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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

U.S. Accused of Firing on Wedding Party; Israel Missile Strikes Crowd; Senator Biden: U.S. Needs to Push Road Map

Aired May 19, 2004 - 17:00   ET

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

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


WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, twin tragedies in the Middle East. In Iraq, they're blaming the United States. And in Gaza, they're blaming Israel. You'll hear Israel's response and you'll hear the response from the U.S. military as well.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Mass burial. Did U.S. aircraft fire on a wedding party in Iraq?

Running for life. Did Israel tank shells tear through this crowd in Gaza?

From leader to lightning rod.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son was murdered!

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Our anger should clearly be directed, and the blame should clearly be directed, at one source and one source alone: the terrorists who killed our loved ones.

BLITZER: We'll hear a mayor's own memories.

GIULIANI: The attack first felt like an earthquake. Then it looked like a nuclear -- nuclear cloud.

BLITZER: Bad conduct. He used to guard Iraqi prisoners. Now he'll be on the other side of the bars.

They're back, billions of them. After 17 years, an invasion from underground.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Wednesday, May 19, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Rage in the Middle East over two deadly incidents, and there are very different versions of what really happened.

In Iraq, witnesses tell the Associated Press U.S. forces fired on a wedding party, killing at least 20 people. The Pentagon denies it. And in Gaza, Palestinians blame Israel for a blast that killed at least 18 people during a demonstration. The Israeli Army says it's unclear what exactly happened.

We have in-depth reports on both volatile situations, starting with Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Burying their dead. This video, shot by Associated Press television news, shows graves being dug today in western Iraq.

Iraqi witnesses tell A.P. it's the aftermath of an attack by American military aircraft on a wedding party.

This man says a plane came and struck at the wedding and killed the whole family at 3 a.m. in the morning, and lots of houses were blown up.

Another man says 26 people were killed from one family. And five of the same family are seriously injured at the hospital.

A senior military coalition official puts the number even higher, saying as many as 40 people were killed. But the official says he believes the attack was against a safe house used by foreign fighters.

Pentagon officials flatly deny a mistaken attack on a wedding party, insisting U.S. troops were returning fire on anti-coalition forces.

The incident happened in the village of al-Kayyam along the Syrian boarding and near the town of Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold.

The witnesses tell Associated Press people at the wedding were firing guns in the air in a traditional celebration. And the witnesses say U.S. troops came to the house to investigate, then left before the alleged air attack.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Let's go straight to the Pentagon for more information on what may have happened. Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, standing by -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Pentagon is insisting at this point that the U.S. military had actionable intelligence that foreign fighters were using this house as a safe house.

They point out that after the attack, they recovering some weapons, as well as about 2 million Iraqi and Syrian dinar, as well as some foreign passports and a satellite communications radio. They insist that this was a legitimate attack, and they have no evidence that this was a wedding party in the middle of a desert. Of course, back in 2002, the U.S. military had an incident in -- in Afghanistan in which a wedding party was attacked. At that point, the Central Command also said it was justified because U.S. planes were coming under fire from that location.

But again, this has just happened. And at this point the U.S. is sticking to its story that this was a legitimate attack against a safe house based on actionable intelligence -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jamie, does it make any sense, though, that a wedding party, they're celebrating in traditional Middle Eastern style at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.? They're firing their weapons into the air and they're celebrating.

Couldn't a U.S. aircraft mistakenly assume that aircraft was coming under fire?

MCINTYRE: Or even ground troupes, for that matter, could mistakenly believe that they were coming under fire.

And it certainly is possible and it's certainly plausible that when the facts are all known in this case it could turn out to be that way. But at this point the Pentagon is insisting they have no evidence that supports that. They believe that their version of events is accurate at this time.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Thanks, Jamie, very much.

And as Jamie just reported the conflicting reports of an alleged American air strike on that Iraqi wedding party, very similar to that other incident two years ago in Afghanistan.

The Afghan officials say U.S. a air strike killed 48 civilians, wounded 117 other people, at a wedding party in July 2002. An investigation by the U.S. military Central Command later concluded that the attack was justified, because the American planes had come under fire.

Turning now to the bloodshed in Gaza, where a protest against Israel's crackdown ended with Palestinians fleeing in panic as explosions tore through a crowd.

CNN's Matthew Chance is joining us now live in Gaza with more.

A dramatic, dramatic day, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A day of heavy bloodshed, certainly, Wolf, here in the Gaza strip.

Israeli forces opening fire as Palestinian protesters marched towards the Rafah refugee camp. A number of injuries reported. There is some confusion about the level of casualties at this stage. But hospital officials telling us that unarmed civilians and children were amongst the dead and the injured.

Israel, for its part said it did not intend either to maim or to kill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the march to Rafah thousands of Palestinians walking into tragedy.

It was a peaceful, if angry, demonstration against Israel's military. Then came the response. In the skies above, a single Israeli helicopter gunship launches flares at first to protect itself. Then a rocket.

Israeli officials confirm tanks also opened fire near the crowd.

From the chaos, the dead and injured were carried off to hospitals inundated in recent days. Among the casualties are unarmed civilians and a number of children, only the latest carnage, say Palestinian officials, that Israel's army has inflected upon the people here.

GHASSAN KHATIB, PALESTINIAN LABOR MINISTER: This most recent and most vicious Israeli crime of shelling by missiles a peaceful demonstration is an indicator to the real intentions of the Israeli Army, which is simply trying to effect the maximum casualties of the Palestinian people, regardless whether they are civilians or otherwise.

CHANCE: From the Israeli government, an expression of deep sorrow for the loss of innocent life. But officials are insisting the rocket was aimed at open ground and was meant to disperse the crowd, not kill them.

RA'ANAN GISSIN, SENIOR SHARON ADVISER: This is a war zone. It's been a war zone for three and a half years, and we have to conduct this operation with all the care that we take.

Sometimes the loss of life is unavoidable here. And sometimes they are staged.

We know very well that the area where the incident occurred today was saturated with explosive charges, like in Jenin, placed before the crowd. So we're investigating that possibility, as well.

Before you jump to conclusion about a massacre or anything, allow us to exhaust the investigation, and rest assured that all the information will be presented.

CHANCE: So there's been a mounting chorus of criticism of Israel and its tough military action in Rafah to destroy what it calls a terrorist infrastructure there.

There are renewed calls, too, for international protection of Palestinian civilians here, the latest killings say some underline the pressing need for that.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHANCE: Israeli officials, Wolf, say they've started a full investigation into exactly what happened here. They're saying there is a possibility that it was an Israeli tank that fired four shells into what the tank commander believed was an abandoned building that could have caused those casualties.

We're looking for the results from that Israeli investigation to be made public as soon as they've been thought out -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Matthew Chance in Gaza. Another deadly day there. Thank you, Matthew, very much.

The White House has asked Israel for an explanation of the Gaza incident. News of the bloodshed came as President Bush was in the middle of a cabinet meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I continue to urge restraint. It is a essential that -- that people respect innocent life in order for us to achieve peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And joining us now with his unique take on events in Iraq, in Israel and elsewhere around the world, Senator Joe Biden. He's the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.

This is a crazy time in world affairs. You're shaking your head. Have you seen things this nutty lately, Senator?

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: No, I haven't. And I got here in 1972 when the Vietnam War was still raging, when I was 29 years old.

I think things are more out of control in the sense now than at any time. Some of it is a consequence of failed policy. Some is a consequence of things beyond our control.

And you saw -- I was just watching on your monitor here the top of the news and these two horrific events that demonstrate that -- assume that in both cases the intentions were honorable and decent. In wars, innocent people get killed and sometimes in awful circumstances like this.

And that's the reason why in my view, Wolf, I wish we had stayed with the road map. I wish this administration would invest more in getting people to the table to actually be a catalyst for insisting on movement. And I think, left adrift, this is what happens.

