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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Paul Hill to be executed tonight in Florida; Taliban Regrouping In Afghanistan; President Bush To Resolve U.N. Conflict Over Iraq

Aired September 03, 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: One hour until death and the protesters are out in force. You're looking at a live picture of the grounds of a Florida prison where there's concern an execution could, could create a martyr.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Sending out an SOS, the U.S. goes back to the U.N. asking for help in Iraq.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The dominant role doesn't mean the only role. There are many roles to be played.

BLITZER: Is the Bush administration admitting failure?

Is bin Laden back and plotting a shocking strike? Why can't U.S. troops track him down?

Taking the lid off, the judge unseals documents and we'll give you a look inside the Kobe Bryant case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the nation's capital with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts now.

BLITZER: It's Wednesday, September 03, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

There are more indications today the United States may have taken on more than it can handle in Iraq. A secret Pentagon report suggests war planners did not have enough time to prepare for the end of major combat and the rebuilding of Iraq, while a new congressional study says under current policies the U.S. military won't be able to maintain its current troop strength in Iraq past March of next year.

At the same time, the U.S. commander in Iraq today hailed the dawning of a new age for Iraqis as U.S. forces handed over a swath of territory to a 9,000 strong multinational force but this comes as the Bush administration seeks to hand off a much bigger share of its growing burden. In a significant diplomat turnabout it's going back to the United Nations looking for help.

Let's go live to CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel - Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the announcement came in an impromptu press conference called by Secretary of State Powell in time to coincide with the sudden release of a draft U.N. resolution circulated today at U.N. Headquarters in New York as well as capitals around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL (voice-over): In Iraq, a coalition force led by Poland assumed full control of five provinces from U.S. Marines, a rare handover which could become more common now that President Bush has changed course instructing Secretary of State Powell to seek help from the U.N., the U.S. now proposing a new U.N. resolution authorizing a multinational force for Iraq but one still under U.S. command.

POWELL: And we hope that with this additional demonstration of the will of the international community it will encourage more countries or make it easier for some countries who are looking at the prospects now to make such a contribution.

KOPPEL: Countries like India, Pakistan, and Turkey with large professional militaries eager to help but unwilling to commit troops without the political cover of a U.N. mandate.

Also at the heart of this draft resolution a leadership role for the 25-member Iraqi governing council which would submit a plan and a time table directly to the U.N. for Iraq's political transformation culminating in free elections.

POWELL: Many people have asked us for a political horizon and this resolution is a way of creating such a political horizon and demonstrating how to get to that horizon by inviting, who, the Iraqis.

KOPPEL: But it remains to be seen whether the limited political role for the U.N., proposed by the U.S., will be enough to satisfy key countries like France, a veto bearing member of the Security Council.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: And, in an attempt to win over the skeptics, Secretary Powell worked the phones today calling his counterparts in France, Germany, and Russia, Powell saying while the initial response was positive he also indicated, Wolf, that he is bracing for some very tough and serious negotiations in the days ahead - Wolf.

BLITZER: I think that's obviously fair to say. Andrea Koppel at the State Department thanks Andrea very much.

And these other nations no doubt will also want a piece of the reconstruction contracts in Iraq. So far, U.S. corporations, such as Halliburton, have won most of those lucrative deals, at stake, literally billions of dollars.

Also, remember this, Iraq still has huge oil reserves. Getting the oil exports flowing again will reap rich rewards in the years to come for those firms involved in the process. Bottom line of all of this, the diplomacy coming up in the coming weeks will be intense.

Here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this: "Is going to the United Nations for help an admission of failure in Iraq for the U.S.?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

You can vote right now, cnn.com/wolf, and while you're there I'd love to hear directly 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.

Is the U.S. military overburdened in Iraq? A classified Pentagon report and a congressional study seem to agree on that point. So does a former key insider.

Let's go live to our Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre - Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the second guessing and I told you sos are creating a crescendo of criticism both inside and outside the building. Let's start with Tom White, the Army secretary fired by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld (AUDIO GAP) of Iraq haphazard.

Writing in a new book: "It is quite clear that the plan for winning the peace is totally inadequate" and he says it ignored the harsh realities on the ground. Then there's an internal Joint Chiefs of Staff report faulting the post-war planning process. It says the Pentagon waited too long to get organized so that plans were rushed and inadequate.

And, Pentagon sources tell us about a separate plan prepared for Secretary Rumsfeld calling for 200,000 U.S. troops for post-war Iraq. That, we're told, Rumsfeld rejected because it was too heavy on troops.

In fact the ability to maintain current troop levels is questioned by a current Congressional Budget Office analysis which concludes: "The active Army would be unable to sustain an occupation force of the present size beyond about March, 2004 if it chose not to keep individual units deployed to Iraq for longer than one year without relief."

The Pentagon's answer to all this, no war plan is perfect and the key is adjusting. The U.S. insists it will stay the course no matter how hard the job becomes - Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks very much Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon.

U.S. troops have been hunting for Saddam Hussein loyalists in the former leader's hometown. One unit went on the hunt for an Iraqi suspected of killing one of their comrades.

CNN's Jason Bellini went along on that raid. He's joining us now live from Tikrit - Jason. JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, well catching Saddam Hussein is, of course, the real hope here but right now a priority is stopping the daily attacks on U.S. soldiers here that are killing and injuring them on a daily basis. It's an urgent task and sometimes it's also personal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE HERNANDEZ, MECHANIC: I was actually out there when it happened so I saw everything happen.

BELLINI (voice-over): What specialist Joe Hernandez, a mechanic, saw happen two weeks ago was his colleague, his mentor, his friend Sergeant Steven White die in an explosion set off by an antitank mine in the road.

HERNANDEZ: I started crying. I was on the side of the road holding perimeter crying, you know.

BELLINI: Sergeant White was also his roommate.

HERNANDEZ: And his cot was right there. He slept right there actually.

BELLINI: All White's personal belongings were sent home to his parents but they received no word who killed their son. The U.S. Army at that point had no idea.

HERNANDEZ: You wake up next to somebody one day and then the next day, you know, they're not there no more. You know I sleep with my light on still. I'm 23 years old and I sleep with my light on at night because I'm scared, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, let's go, go, go, go, go, go. Get out. Get out. Put them up. Put them up.

BELLINI: Then, Sergeant White's battalion got a tip from a human source, one who they say has been reliable in the past.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gentlemen, on your knees.

BELLINI: That this was the man who planted the mine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sergeant Steve, let's go ahead and search that apartment. We got out guy.

BELLINI: The battalion commander told his soldiers to treat this like any other raid and any other search for weapons and evidence. They found none.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't take it personal that it was one of my soldiers, although it does affect m e but any time a U.S. soldier is attacked it's a serious issue that we take.

BELLINI: Sergeant White's commanders say they're confident they got the right man. If Army interrogators agree he'll be imprisoned indefinitely.

If he indeed is the one who's responsible, if he's found to be the one. Does it make a difference to you that they caught the person?

HERNANDEZ: Yes, it brings kind of - it's kind of a relief, you know, and it makes you feel that the system works if you can find him. You know, if it truly is the guy then we must be doing something right to be able to locate someone in a country of this size, you know, with this many people.

BELLINI: Does it make you feel any safer?

HERNANDEZ: No.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BELLINI: Wolf, the 4th Infantry Division is trying to catch the people who are implementing the attacks and also the people who are funding these attacks but it's obvious they have a lot of work yet to do. Just as we've been standing out here we've been hearing mortar rounds. That's almost a nightly affair here at headquarters - Wolf.

BLITZER: Jason Bellini, thanks very much for that excellent report and please be careful over there in Tikrit.

When we come back, facing death, convicted killer Paul Hill is just moments away before a scheduled execution. We'll find out what's happening right now when we go live to Starke, Florida.

And, where is Osama bin Laden hiding? The al Qaeda leader is still out there. I'll talk to CNN's Christiane Amanpour. She's just returned from Afghanistan.

