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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Rumsfeld: Three European Countries Isolated From Rest of NATO Alliance; Terror Alert Now Set at Orange, High
Aired February 10, 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.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: All for one and one for all? Angry allies battle over war planning.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Three European countries are isolated from the rest of the NATO Alliance.
ANNOUNCER: Bowing to pressure. Is Baghdad giving the go ahead to spy flights?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a problem before now.
ANNOUNCER: Orange alert. The terror threat is high.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Chemical agents, lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained.
ANNOUNCER: What is the government doing about it? What should you do?
Spy trial. No secrets were sold. So why is the possible penalty death?
Due date. A sad day for the family and friends of Laci Peterson.
And the Gloved One takes the gloves off. Michael Jackson gives his side of the story.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's Monday, February 10, 2003.
I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting today from Los Angeles.
President Bush today kept up the steady drumbeat on Iraq, leveling a new charge against Saddam Hussein. But even as he warns of war, the United States is already battling with some of its allies. We have live reports from the White House and the Pentagon.
We begin with our senior White House correspondent John King -- John. JOHN KING, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, a day of diplomatic setbacks for the administration. France, Russia and Germany continuing their bid to give inspectors more time, and slow what they consider to be a rush of war from the Bush administration. Also Iraq announcing today it will allow U-2 spy flights to resume.
The White House says that's not enough. That cooperation every now and then with the inspectors is simply not enough. That Iraq must completely disarm if it is to avoid war. Mr. Bush not speaking yet directly about any of those developments. He was in Nashville, Tennessee earlier today, though, addressing religious broadcasters. Mr. Bush focusing on his remarks there, when discussing Iraq, on what he says is a dangerous new twist in Saddam Hussein's preparations for war. Mr. Bush saying that the Iraqi leader is putting his own people at direct risk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: Saddam Hussein has a different strategy in violation of Geneva Conventions. Saddam Hussein is positioning his military forces within civilian populations in order to shield his military and blame Coalition forces for civilian casualties that he has caused. Saddam Hussein regards the Iraqi people as human shields.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, the chief weapons inspectors make a report to the United Nations Security Council this coming Friday. The Bush administration hoping soon after that report to get a strong second resolution out of the Security Council, putting Iraq on notice. But clear again today, still some tough diplomacy in the days ahead. President Putin of Russia meeting with the French president Jacques Chirac. The two leaders releasing a joint statement also representing the government of Germany saying the inspectors deserve more time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: The reasonable alternative to war, we're convinced of that, and the use of force can only be a final recourse. Russia, Germany and France are resolved to give every possibility to the disarmament of Iraq by peaceful means.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: President Chirac in that statement also saying that he has not seen undisputed proof that Saddam Hussein still has weapons of mass destruction. That statement stun something White House officials. One senior official saying he should know better, he has seen the evidence. On the day of those diplomatic setbacks, the president, later this hour, meeting with a staunch ally when it comes to the showdown with Iraq. The Australian Prime Minister John Howard here. He is making the rounds in Washington. Australia already to send some troops to the Persian Gulf region in the event there is a war -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And will we be hearing from both the prime minister and the president during the -- in the aftermath of their meeting here in the Oval Office -- John.
KING: Yes, we will, Wolf. That meeting begins in 20 minutes. At the end of the meeting, reporters will be brought into the Oval Office for a brief media opportunity. The president will at least make a statement. He is presumably to take questions, we'll know that in probably in about an hour from now.
BLITZER: And the whole bottom line of this meeting with the prime minister of Australia, the other diplomatic offensive, the president has up his sleeve is to try to undermine the French, the German, the Russian, the Chinese initiatives that they have to try to keep these inspections going.
Is that a fair assessment?
KING: It certainly is. The goal of the White House is to show to the United Nations Security Council that Mr. Bush can form a very strong and robust Coalition outside of the United Nations if necessary. He would like the blessing of the Security Council. He would like to have France, Russia and China on board, but meetings such as this and look for more of this evidence throughout the week. Part of the Bush administration message to the United Nations, adhere to how we believe resolution 1441 should be read and interpreted or watch the president form a Coalition outside of the U.N.
BLITZER: John king at the White House. Thanks very much.
We'll be standing by to hear from the president after his talks with the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. Three NATO members have tried to throw a wrench into U.S. war plans, throwing the alliance a bit out of alignment.
Let's go live to our CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr for that -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it is now a major mess at NATO. Will the Alliance defend Turkey?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is making it clear, the U.S. is determined to provide Turkey with patriot missile batteries, AWACS aircraft and chemical and biological detection gear despite a raging NATO dispute. France, Germany and Belgium plunged the alliance into diplomatic crisis by objecting to the U.S.-backed plan for NATO to defend Turkey against a possible Iraqi attack.
RUMSFELD: It is unfortunate that they are in stark disagreement with the rest of their NATO Allies.
STARR: The secretary was furious in Munich this weekend, calling it inexcusable that NATO members would not immediately agree. Pentagon officials tell CNN plans are already under way for the U.S. to go it alone in defending Turkey, which the U.S. hopes to use as a staging area for action in Northern Iraq. The Europeans say they are reluctant to approve another step on the road to war. The stalemate continues even after Turkey asked for an emergency NATO session, saying it felt threatened by a possible Iraqi attack. In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson made it clear, he plans to get an agreement out of his membership to help Turkey.
GEORGE ROBERTSON, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: The question is not if, but when to begin the planning. We have a difficult issue in front of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Now, Wolf, the Turkish Parliament is scheduled to vote February 18 on allowing 40,000 U.S. troops to be based in Turkey for a possible move into Northern Iraq. And if that vote is approved, well, then U.S. troops could be in Turkey by the end of the month -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara, what about these reports that we're beginning to hear that the new NATO supreme allied commander may be suggesting the U.S. Commander General Jones in Europe that it is time for the U.S. to begin withdrawing, removing large numbers of U.S. troops from Germany, not necessarily directly related to the German position, but seemingly that could be seen as a swipe of the German government?
STARR: Well, you know what we hear around the Pentagon about all of these things including Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld earlier today, NATO has a long, rich history of the members disagreeing amongst themselves, probably since the alliance was formed after World War II. They sort of bicker back and forth, eventually they all come to a consensus, they all come to an agreement. But the U.S. Certainly, if this period of unrest with Iraq and the war on terrorism were to ever end might be considering repositioning some of its forces. There is not really any indication that anyone is taking that very seriously at moment -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks for that report very much.
President Bush's attempts to convince the American people of the need to disarm Saddam Hussein seem to be paying off. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll finds 63 percent of Americans questioned now favor ground troops to remove the Iraqi leader from power. That's the highest level of support since just after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
BLITZER: Here is your chance to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this, "How likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month?" Not likely, likely, inevitable.
We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf.
While you're there, I'd like to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to reed this some of them on the air each day at end of this program. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf. Three days after an announced an orange alert against terrorism, that's a high alert, the Bush administration says it is pleased with the way Americans are responding.
Our Jeanne Meserve, though, standing by with word that they want all of us to start thinking about taking some additional steps -- Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, administration officials say they don't want to scare Americans but they want Americans to prepare for the possibility of biological, chemical or radiological attack because of growing concern about al Qaeda's capability to acquire and use such weapons of mass destruction. Among the steps they're recommending, have three days of food and water on hand. Have an emergency kit at your home and also in your car. Also have plastic sheeting and duct tape at your home, just in case you are to seal your windows or doors or ventilation systems.
If you're wondering why you need to take these precautions, some of these statistics tell the story. There is one firefighter for every 280 Americans. There is one EMT or emergency technician for every 325 Americans. And one police officer for every 385 Americans. What that means according it a FEMA official is that for first 48 to 72 hours of any disaster, Americans are likely to have to take care of themselves. And so the message is get prepared, it could save your life -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Are they sending out flyers? Are they going to give specific information to a clearly jittery confused public at large?
MESERVE: They say this is just the beginning of a sustained campaign to inform Americans. For now that they're saying is go to the FEMA website. On there you can find several publications which give you nuts and bolts about how to prepare for this eventuality -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jeanne Meserve, thanks you very much for that useful information.
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, plays a critical role in the nation's defense against a possible chemical or biological attack.
He's joining us now live from Washington.
Mr secretary, thanks for joining us.
In the aftermath of this elevated level going from elevated to high, from yellow to orange, what are you doing differently? We visited you at the bioterror command center just a few days ago. Have you changed any of your operations as a result of this higher level of alert?
TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: Yes, we have, Wolf. And first, let me thank you for coming over there and getting a chance to see what we're doing. Since you were over there, we have put a lot of our individuals on high alert.