BLITZER: Senator Biden, let's talk first of all of what's happening in Gaza and Israel right now. What can the United States do? Can the U.S. do anything right now to stop this deterioration? It's clearly awful what's going on.

BIDEN: Well, I think it can by making sure that -- I can't guarantee we can solve it, Wolf. But look, as former president said we're going to succeed or get caught trying. I think we should get caught trying to succeed here.

And with regard to the road map, which was celebrated as going to be the initiative of the administration, with a contact group involving other nations, including European nations, we're essentially sitting on the side of the road now.

You know, for example, the president's press conference with Mr. Sharon. It wasn't so much what he said, what he said was basically correct. It's what he didn't say.

And I think what we've got to do is demonstrate that we want to see people back at the table and use all our influence at the highest level. And that requires significant pressure to be placed on the parties to come to the table now.

BLITZER: Much of the world, as you know, is condemning Israel. In fact, the U.N. Security Council meeting. They're about to approve, apparently, go through a resolution that would condemn Israel.

What should the U.S. representative do? Veto? Abstain?

BIDEN: They should veto it right now. And the reason for that is remember -- I remember it was on your show. You may remember this, maybe not, you have so many people on. After Jenin, and I think you were surprised, I defended the Israelis in Jenin and said look, let's find out what actually happened.

And it turns out the evidence that was, quote, proffered by the Europeans and the whole world about this massacre and what went on turned out not to be true.

Now, do I think the Israelis are always right? Absolutely not. But it seems to me you saw the Israeli representative saying, "Look, maybe we made a mistake. But also maybe there were other complications. Let us at least investigate it."

And I think we should let -- God-awful expression, let the dust settle here and investigate it before we go passing judgment. The world is always too ready to condemn Israel.

And -- But in the other side of the equation, we -- we cannot stand back and say that we don't want to see action taken and to try to promote this peace process.

BLITZER: Let's turn briefly to Iraq. June 30, the deadline. Do you know, you're the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, does anyone know to whom the U.S. and the coalition will hand over this sovereignty, this interim government to at this late moment?

BIDEN: No. No.

BLITZER: Isn't that sort of shocking that even now it's unclear who takes charge on July 1?

BIDEN: The answer is -- look, as you know, I've been a pretty consistent critic of this administration's failure to have a plan.

There's still a significant division within the administration as to how to proceed. And the president seems to sometimes have difficulty choosing a path here.

But in this case, we sort of came late to the time of saying that Mr. Brahimi should be the guy to put together this new government. I would point out Mr. Brahimi is a U.N. representative for all the folks in the administration who beat up the U.N. all the time. It's ironic that they're looking for Mr. Brahimi to name, literally name this new government.

But I think now, although I think the date of June 30 may have been set for reasons that have less to do with Iraq than here at home, I think we have no choice but to move forward.

And that's why Senator Lugar and I held another set of hearings today with leading experts as to how we're likely to proceed. There's still 40 some days. Hopefully this is on target, on course.

I spoke with Mr. Brahimi about ten days ago. He said he hoped he'd have names of a new acting president, vice president, prime minister, et cetera, by sometime in the next several days, by -- by the middle of this month. But it is -- toward the end of this month. But it is worrisome.

BLITZER: All right, Senator Joe Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator, thanks for spending a few moments with us.

BIDEN: Thanks an awful lot, Wolf. I appreciate it.

BLITZER: Thank you.

Taking responsibility for the prison abuse scandal. A top U.S. general speaks out in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a senior commander in Iraq, I accept responsibility for what happened at Abu Ghraib.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: While a soldier offers a tearful apology in Iraq's first court-martial hearing.

Also ahead...

... emotions on high in today's 9/11 hearings as former Mayor Rudy Giuliani acknowledges there were, quote, "terrible mistakes made."

Plus this, the sounds of cicadas. After 17 years the insects emerge. And their presence is not unnoticed. We'll get to all of that. First, though, today's news quiz. Which weather condition is best for cicadas? Rain, heat, cool and dry? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In Baghdad today the first court-martial of an American soldier in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. Three other soldiers are appearing in the heavily guarded courtroom for their arraignment, as well.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the courtroom a scene reminiscent of other high interest, big ticket trials in the United States.

Satellite trucks and journalists camped by the building, but this was different. Armored helicopters buzzed overhead. U.S. Army troops continuously march by.

This was the Baghdad setting for the court-martial of Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits and the arraignment of three more soldiers, all accused of abusing and humiliating Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.

In his court-martial Sivits broke down twice as he pled guilty, describing the brutal beatings some of the prisoners received and the acts of sexual humiliation the soldiers photographed.

"It was wrong," he said. "It shouldn't have happened. I apologize to the Iraqi people and the detainees. I apologize to the court, the Army, to my unit and to my family."

But contrition wasn't enough. Military prosecutors said, "These acts are horrendous, appalling and simply wrong. They took advantage of others who were vulnerable."

The judge agreed. Sivits was sentenced to a year in prison, a reduction in rank and a bad conduct discharge.

Three other soldiers were arraigned on similar charges of abuse. A date was set for a new pretrial hearing.

(on camera) While this trial has resulted in jail time for one soldier, it has not put the matter of prison abuse to rest. More courts-martial will be scheduled, and it is expected more information will emerge on how far up the chain of command responsibility for the prison abuse lies.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: And later this hour, we're going to have more on what three top U.S. generals are saying about the prisoner abuse scandal. We'll go to Capitol Hill for that.

In the meantime, here is your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: "Was the sentence fair for Specialist Jeremy Sivits?" You can vote right now. Go to CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Two rivals talking behind closed doors. Democratic candidate John Kerry meets face to face with the independent candidate who could cost him votes in November.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: It first felt like an earthquake, and then it looked like a nuclear -- nuclear cloud.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: In his own words, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's dramatic recount of what happened on 9/11.

Plus, you may not find deals at the gas pumps, but some automakers are offering unprecedented incentives. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Very, very unusual meeting here in Washington today between rivals for the White House. On the one hand, John Kerry the Democratic candidate, on the other Ralph Nader, the independent candidate and some say a potential spoiler.

CNN's Tom Foreman is joining us. He has more on this pretty unusual event.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN ANALYST: Yes. Way unusual, Wolf.

John Kerry and Ralph Nader were shaking hands in front of the camera today, but behind the scenes we've learned that Democratic operatives are going after Nader and hard.

CNN's Ed Henry tells us they're planning a series of ads telling voters if you vote for Nader, you are reelecting George Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN (voice-over): Ralph Nader came out of his meeting with John Kerry the same way he went in, in a hurry and by all appearances still running for president. Good news for voters like Laura Johnston, who see Nader as their great hope.

LAURA JOHNSTON, NADER SUPPORTER: I like that this particular campaign, the Nader campaign, supports the little man. FOREMAN: Just as he did in 2000, Nader has Democrats fuming. They say he took critical votes from Al Gore then, and he could do it to John Kerry this time.

It is not clear how seriously Kerry takes that threat. The meeting between the candidates came about only after Nader complained publicly this past weekend.

RALPH NADER (I), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've been trying to meet him now for two weeks. And we haven't been able to get even his campaign manager to return the call, even though he's indicated publicly he wants to get together.

FOREMAN: Nader has indicated he favors a two-pronged attack on George Bush: Kerry hitting from the mainstream Democrat front, Nader attacking on the economy and the war. The problem is, if Nader pulls more votes from Kerry than Bush, Kerry could lose key states which he now thinks are winnable.

So while John Kerry says he will try to take Nader votes.

JOHN MERCURIO, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: If you talk to Kerry's campaign, if you talk to Democratic strategists, their interest isn't in minimizing Nader; it's in eliminating Nader from the campaign.

FOREMAN: Nader alienated some in the Green Party, which backed him last time by saying he does not want their nomination for this year's run.