Plus, Kobe Bryant's arrest warrant released today. Does it paint a picture of a crime and what does it mean for the defense? I'll as a former Denver district attorney. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Arnold Schwarzenegger, look at this, gets egged. We'll learn how he took it when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A former minister is scheduled for execution in about 45 minutes in Florida for the 1994 murder of an abortion provider and his security escort. Some fear Paul Hill is about to become a martyr to anti-abortion extremists.

Connie Hicks of CNN affiliate WPLG is in Starke, Florida. She's joining us now live with the latest. Connie, tell us what's happening right now.

CONNIE HICKS, WPLG CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now Paul Hill is being walked or is close to being walked to actually the death chamber after a great deal of attention for the past nine years and giving a news conference yesterday.

He is now quite alone. His spiritual adviser has left the prison. He has seen his parents, his sisters, his wife and his children for the last time. He is alone, of course, with the guards and his thoughts. He is to be executed at six o'clock.

We've been told he may have a few words to say. He has pretty much said the same thing for the past nine years that he believed that the Lord, that God wanted him to do what he did.

He believes that he has done the right thing. He went so far as to say that he also believes that he will be greeted in heaven with rewards for what he has done and he still at this day feels no remorse for the victims of that shooting.

We are told, again, that he will say a few things at that time and then they will lethally inject him. We are told that as a rule of thumb the death could take anywhere between five minutes to 30 minutes, although that they are pretty much unconscious right after the shot is given.

I am reporting live from Raiford - Connie Hicks.

BLITZER: Connie, I have one quick question. I take it everybody assumes there's no chance there could be a last minute change of mind on the part of someone and let this guy live a little bit longer.

HICKS: There is virtually, absolutely no chance whatsoever. He has never appealed his convictions and it is a Florida law in an effort to basically speed the death penalty along that if the defendant does not want to have any part of the appeals process they will not consider any appeals, so his death is all but inevitable.

BLITZER: Connie Hicks reporting for us from our affiliate WPLG. Thanks very much Connie for that report.

A mentally ill New York woman has been sentenced to 50 years to life for killing one son and trying to kill the other. Christine Wilhelm has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

She was convicted in July of drowning her four-year-old son. Her five-year-old boy managed to escape and testified against her. The boy's father broke down as he spoke in court earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN WILHELM, FATHER OF VICTIM: Both boys trusted her to love and to protect them (unintelligible) but what she did was use that trust to kill, hurt, and deceive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: There was a brief outburst by Christine Wilhelm after the proceedings. She yelled you're all liars as she was led from the court.

A possible magic solution to weight loss, could a hormone bring new hope in the struggle against obesity?

Plus, reports of al Qaeda and the Taliban regrouping in Afghanistan, has the U.S. given them an opportunity? I'll ask Christiane Amanpour. She's just back from the region.

And, Arnold Schwarzenegger says he won't debate. Will this egg him on to be like the other candidates? We'll go live to Long Beach, California.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

The first debate of California's recall election kicks off in just about two hours but the Republican candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be there. He's agreed to take part in only one debate and he's spending the day on the campaign trail instead.

And, get this he was egged out on the campaign trail earlier today. Our National Correspondent Kelly Wallace is in Long Beach, California. She's joining us now live - Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been facing lots of criticism for his decision to skip that debate later today and only participate in one debate in which all the candidates will get questions in advance that forum sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association.

In a response to some criticism the candidate has been facing, his campaign sent a letter to the California Broadcasters Association today saying that he doesn't want the questions in advance, that he doesn't need them, doesn't want them.

Well, right now the organization says it is keeping its forum intact. The candidate himself was asked about the controversy a short time ago. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: They will see me in a debate. The will see me with all the other people. I will be available for that. In the meantime, I will be traveling up and down the state and this is what I'm going to do. This is my plan to reach out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: It is fair to say the candidate didn't enter exactly completely friendly territory someone in the crowd throwing an egg at the Republican frontrunner; also, a handful of protesters here who were trying to drown out Schwarzenegger's remarks as he talked to the crowd. Schwarzenegger was asked about this as well and he showed off his trademark sense of humor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SCHWARZENEGGER: This guy owes me bacon now. I mean there's no two ways about it because I mean you can't just have eggs without bacon but this is just all part of, you know, the free speech.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Now, aides say that this speech, this appearance here at Cal State in North Beach was always planned in advance but that the candidate wanted to get his message out, plant his marker in the words of one aide, because he knows he will face heavy criticism by not being there tonight - Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much Kelly Wallace on the campaign trail in California. I'll be joining her on Friday. We'll be reporting live from California both at Noon and 5:00 p.m. Eastern this Friday.

A possible new solution to weight loss, could a new magic bullet melt off the pounds?

And, a new report says Osama bin Laden is regrouping and planning a new way to attack. I'll ask the reporter who broke the story.

And, calling in the reinforcements, by asking for U.N. help is the U.S. admitting failure in Iraq? A Democratic presidential candidate and a Republican Congressman will face off right here. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Trouble for the troops, why al Qaeda and the Taliban could make a comeback. CNN's Christiane Amanpour is just back from Afghanistan. She'll join me live when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

(BREAKING NEWS)

BLITZER: I want to show our viewers some live pictures we're getting in right now from Boston's Logan Airport. You're looking at a 757, a Boeing 757 from ATA, American Trans Air.

We're told that this airliner is having some problems getting its landing gear down, although I do see some landing gear underneath that plane, at least it looks like that. Maybe it's just the engines that we're seeing in this picture.

But we're told that the landing gear is having some problems. The plane has been circling a bit and we're going to try to get some more information. It's an ATA flight, a Boeing 757.

We don't know how many people are onboard and we don't know specifically more information than just some landing gear problems. These planes, though, can land, have emergency landings even if they do have these landing gear problems but we'll continue to watch this picture.

It looks like it's continuing for some time so we'll watch this picture for you and get back to Boston's Logan Airport, unclear where this flight originated. We'll continue to check that information for our viewers as well. Once again, landing gear problems on this Boeing 757 coming into Boston's Logan Airport. We'll get back to it as soon as we get some more information.

In the meantime, let's check some other stories we're following at this hour. The judge in the delayed trial of terror suspect Zacarias Moussaoui says testimony from two top al Qaeda operatives could lead to an acquittal or spare him the death penalty.

Last week the judge granted Moussaoui access to the al Qaeda members now in U.S. custody. The judge explained her move in an opinion unsealed today. Moussaoui faces the death sentence on charges he conspired in the September 11th terror attacks. CNN first reported this information last Friday.

Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat tells CNN the U.S.-backed Middle East peace plan, known as the roadmap, is dead. He blames what he calls Israeli military aggression in recent weeks. An Israeli source in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office says, and I'm quoting now, "Arafat is the spoiler."

Officials in Illinois say three children who were trapped in a car submerged in a lake last night have died. Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene by a woman who identified herself as the mother. She said her children were trapped in the car as it went into the water at a boat access ramp. An investigation continues.

A hormone that tells the brain when to stop eating could help obese people lose weight. Researchers in London say the hormone, it's called PYY336, appears to curb appetites by nearly a third but they add that long term use of the hormone must be studied before it could be developed into a treatment for obesity.

Almost two years after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban was driven of course from power during that invasion, but Taliban forces now appear to be making somewhat of a comeback and, according to various accounts, two main targets of the invasion, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar are still active along the Afghan-Pakistani border.

Recently, CNN's Christiane Amanpour spent some time with U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan. She's joining us now live from our New York studio. Christiane, thanks very much for joining us. What was your bottom line assessment as you take a look at the overall U.S. military presence in Afghanistan right now?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we spoke to the senior military commander there as well as to unit commanders and soldiers on the ground actually fighting the war on terror.

As you know, it's called Operation Enduring Freedom there and what happened was we happened to be there in August during the bloodiest time and the most violent time since the Taliban was toppled back in 2001.

And, what they believe is that the Taliban are trying to regroup in significant numbers, not just ones and twos as we've been told from Washington but in hundreds, according to the soldiers, the U.S. soldiers on the ground and they're taking opportunistic attacks at U.S. bases.

You know that in the last several days two U.S. soldiers have been killed. They're also starting to attack all...