We have actually activated about 100 individuals in two various communities across America. We have also talked to all the health directors across America last Friday, gave them up to date details as to what we were doing, what they should be doing in regards to getting prepared. And we have also been able to purchase some more antidotes that we needed in our stockpiles, as well as some more antibiotics.
So we have proceeded along a very straight path in regards to getting prepared, even more so than what you witnessed when you were over there a couple of days ago.
BLITZER: Mr. Secretary, as you take a look at the specifics, though, of this latest warning that we're getting from U.S. authorities that there could be a biological, a chemical or a radiological attack, so-called dirty bomb, does that mean that your personnel are being dispatched to certain areas where this kind of threat may be higher?
THOMPSON: We -- that is absolutely correct, Wolf. We had approximately 150 individuals in to the department for extra training this past weekend. And we also have got them on alert right now and they are positioned properly in some communities in America. And we have also deposited some antibiotics and some antidotes in some of the communities, just in case something might happen. We're getting prepared to be able to respond quickly. We have also put on alert a lot more of our medical assistant teams that I showed you when you were over there a couple of days ago.
BLITZER: The specific advice, the practical advice we heard from Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, getting three days worth of essential items in everyone's home, is -- are you -- do you have any additional advice, practical advice for Americans out there who may be anxious and may want to start preparing for, God forbid, this kind of eventuality?
THOMPSON: Well, the old scout master motto, the old Boy Scout motto is be prepared, and we're telling everybody that calls in on our Web site or calls up on the telephone, be prepared. Be vigilant. Don't deter from what you're doing normally. But just be on a higher alert as far as looking out for yourself and your family.
What Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, has indicated is very good advice for every American family, and in order to participate in their own protection. But we at the Department of Health and Human Services have got to be able to be prepared, to be able to respond. That's why we have got to get all of the health officials and the public health directors across the United States better prepared, give them more information. And that's what we've been doing starting last Friday and all weekend. We'll be activating some more individuals in case we need them. And we put some more teams on alert across America, just in case something might happen.
BLITZER: You and I remember and a lot of our viewers remember the rush for Cipro. Cipro (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that antibiotic after the anthrax letter attacks in the fall of 2001. You mentioned something about getting antibiotics out there. Your people are keeping the stocks ready, God forbid in case of some sort of terror strike. Individual families well advised to be thinking along those lines as well?
THOMPSON: No, I don't think so. I think we're aptly prepared to respond to any kind of bioterrorism attack that may take place. We have enough antibiotics in our stockpiles. We have -- we have at the present time 600 tons of medical equipment, medical supplies, strategically located in 12 different areas across America. And we can move those 50 tons of supplies into any city in America within seven hours after an attack.
So we feel that we're able to respond, and we don't think that people should go out and buy Cipro or dixicyclin (ph) or any other antibiotics at this time. We think that we have enough in our stockpile. We just encourage Americans to be on alert, and in case something happens to alert us of any kind of suspicious thing or any kind of suspicious diseases that they may see.
BLITZER: One quick question, we only have a few seconds, Mr. Secretary, it's a tough balancing act. On the one hand, you don't want to panic the public. On the other hand, you want to get them ready. How do you try to balance these two apparently conflicting demands without getting the public a little bit more nervous than they probably already are?
THOMPSON: Just what we're doing, getting prepared, getting people activated in cities that we feel are necessary, putting people on alert, purchasing the necessary medicines and putting them in the stockpile, and being able to respond quickly if something happens.
At the same time, letting Americans know that they should be very vigilant, but not do anything out of ordinary what they're currently doing or planning on doing.
BLITZER: The Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, thanks for that good, practical advice. Thanks for joining us as usual.
THOMPSON: Thank you, wolf.
BLITZER: And he's accused of trying to spy for Iraq, Libya and China. Now Brian Regan is fighting to stay alive. We'll go live to the courthouse where a jury is deciding his fate right now.
And Michael Jackson gives his side of the story. Did he get a bad rap? We'll take a closer look. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Closing arguments are under way in the trial of a former Air Force sergeant accused of trying to sell U.S. secrets. If convicted, Brian Regan could become the first American executed for spying in more than half a century. Our national correspondent Bob Franken is joining us now live from Alexandria, Virginia, with all the details -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, after the closing arguments ended late this afternoon, the jurors took the case. They're deliberating it now. As a matter of fact, they've gone a little bit past their 5:00 cutoff point. They have a life or death decision to make in a case that is somewhat controversial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): This is the first U.S. espionage trial that could end with the death penalty in 50 years. Forty-year-old Brian Regan, who worked as an Air Force sergeant and then a civilian at the supersecret National Reconnaissance Office is charged with gathering highly classified geosatellite data and offering it to China, Libya and Iraq. Three counts of attempted espionage and one of illegally gathering national defense information.
After an eight-day trial, federal prosecutor Jim Gillis cited a letter found on Regan's laptop offering Saddam Hussein coordinates that would show what the United States knew about Iraq's missile and defense locations. He wrote he'd exchange it for $13 million. "Can you imagine," said Gillis, "what Saddam Hussein could have done with the information he was offering? The information he had access to."
Regan had been under surveillance for months, as tapes showed him accessing highly sensitive information at his office computer. He was arrested in August of 2001 at Washington's Dulles Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Zurich. Included in the material the federal agents found on him were the addresses and phone numbers for the Chinese, Libyan and Iraqi embassies.
Still, argued Defense Attorney Nita Ginsburg, this is nonsense. The letters she said were "never printed and the text was so childlike, so improbable that no serious foreign power would ever believe that this is someone worth dealing with."
The information he offered, she went on, was publicly available and widely known. This, she said, "was almost laughable, if it wasn't so serious."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: But this is serious, treachery says the government lawyer, betrayal. And serious overreaching, say defense attorneys, overreaching because the most significant charges are attempted espionage and possible punishment is death.
By the way, Wolf, the jury has finished for the evening. There's going to be on off day tomorrow to accommodate a judge schedule. They'll resume on Wednesday morning -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Bob, you and I covered a lot of these espionage cases over the years. Almost always there's a plea agreement. The suspect pleads guilty, there's no trial and it gets usually a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Aldrich Ames comes to mind, as you and I remember. Why was there no plea agreement in this particular case?
FRANKEN: Well there are two versions of that. On the one hand, there is sort of the prosecution-oriented version which is that unlike the other cases, the government doesn't have to worry about compromising intelligence. This case could be conducted without doing that where in the other cases the defense attorneys had as a bargaining chip the fact they could compromise classified information.
The other one is is that the defense attorneys are saying that the government is simply trying to make an example of this case. To flex its muscles in the wake of September 11, to impose the death penalty, to use it more than it has been used and that this is just a test run of that -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Bob Franken in Alexandria, Virginia, he'll be watching the result of this trial. Thanks very much, Bob, for that report.
A tragic due date. Still no sign of a missing pregnant woman on the day she was supposed to give birth. We'll go live to Modesto, California, for the latest in the investigation.
But first, here is CNN's Carol Costello with look at some other news making "Headlines Around the World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Message on the mount. An estimated 2 million Muslims arrived at Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia as the sacred pilgrimage known as the Hajj reached its climax.
In an apparent reference to a possible Gulf War, Saudi Arabia's top cleric declared that Muslims cannot be defeated as long as they remain steadfast in their faith.
Anti-American march. Tens of thousands of Indonesians marched to protest U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf. Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim nation.
United against violence. Thousands of demonstrators marched in Bogota, Colombia to protest Friday's car bomb attack on a elite social club. The blast, blamed on leftist rebels, killed more than 30 people.
Cinema suspect. British police are searching for one of America's most wanted serial murder suspects based on a tip from a British moviegoer. A photo of James Bulger appeared in the movie "Hannibal" during a scene showing detectives looking at the FBI's real life "Most Wanted List." The moviegoer recognized the photo as some he'd encountered in London's West End District.
Dogs and suds. Tired of all the hassle when you wash your pet? Well there is a laundromat in Japan that can turn a filthy Fido into a pristine pooch. It has a special washing machine for dogs. Owners say it is a great idea. Some of their pets are less convinced, though. And take my wife. Please, take her! That's what some of these husband may have wanted to say towards the end of this wife holding contest in Thailand. The winner managed to hang on to his missus for more than ten hours. And they said it would never last.
I'm Carol Costello and that's our look "Around the World."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: This is an especially difficult day for the family and friends of Laci Peterson. This was the due date for the 27-year-old expectant mother who hasn't been seen since Christmas Eve. CNN's Rusty Dornin is following the case. She's joining me now live from Modesto, California -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, you know, for the families of missing persons, any anniversary or special date can be particularly heart wrenching. And this was looked forward to with such joy and anticipation, that there is an incredible sadness throughout Modesto here. It is now being used as a date to remind people to keep the search for Laci Peterson alive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): Laci Peterson's brother Brent mapped out new area to search over the weekend. Nearly seven weeks after her disappearance, volunteers fan out along a canal near Modesto, looking for any signs of Laci Peterson.
