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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Battle Against California Wildfires Rages On; Interview With Tom Friedman; Interview With Romanian President Ion Iliescu

Aired October 28, 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: Happening now: devastation in California. You're looking at these pictures of the wildfires in southern California. Hundreds of thousands of acres already have been burned, and the death toll mounts. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Wall of flames. A relentless march of destruction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is just devastating. There aren't words to describe how horrific this is.

BLITZER: Firefighters make a desperate stand as sheriffs suspect arson.

A dangerous place.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's important for us to be tough and strong and diligent.

BLITZER: President Bush speaks his mind on Iraq.

I'll speak live with Pulitzer winner Thomas Friedman of "The New York Times."

Tyco: the take. Did this tycoon party on the company's tab?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, October 28, 2003.

BLITZER: The numbers are hard to comprehend and the battle is far from over, with walls of flames moving in on still more of southern California communities. And it is all happening right now. Within the past fewer hours, the death toll from the worst wildfires to hit the state in a decade climbed to at least 16.

The destruction also mounting this afternoon with more homes across the region, literally in the line of fire. In all, an area almost the size of Rhode Island has been blackened, spreading smoke and ash from the Mexican border to the central coast, hundreds of miles north. One of the fire fronts of major concern right now is the northwest corner of Los Angeles County. CNN's Brian Cabell is there with more on the devastation -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, among all the bad news today, there is a little bit of good news in this place known as Devil's Canyon. The winds have died down considerably. It has been fairly calm. But let me show you something that came in just about 10 minutes ago.

This is from a fire at the Rim Forest. It's about 80 miles from here, 80 miles to the east near Lake Arrowhead. Helicopters there extremely busy, trying to douse some very, very large flames. Again, this video just in the last 10 minutes. So, as you can see, we've got problems over there.

As I say, right here, no problems right now. Helicopters busy here as well all day, but the fires continue to rage on throughout southern California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been doing this for 30 years, and this is as bad as it gets.

CABELL (voice-over): In the back of many people's minds, the fear it could get even worse. The fires, some of the largest and fastest moving in modern California history, are still out of control. Despite efforts from the air and on the ground, for every new neighborhood evacuated ahead of the approaching flames, someone comes home to an old neighborhood that's no longer there.

CAPT. MARK KYLLINGSTAD, L.A. COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: It's very frustrating from the aspect that people are losing homes and everything else. And those are things that we don't like to see. Those cut to the heart.

CABELL: The federal government is now monitoring what's now considered a full-fledged disaster, with the Pentagon offering equipment and the White House clearing the way for aid.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The federal government is working closely with the state government to provide the resources necessary to help the brave firefighters do their duty.

CABELL: But the weather has been making that duty exceedingly difficult, with high winds and low humidity combining into what one fire official calls a worst case scenario, leaving tens of thousands of acres charred in just a matter of hours.

TIM TURNER, CALIFORNIA DEPT. OF FORESTRY AND FIRE: If you do the math, that's almost an acre a second. And you see this spotty structure where you have a house burned behind me and the trees unharmed. You may have a house down the block that's OK. This has been phenomenal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABELL: Take a look at those homes up there on that ridge. Those homes, we're told, are in the $10 to $15 million range. The fires yesterday came within 30, 40, 50 feet of them.

This entire landscape here now mostly gray. Firefighters, though, as individuals, got a break today. They have been working four long days, 16, 18 hours a day. Finally, they have gotten some relief.

The governor of California today, Gray Davis, just a couple of hours ago, said he hopes and expects that perhaps all of these fires will be contained by the end of this week. But again, that's if the weather holds up. Back to you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's hope it does. CNN's Brian Cabell on the front lines for us. Thanks, Brian, very much.

Also in the line of fire, resort communities in the San Bernadino Mountains. That's east of Los Angeles. Derek Bell of our affiliate KCAL KCBS is monitoring the situation over the town of Rim Forest. That's near Lake Arrowhead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK BELL, KCAL: We're seeing fire right now that has come up the hill that is now directly threatening a handful of homes. One of the homes there you can almost make out there through the smoke pole (ph). That one had been hit by one of those (UNINTELLIGIBLE) drops. A fire retardant material had been dropped on it yesterday.

But still, just out its back door. Huge flames burning right now. They have an engine company that's out in front.

As we pull back a little bit, you can see that there are a handful of homes here, just about two miles from the Rim of the World High school, just off of the 18. That's the Rim of the World Highway. They are down in that area. Smoke covering some of them.

We saw firefighters in between homes and flames. We have homes that are directly threatened. We are seeing flames right up next to them.

We have not seen any flames on the homes themselves. That's the good news. It looks as though the firefighters are really putting their lives between themselves and those homes, and they are doing a very, very good job. This is Derek Bell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Derek Bell from our affiliate KCAL, KCBS. Thanks very much for that.

Much more coming up on these wildfires in southern California, but let's turn now to another huge story that's unfolding today, the terror attacks sweeping Iraq. It was an all-too-familiar scene this time in the town of Fallujah, where a suicide bomber killed at least two people and wounded half a dozen others. CNN's Ben Wedeman joins us now with a report from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Another car bomb, more civilian victims. This attack in the town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, just up the street from a police station. Expressing their anger and grief through gun fire, Baghdad police marched in a funeral procession for one of their own killed in Monday's wave of car bombings in the capital. Three separate car bombs apparently aimed at Baghdad police stations killed more than 20 people.

Concern is now growing. The Iraqi police, which coordinates closely with the U.S.-led coalition, is now the prime target of a shadowy, nameless resistance. This policeman wounded Monday says he is certain they were attacked because they are working with the Americans.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross is reassessing its presence in Iraq after a suicide bomber driving a van with Red Crescent markings killed 12 people, including two employees just outside its office. Red Cross officials say their intent is not to reduce activities in the country.

NADA DOUMAN, SPOKESWOMAN, INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS: Well, for the time being, as you can imagine, our operations are suspended. I mean, my colleagues today went to the funerals, to attend the funerals of two of our colleagues who have been killed yesterday. And at this stage, we are still in a state of shock, of deep sadness, of anger, too.

WEDEMAN (on camera): Almost lost in the growing list of attacks, the assassination of Baghdad Deputy Mayor (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He just returned from the Madrid donor's conference where he had been lobbying for reconstruction money for Iraq. Coalition sources say he was shot dead outside his home.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Calling Iraq a dangerous place, President Bush today said Saddam Hussein loyalists and foreign fighters are trying to get the U.S. to pull out, but he added this: "We're not leaving."

The comments came in a wide-ranging news conference earlier today. Let's go live to senior White House correspondent John King. He was there -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And Wolf, it ran 48 minutes out in the White House rose garden. Mr. Bush knew as he walked out of the Oval Office the questions would be dominated by his strategy for post-war Iraq. The recent wave of deadly bombings raising new questions about whether the United States is prepared on the ground. Mr. Bush insisted that he believes the strategy is a sound one, although he did concede significantly today that because of this recent wave of bombings, the strategy, the tactics on the ground will need to be adjusted.

His team meeting even tonight to discuss perhaps new changes in the strategy on the ground. Mr. Bush said it was proof to him, these recent attacks, that the terrorists are trying to frighten the United States, frighten humanitarian groups into leaving Iraq. Mr. Bush says he will not be intimidated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: It is the same mentality, by the way, that attacked us on September 11, 2001. We'll just destroy innocent life and watch the great United States and their friends and allies crater in the face of hardship. It is the exact same mentality.

And Iraq is a part of the war on terror. I say that's a central front, a new front on the war on terror, and that's exactly what it is. And that's why it's important for us to be tough and strong and diligent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, Mr. Bush said he had no regrets about his big speech on May 1, declaring major combat operations over. On average, four U.S. soldiers have died by hostile fire a week in Iraq since that speech. A new poll at CNN today showing the president's political problem when it comes to this question. Forty-five percent say that rate of death toll is acceptable to them given the difficult circumstances in Iraq. But a majority, 53 percent, say it is not acceptable that U.S. soldiers continue to die at that rate.