BLITZER: Christiane, let me interrupt for a moment. Because this plane, the 757 is about to land. I want to show our viewers this landing, this ATA flight into Boston Logan Airport. We're watching it now. The landing gears had some problems. Look like it's about to make an emergency landing at Boston's Logan Airport. Just want to make sure it lands smoothly, safely. That everyone on board is OK. We'll watch this plane come down on the runway now, Boston's Logan Airport. We don't know where this plane is coming from or how many people are on board. It's an ATA flight, American Transair, a Boeing 757, which is of course, a very large plane.

It's making a steady approach now as it flies over Boston in Massachusetts, about to land at Boston's Logan Airport. Normally under these situations when there's been a problem of some sort, with landing gear, although we see some wheels underneath the wings. If you look very closely over there you see some wheels at the front of the plane as well.

Normally they put some (AUDIO GAP) right now.

All right. Well, that looks like it was a pretty smooth landing. Doesn't look like much foam on the ground. Looks like there is almost a picture perfect landing. Thank god. Looks like everybody is just fine. This ATA flight coming in from somewhere. We don't know where, making a very, very smooth landing at Boston's Logan Airport. Thank god everything is just fine.

Christiane, I'm sure you understand why we interrupted you. Thank god everything is OK, Boston's Logan Airport right now.

Let's get back to a very, very serious subject.

What are the stakes involved right now in Afghanistan, the stakes for the U.S. In particular?

AMANPOUR: Well, it's a question of will Afghanistan, the first theater for the war on terror, be a success or not?

And what is needed right now and what the administration appears to be belatedly recognizing is that a huge amount more needs to be done to speed up reconstruction because that is going exceptionally slowly. Only a small amount. It might sound a lot, but only $4.5 billion was pledged. That's about one-fourth of what's needed as a minimum to get that country up and running. In many parts of the country, people have not seen visible and tangible signs of reconstruction. And that is being blamed somewhat for the ability of these Taliban types to come to prey on the frustration of the people and to use some of the poverty and disaffection, particularly in the south and east, which is traditional Pashtun, the ethnic group the Taliban come from, their particular area.

So, it's a dangerous time right now in terms of trying to snuff out that part of the war on terror, which one had thought had mostly been accomplished a couple of years ago when the Taliban had been routed.

BLITZER: It was only October 2001, not even two years, when all this happened, the invasion, this overthrow the Taliban. The search for Osama bin Laden continues. In your reporting from there, how much of an intensity is it?

How important is it to find Osama bin Laden?

AMANPOUR: The spin, if you like, the public voice is that, well, you know, it doesn't matter so much as long as there isn't terrorism. Osama bin Laden, as long as he's not out and about. Well, it doesn't matter so much.

However, it does seem to matter to those on the ground. What seems to be the case is the fact that Mullah Omar has not been captured and that he the leader of the Taliban have been putting out leaflets urging people to rise up against the U.S. and the Central Afghan government, the U.S.-backed government.

The fact that Osama bin Laden has not been captured and there's no tangible evidence that he's dead, in fact, quite the opposite, according to many sources, that is having some kind of rallying effect on the troops there that are the al Qaeda remnants and the neo-Taliban types who are trying to come back. It is quite important that if you talk to U.S. soldiers there, particularly those who have been there for some time, they say it is important to get those two.

BLITZER: We've heard about the morale of U.S. troops in Iraq. What about in Afghanistan?

AMANPOUR: For the most part I found it quite good. There's been a rotation of U.S. troops. The 82nd Airborne had been there for a long time. They've been released by the 10th Mountain Division. It's sort of a double-edged sword. A lot of the experienced people who were there and knew a lot and had a lot of expects on the ground have been replaced. The new soldiers have been there for 30, some 45 days. And to a large extent, getting the lay of the land.

But many of them believe that they are trying, you know, they are doing as much as they possibly can. Although other senior officials and senior military officials say that they believe the administration has been trying to do this on the cheap. There aren't enough soldiers there to secure the country side. And, of course, there hasn't been enough money to reconstruct and to show visible signs of reconstruction and major infrastructure that can give confidence to the people and make the people understand that the U.S. is there to say and won't abandon them to the forces of the Taliban in some not too distant future. That's the worry of amongst the people in certain areas.

BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour, doing what we all have come to expect, doing some excellent world class reporting. And of course, we're grateful to you for that. Christiane, thanks very much.

And Christiane will detail her entire trip to Afghanistan next week with Paula Zahn. That's at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, of course only here on CNN.

According to "Newsweek" magazine, Osama bin Laden is not only alive, but active in Afghanistan and held a terrorist summit to discuss a top priority biological weapons.

Joining us, the author of the "Newsweek" article, Ron Moreau. Thanks for coming in and joining us. This notion of biological terrorism, Osama bin Laden. I read your piece. An excellent piece of reporting.

How realistic, though is this?

RON MOREAU, "NEWSWEEK": I think it's pretty realistic. They've been trying to get these biological weapons to the point where they can use them offensively. And, for example, all of the video I think that CNN got in Afghanistan last year showing the biological weapons being used against dogs. The people who were at the -- a couple of people who were at that summit with Osama were actually involved in making those videos. So I think the entire al Qaeda operation, plus the Taliban, they are very, very interested in being able to use and deliver these weapons.

BLITZER: Here's what's really jumped out at me after reading your piece in "Newsweek" magazine. All these people coming forward saying, not only have they seen Osama bin Laden. They've gone to funerals where he's spoken. They've seen him in action at these summit. He's get his messages across doing handwriting and all of this. You would think the U.S. government would have this information and be able to find this guy.

MOREAU: You would think so. All the indicators from our reporting pointed to Kunar Province an eastern province Afghanistan that borders on Pakistan as being the most likely hideout. And if you go there and talk the villagers and even the local officials, they say it looks like he's up there. Because he's got everything going for him up there.

He's got mountains with good forest cover and most of the people are also Wahhabi Muslim, which is the same brand of Islam that Osama follows and that the Saudis follow. And there are a lot of Arabs up there. And they married with local women. So it sounds like the perfect place for him. Now there is an American special operations team in the Kunar area. And they are probing around. Apparently they haven't been able to find very much. And the Afghan officials we talked to are frustrated because they think he's being protected just by, you know, almost the entire population of Kunar.

BLITZER: Ron Moreau, you did some excellent reporting over there. Thanks very much for joining us.

MOREAU: My pleasure.

BLITZER: Ron Moreau, of "Newsweek" magazine. An article I recommend to our views.

The U.S. goes to the U.N. for help in Iraq. Is America saying it can't handle the job?

The Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich and Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher take it on when we come back.

Also Kobe Bryant's arrest warranted released today. Find out what it accuses the NBA's super star of doing. And Bryant's defense is looking for medical records of the accuser. Does this violate the rape shield law in Colorado. I'll as a former Denver district attorney.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: As we have noted, the Bush administration is going back to the United Nations asking for help in Iraq. That's something of a diplomatic about-face, but is it an admission of failure? Joining me now from Capitol Hill, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich. He's a Democratic presidential candidate. And California Republican Congressman Dana Rohrbacher of the House International Relations Committee. Is it an admission of failure Congressman Rohrbacher?

REP. DANA ROHRBACH, (R-CA) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Absolutely not. The president has shown great judgment in the past by having the courage to get rid of this gangster regime, which was a threat to our security, and was, of course, brutalizing the people of Iraq.

And now it makes sense that we have gotten that job done, of displacing his army and getting rid of his government to ask for some help in creating the stability we need to create democracy in Iraq. It makes sense.

BLITZER: Let's let the Congressman Kucinich weigh in. Go ahead, Congressman.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH, (D) OHIO: Well, of course, it's an admission of failure. This has been Bush's blunder. The Iraq policy has been counterproductive and nonproductive. The U.S. went in alone and we're stuck alone. Now we're hoping to get the United Nations to bail this country out of the mess that the Bush administration put us in.