BRENT ROCHA, LACI PETERSON'S BROTHER: Yes, we want to bring my sister home.
DORNIN: Home to Modesto, where everywhere you look there is the smiling face of this expectant mother. People here take this case personally. And sometimes false hopes and false leads proved frustrating.
Scott Peterson said his wife walked the dog to the park that day. Search dogs indicated she got in a vehicle. January 11, a search of the Berkeley marina where Scott Peterson went fishing. A sonar device indicated something that resembled a body.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the object we were concerned about ended up being an anchor.
DORNIN: Then there were nagging doubts about Scott Peterson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing's changed. He still hasn't been eliminated. He will still be part of the investigation until we are able to eliminate him.
DORNIN: Peterson shyed away from reporters. He said he wanted the investigation to focus on his missing wife. Then January 24, a girlfriend went public with their affair. AMBER FREY, SCOTT PETERSON'S GIRLFRIEND: Scott told me he was not married.
DORNIN: Then Scott Peterson couldn't escape the headlines. Instead he put himself in front of the cameras.
SCOTT PETERSON, LACI PETERSON'S HUSBAND: When people accuse me of some involvement and I had nothing to do with her disappearance, but people still accuse me of it.
DORNIN: The family no longer invites Scott Peterson to do vigils for Laci, including one which will be held later this evening. They say they don't believe Scott Peterson told police everything he knows.
Then came the news that Peterson sold his wife's car to finance a new pickup to use for work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to change the focus, Scott, talk to the Modesto police. End this circus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Now this is the park where Laci Peterson used to walk her dog and it's become sort of a focal point for people who have come here and had vigils. And they leave little offerings, light candles.
In fact, one of the vigils tonight to commemorate her due date will be held here at La Loma Park. Not far from this park is Laci and Scott Peterson's home where there is a nursery that was awaiting a little boy named Conner. That nursery was ready and waiting. Now everyone here is just waiting -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Rusty Dornin with a very sad story in Modesto, California. Rusty, thanks very much.
And is a U.S. strike against Iraq a foregone conclusion or is there still time for diplomacy? We'll have a debate. Congressman David Dreier and Congressman Dennis Kucinich, they'll join me live when we return.
And the Gloved One unmasked. Michael Jackson says he got a bad rap. A preview of some video clips that he says will clear things up.
But first, in case you were out enjoying the days off this past weekend, here's CNN's Carol Costello once again with "Our Weekend Snapshot."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO (voice-over): The entire town of Tamaro, Illinois, was evacuated when a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed. No one was hurt but as many as 1,000 people could be out of their homes until Wednesday.
Disaster averted in a small north Georgia town. This plane lost power on takeoff and plunged into a home. Two people on board and one inside the house were not seriously hurt.
How do you rescue a four-ton elephant stuck in a pool? With a lot of patience and heavy equipment. Tara the elephant is back on her feet at the L.A. Zoo after a three-hour effort by firefighters.
West beat east in the NBA All-Star Game in double overtime. It was Michael Jordan's last. He left with an emotional farewell and the record for the most total points.
And critics panned it, but audiences apparently love it. "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days" was number one at the box office.
I'm Carol Costello and that's your "Weekend Snapshot."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(AUDIO GAP)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ... still a lot more he'd like to have from the Iraqi government.
HANS BLIX, U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: There are hundreds of questions that would need to be resolved. And, of course, we got a declaration, but we did not feel that there was new evidence in that declaration. And we think that that's what it needed and they say -- tell us that they have appointed a new commission, which will try to find any documents that have not been surfacing before.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: I asked him about his international arms inspector colleague, Mohamed ElBaradei, saying he was seeing the beginning of a change of heart by the Iraqi government. All Blix would say is he hopes that's proven true. And remember that famous line, Dr. Blix used last week, Wolf, when he said the crisis clock was five minutes to midnight. When I asked him about that right now...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Last week you said it was five minutes to midnight on the crisis clock. Now after your visit, what time is it?
BLIX: Maybe you should ask your compatriots in Washington about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Ever cautious, Hans Blix ducking several probing questions, whether he was disappointed that Iraq did not come clean completely on what could have been a make or break weekend. Now that's because he knows he has to deliver a report to the Council on Friday. He's not going to give away too much. He started writing the report, Wolf, on the plane. And he'll have the second day of a missile panel meeting because Iraq has been testing missiles way beyond their prescribed length set by U.N. rules and regulations and that's also tomorrow at the U.N. -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Richard Roth reporting from JFK. I hope you and Dr. Blix and the other passengers were not too shaken up by that turbulence over the Atlantic.
Joining us now, two members of the U.S. Congress with two very different points of view on a possible war with Iraq. In Washington, Republican David Dreier of California, and in Cleveland, Democrat Dennis Kucinich.
Thanks to both of you for joining us. Congressman Kucinich, I'll begin with you. A lot of people thought Secretary Powell made a very compelling case last week. You obviously didn't.
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), OHIO: No case for war at all, a case for inspections, absolutely. He made a compelling case for inspections. But the United States has not made a case for war. I mean let's face it. Iraq does not have the ability to strike at the United States. It is not an imminent threat and barring -- it being an imminent threat to the United States, there is no case for war.
BLITZER: All right. What about that, Congressman Dreier?
REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, as you know, Wolf, and I've said this time and time again to your audience, none of us is enthused about the prospect of going to war. But I think that if you look at the broad international coalition that exists today, I think that Secretary Powell did a phenomenal job of outlining the threat as it exists.
As people talk about weapons of mass destruction, let's look again at how it is that these can be deployed. Let's take nuclear aside and look at chemical and biological. We know that with the threat of anthrax, VX, sarin, that can be deployed through the mail as we have tragically learned. And so I think that we are in a position where we want to avoid it and we hope very much that we're able to avoid it. But time is running out, as Dr. Blix has said.
BLITZER: What about that? Congressman Kucinich, you heard the secretary also make the case linking the Iraqi government of President Saddam Hussein to al Qaeda and talking about the anthrax and the other chemical and biological weapons the U.S. and the U.N. believe they still have.
KUCINICH: I was disappointed that the secretary held up a vial of anthrax without informing the people of this country that Iraq had nothing to do with the anthrax attack on this country and it remains to be seen whether or not Iraq has anthrax today. As far as biological and chemical weapons, there are so many nations in the world that possess biological and chemical weapon making capability that what we ought to be about doing is making sure that we bring all those weapons under control everywhere. But it's not a cause for war. The secretary did not make a case for war.
BLITZER: Congressman Dreier, why should Iraq be treated differently than other countries that may have some chemical or biological weapons?
DREIER: Well, if you look at the fact that chemical and biological weapons do exist in other places, they have not posed the kind of threat that Saddam Hussein has. We all know that he's used them on his own people. We all know that the question that you just asked of Dennis, Wolf, is one, which he really didn't address and that is the nexus between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda. And it was a very compelling one -- the existence of operatives who are tied to al Qaeda.
And I will tell you, if this question were to be asked on September 12 of 2001, there is no question whatsoever that Dennis Kucinich and many of the people who have raised questions about this now would be strongly supportive of dealing with this situation as President Bush is trying to deal with it today.
KUCINICH: First of all, Iraq had nothing do with 9/11 and David...
DREIER: I never said -- I never said, Dennis...
KUCINICH: Let me ask you something. David, can I ask you a question?
DREIER: Sure.
KUCINICH: What do you think -- if you would go after Iraq, how about North Korea? They have nuclear weapons. They're rattling a nuclear saver. By your standard, you would want war with North Korea.
DREIER: You know very clear that there is a much different situation that exists between North Korea and Iraq.
(CROSSTALK)
DREIER: And let me tell you, Dennis...
(CROSSTALK)
DREIER: And let me just say, have we not tried diplomacy with Iraq for the past 12 years? Have we not looked at those 11 resolutions and then the 12, 1441 to and deal with this? Under those resolutions, you know, Dennis, that Saddam Hussein has been charged not with simply allowing the inspectors in or the prospect of overflights, but to actually turn over those weapons and to be cooperative in his process and that's what has been very troubling here.
And I will tell you that I think as we look at this challenge, the nexus that has developed and has come forward with al Qaeda is one which will continue to grow based on information that we've gotten.
KUCINICH: No connection between al Qaeda's work in 9/11 and for that matter, it's in the same...
DREIER: I never said -- I never said that Saddam Hussein was involved in command and control of 9/11. But he is clearly providing weapons and support.
