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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Six British Soldiers Killed in Iraq

Aired June 24, 2003 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush gets a commitment from a key ally in the war on terror to go after Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorists.
WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Iraq attacks. A bloody day for British troops. As casualties mount, is it time for the U.S. to rethink the mission? I will ask Senator John McCain.

And I will ask an eyewitness about that U.S. shootout on the Syrian border.

Stunning images that survived the breakup of "Columbia."

And for men, a hair loss treatment and your prostate. Good news and not so good news.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's Tuesday, June 24, 2003. Hello from Washington. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

We begin in Iraq, where it was the bloodiest day for coalition forces since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1. British troops bore the brunt of it. Let's go right to CNN's Jason Bellini. He's joining us live from Baghdad -- Jason.

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, six military police officers of the British were killed today. Another eight were injured in a separate incident in southern Iraq, near Basra. The first occurred in the town involving a village where they were doing training with Iraqi police forces. The second occurred where they were -- a convoy was attacked and in response, a rapid reaction force came in, came under attack. Seven people inside of that helicopter that came in for rapid response were injured.

There were other incidents all around Iraq today. Some near Baghdad. One in the town of Ramadi, where a U.S. soldier was wounded, three Iraqis were killed in an incident at a checkpoint. Also in Fallujah where U.S. soldiers were guarding a power plant, rocket- propelled grenades were fired at them. No one was injured. They returned fire, and according to eyewitnesses, there were civilians who were killed in that incident. Wolf? BLITZER: Jason Bellini reporting on this bloody day in Iraq. Jason, thanks very much.

Let's go to the Pentagon now, where last week's attack on a convoy near the Iraqi/Syrian border is still shrouded in secrecy and controversy. For that, I turn to our Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf. U.S. military forensics experts are combing through what's left of a small Iraqi compound near the Syrian border, trying to figure out exactly who, a commando team, known as Task Force 20, killed in a highly secretive raid conducted last week. Pentagon officials now acknowledge that U.S. F-15s and AC-130 gunship and apache helicopters all took part in the nighttime attack, which included strikes on the compound, as well as several trucks traveling on a nearby highway toward the Syrian border. The Pentagon still won't say how many people were killed or who they might have been. But it insists it was acting on, quote; "good intelligence".

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DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It was night. In fact, late at night, early morning, and there were reasons, good reasons to believe that the vehicles that were violating the curfew that existed in that area, were doing it for reasons other than normal commerce.

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MCINTYRE: In fact, although the Pentagon won't acknowledge it, some U.S. troops apparently did cross the border in Syria in hot pursuit of a suspect, and wounded three Syrian border guards in some sort of engagement, which the Pentagon is still not describing. Now, six days after the fact, Syria is demanding the return of its guards, which sources say is in the works, although some Pentagon officials are questioning if the Syrians may have played a role in what appears to be a pipeline for smuggling Iraqis in and out of Syria. Wolf?

BLITZER: Jamie, how coordinated are these Iraqi attacks against U.S. and British personnel in Iraq, based on what the Defense Secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said today?

MCINTYRE: Well, you could see them beginning to calibrate their answer. A week or two ago they say they weren't organized at all. Then they said there is some debate on it. Now we're beginning to get more and more admissions that there's at least some loose organization, resistance groups that are in Iraq that are coordinating these attacks. They don't think it's a nationally coordinated campaign, but they are conceding that there's some level of organization.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Thanks, Jamie, very much. Gamma photographer, Patrick Andrade, was an eyewitness to the secret border clash with the Syrians through the lens of his camera. He joins me live by phone from an undisclosed location near the Iraqi/Syrian border. Patrick, those pictures you took were pretty amazing. We are going to show our viewers. Tell us what you can, how you managed to get upon this incident.

PATRICK ANDRADE, PHOTOGRAPHER: I actually am embedded with the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and as an embedded, I'm allowed access to photograph such things. I am restricted, however, to -- as far as talking about the incident.

BLITZER: I know you are restricted what you can say. But tell us what you can say about what you saw personally.

ANDRADE: I was on my way to a routine checkpoint, and as we were on our way, we were told to stop. We saw bombing in the distance. Then we were told to go towards the site where they were bombing. We arrived about an hour after the bombing ended, photographed some wounded males (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and also some of the destroyed buildings there.

BLITZER: Did you get a sense how the whole incident began?

ANDRADE: No, I didn't. I didn't get a sense of how the incident began. I think it was pretty organized attack.

BLITZER: The convoy was apparently trying to get into Syria. Then when -- that's when the explosions basically, the military clash began. What about U.S. coalition damage or injuries? What can you tell us, if anything, about that?

ANDRADE: As far as I know, there were no U.S. coalition injuries. I have not seen any injuries of U.S. I photographed some wounded males that were at the site when I arrived. And then after photographing the buildings, we proceeded to an area where there were three vehicles that were also attacked on. And photographed those, and there was one dead male at that site.

BLITZER: One final question before I let you go, Patrick. This incident, did it seem to you like it was an isolated incident or are these kinds of convoys, these kinds of exchanges have been going on in recent days and weeks?

ANDRADE: No, it seemed -- there are shootings every day. There are RPGs fired on Americans every day who are out on the regular patrols, especially in Al Qaim, which is near the border. But this incident was -- I would say, it's something special, targeted at individuals...

BLITZER: And clearly the fallout is ...

ANDRADE: ... they had in mind.

BLITZER: ... still continuing. The fallout with Syria. Patrick Andrade, we've been showing our viewers your excellent, so compelling, photographs. Thanks so much for spending a few moments with us. Patrick Andrade. He's a photographer for Gamma. Those pictures courtesy of "Newsweek" magazine.

President Bush, meanwhile, has welcomed a key ally in the war on terrorism. Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf. On the agenda, another manhunt for Osama bin Laden. Let's go live to our senior White House correspondent, John king. John?

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And, Wolf, that meeting held not here at the White House, but up at Camp David. That a sign of this president's respect and his praise for President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan. Of course a sense of deja vu, though. This the fourth time these two leaders have met, and once again, one of the key questions, where is Osama bin Laden. Neither man could give a definitive answer. But President Bush made clear at this joint statement to reporters that he believes the United States has no better ally in the war on terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, for 500 al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists are detained. They are no longer a problem. Slowly but surely we are dismantling the networks. And we'll continue on the hunt. Doesn't matter how long it takes. Could take a day or could take a month or could take years. Doesn't matter how long it takes, Mr. President. We'll stay in the hunt.

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KING: Now, you might remember some months ago, President Musharraf was among those who were saying that he believed Osama bin Laden was dead. Now the Pakistani president does have a different view. Most U.S. officials and Pakistani officials believe that Osama bin Laden is alive, perhaps somewhere in the border area, or between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Washington, from time to time, has had to nudge Pakistan to be more aggressive in the hunt. Mr. Musharraf, though, saying at this news conference, that Pakistan's military and its police forces are now searching remote tribal areas aggressively where the al Qaeda leader just might be hiding.

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PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN: Now, if at all, any al Qaeda operative is hiding in this region, we are after them. Now whether Osama bin Laden is here or across the border, your guess, sir, will be as good as mine. So I wouldn't like to venture into a guess. But the possibility of his maybe shifting sides on the border is very much there. But, as I said, we are fully inside the area, which are treacherous areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: U.S. Officials acknowledge it is not a perfect relationship. They wish the President Musharraf would do more to ease tensions with India, stop cross-border infiltrations in the disputed Kashmir region. But they say that there is increasing and very solid cooperation with the Pentagon, the FBI, and the CIA in the war on terrorism.