BLITZER: On that point Congressman Rohrbacher, a lot of people will say looking at the entire situation overall, and a few months ago when everything look relatively great in April after the statues went down, the posters went down, that if the U.S. had to ask France and Germany and Russia and China, other members of the security council for help, they would have said no way.

RORBACHER: Why not? I mean, the fact is the -- we have done something -- we've provided a great service to the world. We've gotten rid of this gangster regime which had a blood grudge against the United States. A regime that threatened all of its neighbors and we now are going to replace it with a Democratic government.

Yes, there is some stability problems in the remnants of that past regime, but nobody wants Saddam Hussein back. So why shouldn't they help us right now? I think it's a good idea for the president to ask them to come on board and kick in a little bit.

BLITZER: Congressman Kucinich, I'm sure you agree it's a good idea to go back to the U.N. and get this international support.

KUCINICH: Well, you have to understand, the administration doesn't have any credibility with the United Nations after having rejected arms inspectors. But what needs to happen now, Wolf, is this. We need to get the U.N. in and the U.S. out.

We need to get out of there because our troops are being targets and the only way to do that is to have an agreement that would provide for the United Nations to handle the collection and distribution of oil revenues on behalf of the Iraqi people without privatization to be able to handle the awarding of contracts without any more halliburton (ph) sweetheart deals and to be able to do the job to reconstruct the government for the people of Iraq without any puppet governments set up for this administration.

BLITZER: Congressman Rohrbacher, go ahead.

RORBACHER: Well, of course, none of that would be possible if we wouldn't have made the stand ourselves. If it wasn't for the United States and the decisiveness of this president, Saddam Hussein would still be in power and the vast majority of people of Iraq are grateful to us.

But what we've got now is we've relegated the al Qaeda terrorists and Saddam Hussein supporters to acts of terrorism where they can run in and just shoot us or plant a bomb and run away. We need some help in guarding the buildings while we chase these people down. Otherwise they would have been planting bombs over here.

BLITZER: But the poing that Congressman Kucinich was making is that now the U.S. will have to let some of these French companies, these German companies, Russian companies, get a piece of the action as far as the rebuilding of Iraq, the oil exports. Are you willing to pay that price in order to get this U.N. resolution? RORBACHER: Well, you have to weigh the pluses and the minuses. If there's a contribution by the Germans and French and Belgians and these others who undermined us in the beginning that offsets the cost that we'd have to pay, yes, it makes sense to bring them in.

But what's more important, by getting a U.N. approval now, there are many other countries, rather than these ne're do wells, who will want to come in and help us out because they genuinely approve of what we've done and want to help the people of Iraq develop a democracy. That U.N. approval will help get those countries in.

BLITZER: I just want to get Congressman Kucinich on the record, on this specific point. Are the people of Iraq better off today than they were, let's say, last March before the war?

KUCINICH: Well, it doesn't appear so. I mean, you can say that getting rid of Saddam Hussein is good for the people of Iraq, I think people would agree with that. Look what's happened. There's thousands of innocent people who have lost their lives. There's a total chaos in Iraq. The U.S. is spending $5 billion a month now. We've lost 148 soldiers since May 1 when the president said this was over.

This whole thing has been a disaster. It's been a disaster for the people of Iraq. It's been a disaster for the world community and it's been a disaster for the United States.

BLITZER: Congressman Rorbacher, I'll give you the last word. He says the people of Iraq are not better off today.

RORBACHER: I think the American people understand the best way to combat terrorism in the United States is to go on the offensive and this case, denying Afghanistan to those terrorists and making sure that Saddam Hussein who had a blood grudge against us was not able to have this country at his disposal where he was brutalizing those people, stealing their money and developing a huge military machine that threatened us and his neighbors. It was a good thing to get rid of him.

BLITZER: All right, we're going to leave it right there. Congressman Dana Rohrbacher, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, both members of the House of Representatives, both back in Washington for the current session. Thanks very much.

A judge unseals documents in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, including the arrest warrant. New light shed on a very high-profile case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case is unsealing some of the documents, including the arrest warrant for the NBA star. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has been pouring over the papers. She is joining us now live from New York with more on what they contain -- Deborah. DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the judge released just two documents. That's only a fraction of what journalists were hoping that they'd get their hands on to find out more details of exactly what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: The documents paint a picture. The very start of the investigation and the beginning of Kobe Bryant's legal problems. First, there's the petition for physical evidence. The judge ordering Kobe Bryant to submit to testing. Specifically, physical material to be collected using what's called a rape kit.

Also, clothing worn by Bryant the night of the alleged sexual assault. The evidence was needed to help investigators decide, did Kobe Bryant do what he's accused of doing. Bryant's accuser says, Bryant sexually assaulted her at the hotel where she worked as a concierge. Bryant says sex with the young woman was consensual.

Other documents released, the arrest warrant dated July 3. A county judge ordered Bryant to be taken into custody. Bryant voluntarily surrendered and submitted to testing. At the time he was charged with felony sexual assault and false imprisonment, a misdemeanor charge that has since been dropped.

Bryant's legal team is working to get the young woman's medical records. Court documents show Bryant's lawyers have subpoenaed a Colorado medical and psychiatric facility. The young woman is a student at the University of Northern Colorado. Campus police brought her to the medical facility in February claiming she might pose a threat to herself. Citing patient confidentiality, the medical center is asking the judge to quash the subpoenas.

Also of note, an Iowa college student has now pleaded not guilty to making death threats against Bryant's accuser.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Another development just a few minutes ago. That is that a different judge has ruled he will not unseal 911 tapes made from the woman's home. Two of those calls have nothing to do with the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. In fact, they were calls made well before she ever made him. They were requesting medical assistance at the home of the young woman.

The third call though does have to do with the 911 call that was made in direct relation to the sexual assault and the transcript says that the tape record is of a very brief contact, contained no factual details of the alleged sexual result and reflects referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency. So, that's where everything stands right now -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Very interesting. Deborah Feyerick, thanks.

And for more on the case, I'm joined with someone very familiar with Colorado law. Norm Early, he's a former Denver district attorney. He's joining us now from Denver. Norm, thanks very much. What do you make, first of all, of the news that Deborah reported, the accuser making these 911 calls and the judge so far refusing to let us have access to them?

NORM EARLY, FRM. DENVER DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I think the judge is trying to keep as much as possible under wraps here so that the case can be tried in a courtroom and not in the media. 12 people are going to have to look at the facts in this case and it may become very difficult for them to ferret out what they have seen in the courtroom and what they've heard in the courtroom versus what they heard in advance of getting to the courtroom. So, I think they are just trying to be as precautionary as possible to avoid tainting the jury.

BLITZER: Given Colorado's rape shield law protecting these women, for the most part, who accuse someone of rape, how high of a hurdle do Kobe Bryant's lawyers have in getting any of this information about her mental health or her depression, whatever, admitted as evidence?

EARLY: The psychologist/patient privilege in Colorado is one that is very, very, very strong. They have a huge hurdle to overcome. There was a case in Colorado in October of 2002 entitled "the Cisnero Case" where there was a rape situation and the defense was subpoenaing records from a mental health facility which the victim had attended.

The court said the judge in the case did not even have the right to review the documents to determine whether or not there should be anything released or whether there was anything relevant. That those documents were absolutely confidential and privileged.

BLITZER: What about other medical records, phone calls to hospitals, visits to emergency rooms, stuff of that nature?

EARLY: The contents of what occurred at the hospital in the medical records, those kinds of things definitely will not be released to the defense. Whether or not the fact there was a call to the hospital or there was a visit to the hospital is something that can, in fact, be cross-examination material. That's a whole other story.

BLITZER: So if you were a criminal defense attorney representing Kobe Bryant, knowing how hard it is to get this kind of material admitted into evidence, would you go forward and still try to get it, given the public relations potential damage this effort could develop?

EARLY: They have to do everything they can to try to defend Mr. Bryant. But at this point, in this case, the victim, the hospital as well as the district attorney, have all filed motions to quash the subpoena which was served upon the medical facility here. What's going to happen if she's going to testify in the preliminary hearing, and I doubt it...

