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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Hussein Says Iraq Is Ready for War; Did Western Companies Help Iraq in Quest for Chemical Weapons?; New Leads in Peterson's Disappearance

Aired January 17, 2003 - 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, HOST: Saddam speaks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SADDAM HUSSEIN, PRESIDENT OF IRAQ (through translator): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) swords and rifles. Oh, our dear people...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Marking his mother of all battles, the Iraqi president warned his country is again ready for war.

A CNN exclusive. Did western companies fuel Iraq's chemical weapons program? Gulf War vets want to know.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many times (UNINTELLIGIBLE) asking me questions that I can't even answer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: New leads in the case of a missing pregnant woman.

And shocking news about sharks. The predator is prey. Will the ocean ever be the same?

It's Friday, January 17, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "Troubling" and "serious," that's how the Bush administration views the discovery of chemical warheads in Iraq. Those warheads turned out to be empty, but U.S. officials suggest more evidence of Iraqi violations is under way and that should be clear by the end of this month. Let's go live to our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. She has details -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the White House is very confident it has a strong case against Saddam Hussein. Secretary of State Colin Powell today urging U.N. Security Council members to put additional pressure on Iraq. He made some news earlier today when he told a German reporter, and I'm quoting, "we believe a persuasive case will be there at the end of the month that Iraq is not cooperating."

Why this confidence? The White House says that Saddam Hussein has not accurately declared his weapons of mass destruction. He continues to hide them.

They point to the fact of the discovery of these 12 empty chemical warheads, saying that U.S. officials have looked over the declaration. It's not included in that 12,000 page document. They believe this is just another piece of evidence that Saddam Hussein refuses to disarm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What we will continue to look for is whether or not Saddam Hussein is disarming and obviously the discovery of 12 chemical warheads is proof that he has not disarmed, especially when you consider the fact that for the purpose of letting the world know whether he had disarmed, he filed a declaration saying that he did not have weapons. He also filed a declaration that did not include these 12 warheads at the bunker and now we know, of course, that he has them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Earlier today the president at the Walter Reed Medical Center visiting soldiers who have been injured on the battlefields in Afghanistan while there has been so much focus on Iraq's Saddam Hussein seems like a distant memory the hunt for al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden but today, the Bush administration making it very clear that this administration would be willing to expand the war on terror in Iraq if the president decided to use military force that he would make his case before the American people.

But, Wolf, look to an accelerated time table, January 27 when the U.N. weapons inspectors to report their findings to the U.N. Security Council and then look to the state of the union address on January 28 when the president lays out his case -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Suzanne, I understand the president got emotional when he was meeting with those soldiers at the Walter Reed Medical Center. Tell us about that.

MALVEAUX: Yes, he did. It's a very emotional experience for the president. He often does when he talks about the soldiers in Afghanistan, talking to the parents and the relatives of those who have been injured or even killed in that war on terror.

He also goes on to say making a point here that this is all connected, that the soldiers doing their jobs inside of Afghanistan very much related to those who will be going perhaps into Iraq to do that campaign as well, the president saying of course it's a very difficult decision to make but his aides also emphasizing that this is a decision that must be made in weeks not months.

BLITZER: No burden greater on the commander-in-chief than sending young men and women potentially off to war. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House thanks very much for that report.

And, are the warheads that were just found in Iraq a smoking gun? According to the latest CNN-"TIME" magazine poll, seven in 10 Americans, 71 percent of those surveyed think the empty chemical warheads are proof that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. Twenty-two percent don't think so. The poll has a sampling error of five points.

Shrugging off the warhead discovery, Iraqis are marking the anniversary of the Persian Gulf War with a public show of defiance and their leader is warning the nation to be ready to fight.

Let's go live to CNN's Nic Robertson. He's in Baghdad.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a very defiant speech by President Saddam Hussein, 37 minutes on Iraqi television about the middle of the day today, of course a lot more at stake. This year it is an annual speech but a lot more at stake for President Saddam Hussein. The day marked not only by his speech but by demonstrations as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Demonstrators at a Baghdad rally destroyed the effigy of a U.S. president, scenes reminiscent of the Iraqi capital on the eve of the Gulf War 12 years ago. The 2,000- strong crowd at this government organized protest chant their support for President Saddam Hussein just as they did 12 years ago.

In his annual address commemorating the start of the Gulf War, President Saddam Hussein told the Iraqis they had been victorious. Reminding them of Baghdad's destruction in the 13th Century by Mongol armies, he called on Iraqis to defend their capital.

HUSSEIN (through translator): The people and the rulers of Baghdad have resolved to compel the Mongols of this age to commit suicide on its walls.

ROBERTSON: The anniversary made little difference to the U.N. weapons inspectors. Teams continued their work, this day at an ice factory and a former chemical plant. Their discovery Thursday of a dozen empty chemical warheads being played down here as officials counter criticism they are not cooperating with inspectors.

MOHAMMAD ALDOURI, IRAQI AMB. TO U.N.: Iraq is already (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So, I don't think we can give more than we gave already.

ROBERTSON: In continuing efforts to build regional support, Ali Hassan Al-Majeed, a cousin of the Iraqi president and one of his most trusted officials left for Syria and other Arab countries dismissing speculation that Saddam might go into exile.

ALI HASSAN AL-MAJEED, AIDE TO IRAQI PRESIDENT (through translator): These are ridiculous conclusions, nonsense. It's part of a psychological war technique.

ROBERTSON: Closer to home in Baghdad, a small sign of some improving diplomatic relations. Iraqi and Russian officials signing an oil deal following the cancellation late last year of a massive Russian oil project.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: It is this sort of support that Iraqi officials hope could help to deter a war. However, Wolf, the message this day is that if that is impossible then they are willing to fight to the end.

BLITZER: Very reminiscent of the talk exactly a dozen years ago. Nic Robertson back in Baghdad for us. Nic, thanks very much.

The possibility of a new Gulf War has brought people into the streets around the world chanting, "Beloved Saddam, strike Tel Aviv." Thousands of Palestinians marched through Gaza City in a show of support for the Iraqi leader. The demonstrators from a number of radical groups burned Israeli, U.S. and British flags. The Palestinian Authority did not play a major role in the march.

In Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, 2,000 people marched peacefully but vocally, waving Iraqi flags and chanting, "Death to America." They called on the Gulf nation's pro-western leadership to expel U.S. forces.

In bankrupt Buenos Aires, anti-war protesters have come up with a new twist. They're calling on the government not to pay its debt to international lending organizations claiming the money would be used to finance a U.S.-led war against Iraq.

U.S. cities have been lining up against the war with Iraq as well. Chicago is only the latest, but it's the largest. The city council yesterday passed a resolution by a 46-1 vote opposing a preemptive military strike by the United States.

However, the council also said Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who should be removed from power. No word from the council on how that should be done. Seattle and Baltimore are among other cities which have passed anti-war statements.

U.S. peace activists are getting ready for a series of anti-war demonstrations this weekend. The biggest protest is expected to take place tomorrow here in the nation's capital, but CNN's Lilian Kim reports peace activists are working all over the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are protesting at the neighborhood level, hoping to spread their anti-war message.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If we can't make it known in our neighborhoods then how are we going to have a voice?

KIM: This march against a possible war in Iraq is one of a growing number of grassroots demonstrations taking place across the country. As the U.S. military continues to build up its forces in the Persian Gulf, activists are coordinating their efforts, recruiting members and distributing anti-war paraphernalia. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a choice. You can sit home and swear at the television, you know, or you can get involved and it seems so lame to sit home and swear at the television.

KIM: Anti-war groups say they are mobilizing faster than ever before and reaching more people, using Internet technology. Web sites and mass e-mails allow rapid communication to thousands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Part and parcel of this sort of technological advantage that we're seeing is that it allows to build -- allows the movement to build a larger community and so people don't feel isolated when they're in a small town in Arkansas.

KIM: If a war happens, a plan is in place to protest on the first day of the conflict. Organizers are scheduling even more demonstrations and vigils for the weeks following, events they hope will allow them to reiterate their opposition to war; in Seattle, Lillian Kim reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A programming note on the showdown with Iraq, among my guests Sunday on "LATE EDITION" the Secretary of State Colin Powell. Please be sure to join me Sunday, noon Eastern, for the last word in Sunday talk.

Iraq says western companies help them make chemical weapons. Now Persian Gulf war veterans want answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As every year goes on, my body just fails to completely function.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Coming up at the half hour, a CNN exclusive.

Plus, an affair, and a life insurance policy new clues in the case of a pregnant woman who disappeared on Christmas Eve. I'll speak live with "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh.

And, why can't Robert Blake seem to keep his mouth shut? The public relations drama that's pushing his lawyers out of the door.