Again, Mr. Bush's top deputies, the defense secretary, the commanding general of U.S. troops in Iraq, meeting here at the White House this afternoon to discuss tactical shifts. One goal, senior officials say, is to accelerate the training of Iraqi police and security forces so that they can be on the front lines to deal with these attacks -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John King at the White House. Thanks, John, very much.

Is there a safer way to get the job done in Iraq and is there a way out? Joining us now, the author and "The New York Times" columnist, Tom Friedman. He won his third Pulitzer Prize last year for commentary. His two earlier prizes came for his reporting from the Middle East, a region he knows about as well as anyone.

Tom, thanks very much for joining us.

THOMAS FRIEDMAN, "NEW YORK TIMES": Good to be with you, Wolf.

BLITZER: So what's the answer?

FRIEDMAN: The answer is really I think what the president alluded to, more, better, faster. More Iraqi police faster deployed, more effort to get an Iraqi constitution and elections going. And thirdly, which the president didn't say, is I think we're probably going to have to re-invade the Sunni triangle west and north of Baghdad.

BLITZER: With major combat? Is that what you're suggesting?

FRIEDMAN: Major, minor combat. We're going to have to invade it with military on one side and jobs on the other. Because, on the one hand, you want to be able to retain the population and their support. At the same time, this is where 80 percent of the attacks are coming from. This was the stronghold of Saddam Hussein.

BLITZER: Is it a question of bringing in more U.S. and coalition forces? Because John Abizaid, the U.S. commander of the Central Command, so far says he has enough.

FRIEDMAN: Well, it may be he has enough. I can't decide that from here. It is conceivable for me they can take away from the south, where things are quiet, away from the north, where things are quite. But not only do we need Americans. Most of all, we need Iraqis ready to fight this fight.

BLITZER: So it was a mistake to let that 400,000-man Iraqi military sort of fade away and disband?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. There were two divisions of Saddam's loyal Republican Guards in Baghdad in the Sunni triangle who we never fought. That's why we won the war so quickly. They took off their uniforms and went home. We're fighting them now.

BLITZER: So what do you do to get these guys back? They are obviously trained in military matters, and presumably they didn't have so much loyalty to Saddam Hussein.

FRIEDMAN: Well, again, I think you need a military strategy. Obviously, there's some you're just going to have to root out, number one. But you also need a political strategy.

There is a Sunni Muslim mainstream in Iraq that once dominated the country, but also needs to and wants to be represented. It's why I've been saying the neo-cons need a neo-Ba'ath (ph). We need a new party, not the Ba'ath Party, but one that will represent the aspirations and hopes of the Sunni Muslims of Iraq as well. So you need a military strategy and a political strategy.

BLITZER: You wrote a provocative column in Sunday's "New York Times," saying Iraq and Israel and Egypt should be members of NATO. NATO is expanding, as obviously you well know. But Iraq a member of NATO?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. In the long term, we have two critical problems that I was trying to focus on in Iraq. One is we want an Iraqi army that's big enough to deter Iran, but not so big that it could again dominate all of Iraq and quash freedom and democracy there in the hands of some leader down the road.

How do you get that? Well, maybe you have Iraq join NATO, and that will defer Iran. Number two, we have a problem in the long term, Wolf. Who is going to protect the fledgling democracy in Iraq? You need something like the Turkish army, the way it protects democracy and Turkey. And in the background, there could be a NATO-Iraqi force.

BLITZER: But Turkey has a long history -- at least relatively speaking -- of some forms of democracy. Iraq has no history of democracy. And one of the conditions for being a NATO ally, in which you have veto power over what NATO can do, is to have democracy.

FRIEDMAN: I didn't expect this to happen overnight, number one. And number two, all the new NATO members are all fledgling democracies as well. Romania...

BLITZER: We're going to be speaking shortly with the president of Romania.

FRIEDMAN: ... Czech Republic, these are all fledgling democracies. And how did we justify expanding NATO to these countries to consolidate their fledgling democracies? If it is important in Eastern Europe, surely it is just as important in the Middle East. That's the new front.

BLITZER: One final question, Tom. If the U.S. tomorrow were to find or kill Saddam Hussein, how important would that be?

FRIEDMAN: I think it would be important because one of the things that's holding Iraqis back is a fear that Saddam and his loyalists will come back. That we will leave and he will come back. Killing him will not be sufficient to end the war, but it certainly is necessary.

BLITZER: Tom Friedman of "The New York Times." Knows the area well. Appreciate it.

FRIEDMAN: Mildly.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Tom.

BLITZER: Thanks, Wolf.

Here is your turn to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is this: Who is most responsible for terror attacks in Iraq, Saddam Hussein supporters or foreign fighters? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf.

We'll have the results later in this broadcast. While you're there, I would love to hear directly from you, our viewers. Send me your comments. I will 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.

Inside an attack. An eyewitness account of the Al Rasheed Hotel bombing in Baghdad. I will speak with a journalist who was in the hotel when the rockets were fired.

Lavish parties on the company dollar. Tapes of a Tyco executive's $2 million birthday party thrown for his wife.

Plus, this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got my pets out of here, we got my mom out of here. We've been on the other side for five hours.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything's gone. Everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Devastation in southern California. Families coping with their major losses. Life coverage of our top story. That will continue.

First, today's news quiz. Prior to the fires burning now in San Diego County, which California county had the largest wildfire on record, Los Angeles, San Bernadino, San Francisco, Ventura? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Jurors in the corruption trial of Dennis Kozlowski today got to see a videotape of the lavish birthday party the former Tyco CEO threw for his wife some three years ago. Prosecutors say the party, which cost, get this, $2 million, is evidence that Kozlowski made personal use of company money. The latest now from CNN's Mary Snow in New York -- Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNNFN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, before prosecutors could hit the play button on this tape, they had to edit out racy parts, things like an ice sculpture of David spouting vodka from his private parts. Also, someone mooning the camera. So today, what jurors saw was the PG-13 version.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): The theme, Roman. The setting, lavish. The attire, sometimes scant. The message clear.

Prosecutors in the corruption trying of Dennis Kozlowski want jurors to see the former Tyco CEO living the high life on the company dime. Kozlowski hosted a $2.1 million birthday bash for his wife on the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia. The prosecution says Tyco picked up at least half the tab, a tab that included flying in Jimmy Buffet to perform and having scantily-clad models feed grapes to the guests.

The racier parts of the video were edited out. But jurors, some smirking at times, watched about 20 minutes of the tape, a break in weeks of tedious testimony in one of the most high profile corporate scandals to go to the courtroom.

JOHN COFFEE, COLUMBIA LAW PROFESSOR: Ultimately, for the jury the question is, did Tyco have any real business purpose in paying for the CEO's wife's birthday party in Sardinia? And I think most jurors are going to have some trouble buying that at face value.

SNOW: Kozlowski and Mark Schwartz, former Tyco CFO, are both charged with looting the company of $600 million.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: After the tape was played in court today, Kozlowski was asked by reporters off camera if he had anything to say about it. All he would say was, "It was a nice party with nice people" -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Mary Snow with that. Mary, thanks very much.

Forced to leave.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The next thing I know we've got five minutes to move out. And my life's in that house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Residents on the run in southern California. Right now wildfires burning out of control. Our special live coverage continues.

Getting involved: the roll of the international community in Iraq. Romania's president will join me live just house after he sat down with President Bush.

Personal account: I'll also sit down live with a journalist who was inside Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel Sunday morning when it was attacked. A touching story you won't want to miss. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: While some NATO allies have not answered the U.S. call for help in Iraq, a future NATO member has indeed taken an active role. Romania, due to join the alliance next year, has sent 800 soldiers to Iraq and even more to Afghanistan. President Ion Iliescu met today at the White House with President Bush. And the president of Romania joins us now live.

Mr. President, welcome to the United States. Thanks very much for joining us. So why is Romania taking such a cooperative stance with the United States?

PRESIDENT ION ILIESCU, ROMANIA: If you allow me, first of all, I want to thank you for this opportunity. I don't know if you know that CNN was the first broadcasting worldwide network in Romania after the fall.

BLITZER: I remember those days very well. I remember our reporters there. And it's good to have you here.