As a reward for that cooperation, President Bush announcing today, that he will seek a new $3 billion aid package over five years for Pakistan. Half of that for economic and education initiatives, half of that for security development. White House officials saying they are quite satisfied.

And one thing they say, Wolf, aside from the short-term hunt for bin Laden, they say that President Musharraf will go a long way in helping in the war on terrorism if he keeps his promises to root out anti-American teachings in the schools in his country and in the mosques as well.

BLITZER: So here's what I don't understand, John. No better ally in the war in terror. $3 billion over five years. Why won't this administration agree to sell Pakistan F-16 jet fighters which they have been seeking for years and years and years.

KING: Because the administration believes that would only escalate tensions with India. Down the road, the administration says it is open to dealing with that question, but it wants Pakistan and India to settle their disputes, or at least enter into a dialogue first, over the Kashmir region - over other border difficulties. The United States knows that if it sells F-16s and other sophisticated technology of that generation to Pakistan, India will come running to the table saying that tips the strategic balance unfairly. So the administration says maybe down the line, but try to do diplomatic business with India first.

BLITZER: John King, he's got the answers, as he always does. John, thanks very much.

And I'll ask Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, some serious questions. Tomorrow we'll have a special interview. That will air during this hour.

Turning now to some major developments in -- on the terror trail. A Jordanian who says he once served as Osama bin Laden's bodyguard went on trial in Germany today. He's charged with planning attacks in German cities for a radical Palestinian group allegedly linked to al Qaeda. Prosecutors say the attacks were planned with Abu Musab al- Zarkawi. The United States says Zarkawi helped set up a terror training camp inside Iraq.

Police in Italy today arrested a Muslim cleric and five other men accused of aiding a group linked to al Qaeda. Officials say the arrests came down during dawn raids on some 40 houses in and around Milan. Officials say those arrested are connected with a group which has been fighting to set up a radical Islamic state in Algeria.

Four Kenyans were charged today with 13 counts of murder in connection with last November's suicide bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombassa. Court documents did not say what role the men are alleged to have played, but a defense attorney says three of them are related through marriage to one of the FBI's most wanted al Qaeda suspects.

Fire on the mountain. Arizona residents battle flames to save their homes. We'll take you live to the heat of the firefight.

Plus, waterfall disaster. A trip into the wild turns tragic for two American college students. And nuclear fallout in Iraq. A town littered with uranium. You'll never believe what was found just lying around.

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BLITZER: Imagine looking outside your home and seeing this. A live picture of an Arizona inferno. Just how close is this to area neighborhoods? We'll tell you in 90 seconds.

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BLITZER: One day after divers in Puerto Rico found the body of a missing American student, search teams have found the body of a second missing student. Christopher Reilly and Collin Ewers disappeared Saturday while on the hike to the jungle area. Ewer's body was discovered today at the base of a waterfall. Yesterday divers round Reilly's body in a rock cavern under the waterfall. Authorities say it appears both men drowned.

High winds are threatening to whip up the big wildfire burning near Tucson, Arizona. And right now firefighters are focusing in on some critical areas. Reporter Deanne Donnelly with our affiliate KGUN is with us. She is joining us live from Oracle. Deanne, tell us what's going on.

DEANNE DONNELLY, KGUN REPORTER: Well, right now, Wolf, I'm standing on Two O' Clock Hill in Oracle, Arizona, about four miles north of the Aspen fire. You can see here, it's burning northeast towards homes in Oracle. Forest service officials say overnight the fire grew 6,000 more acres, bringing the total to 20,850. Right now the residents are pretty nervous, as you can imagine.

They are worried that this fire may reach their backyards. But forest service officials continue to say there is no imminent threat for the residents here in Oracle. Now, there are nearly 1,000 people that are working to contain this fire. Officials say they believe that the Oracle Hill fire of 2002, which is right about over this hill, will act as a buffer zone to keep the Aspen fire from reaching the homes here in Oracle.

Now, I did talk with a few firefighters that just got off of making that fire line today, and they tell me that the fuels out there are lighter fuels and it will make that easier for them to contain this fire. Right now, it's 15 percent contained.

BLITZER: Deanne, what's it like to breathe out there. The smoke behind you looks so heavy. Is it creating a difficulty?

DONNELLY: Well, right now where I'm standing, the wind is pushing that smoke to the northeast, so it's not too hard to breathe here. But what I'm hearing from residents on the other side of Oracle, they say it is tough to breathe, especially if people have asthma. And even in a community a little further north, San Manuel, people there experiencing a very tough time breathing. Ashes falling all over their neighborhood. BLITZER: Deanne, let me just take -- let our viewers take another look at that fire behind you. Maybe your photographer can pan over and just get us a little bit closer.

DONNELLY: OK.

BLITZER: I want to get a real sense of what's going on.

DONNELLY: Pan over, Mica (ph). As you can see right now, it doesn't look as bad as it did yesterday. The smoke is white, and earlier it was black and blue and even some orange and yellow. But right now it's not too bad. It just really just depends on what time of day it is and what is actually burning out there.

But as I said earlier, the residents of Oracle are very nervous. If you can imagine stepping outside in your backyard and seeing this view. They're very nervous, but forest service officials continue to tell them that there is no imminent threat here and that there is no need for evacuations at this time.

BLITZER: It's still pretty scary stuff. Deanne Donnelly, our affiliate reporter from KGUN on the scene for us in Oracle, Arizona. Thanks, Deanne, very much.

From Nebraska, there's proof that it pays to look up. One of the biggest hail stones ever measured inside the United States fell from the sky a couple of days ago on Gene Orth's property, in the town of Aurora. It was 6 1/2 inches wide. Look at this. The size of a cantaloupe, and just shy of a national record set 33 years ago in Kansas. And check out this. Compared to a golf ball, well, look at this. There's no comparison. Orth was standing outside watching the clouds just before the hail stone crashed to the ground. He says he went inside and all of a sudden heard a huge crash.

Unimaginable crime. Far-out defense. She's charged with letting a man bleed to death on the windshield of her car. We'll go live to the courthouse for this bizarre, bizarre case.

Plus ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neither the prime minister nor I -- anybody acting on our behalf, could ever use the words immediate or eminent threat in relation -- never used those words -- in relation to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: No weapons of mass destruction. No Saddam Hussein yet. Was the American public sold a bill of goods going into the war? I will ask Senator John McCain.

And the double-edge sword and the fight against prostrate cancer. A stunning discovery about a drug commonly used to treat hair loss in men. First, today's news clips.

What is the most common ailment in men over 50? Hernia, enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, bad knees. The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Day two of a gruesome trial in Texas, where a woman is accused of hitting a homeless man with her car and then leaving him stuck in the windshield to slowly bleed to death. Our Dallas bureau chief Ed Lavandera is covering this case. He is joining us live. Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well, a lot of this boils down to whether or not the jury in this case is going to think that what Chante Mallard was an accident or a murder, as the prosecution would like them to believe. This accident happened -- or this situation began in October of 2001, when Chante Mallard drove into a 37-year-old homeless man named Greg Biggs. Inside the courtroom, now, we can show you live pictures of an emergency room physician that is testifying.