KUCINICH: It's interesting to note that you have al Qaeda, which is basically made up of fundamentalists, connecting with a secular government in Baghdad, I don't think so. I don't think...
BLITZER: Well, let me interrupt for a second. Congressman Kucinich, hold on one second. Let me interrupt you and ask Congressman Kucinich, specifically, the secretary of state said the nexus includes this one terrorist, a guy by the name of Abu Mussab el- Zarqawi, who he says is the link between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government. He has been in Baghdad supposedly and is now based in northeastern Iraq.
KUCINICH: He established that he went to a hospital in Baghdad. I imagine there's a lot of people who look for medical care in that area notwithstanding what their political connections are. If we're talking about using this as a basis to going to war, come on. You've got to be kidding. I mean if you're going to go to war, there has to be a real threat to the United States of America.
DREIER: And that's why, Dennis...
KUCINICH: The administration has not made that case, that there's an...
DREIER: ... we have seen so much deliberation. We have gone through, again, as I said, 12 years of this process. We don't want to go to war. But it's very clear that Saddam Hussein does pose a threat. And there is...
BLITZER: Congressman Dreier, let me -- Congressman Dreier, hold on -- Congressman Dreier, let me -- hold on one second. We don't have a lot of time. The -- your position, obviously, at odds -- the Bush administration's position as well with some of America's closest most traditional allies, Germany, France, Belgium, three NATO allies, refusing even to allow NATO right now to take steps to protect a fellow NATO ally Turkey because they're so concerned the U.S. may want to go to war against Iraq. What does this mean for the entire NATO alliance?
DREIER: I will admit that this very troubling with three of the 19 NATO members taking this position. But Don Rumsfeld spoke very clearly when he said that our ally, Turkey, will be protected. We'll do it within or outside of NATO if necessary.
I will say that, you know, there are a wide range of jokes that are going on about the French that exist here. You know, the French were always there when they need you and that sort of thing.
But I do believe that we have so much in common with our western European allies, obviously, a lot in common because in two world wars during the last century, we defended them. I think that we need to work to get them onboard at the end of the day, but as the president said very clearly, Wolf, in his State of the Union message, the decision for this country's defense is not going to be made by others.
BLITZER: I'm going to give Congressman Kucinich the last word. Go ahead, Congressman.
KUCINICH: Well, first of all, Iraq does not present an imminent threat to this country. And secondly, we should be working with the world community as the world community is telling us, especially our friends telling us hey, wait a minute, go slow. We ought to listen to that. There's no reason for us to criticizing France and Germany. I mean what is this, a new bad neighbor policy? Anyone who doesn't agree with us, we're suddenly casting them aside?
DREIER: All right. Look at the large international coalition that exists today. The people of the world understand what is important to do here. And we have to do it, get it done, bring an end to weapons of mass destruction.
BLITZER: All right.
KUCINICH: If we had a coalition, we wouldn't have people resisting us.
DREIER: We do have a coalition. There's a large amount of...
KUCINICH: Not for war we don't. We have a coalition for peace and that's what we ought to work for.
DREIER: And that's exactly what we want, as you know.
BLITZER: Two outspoken U.S. congressmen debating a critical issue facing all Americans right now.
DREIER: Water my plants while you're out there, Wolf, OK?
BLITZER: All right.
DREIER: Water my plants while you're out there.
BLITZER: David Dreier, Dennis Kucinich, thanks very much for joining us. We'll continue this debate on another occasion.
And once again, here is your chance to weigh in through "Our Web Question of The Day." How likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month? Is it not likely, likely, inevitable? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf.
If the United States does invade Iraq, American troops could encounter their worst nightmare, weapons of mass destruction. Tens of thousands of those troops now in Kuwait are being trained on how to protect themselves. Our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is with the troops.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the middle of the desert of Northern Kuwait, the U.S. military is going over their ABCs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, now we've determined the airway is clear. We want to go on to B. We're going on to breathing.
GUPTA: Airway, breathing and circulation, a basic tenet of any medical training. But here in the desert, soldiers are also learning another abbreviation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secure your hood, pull it up and over.
GUPTA: NBC, nuclear, biological and chemical.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The things that worry me the most over the next several weeks would be if our soldiers are to be hit with a nuclear, biological and chemical attack.
GUPTA: Unlike wars of past where bullets or bombs were the biggest threat, transparent gases, microscopic viruses and gamma radiation are a bigger concern today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, sure, we're concerned about smallpox, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), botulinum toxin and anthrax. So we're preparing for chemical attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So each soldier is issued the antidotes for most chemical attacks, specifically for nerve agents. They're all instructed through their training on how to use this, self-aid and buddy aid.
P.A. CUTLER, U.S. ARMY: Well, no one's comfortable in that type of an environment.
GUPTA: Of course not. But it is a new kind of war requiring new and difficult preparations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's your nine seconds right there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, when we first started, there was a lot of people not really sure of how to use their equipment. There has been a high level of training in the past. But now that there is a definite threat, people are paying more attention. We're given more classes.
GUPTA: And the soldiers are constantly reminded that wars are not only fought on battlefields.
CAPT. MANCUSO, U.S. ARMY: Because of the anthrax attacks and now the threat is more real, I guess, since it was brought home to us on our own soil.
GUPTA: And so they prepare and prepare again until they are ready.
MANCUSO: We're ready to take on whatever is thrown at us and we'll with it. We have the capability and we'll be ready.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta with the U.S. Army in Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Sanjay.
Bad rap or just plain bad? Michael Jackson fires back at the filmmaker who revealed just a little more than the pop star wanted. That and more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Very happy to report to our viewers a correction to the story we reported a few minutes ago. The good news is this -- the story that we reported about the former Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura, having a blood clot in his lung, that's a 7-month-old story that was inadvertently transmitted by the Associated Press. It was an accident. He's healthy. He's fine. That was an old story that got on the wire, which we unfortunately reported as well. Apologize to our viewers for that. Apologize to Jesse Ventura. Happy to report to that's an old story and the former governor is doing just fine.
Michael Jackson on the other hand is not necessarily doing all that fine. He says the TV documentary about him that aired last week was a malicious attempt to grossly mislead the audience. And now he's fighting back as Paul Vercammen explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson is vowing to release raw footage he says will prove British documentarian, Martin Bashir, grossly misled viewers in a special produced by Britain's Grenada Television that aired last week in the United States.
Jackson said in a statement the unreleased video shot by his aides will, quote, "Show Bashir's malice and Bashir blatantly conflicting his opinions that appeared in the edited version of the documentary." In a counterstatement, Grenada Television says, Bashir has nothing to hide and Jackson's aides tried to sell their footage to Britain's Sunday papers.
Quote, "This is becoming the most expensive, clumsy and desperate attempt at shooting the messenger we've ever seen. Our film is candid, revealing and honest. There is nothing misleading about it and no lies. Reaction to it stems from what Michael Jackson says and does in the film not Martin Bashir's actions or words."
Jackson said in the special that aired on ABC, he still allows children to stay in his bedroom at his Neverland Ranch.
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: When you say bed, you thinking sexual. They make that sexual. It's not sexual. We're going to sleep. I tuck them in. We put -- I put little music on and a little story time. I read a book. It's very sweet, put the fireplace on, give them hot milk. You know we have little cookies. It's very charming, very sweet.
VERCAMMEN: In 1993, the Santa Barbara County district attorney convened a grand jury to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by Michael Jackson with a 13-year-old boy. Jurors never voted on whether or not to indict the pop superstar. Jackson later reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the boy's family. Jackson vehemently denies the allegations now, just as he did when they first surfaced.
JACKSON: There have been many disgusting statements made recently concerning allegations of improper conduct on my part. These statements about me are totally false.
VERCAMMEN: Jackson now aims to show in the court of public opinion that he's been set up by an interviewer with a camera.
Paul Vercammen, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Don't forget time is running out on your turn to weigh in on "Our Web Question of The Day." How likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month: not likely, likely, inevitable? 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." Remember we've been asking you this -- how likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month? Fourteen percent of you say not likely, 36 percent of you say likely. Fifty percent of you say it's inevitable. You can find the exact vote tally and continue to vote, by the way, on our Web site, cnn.com/wolf. And remember, this is not a scientific poll.
Let's get to your e-mail. Renard writes this -- "Going to war with Iraq will most likely provoke more terrorist attacks against the U.S. But if we don't disarm Saddam, the attacks will be more severe and continue over a longer period of time. Terror must be dealt with now and we need to start somewhere. Iraq is a good place to start."
John has a different point-of-view -- "Thank heaven for France and Germany. I adamantly oppose the current push for war against Iraq and I'm overjoyed that our allies in western Europe have taken the stand. A war would make us less, not more, safe against terrorism."