ILIESCU: I am honored to have this opportunity.

BLITZER: Let's talk about the news of the day. We don't have a lot of time. Why is Romania so active in helping the United States?

ILIESCU: We understand very well that we have no other choice but to fight together the main challenges and the main threats in the world of today. We agree fully with President Bush after 9/11, when he told the main threats of the world for all peace and stability is the terrorists, and that these common duties of all civilized world to show solidarity and fight together.

BLITZER: The defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has included Romania as part of what he calls the new Europe as opposed to the old Europe, Germany and France, for example, which have resisted the U.S. calls for help. How far is Romania ready to go in terms of helping the U.S. specifically? Bases in Romania?

ILIESCU: We are open. We have offered already our facilities. And I am confident in our capacity to be useful. And we are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the fact that our allies, the United States, will operate the facilities offered by Romania.

BLITZER: Do you get a sense in eastern and central Europe the position taken by Romania is popular with others there, as opposed to western Europe, where it's certainly not that popular?

ILIESCU: I could say all the polls show that the great majority of the Romanian people is in favor of this decision and of the determination taken by Romania.

BLITZER: Is that in part because the Romanian people are grateful for the U.S. for leading the Cold War struggle that freed Romania from communist rule?

ILIESCU: It is our confidence in the United States because we consider and have our own experience, Romanian people.

BLITZER: I'll bet you President Bush, I'm sure, was very happy to speak with you today and get that warm expression of support.

ILIESCU: He felt (UNINTELLIGIBLE) last year during this great meeting more than 100,000 people in the center of Bucharest (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Such a warm reception, and the approval of the message President Bush presented to Romania.

BLITZER: I remember when I was in Bucharest with former President Clinton when he came, when Romania was not admitted to the U.N. The people of Romania deeply loved the United States. Thanks very much, President Iliescu, for joining us. Welcome to the United States.

ILIESCU: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: Total devastation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of our friends and neighbors, their houses are gone. It's just devastating. There aren't words to describe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Raging wildfires taking lives and destroying homes in southern California. Is there relief in sight?

And race against time in Russia. The moment of truth may be near for the fate of 13 trapped miners.

And get this. Just in time for Halloween it could be love at first bite for the chocoholic who gets this kiss. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Can the weather do what firefighters can't -- calm the dangerous fires and end the suffering for thousands of people in Southern California? Our live coverage will continue.

And, an eyewitness to horror. I'll talk live with Stephen Hayes of "The Weekly Standard," who was inside Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel when it was bombed.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at these live pictures, dramatic pictures. This is a house. Clearly, it's burning. It's in Rim Forest, San Diego County. This live picture shows the devastation. Only one tiny, tiny fragment of what is happening right now in Southern California. Thousands of homes, obviously, endangered right now. Thousands of people evacuated. Two hundred thousand-plus acres on fire in San Diego County alone. We're going to continue to cover these stories.

But let's check some other headlines we're following right now as well.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: More now on our top story, the devastating wildfires sweeping across Southern California. They've destroyed some 1,500 homes, leaving many residents with nothing but the clothes they fled in. Others were lucky enough to be able to salvage something from the rubble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We found a photo albums in a stack right there where you see the movies and the books. And we were actually walking through here just trying to dig through. That used to be my room. And that was my brother's room and my mom's room and the kitchen and the bathroom and the hallways and -- and, you know, we couldn't find anything. It's ash. And there's nothing -- there's nothing left. And then we were leaving and my cousin, Claudia (ph), was looking right there. And she said, Those -- look at those. What are those?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The devastation is so hard to comprehend. But even harder is the fact that authorities believe at least two of the fires were set by humans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): The priorities are obvious -- battle the flames, contain, evacuate.

But below the surface, there's anger and resolution to find those responsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I don't understand the mentality of somebody getting their jollies from lighting fire. I don't understand that. It doesn't make any sense to me.

BLITZER: At least two of these huge wildfires are believed to have been caused by humans. But veteran investigators say determining the cause of wildfires is more difficult than in structural fire cases.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unless you have witnesses that actually say, Yes, here's where the fire started and here's what they used to start it with, sometimes it's very difficult in a wildfire to get the evidence you need.

BLITZER: The deadly Cedar Fire in San Diego County is one of the largest blazes in California history. Hundreds of thousands of acres charred so far.

It began at the hands of a lost hunter.

CHIEF JEFF BOWMAN, SAN DIEGO CO. FIRE DEPT.: That fire was caused by a hunter who was in a forest area and was lost and confused, lit a fire to try and draw attention to himself and eight hours later, unfortunately, these east winds we call the Santa Ana winds kicked up. And that's what started this one.

BLITZER: The San Diego County Sheriff's Office tells CNN the man's been taken into custody by the U.S. Forest Service, cited and released.

In San Bernadino County, a face, a composite of one of two suspects. The sheriff's department there tells us witnesses report the suspects were in a gray van this past Saturday on Highway 18 in the northern end of the city of San Bernadino. Witnesses say the suspects threw something out of the van, made a quick U-turn and sped away.

CNN law enforcement correspondent, Mike Brooks, says this could help authorities put the puzzle together.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Some of the things investigators will look at are people who have a history of arson. They'll take a look at that, compare that with any evidence -- if any evidence they found at the scene. And also, witness statements.

BLITZER: The two suspects are wanted in connection with the so- called Old Fire, one of three in San Bernadino County that have destroyed hundreds of homes. They could also be charged with murder.

Ventura County investigators tell us one of their fires was caused accidentally as a result of construction work.

All the sheriff's and fire departments we contacted, in San Diego, L.A., San Bernadino and Ventura counties say their investigations are on going. And they echo what federal law enforcement sources here in Washington tell CNN -- right now, no active investigation linking these fires with political terrorism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The Pentagon is pitching in with fire-fighting efforts. The defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has signed off on deployment of four C-130 aircraft specially equipped for firefighting. They'll join eight helicopters from the California National Guard that are being used almost as giant buckets to drop water on the flames.

In addition, the U.S. Navy is making the hospital ship Mercy available -- it's off San Diego -- if needed.

Of course, the weather is a huge factor in the spread of these fires. And it looks like Southern California finally getting a break from the Santa Ana winds that have been fanning the flames.

CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano is at the CNN Center with a quick look at the forecast.

Rob, tell us what it looks like.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, you're right. Today was a -- definitely a break in the action, at least along coastal areas. The mountainous areas still had some Santa Ana winds.

This is our latest high resolution satellite imagery from the U.S. Forest Service from yesterday. And you can see those east winds still dramatic. Probably the most dramatic plume is the Cedar Fire off San Diego. You can see that fanning out towards the ocean, then up towards Los Angeles County. And the San Bernadino fires, same sort of deal. Farther to the north, towards the Simi Fire, we're experiencing the same sort of deal.

But one interesting point. The topography plays a role in which way these winds go as well. Notice a northerly wind direction, and once it gets away from the mountains, the upper level, more sustained winds take this offshore.

So what we're seeing right now in Oxnard are southwesterly winds. So the on-shore push already starting to begin, or at least begin. High pressure just inland now, beginning to weaken. And we'll start to see a stronger on-shore push during the day tomorrow. Everyone will get a west -- or southwest wind tomorrow. Mountainous areas still had easterly winds today.

Then on Thursday we have got a really strong cold front that's going to slide through the area. Unseasonably cool weather expected not only Thursday but Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So cool and so moist we might even see some drizzle along the coastline.

Right now, though, no rain across California. We are seeing some light rain showers across the northwest. Here is that front, Wolf, and it will be coming down the pike here in the next couple of days, so we can see the relief and only better news for firefighters as we go on through time. Back to you.

BLITZER: And we now know why they call the Santa Ana winds the devil winds. Obviously, they are not good. Rob Marciano, thanks very much for that.

Experiencing an attack. A journalist caught inside Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel as rockets are fired. He'll tell us his dramatic story. That's coming up next.

Plus, this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Your house and the house next door, but the rest of them are all gone. All the way to the top.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did mine survive?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. It's amazing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Emotions on high as residents in California learn the fate of their homes. Our special coverage will continue.