ADAM EIDINGER, D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY: I don't believe there are nearly as many progressives who are working for Ralph Nader as in the last election. And it's not because they like John Kerry. It's because he's not building a lasting third party.

FOREMAN: But the polls say Nader still has a base. And that's why he's being watched so closely.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: Nader issued a statement after the meeting today, saying they talked about ending corporate welfare and strengthening unions, that sort of thing.

But the truth is right now for the Democrats he's like the guy who comes to dinner and stays too late. They'd like him to go away. They don't know how to get him out of the house, and they're not going to sleep well until they do -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nader has said to me repeatedly, including last Sunday, he ain't going away. He's there until November 2 under all circumstances.

Thanks very much, Tom, for that.

On the Republican side of the aisle today, more bickering between House and Senate lawmakers over Iraq and taxes. At the center of the spat, the House speaker, Dennis Hastert, and Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, who doesn't always tow the GOP line.

Here is what transpired when Hastert was asked by a reporter to respond to a recent comment by John McCain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard a speech from John McCain the other day, and he was...

REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), SPEAKER: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John McCain, sir.

HASTERT: Where is he from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A Republican from Arizona.

HASTERT: Is he a Republican?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

Anyway, his -- his observation was never before when we've been at war have we been worrying about cutting taxes. And his question was where is the sacrifice? We have the war in Iraq...

HASTERT: If you want to see the sacrifice, John McCain ought to visit our young men and women at Walter Reed and Bethesda. There's the sacrifice in this country. We're trying to make sure that they have the ability to fight this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: In response, McCain, a POW in Vietnam for five years, issued a statement taking issue with what Republican spending habits have been of lately, at least according to him.

"The speaker is correct in that nothing we are called upon to do comes close to matching the heroism of our troops. All we are called upon to do is not spend our nation into bankruptcy while our soldiers risk their lives. I fondly remember a time when real Republicans stood for fiscal responsibility. Apparently, those days are long gone for some in our party."

Tough words from John McCain.

Top military brass vowing to redouble their efforts to prevent abuse in prisons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No doubt we have made mistakes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Still ahead, a general's commitment to members of Congress. And too much rain with nowhere to go? That's the problem for people in one state right now.

Also ahead: cicadas. They make a sinister sound. You'll hear it. But it's making -- they're making their way up Eastern seaboard this spring. They're all over the place in parts of the country right now.

The insect behind it and its fascinating story, that's coming up this hour as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

You are looking at live pictures of the United Nations, the Security Council taking action right now on what is happening in Gaza.

Let's go live to our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth.

Richard, tell us what his happening.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that is the Algerian ambassador. He just called what Israel is doing in the Rafah refugee camp Gaza scandalous conduct. And he's very that the Security Council minutes ago passed a resolution which strongly criticizes Israel for its action.

Under U.S. pressure, though, this resolution was watered down a bit in tone. And thus Washington did not veto the resolution, in effect allowing it to pass, 14 countries in favor. The U.S. abstained, a bit of a change from standard practice of vetoes on resolutions that are critical of Israel by the United States. It felt this time in effect it could not ignore what was happening there. The United States, trying to be a key broker in the Middle East peace process, wanted to seem at this point that it was taking a balanced approach.

Secretary-General Annan took a phone call a short time ago from Yasser Arafat. Diplomats are quite upset. The State Department says it remains troubled by what is happening there -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Richard, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee just moments ago on this program said he would have vetoed that resolution. The U.S. should have vetoed that resolution and not let a one-sided anti-Israeli resolution go through. This is an election year. Are you getting any sense from U.S. delegates, U.S. officials over there at the U.S. mission to the U.N. why they decided to let this resolution pass?

ROTH: They denied yesterday that they were trying to curry favor in the Arab world when they need it most during the time of troubles in Iraq. But the main article in this resolution says it calls on Israel to respect its obligations under international law. The original Arab draft said it would demand that Israel cease its actions. They may be semantics. It may be word games. The Bush administration felt it could go along with this one.

BLITZER: The Bush administration allows a resolution condemning Israel to go through the U.N. Security Council on this day. There will be presumably some political fallout as a result of that. We'll monitor that for our viewers here at CNN.

Let's check out some other news happening right now.

The Baghdad brass was on Capitol Hill defending the handling of Iraqi prison brass before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said he, too holds himself accountable for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. COMMANDER IN IRAQ: I accept responsibility for what happened at Abu Ghraib. And I accept as a solemn obligation the responsibility to ensure that it does not happen again.

STARR: But questions for General John Abizaid, the senior commander.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: How did it happen so long and so deep and we not know?

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CMDR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Well, I think there are failures in people doing their duty. There are failures in systems. And we should have known and we should have uncovered it and taken action before it got to the point that it got to.

STARR: Sanchez insisted his order last year for military intelligence to take some responsibility for prison operations did not involve the Pentagon and was not an order to soften up the detainees for interrogation through violence and sexual humiliation.

Major General Geoffrey miller, the new head of detainee operations, denied his recommendations for using military police to set the conditions for interrogation encouraged coercion of detainees. A report last November from the International Committee of the Red Cross containing abuse allegations was never seen at the highest levels.

ABIZAID: We've got a problem there that's got to be fixed.

STARR (on camera): Abizaid warned, the violence in Iraq will grow. He said it is now vital to name new Iraqi leaders to take over after June 30 and that it might be April of next year before the Iraqis are ready to provide law and order. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A man who became a hero during New York City's darkest hour took a tongue lashing during his appearance before the 9/11 Commission earlier today. The former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was treated cordially, very cordially in fact, by the panel, but some in the audience were not so nice.

CNN's Brian Todd has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: The morning of September 11, 2001, was primary day in the city of New York. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party were voting to select the next mayor of the city. And I was having breakfast that morning at the Peninsula Hotel on 55th street with two...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That was the Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaking at this commission hearing. And we're going to get to that in a moment.

But CNN's Brian Todd first has a report on what happened at the commission hearing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rudy Giuliani and the commissioners he would address perhaps expected this, that the passage of 32 months would not dull the emotions surrounding New York's worst day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son was murdered! Murdered because of incompetence and the radios that didn't work.

GIULIANI: When under go the losses, it creates -- it's very understandable.

TODD: That exchange over some of the harshest criticism of how Giuliani and city officials responded to the catastrophe around them, that the system of communication they had in place was inadequate, not enough 9/11 operators, radio communication so inconsistent that the city's command-and-control was, in the words of one commission member, not worthy of the Boy Scouts.

Victims' relatives are furious and say the commission was too easy on Giuliani.

If you got a direct questioning of a history, you would realize that the same radios that were in the hands of firefighters in 1993 were in their hands in 2001. Just gloating and absolutely glad- handing -- it's just unbelievable to me that that we're not getting at the issues.

TODD: Giuliani said concerns over communication are legitimate and being addressed. He admitted that before September 11 his office was more worried about attacks on the city's subways, tunnels and bridges.

GIULIANI: We had never come up with the thought that there would be planes used as missiles attacking buildings.

TODD: Giuliani took the audience through his every step that morning, a riveting account, but one that left victims' relatives unsatisfied.

BEVERLY ECKERT, LOST HUSBAND ON SEPTEMBER 11: I honestly just feel that it's inappropriate for the commission to allow those kinds of narratives to take up the commission's valuable time. We worked too hard to get this commission.

TODD: Giuliani said he understands the anger from relatives, but offered this perspective.

GIULIANI: Our anger should clearly be directed and the blame should clearly be directed at one source and one source alone, the terrorists who killed our loved ones.

TODD: And despite the problems, Giuliani said, there was no city in this country as prepared to deal with this day as his.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: While in the testimony New York's former mayor also gave a very personal and dramatic account of that unforgettable day. Here's part of it in Rudy Giuliani's own words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: The morning of September 11,2001 was primary day in the City of New York. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party were voting to select the next mayor of the city. And I was having breakfast that morning at the Peninsula Hotel on 55th Street with two old friends and colleagues.