And that's all the time we have today. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
NATO Alliance; Terror Alert Now Set at Orange, High>
Aired February 10, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: All for one and one for all? Angry allies battle over war planning.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Three European countries are isolated from the rest of the NATO Alliance.
ANNOUNCER: Bowing to pressure. Is Baghdad giving the go ahead to spy flights?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a problem before now.
ANNOUNCER: Orange alert. The terror threat is high.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Chemical agents, lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained.
ANNOUNCER: What is the government doing about it? What should you do?
Spy trial. No secrets were sold. So why is the possible penalty death?
Due date. A sad day for the family and friends of Laci Peterson.
And the Gloved One takes the gloves off. Michael Jackson gives his side of the story.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's Monday, February 10, 2003.
I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting today from Los Angeles.
President Bush today kept up the steady drumbeat on Iraq, leveling a new charge against Saddam Hussein. But even as he warns of war, the United States is already battling with some of its allies. We have live reports from the White House and the Pentagon.
We begin with our senior White House correspondent John King -- John. JOHN KING, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, a day of diplomatic setbacks for the administration. France, Russia and Germany continuing their bid to give inspectors more time, and slow what they consider to be a rush of war from the Bush administration. Also Iraq announcing today it will allow U-2 spy flights to resume.
The White House says that's not enough. That cooperation every now and then with the inspectors is simply not enough. That Iraq must completely disarm if it is to avoid war. Mr. Bush not speaking yet directly about any of those developments. He was in Nashville, Tennessee earlier today, though, addressing religious broadcasters. Mr. Bush focusing on his remarks there, when discussing Iraq, on what he says is a dangerous new twist in Saddam Hussein's preparations for war. Mr. Bush saying that the Iraqi leader is putting his own people at direct risk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: Saddam Hussein has a different strategy in violation of Geneva Conventions. Saddam Hussein is positioning his military forces within civilian populations in order to shield his military and blame Coalition forces for civilian casualties that he has caused. Saddam Hussein regards the Iraqi people as human shields.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, the chief weapons inspectors make a report to the United Nations Security Council this coming Friday. The Bush administration hoping soon after that report to get a strong second resolution out of the Security Council, putting Iraq on notice. But clear again today, still some tough diplomacy in the days ahead. President Putin of Russia meeting with the French president Jacques Chirac. The two leaders releasing a joint statement also representing the government of Germany saying the inspectors deserve more time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: The reasonable alternative to war, we're convinced of that, and the use of force can only be a final recourse. Russia, Germany and France are resolved to give every possibility to the disarmament of Iraq by peaceful means.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: President Chirac in that statement also saying that he has not seen undisputed proof that Saddam Hussein still has weapons of mass destruction. That statement stun something White House officials. One senior official saying he should know better, he has seen the evidence. On the day of those diplomatic setbacks, the president, later this hour, meeting with a staunch ally when it comes to the showdown with Iraq. The Australian Prime Minister John Howard here. He is making the rounds in Washington. Australia already to send some troops to the Persian Gulf region in the event there is a war -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And will we be hearing from both the prime minister and the president during the -- in the aftermath of their meeting here in the Oval Office -- John.
KING: Yes, we will, Wolf. That meeting begins in 20 minutes. At the end of the meeting, reporters will be brought into the Oval Office for a brief media opportunity. The president will at least make a statement. He is presumably to take questions, we'll know that in probably in about an hour from now.
BLITZER: And the whole bottom line of this meeting with the prime minister of Australia, the other diplomatic offensive, the president has up his sleeve is to try to undermine the French, the German, the Russian, the Chinese initiatives that they have to try to keep these inspections going.
Is that a fair assessment?
KING: It certainly is. The goal of the White House is to show to the United Nations Security Council that Mr. Bush can form a very strong and robust Coalition outside of the United Nations if necessary. He would like the blessing of the Security Council. He would like to have France, Russia and China on board, but meetings such as this and look for more of this evidence throughout the week. Part of the Bush administration message to the United Nations, adhere to how we believe resolution 1441 should be read and interpreted or watch the president form a Coalition outside of the U.N.
BLITZER: John king at the White House. Thanks very much.
We'll be standing by to hear from the president after his talks with the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. Three NATO members have tried to throw a wrench into U.S. war plans, throwing the alliance a bit out of alignment.
Let's go live to our CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr for that -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it is now a major mess at NATO. Will the Alliance defend Turkey?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is making it clear, the U.S. is determined to provide Turkey with patriot missile batteries, AWACS aircraft and chemical and biological detection gear despite a raging NATO dispute. France, Germany and Belgium plunged the alliance into diplomatic crisis by objecting to the U.S.-backed plan for NATO to defend Turkey against a possible Iraqi attack.
RUMSFELD: It is unfortunate that they are in stark disagreement with the rest of their NATO Allies.
STARR: The secretary was furious in Munich this weekend, calling it inexcusable that NATO members would not immediately agree. Pentagon officials tell CNN plans are already under way for the U.S. to go it alone in defending Turkey, which the U.S. hopes to use as a staging area for action in Northern Iraq. The Europeans say they are reluctant to approve another step on the road to war. The stalemate continues even after Turkey asked for an emergency NATO session, saying it felt threatened by a possible Iraqi attack. In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson made it clear, he plans to get an agreement out of his membership to help Turkey.
GEORGE ROBERTSON, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: The question is not if, but when to begin the planning. We have a difficult issue in front of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Now, Wolf, the Turkish Parliament is scheduled to vote February 18 on allowing 40,000 U.S. troops to be based in Turkey for a possible move into Northern Iraq. And if that vote is approved, well, then U.S. troops could be in Turkey by the end of the month -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara, what about these reports that we're beginning to hear that the new NATO supreme allied commander may be suggesting the U.S. Commander General Jones in Europe that it is time for the U.S. to begin withdrawing, removing large numbers of U.S. troops from Germany, not necessarily directly related to the German position, but seemingly that could be seen as a swipe of the German government?
STARR: Well, you know what we hear around the Pentagon about all of these things including Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld earlier today, NATO has a long, rich history of the members disagreeing amongst themselves, probably since the alliance was formed after World War II. They sort of bicker back and forth, eventually they all come to a consensus, they all come to an agreement. But the U.S. Certainly, if this period of unrest with Iraq and the war on terrorism were to ever end might be considering repositioning some of its forces. There is not really any indication that anyone is taking that very seriously at moment -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks for that report very much.
President Bush's attempts to convince the American people of the need to disarm Saddam Hussein seem to be paying off. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll finds 63 percent of Americans questioned now favor ground troops to remove the Iraqi leader from power. That's the highest level of support since just after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
BLITZER: Here is your chance to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this, "How likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month?" Not likely, likely, inevitable.
We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf.
While you're there, I'd like to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to reed this some of them on the air each day at end of this program. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf. Three days after an announced an orange alert against terrorism, that's a high alert, the Bush administration says it is pleased with the way Americans are responding.
Our Jeanne Meserve, though, standing by with word that they want all of us to start thinking about taking some additional steps -- Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, administration officials say they don't want to scare Americans but they want Americans to prepare for the possibility of biological, chemical or radiological attack because of growing concern about al Qaeda's capability to acquire and use such weapons of mass destruction. Among the steps they're recommending, have three days of food and water on hand. Have an emergency kit at your home and also in your car. Also have plastic sheeting and duct tape at your home, just in case you are to seal your windows or doors or ventilation systems.
If you're wondering why you need to take these precautions, some of these statistics tell the story. There is one firefighter for every 280 Americans. There is one EMT or emergency technician for every 325 Americans. And one police officer for every 385 Americans. What that means according it a FEMA official is that for first 48 to 72 hours of any disaster, Americans are likely to have to take care of themselves. And so the message is get prepared, it could save your life -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Are they sending out flyers? Are they going to give specific information to a clearly jittery confused public at large?
MESERVE: They say this is just the beginning of a sustained campaign to inform Americans. For now that they're saying is go to the FEMA website. On there you can find several publications which give you nuts and bolts about how to prepare for this eventuality -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jeanne Meserve, thanks you very much for that useful information.
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, plays a critical role in the nation's defense against a possible chemical or biological attack.
He's joining us now live from Washington.
Mr secretary, thanks for joining us.
In the aftermath of this elevated level going from elevated to high, from yellow to orange, what are you doing differently? We visited you at the bioterror command center just a few days ago. Have you changed any of your operations as a result of this higher level of alert?
TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: Yes, we have, Wolf. And first, let me thank you for coming over there and getting a chance to see what we're doing. Since you were over there, we have put a lot of our individuals on high alert.
We have actually activated about 100 individuals in two various communities across America. We have also talked to all the health directors across America last Friday, gave them up to date details as to what we were doing, what they should be doing in regards to getting prepared. And we have also been able to purchase some more antidotes that we needed in our stockpiles, as well as some more antibiotics.