And, you're looking right now at a live picture of Camp Pendleton, California, Marines training for combat. Our reporter Frank Buckley is on that hovercraft that's going to land momentarily. We'll head there live once it does. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A surprising development in the Laci Peterson case. CNN's Rusty Dornin is following the sad story for us in Modesto. What's going on, Rusty? RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, when the latest headlines hit the newsstands here in Modesto, California, it really shocked the community. The suspicions they're talking about once again puts the spotlight on Scott Peterson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): It wasn't long after Laci Peterson disappeared that there were questions about husband Scott. He said he went fishing the day his wife vanished but police refused to eliminate him as a suspect.

Now sources close to the family say Modesto Police showed them pictures of Scott Peterson with another woman with whom he was allegedly having an affair. They also told the family he took out a $250,000 life insurance policy on his wife.

The "Modesto Bee" reported that police told the family the discovery was why they felt Scott Peterson might be involved in his wife's disappearance.

Meantime, Scott Peterson had planned to open another volunteer center for his wife in Los Angeles over the weekend. Those plans have been canceled, and in a phone interview with affiliate KTVU, Peterson said he's angry over the "Bee's" reporting and plans to take matters into his own hands.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SCOTT: Well, it's a bunch of lies in the article so what are you going to do?

REPORTER: So what's your plan now?

SCOTT: I'm going to come back to Modesto and open up my own volunteer center and find my wife and my kid.

(END AUDIO TAPE)

DORNIN: When the headlines hit, the volunteer center in Modesto shut down. Modesto Police Chaplain Don Kirker (ph) was there every day and says many like him felt betrayed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Devastated, unbelievable, and you know, believe me chaplains cry.

DORNIN: Modesto police have no official comment on the state of the investigation.

From the beginning, Laci Peterson's family stood behind her husband, always choosing to talk about the good times.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They were always happy together. I've never heard either of them say anything against the other. I've never heard them argue or even heard about an argument. They were a happy, happy couple. DORNIN: Trust based on a belief that is now eroding.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: A spokesperson for Laci Peterson's family is planning to give a news conference in about two hours here in Modesto but there's no word on whether the other family members will be there or whether they will just issue a statement -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Rusty Dornin, thanks very much.

Shortly, we'll be speaking with John Walsh, the host of "America's Most Wanted" on this very sad case. He's been looking into it but there may soon be a landing on hostile shores, not today necessarily. U.S. Marines were busy putting out to sea, bound for the Persian Gulf. In all 10,000 marines and sailors are now off the California Coast.

Our national correspondent Frank Buckley is among them. He's on this hovercraft. He's joining us now live -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Wolf. We're on that LCAC 64 and we're just about to come up onto the beach here at Camp Pendleton to the Assault Craft Unit 5. At the helm of the LCAC 64, I'm up in the cockpit. I don't know how well you can see but I'm sitting behind three navy folks here who are in the cockpit.

At the helm, the craft master is Senior Chief Nancy Hostilvy (ph), Kevin Cross (ph) the engineer, and Brad Llewelyn (ph) are the navigator. These people are sitting in front of me. We are about to come up onto the beach. Wow, what an incredible feeling.

We've been (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at about 50 knots on this air cushion. Some people have described it as something like an air hockey puck. It essentially skips across the surface of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the water and now we're actually up onto the beach.

What an incredible thing. These LCACs, Wolf, as you know are used to transport marines and also light armored vehicles. They can even take an M-1 tank all the way out to the Bonhomme Richard or other amphibious assault ships.

We were just on the Bonhomme Richard, which is one of the seven assault and amphibious ships that are heading to the Persian Gulf and leaving from San Diego today. We were several miles off (UNINTELLIGIBLE) San Diego watching all the operations. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Now we are here. I don't know if you can me. I'm sort of waving through the cockpit but I'm sitting back here behind this crew and it is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) low to the ground and people will be able to actually to alight from this LCAC.

(UNINTELLIGIBLE) military commander gets a feel to get marines ashore. It's (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It takes marines into potentially harm's way but (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

You (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ride aboard these navy ships as they go to wherever they are called to be. These are the seven ships that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) headed to the Persian Gulf region and we are here (UNINTELLIGIBLE). As we look ahead, I can see the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) you can see me.

BLITZER: Frank, let me interrupt you. Frank, let me interrupt you for a second because your audio is getting a little hard to understand precisely what you're saying. I want to see if you can get off that hovercraft, make it to a microphone and maybe you can explain precisely what's been going on.

Frank had gone out with some of the ships. About 10,000 or so U.S. Marines and sailors left the port of San Diego earlier today bound for the Persian Gulf region. Frank went out with them. He's now come back aboard this U.S. Marine hovercraft, troop transport hovercraft.

It's now landed, as you can see, on the beach here off of San Diego and we're going to come back to Frank. He's going to make it off this hovercraft, make it over to a microphone, tell us a little about his adventure that he had earlier today, and then we'll get some more details.

But in the meantime, I want to go back to that sad story, the new developments in the Laci Peterson case. For that, I'm joined by the host of "America's Most Wanted" John Walsh. John, thanks very much for joining us. You heard these latest developments reported in the "Modesto Bee" pointing a finger potentially at the husband. What do you make of these late-breaking developments?

JOHN WALSH, HOST, "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED": Well, you know, Wolf, it's a double-edged sword.

Just by coincidence two days ago I was with Brenda and Damon van Dam. We were talking about how brutal the media was to them and how they said the media focused on their lifestyle when in effect it was a pedophile who lived next store, David Westerfield and who was convicted and sentenced to death and that they will never get over the treatment of the media.

Wouldn't it be terrible if this man had nothing to do with it? But that being said and victims being victimized by the media many, many, many times, that being said what really surprises me is that I've been involved in so many cases of missing people for so many years, and when my son was missing I know one thing that the media was going to be the best way to get Adam back alive even though we didn't get him back alive.

And, every parent of a missing adult, the Levys, everybody knew that that you have to deal with the media. And what bothers me about this is that Scott Peterson, I mean you know if your child is missing or if your eight and a half month pregnant wife is missing, I would be out there doing every interview that I possibly could. I would stand in Times Square naked if that would help get my wife back, and I'm really, really surprised that this guy hasn't made himself available to every media outlet to say look let's keep the focus on the fact that my wife is missing and I need to find her, and that disturbs me.

BLITZER: The other point that's disturbing to a lot of people out in Modesto and elsewhere around the country, John, who are following this story, apparently he's refusing to take a polygraph. I know in your personal case when your son went missing you immediately said I'll take a polygraph. I'll do whatever is necessary. What do you make of his decision not to take a polygraph?

WALSH: I think it's a bad decision. If we all remember what happened in Colorado to, you know, that case there of JonBenet Ramsey, all the focus went onto her parents when they refused to take a polygraph.

That is normal police procedure. Good police procedure is when a loved one is missing you go in and take the polygraph. I'll never forget it. I wasn't used to it but the day Adam went missing they called my wife and I in and said will you take a polygraph? We have to eliminate you or any of your family members and you do anything you can to get your family members back.

The JonBenet Ramsey case became a nightmare because the Ramseys refused to take a polygraph, and I think that if he really cared and really wanted to make sure that police were doing everything, the first thing he would have done is voluntarily gone in, taken the polygraph, got eliminated.

They could have got past him and done the parallel investigation, look at everybody they know, all the friends, all the relatives, maybe mistresses, maybe lovers and all that type of stuff. But he should have been eliminated a long time ago.

Look what happened to Gary Condit when he didn't cooperate. It cost him his political career.

BLITZER: In fairness to Scott Peterson, I just want to point out he does say he insists that he, of course, had nothing to do with the disappearance of Laci Peterson, his wife eight months pregnant. He also says he doesn't care if people focus attention on him as long as they focus attention on searching for his missing wife. What do you say about those comments that he made earlier today?

WALSH: Well, you know, that's interesting because I remember when Susan Smith, the woman who killed her two sons in South Carolina, huge case, she said that a black man had carjacked her and taken her two sons and she did some media pleas. And then all of a sudden after three days, she refused to talk to the media whatsoever and the police down there focused in on her and finally broke her.

Yes, he's right. You know that's the right thing to say, hey I don't care what they say about me as long as it keeps my wife's face in the news, but I still think that if he believes that he should be going on the Wolf Blitzer show with me right now. He should be on every show that will have him saying look I didn't have anything to do with this. Let's focus in on one thing.

BLITZER: All right.

WALSH: I have an eight and a half month pregnant wife whose missing and I want to do everything I can to get her back alive.

BLITZER: John Walsh, as usual, thanks very much for joining us. We'll talk in the not too distant future. John Walsh, the host of "America's Most Wanted."

We're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we'll go back to that hovercraft. Frank Buckley's off of it. We'll have a live report off the coast of San Diego. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You saw it here live only a few moments ago a U.S. Marine hovercraft landing on the shores of San Diego. Our National Correspondent Frank Buckley was aboard that hovercraft. He still is. It's now ashore. Frank, tell us what's going on right now and what you did. We saw those dramatic pictures of that hovercraft coming ashore live.

BUCKLEY: We are ashore now, Wolf. This is LCAC 64. We are here. We have landed after traveling at about 50 knots across the water from the Bonhomme Richard.