Just a little while ago you'll hear from a firefighter, captain in the Fort Worth Fire Department. And basically what the prosecution has been trying to do today is to lay out evidence that if Chante Mallard had called for help that perhaps 37-year-old Greg Biggs life would have been saved. That the initial impact of what happened didn't kill him. It was the fact that he had bled to death after Chante Mallard had driven home, parked the car in the garage, and left him in the windshield impaled, in the garage for several hours, that that is when actually he died. The firefighter's saying that there is no question in his mind that if help would have gotten to him sooner, Greg Biggs would have been all right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JIM SOWDER, FT. WORTH FIRE DEPT.: My opinion is there is not a member of the Ft. Worth Fire Department that could not have saved Mr. Biggs life with basic life support care.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Defense attorneys have been suggesting that it was a night that Chante Mallard had gone out drinking, doing drugs with friends, and that is what kind of clouded her judgment that night. That she became hysterical after all this happened and she didn't know quite what to do. Although the prosecution also trying to hammer away at that a little bit, pointing out that she's a former nurse's aide, and also in testimony today, we found out that Chante Mallard's brother is a firefighter with the Fort Worth Fire Department, kind of alluding to the fact that if anyone should have known what to do in the situation, perhaps Chante Mallard would have known more so than your average person. Wolf?

BLITZER: Ed Lavandera on the scene for us. Thanks, Ed, very much. Nuclear fallout in Iraq. It's not weapons of mass destruction, but the radiation is just as deadly. Find out why Greenpeace is sounding the alarm.

Plus, are your really getting the straight talk on Iraq? I'll ask Senator John McCain.

And the view before disaster. New images from the doomed space shuttle "Columbia". A look at the astronauts last days in orbit.

But first, to the White House, where a celebration of black music month is in full swing. Let's listen in.

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BLITZER: Black music month pays tribute to the accomplishments of African Americans. Accomplishments they've made to music, specifically gospel, jazz, blues, rock-and-roll, rap, hip-hop, and gospel. Congress designated this year to pay special tribute to jazz and blues. That's why this event is taking place inside the East Room of the White House right now. Wish we were there. Let's listen for another second and then we'll take a quick break.

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(MUSIC)

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ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour. Wolf Blitzer reports, live from the nation's capital, with correspondents from around the world. Here now is Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. Is there any end in sight to the attacks and killings in Iraq? I'll ask senator John McCain some tough questions. First, the latest headlines.

Rudolph Giuliani has lost a legal battle. A judge ruled today the former New York mayor violated the free speech rights of a policeman and two firefighters by having them fired for their roles in the 1998 labor day parade display. The three men painted their faces black and they were riding in a float which re-enacted the killing of James Byrd, an African-American man dragged to his death earlier that year by white men in Texas.

New Jersey's child foster care system will undergo an emergency overhaul as part of an out-of-court settlement. A children's rights group sued the system four years ago and earlier this year faced growing criticism after the death of a 7-year-old boy found beaten and starved in a basement. Sodomy laws in more than a dozen states could feel the impact of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected Thursday. Justices have reviewed the prosecution of two Texas men who were arrested for having sex in their home. The two men challenged the Texas law as unconstitutional. CNN will have live coverage when the decision comes down Thursday morning. That's when it's expected.

An unexpected rush of voters crashed an online Democratic presidential contest today. But the system is now up and running. Moveon.org is sponsoring the contest. The online advocacy group will endorse the candidate who wins more than 50 percent of the vote and ask its members to donate money to the winners campaign. The voting runs through tomorrow night.

Greenpeace activists are in Iraq protesting what they call a nuclear disaster. They handed over a uranium mixing canister to U.S. forces now guarding a looted nuclear facility. The activists say the canister had been lying out in the open for weeks and similar stolen radioactive items are still out there, possibly poisoning the local population.

Meanwhile, Britain's parliament wants to know how serious was the threat really posed by Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. Hearings are now under way on whether the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair exaggerated the danger to gain support for the war. Among those testifying today, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Neither the prime minister nor I, nor anybody acting on our behalf, has ever used the words immediate or imminent threat in relation -- never used those words, in relation to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. And what we talked about in the dossier was a current and serious threat, which is very different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Just a little while ago I spoke about that issue, other issues, the search for weapons of mass destruction, with the Republican senator John McCain of Arizona.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Senator McCain, thanks, as usual for joining us.

Let's get right to the issue for a lot of Americans. Concerned they may have been sold a bill of goods going into the war that the intelligence really wasn't there to justify going to war. You've had a chance to review this. What do you say to those Americans?

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Well, I don't know about the intelligence so much, but I do know that in 1998 when we passed a law calling for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, a regime change, when president Clinton gave a speech saying he knew that he had weapons of mass destruction and the inspectors were not allowed to inspect, that it was very clear that he had those weapons at that time.

Also, why else would he obviscate and delay, indeed risk his own position of power if he had nothing to hide. So I believe that the evidence of any cover-up is the burden of proof is on the accusers.

BLITZER: Why do you think it's taking so long, though, to find the evidence? If he was such an imminent or real threat, so far two months after the president declared major combat over, they really haven't found much.

MCCAIN: You know, I don't know the answer to that. Perhaps with the apprehension of this latest number 4 guy we'll get more information. But none of it makes any sense for an individual, for Saddam Hussein to commit suicide, which is basically what he did. Because if he had cooperated with the inspectors and let them travel unimpeded, then there wouldn't have been the threat to the regime change.

Again in '91, the evidence was clearly there. We found massive amounts of weapons. He used them twice on his own people and against the Iranians. There's no doubt my mind if we were still in power today he would continue his efforts to acquire them.

BLITZER: Senator McCain, what do you make of this latest incident along the Syrian border. Syrian troops now coming under fire or engaging U.S. troops as they search for some sort of mysterious Iraqi convoy. It sounds like potentially could be very worrisome.

MCCAIN: I think it's a bit worrisome. I think our people are in hot pursuit. Obviously we would not, I think, want to kill Syrians or wound them or cause difficulties to them. But at the same time we need to capture Saddam Hussein and his sons and the others and I'm sure that we will try to take steps to prevent any further border crossings, if indeed that was the case.

BLITZER: Do you have any evidence, any reason to believe the Syrian government is cooperating with the pro-Saddam elements that may still be around?

MCCAIN: I think we had ample evidence during the conflict that people were coming both into and out of Syria, both to fight against United States troops and also to get away. And exactly the area where the incident took place yesterday.

BLITZER: Six British soldiers were killed today and one incident, the bloodiest, deadliest battle since the end of major combat in Iraq. How concerned are you that U.S. troops, the morale of U.S. troops, with about one American soldier or marine dying a day since then, that that morale could be sapped.

MCCAIN: I'm very concerned. It's getting hotter and hotter. Our reservists have been on active duty for an inordinate length of time. The secretary of defense and the administration has to come over and tell Congress and the American people what our commitment is going to be there, both in numbers of troops, amounts of money that needs to be spent and their best estimate as to what we face. Otherwise, I think, there can be problems over time with support. Because if you keep losing American lives after, quote, mission accomplished, unquote, it can present difficulties. But if the American people are spoken to, if I might say, a little straight talk, they would understand, and be prepared to bear the burden.

BLITZER:: Are your suggesting they are not getting that straight talk from the President right now?

MCCAIN: I can tell that as a member of the Senate and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I receive no information as to how long our commitment is going to be, how large that commitment is going to be and what it's going to cost.

BLITZER: Let me ask you a quick political question before I let you go, Senator McCain. Campaign finance reform, one of your question issues. You got a task. We see the president now embarking on this massive campaign fund-raising effort to get himself re-elected. Going to raise 100 million, maybe 200 million dollars. Not going to go for the matching funds again for the presidential race. Is that a source of concern for you?

MCCAIN: Oh, I think it's of some concern. Campaign finance reform was not aimed at Presidential elections. Clearly we're going to have to change or need to change, in my view, the parameters as to how much matching funds they would be eligible for, et cetera. Otherwise the law is going to become irrelevant.

But already we've seen a drying up of soft money, and I think at least some reduction in the influence of special interests around here.

BLITZER: You're not going to run, are you?

MCCAIN: No.

BLITZER:: You're going to support the president?

