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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Can Mubarak Make Peace?; Some Pilots Want Tasers; New Information on Jayson Williams
Aired March 05, 2002 - 17:00 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Now on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, new pictures from the front line. Bitter cold, bitter fighting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We killed a lot of people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: But they have not yet conquered. Today, a look at the die-hard enemy, as fallen Americans make a final journey home.
He's at the White House now. Can Egypt's president lead Israelis and Palestinians out of their cycle of fury and anguish?
Guns in the cockpit. Some airline pilots want to take security into their own hands.
And new information in the case of former NBA star, Jayson Williams. What happened in the moments after a fatal shooting at his estate?
Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer at the CNN center here in Atlanta. Topping our news alert: new images of U.S. troops on the front lines in Afghanistan.
The first pictures of U.S. forces advancing on al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in Operation Anaconda. A Pentagon spokeswoman says the United States and its allies are conducting a very aggressive campaign against a well-armed enemy holed up in rugged mountains. We'll have much more on this in a moment.
The remains of seven American servicemen killed in the latest fighting arrived in Germany today. An honor guard transferred the bodies to a larger military plane for the flight to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The remains of the eighth American arrived at the base in Germany over the weekend.
The key suspect in the kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl will be tried in Pakistan. The spokesman for Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf delivered that decision to the U.S. ambassador in Pakistan. There is still no decision on whether the suspect, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, will be extradited to the United States after his trial.
The cycle of violence in the Middle East claimed more lives today. Two Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the West Bank city of Ramallah. And five Israelis were killed in separate Palestinian attacks, including a suicide bombing on a bus.
More now on Operation Anaconda, the U.S.-led offensive against al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan. These pictures are the first to be released by the Department of Defense on the fighting. U.S. officials describe the campaign -- quote -- as "very aggressive," and they say -- quote -- "a lot of al Qaeda-Taliban fighters have been killed."
So far, eight American servicemen have been killed in action. Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, is covering all of these developments. She joins us now live from the Pentagon with all the details -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well, some of this combat video that was just released a short time ago by DOD combat photographers shows some of the rough terrain that U.S. forces have been moving through.
You can see from some of the pictures, that the mountains are very rough territory, that the weather is cold, the troops are moving very, very strategically, as they move through these areas. We believe that we are mostly seeing troops here from the 101st airborne division, as the operation began to unfold over the last few days.
Again, in these pictures we're looking at, you can see they're looking up -- the U.S. troops are looking up towards the high ground, these mountainous areas where the Taliban and al Qaeda are very well dug in. The troops are somewhat vulnerable here, so they're moving very carefully, very strategically, staying out of eyesight. We can see they're very well equipped for the weather, the terrain, the altitude, all of that.
Earlier today, Wolf, the Pentagon briefed on some additional details of the campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): The first gun camera video from Operation Anaconda shows al Qaeda and Taliban positions dug into the rough terrain around Gardez in eastern Afghanistan, where U.S. troops have been battling them for five days. The video, a glimpse of what would become 18 hours of the worst ground combat the military has seen in a decade. Officials defended putting so many men into such a hot combat zone.
BRIG. GEN. JOHN ROSA, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: There's no way, with perfect intelligence, that you can tell that there's never going be ground fire. And we were inserting at that time those special forces teams that we needed to get inserted.
STARR: It begins as an MH-47 Chinook like this one is hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. The helicopter rapidly takes off, but lands a short distance away, with hydraulic failure from the attack. The crew then discovers one man had apparently fallen out.
A second helicopter flying nearby drops off its own troops and then goes to retrieve the soldiers from the first helicopter. About 3 1/2 hours later, two more helicopters fly into the area, about a mile from the first incident. One of those helicopters is hit by enemy gunfire. It crash-lands. A firefight breaks out on the ground. Six men are killed, 11 wounded.
Some 12 hours later, another helicopter comes in to rescue the survivors and the dead. A commando team, which secretly moved into the region, retrieved the body of the man who fell out of the first helicopter and brought it to the landing zone, where everyone finally gets out.
The Pentagon says there was no choice but to keep forces right in the middle of the fight.
ROSA: I don't want to question tactical commanders, but there was an American, for whatever reason, was left behind. And we don't leave Americans behind.
STARR: But reinforcements are on the way. CNN has been told that Marine Corps Cobra gunships and transport helicopters have moved into Afghanistan from amphibious warships in the north Arabian Sea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
But, Wolf, the question now remains whether the U.S. underestimated the enemy force up in those mountains. The original estimate we heard from the Pentagon was that there was about 400 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters holed up there. But sources now say that may have been an underestimate. There may have been as many as 700 up in those mountains originally. Perhaps as many as 200 have now been killed by the U.S. and coalition forces -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you very much.
And for U.S. forces, the fighting going on right now is some of the heaviest in the five-month Afghan war. They face what the Pentagon says is a determined enemy in a good defensive position in tough terrain. CNN's Brian Palmer is in Afghanistan with more on today's fighting.
BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we just spoke to an officer with the 10th Mountain Division and he tells us that U.S. and coalition forces have killed several hundred al Qaeda and Taliban forces that were in those dug-in positions in the Paktia province. We're getting, from Afghan and U.S. sources, that the fighting in that area has been very, very intense today.
The Afghan forces saying that they've actually encircled some of those al Qaeda and Taliban troops, and there is really no way for them to exit. We haven't got confirmation of that yet from the U.S. Again, very reluctant to characterize operations.
Now, when we arrived here at Bagram several hours ago before the sunset, the air was truly alive with aircraft, particularly Chinook helicopters, just basically zipping down a plane, both landing and taking off. We know that this air base here is being used to support operations in Paktia, in eastern Afghanistan. And the level of activity was the most intense that we've seen in the three days that we've been out here. Back to you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Brian Palmer in Afghanistan, thank you very much.
And the remains of the American servicemen killed in Operation Anaconda are being returned to the United States. A U.S. military plane carrying seven caskets stopped in Germany today for a somber ceremony. CNN's Matthew Chance is there.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With U.S. forces suffering their biggest combat losses since the start of the war in Afghanistan, we have been witnessing some quite somber scenes here in Germany. The caskets of seven dead U.S. servicemen arriving here and being ceremoniously transferred from one cargo aircraft that came in from Afghanistan to another to take them back to the United States.
The caskets containing the human remains received military honors here in Germany. Each was draped in a U.S. flag and met by a formal guard of honor, made up of representatives from each of the services from the Army and the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, and carried in silence to awaiting vehicles.
So, emotional scenes here in Germany, as as many as 150 U.S. service personnel stood and witnessed those caskets being transferred from that one plane to the other one. The plane now en route back to the United States. Back to you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Matthew Chance in Germany, thank you very much.
Joining us now here in the CNN map room with more on the fighting and the strategy involved in Operation Anaconda, military analyst, retired Air Force General George Harrison. General Harrison, thanks as usual for joining us.
GEN. GEORGE HARRISON, MILITARY ANALYST, U.S. AIR FORCE (RET): Sure.
BLITZER: Some of these al Qaeda fighters who are hold up there are not from Afghanistan. They may be Chechens or Arabs or Pakistanis. How does that impact on what's going on?
HARRISON: Well, of course we've had reports, as you know, from all of these folks that there may be those kind of troops. That will complicate the military situation, because these troops will have had different kinds of training, they'll have more or less professionalism, and they'll be able to operate in a variety of tactical scenarios. Normally, when you go into an area, you study the enemy. If you don't know the mix of the enemy, it makes life really tough for the offensive forces, for the U.S. forces that are moving in.
BLITZER: But for a lot of these troops, General, surrender is not necessarily an option.
HARRISON: Well, that's true. Their ethic -- and we've seen a lot of that ethic over the last six months -- their ethic is to move directly and sacrifice themselves, if necessary, for their cause. That makes them a very tough, determined enemy. You can't starve them out, you can't threaten them out, you can't promise them amnesty. All of those kinds of things make life very difficult. So you have to either take them out or take them prisoner, so that you can neutralize them and stop what they're doing.
BLITZER: Let's take a look at the terrain, General Harrison. Let's take a look and see what we can see. This topographical shot, this is the area just south of Gardez, where most of the fighting is going on, along this mountain ridge. And it's snowy, it's cold and the helicopters that are going in there have to fly, what, at 8- or 10,000 feet? That's not very easy, is it?
HARRISON: That's correct. The territory that we see there -- and you can see it down here on this map, you see the helicopter located. This is very high terrain and it's very difficult terrain. Density altitude is the problem for the helicopter. You can see that we're talking about terrain that's in the 12,000-foot area. That means the helicopters have to download a significant portion of their load. They can't carry in as many troops as they'd like. They can't carry in as much ammunition. So it's a really tough tactical problem, and one of the reasons why the Pentagon says they started planning this operation several weeks ago.
BLITZER: But as you know, General, the 10th Mountain Division, the 101st Airborne, they're trained for these kinds of missions, aren't they?
HARRISON: Well, they are trained for these kinds of missions. But this is a very unpredictable enemy, so they're having to adapt their training and their techniques. The 10th Mountain in particular is ski qualified. They know how to do all these kinds of things. And we saw them moving, you know, very tactically, in a very common-sense, a very well-trained fashion, just a few minutes ago. So I think they're prepared for the fight. It's just a matter of how stubborn the resistance is.
BLITZER: It looks pretty stubborn right now. General Harrison, thanks as usual, for joining us.
HARRISON: Sure.