So we have proceeded along a very straight path in regards to getting prepared, even more so than what you witnessed when you were over there a couple of days ago.
BLITZER: Mr. Secretary, as you take a look at the specifics, though, of this latest warning that we're getting from U.S. authorities that there could be a biological, a chemical or a radiological attack, so-called dirty bomb, does that mean that your personnel are being dispatched to certain areas where this kind of threat may be higher?
THOMPSON: We -- that is absolutely correct, Wolf. We had approximately 150 individuals in to the department for extra training this past weekend. And we also have got them on alert right now and they are positioned properly in some communities in America. And we have also deposited some antibiotics and some antidotes in some of the communities, just in case something might happen. We're getting prepared to be able to respond quickly. We have also put on alert a lot more of our medical assistant teams that I showed you when you were over there a couple of days ago.
BLITZER: The specific advice, the practical advice we heard from Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, getting three days worth of essential items in everyone's home, is -- are you -- do you have any additional advice, practical advice for Americans out there who may be anxious and may want to start preparing for, God forbid, this kind of eventuality?
THOMPSON: Well, the old scout master motto, the old Boy Scout motto is be prepared, and we're telling everybody that calls in on our Web site or calls up on the telephone, be prepared. Be vigilant. Don't deter from what you're doing normally. But just be on a higher alert as far as looking out for yourself and your family.
What Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, has indicated is very good advice for every American family, and in order to participate in their own protection. But we at the Department of Health and Human Services have got to be able to be prepared, to be able to respond. That's why we have got to get all of the health officials and the public health directors across the United States better prepared, give them more information. And that's what we've been doing starting last Friday and all weekend. We'll be activating some more individuals in case we need them. And we put some more teams on alert across America, just in case something might happen.
BLITZER: You and I remember and a lot of our viewers remember the rush for Cipro. Cipro (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that antibiotic after the anthrax letter attacks in the fall of 2001. You mentioned something about getting antibiotics out there. Your people are keeping the stocks ready, God forbid in case of some sort of terror strike. Individual families well advised to be thinking along those lines as well?
THOMPSON: No, I don't think so. I think we're aptly prepared to respond to any kind of bioterrorism attack that may take place. We have enough antibiotics in our stockpiles. We have -- we have at the present time 600 tons of medical equipment, medical supplies, strategically located in 12 different areas across America. And we can move those 50 tons of supplies into any city in America within seven hours after an attack.
So we feel that we're able to respond, and we don't think that people should go out and buy Cipro or dixicyclin (ph) or any other antibiotics at this time. We think that we have enough in our stockpile. We just encourage Americans to be on alert, and in case something happens to alert us of any kind of suspicious thing or any kind of suspicious diseases that they may see.
BLITZER: One quick question, we only have a few seconds, Mr. Secretary, it's a tough balancing act. On the one hand, you don't want to panic the public. On the other hand, you want to get them ready. How do you try to balance these two apparently conflicting demands without getting the public a little bit more nervous than they probably already are?
THOMPSON: Just what we're doing, getting prepared, getting people activated in cities that we feel are necessary, putting people on alert, purchasing the necessary medicines and putting them in the stockpile, and being able to respond quickly if something happens.
At the same time, letting Americans know that they should be very vigilant, but not do anything out of ordinary what they're currently doing or planning on doing.
BLITZER: The Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, thanks for that good, practical advice. Thanks for joining us as usual.
THOMPSON: Thank you, wolf.
BLITZER: And he's accused of trying to spy for Iraq, Libya and China. Now Brian Regan is fighting to stay alive. We'll go live to the courthouse where a jury is deciding his fate right now.
And Michael Jackson gives his side of the story. Did he get a bad rap? We'll take a closer look. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Closing arguments are under way in the trial of a former Air Force sergeant accused of trying to sell U.S. secrets. If convicted, Brian Regan could become the first American executed for spying in more than half a century. Our national correspondent Bob Franken is joining us now live from Alexandria, Virginia, with all the details -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, after the closing arguments ended late this afternoon, the jurors took the case. They're deliberating it now. As a matter of fact, they've gone a little bit past their 5:00 cutoff point. They have a life or death decision to make in a case that is somewhat controversial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): This is the first U.S. espionage trial that could end with the death penalty in 50 years. Forty-year-old Brian Regan, who worked as an Air Force sergeant and then a civilian at the supersecret National Reconnaissance Office is charged with gathering highly classified geosatellite data and offering it to China, Libya and Iraq. Three counts of attempted espionage and one of illegally gathering national defense information.
After an eight-day trial, federal prosecutor Jim Gillis cited a letter found on Regan's laptop offering Saddam Hussein coordinates that would show what the United States knew about Iraq's missile and defense locations. He wrote he'd exchange it for $13 million. "Can you imagine," said Gillis, "what Saddam Hussein could have done with the information he was offering? The information he had access to."
Regan had been under surveillance for months, as tapes showed him accessing highly sensitive information at his office computer. He was arrested in August of 2001 at Washington's Dulles Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Zurich. Included in the material the federal agents found on him were the addresses and phone numbers for the Chinese, Libyan and Iraqi embassies.
Still, argued Defense Attorney Nita Ginsburg, this is nonsense. The letters she said were "never printed and the text was so childlike, so improbable that no serious foreign power would ever believe that this is someone worth dealing with."
The information he offered, she went on, was publicly available and widely known. This, she said, "was almost laughable, if it wasn't so serious."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: But this is serious, treachery says the government lawyer, betrayal. And serious overreaching, say defense attorneys, overreaching because the most significant charges are attempted espionage and possible punishment is death.
By the way, Wolf, the jury has finished for the evening. There's going to be on off day tomorrow to accommodate a judge schedule. They'll resume on Wednesday morning -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Bob, you and I covered a lot of these espionage cases over the years. Almost always there's a plea agreement. The suspect pleads guilty, there's no trial and it gets usually a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Aldrich Ames comes to mind, as you and I remember. Why was there no plea agreement in this particular case?
FRANKEN: Well there are two versions of that. On the one hand, there is sort of the prosecution-oriented version which is that unlike the other cases, the government doesn't have to worry about compromising intelligence. This case could be conducted without doing that where in the other cases the defense attorneys had as a bargaining chip the fact they could compromise classified information.
The other one is is that the defense attorneys are saying that the government is simply trying to make an example of this case. To flex its muscles in the wake of September 11, to impose the death penalty, to use it more than it has been used and that this is just a test run of that -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Bob Franken in Alexandria, Virginia, he'll be watching the result of this trial. Thanks very much, Bob, for that report.
A tragic due date. Still no sign of a missing pregnant woman on the day she was supposed to give birth. We'll go live to Modesto, California, for the latest in the investigation.
But first, here is CNN's Carol Costello with look at some other news making "Headlines Around the World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Message on the mount. An estimated 2 million Muslims arrived at Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia as the sacred pilgrimage known as the Hajj reached its climax.
In an apparent reference to a possible Gulf War, Saudi Arabia's top cleric declared that Muslims cannot be defeated as long as they remain steadfast in their faith.
Anti-American march. Tens of thousands of Indonesians marched to protest U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf. Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim nation.
United against violence. Thousands of demonstrators marched in Bogota, Colombia to protest Friday's car bomb attack on a elite social club. The blast, blamed on leftist rebels, killed more than 30 people.
Cinema suspect. British police are searching for one of America's most wanted serial murder suspects based on a tip from a British moviegoer. A photo of James Bulger appeared in the movie "Hannibal" during a scene showing detectives looking at the FBI's real life "Most Wanted List." The moviegoer recognized the photo as some he'd encountered in London's West End District.
Dogs and suds. Tired of all the hassle when you wash your pet? Well there is a laundromat in Japan that can turn a filthy Fido into a pristine pooch. It has a special washing machine for dogs. Owners say it is a great idea. Some of their pets are less convinced, though. And take my wife. Please, take her! That's what some of these husband may have wanted to say towards the end of this wife holding contest in Thailand. The winner managed to hang on to his missus for more than ten hours. And they said it would never last.
I'm Carol Costello and that's our look "Around the World."
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BLITZER: This is an especially difficult day for the family and friends of Laci Peterson. This was the due date for the 27-year-old expectant mother who hasn't been seen since Christmas Eve. CNN's Rusty Dornin is following the case. She's joining me now live from Modesto, California -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, you know, for the families of missing persons, any anniversary or special date can be particularly heart wrenching. And this was looked forward to with such joy and anticipation, that there is an incredible sadness throughout Modesto here. It is now being used as a date to remind people to keep the search for Laci Peterson alive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): Laci Peterson's brother Brent mapped out new area to search over the weekend. Nearly seven weeks after her disappearance, volunteers fan out along a canal near Modesto, looking for any signs of Laci Peterson.