As we finished breakfast, the police notified Denny. Denny walked up to me and he said the following, that it's been reported that a twin engine plane has crashed into the North Tower and there's a terrible fire there.

And as I walked out into the street and as I walked out into the street, Denny and I looked up in the sky. And what we saw was a beautiful clear day, about as clear as we had had in a long time, and came to the immediate conclusion that it could not have been an accident, that it had to have been an attack.

We passed St. Vincent's Hospital. And I looked outside and I saw outside many, many doctors and nurses and stretchers. And it registered in my mind that we were looking at a war zone, not a normal emergency. That was probably the first thing that said to me we're into something beyond anything we've handled before.

As we got very, very close to the World Trade Center, one of my police officers said to me, and all of us, Keep looking up, keep looking up. Because things were falling down around us. But when I looked up at that point, I realized that I saw a man -- it wasn't debris -- that I saw a man hurling himself out of the 102nd, 103rd, 104th floor. And I stopped, probably for two seconds, but it seems like a minute or two. And I was in shock.

My first question to Chief Ganci, maybe because of what I had just seen, was, can we get helicopters up to the roof and help any of those people? And Pete pointed to a big flame that was shooting out of the North Tower at the time. And he said to me, My guys can save everybody below the fire. But I can't put a helicopter above the fire.

And I was brought into a, like a cubicle inner office. Within seconds got a call in another room from the vice president. I walked over to that room, picked up the phone. The White House operator was on the phone and said, Mr. Mayor, the vice president will be on in a moment.

And at that point, I heard a click. The desk started to shake and I heard next Chief Esposito, who was the uniformed head of the police department. I'm sure it was his voice. I heard him say, The tower is down. The tower has come down.

So the commissioner and I had to make a quick decision -- do we remain in the building or do we go outside? And the choice that we made was to go outside. And the choice that we made to go outside and that if we went outside, we had a better chance of more people surviving.

I saw people running. I saw people fleeing, but I didn't see people knocking each other over. I didn't see people in chaos. I didn't see people in panic. And I actually saw acts of people helping each other.

When you evaluate the performance of the firefighters and the police officers, we got a story of heroism and we got a story of pride and we got a story of support that helped get us through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Rudy Giuliani speaking earlier today before the 9/11 Commission in New York, very, very dramatic testimony, a day all of us remember.

Gas prices are rising. Sales of some gas guzzlers are falling. Any connection? One of our business correspondents went looking for one.

And if it's not bugging you now, chances are it will before long, the strange story of the cicada. That's coming up.

And this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wonder why. I wonder why.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Purple rain for the prime minister. Details on a parliamentary dusting -- when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: They are some of the biggest behemoths you can drive without a commercial license. We're talking about those large -- the largest class in fact of the sports utility vehicles. But right now, instead of chugging down the road, some of the new models are collecting dust on the sales lots. Does it have anything to do with the very high gas prices under way right now?

CNN's Chris Huntington has been looking into that question. He's joining us now live from New York -- Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, early indications that those spiking prices at the pumps are giving some American car buyers pause before they buy that new gas guzzler.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON (voice-over): As gas prices go through the roof, SUVs are sticking to the showroom floors and now automakers are offering substantial rebates to move those monsters off the lot. Cause and effect or just coincidence?

BOB SCHNORBUS, CHIEF ECONOMIST, J.D. POWER & ASSOCIATES: Certainly, they have to be concerned about SUVs, which is a primary profit center for them. Oil prices are likely to continue to remain high perhaps throughout the summer.

HUNTINGTON: According to industry analyst Autodata, U.S. sales of large SUVs fell 15 percent "L.A. Times" month compared to the same period a year ago. Some models were particularly hard-hit. Ford Expedition sales fell 33 percent, while sales of the Hummer H2 and the Chevy Suburban each fell 21 percent.

General Motors says its overall SUV sales are up from a year ago and insist that rising gas prices have nothing to do with certain models slumping, nor the new rebates. GM is now offering $5,000 cash back on 2004 Chevy Blazers, Suburbans and TrailBlazers, as well as some of its big GMC models. DaimlerChrysler also says the cost of gasoline has nothing to do with inspiring a $4,500 rebate now available on Dodge Durangos.

But Ford concedes that higher gas prices are a factor and have hurt SUV sales and led to rebates such as $2,000 to $3,000 back on Explorers, Expeditions and Excursions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON: Now, SUV sales account for about 40 percent of all the new passenger cars sold in America, but about 60 percent of the automakers profits. And the big three are not about to let rising gas prices mess up that equation -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Huntington, thanks very much.

Bracing for a storm 17 years in the making, the United States' newest insect immigrants arising by the billions. We'll get to that.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Tens of thousands of angry Iranians took to the streets of Tehran to protest the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Hundreds swarmed around the British Embassy and threw fire bombs and stones at the wall surrounding the compound. Riot police fired tear gas and used batons to beat back the crowd. There were no injuries, but about two dozen protesters were arrested.

India's new leader. The architect of India's economic reforms, Manmohan Singh, is named the country's new prime minister. The move comes one day after Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi stunned her supporters by refusing to take the post.

SONIA GANDHI: I must humbly decline the post.

BLITZER: A native of Italy, Gandhi would have become India's first foreign-born prime minister. The Congress Party and its allies defeated the ruling Hindu Nationalist Party in elections that ended last week.

Rude encounter. A major security breach forced the evacuation of Britain's House of Commons. It happened after a protester hit Prime Minister Tony Blair with a purple powder.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This House is now suspended.

BLITZER: The substance turned out to be harmless cornflower thrown by members of a fathers right group upset by child custody rules.

First in the world. Britain has opened the world's first national stem cell bank. The facility will store, characterize and grow cells for distribution to researchers around the world.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Earlier we asked, which weather condition is best for cicadas? The answer, heat. Cicadas don't come out of the ground until the soil reaches 64 degrees.

Back in 1763, somebody wrote an article about a mysterious bug entitled "Observations of Swarms of Strange Insects and the Mischief Done By Them." The strange insects turned out to be cicadas. And swarms is an understatement. After 17 years underground, the cicadas are now emerging in 15 states, from New Jersey, south to Georgia, west to Mississippi.

CNN's Michael Schulder has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL SCHULDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You are listening to a love song.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, this is just spectacular. This is the big party up in the sky.

SCHULDER: An urgent love song from an all-male chorus that has only weeks to live.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what it's all about for these guys. And right now, it's all about love for cicadas.

SCHULDER: The singers are the cicadas, an insect that at this very moment that is emerging from underground by the hundreds of billions over a third of the nation. The cicadas spend 17 years underground and then suddenly the entire cicada population digs itself out for a four-week stint in the sun to mate, reproduce, and die. Their life story is remarkable.

Professor Mike Rapp (ph) is a cicada man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Through a biological clock or perhaps a molecular clock, they actually count those years. And when the 17th year comes, they know it's time to emerge.

SCHULDER: Many people find them disgusting with their beady red eyes covering every surface in their way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thing to remember about cicadas is, they are totally harmless. They can't bite. They can't sting.

SCHULDER: So how is it with no ability to protect themselves that this specie has survived since the Ice Age?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their survival strategy here is simply to overwhelm their predators with numbers. It's a safety in numbers game.

SCHULDER: In other words, so many cicadas emerge at once that the birds, the snakes and spiders can't eat them all; 17 years underground, followed by a mere month to mate, reproduce, and die, talk about living for your children.

Michael Schulder, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: I've been hearing them all day here in the Washington, D.C. area.

