[Blitzer:] A fresh round of deadly violence across the Middle East and North Africa. In Syria, witnesses say nine people were killed in sniper fire. One group reports that more than 400 people have died since the beginning of the uprising. CNN has been denied access to report from inside the country and we cannot verify witness accounts. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council is holding an openly-televised meeting to address the crisis in Syria right now. In Yemen, sources say 13 anti-government protesters were killed, more than 100 injured in clashes with security forces, making it one of the deadliest days in weeks in demonstrations. And in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata, rebels suffering the heaviest bombardment yet by pro-Gadhafi forces. Three people were reportedly killed, several wounded, when shells detonated near a refugee camp. A startling new attempt to show support for the Libyan government. Gadhafi's fighters, including children, were put on display today by the regime as they got weapons training the kids included. CNN's Fred Pleitgen was taken on the government tour. Let's turn to Fred right now firsthand. What did you see? What was going on, Fred?
[Frederik Pleitgen, Cnn International Correspondent:] Well, what the government told us, Wolf, is that these people are, in fact, regular people. Obviously, some of them only teenagers. But they said the others were engineers, shopkeepers who wanted to fight for Moammar Gadhafi. And apparently what's going on is that they're forwarding these pro-Gadhafi fighting forces in some towns. The place that we were taken to is called Tarhuna, which is about 50 miles southeast of Tripoli. And they get about a month of training on things like rocket-propelled grenades, machineguns, assault rifles, and then t hey say they're going to defend Tripoli against what they say is an attack by the NATO crusaders. And they also say that they were willing to fight against the tribes in Misrata. But one of the disturbing things, obviously, that we saw there is, among these people that were getting training were a lot of teenagers. And later, we also went to a school that we were taken to where we saw girls that we believe were around 12 to maybe 13 also getting training on assault rifles, learning to disassemble and reassemble those assault rifles. So that was something that was quite disturbing. But again, Gadhafi is saying that these are regular people who are coming to volunteer, to defend him against NATO Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Are these Gadhafi elements so desperate they need little kids, children, to help fight for them?
[Pleitgen:] Well, I mean, obviously, this comes at a time when there really hasn't been very much in a show of public support quite recently. I mean, you have pro-Gadhafi demos that are obviously organized here in Tripoli. But one of the things that's going on is that many people here are wondering, if the uprising in places like Misrata, in the east, is really elements that are not Libyan, then where are the Libyans who are standing up against them? I mean, Gadhafi keeps saying that the tribes in and around the Misrata area are going to go there, are going to speak to the rebels there. So far, that hasn't happened, and some people are wondering where that public support actually is. So this seems to be somewhat of a show or a campaign to show that, yes, that public support is there. Yes, the people in some places are willing to take up arms for Gadhafi. And it does seem as though there is some support or a lot of support at least in that area that we were in, in Tarhuna, for Moammar Gadhafi, as well as in other places here in western Libya. However, so far, to many people here and many to people around the world, that doesn't seem as though people are not mobilizing in favor of Moammar Gadhafi Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Fred Pleitgen, on the scene for us in Tripoli. Thank you. A big step, at least potentially, toward political reconciliation in the Palestinian territories. Officials of Hamas and Fatah say the rival movements have announced a deal to form a unity government. The move comes amid international efforts to advance the cause of Palestinian statehood. Donald Trump claims to have a new weapon against President Obama. The problem is, it doesn't exist. We'll talk about it in our "Strategy Session." Plus, the actor Matt Damon helping provide people around the world with clean water. In this "Impact Your World" segment, we travel with him to Ethiopia.
[Matt Damon, Actor/water.org:] We're about 60 kilometers outside Mek'ele, Ethiopia. This is a hand-dug well. It services about 6,000 people. The kids behind me, they've come here to gather their water. The bottles you see them drinking, full of that dirty water. That's what they come to fetch to take to school.
[Unidentified Male:] This is a matter of life and death.
[Damon:] A matter of life and death.
[Unidentified Male:] Yes.
[Damon:] It's in people's nature to want to step up and do their part.
[Announcer:] Join the movement, CNN.comimpact.