And great payoff. Bet a quarter, win over $2 million. Not bad. First, though, let's take a look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Cabinet expansion. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei has agreed to form a permanent cabinet to replace the emergency cabinet whose mandate expires next week. Qorei says he will enlarge the current eight-member group to a full cabinet of more than 20 members with what he calls an empowered interior minister by November 5.

Terror suspect arrested. French police say they have detained a man suspected of having ties to al Qaeda. The man, who is a French citizen, was arrested last week in Paris. Authorities in the French capital say they believe he may have been involved in a plot to carry out an attack in Australia.

Back on solid ground. American astronaut Ed Lu, a Spanish astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut are back on Earth, after their safe return from the International Space Station. The three were brought back to Earth last night by a Soyuz space capsule that landed in Kazakhstan. It is the first Russian spacecraft to both launch and land an American astronaut.

Heavy lifting. Several dozen sumo wrestlers, both male and female, travel to the Netherlands to compete in the first Sumo World Cup. The 2,000-year-old sport has its roots in Japan.

The hair is the thing. In the Philippines, thousands of hair stylists showed off their artistic flare at the Asia Pacific Hair Olympics. The event attracted competitors from 18 countries.

Chocoholics delight. Pastry chefs in Italy have created what's believed to be the world's biggest piece of chocolate. It's seven feet tall and 23 feet in diameter.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Ahead of the latest wave of bombings in Iraq was Sunday's brazen rocket attack, right in the heart of Baghdad. The target, the Al Rasheed Hotel, which houses coalition personnel, including many Americans. On Sunday, it also housed the deputy defense secretary of the United States, Paul Wolfowitz. I'm joined now by Stephen Hayes of "The Weekly Standard." He was in the hotel, saw the rockets being fired. Steve, thanks very much for joining us. You were there with Wolfowitz. You were covering his trip. Tell us exactly what happened at 6:00 a.m.

STEPHEN HAYES, THE WEEKLY STANDARD: Well, I was woken up. I was rooming with Jim Kitfield (ph) of "The National Journal." We got a wake-up call, had sort of an insignificant conversation, and went to the shower, and I started looking out over this park that is on the other side of the Al Rasheed Hotel, where the famous Saddam crossed arms are, and literally a minute after I started looking out, I looked down. There was a large blue trailer. And as I looked at the trailer, it started firing rockets at the hotel.

BLITZER: How close did those rockets get to you?

HAYES: Well, one of them hit on the 11th floor. Two of them hit on the 11th floor, I'm told.

BLITZER: And you were on the 11th floor?

HAYES: And I was on the 11th floor. And one of those two exploded. One of them didn't explode. They started out lower in the building, hitting first the third floor, and I stood there kind of like a moron and watched as they continued to hit the building. And it finally occurred to me, maybe after 15 seconds, that I shouldn't stay by the window.

BLITZER: So then what did you do?

HAYES: So I ran out in the hallway, got down on the ground. I saw some military folks down on the ground, on their hands and knees, remembered to knock on the door to see if I could get Kitfield (ph) out of the shower, where he was. He opened the door. We both got down on the ground and stayed there until it sounded like things weren't -- it sounded like the bombing was done, and the attacks.

BLITZER: And then what happened next?

HAYES: We sort of did a survey of the damage. There was some significant damage on our floor. A wall was blown off down the hall and some doors. And we did some looking at the damage, and I talked to some cameramen from another network, and sort of got their take on what had happened.

BLITZER: Now, you were walking out and you heard some moaning going on. Jim Miklaszewski of NBC News says that you were responsible for pinpointing what was going on when you heard something very, very worrisome in a room not far away from you?

HAYES: Yeah. I mean, I don't want to get into the details out of respect for the family, but there was an injured soldier in one of the rooms, injured U.S. soldier in one of the rooms.

BLITZER: You ran inside then?

HAYES: I went in and tried to talk to him as much as I could, and keep him calm.

BLITZER: And what happened after that?

HAYES: Well, unfortunately, that soldier didn't -- didn't make it. And I left the room. And eventually made my way down stairs.

BLITZER: This was the third time you were in Baghdad, in Iraq, since the end of this major combat, what was going on. What's your sense right now? How bad is it?

HAYES: Well, I mean, certainly things like this -- when, you know, the hotel that houses the Americans who work for the Coalition Provisional Authority is attacked, is not a good sign. And the subsequent attacks yesterday certainly raise some troubling questions about the state of the security, mostly in Baghdad and in the Sunni triangle. You know, of the changes I noticed, there were more Iraqi police on the street, which was a good thing, and this Iraqi civilian defense corps, which is sort of above the police, has gotten started.

BLITZER: You are writing a new book on Paul Wolfowitz. Many see him as the intellectual architect of this war. He was there with you, and then you left with him, spent the rest of the day. How shaken was he?

HAYES: He was -- you know, I think he was concerned, is a good way to put it. He certainly did not seem shaken. I mean, I think given everything that happened, anybody would have been sort of worried or concerned. But he seemed to sort of take control right away. And he immediately asked for a casualty count, and then wanted to assess the damage, and then proceeded with the rest of his day.

BLITZER: How are you doing?

HAYES: I'm all right. I'm a little shaken. It's not an easy thing to do, but...

BLITZER: We were all worried about you when we heard about you. Thank God you're home safe and sound.

HAYES: Thanks.

BLITZER: Stephen Hayes of "The Weekly Standard," thanks very much.

Up in flames. Houses, treasured belongings, entire neighborhoods indeed gone. Right now, more homes in danger of burning to the ground. We'll take you live to San Diego. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Prior to the fires burning now in San Diego County, which California county had the largest wildfire on record? The answer, Ventura. A 1932 fire scorched 220,000 acres in Ventura County.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: More now on those California wildfires.

I want to show our viewers some live pictures, what's happening right now in Rim Forest. That's in San Bernadino County. Right now, look at these pictures. That's a home that's up in flames right now. The so-called Cedar Fire, by the way, has destroyed some 900 homes in San Diego County and some 300,000 acres. It's now believed to be the biggest fire in recorded state history.

CNN's Adrian Baschuk is there.

ADRIAN BASCHUK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, out here in San Diego we are in Scripps Ranch, an affluent neighborhood in San Diego.

You can take a look at this car. It has been sitting in ash for the past few days during these fires. However, I run my hand across it and you can see the soot and ash that has piled up. But it is intact, seemingly untouched, as is this house just a block up the street -- a mansion still standing just as it was the day it was built.

You come across the street, however, and all you see is a mere shell of a house. The walls standing erect. That's all that is left. The entire inside is gutted, as are many of these houses down the street.

You look down the hill. And in the vista, it's a very thick smoky haze of ash and smoke that's hard to see through, very difficult to breathe in. This house, for example. You walk up the driveway, and you can just imagine what its residents, what its homeowners are going to be thinking when they arrive here, due in the next few hours to assess the damage. There is an old car sitting in what was once the garage. The entire home gutted, leveled, solely ashes.

Now Navy helicopters were flying around the valley back there in the view in the distance looking for spot fires here. In San Diego alone, published reports say that 818 homes were destroyed. In this neighborhood, 300 homes alone were destroyed.

Reporting in San Diego, Adrian Baschuk. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Adrian.

And look at this story. Lucky lunch ladies. They serve kids each weekday but now can have -- now they can afford to have people serve them. You'll love this story. I know I did.

And the results of our "Web Question of the Day." That's coming up when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Take a look at the results of our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, this is not -- repeat not -- a scientific poll.

Let's turn now to our "Picture of the Day." Fifteen cooks and a custodian -- they bought lottery tickets with every paycheck, a quarter at a time -- 25 cents for 13 years. Now the school cafeteria crew from Roseville, Minnesota, has lunch money for life. They're winners of $95 million, half of a Powerball jackpot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes. Great.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unbelievable. And this is the only school in Minnesota that has millions of dollar (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's to get to one of your e-mails, at least. Nanci writes this: "Since there have been so many successful car bombings, we should spend more time and money trying to infiltrate these covert operations that slow down the effort to make Iraqis free."

That's all the time we have today. I'm here everyday, 5 p.m. Eastern.