The results of our Web question, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Take a look at the scene from southeastern Ohio. The governor is declaring disaster areas in two counties hit hard by recent flooding. Evacuations are being ordered in at least two towns and emergency shelters have been set up. Good luck to those people there.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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


Aired May 19, 2004 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now, twin tragedies in the Middle East. In Iraq, they're blaming the United States. And in Gaza, they're blaming Israel. You'll hear Israel's response and you'll hear the response from the U.S. military as well.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Mass burial. Did U.S. aircraft fire on a wedding party in Iraq?

Running for life. Did Israel tank shells tear through this crowd in Gaza?

From leader to lightning rod.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son was murdered!

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Our anger should clearly be directed, and the blame should clearly be directed, at one source and one source alone: the terrorists who killed our loved ones.

BLITZER: We'll hear a mayor's own memories.

GIULIANI: The attack first felt like an earthquake. Then it looked like a nuclear -- nuclear cloud.

BLITZER: Bad conduct. He used to guard Iraqi prisoners. Now he'll be on the other side of the bars.

They're back, billions of them. After 17 years, an invasion from underground.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Wednesday, May 19, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Rage in the Middle East over two deadly incidents, and there are very different versions of what really happened.

In Iraq, witnesses tell the Associated Press U.S. forces fired on a wedding party, killing at least 20 people. The Pentagon denies it. And in Gaza, Palestinians blame Israel for a blast that killed at least 18 people during a demonstration. The Israeli Army says it's unclear what exactly happened.

We have in-depth reports on both volatile situations, starting with Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Burying their dead. This video, shot by Associated Press television news, shows graves being dug today in western Iraq.

Iraqi witnesses tell A.P. it's the aftermath of an attack by American military aircraft on a wedding party.

This man says a plane came and struck at the wedding and killed the whole family at 3 a.m. in the morning, and lots of houses were blown up.

Another man says 26 people were killed from one family. And five of the same family are seriously injured at the hospital.

A senior military coalition official puts the number even higher, saying as many as 40 people were killed. But the official says he believes the attack was against a safe house used by foreign fighters.

Pentagon officials flatly deny a mistaken attack on a wedding party, insisting U.S. troops were returning fire on anti-coalition forces.

The incident happened in the village of al-Kayyam along the Syrian boarding and near the town of Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold.

The witnesses tell Associated Press people at the wedding were firing guns in the air in a traditional celebration. And the witnesses say U.S. troops came to the house to investigate, then left before the alleged air attack.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Let's go straight to the Pentagon for more information on what may have happened. Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, standing by -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Pentagon is insisting at this point that the U.S. military had actionable intelligence that foreign fighters were using this house as a safe house.

They point out that after the attack, they recovering some weapons, as well as about 2 million Iraqi and Syrian dinar, as well as some foreign passports and a satellite communications radio. They insist that this was a legitimate attack, and they have no evidence that this was a wedding party in the middle of a desert. Of course, back in 2002, the U.S. military had an incident in -- in Afghanistan in which a wedding party was attacked. At that point, the Central Command also said it was justified because U.S. planes were coming under fire from that location.

But again, this has just happened. And at this point the U.S. is sticking to its story that this was a legitimate attack against a safe house based on actionable intelligence -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jamie, does it make any sense, though, that a wedding party, they're celebrating in traditional Middle Eastern style at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.? They're firing their weapons into the air and they're celebrating.

Couldn't a U.S. aircraft mistakenly assume that aircraft was coming under fire?

MCINTYRE: Or even ground troupes, for that matter, could mistakenly believe that they were coming under fire.

And it certainly is possible and it's certainly plausible that when the facts are all known in this case it could turn out to be that way. But at this point the Pentagon is insisting they have no evidence that supports that. They believe that their version of events is accurate at this time.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Thanks, Jamie, very much.

And as Jamie just reported the conflicting reports of an alleged American air strike on that Iraqi wedding party, very similar to that other incident two years ago in Afghanistan.

The Afghan officials say U.S. a air strike killed 48 civilians, wounded 117 other people, at a wedding party in July 2002. An investigation by the U.S. military Central Command later concluded that the attack was justified, because the American planes had come under fire.

Turning now to the bloodshed in Gaza, where a protest against Israel's crackdown ended with Palestinians fleeing in panic as explosions tore through a crowd.

CNN's Matthew Chance is joining us now live in Gaza with more.

A dramatic, dramatic day, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A day of heavy bloodshed, certainly, Wolf, here in the Gaza strip.

Israeli forces opening fire as Palestinian protesters marched towards the Rafah refugee camp. A number of injuries reported. There is some confusion about the level of casualties at this stage. But hospital officials telling us that unarmed civilians and children were amongst the dead and the injured.

Israel, for its part said it did not intend either to maim or to kill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the march to Rafah thousands of Palestinians walking into tragedy.

It was a peaceful, if angry, demonstration against Israel's military. Then came the response. In the skies above, a single Israeli helicopter gunship launches flares at first to protect itself. Then a rocket.

Israeli officials confirm tanks also opened fire near the crowd.

From the chaos, the dead and injured were carried off to hospitals inundated in recent days. Among the casualties are unarmed civilians and a number of children, only the latest carnage, say Palestinian officials, that Israel's army has inflected upon the people here.

GHASSAN KHATIB, PALESTINIAN LABOR MINISTER: This most recent and most vicious Israeli crime of shelling by missiles a peaceful demonstration is an indicator to the real intentions of the Israeli Army, which is simply trying to effect the maximum casualties of the Palestinian people, regardless whether they are civilians or otherwise.

CHANCE: From the Israeli government, an expression of deep sorrow for the loss of innocent life. But officials are insisting the rocket was aimed at open ground and was meant to disperse the crowd, not kill them.

RA'ANAN GISSIN, SENIOR SHARON ADVISER: This is a war zone. It's been a war zone for three and a half years, and we have to conduct this operation with all the care that we take.

Sometimes the loss of life is unavoidable here. And sometimes they are staged.

We know very well that the area where the incident occurred today was saturated with explosive charges, like in Jenin, placed before the crowd. So we're investigating that possibility, as well.

Before you jump to conclusion about a massacre or anything, allow us to exhaust the investigation, and rest assured that all the information will be presented.

CHANCE: So there's been a mounting chorus of criticism of Israel and its tough military action in Rafah to destroy what it calls a terrorist infrastructure there.

There are renewed calls, too, for international protection of Palestinian civilians here, the latest killings say some underline the pressing need for that.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHANCE: Israeli officials, Wolf, say they've started a full investigation into exactly what happened here. They're saying there is a possibility that it was an Israeli tank that fired four shells into what the tank commander believed was an abandoned building that could have caused those casualties.

We're looking for the results from that Israeli investigation to be made public as soon as they've been thought out -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Matthew Chance in Gaza. Another deadly day there. Thank you, Matthew, very much.

The White House has asked Israel for an explanation of the Gaza incident. News of the bloodshed came as President Bush was in the middle of a cabinet meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I continue to urge restraint. It is a essential that -- that people respect innocent life in order for us to achieve peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And joining us now with his unique take on events in Iraq, in Israel and elsewhere around the world, Senator Joe Biden. He's the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.

This is a crazy time in world affairs. You're shaking your head. Have you seen things this nutty lately, Senator?

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: No, I haven't. And I got here in 1972 when the Vietnam War was still raging, when I was 29 years old.

I think things are more out of control in the sense now than at any time. Some of it is a consequence of failed policy. Some is a consequence of things beyond our control.

And you saw -- I was just watching on your monitor here the top of the news and these two horrific events that demonstrate that -- assume that in both cases the intentions were honorable and decent. In wars, innocent people get killed and sometimes in awful circumstances like this.

And that's the reason why in my view, Wolf, I wish we had stayed with the road map. I wish this administration would invest more in getting people to the table to actually be a catalyst for insisting on movement. And I think, left adrift, this is what happens.