(AUDIO/VIDEO GAP)

END

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Regrouping In Afghanistan; President Bush To Resolve U.N. Conflict Over Iraq>


Aired September 3, 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: One hour until death and the protesters are out in force. You're looking at a live picture of the grounds of a Florida prison where there's concern an execution could, could create a martyr.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Sending out an SOS, the U.S. goes back to the U.N. asking for help in Iraq.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The dominant role doesn't mean the only role. There are many roles to be played.

BLITZER: Is the Bush administration admitting failure?

Is bin Laden back and plotting a shocking strike? Why can't U.S. troops track him down?

Taking the lid off, the judge unseals documents and we'll give you a look inside the Kobe Bryant case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the nation's capital with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts now.

BLITZER: It's Wednesday, September 03, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

There are more indications today the United States may have taken on more than it can handle in Iraq. A secret Pentagon report suggests war planners did not have enough time to prepare for the end of major combat and the rebuilding of Iraq, while a new congressional study says under current policies the U.S. military won't be able to maintain its current troop strength in Iraq past March of next year.

At the same time, the U.S. commander in Iraq today hailed the dawning of a new age for Iraqis as U.S. forces handed over a swath of territory to a 9,000 strong multinational force but this comes as the Bush administration seeks to hand off a much bigger share of its growing burden. In a significant diplomat turnabout it's going back to the United Nations looking for help.

Let's go live to CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel - Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the announcement came in an impromptu press conference called by Secretary of State Powell in time to coincide with the sudden release of a draft U.N. resolution circulated today at U.N. Headquarters in New York as well as capitals around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL (voice-over): In Iraq, a coalition force led by Poland assumed full control of five provinces from U.S. Marines, a rare handover which could become more common now that President Bush has changed course instructing Secretary of State Powell to seek help from the U.N., the U.S. now proposing a new U.N. resolution authorizing a multinational force for Iraq but one still under U.S. command.

POWELL: And we hope that with this additional demonstration of the will of the international community it will encourage more countries or make it easier for some countries who are looking at the prospects now to make such a contribution.

KOPPEL: Countries like India, Pakistan, and Turkey with large professional militaries eager to help but unwilling to commit troops without the political cover of a U.N. mandate.

Also at the heart of this draft resolution a leadership role for the 25-member Iraqi governing council which would submit a plan and a time table directly to the U.N. for Iraq's political transformation culminating in free elections.

POWELL: Many people have asked us for a political horizon and this resolution is a way of creating such a political horizon and demonstrating how to get to that horizon by inviting, who, the Iraqis.

KOPPEL: But it remains to be seen whether the limited political role for the U.N., proposed by the U.S., will be enough to satisfy key countries like France, a veto bearing member of the Security Council.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: And, in an attempt to win over the skeptics, Secretary Powell worked the phones today calling his counterparts in France, Germany, and Russia, Powell saying while the initial response was positive he also indicated, Wolf, that he is bracing for some very tough and serious negotiations in the days ahead - Wolf.

BLITZER: I think that's obviously fair to say. Andrea Koppel at the State Department thanks Andrea very much.

And these other nations no doubt will also want a piece of the reconstruction contracts in Iraq. So far, U.S. corporations, such as Halliburton, have won most of those lucrative deals, at stake, literally billions of dollars.

Also, remember this, Iraq still has huge oil reserves. Getting the oil exports flowing again will reap rich rewards in the years to come for those firms involved in the process. Bottom line of all of this, the diplomacy coming up in the coming weeks will be intense.

Here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this: "Is going to the United Nations for help an admission of failure in Iraq for the U.S.?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

You can vote right now, cnn.com/wolf, and while you're there I'd love to hear directly 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.

Is the U.S. military overburdened in Iraq? A classified Pentagon report and a congressional study seem to agree on that point. So does a former key insider.

Let's go live to our Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre - Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the second guessing and I told you sos are creating a crescendo of criticism both inside and outside the building. Let's start with Tom White, the Army secretary fired by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld (AUDIO GAP) of Iraq haphazard.

Writing in a new book: "It is quite clear that the plan for winning the peace is totally inadequate" and he says it ignored the harsh realities on the ground. Then there's an internal Joint Chiefs of Staff report faulting the post-war planning process. It says the Pentagon waited too long to get organized so that plans were rushed and inadequate.

And, Pentagon sources tell us about a separate plan prepared for Secretary Rumsfeld calling for 200,000 U.S. troops for post-war Iraq. That, we're told, Rumsfeld rejected because it was too heavy on troops.

In fact the ability to maintain current troop levels is questioned by a current Congressional Budget Office analysis which concludes: "The active Army would be unable to sustain an occupation force of the present size beyond about March, 2004 if it chose not to keep individual units deployed to Iraq for longer than one year without relief."

The Pentagon's answer to all this, no war plan is perfect and the key is adjusting. The U.S. insists it will stay the course no matter how hard the job becomes - Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks very much Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon.

U.S. troops have been hunting for Saddam Hussein loyalists in the former leader's hometown. One unit went on the hunt for an Iraqi suspected of killing one of their comrades.

CNN's Jason Bellini went along on that raid. He's joining us now live from Tikrit - Jason. JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, well catching Saddam Hussein is, of course, the real hope here but right now a priority is stopping the daily attacks on U.S. soldiers here that are killing and injuring them on a daily basis. It's an urgent task and sometimes it's also personal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE HERNANDEZ, MECHANIC: I was actually out there when it happened so I saw everything happen.

BELLINI (voice-over): What specialist Joe Hernandez, a mechanic, saw happen two weeks ago was his colleague, his mentor, his friend Sergeant Steven White die in an explosion set off by an antitank mine in the road.

HERNANDEZ: I started crying. I was on the side of the road holding perimeter crying, you know.

BELLINI: Sergeant White was also his roommate.

HERNANDEZ: And his cot was right there. He slept right there actually.

BELLINI: All White's personal belongings were sent home to his parents but they received no word who killed their son. The U.S. Army at that point had no idea.

HERNANDEZ: You wake up next to somebody one day and then the next day, you know, they're not there no more. You know I sleep with my light on still. I'm 23 years old and I sleep with my light on at night because I'm scared, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, let's go, go, go, go, go, go. Get out. Get out. Put them up. Put them up.

BELLINI: Then, Sergeant White's battalion got a tip from a human source, one who they say has been reliable in the past.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gentlemen, on your knees.

BELLINI: That this was the man who planted the mine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sergeant Steve, let's go ahead and search that apartment. We got out guy.

BELLINI: The battalion commander told his soldiers to treat this like any other raid and any other search for weapons and evidence. They found none.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't take it personal that it was one of my soldiers, although it does affect m e but any time a U.S. soldier is attacked it's a serious issue that we take.

BELLINI: Sergeant White's commanders say they're confident they got the right man. If Army interrogators agree he'll be imprisoned indefinitely.

If he indeed is the one who's responsible, if he's found to be the one. Does it make a difference to you that they caught the person?

HERNANDEZ: Yes, it brings kind of - it's kind of a relief, you know, and it makes you feel that the system works if you can find him. You know, if it truly is the guy then we must be doing something right to be able to locate someone in a country of this size, you know, with this many people.

BELLINI: Does it make you feel any safer?

HERNANDEZ: No.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BELLINI: Wolf, the 4th Infantry Division is trying to catch the people who are implementing the attacks and also the people who are funding these attacks but it's obvious they have a lot of work yet to do. Just as we've been standing out here we've been hearing mortar rounds. That's almost a nightly affair here at headquarters - Wolf.

BLITZER: Jason Bellini, thanks very much for that excellent report and please be careful over there in Tikrit.

When we come back, facing death, convicted killer Paul Hill is just moments away before a scheduled execution. We'll find out what's happening right now when we go live to Starke, Florida.

And, where is Osama bin Laden hiding? The al Qaeda leader is still out there. I'll talk to CNN's Christiane Amanpour. She's just returned from Afghanistan.