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





With Tom Friedman; Interview With Romanian President Ion Iliescu>


Aired October 28, 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: Happening now: devastation in California. You're looking at these pictures of the wildfires in southern California. Hundreds of thousands of acres already have been burned, and the death toll mounts. Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Wall of flames. A relentless march of destruction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is just devastating. There aren't words to describe how horrific this is.

BLITZER: Firefighters make a desperate stand as sheriffs suspect arson.

A dangerous place.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's important for us to be tough and strong and diligent.

BLITZER: President Bush speaks his mind on Iraq.

I'll speak live with Pulitzer winner Thomas Friedman of "The New York Times."

Tyco: the take. Did this tycoon party on the company's tab?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, October 28, 2003.

BLITZER: The numbers are hard to comprehend and the battle is far from over, with walls of flames moving in on still more of southern California communities. And it is all happening right now. Within the past fewer hours, the death toll from the worst wildfires to hit the state in a decade climbed to at least 16.

The destruction also mounting this afternoon with more homes across the region, literally in the line of fire. In all, an area almost the size of Rhode Island has been blackened, spreading smoke and ash from the Mexican border to the central coast, hundreds of miles north. One of the fire fronts of major concern right now is the northwest corner of Los Angeles County. CNN's Brian Cabell is there with more on the devastation -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, among all the bad news today, there is a little bit of good news in this place known as Devil's Canyon. The winds have died down considerably. It has been fairly calm. But let me show you something that came in just about 10 minutes ago.

This is from a fire at the Rim Forest. It's about 80 miles from here, 80 miles to the east near Lake Arrowhead. Helicopters there extremely busy, trying to douse some very, very large flames. Again, this video just in the last 10 minutes. So, as you can see, we've got problems over there.

As I say, right here, no problems right now. Helicopters busy here as well all day, but the fires continue to rage on throughout southern California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been doing this for 30 years, and this is as bad as it gets.

CABELL (voice-over): In the back of many people's minds, the fear it could get even worse. The fires, some of the largest and fastest moving in modern California history, are still out of control. Despite efforts from the air and on the ground, for every new neighborhood evacuated ahead of the approaching flames, someone comes home to an old neighborhood that's no longer there.

CAPT. MARK KYLLINGSTAD, L.A. COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: It's very frustrating from the aspect that people are losing homes and everything else. And those are things that we don't like to see. Those cut to the heart.

CABELL: The federal government is now monitoring what's now considered a full-fledged disaster, with the Pentagon offering equipment and the White House clearing the way for aid.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The federal government is working closely with the state government to provide the resources necessary to help the brave firefighters do their duty.

CABELL: But the weather has been making that duty exceedingly difficult, with high winds and low humidity combining into what one fire official calls a worst case scenario, leaving tens of thousands of acres charred in just a matter of hours.

TIM TURNER, CALIFORNIA DEPT. OF FORESTRY AND FIRE: If you do the math, that's almost an acre a second. And you see this spotty structure where you have a house burned behind me and the trees unharmed. You may have a house down the block that's OK. This has been phenomenal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABELL: Take a look at those homes up there on that ridge. Those homes, we're told, are in the $10 to $15 million range. The fires yesterday came within 30, 40, 50 feet of them.

This entire landscape here now mostly gray. Firefighters, though, as individuals, got a break today. They have been working four long days, 16, 18 hours a day. Finally, they have gotten some relief.

The governor of California today, Gray Davis, just a couple of hours ago, said he hopes and expects that perhaps all of these fires will be contained by the end of this week. But again, that's if the weather holds up. Back to you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's hope it does. CNN's Brian Cabell on the front lines for us. Thanks, Brian, very much.

Also in the line of fire, resort communities in the San Bernadino Mountains. That's east of Los Angeles. Derek Bell of our affiliate KCAL KCBS is monitoring the situation over the town of Rim Forest. That's near Lake Arrowhead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK BELL, KCAL: We're seeing fire right now that has come up the hill that is now directly threatening a handful of homes. One of the homes there you can almost make out there through the smoke pole (ph). That one had been hit by one of those (UNINTELLIGIBLE) drops. A fire retardant material had been dropped on it yesterday.

But still, just out its back door. Huge flames burning right now. They have an engine company that's out in front.

As we pull back a little bit, you can see that there are a handful of homes here, just about two miles from the Rim of the World High school, just off of the 18. That's the Rim of the World Highway. They are down in that area. Smoke covering some of them.

We saw firefighters in between homes and flames. We have homes that are directly threatened. We are seeing flames right up next to them.

We have not seen any flames on the homes themselves. That's the good news. It looks as though the firefighters are really putting their lives between themselves and those homes, and they are doing a very, very good job. This is Derek Bell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Derek Bell from our affiliate KCAL, KCBS. Thanks very much for that.

Much more coming up on these wildfires in southern California, but let's turn now to another huge story that's unfolding today, the terror attacks sweeping Iraq. It was an all-too-familiar scene this time in the town of Fallujah, where a suicide bomber killed at least two people and wounded half a dozen others. CNN's Ben Wedeman joins us now with a report from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Another car bomb, more civilian victims. This attack in the town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, just up the street from a police station. Expressing their anger and grief through gun fire, Baghdad police marched in a funeral procession for one of their own killed in Monday's wave of car bombings in the capital. Three separate car bombs apparently aimed at Baghdad police stations killed more than 20 people.

Concern is now growing. The Iraqi police, which coordinates closely with the U.S.-led coalition, is now the prime target of a shadowy, nameless resistance. This policeman wounded Monday says he is certain they were attacked because they are working with the Americans.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross is reassessing its presence in Iraq after a suicide bomber driving a van with Red Crescent markings killed 12 people, including two employees just outside its office. Red Cross officials say their intent is not to reduce activities in the country.

NADA DOUMAN, SPOKESWOMAN, INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS: Well, for the time being, as you can imagine, our operations are suspended. I mean, my colleagues today went to the funerals, to attend the funerals of two of our colleagues who have been killed yesterday. And at this stage, we are still in a state of shock, of deep sadness, of anger, too.

WEDEMAN (on camera): Almost lost in the growing list of attacks, the assassination of Baghdad Deputy Mayor (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He just returned from the Madrid donor's conference where he had been lobbying for reconstruction money for Iraq. Coalition sources say he was shot dead outside his home.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Calling Iraq a dangerous place, President Bush today said Saddam Hussein loyalists and foreign fighters are trying to get the U.S. to pull out, but he added this: "We're not leaving."

The comments came in a wide-ranging news conference earlier today. Let's go live to senior White House correspondent John King. He was there -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And Wolf, it ran 48 minutes out in the White House rose garden. Mr. Bush knew as he walked out of the Oval Office the questions would be dominated by his strategy for post-war Iraq. The recent wave of deadly bombings raising new questions about whether the United States is prepared on the ground. Mr. Bush insisted that he believes the strategy is a sound one, although he did concede significantly today that because of this recent wave of bombings, the strategy, the tactics on the ground will need to be adjusted.

His team meeting even tonight to discuss perhaps new changes in the strategy on the ground. Mr. Bush said it was proof to him, these recent attacks, that the terrorists are trying to frighten the United States, frighten humanitarian groups into leaving Iraq. Mr. Bush says he will not be intimidated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: It is the same mentality, by the way, that attacked us on September 11, 2001. We'll just destroy innocent life and watch the great United States and their friends and allies crater in the face of hardship. It is the exact same mentality.

And Iraq is a part of the war on terror. I say that's a central front, a new front on the war on terror, and that's exactly what it is. And that's why it's important for us to be tough and strong and diligent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, Mr. Bush said he had no regrets about his big speech on May 1, declaring major combat operations over. On average, four U.S. soldiers have died by hostile fire a week in Iraq since that speech. A new poll at CNN today showing the president's political problem when it comes to this question. Forty-five percent say that rate of death toll is acceptable to them given the difficult circumstances in Iraq. But a majority, 53 percent, say it is not acceptable that U.S. soldiers continue to die at that rate.