BLITZER: Senator Biden, let's talk first of all of what's happening in Gaza and Israel right now. What can the United States do? Can the U.S. do anything right now to stop this deterioration? It's clearly awful what's going on.

BIDEN: Well, I think it can by making sure that -- I can't guarantee we can solve it, Wolf. But look, as former president said we're going to succeed or get caught trying. I think we should get caught trying to succeed here.

And with regard to the road map, which was celebrated as going to be the initiative of the administration, with a contact group involving other nations, including European nations, we're essentially sitting on the side of the road now.

You know, for example, the president's press conference with Mr. Sharon. It wasn't so much what he said, what he said was basically correct. It's what he didn't say.

And I think what we've got to do is demonstrate that we want to see people back at the table and use all our influence at the highest level. And that requires significant pressure to be placed on the parties to come to the table now.

BLITZER: Much of the world, as you know, is condemning Israel. In fact, the U.N. Security Council meeting. They're about to approve, apparently, go through a resolution that would condemn Israel.

What should the U.S. representative do? Veto? Abstain?

BIDEN: They should veto it right now. And the reason for that is remember -- I remember it was on your show. You may remember this, maybe not, you have so many people on. After Jenin, and I think you were surprised, I defended the Israelis in Jenin and said look, let's find out what actually happened.

And it turns out the evidence that was, quote, proffered by the Europeans and the whole world about this massacre and what went on turned out not to be true.

Now, do I think the Israelis are always right? Absolutely not. But it seems to me you saw the Israeli representative saying, "Look, maybe we made a mistake. But also maybe there were other complications. Let us at least investigate it."

And I think we should let -- God-awful expression, let the dust settle here and investigate it before we go passing judgment. The world is always too ready to condemn Israel.

And -- But in the other side of the equation, we -- we cannot stand back and say that we don't want to see action taken and to try to promote this peace process.

BLITZER: Let's turn briefly to Iraq. June 30, the deadline. Do you know, you're the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, does anyone know to whom the U.S. and the coalition will hand over this sovereignty, this interim government to at this late moment?

BIDEN: No. No.

BLITZER: Isn't that sort of shocking that even now it's unclear who takes charge on July 1?

BIDEN: The answer is -- look, as you know, I've been a pretty consistent critic of this administration's failure to have a plan.

There's still a significant division within the administration as to how to proceed. And the president seems to sometimes have difficulty choosing a path here.

But in this case, we sort of came late to the time of saying that Mr. Brahimi should be the guy to put together this new government. I would point out Mr. Brahimi is a U.N. representative for all the folks in the administration who beat up the U.N. all the time. It's ironic that they're looking for Mr. Brahimi to name, literally name this new government.

But I think now, although I think the date of June 30 may have been set for reasons that have less to do with Iraq than here at home, I think we have no choice but to move forward.

And that's why Senator Lugar and I held another set of hearings today with leading experts as to how we're likely to proceed. There's still 40 some days. Hopefully this is on target, on course.

I spoke with Mr. Brahimi about ten days ago. He said he hoped he'd have names of a new acting president, vice president, prime minister, et cetera, by sometime in the next several days, by -- by the middle of this month. But it is -- toward the end of this month. But it is worrisome.

BLITZER: All right, Senator Joe Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator, thanks for spending a few moments with us.

BIDEN: Thanks an awful lot, Wolf. I appreciate it.

BLITZER: Thank you.

Taking responsibility for the prison abuse scandal. A top U.S. general speaks out in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a senior commander in Iraq, I accept responsibility for what happened at Abu Ghraib.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: While a soldier offers a tearful apology in Iraq's first court-martial hearing.

Also ahead...

... emotions on high in today's 9/11 hearings as former Mayor Rudy Giuliani acknowledges there were, quote, "terrible mistakes made."

Plus this, the sounds of cicadas. After 17 years the insects emerge. And their presence is not unnoticed. We'll get to all of that. First, though, today's news quiz. Which weather condition is best for cicadas? Rain, heat, cool and dry? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In Baghdad today the first court-martial of an American soldier in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. Three other soldiers are appearing in the heavily guarded courtroom for their arraignment, as well.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the courtroom a scene reminiscent of other high interest, big ticket trials in the United States.

Satellite trucks and journalists camped by the building, but this was different. Armored helicopters buzzed overhead. U.S. Army troops continuously march by.

This was the Baghdad setting for the court-martial of Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits and the arraignment of three more soldiers, all accused of abusing and humiliating Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.

In his court-martial Sivits broke down twice as he pled guilty, describing the brutal beatings some of the prisoners received and the acts of sexual humiliation the soldiers photographed.

"It was wrong," he said. "It shouldn't have happened. I apologize to the Iraqi people and the detainees. I apologize to the court, the Army, to my unit and to my family."

But contrition wasn't enough. Military prosecutors said, "These acts are horrendous, appalling and simply wrong. They took advantage of others who were vulnerable."

The judge agreed. Sivits was sentenced to a year in prison, a reduction in rank and a bad conduct discharge.

Three other soldiers were arraigned on similar charges of abuse. A date was set for a new pretrial hearing.

(on camera) While this trial has resulted in jail time for one soldier, it has not put the matter of prison abuse to rest. More courts-martial will be scheduled, and it is expected more information will emerge on how far up the chain of command responsibility for the prison abuse lies.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: And later this hour, we're going to have more on what three top U.S. generals are saying about the prisoner abuse scandal. We'll go to Capitol Hill for that.

In the meantime, here is your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our Web question of the day is this: "Was the sentence fair for Specialist Jeremy Sivits?" You can vote right now. Go to CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Two rivals talking behind closed doors. Democratic candidate John Kerry meets face to face with the independent candidate who could cost him votes in November.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: It first felt like an earthquake, and then it looked like a nuclear -- nuclear cloud.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: In his own words, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's dramatic recount of what happened on 9/11.

Plus, you may not find deals at the gas pumps, but some automakers are offering unprecedented incentives. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Very, very unusual meeting here in Washington today between rivals for the White House. On the one hand, John Kerry the Democratic candidate, on the other Ralph Nader, the independent candidate and some say a potential spoiler.

CNN's Tom Foreman is joining us. He has more on this pretty unusual event.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN ANALYST: Yes. Way unusual, Wolf.

John Kerry and Ralph Nader were shaking hands in front of the camera today, but behind the scenes we've learned that Democratic operatives are going after Nader and hard.

CNN's Ed Henry tells us they're planning a series of ads telling voters if you vote for Nader, you are reelecting George Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN (voice-over): Ralph Nader came out of his meeting with John Kerry the same way he went in, in a hurry and by all appearances still running for president. Good news for voters like Laura Johnston, who see Nader as their great hope.

LAURA JOHNSTON, NADER SUPPORTER: I like that this particular campaign, the Nader campaign, supports the little man. FOREMAN: Just as he did in 2000, Nader has Democrats fuming. They say he took critical votes from Al Gore then, and he could do it to John Kerry this time.

It is not clear how seriously Kerry takes that threat. The meeting between the candidates came about only after Nader complained publicly this past weekend.

RALPH NADER (I), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've been trying to meet him now for two weeks. And we haven't been able to get even his campaign manager to return the call, even though he's indicated publicly he wants to get together.

FOREMAN: Nader has indicated he favors a two-pronged attack on George Bush: Kerry hitting from the mainstream Democrat front, Nader attacking on the economy and the war. The problem is, if Nader pulls more votes from Kerry than Bush, Kerry could lose key states which he now thinks are winnable.

So while John Kerry says he will try to take Nader votes.

JOHN MERCURIO, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: If you talk to Kerry's campaign, if you talk to Democratic strategists, their interest isn't in minimizing Nader; it's in eliminating Nader from the campaign.

FOREMAN: Nader alienated some in the Green Party, which backed him last time by saying he does not want their nomination for this year's run.