BLITZER: We'll continue our look at the war in Afghanistan at 7:00 p.m. Eastern tonight in CNN "WAR ROOM." Learn the major problems facing U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Among my guests, Senators Robert Torricelli and Richard Shelby. They have different opinions on what's going on. And you can participate. Go to my Web page, cnn.com/wolf. Click on "send questions." I'll try to get some of those questions to our two senators.
Turning now to the crisis in the Middle East, in what's become a daily circle of violence and death. Amid the latest calls for peace from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, both Israelis and Palestinians were killed in today's latest fighting. Our Jerusalem bureau chief, Mike Hanna, now with the latest.
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: It's been a day of dizzying violence, as the conflict has continued to gather in intensity. Before dawn, Israel struck at several targets in the West Bank, and a Palestinian gunman opened fire on people in a late-night Tel Aviv restaurant, killing three Israelis and wounding several.
In the course of the morning, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed himself and an Israeli aboard a bus in northern Israel. And throughout the day, Israel continued to strike at numerous targets in the West Bank and in Gaza. Among the Palestinians killed, two men identified as senior militants. They were in a car that was struck by an Israeli missile. Palestinians said this was an assassination. Revenge has been promised.
No signs of any diplomatic initiative to end this conflict. The U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and, says one of Sharon's spokesmen, the Israeli prime minister reiterated Israel's right to continue its policy of what he says is "self-defense." Decided too, that the policy of ratcheting up military operations against the Palestinians will continue.
More than 80 people, Israelis and Palestinians, have been killed in the past week. And there's every indication that more people will die. Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.
BLITZER: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is discussing the Middle East crisis right now with President Bush over at the White House. They're expected to talk to reporters in just about half an hour, perhaps even less. We plan to bring you their remarks live from the Oval Office when they happen.
And with his show on the line, Ted Koppel goes public and defends "Nightline." But will his strategy make a difference? Could it backfire?
But first: packing heat on airplanes to protect the public. Coming up, the drawbacks of having a weapon onboard.
And why dirty air can be lethal. Learn about the risk to your health.
First, the news quiz. Which is America's most ozone-polluted city? Is it Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Los Angeles, California or Washington, D.C.? The answer, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: The debate over putting guns in the cockpit is heating up right now, especially since the Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta says he's against the idea. But pilots say plenty of firearms are already getting onto planes, without enough oversight. CNN's Kathleen Koch has the story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They check in along with regular passengers, but many don't check their guns. Law enforcement officers from cities and states around the country carrying an I.D. and a letter stating they need their gun on the plane. Airline pilots, especially since September 11th, are troubled at how easily officers bring loaded guns onto planes while they can't.
DUANE WOERTH, PRESIDENT AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION: The animal control officer from Kentucky, who is his own supervisor, says he needs a gun, writes himself a letter that says he needs a gun and he had to carry it with him at all times. And somehow, he's got a gun permit and he's allowed to carry his weapon.
This is all kind of crazy in our view. And the guys who need to defend their cockpit against terrorists can't have one.
KOCH: Federal law says any law enforcement officer must have training in how to use their weapon on a plane. But there's no verification they ever take the courses. And there's no counterfeit proof I.D. identifying the officers. Pilots warn it's a dangerous situation.
CAPT. PAUL EMENS, PILOT: Who are they? How secure are they? How stable are they? What kind of training did they have? We have no idea, but we have weapons on that aircraft that are not designed for use on that aircraft.
KOCH: The FAA last summer was ready to deploy a universal identification card for law enforcement officers carrying guns onto planes. But the program was stalled by the September 11th attacks. The fear is terrorists with fake I.D.s could pose as law enforcement officers and bring guns onto a plane. Flight attendants, who oppose pilots having guns but want stun guns to protect the cabin, are concerned.
PATRICIA FRIEND, ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: We're ignoring some big loopholes. And that issue of authenticating a law enforcement officer may just be another one that we need to be exposing.
KOCH (on camera): Pilots argue this is one more reason they should be armed to protect their cockpits. But others caution that distracting pilots from their primary job of flying the plane poses an even greater danger. Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The Airline Pilots Association wants pilots to have the option of carrying a sidearm into the cockpit. Joining me with more on this are two guests: Captain Howard Attarian, from the Airline Pilots Association and Douglas Laird. He's a former security director of Northwest Airlines. He's now vice president of BJI International.
I want Captain Attarian, for you to listen to what Norm Mineta, the secretary of transportation, said about this issue, whether pilots should be allowed to carry firearms into that cockpit. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NORMAN MINETA, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: I don't feel that we should have lethal weapons in the cockpit. I believe that stun guns, or tasers, as they're referred to, can be a possibility. But that has not been a determination.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Why do you disagree with him, Captain?
HOWARD ATTARIAN, AIRLINE PILOTS ASSN.: Well, Wolf, I think, quite honestly, we're not opposed to tasers. But obviously, in the most recent events of September 11, where there were multiple hijackers, that tasers certainly would not be an effective deterrent to four or five individuals trying to bring an airplane down, commandeer the cockpit and overcome the crew.