[Blitzer:] Let's get to our "Strategy Session." Joining us now, the interim co-chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Donna Brazile, also a CNN political contributor. And the Republican strategist, Alex Castellanos. Guys, thanks very much for coming in. What do you think, Donna? Why do you think the president decided today of all days to go ahead and release his original birth certificate? A lot of folks have been pressing him to do it for two years.
[Donna Brazile, Cnn Political Contributor:] Well, as you know, he did release his birth certificate two years ago, posted it on his campaign Web site. But, as you know, Wolf, in the last couple of where there's been new allegations that the first the short form wasn't good enough, that some people wanted to see the long form. And so the president had to request, because since the 1980s, the state of Hawaii has an administration regulation that you have to request a live form, the longer form. And so he received it last night and they put it out first thing this morning. Look, I don't believe it's going to stop the rumors. It's not going to stop the distraction. And it won't stop the birthers from going around making up more things. But at least the president has put it out there. And if you want to know what his sign it, he's a Leo and he was born at 7:24 p.m. Thank you, Mr. President.
[Blitzer:] We learned that. Should this now end this whole birther controversy, Alex? Is it over once and for all?
[Alex Castellanos, Cnn Political Contributor:] You know, we certainly hope so, because there's certainly enough serious issues confronting the United States and questions about President Obama's leadership. I mean, if we're going to release a long form, it would be great to see the longer explanation of how the president wants to spend more in Washington while reducing the deficit, how he's going to stimulate the economy while taking tax money out of it, how he's going to win a war in Libya while he's trying to get out of the war in Libya. There's a lot of other things we could talk about other than something I think the president has put to bed today.
[Blitzer:] Donald Trump came out boasting he's responsible for getting the president to do this today, Donna. Should Donald Trump be taken seriously as a potential Republican presidential candidate?
[Brazile:] Look, I think you should take anybody seriously, Wolf, who wants to toss their hat in the ring. And, of course, with his money and celebrity, I would take him seriously. But I want to address what Alex just said, because that's the reason why the president wants to move this conversation out of the Republican caucus and out of the mainstream media, because he wants to talk about how to attack the deficit in a fair and balanced way. He wants to talk about job creation, he wants to talk about giving small businesses the capital they need to go out there and produce the jobs of the 21st century. But you can't have that conversation if all we're listening to is the noise on the far right.
[Blitzer:] Yes. Alex, just quickly, on the Republican field, the presidential field out there, you know, there are a lot of folks in your party, the Republican Party, who aren't satisfied really with any of these candidates. They are looking for someone else from the outside Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida; Marco Rubio, the current young senator from Florida; Chris Christie. Now Paul Ryan's name is being mentioned. What do you think? Is the current field that weak that they've got to find somebody else who isn't even interested in running?
[Castellanos:] Not at all, Wolf. As a matter of fact, this is generally the way the process works. One of the things I've learned in hundreds and hundreds of campaigns over the years is that campaigns don't pick candidates. Campaigns make candidates. They go through this tough process with presidential primaries just like Senator Barack Obama did. Nobody gave him a shot at the start. But they go through this tough process, and it strengthens them. Some get knocked out. We find out they don't have the strength of character or the vision to lead. But others become presidential contenders right in front of our eyes. The Republican field is going to look very different six months from now because they are going to be tested.
[Blitzer:] Can't wait to see it all unfold because I love politics, especially presidential politics. Guys, thanks very much.
[Brazile:] I think Mr. Trump needs to call Alex because he could get some really good advice.
[Blitzer:] Well, maybe Alex will go to work for Donald Trump if he becomes the Republican candidate. You interested, Alex?
[Castellanos:] I just lost him.
[Blitzer:] No, he can't hear me. He just lost us.
[Brazile:] I'll speak for him. Alex will take his call.
[Blitzer:] All right. Thanks, guys.
[Brazile:] Thank you.
[Blitzer:] We're studying the president's newly-released birth certificate line by line. Stand by. Tom Foreman, over at the Magic Wall, to show us the fine print. And a CNN correspondent has managed to get back into Misrata to report firsthand on the devastation unfolding by Libyan forces.