ADAM EIDINGER, D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY: I don't believe there are nearly as many progressives who are working for Ralph Nader as in the last election. And it's not because they like John Kerry. It's because he's not building a lasting third party.

FOREMAN: But the polls say Nader still has a base. And that's why he's being watched so closely.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOREMAN: Nader issued a statement after the meeting today, saying they talked about ending corporate welfare and strengthening unions, that sort of thing.

But the truth is right now for the Democrats he's like the guy who comes to dinner and stays too late. They'd like him to go away. They don't know how to get him out of the house, and they're not going to sleep well until they do -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nader has said to me repeatedly, including last Sunday, he ain't going away. He's there until November 2 under all circumstances.

Thanks very much, Tom, for that.

On the Republican side of the aisle today, more bickering between House and Senate lawmakers over Iraq and taxes. At the center of the spat, the House speaker, Dennis Hastert, and Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, who doesn't always tow the GOP line.

Here is what transpired when Hastert was asked by a reporter to respond to a recent comment by John McCain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard a speech from John McCain the other day, and he was...

REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), SPEAKER: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John McCain, sir.

HASTERT: Where is he from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A Republican from Arizona.

HASTERT: Is he a Republican?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

Anyway, his -- his observation was never before when we've been at war have we been worrying about cutting taxes. And his question was where is the sacrifice? We have the war in Iraq...

HASTERT: If you want to see the sacrifice, John McCain ought to visit our young men and women at Walter Reed and Bethesda. There's the sacrifice in this country. We're trying to make sure that they have the ability to fight this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: In response, McCain, a POW in Vietnam for five years, issued a statement taking issue with what Republican spending habits have been of lately, at least according to him.

"The speaker is correct in that nothing we are called upon to do comes close to matching the heroism of our troops. All we are called upon to do is not spend our nation into bankruptcy while our soldiers risk their lives. I fondly remember a time when real Republicans stood for fiscal responsibility. Apparently, those days are long gone for some in our party."

Tough words from John McCain.

Top military brass vowing to redouble their efforts to prevent abuse in prisons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No doubt we have made mistakes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Still ahead, a general's commitment to members of Congress. And too much rain with nowhere to go? That's the problem for people in one state right now.

Also ahead: cicadas. They make a sinister sound. You'll hear it. But it's making -- they're making their way up Eastern seaboard this spring. They're all over the place in parts of the country right now.

The insect behind it and its fascinating story, that's coming up this hour as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

You are looking at live pictures of the United Nations, the Security Council taking action right now on what is happening in Gaza.

Let's go live to our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth.

Richard, tell us what his happening.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that is the Algerian ambassador. He just called what Israel is doing in the Rafah refugee camp Gaza scandalous conduct. And he's very that the Security Council minutes ago passed a resolution which strongly criticizes Israel for its action.

Under U.S. pressure, though, this resolution was watered down a bit in tone. And thus Washington did not veto the resolution, in effect allowing it to pass, 14 countries in favor. The U.S. abstained, a bit of a change from standard practice of vetoes on resolutions that are critical of Israel by the United States. It felt this time in effect it could not ignore what was happening there. The United States, trying to be a key broker in the Middle East peace process, wanted to seem at this point that it was taking a balanced approach.

Secretary-General Annan took a phone call a short time ago from Yasser Arafat. Diplomats are quite upset. The State Department says it remains troubled by what is happening there -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Richard, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee just moments ago on this program said he would have vetoed that resolution. The U.S. should have vetoed that resolution and not let a one-sided anti-Israeli resolution go through. This is an election year. Are you getting any sense from U.S. delegates, U.S. officials over there at the U.S. mission to the U.N. why they decided to let this resolution pass?

ROTH: They denied yesterday that they were trying to curry favor in the Arab world when they need it most during the time of troubles in Iraq. But the main article in this resolution says it calls on Israel to respect its obligations under international law. The original Arab draft said it would demand that Israel cease its actions. They may be semantics. It may be word games. The Bush administration felt it could go along with this one.

BLITZER: The Bush administration allows a resolution condemning Israel to go through the U.N. Security Council on this day. There will be presumably some political fallout as a result of that. We'll monitor that for our viewers here at CNN.

Let's check out some other news happening right now.

The Baghdad brass was on Capitol Hill defending the handling of Iraqi prison brass before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said he, too holds himself accountable for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. COMMANDER IN IRAQ: I accept responsibility for what happened at Abu Ghraib. And I accept as a solemn obligation the responsibility to ensure that it does not happen again.

STARR: But questions for General John Abizaid, the senior commander.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: How did it happen so long and so deep and we not know?

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CMDR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Well, I think there are failures in people doing their duty. There are failures in systems. And we should have known and we should have uncovered it and taken action before it got to the point that it got to.

STARR: Sanchez insisted his order last year for military intelligence to take some responsibility for prison operations did not involve the Pentagon and was not an order to soften up the detainees for interrogation through violence and sexual humiliation.

Major General Geoffrey miller, the new head of detainee operations, denied his recommendations for using military police to set the conditions for interrogation encouraged coercion of detainees. A report last November from the International Committee of the Red Cross containing abuse allegations was never seen at the highest levels.

ABIZAID: We've got a problem there that's got to be fixed.

STARR (on camera): Abizaid warned, the violence in Iraq will grow. He said it is now vital to name new Iraqi leaders to take over after June 30 and that it might be April of next year before the Iraqis are ready to provide law and order. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A man who became a hero during New York City's darkest hour took a tongue lashing during his appearance before the 9/11 Commission earlier today. The former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was treated cordially, very cordially in fact, by the panel, but some in the audience were not so nice.

CNN's Brian Todd has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: The morning of September 11, 2001, was primary day in the city of New York. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party were voting to select the next mayor of the city. And I was having breakfast that morning at the Peninsula Hotel on 55th street with two...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That was the Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaking at this commission hearing. And we're going to get to that in a moment.

But CNN's Brian Todd first has a report on what happened at the commission hearing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rudy Giuliani and the commissioners he would address perhaps expected this, that the passage of 32 months would not dull the emotions surrounding New York's worst day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son was murdered! Murdered because of incompetence and the radios that didn't work.

GIULIANI: When under go the losses, it creates -- it's very understandable.

TODD: That exchange over some of the harshest criticism of how Giuliani and city officials responded to the catastrophe around them, that the system of communication they had in place was inadequate, not enough 9/11 operators, radio communication so inconsistent that the city's command-and-control was, in the words of one commission member, not worthy of the Boy Scouts.

Victims' relatives are furious and say the commission was too easy on Giuliani.

If you got a direct questioning of a history, you would realize that the same radios that were in the hands of firefighters in 1993 were in their hands in 2001. Just gloating and absolutely glad- handing -- it's just unbelievable to me that that we're not getting at the issues.

TODD: Giuliani said concerns over communication are legitimate and being addressed. He admitted that before September 11 his office was more worried about attacks on the city's subways, tunnels and bridges.

GIULIANI: We had never come up with the thought that there would be planes used as missiles attacking buildings.

TODD: Giuliani took the audience through his every step that morning, a riveting account, but one that left victims' relatives unsatisfied.

BEVERLY ECKERT, LOST HUSBAND ON SEPTEMBER 11: I honestly just feel that it's inappropriate for the commission to allow those kinds of narratives to take up the commission's valuable time. We worked too hard to get this commission.

TODD: Giuliani said he understands the anger from relatives, but offered this perspective.

GIULIANI: Our anger should clearly be directed and the blame should clearly be directed at one source and one source alone, the terrorists who killed our loved ones.

TODD: And despite the problems, Giuliani said, there was no city in this country as prepared to deal with this day as his.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: While in the testimony New York's former mayor also gave a very personal and dramatic account of that unforgettable day. Here's part of it in Rudy Giuliani's own words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: The morning of September 11,2001 was primary day in the City of New York. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party were voting to select the next mayor of the city. And I was having breakfast that morning at the Peninsula Hotel on 55th Street with two old friends and colleagues.

