, whereas some of the attacks against the local Iraqis seem to have picked up. So they're still trying to get to the bottom of what exactly this insurgency is and how best to combat it.
FEYERICK: There seems to be a deliberate stalking of some of these soldiers, that people who want to get them are actually looking at what their schedules are, what their behaviors, what their activities are. What kind of information are you getting on this, that this is very planned, they know who they want to attack?
AMANPOUR: Well, that is the latest that we're hearing from them. And it's been written about as well, that they are beginning to think, pending their investigation to some of these people that they've caught, that they are essentially being observed very carefully. That certain movements are being observed, that the militants, whoever they are, on the ground have a sense of sort of rudimentary intelligence that is effective.
And they have a network, we're being told, of various different people along various different stages of any kind of attack, whether it be a roadside bomb or a projectile, whether it be an RPG, anything like that. And it's a large network of people who are involved, we're told, in each stage of this.
And I must say, it's very difficult, for instance, when you go out like we did the other night on a raid. Both -- the soldiers are very aware at any point they could come under ambush, and those of us who are with them are also aware of that. And it's a very, very tense situation for all of those involved.
BASH: Christiane, I'm just curious, obviously, to know how the president's trip is being played right there in Iraq. Obviously, he spoke to the troops, but he also had a message for the Iraqi people to seize the moment, and also saying that Saddam Hussein is gone. How is that playing there with the Iraqis?
AMANPOUR: Well, to be honest, mixed. Many Iraqis didn't know until much, much later, some the day after, that the president had been here. And again, amongst Iraqis, mixed reaction.
Some said that it was brave, it was good, it showed a commitment, and of course they're pleased that Saddam Hussein has gone. Some saying, well, you know it would have been nicer if we could have heard from him, if there could have been more of a visit into town like some of the other politicians have done. Some saying that it doesn't make any difference to their daily life. And a poll recently that has just been prepared and will be formally announced on Monday by Oxford University and the British News Network, the BBC, is saying that there's almost sort of equal opinion here amongst Iraqis that there are a number of people, obviously, a huge number of people delighted that Saddam has gone, and almost an equal number of people who still resent the war, the American bombing, and who, as other reports have shown, are losing some faith in the staying power and the ability of the U.S. to deliver its promises. Because what they're not seeing, although it's happening on a small scale, is the reconstruction and the daily betterment of their lives in terms of services.
And the Americans admit that this is very, very tough going, and that they're not doing that fast enough. So that's on one hand.
On the other hand, the soldiers, obviously, that lightning visit to Baghdad, that small group of soldiers were delighted. It was a morale boost, obviously. Many people were impressed at the risk that was taken to come here.
Further out, on bases that I was outside of Baghdad, again, the military didn't know that the visit had taken place until the next morning when we asked them. And by that time, they were a little blase about it. So those are the opinions right now that we can gather now in our unscientific sampling.
WALLACE: Christiane, though, what about this possible strategic shift, targeting Iraqi security officers, as opposed to U.S. soldiers? What impact is this having on Iraqis, and whether they -- people you've been talking to on the ground -- might now say they don't want to get involved with the security situation because they're afraid they could be targeted?
AMANPOUR: Well, there are some who say that. But there are others who say that nothing is going to deter us, that they want to work for a new Iraq, as it's said.
The thing is, they have been attacked quite regularly over several week and months. I mean, every so often, and rather too regularly, we're seeing police stations, for instance, targeted by suicide bombings. I mean, I went to a police station that was targeted exactly a month ago. It has not been rebuilt, the windows still blown out, the cars still devastated.
They're coming to work in their own personal cars. They don't have enough guns, ammunition, radios, vehicles, winter uniforms. And yet the people at this station say that they're determined to keep working.
They -- when we asked them about how can they do it when they're called collaborators and traitors, they say that mindset has to be changed and we have to catch and to disable those who are attacking us. But when you ask them the important question, are they able to take over, as the United States wants, in order for them to be able to draw down, they say it is not possible until there are more police, more army, more security services, with more training and much more equipment, not to mention just the four walls to have a police station in. I mean, there's a lot of work to be done before the security aspect can be handed over to the Iraqis.
DAVIS: Christiane Amanpour, thank you. What is ON THE STORY for you in the coming week, Christiane?
AMANPOUR: Well, we continue to investigate the business of who these militants are and we continue to look at some of the on-the- ground, small, individual nation-building efforts that the U.S. soldiers themselves are taking on. The big money hasn't come here yet. The big infrastructure is not visible yet. But in many cases, individuals are trying to build up their towns and cities and service the Iraqi people as best they can, individual soldiers.
DAVIS: Well, thank you. From the war in Iraq, to another big story of the week, the sniper trial. I was there ON THE STORY, and we'll be back with that in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we sentenced a shell of a man to death. It wasn't John Muhammad, it was just a shell of a man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Juror Jackie Mahalick (ph) talking about how she and her fellow jurors voted to sentence D.C. sniper John Muhammad to death. Now, what these jurors said, it was his lack of remorse and the fact they feared that he might kill somebody else when he is in jail.
So, at this point, he will head to death row after the judge makes his final formal sentencing. And the judge in this case in Virginia could potentially reduce that sentence to life without parole. Not very common, but it could happen.
WALLACE: Do we have any sense, though -- and you've been watching this trial, as well as the other -- of why, why this happened? Why Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo might have been involved in this last year?
DAVIS: Well, he never said himself, at least John Muhammad. You have heard a lot from Lee Boyd Malvo. But what the prosecution really theorized here is that it was money, $10 million extortion notes left at a couple of the sniper scenes, saying, "Follow the body bags or pay up. And it's your choice."
They put several red stars on one of these notes and left another little silver star saying, "Your choice. Pay up or your choice." That choice happened to be Conrad Johnson, the last person who was killed in Montgomery County on a city bus. And it's just absolutely horrifying being in these trials and actually listening.
Lee Boyd Malvo, though, has gone ahead and given admissions, a taped interrogation played for the jury. Chilling to hear it, because it's such a difference in how he looks, to the words he actually had to say.
Laughing at the killing of Linda Franklin. Laughing at the killing of Sonny Buchanan as he was mowing the lawn at a car dealership, making a lawn mower noise. "Oh, the lawn mower man, ha, ha, ha. I shot him in the back." And it's chilling.
FEYERICK: What's the reaction of this family sitting in the court when they hear this laughter, this clear unabashed sort of -- or lack of remorse for what they've done? What's their reaction?
DAVIS: You know, very difficult. There's been several times in which family members had to be helped out because they were sobbing. Very difficult for them.
But you know, William Franklin has been sitting in the courtroom that I'm in. In fact, I sit right behind him in the Malvo trial. Very stoic.
He was there when his wife was murdered. He saw half of her head blown away. He's had to sit there and listen to these 911 phone calls, horrifying. In fact, he made one of them. Hysterical.
He's also had to watch these autopsy photos. Now, he saw it, he was there, he saw his wife get gunned down. But it's got to be tremendously difficult.
An interesting to note, as you watch Malvo and these autopsy photos come up or the death photos of them still on the scene, the victims, he won't look. He shades his eyes. And other members of other families won't look as well. And I don't blame them.
BASH: Patty, as you hear the confession tapes in the courtroom, how is that going to work against -- or likely to work against Lee Boyd Malvo's attorneys' claim that he was essentially brain-washed, that he was a young kid who looked up to somebody and did what he did because he didn't -- he was trying to please somebody else and it wasn't essentially his fault?