And we feel that the best deterrent for that is to create the multiple zones of protection. And in doing so, arming our pilots with the lethal gun would be a deterrent to that.
BLITZER: And on that point, Mr. Laird, a recent survey taken by the Airline Pilots Association -- we'll put it up on the screen -- asked whether arming pilots with firearms was good or bad. Seventy- three percent of those pilots support it, favor it. Only 24 percent oppose it. Why is it a bad idea to allow pilots to be armed?
DOUGLAS LAIRD, FMR. SECURITY DIRECTOR, NORTHWEST AIRLINES: I believe that under a crisis situation, the pilots will have all they can manage to get the aircraft on the ground. The problem is quite easily solved by spending some money. What I would say should be done is, we should provide those law enforcement officers with a counterfeit proof I.D. card, such as a card like this, with a two dimensional bar code, which literally costs pennies.
We should also armor the cockpit and the bulkhead so it is blast resistant and bullet resistant. The main issue is to get the aircraft on the ground, to deal with the issue on the ground. Not have pilots trying to fly the plane and also shoot through the cockpit door.
BLITZER: Those are strong points, Captain Attarian. What's wrong with them?
ATTARIAN: Well, I think, quite honestly, Wolf, if you look at the government's position, in the event of another incident like this, God forbid, happening, they'd be willing to scramble fighter aircraft to bring that aircraft down to prevent it from creating some level of mass destruction, like it did on September 11th. We're not asking for anything more than have be, if not the last line of defense, at least give our pilots the ability to deal with that situation, and have the lethal weapon to use it in the event that the cockpit is breached. Because obviously, it's been proven that even as these transitional issues get resolved, the cockpit doors, bulkheads get strengthened, that there's going to be a period of time when those areas can be compromised. And to not arm the pilots and give the traveling public that safety and that comfort, along with a zone of protection, we think is not prudent.
BLITZER: Mr. Laird, we heard a few weeks ago about an incident where the pilot did have an axe in the cockpit that he used effectively to prevent a passenger from entering the cockpit. If they can have an axe, why not, in an emergency, a gun?
LAIRD: I think that's a good point to discuss, Wolf. He had an axe, but he did not use that axe in such a manner to bring that situation to a definite end. And that's a problem pilots are going to have. Law enforcement officers receive hundreds of hours of training, both on the law and the use of deadly force. If you decide to use a firearm, you use that firearm with the intent to kill, not to wound. The use of that crash axe clearly showed that that flight crew is not prepared to take a human life. And that's a critical part of the equation.
BLITZER: Captain Attarian?
ATTARIAN: I think we're asking for our pilots to be properly trained, to go through the same sort of protocols and procedures that any law enforcement, FBI, Secret Service, and work with the Transportation Department to create the rules of engagement, to use that if necessary. We're not asking to use this thing in any manner other than in a last line of defense, to secure that cockpit and ultimately be able to allow the pilot to land that aircraft so there's never a compromise.
BLITZER: What if those pilots, Mr. Laird, are fully trained, go through a rigorous course, learn how to properly use firearms? Would you then reconsider?
LAIRD: I think that it's still, in the long run, far cheaper to arm the cockpit door and bulkhead. He mentioned the training, he mentioned Secret Service. I'm a retired Secret Service agent, and we had to qualify every month. I would suggest that I spend more time on the range a month than many pilots would spend getting the training that they're talking about.
They simply don't have the hours or the time to spend, and who is going to pay them? It would be much more beneficial, financially, to just, as I said earlier, make the cockpit impenetrable, both to small arms fire and to a small blast.
BLITZER: And, Captain Attarian, some argue why not on every flight have trained personnel, sky marshals, whatever we're going to call them, who know how to use these kinds of weapons properly, who won't bring down a plane, perhaps inadvertently, by responding to some sort of terrorist action?
ATTARIAN: Well, we certainly would support that. And obviously we endorse the federal marshal program and any sort of augmentation. I think that's one of the zones of defense that we talk about. But absent of that, leaving the cockpit to fend for themselves in a nonlethal fashion, I think is not bringing the duty of obligation to our pilots and our members, and most importantly, to our traveling public.
I would submit to Mr. Laird, you know, I don't think there's any cost that can go back to the haunting memories of September 11th. And I think we need to arm our pilots. I think we need to do it safely with proper training, with proper protocols and proper rules of engagement. And help augment those federal air marshal programs, or any other individual that may be behind the cockpit door, willing to assist us.
BLITZER: Captain Attarian and Douglas Laird, thanks to both of you for joining us. Appreciate it very much. This debate will continue. The homeland security director, Tom Ridge, saying only this week he didn't think it was necessarily a good idea, what Norm Mineta said. But the debate will continue. Thanks to both of you.
ATTARIAN: Thank you, Wolf.
LAIRD: Thank you.