As we finished breakfast, the police notified Denny. Denny walked up to me and he said the following, that it's been reported that a twin engine plane has crashed into the North Tower and there's a terrible fire there.

And as I walked out into the street and as I walked out into the street, Denny and I looked up in the sky. And what we saw was a beautiful clear day, about as clear as we had had in a long time, and came to the immediate conclusion that it could not have been an accident, that it had to have been an attack.

We passed St. Vincent's Hospital. And I looked outside and I saw outside many, many doctors and nurses and stretchers. And it registered in my mind that we were looking at a war zone, not a normal emergency. That was probably the first thing that said to me we're into something beyond anything we've handled before.

As we got very, very close to the World Trade Center, one of my police officers said to me, and all of us, Keep looking up, keep looking up. Because things were falling down around us. But when I looked up at that point, I realized that I saw a man -- it wasn't debris -- that I saw a man hurling himself out of the 102nd, 103rd, 104th floor. And I stopped, probably for two seconds, but it seems like a minute or two. And I was in shock.

My first question to Chief Ganci, maybe because of what I had just seen, was, can we get helicopters up to the roof and help any of those people? And Pete pointed to a big flame that was shooting out of the North Tower at the time. And he said to me, My guys can save everybody below the fire. But I can't put a helicopter above the fire.

And I was brought into a, like a cubicle inner office. Within seconds got a call in another room from the vice president. I walked over to that room, picked up the phone. The White House operator was on the phone and said, Mr. Mayor, the vice president will be on in a moment.

And at that point, I heard a click. The desk started to shake and I heard next Chief Esposito, who was the uniformed head of the police department. I'm sure it was his voice. I heard him say, The tower is down. The tower has come down.

So the commissioner and I had to make a quick decision -- do we remain in the building or do we go outside? And the choice that we made was to go outside. And the choice that we made to go outside and that if we went outside, we had a better chance of more people surviving.

I saw people running. I saw people fleeing, but I didn't see people knocking each other over. I didn't see people in chaos. I didn't see people in panic. And I actually saw acts of people helping each other.

When you evaluate the performance of the firefighters and the police officers, we got a story of heroism and we got a story of pride and we got a story of support that helped get us through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Rudy Giuliani speaking earlier today before the 9/11 Commission in New York, very, very dramatic testimony, a day all of us remember.

Gas prices are rising. Sales of some gas guzzlers are falling. Any connection? One of our business correspondents went looking for one.

And if it's not bugging you now, chances are it will before long, the strange story of the cicada. That's coming up.

And this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wonder why. I wonder why.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Purple rain for the prime minister. Details on a parliamentary dusting -- when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: They are some of the biggest behemoths you can drive without a commercial license. We're talking about those large -- the largest class in fact of the sports utility vehicles. But right now, instead of chugging down the road, some of the new models are collecting dust on the sales lots. Does it have anything to do with the very high gas prices under way right now?

CNN's Chris Huntington has been looking into that question. He's joining us now live from New York -- Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, early indications that those spiking prices at the pumps are giving some American car buyers pause before they buy that new gas guzzler.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON (voice-over): As gas prices go through the roof, SUVs are sticking to the showroom floors and now automakers are offering substantial rebates to move those monsters off the lot. Cause and effect or just coincidence?

BOB SCHNORBUS, CHIEF ECONOMIST, J.D. POWER & ASSOCIATES: Certainly, they have to be concerned about SUVs, which is a primary profit center for them. Oil prices are likely to continue to remain high perhaps throughout the summer.

HUNTINGTON: According to industry analyst Autodata, U.S. sales of large SUVs fell 15 percent "L.A. Times" month compared to the same period a year ago. Some models were particularly hard-hit. Ford Expedition sales fell 33 percent, while sales of the Hummer H2 and the Chevy Suburban each fell 21 percent.

General Motors says its overall SUV sales are up from a year ago and insist that rising gas prices have nothing to do with certain models slumping, nor the new rebates. GM is now offering $5,000 cash back on 2004 Chevy Blazers, Suburbans and TrailBlazers, as well as some of its big GMC models. DaimlerChrysler also says the cost of gasoline has nothing to do with inspiring a $4,500 rebate now available on Dodge Durangos.

But Ford concedes that higher gas prices are a factor and have hurt SUV sales and led to rebates such as $2,000 to $3,000 back on Explorers, Expeditions and Excursions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON: Now, SUV sales account for about 40 percent of all the new passenger cars sold in America, but about 60 percent of the automakers profits. And the big three are not about to let rising gas prices mess up that equation -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Huntington, thanks very much.

Bracing for a storm 17 years in the making, the United States' newest insect immigrants arising by the billions. We'll get to that.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Tens of thousands of angry Iranians took to the streets of Tehran to protest the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Hundreds swarmed around the British Embassy and threw fire bombs and stones at the wall surrounding the compound. Riot police fired tear gas and used batons to beat back the crowd. There were no injuries, but about two dozen protesters were arrested.

India's new leader. The architect of India's economic reforms, Manmohan Singh, is named the country's new prime minister. The move comes one day after Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi stunned her supporters by refusing to take the post.

SONIA GANDHI: I must humbly decline the post.

BLITZER: A native of Italy, Gandhi would have become India's first foreign-born prime minister. The Congress Party and its allies defeated the ruling Hindu Nationalist Party in elections that ended last week.

Rude encounter. A major security breach forced the evacuation of Britain's House of Commons. It happened after a protester hit Prime Minister Tony Blair with a purple powder.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This House is now suspended.

BLITZER: The substance turned out to be harmless cornflower thrown by members of a fathers right group upset by child custody rules.

First in the world. Britain has opened the world's first national stem cell bank. The facility will store, characterize and grow cells for distribution to researchers around the world.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Earlier we asked, which weather condition is best for cicadas? The answer, heat. Cicadas don't come out of the ground until the soil reaches 64 degrees.

Back in 1763, somebody wrote an article about a mysterious bug entitled "Observations of Swarms of Strange Insects and the Mischief Done By Them." The strange insects turned out to be cicadas. And swarms is an understatement. After 17 years underground, the cicadas are now emerging in 15 states, from New Jersey, south to Georgia, west to Mississippi.

CNN's Michael Schulder has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL SCHULDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You are listening to a love song.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, this is just spectacular. This is the big party up in the sky.

SCHULDER: An urgent love song from an all-male chorus that has only weeks to live.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what it's all about for these guys. And right now, it's all about love for cicadas.

SCHULDER: The singers are the cicadas, an insect that at this very moment that is emerging from underground by the hundreds of billions over a third of the nation. The cicadas spend 17 years underground and then suddenly the entire cicada population digs itself out for a four-week stint in the sun to mate, reproduce, and die. Their life story is remarkable.

Professor Mike Rapp (ph) is a cicada man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Through a biological clock or perhaps a molecular clock, they actually count those years. And when the 17th year comes, they know it's time to emerge.

SCHULDER: Many people find them disgusting with their beady red eyes covering every surface in their way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thing to remember about cicadas is, they are totally harmless. They can't bite. They can't sting.

SCHULDER: So how is it with no ability to protect themselves that this specie has survived since the Ice Age?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their survival strategy here is simply to overwhelm their predators with numbers. It's a safety in numbers game.

SCHULDER: In other words, so many cicadas emerge at once that the birds, the snakes and spiders can't eat them all; 17 years underground, followed by a mere month to mate, reproduce, and die, talk about living for your children.

Michael Schulder, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: I've been hearing them all day here in the Washington, D.C. area.

The results of our Web question, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Take a look at the scene from southeastern Ohio. The governor is declaring disaster areas in two counties hit hard by recent flooding. Evacuations are being ordered in at least two towns and emergency shelters have been set up. Good luck to those people there.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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