MCCAIN: Yes.

BLITZER: In his reelection campaign.

MCCAIN: Yes, sir.

BLITZER: Senator McCain, one final question, I always ask you how you are feeling. How are you feeling?

MCCAIN: Fine. Thank you for asking. It's the time of year when people should stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen.

BLITZER: Senator McCain, excellent advice to all of our viewers. Thanks for spending a few moments with us.

Here's your turn to weigh in on our top story, our web question of the day is this -- do you think democracy will take hold in Iraq? Will have the results later in this broadcast. You can vote at CNN.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air, each day, at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, CNN.com/wolf.

A major new development today in the battle against prostate cancer. A drug that apparently reduces a man's odds of getting this killer disease. The seventh leading killer for American men. There's also, though, a serious downside.

And new images of a tragic mission. NASA releases new pictures from the space shuttle Columbia's last mission. First, let's take a look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): Israeli soldiers detained more than 150 Palestinians overnight in a crackdown on Hamas. Leaders of the militant group say the move could impact their decision whether to declare a cease-fire with Israel.

Beijing is now off the world health organization's SARS travel advisory list. It's been almost three weeks since the city's last new case was reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Britain for the first state visit since -- by a Russian visitor -- since 1874. On the agenda, dinner with the Queen and talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

It's not a bull in a china shop but a shark in a tuna pen. The 13-foot great white was found inside the enclosure off the Australian coast where scientists are studying the tuna. Two were found missing after the shark was chased off.

An Indian couple took the plunge in more ways than one, holding their wedding underwater in a swimming pool in Mumbai. The Hindu ceremony lasted more than 30 minutes.

And down and dirty in the Philippines. These people near Manila are actually preparing to take part in an unusual ceremony honoring John the Baptist.

They cover themselves with mud, then banana leaves, before proceeding to church.

And that's our look around the world.

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BLITZER: There's been a major medical announcement. Could a drug that prevents baldness also prevent one kind of cancer?

And witness what survived a crash of the space shuttle Columbia. dramatic pictures.

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BLITZER: Some of your e-mail coming in, even as we report the news. Continue to send us your e-mail, cnn.com/wolf. On the medical front, another setback for the most common hormone replacement drug. A new reports says estrogen-progestin combination not only increases the risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women, but also makes it harder to detect with mammography. The hormones have been shown to reverse or to stop osteoporosis, lessening the risk of hip factors, and prevent uterine cancer. But a major study on long-term use was halted last year after it found the combination increased the risk of ovarian cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Men battling prostate cancer may have a new ally, a popular baldness drug. But there's also a serious down side.

Let's check in with our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You don't typically think of medications to prevent cancer. You usually think of them to treat cancer. Maybe just as you said, Wolf, the first medication in the form of a drug to actually prevent prostate cancer, and it may cure your baldness as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice-over): Dr. Peter Greenlaw (ph), director of the National Cancer Institutes Office of Prevention is well aware that he and every other man has a 1 in 6 chance of developing prostate cancer. That risk prompted Dr. Greenlaw to be one of 19,000 men nationwide to participated in a study to determine if the drug finasteride, known as Propecia and Prostar, which is currently use to treat baldness and enlarged prostate, it could also reduce a man's risk of prostrate cancer. They researchers stopped the study early because the findings were so promising. They had the first evidence now that prostate cancer could be prevented.

DR. LESLIE FORD, NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE: There was a 25 percent decrease in the number of prostate cancers in the men that took finastiride versus placebo.

GUPTA: But there are (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Patients taking the finastiride who did develop prostate cancer had a potentially more aggressive form and the researchers aren't sure why.

FORD: It's very important that we continue to follow the men who develop prostate cancer to see if their tumors behave more aggressively or just happen to look different under the microscope.

GUPTA: The drug also has possible side effects, including decreased sex drive. But still, the news is encouraging for both men and their doctors.

(END VIDEOTAPE) GUPTA: Wolf, it's probably not quite ready to be recommended to all men to prevent prostate cancer because of some of those significant side effects that was mentioned in the piece. But they may be coming down the road as well. The first drug to prevent prostate cancer -- Wolf.

BLITZER: If a man watch this program right now is watching, right now Sanjay, is watching over 50 years old, fears he may come down with prostate cancer, there may be a hereditary issue involved, what should he do?

What should he start thinking about doing right now?

GUPTA: There are existing things the man can do in terms of getting your PSA, prostate specific antigen, that's a blood (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Certainly having regular physical exams. This regular medication, because of the side effects and one of the ones being decreased sex drive, the other being possibly leading to more aggressive prostate cancers. So again, fewer prostate cancers, but perhaps more aggressive prostate cancers, those things still need to be worked out before this medication can be given. So I would not recommend, and I don't think doctors would recommend this medication be given universally. So, it's a discussion between a man and his doctor.

BLITZER: Good advice, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

GUPTA: All right, thank you.

BLITZER: Eerie images that amazingly survived the fiery disaster. A first look of video tape from on board the shuttle Columbia, just released by NASA.

But first today's news quiz answer. Earlier we asked -- what's the most common ailment for men over 50. The answer, enlarged prostate. Known as benign prosthetic hypophilia. Almost half of all men over 50 experience some symptom related to BPH.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: NASA's releasing some eerie and heartbreaking images, still pictures and videotape that actually survived the fiery crash of the space shuttle Columbia. Our space correspondent Miles O'Brien is in Atlanta, he's got a look at these amazing pictures -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's kind of hard to believe that some of these videotapes would actually survive the fiery breakup of the space shuttle Columbia on February 1. That fiery breakup, of course, killing the crew of seven. But here they are, just some of the tape, 10 hours released by NASA today. Some 92 still photographs.

As you look at wake-up time. These are the sleeping berths onboard the space shuttle Columbia. There's Laurel Clark in the top bunk. And there you see Dave Brown involved in the morning shave. And look where you put your razor in the morning shave. There's the commander, Rick Husband, with his morning grooming duties. A little combing of the hair.

You watch these particular images and you can't help but think these are people, Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, brushing his teeth. These are people in the prime of their lives, literally on top of the world. Kalpana Chawla, inside the space hab (ph) scientific module. There's Ilan Ramon with some artifacts of Israel and of his religion.

These images -- there's Laurel Clark as well. Now this is the pilot, Willie McCool. And there was a little bit of time, these were sort of home movies. There was a little bit of time for goofing around. Let's just listen for a moment as he plays sports, if you will.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIE MCCOOL, PILOT: Football. And baseball. Hey, batter, batter, batter. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You're supposed to catch it, Ilon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: The pilot of the space shuttle Columbia. These tapes have been looked over by investigators and they've been determined to have no investigative use whatsoever. And so NASA has released them, and they at once make you smile and they also at the same time, knowing what happens, of course, are very sad in their own way -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And they did clear this with the families before they released it, isn't that right?

O'BRIEN: Absolutely. Absolutely. They wouldn't want have them see this on CNN first. And you have to wonder what the families would think watching those. At one time, I'm sure they would make them smile, also, but they've got to be very, very poignant, seeing them in space enjoying doing what they did and doing what they loved.

BLITZER: Miles O'Brien, thank you very much. Very dramatic pictures indeed.

Our hot Web question of the day is coming up. The question -- do you think democracy will take hold in Iraq? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

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BLITZER: Here's how you are weighing in on our Web question of the day. Do you think democracy will take hold in Iraq? Look at this, 14 percent of you say yes; 86 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

This reminder: You can always watch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Tomorrow, by the way, I have a one- on-one interview with Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf, a rare chance to ask him about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. I'll see you again tomorrow at noon as well. You can e-mail us some of your questions for a hot topic debate. How important is it for the U.S. to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Our address: wolf@cnn.com.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" is up next. First, back to the White House for a celebration of black music month.