BLITZER: Thank you. And our Web question of the day is this: should commercial pilots carry a gun in the cockpit? You can vote. Go to cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, let me know what you're thinking. There's a "click here" icon on the left side of the page. Send me your comments. I'll read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. Also, that's where you can read my daily on- line column, cnn.com/wolf.
Could a former NBA star be in more hot water? Coming up, the shooting at Jayson William's house, and what "Sports Illustrated" says happened after the accident.
And later, Ted Koppel fights back. Are the decision makers listening?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Checking our "News Alert": U.S. allied Afghan fighters are pounding away at al Qaeda and Taliban positions in Eastern Afghanistan. More than 2,000 U.S. and allied ground forces are involved in what's called Operation Anaconda.
A multiservice honor guard was standing by today in Germany to receive the bodies of seven U.S. servicemen killed in Afghanistan. These men died yesterday, casualties of two helicopters incidents during Operation Anaconda.
Congressman Gary Condit's political future is in the hands of California voters today. The Democratic primary is under way in his California district. Condit is facing six challengers.
A police standoff is under way in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Authorities have surrounded the home of a man they say killed three people outside a county courthouse. Police say the shooting may be part of a domestic dispute.
There are allegations of evidence tampering in the manslaughter case involving former NBA basketball star Jayson Williams. Williams says the shooting of a limo driver was an accident.
But, as CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports, there may be more to the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The caller inside Jayson Williams' home told 911 operators a man, Costas Christofi, had just shot himself. Suicide, said the caller, identified by the prosecutor as Williams' brother. But "Sports Illustrated" reports others who were there tell a different story.
TIM LAYDEN, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Witnesses tell us that, at or around the time of the call, Jayson Williams then, with the assistance of another person who is as yet unidentified, began trying to apply Christofi's fingerprints and palm prints to the shotgun that was used in the shooting in an apparent attempt to validate a claim of suicide.
And, shortly after that, Jayson Williams left the scene and removed his clothing and disposed of the clothing in a manner that hasn't been made specific to us yet and changed into fresh clothing for the arrival of the police. And the clothing that he was wearing that he changed out of was described to us as having been destroyed.
FEYERICK: According the detective in the criminal complaint, a 12-gauge shotgun was found on the floor near Christofi's body. A prosecutor says some of Williams' friends told investigators Christofi had killed himself.
STEVEN LEMBER, PROSECUTOR: Some individuals connected with this case were not forthright at the beginning of this case and perhaps gave out misinformation, some of which led people to erroneously conclude the first day that we were looking at a suicide, when nothing could be further from the truth.
FEYERICK: Fourteen people were touring Williams' estate early Valentine's Day morning -- among them: four players from the Harlem Globetrotters -- "Sports Illustrated" reporting they were in a nearby study with other guests when they heard a shot, running in to find Christofi slumped against a wall.
LAYDEN: The witness that told us most specifically what he saw described Jayson Williams as freaking out over the body of Costas Christofi. He began screaming for someone who would know CPR, anyone in the house. And when no one responded, Jayson, according to our witnesses, leaned over the body and began applying chest compressions to Christofi's body.
(END VIDEOTAPE) FEYERICK: A Globetrotter spokesperson tells CNN that his players had nothing to do with the shooting. He would not comment on any of the allegations of witness tampering. "Sports Illustrated," however, is now saying that they believe two of the Globetrotters have been granted immunity by the prosecutors.
Prosecutors are charging Williams with second-degree reckless manslaughter. The chief prosecutor says a grand jury has the option of bringing additional charges once all the evidence is presented. But prosecutors are going very slowly. And they say they won't have their case ready go to the grand jury for at least several months -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And, Jayson Williams, how is he reacting to all of this so far?
FEYERICK: Well, he has been very somber. He has really shut himself inside of this mansion. His mom and his dad are with him. So is his wife. Yesterday, he did issue his condolences to the family of Costas Christofi.
And he looked really -- just really devastated by the whole thing. And a couple of people who know him well say that this has really taken him aback.
BLITZER: Deborah Feyerick, thanks for that report in New York. Appreciate it very much.
And let's check some other stories now from our "Justice File": In the Andrea Yates murder trial, defense attorneys had some tough questions today for the psychiatrist who was treating Andrea Yates during the months before she drowned her five children. Attorneys raised questions about her medical care and asked the doctor why she was discharged during a suicide watch.
The prosecution wrapped up its case in the California dog-mauling trial. The defense opened its case stating that his clients were shocked to learn that the dogs were capable of killing.
In the latest round of network wars, after a short break, Ted Koppel was back on "Nightline" last night, but didn't say anything about ABC or its negotiations with CBS's David Letterman. Instead, Koppel broke his silence in this morning's "New York Times," complaining about an unnamed executive who called "Nightline" irrelevant.