Joining me here is Senior Chief Nancy Hostilvy, the only female person to fly these things in the U.S. Navy, in any navy around the world these military hovercraft.

First of all, thanks very much for a fantastic ride, ma'am, and can you tell us -- Greg, I'll just have you go ahead and step in and show everybody the cockpit here. Tell me the experience of flying one of these things.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's probably the best ride there is in the world. It's better than any roller coaster. What he's looking at right now is the command module and the command module has three personnel that sit topside, the craft master in the far right hand seat, the engineer who keeps the plant running in the middle seat, and the navigator who maintains communication and gives me course and speed to get me to my destination.

All three of us complete a school that's 17 weeks in length and then we have to follow it up with an advanced qualification here on site before we can actually have our own boat and start doing missions for the navy.

BUCKLEY: Now, this I believe has a crew of five and can carry 24 troops, is that right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right. I personally have a crew of six and I can carry 24 in the cabin and then if I have hard top vehicles onboard, I can let them ride inside their hard top vehicles for the marines.

What you see out here is the cargo deck. It measures at about 1,900 square feet and I can put 12 humvees or I can put what I'm about to put on now, my preload, three LAVs, three humvees, and that's what I'll hit the beach with full force. It's propelled by two propellers in the back and that will push us forward. My crew onboard right now is getting ready to take on the load and get it (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in so we can sustain any (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

BUCKLEY: Senior Chief, thanks very much for a great ride. We appreciate it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, welcome.

BUCKLEY: All right, thank you. So there you go, Wolf. This is one of the military hovercrafts, the LCACs that will be going out with the seven amphibious ships that deploy today from San Diego. They're about to go back out to the Bonhomme Richard -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Frank Buckley, those were dramatic pictures. Thanks very much. We loved seeing you come ashore live on that hovercraft, that hovercraft landing on the Pacific shore off San Diego earlier today but potentially in the coming weeks could be landing on the shores of the Persian Gulf as well.

In other news we're following, there was a court hearing late today involving the murder case against actor Robert Blake. This is a bizarre story. One of Blake's lawyers has been asking to resign.

CNN's Charles Feldman is standing by as he always does in Van Nuys, California. Give us the latest twist in this story that seems to get a little bit weirder every single day.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boy, that is an understatement, Wolf. Well, Robert Blake is down yet another attorney. This is number two to resign because she said he just wouldn't keep his mouth shut and insisted on talking to the press. She wasn't going to abide by that and so she is now off the case.

As for Robert Blake, he's left with one criminal attorney and some videotapes that may come back to haunt him. It was at a deposition the other day. And before his attorney succeeded in getting him to keep his mouth closed, he did vent a bit. And he talked about how the media has had all of these unfair stories, in his view, since he was arrested and charged with murdering his wife.

And he used the occasion, the videotaped deposition, to express his frustration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT BLAKE, MURDER SUSPECT: People told stories, rape in Alaska when I was 19 years old, sealed records up there. I put a gun down Sandra's throat, insisted on -- if I didn't get the kids in the custody battle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Blake, I'm asking you not to talk about the case.

BLAKE: I'm not talking about the case. I'm talking about my marriage to Sandra long before the case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There has been terrible publicity about you. It has been unfair.

BLAKE: Let me just talk for a minute.

Geraldo Rivera did a whole show about a custody battle that didn't exist. There were lies that went on all over the place. And the "TV Guide," look when he was doing "Hell Town," this is a girl that he raped when he was doing -- and I was quiet. I did what I was supposed to do. I didn't talk. Shut up, shut up, then I was locked up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FELDMAN: Now, Robert Blake's attorney who left today, Wolf, says she is relieved. The attorney who remains says for the moment, he's going to be the sole guy to represent Blake, but we'll see -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman on the case, where a lot of us remember Robert Blake when he played Baretta. How the mighty have fallen. Charles, thanks very much.

Veterans sue over Gulf War Syndrome with new documents by the Iraqi government provided to a former weapons inspector.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT RITTER, FORMER U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: There are thousands of American veterans continue to suffer. My loyalty is to them. I don't give a damn about these companies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Find out why American and European companies are now in the firing line. You'll see this only here. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: While the world waits for the United Nations to complete the latest inspection of Iraqi weapons sites, CNN has obtained a copy of a portion of the last such U.N. report from 1998, never before made public in its complete form.

It details what chemical weapons programs Iraq declared and, for the first time, which western companies Iraq claims supplied those weapons, despite claims by many of these companies, contacted by CNN, that they have been unfairly named.

The report is providing ammunition for some of the thousands of American veterans of the Gulf War, who say they came home sick with a mystery illness.

Our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, has the story in this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The start of the new year at the New York home of former U.S. soldier Eric Waden and his family.

At this time in 1991, on the eve of the Gulf War, Waden was sent to Saudi Arabia, bound for Kuwait.

ERIC WADEN, GULF WAR VETERAN: I'd never entertained the idea that I would become a victim of a conflict.

ROTH: Waden provided air defense artillery for U.S. troops, but he didn't take a hit on the battlefield.

WADEN: All this right here is all my medical files.

ROTH: Waden says these files, including U.S. government records, support his claim that he returned from Iraq with Gulf War Syndrome, a debilitating series of ailments which struck an estimated 100,000 troops.

WADEN: As every year goes on, my body just fails to completely function.

ROTH: Waden and other veterans say toxic chemicals spewed into the air following bombing of Iraqi weapons sites may have caused the vets to get sick. So they banded together in a lawsuit, not against Iraq but against businesses that they say sold Iraq chemicals and supplied it equipment before the Gulf War.

GARY PITTS, PLAINTIFFS' ATTORNEY: They were enabling an international outlaw with weapons of mass destruction. And it was foreseeable that people were going to get hurt.

ROTH: Houston attorney Gary Pitts represents Waden and 3,000 other veterans.

Their Gulf War Syndrome lawsuit stalled in court for eight years, because Pitts was unable to prove which company sold Iraq chemicals, chemicals that could have been turned into weapons of mass destruction.

Both the U.S. government and the U.N. weapons inspections agency UNSCOM, now titled UNMOVIC, declined Pitts' request for information.

HANS BLIX, U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: UNSCOM had a policy of not revealing the names of companies, of suppliers of equipment to Iraq, because they often have the possibility of getting information from the companies. And the best way of getting these companies to talk to them was not to publish their names.

PITTS: Figuring this might be the result, that we'd reach dead ends with the U.N. and with our government, came up with the sort of creative idea of approaching Iraq. ROTH: The attorney found his way to approach Iraq, ironically, at a U.S. veterans convention. His connection, this former marine and former U.N. weapons inspector, who used to be the biggest thorn in the side of the Iraqi leadership.

RITTER: I believe that the United States has an obligation to care for those who put on the uniform in defense of their country.

ROTH: Scott Ritter, who now calls Iraq a defanged tiger posing no threat, decided to help the veterans when he traveled to Iraq last year and spoke to its parliament.

RITTER: I brought out a series of compact disks which contained the totality of the Iraqi declaration.

ROTH: Given to you?

RITTER: By Tariq Aziz.

ROTH: Ritter says Aziz, Iraq's deputy prime minister, gave him three disks containing Baghdad's full, final and complete declaration from 1998, including the secret list of firms, companies which allegedly supplied, knowingly or not, Baghdad's past chemical warfare programs.

Ritter gave the list to Pitts, who provided it to CNN.

According to U.N. sources, the list matches company and supplier names now in U.N. hands. The sources say the list is mirrored in Iraq's latest 12,000-page declaration delivered to the Security Council in early December.

PITTS: If they are hit in the pocket book, if they know that the dictator they provide the stuff to is eventually going to turn them over to the public and they're going to be held accountable for what they've done, they're less likely to sell these things to Saddam or somebody like him in the future.

ROTH: In all, the Iraqi supplied list contains 56 companies, most from Europe.

Germany heads the list with 14 major suppliers, followed by the Netherlands and Switzerland, each with three. Then France, Austria and the U.S., each with two.

Both American companies listed are no longer in business. No one from the company Al-Haddad could be reached. The other firm, Alcolac, paid a fine in 1989 under U.S. law for one charge of exporting a chemical that could be used to make mustard gas. That shipment of thiodine glycol (ph), however, was destined for another country, not Iraq, says a spokesman for Alcolac's new owner, who tells CNN the veterans' lawsuit has no meat.

One of the largest alleged suppliers to Iraq's chemical program, according to Iraq's list, the German company Karl Kolb. A spokesman for the company tells CNN it has done business with Iraq for 35 years but denies any connection to its weapons programs.

Preussag, since acquired by the travel conglomerate TUI, supplied chemical precursors for sarin nerve gas, according to Iraq's declaration, but the German firm tells CNN that claim is untrue.

Several German manufacturers listed gave us the same response: they had no connection to Iraq's weapons plants and the lawsuit's accusations are false.