BRENT ROCHA, LACI PETERSON'S BROTHER: Yes, we want to bring my sister home.
DORNIN: Home to Modesto, where everywhere you look there is the smiling face of this expectant mother. People here take this case personally. And sometimes false hopes and false leads proved frustrating.
Scott Peterson said his wife walked the dog to the park that day. Search dogs indicated she got in a vehicle. January 11, a search of the Berkeley marina where Scott Peterson went fishing. A sonar device indicated something that resembled a body.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the object we were concerned about ended up being an anchor.
DORNIN: Then there were nagging doubts about Scott Peterson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing's changed. He still hasn't been eliminated. He will still be part of the investigation until we are able to eliminate him.
DORNIN: Peterson shyed away from reporters. He said he wanted the investigation to focus on his missing wife. Then January 24, a girlfriend went public with their affair. AMBER FREY, SCOTT PETERSON'S GIRLFRIEND: Scott told me he was not married.
DORNIN: Then Scott Peterson couldn't escape the headlines. Instead he put himself in front of the cameras.
SCOTT PETERSON, LACI PETERSON'S HUSBAND: When people accuse me of some involvement and I had nothing to do with her disappearance, but people still accuse me of it.
DORNIN: The family no longer invites Scott Peterson to do vigils for Laci, including one which will be held later this evening. They say they don't believe Scott Peterson told police everything he knows.
Then came the news that Peterson sold his wife's car to finance a new pickup to use for work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to change the focus, Scott, talk to the Modesto police. End this circus.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Now this is the park where Laci Peterson used to walk her dog and it's become sort of a focal point for people who have come here and had vigils. And they leave little offerings, light candles.
In fact, one of the vigils tonight to commemorate her due date will be held here at La Loma Park. Not far from this park is Laci and Scott Peterson's home where there is a nursery that was awaiting a little boy named Conner. That nursery was ready and waiting. Now everyone here is just waiting -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Rusty Dornin with a very sad story in Modesto, California. Rusty, thanks very much.
And is a U.S. strike against Iraq a foregone conclusion or is there still time for diplomacy? We'll have a debate. Congressman David Dreier and Congressman Dennis Kucinich, they'll join me live when we return.
And the Gloved One unmasked. Michael Jackson says he got a bad rap. A preview of some video clips that he says will clear things up.
But first, in case you were out enjoying the days off this past weekend, here's CNN's Carol Costello once again with "Our Weekend Snapshot."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO (voice-over): The entire town of Tamaro, Illinois, was evacuated when a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed. No one was hurt but as many as 1,000 people could be out of their homes until Wednesday.
Disaster averted in a small north Georgia town. This plane lost power on takeoff and plunged into a home. Two people on board and one inside the house were not seriously hurt.
How do you rescue a four-ton elephant stuck in a pool? With a lot of patience and heavy equipment. Tara the elephant is back on her feet at the L.A. Zoo after a three-hour effort by firefighters.
West beat east in the NBA All-Star Game in double overtime. It was Michael Jordan's last. He left with an emotional farewell and the record for the most total points.
And critics panned it, but audiences apparently love it. "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days" was number one at the box office.
I'm Carol Costello and that's your "Weekend Snapshot."
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RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ... still a lot more he'd like to have from the Iraqi government.
HANS BLIX, U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: There are hundreds of questions that would need to be resolved. And, of course, we got a declaration, but we did not feel that there was new evidence in that declaration. And we think that that's what it needed and they say -- tell us that they have appointed a new commission, which will try to find any documents that have not been surfacing before.
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ROTH: I asked him about his international arms inspector colleague, Mohamed ElBaradei, saying he was seeing the beginning of a change of heart by the Iraqi government. All Blix would say is he hopes that's proven true. And remember that famous line, Dr. Blix used last week, Wolf, when he said the crisis clock was five minutes to midnight. When I asked him about that right now...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Last week you said it was five minutes to midnight on the crisis clock. Now after your visit, what time is it?
BLIX: Maybe you should ask your compatriots in Washington about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Ever cautious, Hans Blix ducking several probing questions, whether he was disappointed that Iraq did not come clean completely on what could have been a make or break weekend. Now that's because he knows he has to deliver a report to the Council on Friday. He's not going to give away too much. He started writing the report, Wolf, on the plane. And he'll have the second day of a missile panel meeting because Iraq has been testing missiles way beyond their prescribed length set by U.N. rules and regulations and that's also tomorrow at the U.N. -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Richard Roth reporting from JFK. I hope you and Dr. Blix and the other passengers were not too shaken up by that turbulence over the Atlantic.
Joining us now, two members of the U.S. Congress with two very different points of view on a possible war with Iraq. In Washington, Republican David Dreier of California, and in Cleveland, Democrat Dennis Kucinich.
Thanks to both of you for joining us. Congressman Kucinich, I'll begin with you. A lot of people thought Secretary Powell made a very compelling case last week. You obviously didn't.
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), OHIO: No case for war at all, a case for inspections, absolutely. He made a compelling case for inspections. But the United States has not made a case for war. I mean let's face it. Iraq does not have the ability to strike at the United States. It is not an imminent threat and barring -- it being an imminent threat to the United States, there is no case for war.
BLITZER: All right. What about that, Congressman Dreier?
REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, as you know, Wolf, and I've said this time and time again to your audience, none of us is enthused about the prospect of going to war. But I think that if you look at the broad international coalition that exists today, I think that Secretary Powell did a phenomenal job of outlining the threat as it exists.
As people talk about weapons of mass destruction, let's look again at how it is that these can be deployed. Let's take nuclear aside and look at chemical and biological. We know that with the threat of anthrax, VX, sarin, that can be deployed through the mail as we have tragically learned. And so I think that we are in a position where we want to avoid it and we hope very much that we're able to avoid it. But time is running out, as Dr. Blix has said.
BLITZER: What about that? Congressman Kucinich, you heard the secretary also make the case linking the Iraqi government of President Saddam Hussein to al Qaeda and talking about the anthrax and the other chemical and biological weapons the U.S. and the U.N. believe they still have.
KUCINICH: I was disappointed that the secretary held up a vial of anthrax without informing the people of this country that Iraq had nothing to do with the anthrax attack on this country and it remains to be seen whether or not Iraq has anthrax today. As far as biological and chemical weapons, there are so many nations in the world that possess biological and chemical weapon making capability that what we ought to be about doing is making sure that we bring all those weapons under control everywhere. But it's not a cause for war. The secretary did not make a case for war.
BLITZER: Congressman Dreier, why should Iraq be treated differently than other countries that may have some chemical or biological weapons?
DREIER: Well, if you look at the fact that chemical and biological weapons do exist in other places, they have not posed the kind of threat that Saddam Hussein has. We all know that he's used them on his own people. We all know that the question that you just asked of Dennis, Wolf, is one, which he really didn't address and that is the nexus between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda. And it was a very compelling one -- the existence of operatives who are tied to al Qaeda.
And I will tell you, if this question were to be asked on September 12 of 2001, there is no question whatsoever that Dennis Kucinich and many of the people who have raised questions about this now would be strongly supportive of dealing with this situation as President Bush is trying to deal with it today.
KUCINICH: First of all, Iraq had nothing do with 9/11 and David...
DREIER: I never said -- I never said, Dennis...
KUCINICH: Let me ask you something. David, can I ask you a question?
DREIER: Sure.
KUCINICH: What do you think -- if you would go after Iraq, how about North Korea? They have nuclear weapons. They're rattling a nuclear saver. By your standard, you would want war with North Korea.
DREIER: You know very clear that there is a much different situation that exists between North Korea and Iraq.
(CROSSTALK)
DREIER: And let me tell you, Dennis...
(CROSSTALK)
DREIER: And let me just say, have we not tried diplomacy with Iraq for the past 12 years? Have we not looked at those 11 resolutions and then the 12, 1441 to and deal with this? Under those resolutions, you know, Dennis, that Saddam Hussein has been charged not with simply allowing the inspectors in or the prospect of overflights, but to actually turn over those weapons and to be cooperative in his process and that's what has been very troubling here.
And I will tell you that I think as we look at this challenge, the nexus that has developed and has come forward with al Qaeda is one which will continue to grow based on information that we've gotten.
KUCINICH: No connection between al Qaeda's work in 9/11 and for that matter, it's in the same...
DREIER: I never said -- I never said that Saddam Hussein was involved in command and control of 9/11. But he is clearly providing weapons and support.
KUCINICH: It's interesting to note that you have al Qaeda, which is basically made up of fundamentalists, connecting with a secular government in Baghdad, I don't think so. I don't think...