DAVIS: You know, very interesting question. That's exactly what the defense is arguing in that case, is that John Allen Muhammad brain-washed Lee Boyd Malvo. And you can see the defense setting that out.
They brought in a parade, a kind of a "this is your life" kind of a show last week in front of the jury. Family members, his father, his aunt, sobbing at what his potential fate is. Good question; how will that play with the jury?
I got to tell you that the prosecution's case -- and this is so strong with those alleged -- those admissions that he makes to homicide detectives. Very, very strong. Is the defense going to be able to overcome that with the story of a vulnerable child whose mother moved him from place to place? Are they going to be able to overcome that and show that John Muhammad took advantage of that vulnerable child, made him into a child soldier, what the defense said? It's a good question. We'll have to see.
WALLACE: And insanity, proving insanity, very difficult.
DAVIS: That's right. And in Virginia, it's knowing the difference between right and wrong. And prosecution is being very careful to seize on that.
To people that they say were his friends and family members, "Did you ever see him act crazy? Did you ever see him order Muhammad around? Or did he know right from wrong?" And they're trying to plant that in the jury's mind.
One other thing that I've seen very interesting outside the courtroom -- and actually, outside the courthouse in Chesapeake, Virginia, where the Malvo trial is taking place -- snipers on the roof, snipers at the sniper trial. Also...
WALLACE: Why?
DAVIS: ... inside, you've got...
WALLACE: Are they just so concerned about a possible attack?
DAVIS: I don't know that they've specifically had threats, but certainly they're worried about security in that courthouse. They don't want anything to go wrong.
You also see undercover police officers. They're not so out of sight here. But with machine guns clearly sticking out of their suit coats in the lobby and going up the stairs into the courtroom. So very, very tight security.
WALLACE: Well, Patty, we remember the emotional toll of the sniper trial. Of course, the sniper killings last year. Now at the holidays, many families are coping with something else, the loss of a loved one in Iraq. I'm back ON THE STORY with that after this break, and a check of the hour's top stories
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: All our military families that mourn can know this: our nation will never forget the sacrifice their loved one made to protect us all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: President Bush at the start of the week at Fort Carson in Colorado, where he talked to families of soldiers killed in Iraq. More than 430 men and women in the U.S. military have been killed this year in Iraq. And we wanted to spend some time with one of those families.
And we spent some time earlier this week with a woman. Her name is Dorine Kenney. Her son would have turned 29 on Tuesday, Army Private First Class Jacob Fletcher. And he was killed when he was returning from break with another soldier and his bus hit a landmine.
And the interesting message that she wants to get out right now, she said that as she talked to her son, she was hearing him grow tired and getting a little hopeless and having some questions, and basically becoming somewhat concerned and possibly thinking he might not survive in Iraq. And her message is that Americans should remember the soldiers in Iraq and do what they can to send letters, send gift boxes, send whatever they can to the soldiers to kind of lift up their spirits to help get them through this incredibly difficult time.
DAVIS: Well, how is it playing the fact that President Bush doesn't even attend any of these funerals?
WALLACE: There's a lot of criticism the president has not gone to these funerals for the men and women who are killed and who are back here in the United States. There's also criticism about a long- standing policy, not having any coverage of the caskets as they come back from Dover Air Force Base.
Dana, you can help me out here a little bit more about what the administration says about this. Interesting, though, when I talked to this woman, Dorine Kenney, and asked her if she's angry with the president, if she wants to hear more from him, she didn't seem angry because she said her son felt that he was doing the right thing. And so she's just going to support his cause, but she wasn't expressing any anger or hostility at the Bush administration.
(CROSSTALK)
FEYERICK: How much of a risk is it that the troops begin to grow demoralized inch by inch by inch? They're seeing a lot of media played out, they're seeing some stories. Some are positive, some are not so positive about this war, the direction the war is going. Clearly, with the Iraqi resistance undermining the effort there, it's got to be a hard thing for a soldier in this day and age to be fighting this kind of war.
WALLACE: Deb, you raise such an interesting point, because when I talked to this woman, she talked about the recent stories that we've all heard about, two soldiers who were killed. At first there were reports that their throats were slashed, then those stories were proven not to be exactly true. But still, their bodies were pulled apart, in the sense of pull out their personal effects.
And this woman, Dorine Kenney, saying that she's hearing this is having an impact on other soldiers as they hear what is happening. And that it was having an impact on her son as far back as July. And she even said she wrote a letter to the White House, kind of saying that she's picking up from her son and his colleagues that they're growing a little weary, that they need more support.
So there's no question. And that's -- of course we saw the administration institute sort of the rest and relaxation policy, two weeks of R&R to bring some soldiers back, have them spend some time with their families, so they can get back in Iraq.
But Dana, I wanted to bring you in. What is the administration saying to some of this criticism that the president should be doing more publicly to recognize the war dead in Iraq?
BASH: Well, essentially, what they say is that every president handles things differently and that the president does address the issue but he does it in private. We saw the pictures of the president at Fort Carson on Monday.
He had a private meeting with almost 100 family members there of the -- of soldiers who died, and that was -- it lasted about two hours. But of course, look -- I mean, obviously, it was a different kind of thing. But then at the end of the week, we saw those remarkable pictures of the president with the troops, and that was obviously essentially supposed to be a morale-booster.
But what I'm wondering is, they also say that the president sends handwritten notes to the family members of the soldiers who were killed. Did you get the sense that the mother you talked to got that, or has she gotten any kind of communication from the White House at all?
WALLACE: She had not, Dana. She had not received any communication. Her son was kill just about two weeks ago. So potentially such a letter will come.
But it was very interesting, because as we were doing research for stories about which families to talk to, we read other families who were expressing some anger, who were saying they wanted to hear more from the president, they wanted to see him do more. But this woman, again, really didn't feel that way.
She did feel that her son wasn't expressing that, that he felt that he was doing the rye thing. She said something pretty powerful that he had written her in a letter saying, mom, you have to look at these Iraqi women and Iraqi children and hear what Saddam Hussein did to them. I feel like I'm doing the right thing. And he even said in a letter that he would die for these people.
So this was a man who clearly was in a spiritual and very grounded to be where he was. No question, though, other family members of other loved ones are wanting to see more. And again, though, we did see the president in Fort Carson earlier in the week.
Dana, do you have any sense if the administration is planning to do more and more of that, especially as we are now in the holiday season and Christmas is just about three weeks away?
BASH: Well, it certainly wouldn't be surprising, especially since there has been a lot of coverage of the fact there isn't a lot of public comment from the president. And of course, the criticism is that is because it would not necessarily be politically beneficial for the president to constantly talk about the fact that there are deaths.
And, you know, the White House has all kinds of answers for that, saying that he doesn't want to elevate one killing over another, and that everybody is the same. And that he can't constantly talk about this issue. But it -- particularly as you say, Kelly, because the holidays are coming, it wouldn't be surprising to see more and more of that.
FEYERICK: Well, President Bush says the war in Iraq is a central part of the war on terrorism. This week, a drug bust in New York prompted new questions about anti-terrorism security at the nation's airports. I'm ON THE STORY after this
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Their status gave them unrestricted access to international passenger and cargo flights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: That was U.S. Attorney Rosalind Moscoff (ph) earlier this week talking about the unrestricted access that she says allowed smuggling to operate for nearly a decade at New York's Kennedy Airport. And the people who were involved in this knew exactly where the surveillance cameras were, they knew exactly how to bypass inspection, bypass Customs.