The Dutch company Melchemie denies it supplied strategic raw materials to Iraq. It admits improperly shipping chemicals to an Iraqi agricultural producer once in 1984. Melchemie paid a fine and brought the containers back, now exporting tomato and cucumber seeds to Iraq.

A Dutch based subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum, sued by the Gulf War vets, exported chemicals to Iraq but nothing illegal, says an attorney for Phillips Petroleum. He says any substance Phillips would have told to Iraq would have been a useful and beneficial product, if used properly.

The Indian company Exomet Plastics, now part of EPC Industrie, said chemicals it sent to Iraq were for pesticides, the firm tells CNN. When advised of their possible misuse, it says it stopped further shipments.

The largest chemical supplier in the 1980s, according to Iraq, was a firm from Singapore. Iraq told the U.N. it supplied more than 4,000 tons of chemical precursors for mustard gas, sarin and VX. Our efforts to get a response from the firm were unsuccessful.

Despite their names being listed by Iraq, the French firm De Dietrich and the Portuguese-owned Tafisa deny ever doing business with Iraq.

In fact, half of the firms listed by Iraq, and now targeted by the lawsuit as major suppliers, are either unreachable or out of business.

Still, critics think some of the companies listed by Iraq had to know they were aiding in the buildup of President Saddam Hussein's arsenal.

RITTER: There are thousands of American veterans who continue to suffer. My loyalty is to them. I don't give a damn about these companies. If they're innocent, they're innocent and they don't pay a price. If they've done something they need to be ashamed of, then let their shame be public.

ROTH: Veteran Eric Waden says any money earned from the naming and shaming in court is not the central issue. Racked by swollen joints, shortness of breath and headaches, the unemployed Waden says he'd rather have his life back.

WADEN: I just think about, I got to go through this. How long am I going to continue to go through it? And how many times I'm going to be able to -- my children are going to ask me questions that I can't even answer? How long am I going through that?

ROTH: Questions the troops now preparing in the Gulf for another war hope they won't have to face.

Richard Roth, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Attorneys representing veterans are now using the list in the story we just showed you. They hope to force companies to provide information and, if appropriate, compensation.

It's not clear how successful they'll be, because some of the companies have gone out of business and others don't fall under U.S. law.

Here's your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: "Should companies that sold Iraq chemicals in the 1980s be held liable if they were used on U.S. troops?"

Vote at CNN.com/Wolf. And be sure to learn more about the Gulf War veterans and the illnesses that they suffer from this weekend when I host "CNN PRESENTS SHOWDOWN: IRAQ, WAR CLOUDS." That's at 8 p.m. Eastern Sunday night.

The jaws of disease killed off by man. We'll go live to the Baltimore Aquarium to find out why these awesome creatures are vanishing, yes vanishing from the waters.

Plus, women and sex. Have women been underestimated all these years? We have a new study. We'll show you. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Fewer women than previously thought have sex problems, according to a new study by the Kinsey Institute. It refutes an earlier report that said as many as 43 percent of women suffer some form of sexual dysfunction.

For more on the numbers and what they mean, we're joined by our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, who's been looking into this.

Elizabeth, fascinating details.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is fascinating, Wolf.

The question here is, what do women want and how many of them are not getting it?

There was a landmark study a few years ago on female sexual dysfunction. It found that 43 percent of women were sexually dysfunctional. And that was shocking; that's a very high number.

Well, a study that's coming out just now says that actually that number is more like 24 percent. They criticize the earlier study.

Part of the problem here is, is that there is no one clear definition of female sexual dysfunction. And that's why you get such different numbers.

With men it's easy. Either a man gets an erection or he doesn't. With women, there are many social and emotional factors involved.

Now the fact that there's no clear definition for female sexual dysfunction is one big reason why there's also no clear treatment for female sexual dysfunction like there are drugs like Viagra for men -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. The two studies have different definitions of sexual dysfunction for women. Give us a couple examples.

COHEN: Right. For example, the one that had the larger percentage, 43 percent, they said that any woman who is having trouble reaching orgasm was sexually dysfunctional by definition.

The other study said we don't think that's true. They said that if a woman isn't having orgasms that doesn't make her dysfunctional, but if she's distressed about not having orgasms, then she would be dysfunctional.

So that's just one example of how you can have different definitions of sexual dysfunction.

BLITZER: So what's the bottom line from this new study, which presumably is more accurate, let's say, than the earlier studies?

COHEN: Well, see, many people say that it's not necessarily more accurate. It really depends on how you want to define sexual dysfunction.

And the doctors that I talked to said, look, 43 percent, 24 percent, it really doesn't matter. What really matters is that a significant number of women suffer from sexual dysfunction, and there need to be treatments, just like there are treatments for men.

BLITZER: All right, Elizabeth Cohen, as usual, helping us understand these important medical developments. Thank you very much.

COHEN: Thanks.

BLITZER: A problem for the predators: why sharks are dying off of shores near you, and why you should care.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: People are generally frightened of sharks, but a new study suggests maybe it should be the other way around.

Researchers at a university in Nova Scotia report in the journal "Science" the number of some sharks in the northwest Atlantic has dropped by more than 75 percent since 1986. Joining me now to discuss the reasons for the plummeting population and the possible impact on the delicate food chain is Andy Dehart. He's with the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Andy, thanks so much for joining us. What's going on here?

ANDY DEHART, NATIONAL AQUARIUM: Well, it's unfortunately nothing that's too surprising to us. We've known that sharks have been on decline for a number of years now. It's very troubling trend. It's due mainly to over-fishing through by-catch (ph) and through target fishing.

BLITZER: And so what's the impact? A lot of people might say, well, who cares if sharks disappear? Tell our viewers why they should care.

DEHART: Well, actually, humans have very little to fear from sharks. Shark attack is extremely rare. It's almost always a case of mistaken identity.

What's happening now is we're losing sharks at over 11,000 sharks an hour every day all day long. So it's very troubling for an animal that reaches maturity very slowly, has very few pups and doesn't produce very long.

BLITZER: And so why, again, is this happening? Why are sharks disappearing?

DEHART: Mainly it's from targeted fishing, specifically for sharks.

And then 50 percent of it is roughly from by-catch. These are sharks that are caught in lines, on long lines or in nets while fishermen are targeting other species.

BLITZER: What can we do about this? Obviously, it's a serious issue.

DEHART: Probably the most important thing people can do is to monitor what seafoods they're eating, become educated on how they're being caught.

Also, write your legislators. Tell them that you're in favor of protecting sharks and in favor of protecting the marine environment.

BLITZER: I know you're at the Baltimore Aquarium. We see -- in fact, right now we see a shark swimming right behind you. How many sharks do you have over there where you are?

DEHART: We have roughly eight in this tank right here. The one that you see behind me is a sand tiger shark. They're protected locally here, as well as in Australia and South Africa.

BLITZER: How dangerous are they, really? They look ferocious. If somebody spots one of those in the oceans, in the waters, what should they do, first of all? DEHART: The sand tigers are a very non-threatening species. There's never been an implicated attack in the U.S. with these guys. People dive very frequently in North Carolina with the sand tiger sharks with no problems whatsoever.

BLITZER: And in your experience with these sharks where you are, you've grown -- I guess you've become fond of them. Do they develop their own little personalities as you watch them?

DEHART: Definitely each shark has its own behavior, has its own personality. Obviously, we tend not to put human characteristics on them, but they all exhibit their own behavior. They have their own unique traits and qualities.

BLITZER: Are they the biggest attraction over at the Baltimore Aquarium?

DEHART: Being a shark fanatic myself, I'd like to say yes, but the sharks and the dolphins are always our biggest hit.

BLITZER: How did you become a shark fanatic?

DEHART: Believe it or not, it was at age 5, snorkeling in the Keys with my father.

BLITZER: All right. That's a nice looking shark behind you. I love going to the Baltimore Aquarium. The nice thing about it is it's not far from Washington, D.C., where we are.

Andy, thanks very much for that useful information. Let's hope the number of sharks increases rather than decreases.

DEHART: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our Web question of the day: "Should companies that sold Iraq chemicals in the 1980s be held liable if the chemicals made U.S. troops sick during the Persian Gulf War?"

Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our Web question of the day, "Should companies that sold Iraq chemicals in the 1980s be held liable if the chemicals made U.S. troops sick?"

Sixty-four percent of you say yes, 36 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Let's get to your e-mail.

Lisa writes this: "Why would the U.N. Security Council ever consider granting amnesty to the generals of Saddam Hussein? These are killers and liars. It would be abominable to try to use a diplomatic loophole to avoid doing what is absolutely necessary, which is tearing down a kingdom of hate and evil and eliminating Saddam and his regime."

Bruce: "Why not investigate the origin of the empty warheads found by the U.N. inspectors? The origin is likely a United States manufacturer, and George H.W. Bush was the salesman. Doesn't anybody remember all the arms we sold Iraq to fight Iran?"

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again Monday, of course, same time.

Sunday on LATE EDITION my special guest, the secretary of state, Colin Powell.