Again, Mr. Bush's top deputies, the defense secretary, the commanding general of U.S. troops in Iraq, meeting here at the White House this afternoon to discuss tactical shifts. One goal, senior officials say, is to accelerate the training of Iraqi police and security forces so that they can be on the front lines to deal with these attacks -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John King at the White House. Thanks, John, very much.

Is there a safer way to get the job done in Iraq and is there a way out? Joining us now, the author and "The New York Times" columnist, Tom Friedman. He won his third Pulitzer Prize last year for commentary. His two earlier prizes came for his reporting from the Middle East, a region he knows about as well as anyone.

Tom, thanks very much for joining us.

THOMAS FRIEDMAN, "NEW YORK TIMES": Good to be with you, Wolf.

BLITZER: So what's the answer?

FRIEDMAN: The answer is really I think what the president alluded to, more, better, faster. More Iraqi police faster deployed, more effort to get an Iraqi constitution and elections going. And thirdly, which the president didn't say, is I think we're probably going to have to re-invade the Sunni triangle west and north of Baghdad.

BLITZER: With major combat? Is that what you're suggesting?

FRIEDMAN: Major, minor combat. We're going to have to invade it with military on one side and jobs on the other. Because, on the one hand, you want to be able to retain the population and their support. At the same time, this is where 80 percent of the attacks are coming from. This was the stronghold of Saddam Hussein.

BLITZER: Is it a question of bringing in more U.S. and coalition forces? Because John Abizaid, the U.S. commander of the Central Command, so far says he has enough.

FRIEDMAN: Well, it may be he has enough. I can't decide that from here. It is conceivable for me they can take away from the south, where things are quiet, away from the north, where things are quite. But not only do we need Americans. Most of all, we need Iraqis ready to fight this fight.

BLITZER: So it was a mistake to let that 400,000-man Iraqi military sort of fade away and disband?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. There were two divisions of Saddam's loyal Republican Guards in Baghdad in the Sunni triangle who we never fought. That's why we won the war so quickly. They took off their uniforms and went home. We're fighting them now.

BLITZER: So what do you do to get these guys back? They are obviously trained in military matters, and presumably they didn't have so much loyalty to Saddam Hussein.

FRIEDMAN: Well, again, I think you need a military strategy. Obviously, there's some you're just going to have to root out, number one. But you also need a political strategy.

There is a Sunni Muslim mainstream in Iraq that once dominated the country, but also needs to and wants to be represented. It's why I've been saying the neo-cons need a neo-Ba'ath (ph). We need a new party, not the Ba'ath Party, but one that will represent the aspirations and hopes of the Sunni Muslims of Iraq as well. So you need a military strategy and a political strategy.

BLITZER: You wrote a provocative column in Sunday's "New York Times," saying Iraq and Israel and Egypt should be members of NATO. NATO is expanding, as obviously you well know. But Iraq a member of NATO?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. In the long term, we have two critical problems that I was trying to focus on in Iraq. One is we want an Iraqi army that's big enough to deter Iran, but not so big that it could again dominate all of Iraq and quash freedom and democracy there in the hands of some leader down the road.

How do you get that? Well, maybe you have Iraq join NATO, and that will defer Iran. Number two, we have a problem in the long term, Wolf. Who is going to protect the fledgling democracy in Iraq? You need something like the Turkish army, the way it protects democracy and Turkey. And in the background, there could be a NATO-Iraqi force.

BLITZER: But Turkey has a long history -- at least relatively speaking -- of some forms of democracy. Iraq has no history of democracy. And one of the conditions for being a NATO ally, in which you have veto power over what NATO can do, is to have democracy.

FRIEDMAN: I didn't expect this to happen overnight, number one. And number two, all the new NATO members are all fledgling democracies as well. Romania...

BLITZER: We're going to be speaking shortly with the president of Romania.

FRIEDMAN: ... Czech Republic, these are all fledgling democracies. And how did we justify expanding NATO to these countries to consolidate their fledgling democracies? If it is important in Eastern Europe, surely it is just as important in the Middle East. That's the new front.

BLITZER: One final question, Tom. If the U.S. tomorrow were to find or kill Saddam Hussein, how important would that be?

FRIEDMAN: I think it would be important because one of the things that's holding Iraqis back is a fear that Saddam and his loyalists will come back. That we will leave and he will come back. Killing him will not be sufficient to end the war, but it certainly is necessary.

BLITZER: Tom Friedman of "The New York Times." Knows the area well. Appreciate it.

FRIEDMAN: Mildly.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Tom.

BLITZER: Thanks, Wolf.

Here is your turn to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is this: Who is most responsible for terror attacks in Iraq, Saddam Hussein supporters or foreign fighters? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf.

We'll have the results later in this broadcast. While you're there, I would love to hear directly from you, our viewers. Send me your comments. I will 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.

Inside an attack. An eyewitness account of the Al Rasheed Hotel bombing in Baghdad. I will speak with a journalist who was in the hotel when the rockets were fired.

Lavish parties on the company dollar. Tapes of a Tyco executive's $2 million birthday party thrown for his wife.

Plus, this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got my pets out of here, we got my mom out of here. We've been on the other side for five hours.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything's gone. Everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Devastation in southern California. Families coping with their major losses. Life coverage of our top story. That will continue.

First, today's news quiz. Prior to the fires burning now in San Diego County, which California county had the largest wildfire on record, Los Angeles, San Bernadino, San Francisco, Ventura? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Jurors in the corruption trial of Dennis Kozlowski today got to see a videotape of the lavish birthday party the former Tyco CEO threw for his wife some three years ago. Prosecutors say the party, which cost, get this, $2 million, is evidence that Kozlowski made personal use of company money. The latest now from CNN's Mary Snow in New York -- Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNNFN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, before prosecutors could hit the play button on this tape, they had to edit out racy parts, things like an ice sculpture of David spouting vodka from his private parts. Also, someone mooning the camera. So today, what jurors saw was the PG-13 version.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): The theme, Roman. The setting, lavish. The attire, sometimes scant. The message clear.

Prosecutors in the corruption trying of Dennis Kozlowski want jurors to see the former Tyco CEO living the high life on the company dime. Kozlowski hosted a $2.1 million birthday bash for his wife on the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia. The prosecution says Tyco picked up at least half the tab, a tab that included flying in Jimmy Buffet to perform and having scantily-clad models feed grapes to the guests.

The racier parts of the video were edited out. But jurors, some smirking at times, watched about 20 minutes of the tape, a break in weeks of tedious testimony in one of the most high profile corporate scandals to go to the courtroom.

JOHN COFFEE, COLUMBIA LAW PROFESSOR: Ultimately, for the jury the question is, did Tyco have any real business purpose in paying for the CEO's wife's birthday party in Sardinia? And I think most jurors are going to have some trouble buying that at face value.

SNOW: Kozlowski and Mark Schwartz, former Tyco CFO, are both charged with looting the company of $600 million.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: After the tape was played in court today, Kozlowski was asked by reporters off camera if he had anything to say about it. All he would say was, "It was a nice party with nice people" -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Mary Snow with that. Mary, thanks very much.

Forced to leave.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The next thing I know we've got five minutes to move out. And my life's in that house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Residents on the run in southern California. Right now wildfires burning out of control. Our special live coverage continues.

Getting involved: the roll of the international community in Iraq. Romania's president will join me live just house after he sat down with President Bush.

Personal account: I'll also sit down live with a journalist who was inside Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel Sunday morning when it was attacked. A touching story you won't want to miss. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: While some NATO allies have not answered the U.S. call for help in Iraq, a future NATO member has indeed taken an active role. Romania, due to join the alliance next year, has sent 800 soldiers to Iraq and even more to Afghanistan. President Ion Iliescu met today at the White House with President Bush. And the president of Romania joins us now live.

Mr. President, welcome to the United States. Thanks very much for joining us. So why is Romania taking such a cooperative stance with the United States?

PRESIDENT ION ILIESCU, ROMANIA: If you allow me, first of all, I want to thank you for this opportunity. I don't know if you know that CNN was the first broadcasting worldwide network in Romania after the fall.

BLITZER: I remember those days very well. I remember our reporters there. And it's good to have you here.

ILIESCU: I am honored to have this opportunity.