And it wasn't just the people on the ground doing this, but actual supervisors who put people certain people on the schedule knowing that they would be able to receive drug shipments and get them to where they needed to be in order to avoid all sorts of security or Customs. So a pretty big sting operation. And it netted them 20 people and a lot of drugs.
BASH: OK, Deborah, but asking as somebody who flies a lot -- and I'm sure everybody else who flies a lot wants to know -- if this kind of thing can happen with drugs, what about the people who are potential terrorists out there? What does this say about the security right now at airports?
FEYERICK: Well, it says a lot about security, because cargo is not always inspected. There are laxer rules, security rules in place when it comes to cargo. So, for example, the drugs, the cocaine and the marijuana, which came from Jamaica and Guyana, were able to be put on either suitcases or boxes and then shipped over. And again, it never cleared security.
So there are big holes when it comes to cargo, because this isn't a federal bureau that handles the people who handle the cargo, the baggage handlers. Although they're the ones who do people, they don't do the boxes. So it does raise a lot of questions.
And the head of the Immigration and Customs Service said that it is a big vulnerability. And what if these guys had not been working with drug smugglers, but had been working with terrorists? It could have been a far different story. WALLACE: So Deb, are the people you're talking to sensing there will be changes? Because I think viewers are probably surprised that the people at the x-ray machines at the airport now are subject to lots of federal regulations, but that the cargo holders aren't subject to these same regulations after September 11.
FEYERICK: That's right. And the baggage handlers, the cargo people did have security clearance, but they were hired by subcontractors by the airport. And again, sort of a different level of screening, a different level of security clearance. But not the kind -- the people who will check you, make you take your shoes off, they are governed by federal rules.
The baggage handlers, it is a different story. So that is a vulnerability that will have to be addressed. And it is a big vulnerability.
Remember there was a man who just shipped himself inside of a box. I mean, if you can get a man in a box, think of what else you can get through cargo.
DAVIS: Well, security experts that I talk to say that cargo is their number one concern. And a response to a recent Department of Homeland Security warning about cargo planes being flown in from overseas, and flown into U.S. targets, the Transportation Security Administration did recently come out with a new random inspection kind of thing for cargo hulls.
Do you think we'll be seeing that anytime soon? It certainly could have helped in this instance.
FEYERICK: Well, the head of Immigration and Customs Service did not say what they were going to be doing in order to address what is clearly a hole in security. The men who were working this operation, a very clever operation. In one case, they were able to get cocaine inside the main galley of the airplane, and they put it under bags of ice.
So these guys knew exactly what they were doing. The boxes, the suitcases, all of them were specially marked. And the problem is, you know -- my husband used to be a federal prosecutor. He worked with some Secret service people. And they told him, look, if somebody wants to do something bad, they're going to do it.
The IRA, the head of the IRA, Jerry Adams (ph), said once to the queen, you know, I have to be right once. You have to be right 100 percent of the time. And that is the difference in this kind of situation.
If they know what the plan is, clearly, they're going to be able to do it and, clearly, they're going to be able to take the steps they need to avoid detection, to avoid security. So it's an issue.
BASH: Have you heard any specific talk about how they might address this in the future, considering the fact that it's not just a drug issue, it is the security issue, that people are obviously most concerned about?
FEYERICK: They have not made any declarations about what kind of steps they're going to take. Whether it means that the cargo handlers, whether they become part of the federal agency, you know, it's very difficult.
Some of the baggage handlers work directly for the airlines like American, Delta, also United. So they're going to have to see the best way that they can do it. But it's a big problem. It's a big hole in security. And as the head of the -- as the new bureau of ICE (ph) said, it's a vulnerability that they're going to have to take steps to address.
WALLACE: Well, Deb., coming up, we check in with Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, who has had an exclusive behind-the- scenes look at the U.S. military in Iraq. And today, we catch up with her in Afghanistan. That's next ON THE STORY after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Welcome back to ON THE STORY. Joining us now, Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, who has been traveling throughout the Middle East. An exclusive behind-the-scenes look with the U.S. military in Iraq. Today, now, she join us from Baghram, Afghanistan.
Barbara, what are you seeing on the ground? And are the troops there concerned that the plight in Afghanistan might be getting overshadowed by what's happening in Iraq?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, indeed, Kelly. That is an issue that may be back in the United States. But once you land on the ground here in Baghram, the fight issue is very much in the front of everyone's mind.
There are continuing operations here in Afghanistan, actually around the clock. Even tonight, as we are here at Baghram Air Base in Afghanistan, there are about 2,000 troops up in the mountains conducting operation, looking for anti-coalition forces, Taliban, al Qaeda. They conduct regular sweeps throughout the region.
Actually, right now, they're operating in an area of northeast Afghanistan that is fairly new to them. They are going through that area, looking for any anti-coalition forces they can find.
As you say, we've been on the road for several days now. I'm working with one of CNN's finest cameraman, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We've been with General John Abizaid and members of the U.S. Central Command, traveling through Iraq, Baghdad, northern Iraq, and now we're in Afghanistan for a couple days, having a look around at what's going on here -- Kelly.
DAVIS: It would seem to me, Barbara, that we're starting to see a little bit more -- starting to hear about more casualties in Afghanistan. Does it seem like it's a less secure place now?
STARR: Well, the casualty issue, they have been doing fairly OK here. They have had some incidents. But the month of December is going to prove to be very interesting here in Afghanistan.
Around the middle of the month, there will be what they refer to as the constitutional Loya Jirga, if you will. The assembly of Afghans that will come to the capital and look to write a constitution and develop a civilian (UNINTELLIGIBLE) nationwide government in this country. Many of the same challenges, of course, facing Iraq. There is concern that perhaps there could be attacks by anti-coalition forces during that period, people who are opposed to the formation of a true nationwide Afghan government.
There's another very interesting deadline during the month of December. In the next several days at some point, a very crucial Kabul to Kandahar road will reopen for the very first time. And the feeling here is that will be a major step forward to trying to restore economic commerce to this country, where farmers and tradesmen moving up and down the road between Kabul and Kandahar. If the security situation holds, they hope that will be a real economic step to getting things on a more even footing in this country.
FEYERICK: Do the generals ever break from the official line and share personal insights about how they think the different wars are going, the different U.S. involvement in different areas of the world? What are they telling you behind the scenes?
STARR: Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I actually didn't hear the question, because we're pretty close to the flight line here, and there's a lot of noise. They do conduct operations around the clock. But let me just go ahead and make an additional point.
The feeling here is that they have really turned a corner in that the anti-coalition forces, Taliban and al Qaeda, are not able to regroup in this country on a very strategic scale, large numbers, if you will. They are running into pockets of resistance, but they continue to be relatively small.
And to the military forces here, the coalition forces, that's a pretty good sign that they have made some substantial effort to break the back of any organization. But a real concern here remains the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It's a very pouress border, almost impossible to control.
And depending on the time of year, the weather, the possibility of those mountain roads, if you will, they absolutely know and understand that anti-coalition forces continue to move back and forth; Taliban, al Qaeda, moving across that border with Pakistan. It's really probably still the largest, single issue they're trying to cope here with, in order to get the security situation under control.