Until then thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

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






Help Iraq in Quest for Chemical Weapons?; New Leads in Peterson's Disappearance>


Aired January 17, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Saddam speaks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SADDAM HUSSEIN, PRESIDENT OF IRAQ (through translator): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) swords and rifles. Oh, our dear people...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Marking his mother of all battles, the Iraqi president warned his country is again ready for war.

A CNN exclusive. Did western companies fuel Iraq's chemical weapons program? Gulf War vets want to know.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many times (UNINTELLIGIBLE) asking me questions that I can't even answer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: New leads in the case of a missing pregnant woman.

And shocking news about sharks. The predator is prey. Will the ocean ever be the same?

It's Friday, January 17, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "Troubling" and "serious," that's how the Bush administration views the discovery of chemical warheads in Iraq. Those warheads turned out to be empty, but U.S. officials suggest more evidence of Iraqi violations is under way and that should be clear by the end of this month. Let's go live to our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. She has details -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the White House is very confident it has a strong case against Saddam Hussein. Secretary of State Colin Powell today urging U.N. Security Council members to put additional pressure on Iraq. He made some news earlier today when he told a German reporter, and I'm quoting, "we believe a persuasive case will be there at the end of the month that Iraq is not cooperating."

Why this confidence? The White House says that Saddam Hussein has not accurately declared his weapons of mass destruction. He continues to hide them.

They point to the fact of the discovery of these 12 empty chemical warheads, saying that U.S. officials have looked over the declaration. It's not included in that 12,000 page document. They believe this is just another piece of evidence that Saddam Hussein refuses to disarm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What we will continue to look for is whether or not Saddam Hussein is disarming and obviously the discovery of 12 chemical warheads is proof that he has not disarmed, especially when you consider the fact that for the purpose of letting the world know whether he had disarmed, he filed a declaration saying that he did not have weapons. He also filed a declaration that did not include these 12 warheads at the bunker and now we know, of course, that he has them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Earlier today the president at the Walter Reed Medical Center visiting soldiers who have been injured on the battlefields in Afghanistan while there has been so much focus on Iraq's Saddam Hussein seems like a distant memory the hunt for al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden but today, the Bush administration making it very clear that this administration would be willing to expand the war on terror in Iraq if the president decided to use military force that he would make his case before the American people.

But, Wolf, look to an accelerated time table, January 27 when the U.N. weapons inspectors to report their findings to the U.N. Security Council and then look to the state of the union address on January 28 when the president lays out his case -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Suzanne, I understand the president got emotional when he was meeting with those soldiers at the Walter Reed Medical Center. Tell us about that.

MALVEAUX: Yes, he did. It's a very emotional experience for the president. He often does when he talks about the soldiers in Afghanistan, talking to the parents and the relatives of those who have been injured or even killed in that war on terror.

He also goes on to say making a point here that this is all connected, that the soldiers doing their jobs inside of Afghanistan very much related to those who will be going perhaps into Iraq to do that campaign as well, the president saying of course it's a very difficult decision to make but his aides also emphasizing that this is a decision that must be made in weeks not months.

BLITZER: No burden greater on the commander-in-chief than sending young men and women potentially off to war. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House thanks very much for that report.

And, are the warheads that were just found in Iraq a smoking gun? According to the latest CNN-"TIME" magazine poll, seven in 10 Americans, 71 percent of those surveyed think the empty chemical warheads are proof that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. Twenty-two percent don't think so. The poll has a sampling error of five points.

Shrugging off the warhead discovery, Iraqis are marking the anniversary of the Persian Gulf War with a public show of defiance and their leader is warning the nation to be ready to fight.

Let's go live to CNN's Nic Robertson. He's in Baghdad.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a very defiant speech by President Saddam Hussein, 37 minutes on Iraqi television about the middle of the day today, of course a lot more at stake. This year it is an annual speech but a lot more at stake for President Saddam Hussein. The day marked not only by his speech but by demonstrations as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Demonstrators at a Baghdad rally destroyed the effigy of a U.S. president, scenes reminiscent of the Iraqi capital on the eve of the Gulf War 12 years ago. The 2,000- strong crowd at this government organized protest chant their support for President Saddam Hussein just as they did 12 years ago.

In his annual address commemorating the start of the Gulf War, President Saddam Hussein told the Iraqis they had been victorious. Reminding them of Baghdad's destruction in the 13th Century by Mongol armies, he called on Iraqis to defend their capital.

HUSSEIN (through translator): The people and the rulers of Baghdad have resolved to compel the Mongols of this age to commit suicide on its walls.

ROBERTSON: The anniversary made little difference to the U.N. weapons inspectors. Teams continued their work, this day at an ice factory and a former chemical plant. Their discovery Thursday of a dozen empty chemical warheads being played down here as officials counter criticism they are not cooperating with inspectors.

MOHAMMAD ALDOURI, IRAQI AMB. TO U.N.: Iraq is already (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So, I don't think we can give more than we gave already.

ROBERTSON: In continuing efforts to build regional support, Ali Hassan Al-Majeed, a cousin of the Iraqi president and one of his most trusted officials left for Syria and other Arab countries dismissing speculation that Saddam might go into exile.

ALI HASSAN AL-MAJEED, AIDE TO IRAQI PRESIDENT (through translator): These are ridiculous conclusions, nonsense. It's part of a psychological war technique.

ROBERTSON: Closer to home in Baghdad, a small sign of some improving diplomatic relations. Iraqi and Russian officials signing an oil deal following the cancellation late last year of a massive Russian oil project.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: It is this sort of support that Iraqi officials hope could help to deter a war. However, Wolf, the message this day is that if that is impossible then they are willing to fight to the end.

BLITZER: Very reminiscent of the talk exactly a dozen years ago. Nic Robertson back in Baghdad for us. Nic, thanks very much.

The possibility of a new Gulf War has brought people into the streets around the world chanting, "Beloved Saddam, strike Tel Aviv." Thousands of Palestinians marched through Gaza City in a show of support for the Iraqi leader. The demonstrators from a number of radical groups burned Israeli, U.S. and British flags. The Palestinian Authority did not play a major role in the march.

In Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, 2,000 people marched peacefully but vocally, waving Iraqi flags and chanting, "Death to America." They called on the Gulf nation's pro-western leadership to expel U.S. forces.

In bankrupt Buenos Aires, anti-war protesters have come up with a new twist. They're calling on the government not to pay its debt to international lending organizations claiming the money would be used to finance a U.S.-led war against Iraq.

U.S. cities have been lining up against the war with Iraq as well. Chicago is only the latest, but it's the largest. The city council yesterday passed a resolution by a 46-1 vote opposing a preemptive military strike by the United States.

However, the council also said Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who should be removed from power. No word from the council on how that should be done. Seattle and Baltimore are among other cities which have passed anti-war statements.

U.S. peace activists are getting ready for a series of anti-war demonstrations this weekend. The biggest protest is expected to take place tomorrow here in the nation's capital, but CNN's Lilian Kim reports peace activists are working all over the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are protesting at the neighborhood level, hoping to spread their anti-war message.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If we can't make it known in our neighborhoods then how are we going to have a voice?

KIM: This march against a possible war in Iraq is one of a growing number of grassroots demonstrations taking place across the country. As the U.S. military continues to build up its forces in the Persian Gulf, activists are coordinating their efforts, recruiting members and distributing anti-war paraphernalia. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a choice. You can sit home and swear at the television, you know, or you can get involved and it seems so lame to sit home and swear at the television.

KIM: Anti-war groups say they are mobilizing faster than ever before and reaching more people, using Internet technology. Web sites and mass e-mails allow rapid communication to thousands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Part and parcel of this sort of technological advantage that we're seeing is that it allows to build -- allows the movement to build a larger community and so people don't feel isolated when they're in a small town in Arkansas.

KIM: If a war happens, a plan is in place to protest on the first day of the conflict. Organizers are scheduling even more demonstrations and vigils for the weeks following, events they hope will allow them to reiterate their opposition to war; in Seattle, Lillian Kim reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A programming note on the showdown with Iraq, among my guests Sunday on "LATE EDITION" the Secretary of State Colin Powell. Please be sure to join me Sunday, noon Eastern, for the last word in Sunday talk.

Iraq says western companies help them make chemical weapons. Now Persian Gulf war veterans want answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As every year goes on, my body just fails to completely function.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Coming up at the half hour, a CNN exclusive.

Plus, an affair, and a life insurance policy new clues in the case of a pregnant woman who disappeared on Christmas Eve. I'll speak live with "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh.

And, why can't Robert Blake seem to keep his mouth shut? The public relations drama that's pushing his lawyers out of the door.

And, you're looking right now at a live picture of Camp Pendleton, California, Marines training for combat. Our reporter Frank Buckley is on that hovercraft that's going to land momentarily. We'll head there live once it does. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A surprising development in the Laci Peterson case. CNN's Rusty Dornin is following the sad story for us in Modesto. What's going on, Rusty? RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, when the latest headlines hit the newsstands here in Modesto, California, it really shocked the community. The suspicions they're talking about once again puts the spotlight on Scott Peterson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): It wasn't long after Laci Peterson disappeared that there were questions about husband Scott. He said he went fishing the day his wife vanished but police refused to eliminate him as a suspect.