BLITZER: Well, let me interrupt for a second. Congressman Kucinich, hold on one second. Let me interrupt you and ask Congressman Kucinich, specifically, the secretary of state said the nexus includes this one terrorist, a guy by the name of Abu Mussab el- Zarqawi, who he says is the link between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government. He has been in Baghdad supposedly and is now based in northeastern Iraq.
KUCINICH: He established that he went to a hospital in Baghdad. I imagine there's a lot of people who look for medical care in that area notwithstanding what their political connections are. If we're talking about using this as a basis to going to war, come on. You've got to be kidding. I mean if you're going to go to war, there has to be a real threat to the United States of America.
DREIER: And that's why, Dennis...
KUCINICH: The administration has not made that case, that there's an...
DREIER: ... we have seen so much deliberation. We have gone through, again, as I said, 12 years of this process. We don't want to go to war. But it's very clear that Saddam Hussein does pose a threat. And there is...
BLITZER: Congressman Dreier, let me -- Congressman Dreier, hold on -- Congressman Dreier, let me -- hold on one second. We don't have a lot of time. The -- your position, obviously, at odds -- the Bush administration's position as well with some of America's closest most traditional allies, Germany, France, Belgium, three NATO allies, refusing even to allow NATO right now to take steps to protect a fellow NATO ally Turkey because they're so concerned the U.S. may want to go to war against Iraq. What does this mean for the entire NATO alliance?
DREIER: I will admit that this very troubling with three of the 19 NATO members taking this position. But Don Rumsfeld spoke very clearly when he said that our ally, Turkey, will be protected. We'll do it within or outside of NATO if necessary.
I will say that, you know, there are a wide range of jokes that are going on about the French that exist here. You know, the French were always there when they need you and that sort of thing.
But I do believe that we have so much in common with our western European allies, obviously, a lot in common because in two world wars during the last century, we defended them. I think that we need to work to get them onboard at the end of the day, but as the president said very clearly, Wolf, in his State of the Union message, the decision for this country's defense is not going to be made by others.
BLITZER: I'm going to give Congressman Kucinich the last word. Go ahead, Congressman.
KUCINICH: Well, first of all, Iraq does not present an imminent threat to this country. And secondly, we should be working with the world community as the world community is telling us, especially our friends telling us hey, wait a minute, go slow. We ought to listen to that. There's no reason for us to criticizing France and Germany. I mean what is this, a new bad neighbor policy? Anyone who doesn't agree with us, we're suddenly casting them aside?
DREIER: All right. Look at the large international coalition that exists today. The people of the world understand what is important to do here. And we have to do it, get it done, bring an end to weapons of mass destruction.
BLITZER: All right.
KUCINICH: If we had a coalition, we wouldn't have people resisting us.
DREIER: We do have a coalition. There's a large amount of...
KUCINICH: Not for war we don't. We have a coalition for peace and that's what we ought to work for.
DREIER: And that's exactly what we want, as you know.
BLITZER: Two outspoken U.S. congressmen debating a critical issue facing all Americans right now.
DREIER: Water my plants while you're out there, Wolf, OK?
BLITZER: All right.
DREIER: Water my plants while you're out there.
BLITZER: David Dreier, Dennis Kucinich, thanks very much for joining us. We'll continue this debate on another occasion.
And once again, here is your chance to weigh in through "Our Web Question of The Day." How likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month? Is it not likely, likely, inevitable? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf.
If the United States does invade Iraq, American troops could encounter their worst nightmare, weapons of mass destruction. Tens of thousands of those troops now in Kuwait are being trained on how to protect themselves. Our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is with the troops.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the middle of the desert of Northern Kuwait, the U.S. military is going over their ABCs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, now we've determined the airway is clear. We want to go on to B. We're going on to breathing.
GUPTA: Airway, breathing and circulation, a basic tenet of any medical training. But here in the desert, soldiers are also learning another abbreviation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secure your hood, pull it up and over.
GUPTA: NBC, nuclear, biological and chemical.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The things that worry me the most over the next several weeks would be if our soldiers are to be hit with a nuclear, biological and chemical attack.
GUPTA: Unlike wars of past where bullets or bombs were the biggest threat, transparent gases, microscopic viruses and gamma radiation are a bigger concern today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, sure, we're concerned about smallpox, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), botulinum toxin and anthrax. So we're preparing for chemical attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So each soldier is issued the antidotes for most chemical attacks, specifically for nerve agents. They're all instructed through their training on how to use this, self-aid and buddy aid.
P.A. CUTLER, U.S. ARMY: Well, no one's comfortable in that type of an environment.
GUPTA: Of course not. But it is a new kind of war requiring new and difficult preparations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's your nine seconds right there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, when we first started, there was a lot of people not really sure of how to use their equipment. There has been a high level of training in the past. But now that there is a definite threat, people are paying more attention. We're given more classes.
GUPTA: And the soldiers are constantly reminded that wars are not only fought on battlefields.
CAPT. MANCUSO, U.S. ARMY: Because of the anthrax attacks and now the threat is more real, I guess, since it was brought home to us on our own soil.
GUPTA: And so they prepare and prepare again until they are ready.
MANCUSO: We're ready to take on whatever is thrown at us and we'll with it. We have the capability and we'll be ready.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta with the U.S. Army in Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Sanjay.
Bad rap or just plain bad? Michael Jackson fires back at the filmmaker who revealed just a little more than the pop star wanted. That and more coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Very happy to report to our viewers a correction to the story we reported a few minutes ago. The good news is this -- the story that we reported about the former Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura, having a blood clot in his lung, that's a 7-month-old story that was inadvertently transmitted by the Associated Press. It was an accident. He's healthy. He's fine. That was an old story that got on the wire, which we unfortunately reported as well. Apologize to our viewers for that. Apologize to Jesse Ventura. Happy to report to that's an old story and the former governor is doing just fine.
Michael Jackson on the other hand is not necessarily doing all that fine. He says the TV documentary about him that aired last week was a malicious attempt to grossly mislead the audience. And now he's fighting back as Paul Vercammen explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson is vowing to release raw footage he says will prove British documentarian, Martin Bashir, grossly misled viewers in a special produced by Britain's Grenada Television that aired last week in the United States.
Jackson said in a statement the unreleased video shot by his aides will, quote, "Show Bashir's malice and Bashir blatantly conflicting his opinions that appeared in the edited version of the documentary." In a counterstatement, Grenada Television says, Bashir has nothing to hide and Jackson's aides tried to sell their footage to Britain's Sunday papers.
Quote, "This is becoming the most expensive, clumsy and desperate attempt at shooting the messenger we've ever seen. Our film is candid, revealing and honest. There is nothing misleading about it and no lies. Reaction to it stems from what Michael Jackson says and does in the film not Martin Bashir's actions or words."
Jackson said in the special that aired on ABC, he still allows children to stay in his bedroom at his Neverland Ranch.
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: When you say bed, you thinking sexual. They make that sexual. It's not sexual. We're going to sleep. I tuck them in. We put -- I put little music on and a little story time. I read a book. It's very sweet, put the fireplace on, give them hot milk. You know we have little cookies. It's very charming, very sweet.
VERCAMMEN: In 1993, the Santa Barbara County district attorney convened a grand jury to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by Michael Jackson with a 13-year-old boy. Jurors never voted on whether or not to indict the pop superstar. Jackson later reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the boy's family. Jackson vehemently denies the allegations now, just as he did when they first surfaced.
JACKSON: There have been many disgusting statements made recently concerning allegations of improper conduct on my part. These statements about me are totally false.
VERCAMMEN: Jackson now aims to show in the court of public opinion that he's been set up by an interviewer with a camera.
Paul Vercammen, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Don't forget time is running out on your turn to weigh in on "Our Web Question of The Day." How likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month: not likely, likely, inevitable? 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." Remember we've been asking you this -- how likely is a U.S. strike on Iraq in the next month? Fourteen percent of you say not likely, 36 percent of you say likely. Fifty percent of you say it's inevitable. You can find the exact vote tally and continue to vote, by the way, on our Web site, cnn.com/wolf. And remember, this is not a scientific poll.
Let's get to your e-mail. Renard writes this -- "Going to war with Iraq will most likely provoke more terrorist attacks against the U.S. But if we don't disarm Saddam, the attacks will be more severe and continue over a longer period of time. Terror must be dealt with now and we need to start somewhere. Iraq is a good place to start."
John has a different point-of-view -- "Thank heaven for France and Germany. I adamantly oppose the current push for war against Iraq and I'm overjoyed that our allies in western Europe have taken the stand. A war would make us less, not more, safe against terrorism."
And that's all the time we have today. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.
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NATO Alliance; Terror Alert Now Set at Orange, High>