(MUSIC)

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







Aired June 24, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush gets a commitment from a key ally in the war on terror to go after Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorists.
WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Iraq attacks. A bloody day for British troops. As casualties mount, is it time for the U.S. to rethink the mission? I will ask Senator John McCain.

And I will ask an eyewitness about that U.S. shootout on the Syrian border.

Stunning images that survived the breakup of "Columbia."

And for men, a hair loss treatment and your prostate. Good news and not so good news.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's Tuesday, June 24, 2003. Hello from Washington. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

We begin in Iraq, where it was the bloodiest day for coalition forces since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1. British troops bore the brunt of it. Let's go right to CNN's Jason Bellini. He's joining us live from Baghdad -- Jason.

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, six military police officers of the British were killed today. Another eight were injured in a separate incident in southern Iraq, near Basra. The first occurred in the town involving a village where they were doing training with Iraqi police forces. The second occurred where they were -- a convoy was attacked and in response, a rapid reaction force came in, came under attack. Seven people inside of that helicopter that came in for rapid response were injured.

There were other incidents all around Iraq today. Some near Baghdad. One in the town of Ramadi, where a U.S. soldier was wounded, three Iraqis were killed in an incident at a checkpoint. Also in Fallujah where U.S. soldiers were guarding a power plant, rocket- propelled grenades were fired at them. No one was injured. They returned fire, and according to eyewitnesses, there were civilians who were killed in that incident. Wolf? BLITZER: Jason Bellini reporting on this bloody day in Iraq. Jason, thanks very much.

Let's go to the Pentagon now, where last week's attack on a convoy near the Iraqi/Syrian border is still shrouded in secrecy and controversy. For that, I turn to our Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf. U.S. military forensics experts are combing through what's left of a small Iraqi compound near the Syrian border, trying to figure out exactly who, a commando team, known as Task Force 20, killed in a highly secretive raid conducted last week. Pentagon officials now acknowledge that U.S. F-15s and AC-130 gunship and apache helicopters all took part in the nighttime attack, which included strikes on the compound, as well as several trucks traveling on a nearby highway toward the Syrian border. The Pentagon still won't say how many people were killed or who they might have been. But it insists it was acting on, quote; "good intelligence".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It was night. In fact, late at night, early morning, and there were reasons, good reasons to believe that the vehicles that were violating the curfew that existed in that area, were doing it for reasons other than normal commerce.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCINTYRE: In fact, although the Pentagon won't acknowledge it, some U.S. troops apparently did cross the border in Syria in hot pursuit of a suspect, and wounded three Syrian border guards in some sort of engagement, which the Pentagon is still not describing. Now, six days after the fact, Syria is demanding the return of its guards, which sources say is in the works, although some Pentagon officials are questioning if the Syrians may have played a role in what appears to be a pipeline for smuggling Iraqis in and out of Syria. Wolf?

BLITZER: Jamie, how coordinated are these Iraqi attacks against U.S. and British personnel in Iraq, based on what the Defense Secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said today?

MCINTYRE: Well, you could see them beginning to calibrate their answer. A week or two ago they say they weren't organized at all. Then they said there is some debate on it. Now we're beginning to get more and more admissions that there's at least some loose organization, resistance groups that are in Iraq that are coordinating these attacks. They don't think it's a nationally coordinated campaign, but they are conceding that there's some level of organization.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Thanks, Jamie, very much. Gamma photographer, Patrick Andrade, was an eyewitness to the secret border clash with the Syrians through the lens of his camera. He joins me live by phone from an undisclosed location near the Iraqi/Syrian border. Patrick, those pictures you took were pretty amazing. We are going to show our viewers. Tell us what you can, how you managed to get upon this incident.

PATRICK ANDRADE, PHOTOGRAPHER: I actually am embedded with the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and as an embedded, I'm allowed access to photograph such things. I am restricted, however, to -- as far as talking about the incident.

BLITZER: I know you are restricted what you can say. But tell us what you can say about what you saw personally.

ANDRADE: I was on my way to a routine checkpoint, and as we were on our way, we were told to stop. We saw bombing in the distance. Then we were told to go towards the site where they were bombing. We arrived about an hour after the bombing ended, photographed some wounded males (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and also some of the destroyed buildings there.

BLITZER: Did you get a sense how the whole incident began?

ANDRADE: No, I didn't. I didn't get a sense of how the incident began. I think it was pretty organized attack.

BLITZER: The convoy was apparently trying to get into Syria. Then when -- that's when the explosions basically, the military clash began. What about U.S. coalition damage or injuries? What can you tell us, if anything, about that?

ANDRADE: As far as I know, there were no U.S. coalition injuries. I have not seen any injuries of U.S. I photographed some wounded males that were at the site when I arrived. And then after photographing the buildings, we proceeded to an area where there were three vehicles that were also attacked on. And photographed those, and there was one dead male at that site.

BLITZER: One final question before I let you go, Patrick. This incident, did it seem to you like it was an isolated incident or are these kinds of convoys, these kinds of exchanges have been going on in recent days and weeks?

ANDRADE: No, it seemed -- there are shootings every day. There are RPGs fired on Americans every day who are out on the regular patrols, especially in Al Qaim, which is near the border. But this incident was -- I would say, it's something special, targeted at individuals...

BLITZER: And clearly the fallout is ...

ANDRADE: ... they had in mind.

BLITZER: ... still continuing. The fallout with Syria. Patrick Andrade, we've been showing our viewers your excellent, so compelling, photographs. Thanks so much for spending a few moments with us. Patrick Andrade. He's a photographer for Gamma. Those pictures courtesy of "Newsweek" magazine.

President Bush, meanwhile, has welcomed a key ally in the war on terrorism. Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf. On the agenda, another manhunt for Osama bin Laden. Let's go live to our senior White House correspondent, John king. John?

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And, Wolf, that meeting held not here at the White House, but up at Camp David. That a sign of this president's respect and his praise for President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan. Of course a sense of deja vu, though. This the fourth time these two leaders have met, and once again, one of the key questions, where is Osama bin Laden. Neither man could give a definitive answer. But President Bush made clear at this joint statement to reporters that he believes the United States has no better ally in the war on terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, for 500 al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists are detained. They are no longer a problem. Slowly but surely we are dismantling the networks. And we'll continue on the hunt. Doesn't matter how long it takes. Could take a day or could take a month or could take years. Doesn't matter how long it takes, Mr. President. We'll stay in the hunt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, you might remember some months ago, President Musharraf was among those who were saying that he believed Osama bin Laden was dead. Now the Pakistani president does have a different view. Most U.S. officials and Pakistani officials believe that Osama bin Laden is alive, perhaps somewhere in the border area, or between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Washington, from time to time, has had to nudge Pakistan to be more aggressive in the hunt. Mr. Musharraf, though, saying at this news conference, that Pakistan's military and its police forces are now searching remote tribal areas aggressively where the al Qaeda leader just might be hiding.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN: Now, if at all, any al Qaeda operative is hiding in this region, we are after them. Now whether Osama bin Laden is here or across the border, your guess, sir, will be as good as mine. So I wouldn't like to venture into a guess. But the possibility of his maybe shifting sides on the border is very much there. But, as I said, we are fully inside the area, which are treacherous areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: U.S. Officials acknowledge it is not a perfect relationship. They wish the President Musharraf would do more to ease tensions with India, stop cross-border infiltrations in the disputed Kashmir region. But they say that there is increasing and very solid cooperation with the Pentagon, the FBI, and the CIA in the war on terrorism.