BLITZER: Let's talk about the news of the day. We don't have a lot of time. Why is Romania so active in helping the United States?

ILIESCU: We understand very well that we have no other choice but to fight together the main challenges and the main threats in the world of today. We agree fully with President Bush after 9/11, when he told the main threats of the world for all peace and stability is the terrorists, and that these common duties of all civilized world to show solidarity and fight together.

BLITZER: The defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has included Romania as part of what he calls the new Europe as opposed to the old Europe, Germany and France, for example, which have resisted the U.S. calls for help. How far is Romania ready to go in terms of helping the U.S. specifically? Bases in Romania?

ILIESCU: We are open. We have offered already our facilities. And I am confident in our capacity to be useful. And we are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the fact that our allies, the United States, will operate the facilities offered by Romania.

BLITZER: Do you get a sense in eastern and central Europe the position taken by Romania is popular with others there, as opposed to western Europe, where it's certainly not that popular?

ILIESCU: I could say all the polls show that the great majority of the Romanian people is in favor of this decision and of the determination taken by Romania.

BLITZER: Is that in part because the Romanian people are grateful for the U.S. for leading the Cold War struggle that freed Romania from communist rule?

ILIESCU: It is our confidence in the United States because we consider and have our own experience, Romanian people.

BLITZER: I'll bet you President Bush, I'm sure, was very happy to speak with you today and get that warm expression of support.

ILIESCU: He felt (UNINTELLIGIBLE) last year during this great meeting more than 100,000 people in the center of Bucharest (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Such a warm reception, and the approval of the message President Bush presented to Romania.

BLITZER: I remember when I was in Bucharest with former President Clinton when he came, when Romania was not admitted to the U.N. The people of Romania deeply loved the United States. Thanks very much, President Iliescu, for joining us. Welcome to the United States.

ILIESCU: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: Total devastation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of our friends and neighbors, their houses are gone. It's just devastating. There aren't words to describe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Raging wildfires taking lives and destroying homes in southern California. Is there relief in sight?

And race against time in Russia. The moment of truth may be near for the fate of 13 trapped miners.

And get this. Just in time for Halloween it could be love at first bite for the chocoholic who gets this kiss. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Can the weather do what firefighters can't -- calm the dangerous fires and end the suffering for thousands of people in Southern California? Our live coverage will continue.

And, an eyewitness to horror. I'll talk live with Stephen Hayes of "The Weekly Standard," who was inside Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel when it was bombed.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at these live pictures, dramatic pictures. This is a house. Clearly, it's burning. It's in Rim Forest, San Diego County. This live picture shows the devastation. Only one tiny, tiny fragment of what is happening right now in Southern California. Thousands of homes, obviously, endangered right now. Thousands of people evacuated. Two hundred thousand-plus acres on fire in San Diego County alone. We're going to continue to cover these stories.

But let's check some other headlines we're following right now as well.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: More now on our top story, the devastating wildfires sweeping across Southern California. They've destroyed some 1,500 homes, leaving many residents with nothing but the clothes they fled in. Others were lucky enough to be able to salvage something from the rubble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We found a photo albums in a stack right there where you see the movies and the books. And we were actually walking through here just trying to dig through. That used to be my room. And that was my brother's room and my mom's room and the kitchen and the bathroom and the hallways and -- and, you know, we couldn't find anything. It's ash. And there's nothing -- there's nothing left. And then we were leaving and my cousin, Claudia (ph), was looking right there. And she said, Those -- look at those. What are those?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The devastation is so hard to comprehend. But even harder is the fact that authorities believe at least two of the fires were set by humans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): The priorities are obvious -- battle the flames, contain, evacuate.

But below the surface, there's anger and resolution to find those responsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I don't understand the mentality of somebody getting their jollies from lighting fire. I don't understand that. It doesn't make any sense to me.

BLITZER: At least two of these huge wildfires are believed to have been caused by humans. But veteran investigators say determining the cause of wildfires is more difficult than in structural fire cases.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unless you have witnesses that actually say, Yes, here's where the fire started and here's what they used to start it with, sometimes it's very difficult in a wildfire to get the evidence you need.

BLITZER: The deadly Cedar Fire in San Diego County is one of the largest blazes in California history. Hundreds of thousands of acres charred so far.

It began at the hands of a lost hunter.

CHIEF JEFF BOWMAN, SAN DIEGO CO. FIRE DEPT.: That fire was caused by a hunter who was in a forest area and was lost and confused, lit a fire to try and draw attention to himself and eight hours later, unfortunately, these east winds we call the Santa Ana winds kicked up. And that's what started this one.

BLITZER: The San Diego County Sheriff's Office tells CNN the man's been taken into custody by the U.S. Forest Service, cited and released.

In San Bernadino County, a face, a composite of one of two suspects. The sheriff's department there tells us witnesses report the suspects were in a gray van this past Saturday on Highway 18 in the northern end of the city of San Bernadino. Witnesses say the suspects threw something out of the van, made a quick U-turn and sped away.

CNN law enforcement correspondent, Mike Brooks, says this could help authorities put the puzzle together.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Some of the things investigators will look at are people who have a history of arson. They'll take a look at that, compare that with any evidence -- if any evidence they found at the scene. And also, witness statements.

BLITZER: The two suspects are wanted in connection with the so- called Old Fire, one of three in San Bernadino County that have destroyed hundreds of homes. They could also be charged with murder.

Ventura County investigators tell us one of their fires was caused accidentally as a result of construction work.

All the sheriff's and fire departments we contacted, in San Diego, L.A., San Bernadino and Ventura counties say their investigations are on going. And they echo what federal law enforcement sources here in Washington tell CNN -- right now, no active investigation linking these fires with political terrorism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The Pentagon is pitching in with fire-fighting efforts. The defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has signed off on deployment of four C-130 aircraft specially equipped for firefighting. They'll join eight helicopters from the California National Guard that are being used almost as giant buckets to drop water on the flames.

In addition, the U.S. Navy is making the hospital ship Mercy available -- it's off San Diego -- if needed.

Of course, the weather is a huge factor in the spread of these fires. And it looks like Southern California finally getting a break from the Santa Ana winds that have been fanning the flames.

CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano is at the CNN Center with a quick look at the forecast.

Rob, tell us what it looks like.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, you're right. Today was a -- definitely a break in the action, at least along coastal areas. The mountainous areas still had some Santa Ana winds.

This is our latest high resolution satellite imagery from the U.S. Forest Service from yesterday. And you can see those east winds still dramatic. Probably the most dramatic plume is the Cedar Fire off San Diego. You can see that fanning out towards the ocean, then up towards Los Angeles County. And the San Bernadino fires, same sort of deal. Farther to the north, towards the Simi Fire, we're experiencing the same sort of deal.

But one interesting point. The topography plays a role in which way these winds go as well. Notice a northerly wind direction, and once it gets away from the mountains, the upper level, more sustained winds take this offshore.

So what we're seeing right now in Oxnard are southwesterly winds. So the on-shore push already starting to begin, or at least begin. High pressure just inland now, beginning to weaken. And we'll start to see a stronger on-shore push during the day tomorrow. Everyone will get a west -- or southwest wind tomorrow. Mountainous areas still had easterly winds today.

Then on Thursday we have got a really strong cold front that's going to slide through the area. Unseasonably cool weather expected not only Thursday but Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So cool and so moist we might even see some drizzle along the coastline.

Right now, though, no rain across California. We are seeing some light rain showers across the northwest. Here is that front, Wolf, and it will be coming down the pike here in the next couple of days, so we can see the relief and only better news for firefighters as we go on through time. Back to you.

BLITZER: And we now know why they call the Santa Ana winds the devil winds. Obviously, they are not good. Rob Marciano, thanks very much for that.

Experiencing an attack. A journalist caught inside Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel as rockets are fired. He'll tell us his dramatic story. That's coming up next.

Plus, this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Your house and the house next door, but the rest of them are all gone. All the way to the top.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did mine survive?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. It's amazing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Emotions on high as residents in California learn the fate of their homes. Our special coverage will continue.