"There are excellent business reasons for Disney to pursue the 'Letterman' program. But when Nightline' is gone from the ABC schedule, and should the occasion arrive that our work might again seem relevant to the anonymous executive, it will not then be possible to reconstitute what is so easily destroyed." Certainly some strong words from a respected newsman.
Joining us now for some thoughts on this is Adam Buckman of "The New York Post." You were quite critical, quite harsh, Adam, the other day in your assessment of "Nightline." "Its time, perhaps, has come and gone." Tell our viewers what you really think.
ADAM BUCKMAN, "THE NEW YORK POST": Well, I was kind of grouchy that day, because we had missed the story. "The New York Times" broke it on Friday morning. And everybody else, like us, had to scramble. So, when you scramble, and when you are in my position, sometimes you are grouchier than normal.
But I will say this much. I did mean everything that I wrote about Ted. I think that he has sometimes acted like a tenured professor over there at "Nightline." And he kind of -- at least from a viewer's standpoint, he kind of shows up when he feels like it. And, to the outsider, it seems like, well, maybe he doesn't care as much anymore. After all, he is the star of the show. And this is what people are tuning in to see.
What if Letterman didn't show up half the time do his show? I think CBS would have questions about that.
BLITZER: Well, do you think that if Ted Koppel were there every night instead of three nights a week, it would have a significant difference in the ratings?
BUCKMAN: Well, I don't know. But it might have had a difference in perhaps his awareness or his, perhaps, ability to communicate with highers-up either at Disney or at ABC, to be in the loop, to read tea leaves, or to get a sense of what the company felt about "Nightline," or to even, in fact, change "Nightline" in order to get ratings to be higher.
BLITZER: Adam, stand by for a minute. We have to go to the White House. The president of Egypt has been meeting with the president of the United States. I want to go to the Grand Foyer at the White House and hear their statements.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I value my friendship with President Mubarak. I always appreciate our candid conversations.
Our nations are united by ties of friendship and a shared commitment to regional stability, economic prosperity and peace.
Today, the strategic partnership between our countries is more important than ever as we confront the threat of global terror. And I want to thank the president for his steadfast support in our war against terror. Egypt has been a good friend and I'm grateful.
We also meet in a moment when the peoples of both our countries are gravely concerned about escalating violence in the Middle East. Each day brings fresh reports of more lives lost and more Palestinian and Israeli families shattered by those losses. BUSH: Both our countries view this situation with great alarm. We both feel deep sympathy for the people in the region who are trying to live their lives in peace. And we're both determined to redouble our efforts to work for peace.
We talked extensively today about our efforts. President Mubarak has a long history of advancing peace and stability in the Middle East.
My country has set forth a goal which I stated last November at the United Nations. We are committed to two states, Israel and Palestine, living peacefully together within secure and recognized border as called for by the Security Council resolutions of the United Nations.
The United States also believes that this goal is only possible if there is a maximum effort to end violence throughout the region, starting with the Palestinian efforts to stop attacks against Israelis.
We want to work with the parties to implement the Tenet security plan, and then the Mitchell recommendations. We stand ready to return General Zinni to the region when appropriate. The Israeli-Palestinian situation will be an important topic of Vice President Cheney's upcoming visit to the region. And we're willing to work with all our friends in the region to see how we can build on the vision for peace recently advanced by Crown Prince Abdullah.
President Mubarak and I also spoke about the full range of interest that our nations share. We welcome the decision yesterday by Secretary Powell and the foreign minister of Egypt to initiate a U.S.- Egyptian strategic dialogue to provide regular coordination on political, economic and military issues.
BUSH: We also discussed how important it is to expand economic opportunities in the Middle East and help more young people acquire the education and technical expertise they need to embrace opportunities as they arise.
I've asked Secretary Powell to launch a new initiative aimed at increasing both economic and educational opportunities throughout the region.
Egypt was the first Arab state to stretch out its hand for peace in the Middle East, and it has worked hard to preserve its peace with Israel, even during difficult times. I know that Egypt will continue to be a vital partner, as we seek to help the parties move forward in the months to come toward a broader Middle Eastern peace.
I want to thank President Mubarak for coming back to Washington, and now it's my honor to welcome him to the podium.
Mr. President?
MUBARAK: Good evening. Before commenting on my discussions with President Bush, I want to reiterate my personal condolences and those of the Egyptian people to you, Mr. President, and to the American people and to all those who suffered in the tragic events of September 11.
MUBARAK: Let me say on this occasion to reaffirm that Egypt has always been on the forefront of fighting terrorism and to continue to play an instrumental role in this regard.
Once again, I met with my friend, President Bush, and exchanged views with him on several issues of common concern. As usual, our discussions were very friendly. As President Bush just said, we have built a solid partnership that is serving our bilateral interests and the goals of peace and stability in the Middle East. The partnership has matured over the years and endured the test of time; a general sense of continued cooperation and friendship has evolved.