As a reward for that cooperation, President Bush announcing today, that he will seek a new $3 billion aid package over five years for Pakistan. Half of that for economic and education initiatives, half of that for security development. White House officials saying they are quite satisfied.

And one thing they say, Wolf, aside from the short-term hunt for bin Laden, they say that President Musharraf will go a long way in helping in the war on terrorism if he keeps his promises to root out anti-American teachings in the schools in his country and in the mosques as well.

BLITZER: So here's what I don't understand, John. No better ally in the war in terror. $3 billion over five years. Why won't this administration agree to sell Pakistan F-16 jet fighters which they have been seeking for years and years and years.

KING: Because the administration believes that would only escalate tensions with India. Down the road, the administration says it is open to dealing with that question, but it wants Pakistan and India to settle their disputes, or at least enter into a dialogue first, over the Kashmir region - over other border difficulties. The United States knows that if it sells F-16s and other sophisticated technology of that generation to Pakistan, India will come running to the table saying that tips the strategic balance unfairly. So the administration says maybe down the line, but try to do diplomatic business with India first.

BLITZER: John King, he's got the answers, as he always does. John, thanks very much.

And I'll ask Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, some serious questions. Tomorrow we'll have a special interview. That will air during this hour.

Turning now to some major developments in -- on the terror trail. A Jordanian who says he once served as Osama bin Laden's bodyguard went on trial in Germany today. He's charged with planning attacks in German cities for a radical Palestinian group allegedly linked to al Qaeda. Prosecutors say the attacks were planned with Abu Musab al- Zarkawi. The United States says Zarkawi helped set up a terror training camp inside Iraq.

Police in Italy today arrested a Muslim cleric and five other men accused of aiding a group linked to al Qaeda. Officials say the arrests came down during dawn raids on some 40 houses in and around Milan. Officials say those arrested are connected with a group which has been fighting to set up a radical Islamic state in Algeria.

Four Kenyans were charged today with 13 counts of murder in connection with last November's suicide bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombassa. Court documents did not say what role the men are alleged to have played, but a defense attorney says three of them are related through marriage to one of the FBI's most wanted al Qaeda suspects.

Fire on the mountain. Arizona residents battle flames to save their homes. We'll take you live to the heat of the firefight.

Plus, waterfall disaster. A trip into the wild turns tragic for two American college students. And nuclear fallout in Iraq. A town littered with uranium. You'll never believe what was found just lying around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Imagine looking outside your home and seeing this. A live picture of an Arizona inferno. Just how close is this to area neighborhoods? We'll tell you in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: One day after divers in Puerto Rico found the body of a missing American student, search teams have found the body of a second missing student. Christopher Reilly and Collin Ewers disappeared Saturday while on the hike to the jungle area. Ewer's body was discovered today at the base of a waterfall. Yesterday divers round Reilly's body in a rock cavern under the waterfall. Authorities say it appears both men drowned.

High winds are threatening to whip up the big wildfire burning near Tucson, Arizona. And right now firefighters are focusing in on some critical areas. Reporter Deanne Donnelly with our affiliate KGUN is with us. She is joining us live from Oracle. Deanne, tell us what's going on.

DEANNE DONNELLY, KGUN REPORTER: Well, right now, Wolf, I'm standing on Two O' Clock Hill in Oracle, Arizona, about four miles north of the Aspen fire. You can see here, it's burning northeast towards homes in Oracle. Forest service officials say overnight the fire grew 6,000 more acres, bringing the total to 20,850. Right now the residents are pretty nervous, as you can imagine.

They are worried that this fire may reach their backyards. But forest service officials continue to say there is no imminent threat for the residents here in Oracle. Now, there are nearly 1,000 people that are working to contain this fire. Officials say they believe that the Oracle Hill fire of 2002, which is right about over this hill, will act as a buffer zone to keep the Aspen fire from reaching the homes here in Oracle.

Now, I did talk with a few firefighters that just got off of making that fire line today, and they tell me that the fuels out there are lighter fuels and it will make that easier for them to contain this fire. Right now, it's 15 percent contained.

BLITZER: Deanne, what's it like to breathe out there. The smoke behind you looks so heavy. Is it creating a difficulty?

DONNELLY: Well, right now where I'm standing, the wind is pushing that smoke to the northeast, so it's not too hard to breathe here. But what I'm hearing from residents on the other side of Oracle, they say it is tough to breathe, especially if people have asthma. And even in a community a little further north, San Manuel, people there experiencing a very tough time breathing. Ashes falling all over their neighborhood. BLITZER: Deanne, let me just take -- let our viewers take another look at that fire behind you. Maybe your photographer can pan over and just get us a little bit closer.

DONNELLY: OK.

BLITZER: I want to get a real sense of what's going on.

DONNELLY: Pan over, Mica (ph). As you can see right now, it doesn't look as bad as it did yesterday. The smoke is white, and earlier it was black and blue and even some orange and yellow. But right now it's not too bad. It just really just depends on what time of day it is and what is actually burning out there.

But as I said earlier, the residents of Oracle are very nervous. If you can imagine stepping outside in your backyard and seeing this view. They're very nervous, but forest service officials continue to tell them that there is no imminent threat here and that there is no need for evacuations at this time.

BLITZER: It's still pretty scary stuff. Deanne Donnelly, our affiliate reporter from KGUN on the scene for us in Oracle, Arizona. Thanks, Deanne, very much.

From Nebraska, there's proof that it pays to look up. One of the biggest hail stones ever measured inside the United States fell from the sky a couple of days ago on Gene Orth's property, in the town of Aurora. It was 6 1/2 inches wide. Look at this. The size of a cantaloupe, and just shy of a national record set 33 years ago in Kansas. And check out this. Compared to a golf ball, well, look at this. There's no comparison. Orth was standing outside watching the clouds just before the hail stone crashed to the ground. He says he went inside and all of a sudden heard a huge crash.

Unimaginable crime. Far-out defense. She's charged with letting a man bleed to death on the windshield of her car. We'll go live to the courthouse for this bizarre, bizarre case.

Plus ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neither the prime minister nor I -- anybody acting on our behalf, could ever use the words immediate or eminent threat in relation -- never used those words -- in relation to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: No weapons of mass destruction. No Saddam Hussein yet. Was the American public sold a bill of goods going into the war? I will ask Senator John McCain.

And the double-edge sword and the fight against prostrate cancer. A stunning discovery about a drug commonly used to treat hair loss in men. First, today's news clips.

What is the most common ailment in men over 50? Hernia, enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, bad knees. The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Day two of a gruesome trial in Texas, where a woman is accused of hitting a homeless man with her car and then leaving him stuck in the windshield to slowly bleed to death. Our Dallas bureau chief Ed Lavandera is covering this case. He is joining us live. Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well, a lot of this boils down to whether or not the jury in this case is going to think that what Chante Mallard was an accident or a murder, as the prosecution would like them to believe. This accident happened -- or this situation began in October of 2001, when Chante Mallard drove into a 37-year-old homeless man named Greg Biggs. Inside the courtroom, now, we can show you live pictures of an emergency room physician that is testifying.

