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Length: 1:40
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: If
reports of what is in the intelligence estimate are
right, the fighting, the growth of terrorism is
directly related to stopping the daily violence in
Iraq.
CNN's Michael Ware is live for us in Baghdad this
morning.
Hey, Michael, good morning.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning,
Soledad.
I mean the contents of this report are not surprising
at all. In fact, this has been a process entrain here
in the war since at least early 2004. And the U.S.
Intelligence Committee has been aware -- community
has been aware of this.
We saw with the arrival of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in
2003 with his bombings of the Jordanian Embassy and
the U.N. headquarters, followed six months later by
the interception of his letter to Osama bin Laden
outlining his plan to internationalize the fight here
in Iraq, to his video released in July '04 declaring
his arrival showing you his suicide bombers. We have
known that this war was being radicalized from way
back then. And U.S. military intelligence here on the
ground have seen the growth of al Qaeda and al
Qaeda-inspired groups, not their decrease.
So this strikes at the very core of the Bush
administration's grand strategy: fight them over
there rather than fight them here. We saw the London
tube bombers cite the name of Iraq. We also saw that
with Madrid. We are seeing the fulfillment of Osama
bin Laden and Zarqawi's vision. And the U.S.
intelligence community is now recognizing that --
Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Michael Ware for us this morning. He's
reporting for us from Baghdad.
Thanks, Michael.
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Length: 0:34
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Here's a
look now at stories that CNN correspondents around
the world are covering today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Michael Ware in
Baghdad.
The war in Iraq is making global terrorism stronger,
not weaker. Disclosures from a secret government
report reveal U.S. intelligence agencies believe a
new generation of al Qaeda leadership is being
blooded here in Iraq. With the growth of the
terrorist organization evident since 2004, the real
question remains, why is information about this
report being released now?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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Length: 3:34
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN
ANCHOR: Six weeks to go before the elections and
Democrats have some new ammunition in their debate
against the war in Iraq. Their latest piece of
ammunition, a government intelligence report that
reportedly says we're less safe now than we were
before the Iraq War. The April report, leaked over
the weekend, is the first U.S. intelligence appraisal
of global terrorism threats since the Iraq War began.
According to "The New York Times," the report
concludes the Iraq War contributed to an increased
threat of terrorism. It also finds the war helped
create a new generation of Islamic radicalists. We
have correspondents from Washington to Baghdad on
this. Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon, Kathleen Koch
at the White House, Michael Ware is in Baghdad.
Let's start with Barbara at the Pentagon.
Barbara, good morning.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's check the situation in Iraq. CNN's
Michael Ware joining us live from Baghdad.
And, Michael, anything in that report that surprised
you?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, look, what this
really is, this is the unraveling of a great dynamic
here. The contents of the report are not startling at
all. Ever since the arrival of al Qaeda leader Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi in the summer of 2003, with the
bombings of the Jordan embassy and the U.N.
headquarters, followed up a year later by his release
of his suicide bombing videos for the first time
ever, his declaration of arrival, it has been well
known on the ground here that al Qaeda was becoming
stronger and that this war was actually making global
terrorism stronger, not weaker.
What we see now is President Bush's top 16
intelligence agencies confirming this for him. This
undercuts the Bush administration's whole strategy on
the war on terror. You're helping them, not hurting
them.
The real question is, why is this being leaked now? I
mean this is on the back of President Bush just
saying, we're safer than we were before the war in
Iraq. We've seen the release of the Anbar military
intelligence document that said al Qaeda is becoming
stronger there and we can't defeat them. Now we have
this leak.
We are starting to see the war apparatus, the
military and the intelligence agencies, who have been
screaming about this for years, starting to raise
questions about their political leadership. They're
no longer quite on the same song sheet. And I suspect
it's because the men on the ground are sick of seeing
what's happening to their men and women here on the
battlefield being distorted back home.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: So what you're suggesting is, Michael,
there's so much dissension within the ranks that
we're seeing leaks like this and we probably should
expect to see more in the future?
WARE: Well, all I can tell you is this, that we see
these leaks coming out over the recent weeks. They're
very selective and they're very much on point with
regard to the strength of al Qaeda.