Plus, Kobe Bryant's arrest warrant released today. Does it paint a picture of a crime and what does it mean for the defense? I'll as a former Denver district attorney. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Arnold Schwarzenegger, look at this, gets egged. We'll learn how he took it when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A former minister is scheduled for execution in about 45 minutes in Florida for the 1994 murder of an abortion provider and his security escort. Some fear Paul Hill is about to become a martyr to anti-abortion extremists.

Connie Hicks of CNN affiliate WPLG is in Starke, Florida. She's joining us now live with the latest. Connie, tell us what's happening right now.

CONNIE HICKS, WPLG CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now Paul Hill is being walked or is close to being walked to actually the death chamber after a great deal of attention for the past nine years and giving a news conference yesterday.

He is now quite alone. His spiritual adviser has left the prison. He has seen his parents, his sisters, his wife and his children for the last time. He is alone, of course, with the guards and his thoughts. He is to be executed at six o'clock.

We've been told he may have a few words to say. He has pretty much said the same thing for the past nine years that he believed that the Lord, that God wanted him to do what he did.

He believes that he has done the right thing. He went so far as to say that he also believes that he will be greeted in heaven with rewards for what he has done and he still at this day feels no remorse for the victims of that shooting.

We are told, again, that he will say a few things at that time and then they will lethally inject him. We are told that as a rule of thumb the death could take anywhere between five minutes to 30 minutes, although that they are pretty much unconscious right after the shot is given.

I am reporting live from Raiford - Connie Hicks.

BLITZER: Connie, I have one quick question. I take it everybody assumes there's no chance there could be a last minute change of mind on the part of someone and let this guy live a little bit longer.

HICKS: There is virtually, absolutely no chance whatsoever. He has never appealed his convictions and it is a Florida law in an effort to basically speed the death penalty along that if the defendant does not want to have any part of the appeals process they will not consider any appeals, so his death is all but inevitable.

BLITZER: Connie Hicks reporting for us from our affiliate WPLG. Thanks very much Connie for that report.

A mentally ill New York woman has been sentenced to 50 years to life for killing one son and trying to kill the other. Christine Wilhelm has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

She was convicted in July of drowning her four-year-old son. Her five-year-old boy managed to escape and testified against her. The boy's father broke down as he spoke in court earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN WILHELM, FATHER OF VICTIM: Both boys trusted her to love and to protect them (unintelligible) but what she did was use that trust to kill, hurt, and deceive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: There was a brief outburst by Christine Wilhelm after the proceedings. She yelled you're all liars as she was led from the court.

A possible magic solution to weight loss, could a hormone bring new hope in the struggle against obesity?

Plus, reports of al Qaeda and the Taliban regrouping in Afghanistan, has the U.S. given them an opportunity? I'll ask Christiane Amanpour. She's just back from the region.

And, Arnold Schwarzenegger says he won't debate. Will this egg him on to be like the other candidates? We'll go live to Long Beach, California.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

The first debate of California's recall election kicks off in just about two hours but the Republican candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be there. He's agreed to take part in only one debate and he's spending the day on the campaign trail instead.

And, get this he was egged out on the campaign trail earlier today. Our National Correspondent Kelly Wallace is in Long Beach, California. She's joining us now live - Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been facing lots of criticism for his decision to skip that debate later today and only participate in one debate in which all the candidates will get questions in advance that forum sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association.

In a response to some criticism the candidate has been facing, his campaign sent a letter to the California Broadcasters Association today saying that he doesn't want the questions in advance, that he doesn't need them, doesn't want them.

Well, right now the organization says it is keeping its forum intact. The candidate himself was asked about the controversy a short time ago. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: They will see me in a debate. The will see me with all the other people. I will be available for that. In the meantime, I will be traveling up and down the state and this is what I'm going to do. This is my plan to reach out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: It is fair to say the candidate didn't enter exactly completely friendly territory someone in the crowd throwing an egg at the Republican frontrunner; also, a handful of protesters here who were trying to drown out Schwarzenegger's remarks as he talked to the crowd. Schwarzenegger was asked about this as well and he showed off his trademark sense of humor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SCHWARZENEGGER: This guy owes me bacon now. I mean there's no two ways about it because I mean you can't just have eggs without bacon but this is just all part of, you know, the free speech.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Now, aides say that this speech, this appearance here at Cal State in North Beach was always planned in advance but that the candidate wanted to get his message out, plant his marker in the words of one aide, because he knows he will face heavy criticism by not being there tonight - Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much Kelly Wallace on the campaign trail in California. I'll be joining her on Friday. We'll be reporting live from California both at Noon and 5:00 p.m. Eastern this Friday.

A possible new solution to weight loss, could a new magic bullet melt off the pounds?

And, a new report says Osama bin Laden is regrouping and planning a new way to attack. I'll ask the reporter who broke the story.

And, calling in the reinforcements, by asking for U.N. help is the U.S. admitting failure in Iraq? A Democratic presidential candidate and a Republican Congressman will face off right here. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Trouble for the troops, why al Qaeda and the Taliban could make a comeback. CNN's Christiane Amanpour is just back from Afghanistan. She'll join me live when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

(BREAKING NEWS)

BLITZER: I want to show our viewers some live pictures we're getting in right now from Boston's Logan Airport. You're looking at a 757, a Boeing 757 from ATA, American Trans Air.

We're told that this airliner is having some problems getting its landing gear down, although I do see some landing gear underneath that plane, at least it looks like that. Maybe it's just the engines that we're seeing in this picture.

But we're told that the landing gear is having some problems. The plane has been circling a bit and we're going to try to get some more information. It's an ATA flight, a Boeing 757.

We don't know how many people are onboard and we don't know specifically more information than just some landing gear problems. These planes, though, can land, have emergency landings even if they do have these landing gear problems but we'll continue to watch this picture.

It looks like it's continuing for some time so we'll watch this picture for you and get back to Boston's Logan Airport, unclear where this flight originated. We'll continue to check that information for our viewers as well. Once again, landing gear problems on this Boeing 757 coming into Boston's Logan Airport. We'll get back to it as soon as we get some more information.

In the meantime, let's check some other stories we're following at this hour. The judge in the delayed trial of terror suspect Zacarias Moussaoui says testimony from two top al Qaeda operatives could lead to an acquittal or spare him the death penalty.

Last week the judge granted Moussaoui access to the al Qaeda members now in U.S. custody. The judge explained her move in an opinion unsealed today. Moussaoui faces the death sentence on charges he conspired in the September 11th terror attacks. CNN first reported this information last Friday.

Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat tells CNN the U.S.-backed Middle East peace plan, known as the roadmap, is dead. He blames what he calls Israeli military aggression in recent weeks. An Israeli source in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office says, and I'm quoting now, "Arafat is the spoiler."

Officials in Illinois say three children who were trapped in a car submerged in a lake last night have died. Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene by a woman who identified herself as the mother. She said her children were trapped in the car as it went into the water at a boat access ramp. An investigation continues.

A hormone that tells the brain when to stop eating could help obese people lose weight. Researchers in London say the hormone, it's called PYY336, appears to curb appetites by nearly a third but they add that long term use of the hormone must be studied before it could be developed into a treatment for obesity.

Almost two years after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban was driven of course from power during that invasion, but Taliban forces now appear to be making somewhat of a comeback and, according to various accounts, two main targets of the invasion, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar are still active along the Afghan-Pakistani border.

Recently, CNN's Christiane Amanpour spent some time with U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan. She's joining us now live from our New York studio. Christiane, thanks very much for joining us. What was your bottom line assessment as you take a look at the overall U.S. military presence in Afghanistan right now?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we spoke to the senior military commander there as well as to unit commanders and soldiers on the ground actually fighting the war on terror.

As you know, it's called Operation Enduring Freedom there and what happened was we happened to be there in August during the bloodiest time and the most violent time since the Taliban was toppled back in 2001.

And, what they believe is that the Taliban are trying to regroup in significant numbers, not just ones and twos as we've been told from Washington but in hundreds, according to the soldiers, the U.S. soldiers on the ground and they're taking opportunistic attacks at U.S. bases.

You know that in the last several days two U.S. soldiers have been killed. They're also starting to attack all...

