Is Battle for Tikrit Over?
CROWLEY (voice over): 7:06 a.m., General Tommy Franks tells CNN six or seven U.S. soldiers have been found in Iraq and are apparently in good shape. 7:52 a.m., CNN's Bob Franken embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit provides more details on the release and sends back exclusive video. He says seven American troops arrived by helicopter at a base south of Baghdad today, and were immediately transferred to a C130 transport plane which reportedly took them to Kuwait City. 9:16 a.m., Matthew Fisher, a Canadian reporter embedded with the Marines reports that the battle for Tikrit has begun. 10:02 a.m., the family of Ron Young, Jr., one of the seven freed this morning receives a visit from the U.S. Army representative who tells them their son is safe. The Youngs already knew this because they had seen Ron, Jr. on CNN before the official notification. 11:41 a.m., Shane Parker calls CNN to say his family got confirmation that his brother Patrick Miller was among one of the rescued POWs. Parker says he just wants to see his brother. 11:53 a.m., Matthew Fisher, the Canadian reporter, tells CNN that it was totally an accident that the POWs were found. He said an Iraqi policeman had approached the Marines asking if they had come for the prisoners. The policeman then led the Marines to a nearby building where they found the seven Americans still under guard by the Iraqis.</s>CROWLEY: All day we have seen the families and friends of the newly freed American POWs rejoicing at today's dramatic news. It sure shows, however, that after the initial excitement, the transition back to freedom can be difficult for former POWs. For more, I'm joined by our military analyst, General Don Shepperd. Don, let me ask you, obviously we have got these young men and this young woman coming off, pumping their fists, and there's got to be a real high there, but I imagine it sinks in later and they deal with difficult things.</s>MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: They do, indeed, Candy, this is euphoric for the people involved, for the families and for all of America, and of course for the people that rescued them. But they face some difficult days ahead and they don't even realize it. The euphoria quickly is replaced. If our experience is with these POWs like it has been other wars, by guilt, by doubt, and also by problems they don't realize they have. The military has become very, very good at handling the psychological aspects of POWs. This is learned the hard way from looking at the experiences of families and POWs themselves in the various wars we've been involved in, and the problems caused within the families, and to the members themselves. So we're getting good at this, and they'll get very good care, Candy.</s>CROWLEY: What have they learned throughout sort of the wars that have gone on about what POWs go through? Is there anything similar between, you know, five and a half years, as John McCain had in Vietnam, to 33 days, or three weeks? Or do they go through similar things?</s>SHEPPERD: Yes, it is very interesting. Experts tell me a lot depends on the individual's psychological makeup. For instance, John McCain, who was in captivity for five and a half years, terribly tortured, basically says he doesn't have any reaction, he doesn't have any nightmares, and others were in captivity for a short period of time say they do have nightmares. So it depends on the individual. What they have found is that they go through similar experiences, doubt, guilt, did I do something wrong that caused me to become a POW, did I do something wrong that caused others to get killed? All this self-doubt can be handled by real professionals that explain what they have been through, the experience of others, and help them cope with it, Candy.</s>CROWLEY: Obviously, General Shepperd, it's not over yet. I want to just sort of turn the corner and talk about the ongoing battle, but first I wanted to play a bit of Wolf Blitzer's interview with Tommy Franks.</s>GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS, COMMANDER, CENTRAL COMMAND: I wouldn't say it's over, but I will say we have American forces in Tikrit right now.</s>BLITZER: And is there any resistance -- organized military resistance?</s>FRANKS: When last I checked, this force was moving on Tikrit, and there was not any resistance.</s>BLITZER: What does that say to you? The Republican Guard, the special republican guard, the special security organizations, all of Saddam Hussein's military and police have crumbled?</s>FRANKS: One would like to think that. But I think we would be premature to say, well, gosh, it's all done, it's all finished.</s>CROWLEY: So, General Shepperd, this is not a man who is going to count any chickens before they're hatched, but what really is the biggest problem ahead for U.S. troops?</s>SHEPPERD: General Franks is very careful with his words. And when D Company of the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion securing the left flank of the Marine advanced toward Tikrit, came across these POWs this morning, their other elements on the right flank and in the center were advancing on Tikrit and they were coming against fire, even armored fire. So basically, I think what General Franks is telling us is even when Tikrit is gone, there will be pockets of resistance in Baghdad and some of the southern cities, in cities they have not been to throughout the country. We may see several weeks or months of this, and then security will gradually take over as the citizens themselves point out remaining pockets and the country is disarmed and new military is formed in the country, Candy.</s>CROWLEY: You know, General Shepperd, but then it becomes a very different kind of war, doesn't it? When you don't have units moving to the right flank and left flank, this becomes three Marines verses a sniper. Isn't that totally different eventually?</s>SHEPPERD: It does, indeed. Military operations are fairly straightforward. You have a plan, you have objectives, you move forward to take those objectives. You fight your way in if necessary, or bypass them if required, and there's a victory over the objective, if you will. You move on to the next objective. Peace is much more difficult, and an extended peace in Iraq, where there are many hidden arms and hidden caches around the country, many hard feelings will be existing for a long period of time. We know that there will be suicide bombers involved here. It is going to be very difficult and it is going to require patience, and it is going to require understanding of the American public and the world community, Candy.</s>CROWLEY: Thanks so much. Our CNN analyst, General Don Shepperd, we really appreciate it. As we have reported, five of the seven POWs found today are from the 507th Maintenance Company, the same unit as Private Jessica Lynch. Private Lynch arrived back in the U.S. yesterday and was taken to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington to continue her recovery. She was rescued by U.S. forces in a dramatic overnight operation on April 1. Private Lynch was welcomed to the U.S. by Major General Kevin Kiley.</s>MAJOR GENERAL KEVIN KILEY, U.S. ARMY: I spoke with her last night on her arrival. I said to her, Private Lynch, welcome home and welcome to Walter Reed. We are glad to have you here. And her response was, I'm glad to be here, too, sir.</s>CROWLEY: Private Lynch is said to be in good spirits. General Kiley says her stay at Walter Reed could stay could be as long as a few weeks. We have a reminder to stay tuned tonight for CNN's special coverage of the recovery of the seven former American POWs. That is tonight, 8:00 p.m. eastern, 5:00 Pacific. When we return, we'll check the hour's top headlines, plus we will go live to Baghdad with our Christiane Amanpour where widespread looting continues to plague the city.