Now sources close to the family say Modesto Police showed them pictures of Scott Peterson with another woman with whom he was allegedly having an affair. They also told the family he took out a $250,000 life insurance policy on his wife.

The "Modesto Bee" reported that police told the family the discovery was why they felt Scott Peterson might be involved in his wife's disappearance.

Meantime, Scott Peterson had planned to open another volunteer center for his wife in Los Angeles over the weekend. Those plans have been canceled, and in a phone interview with affiliate KTVU, Peterson said he's angry over the "Bee's" reporting and plans to take matters into his own hands.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SCOTT: Well, it's a bunch of lies in the article so what are you going to do?

REPORTER: So what's your plan now?

SCOTT: I'm going to come back to Modesto and open up my own volunteer center and find my wife and my kid.

(END AUDIO TAPE)

DORNIN: When the headlines hit, the volunteer center in Modesto shut down. Modesto Police Chaplain Don Kirker (ph) was there every day and says many like him felt betrayed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Devastated, unbelievable, and you know, believe me chaplains cry.

DORNIN: Modesto police have no official comment on the state of the investigation.

From the beginning, Laci Peterson's family stood behind her husband, always choosing to talk about the good times.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They were always happy together. I've never heard either of them say anything against the other. I've never heard them argue or even heard about an argument. They were a happy, happy couple. DORNIN: Trust based on a belief that is now eroding.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: A spokesperson for Laci Peterson's family is planning to give a news conference in about two hours here in Modesto but there's no word on whether the other family members will be there or whether they will just issue a statement -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Rusty Dornin, thanks very much.

Shortly, we'll be speaking with John Walsh, the host of "America's Most Wanted" on this very sad case. He's been looking into it but there may soon be a landing on hostile shores, not today necessarily. U.S. Marines were busy putting out to sea, bound for the Persian Gulf. In all 10,000 marines and sailors are now off the California Coast.

Our national correspondent Frank Buckley is among them. He's on this hovercraft. He's joining us now live -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Wolf. We're on that LCAC 64 and we're just about to come up onto the beach here at Camp Pendleton to the Assault Craft Unit 5. At the helm of the LCAC 64, I'm up in the cockpit. I don't know how well you can see but I'm sitting behind three navy folks here who are in the cockpit.

At the helm, the craft master is Senior Chief Nancy Hostilvy (ph), Kevin Cross (ph) the engineer, and Brad Llewelyn (ph) are the navigator. These people are sitting in front of me. We are about to come up onto the beach. Wow, what an incredible feeling.

We've been (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at about 50 knots on this air cushion. Some people have described it as something like an air hockey puck. It essentially skips across the surface of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the water and now we're actually up onto the beach.

What an incredible thing. These LCACs, Wolf, as you know are used to transport marines and also light armored vehicles. They can even take an M-1 tank all the way out to the Bonhomme Richard or other amphibious assault ships.

We were just on the Bonhomme Richard, which is one of the seven assault and amphibious ships that are heading to the Persian Gulf and leaving from San Diego today. We were several miles off (UNINTELLIGIBLE) San Diego watching all the operations. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Now we are here. I don't know if you can me. I'm sort of waving through the cockpit but I'm sitting back here behind this crew and it is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) low to the ground and people will be able to actually to alight from this LCAC.

(UNINTELLIGIBLE) military commander gets a feel to get marines ashore. It's (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It takes marines into potentially harm's way but (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

You (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ride aboard these navy ships as they go to wherever they are called to be. These are the seven ships that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) headed to the Persian Gulf region and we are here (UNINTELLIGIBLE). As we look ahead, I can see the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) you can see me.

BLITZER: Frank, let me interrupt you. Frank, let me interrupt you for a second because your audio is getting a little hard to understand precisely what you're saying. I want to see if you can get off that hovercraft, make it to a microphone and maybe you can explain precisely what's been going on.

Frank had gone out with some of the ships. About 10,000 or so U.S. Marines and sailors left the port of San Diego earlier today bound for the Persian Gulf region. Frank went out with them. He's now come back aboard this U.S. Marine hovercraft, troop transport hovercraft.

It's now landed, as you can see, on the beach here off of San Diego and we're going to come back to Frank. He's going to make it off this hovercraft, make it over to a microphone, tell us a little about his adventure that he had earlier today, and then we'll get some more details.

But in the meantime, I want to go back to that sad story, the new developments in the Laci Peterson case. For that, I'm joined by the host of "America's Most Wanted" John Walsh. John, thanks very much for joining us. You heard these latest developments reported in the "Modesto Bee" pointing a finger potentially at the husband. What do you make of these late-breaking developments?

JOHN WALSH, HOST, "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED": Well, you know, Wolf, it's a double-edged sword.

Just by coincidence two days ago I was with Brenda and Damon van Dam. We were talking about how brutal the media was to them and how they said the media focused on their lifestyle when in effect it was a pedophile who lived next store, David Westerfield and who was convicted and sentenced to death and that they will never get over the treatment of the media.

Wouldn't it be terrible if this man had nothing to do with it? But that being said and victims being victimized by the media many, many, many times, that being said what really surprises me is that I've been involved in so many cases of missing people for so many years, and when my son was missing I know one thing that the media was going to be the best way to get Adam back alive even though we didn't get him back alive.

And, every parent of a missing adult, the Levys, everybody knew that that you have to deal with the media. And what bothers me about this is that Scott Peterson, I mean you know if your child is missing or if your eight and a half month pregnant wife is missing, I would be out there doing every interview that I possibly could. I would stand in Times Square naked if that would help get my wife back, and I'm really, really surprised that this guy hasn't made himself available to every media outlet to say look let's keep the focus on the fact that my wife is missing and I need to find her, and that disturbs me.

BLITZER: The other point that's disturbing to a lot of people out in Modesto and elsewhere around the country, John, who are following this story, apparently he's refusing to take a polygraph. I know in your personal case when your son went missing you immediately said I'll take a polygraph. I'll do whatever is necessary. What do you make of his decision not to take a polygraph?

WALSH: I think it's a bad decision. If we all remember what happened in Colorado to, you know, that case there of JonBenet Ramsey, all the focus went onto her parents when they refused to take a polygraph.

That is normal police procedure. Good police procedure is when a loved one is missing you go in and take the polygraph. I'll never forget it. I wasn't used to it but the day Adam went missing they called my wife and I in and said will you take a polygraph? We have to eliminate you or any of your family members and you do anything you can to get your family members back.

The JonBenet Ramsey case became a nightmare because the Ramseys refused to take a polygraph, and I think that if he really cared and really wanted to make sure that police were doing everything, the first thing he would have done is voluntarily gone in, taken the polygraph, got eliminated.

They could have got past him and done the parallel investigation, look at everybody they know, all the friends, all the relatives, maybe mistresses, maybe lovers and all that type of stuff. But he should have been eliminated a long time ago.

Look what happened to Gary Condit when he didn't cooperate. It cost him his political career.

BLITZER: In fairness to Scott Peterson, I just want to point out he does say he insists that he, of course, had nothing to do with the disappearance of Laci Peterson, his wife eight months pregnant. He also says he doesn't care if people focus attention on him as long as they focus attention on searching for his missing wife. What do you say about those comments that he made earlier today?

WALSH: Well, you know, that's interesting because I remember when Susan Smith, the woman who killed her two sons in South Carolina, huge case, she said that a black man had carjacked her and taken her two sons and she did some media pleas. And then all of a sudden after three days, she refused to talk to the media whatsoever and the police down there focused in on her and finally broke her.

Yes, he's right. You know that's the right thing to say, hey I don't care what they say about me as long as it keeps my wife's face in the news, but I still think that if he believes that he should be going on the Wolf Blitzer show with me right now. He should be on every show that will have him saying look I didn't have anything to do with this. Let's focus in on one thing.

BLITZER: All right.

WALSH: I have an eight and a half month pregnant wife whose missing and I want to do everything I can to get her back alive.

BLITZER: John Walsh, as usual, thanks very much for joining us. We'll talk in the not too distant future. John Walsh, the host of "America's Most Wanted."

We're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we'll go back to that hovercraft. Frank Buckley's off of it. We'll have a live report off the coast of San Diego. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You saw it here live only a few moments ago a U.S. Marine hovercraft landing on the shores of San Diego. Our National Correspondent Frank Buckley was aboard that hovercraft. He still is. It's now ashore. Frank, tell us what's going on right now and what you did. We saw those dramatic pictures of that hovercraft coming ashore live.

BUCKLEY: We are ashore now, Wolf. This is LCAC 64. We are here. We have landed after traveling at about 50 knots across the water from the Bonhomme Richard.

Joining me here is Senior Chief Nancy Hostilvy, the only female person to fly these things in the U.S. Navy, in any navy around the world these military hovercraft.