BLITZER: Christiane, let me interrupt for a moment. Because this plane, the 757 is about to land. I want to show our viewers this landing, this ATA flight into Boston Logan Airport. We're watching it now. The landing gears had some problems. Look like it's about to make an emergency landing at Boston's Logan Airport. Just want to make sure it lands smoothly, safely. That everyone on board is OK. We'll watch this plane come down on the runway now, Boston's Logan Airport. We don't know where this plane is coming from or how many people are on board. It's an ATA flight, American Transair, a Boeing 757, which is of course, a very large plane.

It's making a steady approach now as it flies over Boston in Massachusetts, about to land at Boston's Logan Airport. Normally under these situations when there's been a problem of some sort, with landing gear, although we see some wheels underneath the wings. If you look very closely over there you see some wheels at the front of the plane as well.

Normally they put some (AUDIO GAP) right now.

All right. Well, that looks like it was a pretty smooth landing. Doesn't look like much foam on the ground. Looks like there is almost a picture perfect landing. Thank god. Looks like everybody is just fine. This ATA flight coming in from somewhere. We don't know where, making a very, very smooth landing at Boston's Logan Airport. Thank god everything is just fine.

Christiane, I'm sure you understand why we interrupted you. Thank god everything is OK, Boston's Logan Airport right now.

Let's get back to a very, very serious subject.

What are the stakes involved right now in Afghanistan, the stakes for the U.S. In particular?

AMANPOUR: Well, it's a question of will Afghanistan, the first theater for the war on terror, be a success or not?

And what is needed right now and what the administration appears to be belatedly recognizing is that a huge amount more needs to be done to speed up reconstruction because that is going exceptionally slowly. Only a small amount. It might sound a lot, but only $4.5 billion was pledged. That's about one-fourth of what's needed as a minimum to get that country up and running. In many parts of the country, people have not seen visible and tangible signs of reconstruction. And that is being blamed somewhat for the ability of these Taliban types to come to prey on the frustration of the people and to use some of the poverty and disaffection, particularly in the south and east, which is traditional Pashtun, the ethnic group the Taliban come from, their particular area.

So, it's a dangerous time right now in terms of trying to snuff out that part of the war on terror, which one had thought had mostly been accomplished a couple of years ago when the Taliban had been routed.

BLITZER: It was only October 2001, not even two years, when all this happened, the invasion, this overthrow the Taliban. The search for Osama bin Laden continues. In your reporting from there, how much of an intensity is it?

How important is it to find Osama bin Laden?

AMANPOUR: The spin, if you like, the public voice is that, well, you know, it doesn't matter so much as long as there isn't terrorism. Osama bin Laden, as long as he's not out and about. Well, it doesn't matter so much.

However, it does seem to matter to those on the ground. What seems to be the case is the fact that Mullah Omar has not been captured and that he the leader of the Taliban have been putting out leaflets urging people to rise up against the U.S. and the Central Afghan government, the U.S.-backed government.

The fact that Osama bin Laden has not been captured and there's no tangible evidence that he's dead, in fact, quite the opposite, according to many sources, that is having some kind of rallying effect on the troops there that are the al Qaeda remnants and the neo-Taliban types who are trying to come back. It is quite important that if you talk to U.S. soldiers there, particularly those who have been there for some time, they say it is important to get those two.

BLITZER: We've heard about the morale of U.S. troops in Iraq. What about in Afghanistan?

AMANPOUR: For the most part I found it quite good. There's been a rotation of U.S. troops. The 82nd Airborne had been there for a long time. They've been released by the 10th Mountain Division. It's sort of a double-edged sword. A lot of the experienced people who were there and knew a lot and had a lot of expects on the ground have been replaced. The new soldiers have been there for 30, some 45 days. And to a large extent, getting the lay of the land.

But many of them believe that they are trying, you know, they are doing as much as they possibly can. Although other senior officials and senior military officials say that they believe the administration has been trying to do this on the cheap. There aren't enough soldiers there to secure the country side. And, of course, there hasn't been enough money to reconstruct and to show visible signs of reconstruction and major infrastructure that can give confidence to the people and make the people understand that the U.S. is there to say and won't abandon them to the forces of the Taliban in some not too distant future. That's the worry of amongst the people in certain areas.

BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour, doing what we all have come to expect, doing some excellent world class reporting. And of course, we're grateful to you for that. Christiane, thanks very much.

And Christiane will detail her entire trip to Afghanistan next week with Paula Zahn. That's at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, of course only here on CNN.

According to "Newsweek" magazine, Osama bin Laden is not only alive, but active in Afghanistan and held a terrorist summit to discuss a top priority biological weapons.

Joining us, the author of the "Newsweek" article, Ron Moreau. Thanks for coming in and joining us. This notion of biological terrorism, Osama bin Laden. I read your piece. An excellent piece of reporting.

How realistic, though is this?

RON MOREAU, "NEWSWEEK": I think it's pretty realistic. They've been trying to get these biological weapons to the point where they can use them offensively. And, for example, all of the video I think that CNN got in Afghanistan last year showing the biological weapons being used against dogs. The people who were at the -- a couple of people who were at that summit with Osama were actually involved in making those videos. So I think the entire al Qaeda operation, plus the Taliban, they are very, very interested in being able to use and deliver these weapons.

BLITZER: Here's what's really jumped out at me after reading your piece in "Newsweek" magazine. All these people coming forward saying, not only have they seen Osama bin Laden. They've gone to funerals where he's spoken. They've seen him in action at these summit. He's get his messages across doing handwriting and all of this. You would think the U.S. government would have this information and be able to find this guy.

MOREAU: You would think so. All the indicators from our reporting pointed to Kunar Province an eastern province Afghanistan that borders on Pakistan as being the most likely hideout. And if you go there and talk the villagers and even the local officials, they say it looks like he's up there. Because he's got everything going for him up there.

He's got mountains with good forest cover and most of the people are also Wahhabi Muslim, which is the same brand of Islam that Osama follows and that the Saudis follow. And there are a lot of Arabs up there. And they married with local women. So it sounds like the perfect place for him. Now there is an American special operations team in the Kunar area. And they are probing around. Apparently they haven't been able to find very much. And the Afghan officials we talked to are frustrated because they think he's being protected just by, you know, almost the entire population of Kunar.

BLITZER: Ron Moreau, you did some excellent reporting over there. Thanks very much for joining us.

MOREAU: My pleasure.

BLITZER: Ron Moreau, of "Newsweek" magazine. An article I recommend to our views.

The U.S. goes to the U.N. for help in Iraq. Is America saying it can't handle the job?

The Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich and Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher take it on when we come back.

Also Kobe Bryant's arrest warranted released today. Find out what it accuses the NBA's super star of doing. And Bryant's defense is looking for medical records of the accuser. Does this violate the rape shield law in Colorado. I'll as a former Denver district attorney.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: As we have noted, the Bush administration is going back to the United Nations asking for help in Iraq. That's something of a diplomatic about-face, but is it an admission of failure? Joining me now from Capitol Hill, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich. He's a Democratic presidential candidate. And California Republican Congressman Dana Rohrbacher of the House International Relations Committee. Is it an admission of failure Congressman Rohrbacher?

REP. DANA ROHRBACH, (R-CA) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Absolutely not. The president has shown great judgment in the past by having the courage to get rid of this gangster regime, which was a threat to our security, and was, of course, brutalizing the people of Iraq.

And now it makes sense that we have gotten that job done, of displacing his army and getting rid of his government to ask for some help in creating the stability we need to create democracy in Iraq. It makes sense.

BLITZER: Let's let the Congressman Kucinich weigh in. Go ahead, Congressman.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH, (D) OHIO: Well, of course, it's an admission of failure. This has been Bush's blunder. The Iraq policy has been counterproductive and nonproductive. The U.S. went in alone and we're stuck alone. Now we're hoping to get the United Nations to bail this country out of the mess that the Bush administration put us in.

BLITZER: On that point Congressman Rohrbacher, a lot of people will say looking at the entire situation overall, and a few months ago when everything look relatively great in April after the statues went down, the posters went down, that if the U.S. had to ask France and Germany and Russia and China, other members of the security council for help, they would have said no way.