BASH: Barbara, very quickly, John Abizaid, the general you're traveling with, knew about President Bush's secret trip to Iraq. Tell us a little bit about that.
STARR: John Abizaid plays his cards very close to the vest. I've been telling you that we did see him briefly on Thanksgiving Day. He wished us a very happy Thanksgiving. We exchanged pleasantries. Not a clue. Cards very close to the vest. The top military leadership had a considerable period of time to plan this. It was truly a military operation.
There's an awful lot, of course, we're never going to know about the security. Flying into Baghdad Airport may not have been actually the biggest issue for security, because of course we flew in with General Abizaid, it happens all the time. We don't know what the backup security measures might have been if something unfortunately might have gone wrong. Of course, thank goodness it didn't.
DAVIS: Well, thank you to Barbara Starr.
President Bush's gets his say in his weekly radio address just ahead ON THE STORY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Thanks to my fabulous colleagues. And thank you for watching ON THE STORY this holiday weekend. We will be back next week.
Still ahead, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," focusing this week on comedian Mike Myers and actor Robert Downey Jr. At 12 noon Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific, join me for CNN LIVE SATURDAY. And at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific, CNN's "IN THE MONEY."
Coming up at the top of the hour, a check of the top stories. But first, the president, talking about his recent trip to Iraq in his weekly radio address.
(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)
BUSH: Good morning.
On Thursday, I was honored to travel to Iraq to spend Thanksgiving with some of the finest men and women serving in our military. My message to the troops was clear: your country is thankful for your service. We are proud of you. And America stands with you in all that you are doing to defend America.
I'm pleased to report back from the front lines that our troops are strong, morale is high, and our military's confident we will prevail. Many members of our armed forces, Guard and Reserve, observed Thanksgiving in places far from home. In Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, our military is confronting the terrorist enemy so we don't meet that enemy in our own country.
They're serving the cause of freedom. They're helping millions of people in newly liberated countries to build lives of dignity and hope. They are protecting the lives and security of the American people. All of us can be grateful to live in a country that has produced such brave men and women who stand between us and the dangers of the world.
This holiday week is also a time when many proud military families are also feeling separation and worry. Long deployments in dangerous places have added hardships in military communities across the country. Many parents are dealing with the burdens of raising families while praying for the safe return of a loved one. Our whole nation respects and appreciates the commitment and sacrifice of our military families.
Americans are also thinking of the military families that must face this holiday with sorrow of recent loss. It is the nature of terrorism that a small number of people can inflict such terrible grief. Every person who dies in the line of duty commands the special gratitude of the American people. And the military families that mourn can know this: our nation will not forget our loved ones and the sacrifice they made to protect us all.
The courage of our soldiers and their families show the great spirit of this country in great adversity. And many citizens are showing their appreciation by helping military families here at home. Members of the VFW have started an Adopt a Unit program so veterans and their families can support military units in Iraq and Afghanistan. Volunteers from a group called Rebuilding Together have repaired homes for military families, while their spouses are deployed.
Citizens interested in finding volunteer opportunities to support our military should visit the USA Freedom Corps Web site at usafreedomcorps.com. Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to every member of the United States military and to their families. It was a privilege to offer that gratitude in person to some of our troops serving in Iraq.
May god bless them all. And may he continue to bless the United States of America.
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for listening.
(END AUDIOTAPE)
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Story of one D.C. Sniper Sentenced to Death, His Alleged Accomplice Still on Trial>
Aired November 29, 2003 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to CNN's ON THE STORY, where our journalists have the inside word on the stories we covered this week. I'm Kelly Wallace, on the story of how the country, the president, and families mourn the losses in Iraq.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash in Crawford, Texas, on the story -- or really off the story -- of the president's surprise Baghdad trip on Thanksgiving.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Christiane Amanpour in Baghdad, on the story of Iraq (UNINTELLIGIBLE). When will the Iraqi security forces be able to take over responsibility for their own security?
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Deborah Feyerick, in New York, on the story of how a drug bust here fires up new questions about airport security in the war on terrorism.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Patty Davis, on the story of one D.C. sniper is sentenced to death, his alleged accomplice still on trial.
Also coming up, we'll talk to Barbara Starr, somewhere in Afghanistan. We'll talk about how hot, new government numbers on the economy will ripple across the presidential campaign. And we'll listen to the president's weekly radio address at the end of the hour.
E-mail us at onthestory@cnn.com.
Right now to Dana Bash and President Bush in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will win because we will stay on the offensive. And we will win because you're part of the finest military ever assembled.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: The cheers of some 600 military troops in Baghdad, surprised, completely surprised, by the president on Thanksgiving. And while that was going on, I was sitting right where I am right now, giving reports that the White House gave us, detailed reports on the president's dinner menu for the quiet Thanksgiving we were told he was having at his ranch here in Crawford, giving reports on the calls he was going to make to troops from his ranch here in Crawford, Texas.
All the while, just a few hours later, back in our filing press area here in Crawford, we saw the flash wire go up on all of our computers. It said "Bush in Baghdad." And we all stood up, really not knowing what to do. We were absolutely incredulous that we were here covering -- what we thought, covering the president here in Crawford, and he ended up in Baghdad.
AMANPOUR: Dana, everybody here was stunned as well. And, in fact, people couldn't believe it when it first flashed. How thorough was the deception? I mean, didn't you notice that some journalists had disappeared? What was the story you were given?
BASH: The way they did it was really remarkable. First of all, they only took a couple of journalists from here in Crawford. And they picked up the rest when the president and Air Force One stopped. They switched planes at air force Andrews base in Washington.
But the way it works around here, particularly on a holiday weekend, there is a filing center, which is where we were, but not a lot of people were around. But it was very interesting because we all -- you know, our colleagues have a camaraderie.
There was one reporter, Richard Kyle (ph) of Bloomberg, who was actually asked and did make the trip. He and a couple of us had plans for a potluck Thanksgiving dinner we were going to make on Thanksgiving. I called him and asked him what I should pick up. He, in a panicked mode, actually made up a story about he lost his wallet and how he needed me to go to the supermarket and by him a turkey, giving me very specific instructions on how to do it.
All the while, he was sitting next to senior Bush official who was telling him that he was going to Baghdad. It was just a ruse to try to get me off the phone and really off his trail. That was just one example of the way reporters were told not to say a word, and even to tell White lies in order -- so that nobody knew they were going.
WALLACE: Dana, it was really stunning. We were watching you and the other reporters on TV that day, of course, learning, of course, that President Bush was in Iraq. But what's going on behind the scenes now, Dana? How much discussion, how much debate, when it comes to the journalists and the White House, about whether there was maybe too much of this deliberate deception and, in fact, whether the White House lied and kept you all guessing while he was in Iraq?
BASH: Well, there is a lot of discussion about that, Kelly. And certainly, it will be discussion in the weeks and months to come about who was taken and from where and from what news organizations. But the bottom line is that the White House does say this was an issue of national security. And what's really interesting is what happened to the reporters who were actually on the trip. When they got on the plane, they were taken -- their cell phones were taken away. The batteries were taken out of their cell phones first, and then they were taken away. And they were confiscated. And they were told not only by senior officials, but by the president himself, as they were getting on the plane, they were absolutely, positively not to make any calls. They were told if word leaked out, if anybody found out at all, that they were going to turn Air Force One around and the mission wouldn't happen at all.
