U.S., Coalition Forces Waging Fierce Battles Against Iraqi Insurgents
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan at CNN Center in Atlanta. Let's check the headline at this hour. U.S. diplomats in Pakistan are warning new terror strikes against Americans are a real possibility. The U.S. consulate in Karachi points to two recent attacks and an attempted attack on U.S. interests in Pakistan. Federal investigators arrived this morning at the scene of an Amtrak train derailment in rural Mississippi. One passenger was killed and 35 were injured when the train fell six feet off a trestle into a swampy area. Inglewood, California, voters there have rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed Wal-mart to build a superstore in their town. The vote was nearly two to one against the megachain. Wal-mart appealed directly to voters after the city council passed a law to block big box retailers. And CNN founder Ted Turner is getting a star today on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Turner acquired the MGM and Warner Bros. film libraries and showcased the classic movies on his entertainment channels. Turner's star will be located next to Peter Fonda's for you trivia buffs out there. U.S. and coalition forces are waging fierce battles against Iraqi insurgents from Fallujah in the Sunni Triangle to south central Iraq. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr join us with perspective from there on the fighting.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, there a number of very fast-moving developments, of course, across Iraq. Let's start in Fallujah, where there was the report that U.S. forces hit a mosque in Fallujah, killing a number of civilians. What we now know from U.S. military officials is they did not hit a mosque, but, in fact, they dropped a 500-pound bomb on a surrounding wall, a bit of a distance from the mosque, but they wanted to breach the wall, we are told so they could engage those they suspected firing from the mosque. Now, the fighting in Fallujah, of course, continues. Here at the Pentagon, though, the word so far is that everything is under control. We are told that President Bush had a conference call last night with his top national security team, another call today. The question on the table of course is whether or not more U.S. troops might be needed as the fighting spreads. You can look at the map and see, Fallujah, Ramadi, Karbala, Najaf Nasiriyah, Amarah, Kut, Baghdad, a number of cities now with some unrest. U.S. and coalition forces trying to deal with all of them. But look at Al Kut, just for example. Ukraine officials say their troops are now withdrawn from that city after a firefight there. In Fallujah, the fighting does continue. Heavy weapons being used by the United States, tanks, as well as helicopters, gunships, AC-130 gunships, a number of U.S. forces moving through the city, somewhat rapidly, Daryn, becoming the urban warfare scenario that the U.S. feared last year when it moved into Baghdad that didn't develop at that time. One piece of, perhaps, good news in Ramadi, where there was serious fighting yesterday, and 12 U.S. Marines were killed, U.S. officials say they now have re-established control over Ramadi. But, again, the question is going to be, as the violence continues, as a number of hotspots flair up, what kind of U.S. forces are going to be needed to maintain security and control in all these areas? Back to you, Daryn.</s>KAGAN: And, Barbara -- actually, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you for that. The violence in Iraq has entered the presidential campaign debate. Senator John Kerry weighing in on the latest developments. Our Judy Woodruff standing by in Washington with the day's political headlines. Judy, good morning.</s>JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Daryn. Well, John Kerry is going beyond his past criticisms of U.S. policy in Iraq, which have been limited to calls for more international involvement. He is now questioning the U.S. plan to transfer governmental control of Iraq on June 30th, a decision that he says has been dictated by this year's U.S. presidential election. In an interview with NPR, National Public Radio, Kerry blasted White House diplomacy on the Iraq issue as, quote, "stubborn."</s>SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What makes me so frustrated, and even angry, and I think the American people are, is the stubbornness of this administration, which has refused time and time after time to share power and responsibility in determining the governmental transformational process. Can we do it this way, ultimately? Sure. But the question is, at what cost to our troops, at what cost to American people, at what cost to our reputation in the world?</s>WOODRUFF: More from John Kerry later today. I'll be asking the senator about Iraq and other issues, including the economy, when he joins me on inside politics starting at 3:30 Eastern, right here on CNN. Well, President Bush is keeping abreast of events in Iraq by way of secure video conference from his ranch in Texas. The president is also keeping in touch with British Prime Minister Tony Blair by telephone. On the campaign front, Commerce Secretary Don Evans is using a speech before the National Federation of Independent Businesses, to reply to Senator Kerry's budget proposals. Ralph Nader is calling for President Bush to be impeached over the war in Iraq. Speaking in Chicago, the independent presidential candidate accused the president of taking this country to war on a platform of fabrications and deceptions. Nader says that Bill Clinton was impeached for far less of an offense. There is no comment so far from the Bush campaign on Nader's charges. As the violence in Iraq escalates, our Bill Schneider will take a look this afternoon at whether Democracy can actually work in Iraq. Join us for that report, and more, when I go "INSIDE POLITICS" at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. But right now, back to Daryn in Atlanta.</s>KAGAN: Judy, thank you. We'll see much more of you later today. If you are holding a grudge, chances are you're better off just letting it go. Straight ahead, medical proof of why it's better to forgive and forget. And great leader or fictional character, you won't believe what some Brits believe about Winston Churchill.