RORBACHER: Why not? I mean, the fact is the -- we have done something -- we've provided a great service to the world. We've gotten rid of this gangster regime which had a blood grudge against the United States. A regime that threatened all of its neighbors and we now are going to replace it with a Democratic government.

Yes, there is some stability problems in the remnants of that past regime, but nobody wants Saddam Hussein back. So why shouldn't they help us right now? I think it's a good idea for the president to ask them to come on board and kick in a little bit.

BLITZER: Congressman Kucinich, I'm sure you agree it's a good idea to go back to the U.N. and get this international support.

KUCINICH: Well, you have to understand, the administration doesn't have any credibility with the United Nations after having rejected arms inspectors. But what needs to happen now, Wolf, is this. We need to get the U.N. in and the U.S. out.

We need to get out of there because our troops are being targets and the only way to do that is to have an agreement that would provide for the United Nations to handle the collection and distribution of oil revenues on behalf of the Iraqi people without privatization to be able to handle the awarding of contracts without any more halliburton (ph) sweetheart deals and to be able to do the job to reconstruct the government for the people of Iraq without any puppet governments set up for this administration.

BLITZER: Congressman Rohrbacher, go ahead.

RORBACHER: Well, of course, none of that would be possible if we wouldn't have made the stand ourselves. If it wasn't for the United States and the decisiveness of this president, Saddam Hussein would still be in power and the vast majority of people of Iraq are grateful to us.

But what we've got now is we've relegated the al Qaeda terrorists and Saddam Hussein supporters to acts of terrorism where they can run in and just shoot us or plant a bomb and run away. We need some help in guarding the buildings while we chase these people down. Otherwise they would have been planting bombs over here.

BLITZER: But the poing that Congressman Kucinich was making is that now the U.S. will have to let some of these French companies, these German companies, Russian companies, get a piece of the action as far as the rebuilding of Iraq, the oil exports. Are you willing to pay that price in order to get this U.N. resolution? RORBACHER: Well, you have to weigh the pluses and the minuses. If there's a contribution by the Germans and French and Belgians and these others who undermined us in the beginning that offsets the cost that we'd have to pay, yes, it makes sense to bring them in.

But what's more important, by getting a U.N. approval now, there are many other countries, rather than these ne're do wells, who will want to come in and help us out because they genuinely approve of what we've done and want to help the people of Iraq develop a democracy. That U.N. approval will help get those countries in.

BLITZER: I just want to get Congressman Kucinich on the record, on this specific point. Are the people of Iraq better off today than they were, let's say, last March before the war?

KUCINICH: Well, it doesn't appear so. I mean, you can say that getting rid of Saddam Hussein is good for the people of Iraq, I think people would agree with that. Look what's happened. There's thousands of innocent people who have lost their lives. There's a total chaos in Iraq. The U.S. is spending $5 billion a month now. We've lost 148 soldiers since May 1 when the president said this was over.

This whole thing has been a disaster. It's been a disaster for the people of Iraq. It's been a disaster for the world community and it's been a disaster for the United States.

BLITZER: Congressman Rorbacher, I'll give you the last word. He says the people of Iraq are not better off today.

RORBACHER: I think the American people understand the best way to combat terrorism in the United States is to go on the offensive and this case, denying Afghanistan to those terrorists and making sure that Saddam Hussein who had a blood grudge against us was not able to have this country at his disposal where he was brutalizing those people, stealing their money and developing a huge military machine that threatened us and his neighbors. It was a good thing to get rid of him.

BLITZER: All right, we're going to leave it right there. Congressman Dana Rohrbacher, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, both members of the House of Representatives, both back in Washington for the current session. Thanks very much.

A judge unseals documents in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, including the arrest warrant. New light shed on a very high-profile case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case is unsealing some of the documents, including the arrest warrant for the NBA star. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has been pouring over the papers. She is joining us now live from New York with more on what they contain -- Deborah. DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the judge released just two documents. That's only a fraction of what journalists were hoping that they'd get their hands on to find out more details of exactly what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: The documents paint a picture. The very start of the investigation and the beginning of Kobe Bryant's legal problems. First, there's the petition for physical evidence. The judge ordering Kobe Bryant to submit to testing. Specifically, physical material to be collected using what's called a rape kit.

Also, clothing worn by Bryant the night of the alleged sexual assault. The evidence was needed to help investigators decide, did Kobe Bryant do what he's accused of doing. Bryant's accuser says, Bryant sexually assaulted her at the hotel where she worked as a concierge. Bryant says sex with the young woman was consensual.

Other documents released, the arrest warrant dated July 3. A county judge ordered Bryant to be taken into custody. Bryant voluntarily surrendered and submitted to testing. At the time he was charged with felony sexual assault and false imprisonment, a misdemeanor charge that has since been dropped.

Bryant's legal team is working to get the young woman's medical records. Court documents show Bryant's lawyers have subpoenaed a Colorado medical and psychiatric facility. The young woman is a student at the University of Northern Colorado. Campus police brought her to the medical facility in February claiming she might pose a threat to herself. Citing patient confidentiality, the medical center is asking the judge to quash the subpoenas.

Also of note, an Iowa college student has now pleaded not guilty to making death threats against Bryant's accuser.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Another development just a few minutes ago. That is that a different judge has ruled he will not unseal 911 tapes made from the woman's home. Two of those calls have nothing to do with the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. In fact, they were calls made well before she ever made him. They were requesting medical assistance at the home of the young woman.

The third call though does have to do with the 911 call that was made in direct relation to the sexual assault and the transcript says that the tape record is of a very brief contact, contained no factual details of the alleged sexual result and reflects referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency. So, that's where everything stands right now -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Very interesting. Deborah Feyerick, thanks.

And for more on the case, I'm joined with someone very familiar with Colorado law. Norm Early, he's a former Denver district attorney. He's joining us now from Denver. Norm, thanks very much. What do you make, first of all, of the news that Deborah reported, the accuser making these 911 calls and the judge so far refusing to let us have access to them?

NORM EARLY, FRM. DENVER DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I think the judge is trying to keep as much as possible under wraps here so that the case can be tried in a courtroom and not in the media. 12 people are going to have to look at the facts in this case and it may become very difficult for them to ferret out what they have seen in the courtroom and what they've heard in the courtroom versus what they heard in advance of getting to the courtroom. So, I think they are just trying to be as precautionary as possible to avoid tainting the jury.

BLITZER: Given Colorado's rape shield law protecting these women, for the most part, who accuse someone of rape, how high of a hurdle do Kobe Bryant's lawyers have in getting any of this information about her mental health or her depression, whatever, admitted as evidence?

EARLY: The psychologist/patient privilege in Colorado is one that is very, very, very strong. They have a huge hurdle to overcome. There was a case in Colorado in October of 2002 entitled "the Cisnero Case" where there was a rape situation and the defense was subpoenaing records from a mental health facility which the victim had attended.

The court said the judge in the case did not even have the right to review the documents to determine whether or not there should be anything released or whether there was anything relevant. That those documents were absolutely confidential and privileged.

BLITZER: What about other medical records, phone calls to hospitals, visits to emergency rooms, stuff of that nature?

EARLY: The contents of what occurred at the hospital in the medical records, those kinds of things definitely will not be released to the defense. Whether or not the fact there was a call to the hospital or there was a visit to the hospital is something that can, in fact, be cross-examination material. That's a whole other story.

BLITZER: So if you were a criminal defense attorney representing Kobe Bryant, knowing how hard it is to get this kind of material admitted into evidence, would you go forward and still try to get it, given the public relations potential damage this effort could develop?

EARLY: They have to do everything they can to try to defend Mr. Bryant. But at this point, in this case, the victim, the hospital as well as the district attorney, have all filed motions to quash the subpoena which was served upon the medical facility here. What's going to happen if she's going to testify in the preliminary hearing, and I doubt it...

(AUDIO/VIDEO GAP)

END

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Regrouping In Afghanistan; President Bush To Resolve U.N. Conflict Over Iraq>