DAVIS: But this has been a really good week for the president overall. He looked strong flying to Baghdad. And he's had really good economic news and good news on Medicare.
BASH: It certainly was. It started out as a week that was very big for him domestically. It almost seems like three weeks ago, at this point, because the past 48 hours have been so remarkable. But you're right, he was able to -- certainly going to try to claim credit for getting a prescription drug benefit pass ford Medicare. He got great economic news. And now this.
And the way they are making sure that we knew the stories of how the president was able to really slip away from us here in Crawford is pretty remarkable. The president -- his ranch, just to set the scene, is about seven miles away from where I'm sitting right now. So we don't -- we're not even able to get that close. But we're told that even if -- just maybe to make us feel better here -- even if we were standing at the door, right by the president's ranch, we wouldn't have known that he left because he left without a motorcade, he left in an unmarked car with tinted windows.
The Secret Service had him put a baseball hat on just so nobody would know it was him. And he experienced regular rush hour traffic like everybody else. He was joking that was the first time he'd done that in three years. This was all so that nobody had any idea that he was leaving Crawford, nobody had any idea he was getting on that plane and heading to Baghdad.
FEYERICK: Dana, journalists can be a pretty cynical bunch. But how is this trip being perceived? Is it different than the landing on the air force carrier when he declared the end of the hostilities, or is this something totally different, as to how it's being perceived?
BASH: Well that's an interesting question. Because you remember, when the president landed on the aircraft carrier, it was just -- I mean, people were absolutely in awe. And not just journalists, but Democrats. Democrats did not criticize him at all for that.
And of course it was a different situation. He was talking about the war specifically. And he made a very specific speech, declaring major combat over. And the controversy about that is more about how -- whether or not he really was prepared and the White House is prepared for what is going on now.
But with this particular trip, you heard from Democrats on the campaign trail applauding it, because the White House was very careful. They tried -- they made this and the images of this trip about the president, the commander in chief visiting the troops to give a morale boost. And that is something that is very hard for Democrats to criticize.
But they are trying to move forward, move past that, and say that they applaud the trip, they applaud the fact that he's going to meet with troops. But they also want to make sure to point out the policy in Iraq.
AMANPOUR: Dana, in terms of what the press is talking about amongst themselves, I mean, how unusual was the whole issue of changing the pool or picking certain reporters to go?
BASH: It was very unusual. The White House did pick journalists, a couple of journalists who were here. They did take all of the wires. But the way the process was carried out wasn't your -- the typical process.
They took some of the wires, the wires who are normally on the plane, from Washington. They took some from here. But it is standard to have a small pool.
Just for people who don't understand the way the press works, there are -- there's a representative from television, there's a representative from newspapers, there's a representative from magazines, and then all of the wires, and of course a representative from TV, always with the president. In the end that is what happened. And the question of who was chosen and why and from where, that is something that we're going to be talking about certainly for a long time.
AMANPOUR: Well, despite the president's trip, the grim reality is that, in Iraq, U.S. soldiers keep getting targeted and the violence continues. We will be back with that after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMB. PAUL BREMER, CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: In the past, attacks against coalition forces were predominant. Now terrorist attacks against Iraqis are occurring regularly. This is a repugnant, but not unexpected, tactic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: That was Paul Bremer, the head of the U.S. occupation authority here in Baghdad, speaking on Tuesday. And, certainly, we've been discussing and covering all sorts of issues over the past couple of weeks in which security is always the number one topic.
We're trying to get to the bottom on raids with U.S. forces, going to various towns with U.S. forces, trying to get to the bottom of who are these people? Who are the militants who are attacking U.S. forces and, as you heard Bremer say, shifting their tactics towards attacking Iraqis as well? Those Iraqis who are predominantly helping the American forces here.
November has been the deadliest month for the American forces since the end of major combat. There were about 70 or so American deaths here, military deaths. And this is causing great consternation.
Although today, the head of the forces here, General Sanchez, said that some of the attacks against the American forces over the last week seem to have decreased, whereas some of the attacks against the local Iraqis seem to have picked up. So they're still trying to get to the bottom of what exactly this insurgency is and how best to combat it.
FEYERICK: There seems to be a deliberate stalking of some of these soldiers, that people who want to get them are actually looking at what their schedules are, what their behaviors, what their activities are. What kind of information are you getting on this, that this is very planned, they know who they want to attack?
AMANPOUR: Well, that is the latest that we're hearing from them. And it's been written about as well, that they are beginning to think, pending their investigation to some of these people that they've caught, that they are essentially being observed very carefully. That certain movements are being observed, that the militants, whoever they are, on the ground have a sense of sort of rudimentary intelligence that is effective.
And they have a network, we're being told, of various different people along various different stages of any kind of attack, whether it be a roadside bomb or a projectile, whether it be an RPG, anything like that. And it's a large network of people who are involved, we're told, in each stage of this.
And I must say, it's very difficult, for instance, when you go out like we did the other night on a raid. Both -- the soldiers are very aware at any point they could come under ambush, and those of us who are with them are also aware of that. And it's a very, very tense situation for all of those involved.
BASH: Christiane, I'm just curious, obviously, to know how the president's trip is being played right there in Iraq. Obviously, he spoke to the troops, but he also had a message for the Iraqi people to seize the moment, and also saying that Saddam Hussein is gone. How is that playing there with the Iraqis?
AMANPOUR: Well, to be honest, mixed. Many Iraqis didn't know until much, much later, some the day after, that the president had been here. And again, amongst Iraqis, mixed reaction.
Some said that it was brave, it was good, it showed a commitment, and of course they're pleased that Saddam Hussein has gone. Some saying, well, you know it would have been nicer if we could have heard from him, if there could have been more of a visit into town like some of the other politicians have done. Some saying that it doesn't make any difference to their daily life. And a poll recently that has just been prepared and will be formally announced on Monday by Oxford University and the British News Network, the BBC, is saying that there's almost sort of equal opinion here amongst Iraqis that there are a number of people, obviously, a huge number of people delighted that Saddam has gone, and almost an equal number of people who still resent the war, the American bombing, and who, as other reports have shown, are losing some faith in the staying power and the ability of the U.S. to deliver its promises. Because what they're not seeing, although it's happening on a small scale, is the reconstruction and the daily betterment of their lives in terms of services.
And the Americans admit that this is very, very tough going, and that they're not doing that fast enough. So that's on one hand.
On the other hand, the soldiers, obviously, that lightning visit to Baghdad, that small group of soldiers were delighted. It was a morale boost, obviously. Many people were impressed at the risk that was taken to come here.
Further out, on bases that I was outside of Baghdad, again, the military didn't know that the visit had taken place until the next morning when we asked them. And by that time, they were a little blase about it. So those are the opinions right now that we can gather now in our unscientific sampling.
WALLACE: Christiane, though, what about this possible strategic shift, targeting Iraqi security officers, as opposed to U.S. soldiers? What impact is this having on Iraqis, and whether they -- people you've been talking to on the ground -- might now say they don't want to get involved with the security situation because they're afraid they could be targeted?
AMANPOUR: Well, there are some who say that. But there are others who say that nothing is going to deter us, that they want to work for a new Iraq, as it's said.