And great payoff. Bet a quarter, win over $2 million. Not bad. First, though, let's take a look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Cabinet expansion. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei has agreed to form a permanent cabinet to replace the emergency cabinet whose mandate expires next week. Qorei says he will enlarge the current eight-member group to a full cabinet of more than 20 members with what he calls an empowered interior minister by November 5.

Terror suspect arrested. French police say they have detained a man suspected of having ties to al Qaeda. The man, who is a French citizen, was arrested last week in Paris. Authorities in the French capital say they believe he may have been involved in a plot to carry out an attack in Australia.

Back on solid ground. American astronaut Ed Lu, a Spanish astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut are back on Earth, after their safe return from the International Space Station. The three were brought back to Earth last night by a Soyuz space capsule that landed in Kazakhstan. It is the first Russian spacecraft to both launch and land an American astronaut.

Heavy lifting. Several dozen sumo wrestlers, both male and female, travel to the Netherlands to compete in the first Sumo World Cup. The 2,000-year-old sport has its roots in Japan.

The hair is the thing. In the Philippines, thousands of hair stylists showed off their artistic flare at the Asia Pacific Hair Olympics. The event attracted competitors from 18 countries.

Chocoholics delight. Pastry chefs in Italy have created what's believed to be the world's biggest piece of chocolate. It's seven feet tall and 23 feet in diameter.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Ahead of the latest wave of bombings in Iraq was Sunday's brazen rocket attack, right in the heart of Baghdad. The target, the Al Rasheed Hotel, which houses coalition personnel, including many Americans. On Sunday, it also housed the deputy defense secretary of the United States, Paul Wolfowitz. I'm joined now by Stephen Hayes of "The Weekly Standard." He was in the hotel, saw the rockets being fired. Steve, thanks very much for joining us. You were there with Wolfowitz. You were covering his trip. Tell us exactly what happened at 6:00 a.m.

STEPHEN HAYES, THE WEEKLY STANDARD: Well, I was woken up. I was rooming with Jim Kitfield (ph) of "The National Journal." We got a wake-up call, had sort of an insignificant conversation, and went to the shower, and I started looking out over this park that is on the other side of the Al Rasheed Hotel, where the famous Saddam crossed arms are, and literally a minute after I started looking out, I looked down. There was a large blue trailer. And as I looked at the trailer, it started firing rockets at the hotel.

BLITZER: How close did those rockets get to you?

HAYES: Well, one of them hit on the 11th floor. Two of them hit on the 11th floor, I'm told.

BLITZER: And you were on the 11th floor?

HAYES: And I was on the 11th floor. And one of those two exploded. One of them didn't explode. They started out lower in the building, hitting first the third floor, and I stood there kind of like a moron and watched as they continued to hit the building. And it finally occurred to me, maybe after 15 seconds, that I shouldn't stay by the window.

BLITZER: So then what did you do?

HAYES: So I ran out in the hallway, got down on the ground. I saw some military folks down on the ground, on their hands and knees, remembered to knock on the door to see if I could get Kitfield (ph) out of the shower, where he was. He opened the door. We both got down on the ground and stayed there until it sounded like things weren't -- it sounded like the bombing was done, and the attacks.

BLITZER: And then what happened next?

HAYES: We sort of did a survey of the damage. There was some significant damage on our floor. A wall was blown off down the hall and some doors. And we did some looking at the damage, and I talked to some cameramen from another network, and sort of got their take on what had happened.

BLITZER: Now, you were walking out and you heard some moaning going on. Jim Miklaszewski of NBC News says that you were responsible for pinpointing what was going on when you heard something very, very worrisome in a room not far away from you?

HAYES: Yeah. I mean, I don't want to get into the details out of respect for the family, but there was an injured soldier in one of the rooms, injured U.S. soldier in one of the rooms.

BLITZER: You ran inside then?

HAYES: I went in and tried to talk to him as much as I could, and keep him calm.

BLITZER: And what happened after that?

HAYES: Well, unfortunately, that soldier didn't -- didn't make it. And I left the room. And eventually made my way down stairs.

BLITZER: This was the third time you were in Baghdad, in Iraq, since the end of this major combat, what was going on. What's your sense right now? How bad is it?

HAYES: Well, I mean, certainly things like this -- when, you know, the hotel that houses the Americans who work for the Coalition Provisional Authority is attacked, is not a good sign. And the subsequent attacks yesterday certainly raise some troubling questions about the state of the security, mostly in Baghdad and in the Sunni triangle. You know, of the changes I noticed, there were more Iraqi police on the street, which was a good thing, and this Iraqi civilian defense corps, which is sort of above the police, has gotten started.

BLITZER: You are writing a new book on Paul Wolfowitz. Many see him as the intellectual architect of this war. He was there with you, and then you left with him, spent the rest of the day. How shaken was he?

HAYES: He was -- you know, I think he was concerned, is a good way to put it. He certainly did not seem shaken. I mean, I think given everything that happened, anybody would have been sort of worried or concerned. But he seemed to sort of take control right away. And he immediately asked for a casualty count, and then wanted to assess the damage, and then proceeded with the rest of his day.

BLITZER: How are you doing?

HAYES: I'm all right. I'm a little shaken. It's not an easy thing to do, but...

BLITZER: We were all worried about you when we heard about you. Thank God you're home safe and sound.

HAYES: Thanks.

BLITZER: Stephen Hayes of "The Weekly Standard," thanks very much.

Up in flames. Houses, treasured belongings, entire neighborhoods indeed gone. Right now, more homes in danger of burning to the ground. We'll take you live to San Diego. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Prior to the fires burning now in San Diego County, which California county had the largest wildfire on record? The answer, Ventura. A 1932 fire scorched 220,000 acres in Ventura County.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: More now on those California wildfires.

I want to show our viewers some live pictures, what's happening right now in Rim Forest. That's in San Bernadino County. Right now, look at these pictures. That's a home that's up in flames right now. The so-called Cedar Fire, by the way, has destroyed some 900 homes in San Diego County and some 300,000 acres. It's now believed to be the biggest fire in recorded state history.

CNN's Adrian Baschuk is there.

ADRIAN BASCHUK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, out here in San Diego we are in Scripps Ranch, an affluent neighborhood in San Diego.

You can take a look at this car. It has been sitting in ash for the past few days during these fires. However, I run my hand across it and you can see the soot and ash that has piled up. But it is intact, seemingly untouched, as is this house just a block up the street -- a mansion still standing just as it was the day it was built.

You come across the street, however, and all you see is a mere shell of a house. The walls standing erect. That's all that is left. The entire inside is gutted, as are many of these houses down the street.

You look down the hill. And in the vista, it's a very thick smoky haze of ash and smoke that's hard to see through, very difficult to breathe in. This house, for example. You walk up the driveway, and you can just imagine what its residents, what its homeowners are going to be thinking when they arrive here, due in the next few hours to assess the damage. There is an old car sitting in what was once the garage. The entire home gutted, leveled, solely ashes.

Now Navy helicopters were flying around the valley back there in the view in the distance looking for spot fires here. In San Diego alone, published reports say that 818 homes were destroyed. In this neighborhood, 300 homes alone were destroyed.

Reporting in San Diego, Adrian Baschuk. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Adrian.

And look at this story. Lucky lunch ladies. They serve kids each weekday but now can have -- now they can afford to have people serve them. You'll love this story. I know I did.

And the results of our "Web Question of the Day." That's coming up when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Take a look at the results of our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, this is not -- repeat not -- a scientific poll.

Let's turn now to our "Picture of the Day." Fifteen cooks and a custodian -- they bought lottery tickets with every paycheck, a quarter at a time -- 25 cents for 13 years. Now the school cafeteria crew from Roseville, Minnesota, has lunch money for life. They're winners of $95 million, half of a Powerball jackpot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes. Great.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unbelievable. And this is the only school in Minnesota that has millions of dollar (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's to get to one of your e-mails, at least. Nanci writes this: "Since there have been so many successful car bombings, we should spend more time and money trying to infiltrate these covert operations that slow down the effort to make Iraqis free."

That's all the time we have today. I'm here everyday, 5 p.m. Eastern.

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With Tom Friedman; Interview With Romanian President Ion Iliescu>