As you know, Egypt took many pioneering steps toward peace in the Middle East. Today, we remain committed to that goal. Our partnership has an indispensable role to play in helping the parties directly involved in the conflict find a just and comprehensive solution.
In this vein, the U.S. has contributed greatly to these goals for the past 25 years. I welcome that the administration has spared no effort in order to help achieve a comprehensive peace.
In this context, we look forward to welcoming Vice President Cheney to the area soon. And we appreciate that the peace process will be one of the issues to be given the merit it deserves.
MUBARAK: We must bring about an end to the cycle of violence and the other hostile actions and to ensure the early resumption of peace negotiations. Nothing can be achieved through violence or resolved through force.
As the Palestinians are being asked to exert more effort to bring down the level of violence, the Israel government should understand that the use of military power and unilateral measures against the Palestinian population, the closure of roads, the siege of towns and villages, the demolition of houses, the collective punishment that make progress more difficult should stop.
The only way out is to put a decisive end to all of this suffering, to resume full-fledged peace negotiations immediately, including the implementation of the Tenet plan and the Mitchell recommendations. Peace will only be achieved through ending the Israeli occupation of all territories occupied since June 1967, implementing the relevant U.N. resolutions, establishing of a viable Palestinian state and the guaranteeing of the security of all parts in peaceful coexistence.
For decades, Egypt has been at the forefront of peacemaking and development in our region. Our partnership with the U.S. has played a crucial role in this process. Our comprehensive reform program is now entering a new phase, one that seeks to complete Egypt's integration into the world economy. MUBARAK: At the core of this vision is our press to deepen our trade ties with all our partners, especially the United States. In this context, we have discussed our bilateral relations with a view to intensifying our cooperation in various fields. We agreed to take concrete steps in that direction. Thank you.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
BUSH: Hold up a second. Please. Please. Please. I'm going to call on two of U.S. reporters. The president will call on two Egyptian reporters. We'll be glad to answer four questions.
QUESTION: Mr. President, you spoke today, as Secretary Powell has, favorably on the Saudi initiative. Israelis are virtually lining up --Israeli officials wanting to go to Saudi Arabia to talk about this new proposal, but the Saudis apparently are discouraging that. Do you think there should be some preliminary discussion, preliminary searching out of what the proposal means? Does it carry any solid hope as far as you're concerned of ending this morass?
BUSH: First of all, I think the crown prince suggestion was very positive development, and I appreciate those in Israel who are trying to find out exactly what it means. There has got to be a vision for peace in order for us to head toward peace. And the president of Egypt has talked -- and made an offer for dialogue that will help lead to peace hopefully. Crown Prince Abdullah has as well.
BUSH: And our government supports efforts to lay out a vision for a more peaceful tomorrow. And so I appreciate the efforts of both leaders, and I applaud the efforts of those willing to explore opportunity.
But I want to remind everybody that it's going to be difficult to achieve any kind of peace so long there is a cycle of violence. And one of the things that we talked about is how best we can come to break the cycle of violence.
There are people in the Middle East that do not want peace. There are people who want to use death to prevent there to be peace discussions. They want to murder innocent lives. I cannot tell you how it breaks my heart to see the weeping moms and those who've lost life because somebody's preventing peace from -- because somebody wants to prevent a peace process from beginning. And so, as the president mentioned, the step is to reduce the cycle of violence and to get into the Tenet security plan as quickly as possible.
But I applaud the efforts of these leaders for trying to move the process forward.
QUESTION: President Bush, President Mubarak (OFF-MIKE) Prime Minister Sharon and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (OFF-MIKE)
BUSH: Yes.
QUESTION: So what is the response to that offer? Particularly, what can the U.S. do in order to translate that offer that is likely to (OFF-MIKE) into a reality?
And President Mubarak whether you are satisfied from what you've heard from President Bush in your discussions regarding your offer?
QUESTION: Thank you.
BUSH: Well, thank you for that question. Let me say, as I mentioned, that I appreciate any efforts, any ideas that will lay out a vision for a peaceful resolution. And the president's offer was a meaningful offer. And we applaud his efforts.
As I mentioned in my opening remarks, Egypt has led the way toward leading the region toward peace. And our offer was indicative of that type of leadership. Crown Prince Abdullah has laid out an interesting idea. I, myself, at the U.N. talked about a solution.
The key, however, for us to get to the solution is to bust this cycle of violence. And that is where my administration and I know the president, as well, is spending a lot of time and efforts to convince the parties that violence will only lead to heartbreak and will enhance the chances for those who hate the idea of peace to prevail. And those of us who love peace must continue, as I said, redouble our efforts, which we will.
Mr. President?
MUBARAK: I'm satisfied with my discussion with President Bush about the peace process. And we hope we could continue. And the other partners should comply with what we are mentioning.
Something concerning the Crown Prince Abdullah initiative, I would like to say, this is the first time in the history of the Saudis that they could say, "We are ready to normalize the relation with Israel in case of peace prevails."