Just a little while ago you'll hear from a firefighter, captain in the Fort Worth Fire Department. And basically what the prosecution has been trying to do today is to lay out evidence that if Chante Mallard had called for help that perhaps 37-year-old Greg Biggs life would have been saved. That the initial impact of what happened didn't kill him. It was the fact that he had bled to death after Chante Mallard had driven home, parked the car in the garage, and left him in the windshield impaled, in the garage for several hours, that that is when actually he died. The firefighter's saying that there is no question in his mind that if help would have gotten to him sooner, Greg Biggs would have been all right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JIM SOWDER, FT. WORTH FIRE DEPT.: My opinion is there is not a member of the Ft. Worth Fire Department that could not have saved Mr. Biggs life with basic life support care.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Defense attorneys have been suggesting that it was a night that Chante Mallard had gone out drinking, doing drugs with friends, and that is what kind of clouded her judgment that night. That she became hysterical after all this happened and she didn't know quite what to do. Although the prosecution also trying to hammer away at that a little bit, pointing out that she's a former nurse's aide, and also in testimony today, we found out that Chante Mallard's brother is a firefighter with the Fort Worth Fire Department, kind of alluding to the fact that if anyone should have known what to do in the situation, perhaps Chante Mallard would have known more so than your average person. Wolf?

BLITZER: Ed Lavandera on the scene for us. Thanks, Ed, very much. Nuclear fallout in Iraq. It's not weapons of mass destruction, but the radiation is just as deadly. Find out why Greenpeace is sounding the alarm.

Plus, are your really getting the straight talk on Iraq? I'll ask Senator John McCain.

And the view before disaster. New images from the doomed space shuttle "Columbia". A look at the astronauts last days in orbit.

But first, to the White House, where a celebration of black music month is in full swing. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Black music month pays tribute to the accomplishments of African Americans. Accomplishments they've made to music, specifically gospel, jazz, blues, rock-and-roll, rap, hip-hop, and gospel. Congress designated this year to pay special tribute to jazz and blues. That's why this event is taking place inside the East Room of the White House right now. Wish we were there. Let's listen for another second and then we'll take a quick break.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour. Wolf Blitzer reports, live from the nation's capital, with correspondents from around the world. Here now is Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. Is there any end in sight to the attacks and killings in Iraq? I'll ask senator John McCain some tough questions. First, the latest headlines.

Rudolph Giuliani has lost a legal battle. A judge ruled today the former New York mayor violated the free speech rights of a policeman and two firefighters by having them fired for their roles in the 1998 labor day parade display. The three men painted their faces black and they were riding in a float which re-enacted the killing of James Byrd, an African-American man dragged to his death earlier that year by white men in Texas.

New Jersey's child foster care system will undergo an emergency overhaul as part of an out-of-court settlement. A children's rights group sued the system four years ago and earlier this year faced growing criticism after the death of a 7-year-old boy found beaten and starved in a basement. Sodomy laws in more than a dozen states could feel the impact of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected Thursday. Justices have reviewed the prosecution of two Texas men who were arrested for having sex in their home. The two men challenged the Texas law as unconstitutional. CNN will have live coverage when the decision comes down Thursday morning. That's when it's expected.

An unexpected rush of voters crashed an online Democratic presidential contest today. But the system is now up and running. Moveon.org is sponsoring the contest. The online advocacy group will endorse the candidate who wins more than 50 percent of the vote and ask its members to donate money to the winners campaign. The voting runs through tomorrow night.

Greenpeace activists are in Iraq protesting what they call a nuclear disaster. They handed over a uranium mixing canister to U.S. forces now guarding a looted nuclear facility. The activists say the canister had been lying out in the open for weeks and similar stolen radioactive items are still out there, possibly poisoning the local population.

Meanwhile, Britain's parliament wants to know how serious was the threat really posed by Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. Hearings are now under way on whether the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair exaggerated the danger to gain support for the war. Among those testifying today, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Neither the prime minister nor I, nor anybody acting on our behalf, has ever used the words immediate or imminent threat in relation -- never used those words, in relation to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. And what we talked about in the dossier was a current and serious threat, which is very different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Just a little while ago I spoke about that issue, other issues, the search for weapons of mass destruction, with the Republican senator John McCain of Arizona.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Senator McCain, thanks, as usual for joining us.

Let's get right to the issue for a lot of Americans. Concerned they may have been sold a bill of goods going into the war that the intelligence really wasn't there to justify going to war. You've had a chance to review this. What do you say to those Americans?

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Well, I don't know about the intelligence so much, but I do know that in 1998 when we passed a law calling for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, a regime change, when president Clinton gave a speech saying he knew that he had weapons of mass destruction and the inspectors were not allowed to inspect, that it was very clear that he had those weapons at that time.

Also, why else would he obviscate and delay, indeed risk his own position of power if he had nothing to hide. So I believe that the evidence of any cover-up is the burden of proof is on the accusers.

BLITZER: Why do you think it's taking so long, though, to find the evidence? If he was such an imminent or real threat, so far two months after the president declared major combat over, they really haven't found much.

MCCAIN: You know, I don't know the answer to that. Perhaps with the apprehension of this latest number 4 guy we'll get more information. But none of it makes any sense for an individual, for Saddam Hussein to commit suicide, which is basically what he did. Because if he had cooperated with the inspectors and let them travel unimpeded, then there wouldn't have been the threat to the regime change.

Again in '91, the evidence was clearly there. We found massive amounts of weapons. He used them twice on his own people and against the Iranians. There's no doubt my mind if we were still in power today he would continue his efforts to acquire them.

BLITZER: Senator McCain, what do you make of this latest incident along the Syrian border. Syrian troops now coming under fire or engaging U.S. troops as they search for some sort of mysterious Iraqi convoy. It sounds like potentially could be very worrisome.

MCCAIN: I think it's a bit worrisome. I think our people are in hot pursuit. Obviously we would not, I think, want to kill Syrians or wound them or cause difficulties to them. But at the same time we need to capture Saddam Hussein and his sons and the others and I'm sure that we will try to take steps to prevent any further border crossings, if indeed that was the case.

BLITZER: Do you have any evidence, any reason to believe the Syrian government is cooperating with the pro-Saddam elements that may still be around?

MCCAIN: I think we had ample evidence during the conflict that people were coming both into and out of Syria, both to fight against United States troops and also to get away. And exactly the area where the incident took place yesterday.

BLITZER: Six British soldiers were killed today and one incident, the bloodiest, deadliest battle since the end of major combat in Iraq. How concerned are you that U.S. troops, the morale of U.S. troops, with about one American soldier or marine dying a day since then, that that morale could be sapped.

MCCAIN: I'm very concerned. It's getting hotter and hotter. Our reservists have been on active duty for an inordinate length of time. The secretary of defense and the administration has to come over and tell Congress and the American people what our commitment is going to be there, both in numbers of troops, amounts of money that needs to be spent and their best estimate as to what we face. Otherwise, I think, there can be problems over time with support. Because if you keep losing American lives after, quote, mission accomplished, unquote, it can present difficulties. But if the American people are spoken to, if I might say, a little straight talk, they would understand, and be prepared to bear the burden.

BLITZER:: Are your suggesting they are not getting that straight talk from the President right now?

MCCAIN: I can tell that as a member of the Senate and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I receive no information as to how long our commitment is going to be, how large that commitment is going to be and what it's going to cost.

BLITZER: Let me ask you a quick political question before I let you go, Senator McCain. Campaign finance reform, one of your question issues. You got a task. We see the president now embarking on this massive campaign fund-raising effort to get himself re-elected. Going to raise 100 million, maybe 200 million dollars. Not going to go for the matching funds again for the presidential race. Is that a source of concern for you?

MCCAIN: Oh, I think it's of some concern. Campaign finance reform was not aimed at Presidential elections. Clearly we're going to have to change or need to change, in my view, the parameters as to how much matching funds they would be eligible for, et cetera. Otherwise the law is going to become irrelevant.

But already we've seen a drying up of soft money, and I think at least some reduction in the influence of special interests around here.

BLITZER: You're not going to run, are you?

MCCAIN: No.

BLITZER:: You're going to support the president?

MCCAIN: Yes.

