Striking Back in Baghdad; Only Winners in Rosie O'Donnell Case May be Attorneys
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): Bombs over Baghdad: coalition air strikes in Iraq. America's number one man in Iraq is back in Washington. Is the White House reconsidering its strategy. The judge in the Rosie O'Donnell trials calls it a draw. Was it worth it? Home from Iraq: a soldier savagely murdered back in the U.S. allegedly by members of his Army unit. An heiress caught on a sex tape. It's our midweek crisis. Our special series, "Sleepless in America." Tonight, keeping the military awake. And the toddler pulled dead from a pool who survived. Medical tests show shocking results.</s>ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.</s>COOPER: Good evening to you. Thanks for joining us on 360. We begin in Iraq with attacks by the U.S. that sounded a lot like war. After losing dozens of U.S. troops in just two weeks, the U.S. went after targets in Baghdad, including a facility it says was an enemy staging ground for guerrilla attacks. The crackdown came just hours after a car bombing in Nasiriyah killed dozens, including 17 Italian troops. The worst day for Italy's military since World War II. We're going to cover the story tonight from Baghdad with Matthew Chance, from the Pentagon with Jamie McIntyre, and from the White House with Dana Bash. We go first to Matthew Chance with the latest on the crackdown that the U.S. military is calling Operation Iron Hammer. Matthew, tell us exactly what you witnessed in Baghdad this evening.</s>MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, I think what we witnessed here was the start of a much tougher policy towards these anti-U.S. insurgents. Loud explosions reverberating across the night skies of the Iraqi capital. Not Iraqi mortars this time, but U.S. firepower. Two strikes, according to military officials, against suspected militant targets. The first, a vehicle hit by an Apache attack helicopter in the west of the city. Two people confirmed dead in that attack, suspected of being involved in firing mortars at coalition forces. The second strike saw a powerful AC-130 gun ship that deployed in the skies over Baghdad to destroy a warehouse that coalition officials say was used by these insurgents. The plan, to carry out attacks against U.S. forces. It certainly sound like a very heavy blow being inflicted -- Anderson.</s>COOPER: Matthew, just for perspective, when was the last time U.S. forces used this kind of heavy weaponry in Baghdad?</s>CHANCE: Well, certainly, I've not heard of this kind of heavy weaponry being used since the end of -- or since President Bush, rather, declared an end to major combat operations in this country back in May. This was extremely heavy firepower used by the U.S. forces here. They're telling us that operation dubbed Operation Iron Hammer is an ongoing operation, and we understand there will be more assaults like this in the days and in the weeks ahead -- Anderson.</s>COOPER: All right. Matthew Chance in Baghdad. Thanks, Matthew. Operation Iron Hammer actually began days ago, and it is a significant shift that the U.S. is once again going after insurgents from the skies. Now, it comes with, of course, risks of swinging that hammer at the wrong place, hurting the wrong people. Senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre looks at the strategy.</s>JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The air war is back. A U.S. Air Force AC-130 gun ship like this one, with a powerful side-mounted 105-millimeter Howitzer, was used to level a warehouse in southern Baghdad Wednesday night. It's said to be used as a base by anti-U.S. insurgents. It's the latest example of how the U.S. military is using precision air strikes to ratchet up the pace and intensity of its counter-insurgency campaign.</s>LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, U.S. COALITION COMMANDER: We are taking the fight into the safe havens of the enemy in the heartland of the country where we continue to face former regime loyalists, criminals and foreign terrorists.</s>MCINTYRE: Monday night, U.S. F-16s dropped 2,000-pound bombs on an empty house south of the Iraqi capital after local residents were warned to stay clear. The stated purpose for destroying the suspected hideout was to deny sanctuary to the anti-coalition insurgents. And there were similar U.S. air strikes to demolish structures near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit Friday and Saturday. Pentagon sources say the stepped-up pace of attacks in recent days is also a result of better intelligence coming from local Iraqis who are supporting the</s>U.S. COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are confident that our commanders will get on top of it and our intelligence experts will be able to penetrate these remnants of the old regime who were trying to destroy the hopes and aspirations of the Iraqi people.</s>MCINTYRE: There is another aspect of the reintroduction of air power into the Iraq war, and that is the message it sends. U.S. commanders are well aware they've been losing the battle of perceptions. Air strikes send a signal of U.S. strength, power and reach, and that the United States, too, can strike with impunity -- Anderson.