The thing is, they have been attacked quite regularly over several week and months. I mean, every so often, and rather too regularly, we're seeing police stations, for instance, targeted by suicide bombings. I mean, I went to a police station that was targeted exactly a month ago. It has not been rebuilt, the windows still blown out, the cars still devastated.
They're coming to work in their own personal cars. They don't have enough guns, ammunition, radios, vehicles, winter uniforms. And yet the people at this station say that they're determined to keep working.
They -- when we asked them about how can they do it when they're called collaborators and traitors, they say that mindset has to be changed and we have to catch and to disable those who are attacking us. But when you ask them the important question, are they able to take over, as the United States wants, in order for them to be able to draw down, they say it is not possible until there are more police, more army, more security services, with more training and much more equipment, not to mention just the four walls to have a police station in. I mean, there's a lot of work to be done before the security aspect can be handed over to the Iraqis.
DAVIS: Christiane Amanpour, thank you. What is ON THE STORY for you in the coming week, Christiane?
AMANPOUR: Well, we continue to investigate the business of who these militants are and we continue to look at some of the on-the- ground, small, individual nation-building efforts that the U.S. soldiers themselves are taking on. The big money hasn't come here yet. The big infrastructure is not visible yet. But in many cases, individuals are trying to build up their towns and cities and service the Iraqi people as best they can, individual soldiers.
DAVIS: Well, thank you. From the war in Iraq, to another big story of the week, the sniper trial. I was there ON THE STORY, and we'll be back with that in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we sentenced a shell of a man to death. It wasn't John Muhammad, it was just a shell of a man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Juror Jackie Mahalick (ph) talking about how she and her fellow jurors voted to sentence D.C. sniper John Muhammad to death. Now, what these jurors said, it was his lack of remorse and the fact they feared that he might kill somebody else when he is in jail.
So, at this point, he will head to death row after the judge makes his final formal sentencing. And the judge in this case in Virginia could potentially reduce that sentence to life without parole. Not very common, but it could happen.
WALLACE: Do we have any sense, though -- and you've been watching this trial, as well as the other -- of why, why this happened? Why Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo might have been involved in this last year?
DAVIS: Well, he never said himself, at least John Muhammad. You have heard a lot from Lee Boyd Malvo. But what the prosecution really theorized here is that it was money, $10 million extortion notes left at a couple of the sniper scenes, saying, "Follow the body bags or pay up. And it's your choice."
They put several red stars on one of these notes and left another little silver star saying, "Your choice. Pay up or your choice." That choice happened to be Conrad Johnson, the last person who was killed in Montgomery County on a city bus. And it's just absolutely horrifying being in these trials and actually listening.
Lee Boyd Malvo, though, has gone ahead and given admissions, a taped interrogation played for the jury. Chilling to hear it, because it's such a difference in how he looks, to the words he actually had to say.
Laughing at the killing of Linda Franklin. Laughing at the killing of Sonny Buchanan as he was mowing the lawn at a car dealership, making a lawn mower noise. "Oh, the lawn mower man, ha, ha, ha. I shot him in the back." And it's chilling.
FEYERICK: What's the reaction of this family sitting in the court when they hear this laughter, this clear unabashed sort of -- or lack of remorse for what they've done? What's their reaction?
DAVIS: You know, very difficult. There's been several times in which family members had to be helped out because they were sobbing. Very difficult for them.
But you know, William Franklin has been sitting in the courtroom that I'm in. In fact, I sit right behind him in the Malvo trial. Very stoic.
He was there when his wife was murdered. He saw half of her head blown away. He's had to sit there and listen to these 911 phone calls, horrifying. In fact, he made one of them. Hysterical.
He's also had to watch these autopsy photos. Now, he saw it, he was there, he saw his wife get gunned down. But it's got to be tremendously difficult.
An interesting to note, as you watch Malvo and these autopsy photos come up or the death photos of them still on the scene, the victims, he won't look. He shades his eyes. And other members of other families won't look as well. And I don't blame them.
BASH: Patty, as you hear the confession tapes in the courtroom, how is that going to work against -- or likely to work against Lee Boyd Malvo's attorneys' claim that he was essentially brain-washed, that he was a young kid who looked up to somebody and did what he did because he didn't -- he was trying to please somebody else and it wasn't essentially his fault?
DAVIS: You know, very interesting question. That's exactly what the defense is arguing in that case, is that John Allen Muhammad brain-washed Lee Boyd Malvo. And you can see the defense setting that out.
They brought in a parade, a kind of a "this is your life" kind of a show last week in front of the jury. Family members, his father, his aunt, sobbing at what his potential fate is. Good question; how will that play with the jury?
I got to tell you that the prosecution's case -- and this is so strong with those alleged -- those admissions that he makes to homicide detectives. Very, very strong. Is the defense going to be able to overcome that with the story of a vulnerable child whose mother moved him from place to place? Are they going to be able to overcome that and show that John Muhammad took advantage of that vulnerable child, made him into a child soldier, what the defense said? It's a good question. We'll have to see.
WALLACE: And insanity, proving insanity, very difficult.
DAVIS: That's right. And in Virginia, it's knowing the difference between right and wrong. And prosecution is being very careful to seize on that.
To people that they say were his friends and family members, "Did you ever see him act crazy? Did you ever see him order Muhammad around? Or did he know right from wrong?" And they're trying to plant that in the jury's mind.
One other thing that I've seen very interesting outside the courtroom -- and actually, outside the courthouse in Chesapeake, Virginia, where the Malvo trial is taking place -- snipers on the roof, snipers at the sniper trial. Also...
WALLACE: Why?
DAVIS: ... inside, you've got...
WALLACE: Are they just so concerned about a possible attack?
DAVIS: I don't know that they've specifically had threats, but certainly they're worried about security in that courthouse. They don't want anything to go wrong.
You also see undercover police officers. They're not so out of sight here. But with machine guns clearly sticking out of their suit coats in the lobby and going up the stairs into the courtroom. So very, very tight security.
WALLACE: Well, Patty, we remember the emotional toll of the sniper trial. Of course, the sniper killings last year. Now at the holidays, many families are coping with something else, the loss of a loved one in Iraq. I'm back ON THE STORY with that after this break, and a check of the hour's top stories
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: All our military families that mourn can know this: our nation will never forget the sacrifice their loved one made to protect us all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: President Bush at the start of the week at Fort Carson in Colorado, where he talked to families of soldiers killed in Iraq. More than 430 men and women in the U.S. military have been killed this year in Iraq. And we wanted to spend some time with one of those families.
And we spent some time earlier this week with a woman. Her name is Dorine Kenney. Her son would have turned 29 on Tuesday, Army Private First Class Jacob Fletcher. And he was killed when he was returning from break with another soldier and his bus hit a landmine.
And the interesting message that she wants to get out right now, she said that as she talked to her son, she was hearing him grow tired and getting a little hopeless and having some questions, and basically becoming somewhat concerned and possibly thinking he might not survive in Iraq. And her message is that Americans should remember the soldiers in Iraq and do what they can to send letters, send gift boxes, send whatever they can to the soldiers to kind of lift up their spirits to help get them through this incredibly difficult time.
DAVIS: Well, how is it playing the fact that President Bush doesn't even attend any of these funerals?
WALLACE: There's a lot of criticism the president has not gone to these funerals for the men and women who are killed and who are back here in the United States. There's also criticism about a long- standing policy, not having any coverage of the caskets as they come back from Dover Air Force Base.