BLITZER: In his reelection campaign.

MCCAIN: Yes, sir.

BLITZER: Senator McCain, one final question, I always ask you how you are feeling. How are you feeling?

MCCAIN: Fine. Thank you for asking. It's the time of year when people should stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen.

BLITZER: Senator McCain, excellent advice to all of our viewers. Thanks for spending a few moments with us.

Here's your turn to weigh in on our top story, our web question of the day is this -- do you think democracy will take hold in Iraq? Will have the results later in this broadcast. You can vote at CNN.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air, each day, at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, CNN.com/wolf.

A major new development today in the battle against prostate cancer. A drug that apparently reduces a man's odds of getting this killer disease. The seventh leading killer for American men. There's also, though, a serious downside.

And new images of a tragic mission. NASA releases new pictures from the space shuttle Columbia's last mission. First, let's take a look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): Israeli soldiers detained more than 150 Palestinians overnight in a crackdown on Hamas. Leaders of the militant group say the move could impact their decision whether to declare a cease-fire with Israel.

Beijing is now off the world health organization's SARS travel advisory list. It's been almost three weeks since the city's last new case was reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Britain for the first state visit since -- by a Russian visitor -- since 1874. On the agenda, dinner with the Queen and talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

It's not a bull in a china shop but a shark in a tuna pen. The 13-foot great white was found inside the enclosure off the Australian coast where scientists are studying the tuna. Two were found missing after the shark was chased off.

An Indian couple took the plunge in more ways than one, holding their wedding underwater in a swimming pool in Mumbai. The Hindu ceremony lasted more than 30 minutes.

And down and dirty in the Philippines. These people near Manila are actually preparing to take part in an unusual ceremony honoring John the Baptist.

They cover themselves with mud, then banana leaves, before proceeding to church.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There's been a major medical announcement. Could a drug that prevents baldness also prevent one kind of cancer?

And witness what survived a crash of the space shuttle Columbia. dramatic pictures.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Some of your e-mail coming in, even as we report the news. Continue to send us your e-mail, cnn.com/wolf. On the medical front, another setback for the most common hormone replacement drug. A new reports says estrogen-progestin combination not only increases the risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women, but also makes it harder to detect with mammography. The hormones have been shown to reverse or to stop osteoporosis, lessening the risk of hip factors, and prevent uterine cancer. But a major study on long-term use was halted last year after it found the combination increased the risk of ovarian cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Men battling prostate cancer may have a new ally, a popular baldness drug. But there's also a serious down side.

Let's check in with our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You don't typically think of medications to prevent cancer. You usually think of them to treat cancer. Maybe just as you said, Wolf, the first medication in the form of a drug to actually prevent prostate cancer, and it may cure your baldness as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice-over): Dr. Peter Greenlaw (ph), director of the National Cancer Institutes Office of Prevention is well aware that he and every other man has a 1 in 6 chance of developing prostate cancer. That risk prompted Dr. Greenlaw to be one of 19,000 men nationwide to participated in a study to determine if the drug finasteride, known as Propecia and Prostar, which is currently use to treat baldness and enlarged prostate, it could also reduce a man's risk of prostrate cancer. They researchers stopped the study early because the findings were so promising. They had the first evidence now that prostate cancer could be prevented.

DR. LESLIE FORD, NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE: There was a 25 percent decrease in the number of prostate cancers in the men that took finastiride versus placebo.

GUPTA: But there are (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Patients taking the finastiride who did develop prostate cancer had a potentially more aggressive form and the researchers aren't sure why.

FORD: It's very important that we continue to follow the men who develop prostate cancer to see if their tumors behave more aggressively or just happen to look different under the microscope.

GUPTA: The drug also has possible side effects, including decreased sex drive. But still, the news is encouraging for both men and their doctors.

(END VIDEOTAPE) GUPTA: Wolf, it's probably not quite ready to be recommended to all men to prevent prostate cancer because of some of those significant side effects that was mentioned in the piece. But they may be coming down the road as well. The first drug to prevent prostate cancer -- Wolf.

BLITZER: If a man watch this program right now is watching, right now Sanjay, is watching over 50 years old, fears he may come down with prostate cancer, there may be a hereditary issue involved, what should he do?

What should he start thinking about doing right now?

GUPTA: There are existing things the man can do in terms of getting your PSA, prostate specific antigen, that's a blood (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Certainly having regular physical exams. This regular medication, because of the side effects and one of the ones being decreased sex drive, the other being possibly leading to more aggressive prostate cancers. So again, fewer prostate cancers, but perhaps more aggressive prostate cancers, those things still need to be worked out before this medication can be given. So I would not recommend, and I don't think doctors would recommend this medication be given universally. So, it's a discussion between a man and his doctor.

BLITZER: Good advice, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

GUPTA: All right, thank you.

BLITZER: Eerie images that amazingly survived the fiery disaster. A first look of video tape from on board the shuttle Columbia, just released by NASA.

But first today's news quiz answer. Earlier we asked -- what's the most common ailment for men over 50. The answer, enlarged prostate. Known as benign prosthetic hypophilia. Almost half of all men over 50 experience some symptom related to BPH.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: NASA's releasing some eerie and heartbreaking images, still pictures and videotape that actually survived the fiery crash of the space shuttle Columbia. Our space correspondent Miles O'Brien is in Atlanta, he's got a look at these amazing pictures -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's kind of hard to believe that some of these videotapes would actually survive the fiery breakup of the space shuttle Columbia on February 1. That fiery breakup, of course, killing the crew of seven. But here they are, just some of the tape, 10 hours released by NASA today. Some 92 still photographs.

As you look at wake-up time. These are the sleeping berths onboard the space shuttle Columbia. There's Laurel Clark in the top bunk. And there you see Dave Brown involved in the morning shave. And look where you put your razor in the morning shave. There's the commander, Rick Husband, with his morning grooming duties. A little combing of the hair.

You watch these particular images and you can't help but think these are people, Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, brushing his teeth. These are people in the prime of their lives, literally on top of the world. Kalpana Chawla, inside the space hab (ph) scientific module. There's Ilan Ramon with some artifacts of Israel and of his religion.

These images -- there's Laurel Clark as well. Now this is the pilot, Willie McCool. And there was a little bit of time, these were sort of home movies. There was a little bit of time for goofing around. Let's just listen for a moment as he plays sports, if you will.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIE MCCOOL, PILOT: Football. And baseball. Hey, batter, batter, batter. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You're supposed to catch it, Ilon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: The pilot of the space shuttle Columbia. These tapes have been looked over by investigators and they've been determined to have no investigative use whatsoever. And so NASA has released them, and they at once make you smile and they also at the same time, knowing what happens, of course, are very sad in their own way -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And they did clear this with the families before they released it, isn't that right?

O'BRIEN: Absolutely. Absolutely. They wouldn't want have them see this on CNN first. And you have to wonder what the families would think watching those. At one time, I'm sure they would make them smile, also, but they've got to be very, very poignant, seeing them in space enjoying doing what they did and doing what they loved.

BLITZER: Miles O'Brien, thank you very much. Very dramatic pictures indeed.

Our hot Web question of the day is coming up. The question -- do you think democracy will take hold in Iraq? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you are weighing in on our Web question of the day. Do you think democracy will take hold in Iraq? Look at this, 14 percent of you say yes; 86 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

This reminder: You can always watch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Tomorrow, by the way, I have a one- on-one interview with Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf, a rare chance to ask him about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. I'll see you again tomorrow at noon as well. You can e-mail us some of your questions for a hot topic debate. How important is it for the U.S. to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Our address: wolf@cnn.com.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" is up next. First, back to the White House for a celebration of black music month.

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