What I can tell you about is the shift in the mood
that I've experienced here. I've watched it develop
over a year. But in recent months, it's boiled even
further. You talk to top American commanders and they
can only thinly veil their frustration. The essential
attitude is, "I'm doing what I can here in Iraq with
what little I've been given. Just don't expect me to
smile about it."
They're now starting to see the grind between the
military and the political start to take its effect.
And I suspect from what I'm getting here on the
ground, the military has almost had enough and it may
be time for radical solutions.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Michael Ware in Baghdad, thank you very
much.
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Length: 2:26
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: A report
on global terrorism is getting lots of attention this
morning. It's the first since the Iraq war began.
According to the "New York Times," the report
concludes the Iraq war is contributing to an
increased threat of terrorism. It also says the war
has helped create a new generation of Islamic
radicalism.
We get some reaction this morning.
Kelli Arena is in Washington, D.C. Kathleen Koch
joins us from the White House.
Michael Ware in Baghdad.
Let's begin with Kelli -- why is this report so
important, Kelli?
S. O'BRIEN: Let's get reaction to the intelligence
report from Baghdad this morning.
CNN's Michael Ware is there -- hey, Michael, good
morning to you.
It's a report that's actually been out for a while,
but it's classified.
Why do you think the leak is happening now?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the
most fascinating thing about it, Soledad. I mean the
contents of the report simply are not new. This has
been a known reality here on the ground in Iraq, that
al Qaeda is getting stronger, not weaker, not just in
Iraq, but globally.
Look at the what's been done in the name of Iraq --
the London train bombings, Madrid and other things.
I mean what these top 16 intelligence agencies are
telling President Bush, in effect, is that everything
Osama bin Laden wanted is now happening. September 11
was Osama and the old guard saying you see what we
can do, now you do it. It's McDonald's franchise
terrorism -- think globally, act locally. And we're
seeing that spread.
And we're seeing them blooded here in Iraq -- either
physically coming and learning, or at least gaining
from the inspiration and the experience of Iraq. The
real question is given that this is so well known in
the intelligence community -- in fact, this report
started being written in 2004 -- why is it coming out
now?
We've already seen one leak from U.S. Marines
intelligence about the difficulties in Al Anbar
Province, where al Qaeda has effectively taken over
and they -- the Marines don't have enough troops to
defeat them. Now we have this, on the back of
President Bush saying because of Iraq, we are safer,
not in more danger.
This says the exact opposite.
I think we're starting to see the U.S. military
commanders and the U.S. intelligence community
chafing at what they see as the restrictions put on
them to fight this war, and in comparison to what
they're hearing from D.C. to the ugly reality that
they've been reporting on the ground -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Michael Ware is in Baghdad for us this
morning.
Michael, thanks.
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Length: 1:45
S. O'BRIEN: To Iraq now
to see how the intelligence report is being viewed in
the war zone. CNN's Michael Ware is live for us in
Baghdad.
Michael, good morning.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, the content
of this report are not in themselves stunning or
surprising. The fact that al Qaeda has become
stronger here, the fact that the war in Iraq has
fueled and inspired Islamic militants across the
world is no great revelation.
In fact, this was clearly seen here on the ground way
back in 2004, which, coincidentally, is the time when
this report was first written. Essentially, what the
top 16 intelligence agencies are telling President
Bush here is that the very thing the president says
he set out to defeat here in Iraq he has fueled and
inflamed.
This is the vision of Osama bin Laden and the late
Abu Musab al- Zarqawi fulfilled. They were trying to
show jihadis a model that they could build upon,
McDonald's terrorism, franchise terrorism. Think
globally, act locally.
That was set to inspire. This is what we are seeing.
And now we know this is what the president is being
told.
The question is, why is it released now? Why has it
been leaked? This is a sign of the chafing between
the military on the ground fighting a war with one
arm behind its back and the intelligence agencies.
Now the friction between them with what is being said
in D.C. about a very different picture that's being
painted than the realities here on the ground --
Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Michael Ware for us in Baghdad. Michael,
thanks.