First of all, thanks very much for a fantastic ride, ma'am, and can you tell us -- Greg, I'll just have you go ahead and step in and show everybody the cockpit here. Tell me the experience of flying one of these things.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's probably the best ride there is in the world. It's better than any roller coaster. What he's looking at right now is the command module and the command module has three personnel that sit topside, the craft master in the far right hand seat, the engineer who keeps the plant running in the middle seat, and the navigator who maintains communication and gives me course and speed to get me to my destination.

All three of us complete a school that's 17 weeks in length and then we have to follow it up with an advanced qualification here on site before we can actually have our own boat and start doing missions for the navy.

BUCKLEY: Now, this I believe has a crew of five and can carry 24 troops, is that right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right. I personally have a crew of six and I can carry 24 in the cabin and then if I have hard top vehicles onboard, I can let them ride inside their hard top vehicles for the marines.

What you see out here is the cargo deck. It measures at about 1,900 square feet and I can put 12 humvees or I can put what I'm about to put on now, my preload, three LAVs, three humvees, and that's what I'll hit the beach with full force. It's propelled by two propellers in the back and that will push us forward. My crew onboard right now is getting ready to take on the load and get it (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in so we can sustain any (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

BUCKLEY: Senior Chief, thanks very much for a great ride. We appreciate it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right, welcome.

BUCKLEY: All right, thank you. So there you go, Wolf. This is one of the military hovercrafts, the LCACs that will be going out with the seven amphibious ships that deploy today from San Diego. They're about to go back out to the Bonhomme Richard -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Frank Buckley, those were dramatic pictures. Thanks very much. We loved seeing you come ashore live on that hovercraft, that hovercraft landing on the Pacific shore off San Diego earlier today but potentially in the coming weeks could be landing on the shores of the Persian Gulf as well.

In other news we're following, there was a court hearing late today involving the murder case against actor Robert Blake. This is a bizarre story. One of Blake's lawyers has been asking to resign.

CNN's Charles Feldman is standing by as he always does in Van Nuys, California. Give us the latest twist in this story that seems to get a little bit weirder every single day.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boy, that is an understatement, Wolf. Well, Robert Blake is down yet another attorney. This is number two to resign because she said he just wouldn't keep his mouth shut and insisted on talking to the press. She wasn't going to abide by that and so she is now off the case.

As for Robert Blake, he's left with one criminal attorney and some videotapes that may come back to haunt him. It was at a deposition the other day. And before his attorney succeeded in getting him to keep his mouth closed, he did vent a bit. And he talked about how the media has had all of these unfair stories, in his view, since he was arrested and charged with murdering his wife.

And he used the occasion, the videotaped deposition, to express his frustration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT BLAKE, MURDER SUSPECT: People told stories, rape in Alaska when I was 19 years old, sealed records up there. I put a gun down Sandra's throat, insisted on -- if I didn't get the kids in the custody battle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Blake, I'm asking you not to talk about the case.

BLAKE: I'm not talking about the case. I'm talking about my marriage to Sandra long before the case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There has been terrible publicity about you. It has been unfair.

BLAKE: Let me just talk for a minute.

Geraldo Rivera did a whole show about a custody battle that didn't exist. There were lies that went on all over the place. And the "TV Guide," look when he was doing "Hell Town," this is a girl that he raped when he was doing -- and I was quiet. I did what I was supposed to do. I didn't talk. Shut up, shut up, then I was locked up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FELDMAN: Now, Robert Blake's attorney who left today, Wolf, says she is relieved. The attorney who remains says for the moment, he's going to be the sole guy to represent Blake, but we'll see -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman on the case, where a lot of us remember Robert Blake when he played Baretta. How the mighty have fallen. Charles, thanks very much.

Veterans sue over Gulf War Syndrome with new documents by the Iraqi government provided to a former weapons inspector.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT RITTER, FORMER U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: There are thousands of American veterans continue to suffer. My loyalty is to them. I don't give a damn about these companies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Find out why American and European companies are now in the firing line. You'll see this only here. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: While the world waits for the United Nations to complete the latest inspection of Iraqi weapons sites, CNN has obtained a copy of a portion of the last such U.N. report from 1998, never before made public in its complete form.

It details what chemical weapons programs Iraq declared and, for the first time, which western companies Iraq claims supplied those weapons, despite claims by many of these companies, contacted by CNN, that they have been unfairly named.

The report is providing ammunition for some of the thousands of American veterans of the Gulf War, who say they came home sick with a mystery illness.

Our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, has the story in this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The start of the new year at the New York home of former U.S. soldier Eric Waden and his family.

At this time in 1991, on the eve of the Gulf War, Waden was sent to Saudi Arabia, bound for Kuwait.

ERIC WADEN, GULF WAR VETERAN: I'd never entertained the idea that I would become a victim of a conflict.

ROTH: Waden provided air defense artillery for U.S. troops, but he didn't take a hit on the battlefield.

WADEN: All this right here is all my medical files.

ROTH: Waden says these files, including U.S. government records, support his claim that he returned from Iraq with Gulf War Syndrome, a debilitating series of ailments which struck an estimated 100,000 troops.

WADEN: As every year goes on, my body just fails to completely function.

ROTH: Waden and other veterans say toxic chemicals spewed into the air following bombing of Iraqi weapons sites may have caused the vets to get sick. So they banded together in a lawsuit, not against Iraq but against businesses that they say sold Iraq chemicals and supplied it equipment before the Gulf War.

GARY PITTS, PLAINTIFFS' ATTORNEY: They were enabling an international outlaw with weapons of mass destruction. And it was foreseeable that people were going to get hurt.

ROTH: Houston attorney Gary Pitts represents Waden and 3,000 other veterans.

Their Gulf War Syndrome lawsuit stalled in court for eight years, because Pitts was unable to prove which company sold Iraq chemicals, chemicals that could have been turned into weapons of mass destruction.

Both the U.S. government and the U.N. weapons inspections agency UNSCOM, now titled UNMOVIC, declined Pitts' request for information.

HANS BLIX, U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: UNSCOM had a policy of not revealing the names of companies, of suppliers of equipment to Iraq, because they often have the possibility of getting information from the companies. And the best way of getting these companies to talk to them was not to publish their names.

PITTS: Figuring this might be the result, that we'd reach dead ends with the U.N. and with our government, came up with the sort of creative idea of approaching Iraq. ROTH: The attorney found his way to approach Iraq, ironically, at a U.S. veterans convention. His connection, this former marine and former U.N. weapons inspector, who used to be the biggest thorn in the side of the Iraqi leadership.

RITTER: I believe that the United States has an obligation to care for those who put on the uniform in defense of their country.

ROTH: Scott Ritter, who now calls Iraq a defanged tiger posing no threat, decided to help the veterans when he traveled to Iraq last year and spoke to its parliament.

RITTER: I brought out a series of compact disks which contained the totality of the Iraqi declaration.

ROTH: Given to you?

RITTER: By Tariq Aziz.

ROTH: Ritter says Aziz, Iraq's deputy prime minister, gave him three disks containing Baghdad's full, final and complete declaration from 1998, including the secret list of firms, companies which allegedly supplied, knowingly or not, Baghdad's past chemical warfare programs.

Ritter gave the list to Pitts, who provided it to CNN.

According to U.N. sources, the list matches company and supplier names now in U.N. hands. The sources say the list is mirrored in Iraq's latest 12,000-page declaration delivered to the Security Council in early December.

PITTS: If they are hit in the pocket book, if they know that the dictator they provide the stuff to is eventually going to turn them over to the public and they're going to be held accountable for what they've done, they're less likely to sell these things to Saddam or somebody like him in the future.

ROTH: In all, the Iraqi supplied list contains 56 companies, most from Europe.

Germany heads the list with 14 major suppliers, followed by the Netherlands and Switzerland, each with three. Then France, Austria and the U.S., each with two.

Both American companies listed are no longer in business. No one from the company Al-Haddad could be reached. The other firm, Alcolac, paid a fine in 1989 under U.S. law for one charge of exporting a chemical that could be used to make mustard gas. That shipment of thiodine glycol (ph), however, was destined for another country, not Iraq, says a spokesman for Alcolac's new owner, who tells CNN the veterans' lawsuit has no meat.

One of the largest alleged suppliers to Iraq's chemical program, according to Iraq's list, the German company Karl Kolb. A spokesman for the company tells CNN it has done business with Iraq for 35 years but denies any connection to its weapons programs.

Preussag, since acquired by the travel conglomerate TUI, supplied chemical precursors for sarin nerve gas, according to Iraq's declaration, but the German firm tells CNN that claim is untrue.

Several German manufacturers listed gave us the same response: they had no connection to Iraq's weapons plants and the lawsuit's accusations are false.

The Dutch company Melchemie denies it supplied strategic raw materials to Iraq. It admits improperly shipping chemicals to an Iraqi agricultural producer once in 1984. Melchemie paid a fine and brought the containers back, now exporting tomato and cucumber seeds to Iraq.