Dana, you can help me out here a little bit more about what the administration says about this. Interesting, though, when I talked to this woman, Dorine Kenney, and asked her if she's angry with the president, if she wants to hear more from him, she didn't seem angry because she said her son felt that he was doing the right thing. And so she's just going to support his cause, but she wasn't expressing any anger or hostility at the Bush administration.
(CROSSTALK)
FEYERICK: How much of a risk is it that the troops begin to grow demoralized inch by inch by inch? They're seeing a lot of media played out, they're seeing some stories. Some are positive, some are not so positive about this war, the direction the war is going. Clearly, with the Iraqi resistance undermining the effort there, it's got to be a hard thing for a soldier in this day and age to be fighting this kind of war.
WALLACE: Deb, you raise such an interesting point, because when I talked to this woman, she talked about the recent stories that we've all heard about, two soldiers who were killed. At first there were reports that their throats were slashed, then those stories were proven not to be exactly true. But still, their bodies were pulled apart, in the sense of pull out their personal effects.
And this woman, Dorine Kenney, saying that she's hearing this is having an impact on other soldiers as they hear what is happening. And that it was having an impact on her son as far back as July. And she even said she wrote a letter to the White House, kind of saying that she's picking up from her son and his colleagues that they're growing a little weary, that they need more support.
So there's no question. And that's -- of course we saw the administration institute sort of the rest and relaxation policy, two weeks of R&R to bring some soldiers back, have them spend some time with their families, so they can get back in Iraq.
But Dana, I wanted to bring you in. What is the administration saying to some of this criticism that the president should be doing more publicly to recognize the war dead in Iraq?
BASH: Well, essentially, what they say is that every president handles things differently and that the president does address the issue but he does it in private. We saw the pictures of the president at Fort Carson on Monday.
He had a private meeting with almost 100 family members there of the -- of soldiers who died, and that was -- it lasted about two hours. But of course, look -- I mean, obviously, it was a different kind of thing. But then at the end of the week, we saw those remarkable pictures of the president with the troops, and that was obviously essentially supposed to be a morale-booster.
But what I'm wondering is, they also say that the president sends handwritten notes to the family members of the soldiers who were killed. Did you get the sense that the mother you talked to got that, or has she gotten any kind of communication from the White House at all?
WALLACE: She had not, Dana. She had not received any communication. Her son was kill just about two weeks ago. So potentially such a letter will come.
But it was very interesting, because as we were doing research for stories about which families to talk to, we read other families who were expressing some anger, who were saying they wanted to hear more from the president, they wanted to see him do more. But this woman, again, really didn't feel that way.
She did feel that her son wasn't expressing that, that he felt that he was doing the rye thing. She said something pretty powerful that he had written her in a letter saying, mom, you have to look at these Iraqi women and Iraqi children and hear what Saddam Hussein did to them. I feel like I'm doing the right thing. And he even said in a letter that he would die for these people.
So this was a man who clearly was in a spiritual and very grounded to be where he was. No question, though, other family members of other loved ones are wanting to see more. And again, though, we did see the president in Fort Carson earlier in the week.
Dana, do you have any sense if the administration is planning to do more and more of that, especially as we are now in the holiday season and Christmas is just about three weeks away?
BASH: Well, it certainly wouldn't be surprising, especially since there has been a lot of coverage of the fact there isn't a lot of public comment from the president. And of course, the criticism is that is because it would not necessarily be politically beneficial for the president to constantly talk about the fact that there are deaths.
And, you know, the White House has all kinds of answers for that, saying that he doesn't want to elevate one killing over another, and that everybody is the same. And that he can't constantly talk about this issue. But it -- particularly as you say, Kelly, because the holidays are coming, it wouldn't be surprising to see more and more of that.
FEYERICK: Well, President Bush says the war in Iraq is a central part of the war on terrorism. This week, a drug bust in New York prompted new questions about anti-terrorism security at the nation's airports. I'm ON THE STORY after this
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Their status gave them unrestricted access to international passenger and cargo flights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: That was U.S. Attorney Rosalind Moscoff (ph) earlier this week talking about the unrestricted access that she says allowed smuggling to operate for nearly a decade at New York's Kennedy Airport. And the people who were involved in this knew exactly where the surveillance cameras were, they knew exactly how to bypass inspection, bypass Customs.
And it wasn't just the people on the ground doing this, but actual supervisors who put people certain people on the schedule knowing that they would be able to receive drug shipments and get them to where they needed to be in order to avoid all sorts of security or Customs. So a pretty big sting operation. And it netted them 20 people and a lot of drugs.
BASH: OK, Deborah, but asking as somebody who flies a lot -- and I'm sure everybody else who flies a lot wants to know -- if this kind of thing can happen with drugs, what about the people who are potential terrorists out there? What does this say about the security right now at airports?
FEYERICK: Well, it says a lot about security, because cargo is not always inspected. There are laxer rules, security rules in place when it comes to cargo. So, for example, the drugs, the cocaine and the marijuana, which came from Jamaica and Guyana, were able to be put on either suitcases or boxes and then shipped over. And again, it never cleared security.
So there are big holes when it comes to cargo, because this isn't a federal bureau that handles the people who handle the cargo, the baggage handlers. Although they're the ones who do people, they don't do the boxes. So it does raise a lot of questions.
And the head of the Immigration and Customs Service said that it is a big vulnerability. And what if these guys had not been working with drug smugglers, but had been working with terrorists? It could have been a far different story. WALLACE: So Deb, are the people you're talking to sensing there will be changes? Because I think viewers are probably surprised that the people at the x-ray machines at the airport now are subject to lots of federal regulations, but that the cargo holders aren't subject to these same regulations after September 11.
FEYERICK: That's right. And the baggage handlers, the cargo people did have security clearance, but they were hired by subcontractors by the airport. And again, sort of a different level of screening, a different level of security clearance. But not the kind -- the people who will check you, make you take your shoes off, they are governed by federal rules.
The baggage handlers, it is a different story. So that is a vulnerability that will have to be addressed. And it is a big vulnerability.
Remember there was a man who just shipped himself inside of a box. I mean, if you can get a man in a box, think of what else you can get through cargo.
DAVIS: Well, security experts that I talk to say that cargo is their number one concern. And a response to a recent Department of Homeland Security warning about cargo planes being flown in from overseas, and flown into U.S. targets, the Transportation Security Administration did recently come out with a new random inspection kind of thing for cargo hulls.
Do you think we'll be seeing that anytime soon? It certainly could have helped in this instance.
FEYERICK: Well, the head of Immigration and Customs Service did not say what they were going to be doing in order to address what is clearly a hole in security. The men who were working this operation, a very clever operation. In one case, they were able to get cocaine inside the main galley of the airplane, and they put it under bags of ice.
So these guys knew exactly what they were doing. The boxes, the suitcases, all of them were specially marked. And the problem is, you know -- my husband used to be a federal prosecutor. He worked with some Secret service people. And they told him, look, if somebody wants to do something bad, they're going to do it.
The IRA, the head of the IRA, Jerry Adams (ph), said once to the queen, you know, I have to be right once. You have to be right 100 percent of the time. And that is the difference in this kind of situation.
If they know what the plan is, clearly, they're going to be able to do it and, clearly, they're going to be able to take the steps they need to avoid detection, to avoid security. So it's an issue.
