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PAULA ZAHN: Now on to our
"Top Story" of the day, what could be a dramatic new
development: an offer from a major insurgent group to
stop attacking U.S. troops in Iraq. It's all on an
amazing new videotape you're about to see, exclusive
information, only here on CNN, and it comes at a time
when the death toll in Iraq has taken an alarming
surge.
Let's go straight to Michael Ware, who joins us live
from Baghdad.
Michael, what is behind this amazing surge in
violence?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you need to
bear in mind a number of things, Paula.
This is the holy month of Ramadan. So, we're seeing
the fourth Ramadan offensive by the insurgents since
the war began. This is a traditionally high period of
insurgent attacks. Plus, al Qaeda's new leader
launched a Ramadan campaign of his own. So, in many
ways, this is to be expected, particularly as we see
the ebb and flow of this war, as the insurgents adapt
to new techniques, more lethal ways of attacking U.S.
troops -- Paula.
ZAHN: And you got some, as we said, exclusive
information from one of these insurgent leaders by
asking him questions. He, in turn, supplied the
answers on a videotape. What did he say about his
effort to derail the U.S. military efforts in Iraq?
WARE: Well, what he was saying, essentially, is that
the U.S. mission has not been working. He's saying
that, by and large, you have given power in Iraq to a
rival of both our organization and you, the United
States, which is Iran. He said that this, in fact,
has become one of the driving forces sustaining the
insurgency.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IBRAHIM AL-SHIMARY: (through translator): America and
Iran have occupied Iraq. America is the disease that
caused the infection, which is the Iranian
occupation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARE: But what he also says is that this faction of
the insurgency, one of the most important for the
attacks against U.S. forces, renews its longstanding
offer to negotiate.
We have seen covert discussions under way between the
insurgents and U.S. military. We have seen Ambassador
Khalilzad acknowledge that these talks have been
taking place. Here, again, the insurgents are saying,
let's try again -- Paula.
ZAHN: What else did this insurgent leader have to
say, specifically a message for the U.S.?
WARE: Well, that was the thing about these -- these
statements, the answers to our questions. He was
talking directly to Americans.
He talked about President Nixon and Watergate. He
talked about President Bush's May 2003 "mission
accomplished" statement. He said that you need to
question -- he called upon the American people to
question the president's record on Iraq.
What he also said was that the Iraq insurgents, not
al Qaeda -- he said, we are different to them -- but
the Iraq insurgents pose no threat to U.S. homeland
security. They just want to free their country --
Paula.
ZAHN: Well, that's something that's strikingly
different than -- than we hear back here from some of
our politicians.
Michael Ware, in Baghdad, thanks so much.