A Dutch based subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum, sued by the Gulf War vets, exported chemicals to Iraq but nothing illegal, says an attorney for Phillips Petroleum. He says any substance Phillips would have told to Iraq would have been a useful and beneficial product, if used properly.

The Indian company Exomet Plastics, now part of EPC Industrie, said chemicals it sent to Iraq were for pesticides, the firm tells CNN. When advised of their possible misuse, it says it stopped further shipments.

The largest chemical supplier in the 1980s, according to Iraq, was a firm from Singapore. Iraq told the U.N. it supplied more than 4,000 tons of chemical precursors for mustard gas, sarin and VX. Our efforts to get a response from the firm were unsuccessful.

Despite their names being listed by Iraq, the French firm De Dietrich and the Portuguese-owned Tafisa deny ever doing business with Iraq.

In fact, half of the firms listed by Iraq, and now targeted by the lawsuit as major suppliers, are either unreachable or out of business.

Still, critics think some of the companies listed by Iraq had to know they were aiding in the buildup of President Saddam Hussein's arsenal.

RITTER: There are thousands of American veterans who continue to suffer. My loyalty is to them. I don't give a damn about these companies. If they're innocent, they're innocent and they don't pay a price. If they've done something they need to be ashamed of, then let their shame be public.

ROTH: Veteran Eric Waden says any money earned from the naming and shaming in court is not the central issue. Racked by swollen joints, shortness of breath and headaches, the unemployed Waden says he'd rather have his life back.

WADEN: I just think about, I got to go through this. How long am I going to continue to go through it? And how many times I'm going to be able to -- my children are going to ask me questions that I can't even answer? How long am I going through that?

ROTH: Questions the troops now preparing in the Gulf for another war hope they won't have to face.

Richard Roth, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Attorneys representing veterans are now using the list in the story we just showed you. They hope to force companies to provide information and, if appropriate, compensation.

It's not clear how successful they'll be, because some of the companies have gone out of business and others don't fall under U.S. law.

Here's your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: "Should companies that sold Iraq chemicals in the 1980s be held liable if they were used on U.S. troops?"

Vote at CNN.com/Wolf. And be sure to learn more about the Gulf War veterans and the illnesses that they suffer from this weekend when I host "CNN PRESENTS SHOWDOWN: IRAQ, WAR CLOUDS." That's at 8 p.m. Eastern Sunday night.

The jaws of disease killed off by man. We'll go live to the Baltimore Aquarium to find out why these awesome creatures are vanishing, yes vanishing from the waters.

Plus, women and sex. Have women been underestimated all these years? We have a new study. We'll show you. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Fewer women than previously thought have sex problems, according to a new study by the Kinsey Institute. It refutes an earlier report that said as many as 43 percent of women suffer some form of sexual dysfunction.

For more on the numbers and what they mean, we're joined by our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, who's been looking into this.

Elizabeth, fascinating details.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is fascinating, Wolf.

The question here is, what do women want and how many of them are not getting it?

There was a landmark study a few years ago on female sexual dysfunction. It found that 43 percent of women were sexually dysfunctional. And that was shocking; that's a very high number.

Well, a study that's coming out just now says that actually that number is more like 24 percent. They criticize the earlier study.

Part of the problem here is, is that there is no one clear definition of female sexual dysfunction. And that's why you get such different numbers.

With men it's easy. Either a man gets an erection or he doesn't. With women, there are many social and emotional factors involved.

Now the fact that there's no clear definition for female sexual dysfunction is one big reason why there's also no clear treatment for female sexual dysfunction like there are drugs like Viagra for men -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. The two studies have different definitions of sexual dysfunction for women. Give us a couple examples.

COHEN: Right. For example, the one that had the larger percentage, 43 percent, they said that any woman who is having trouble reaching orgasm was sexually dysfunctional by definition.

The other study said we don't think that's true. They said that if a woman isn't having orgasms that doesn't make her dysfunctional, but if she's distressed about not having orgasms, then she would be dysfunctional.

So that's just one example of how you can have different definitions of sexual dysfunction.

BLITZER: So what's the bottom line from this new study, which presumably is more accurate, let's say, than the earlier studies?

COHEN: Well, see, many people say that it's not necessarily more accurate. It really depends on how you want to define sexual dysfunction.

And the doctors that I talked to said, look, 43 percent, 24 percent, it really doesn't matter. What really matters is that a significant number of women suffer from sexual dysfunction, and there need to be treatments, just like there are treatments for men.

BLITZER: All right, Elizabeth Cohen, as usual, helping us understand these important medical developments. Thank you very much.

COHEN: Thanks.

BLITZER: A problem for the predators: why sharks are dying off of shores near you, and why you should care.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: People are generally frightened of sharks, but a new study suggests maybe it should be the other way around.

Researchers at a university in Nova Scotia report in the journal "Science" the number of some sharks in the northwest Atlantic has dropped by more than 75 percent since 1986. Joining me now to discuss the reasons for the plummeting population and the possible impact on the delicate food chain is Andy Dehart. He's with the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Andy, thanks so much for joining us. What's going on here?

ANDY DEHART, NATIONAL AQUARIUM: Well, it's unfortunately nothing that's too surprising to us. We've known that sharks have been on decline for a number of years now. It's very troubling trend. It's due mainly to over-fishing through by-catch (ph) and through target fishing.

BLITZER: And so what's the impact? A lot of people might say, well, who cares if sharks disappear? Tell our viewers why they should care.

DEHART: Well, actually, humans have very little to fear from sharks. Shark attack is extremely rare. It's almost always a case of mistaken identity.

What's happening now is we're losing sharks at over 11,000 sharks an hour every day all day long. So it's very troubling for an animal that reaches maturity very slowly, has very few pups and doesn't produce very long.

BLITZER: And so why, again, is this happening? Why are sharks disappearing?

DEHART: Mainly it's from targeted fishing, specifically for sharks.

And then 50 percent of it is roughly from by-catch. These are sharks that are caught in lines, on long lines or in nets while fishermen are targeting other species.

BLITZER: What can we do about this? Obviously, it's a serious issue.

DEHART: Probably the most important thing people can do is to monitor what seafoods they're eating, become educated on how they're being caught.

Also, write your legislators. Tell them that you're in favor of protecting sharks and in favor of protecting the marine environment.

BLITZER: I know you're at the Baltimore Aquarium. We see -- in fact, right now we see a shark swimming right behind you. How many sharks do you have over there where you are?

DEHART: We have roughly eight in this tank right here. The one that you see behind me is a sand tiger shark. They're protected locally here, as well as in Australia and South Africa.

BLITZER: How dangerous are they, really? They look ferocious. If somebody spots one of those in the oceans, in the waters, what should they do, first of all? DEHART: The sand tigers are a very non-threatening species. There's never been an implicated attack in the U.S. with these guys. People dive very frequently in North Carolina with the sand tiger sharks with no problems whatsoever.

BLITZER: And in your experience with these sharks where you are, you've grown -- I guess you've become fond of them. Do they develop their own little personalities as you watch them?

DEHART: Definitely each shark has its own behavior, has its own personality. Obviously, we tend not to put human characteristics on them, but they all exhibit their own behavior. They have their own unique traits and qualities.

BLITZER: Are they the biggest attraction over at the Baltimore Aquarium?

DEHART: Being a shark fanatic myself, I'd like to say yes, but the sharks and the dolphins are always our biggest hit.

BLITZER: How did you become a shark fanatic?

DEHART: Believe it or not, it was at age 5, snorkeling in the Keys with my father.

BLITZER: All right. That's a nice looking shark behind you. I love going to the Baltimore Aquarium. The nice thing about it is it's not far from Washington, D.C., where we are.

Andy, thanks very much for that useful information. Let's hope the number of sharks increases rather than decreases.

DEHART: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our Web question of the day: "Should companies that sold Iraq chemicals in the 1980s be held liable if the chemicals made U.S. troops sick during the Persian Gulf War?"

Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our Web question of the day, "Should companies that sold Iraq chemicals in the 1980s be held liable if the chemicals made U.S. troops sick?"

Sixty-four percent of you say yes, 36 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Let's get to your e-mail.

Lisa writes this: "Why would the U.N. Security Council ever consider granting amnesty to the generals of Saddam Hussein? These are killers and liars. It would be abominable to try to use a diplomatic loophole to avoid doing what is absolutely necessary, which is tearing down a kingdom of hate and evil and eliminating Saddam and his regime."

Bruce: "Why not investigate the origin of the empty warheads found by the U.N. inspectors? The origin is likely a United States manufacturer, and George H.W. Bush was the salesman. Doesn't anybody remember all the arms we sold Iraq to fight Iran?"

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again Monday, of course, same time.

Sunday on LATE EDITION my special guest, the secretary of state, Colin Powell.

Until then thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

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






Help Iraq in Quest for Chemical Weapons?; New Leads in Peterson's Disappearance>