BASH: Have you heard any specific talk about how they might address this in the future, considering the fact that it's not just a drug issue, it is the security issue, that people are obviously most concerned about?
FEYERICK: They have not made any declarations about what kind of steps they're going to take. Whether it means that the cargo handlers, whether they become part of the federal agency, you know, it's very difficult.
Some of the baggage handlers work directly for the airlines like American, Delta, also United. So they're going to have to see the best way that they can do it. But it's a big problem. It's a big hole in security. And as the head of the -- as the new bureau of ICE (ph) said, it's a vulnerability that they're going to have to take steps to address.
WALLACE: Well, Deb., coming up, we check in with Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, who has had an exclusive behind-the- scenes look at the U.S. military in Iraq. And today, we catch up with her in Afghanistan. That's next ON THE STORY after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Welcome back to ON THE STORY. Joining us now, Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, who has been traveling throughout the Middle East. An exclusive behind-the-scenes look with the U.S. military in Iraq. Today, now, she join us from Baghram, Afghanistan.
Barbara, what are you seeing on the ground? And are the troops there concerned that the plight in Afghanistan might be getting overshadowed by what's happening in Iraq?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, indeed, Kelly. That is an issue that may be back in the United States. But once you land on the ground here in Baghram, the fight issue is very much in the front of everyone's mind.
There are continuing operations here in Afghanistan, actually around the clock. Even tonight, as we are here at Baghram Air Base in Afghanistan, there are about 2,000 troops up in the mountains conducting operation, looking for anti-coalition forces, Taliban, al Qaeda. They conduct regular sweeps throughout the region.
Actually, right now, they're operating in an area of northeast Afghanistan that is fairly new to them. They are going through that area, looking for any anti-coalition forces they can find.
As you say, we've been on the road for several days now. I'm working with one of CNN's finest cameraman, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We've been with General John Abizaid and members of the U.S. Central Command, traveling through Iraq, Baghdad, northern Iraq, and now we're in Afghanistan for a couple days, having a look around at what's going on here -- Kelly.
DAVIS: It would seem to me, Barbara, that we're starting to see a little bit more -- starting to hear about more casualties in Afghanistan. Does it seem like it's a less secure place now?
STARR: Well, the casualty issue, they have been doing fairly OK here. They have had some incidents. But the month of December is going to prove to be very interesting here in Afghanistan.
Around the middle of the month, there will be what they refer to as the constitutional Loya Jirga, if you will. The assembly of Afghans that will come to the capital and look to write a constitution and develop a civilian (UNINTELLIGIBLE) nationwide government in this country. Many of the same challenges, of course, facing Iraq. There is concern that perhaps there could be attacks by anti-coalition forces during that period, people who are opposed to the formation of a true nationwide Afghan government.
There's another very interesting deadline during the month of December. In the next several days at some point, a very crucial Kabul to Kandahar road will reopen for the very first time. And the feeling here is that will be a major step forward to trying to restore economic commerce to this country, where farmers and tradesmen moving up and down the road between Kabul and Kandahar. If the security situation holds, they hope that will be a real economic step to getting things on a more even footing in this country.
FEYERICK: Do the generals ever break from the official line and share personal insights about how they think the different wars are going, the different U.S. involvement in different areas of the world? What are they telling you behind the scenes?
STARR: Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I actually didn't hear the question, because we're pretty close to the flight line here, and there's a lot of noise. They do conduct operations around the clock. But let me just go ahead and make an additional point.
The feeling here is that they have really turned a corner in that the anti-coalition forces, Taliban and al Qaeda, are not able to regroup in this country on a very strategic scale, large numbers, if you will. They are running into pockets of resistance, but they continue to be relatively small.
And to the military forces here, the coalition forces, that's a pretty good sign that they have made some substantial effort to break the back of any organization. But a real concern here remains the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It's a very pouress border, almost impossible to control.
And depending on the time of year, the weather, the possibility of those mountain roads, if you will, they absolutely know and understand that anti-coalition forces continue to move back and forth; Taliban, al Qaeda, moving across that border with Pakistan. It's really probably still the largest, single issue they're trying to cope here with, in order to get the security situation under control.
BASH: Barbara, very quickly, John Abizaid, the general you're traveling with, knew about President Bush's secret trip to Iraq. Tell us a little bit about that.
STARR: John Abizaid plays his cards very close to the vest. I've been telling you that we did see him briefly on Thanksgiving Day. He wished us a very happy Thanksgiving. We exchanged pleasantries. Not a clue. Cards very close to the vest. The top military leadership had a considerable period of time to plan this. It was truly a military operation.
There's an awful lot, of course, we're never going to know about the security. Flying into Baghdad Airport may not have been actually the biggest issue for security, because of course we flew in with General Abizaid, it happens all the time. We don't know what the backup security measures might have been if something unfortunately might have gone wrong. Of course, thank goodness it didn't.
DAVIS: Well, thank you to Barbara Starr.
President Bush's gets his say in his weekly radio address just ahead ON THE STORY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Thanks to my fabulous colleagues. And thank you for watching ON THE STORY this holiday weekend. We will be back next week.
Still ahead, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," focusing this week on comedian Mike Myers and actor Robert Downey Jr. At 12 noon Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific, join me for CNN LIVE SATURDAY. And at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific, CNN's "IN THE MONEY."
Coming up at the top of the hour, a check of the top stories. But first, the president, talking about his recent trip to Iraq in his weekly radio address.
(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)
BUSH: Good morning.
On Thursday, I was honored to travel to Iraq to spend Thanksgiving with some of the finest men and women serving in our military. My message to the troops was clear: your country is thankful for your service. We are proud of you. And America stands with you in all that you are doing to defend America.
I'm pleased to report back from the front lines that our troops are strong, morale is high, and our military's confident we will prevail. Many members of our armed forces, Guard and Reserve, observed Thanksgiving in places far from home. In Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, our military is confronting the terrorist enemy so we don't meet that enemy in our own country.
They're serving the cause of freedom. They're helping millions of people in newly liberated countries to build lives of dignity and hope. They are protecting the lives and security of the American people. All of us can be grateful to live in a country that has produced such brave men and women who stand between us and the dangers of the world.
This holiday week is also a time when many proud military families are also feeling separation and worry. Long deployments in dangerous places have added hardships in military communities across the country. Many parents are dealing with the burdens of raising families while praying for the safe return of a loved one. Our whole nation respects and appreciates the commitment and sacrifice of our military families.
Americans are also thinking of the military families that must face this holiday with sorrow of recent loss. It is the nature of terrorism that a small number of people can inflict such terrible grief. Every person who dies in the line of duty commands the special gratitude of the American people. And the military families that mourn can know this: our nation will not forget our loved ones and the sacrifice they made to protect us all.
The courage of our soldiers and their families show the great spirit of this country in great adversity. And many citizens are showing their appreciation by helping military families here at home. Members of the VFW have started an Adopt a Unit program so veterans and their families can support military units in Iraq and Afghanistan. Volunteers from a group called Rebuilding Together have repaired homes for military families, while their spouses are deployed.
Citizens interested in finding volunteer opportunities to support our military should visit the USA Freedom Corps Web site at usafreedomcorps.com. Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to every member of the United States military and to their families. It was a privilege to offer that gratitude in person to some of our troops serving in Iraq.
May god bless them all. And may he continue to bless the United States of America.
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for listening.
(END AUDIOTAPE)
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