MUBARAK: The first five minutes we should underline this.
Thank you.
QUESTION: Mr. President, (inaudible) U.S. allies are threatening retaliation over your steel decision. Are you prepared for a trade war? And why shouldn't this be seen as a tax increase?
BUSH: Steve, we're a free-trading nation and in order to remain a free-trading nation we must enforce law. And that's exactly what I did. I decided that imports were severely affecting our industry -- an important industry in a negative impact. And therefore, provide temporary relief so that the industry can restructure itself.
It's exactly what the World Trade Organization allows for. The International Trade Commission made this recommendation. As you know, I honored our NAFTA agreements by exempting Canada and Mexico. I also -- we will honor our agreements with developing nations.
This is a remedy allowed under the WTO. It also is a part of our law and I intend to enforce our laws. QUESTION: My question is addressed to Mr. President Bush and Mr. President Mubarak. As you know, this is your first meeting after 11 September attack and Egypt's experience is preventing terrorism is worldwide recognized. Did you find a common stand in your talks today to combat this international phenomenon?
BUSH: We did. The president reminded me of the fact that he has been fighting terror long before I became the president.
BUSH: He's an old hand at fighting terror. And I assured him that we were strong allies in this effort.
There are some in the world who don't like President Mubarak because of what he stands for: a more open society. He's been a great leader of Egypt, and there are extremists who don't like him. And to the extent that we can help round up those extremists that would do harm to the president, or his government or the people of Egypt, we will do so.
It doesn't matter to me where a terrorist tries to hide. We will work with our friends and allies to hunt them down. And I assured the president that my determination is as strong today as it was on September the 11th.
This is an important moment in history where nations must not flinch in the face of murder and terror and people who are willing to take innocent lives, people who hate free societies. And I am proud of our alliance, and I appreciate his friendship, and I appreciate his steadfast resolve as well to root out terror wherever it exists.
MUBARAK: Mr. President, thank you.
BLITZER: And so President Bush and President Mubarak wrap up a brief question-and-answer session with reporters following their meeting at the White House. They are walking out of that Grand Foyer of the main White House residence right now.
President Bush praising Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, his peace initiative calling on Israel to withdraw to the 1967 lines in exchange for full normalization of relations, also praising the Egyptian leader for his initiative calling for a summit meeting between Prime Minister Sharon of Israel and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in the Southern Sinai town of Sharm-El-Sheikh -- President Mubarak saying he is very satisfied with his discussions with President Bush, also saying he is very satisfied with the Saudi peace initiative, insisting this is the first time Saudi Arabia has volunteered that it is prepared for full normalization of relations with Israel if it is prepared to withdraw to the '67 lines.
We'll continue to follow this story.
But Lou Dobbs is standing by in New York with a preview of what is ahead at the top of the hour -- Lou.
LOU DOBBS, "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE": Wolf, thank you very much. Coming up tonight at the top of the hour: the Middle East violence the focus at the White House, as you have just seen today, plans to end the fighting receiving a cool reception. Security expert George Friedman says they weren't designed to work at all anyway. There have been more people killed in Kashmir over the last week than in the Middle East and Afghanistan combined. Indian Ambassador Lalit Mansingh will be our guest tonight. And CNN military analyst General David Grange joins us with his perspective on the escalation of the violence in the Middle East and in Afghanistan. And, after two days of gains, Wall Street retreats.
We will have all of that and a lot more for you at the top of the hour. Please join us.
Now back to Wolf Blitzer in Washington -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Lou. We will be watching.
And when we come back, is an armed pilot dangerous to passengers? Find out the results of our "Question of the Day" poll. And why does one viewer say U.S. troops should withdraw right away from Afghanistan?
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Now the results of our "Web Question of the Day": "Should commercial passenger pilots carry a gun in the cockpit?" Look at this: 60 percent of you so far say yes. A reminder: This poll is not scientific.
Time now to hear from you, our viewers. Among the e-mail we received, Jessica writes this: "The U.S. is losing the war. What is so hard about withdrawing G.I.s from a country that doesn't want them there? Let's focus on security right here at home. It would make better sense.
But Robert writes: "Stop questioning our military and digging for information that could lead to more death of your proud patriots. Death is inevitable in combat. And we should support their bravery instead of questioning their leadership."
Nancy has this: "It's interesting that this is the second time in our national history that a military policy is referred to as Anaconda. During the Civil War, it was the name given to the Union strategy to cut the Confederacy in two. Let's hope this time we're equally successful.
And I'll be back in one hour with a look at the obstacles facing U.S. forces in Afghanistan. I will talk with two senators: Richard Shelby and Robert Torricelli. Tomorrow, we will also try to bring back Adam Buckman of "The New York Post" to continue our discussion on "Nightline" and Ted Koppel.
Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer at the CNN Center in Atlanta. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" begins right now.
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