</s>COOPER: All right. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Thanks. As we noted, the increase use of heavy U.S. firepower clearly increases the risk of civilian casualties, which is a point not lost at the White House, as officials try to gauge possible political fallout. White House correspondent Dana Bash is with us now. Dana, does the White House think this strategy is politically risky?</s>DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson what they know here at the White House is that Americans are seeing an increased number of attacks on U.S. troops and feel they have no choice but try to root out the violence, because the biggest political risk for this White House is failure. And that is a big part of what is fueling the new push at the White House to try to push more quickly to expedite the Iraqi government, and that is a big part of the discussion here at the White House today.</s>BASH (voice-over): After two days of White House talks, President Bush is sending his Iraq administrator back to Baghdad with a proposed shift in U.S. strategy to turn governing power over to Iraqis more quickly.</s>AMB. PAUL BREMER, IRAQ CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR: The stakes are very high for moving toward a sovereign Iraqi government.</s>BASH: According to senior U.S. official, the president authorized a few major options for the U.S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council to consider, including an interim Iraqi constitution and interim Iraqi leadership. Another possibility, a provisional leader like Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai. But U.S. officials caution Iraqis may not accept that model as legitimate because of the country's diverse ethnic and religious makeup, and also say there is no specific timetable for the plan. During the fall U.N. debate, the White House strongly opposed any return of control to Iraqis without free elections.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The constitution must be written, and there will be free elections. And then sovereignty will occur.</s>BASH: Now a White House concession.</s>SCOT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: You need to be willing to adjust and adapt to circumstances on the ground in terms of reconstruction and in terms of the political front.</s>BASH: This adjustment is fueled by increasing attacks against coalition targets and a new grim CIA assessment more Iraqis disillusioned with the U.S.-led occupation are joining the insurgency.</s>BREMER: The terrorists are trying to encourage the Iraqi people to believe that the United States is not going to stay the course.</s>BASH: Officials admit the urgent White House push is also aimed at the slow-moving Iraqi Governing Council to meet a December 15 deadline for a permanent transition plan.</s>BASH: Bush officials concede they were intentionally vague about the details of the plan until the Governing Council is briefed, hoping Iraqis see their own leaders making the decision about their government, not the White House -- Anderson.</s>COOPER: All right. Dana Bash at the White House. Thanks very much. So what is the timetable for turning power over to the Iraqis? Here's a news note. December 15 is the deadline for the Iraqi Governing Council to come up with a timetable and a program for drafting a new constitution and holding Democratic elections. And Secretary of State Colin Powell has said he wants a constitution written within the next six months. Paul Bremer has said he hopes elections could be held as early as next year. On now to the clash of titans that ended today in a draw. A judge said neither Rosie O'Donnell nor her former publisher could claim damages in their bitter fight over who brought down "Rosie" magazine. The only winners here may be the lawyers, who clearly put in a lot of billable hours. CNN's Mary Snow reports.</s>MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After seven and a half days of testimony about the fireworks behind the scenes at "Rosie" magazine, the end of the trial took a turn that neither side seemed to expect. Judge Ira Gammerman called publisher Gruner & Jahr's $100 million lawsuit against Rosie O'Donnell ill-conceived, saying neither side proved damages beyond legal fees. And he said the magazine wasn't even profitable. Both sides, he said, seemed to be looking for bragging rights. Rosie O'Donnell left court saying she's glad it's over.</s>ROSIE O'DONNELL, FMR. TALK SHOW HOST: The story of this case is not who won or lost, but simply how many times peace was offered and war was chosen by the other side. We can have peace in this world. We can have peace with each other.</s>SNOW: The judge's conclusions are not final. He still must decide whether Rosie O'Donnell or Gruner & Jahr breached the contract that led to the demise of "Rosie" magazine. O'Donnell claimed that G & J breached it by seizing editorial control. G & J claims O'Donnell breached it by leaving in what executives called a fit of tantrum. Rosie O'Donnell's lawyers were careful to stop short of declaring victory.</s>MATTHEW FISHBEIN, O'DONNELL'S LAWYER: Whenever you're sued for $100 million and you walk out of the courtroom with the judge basically telling you you're not going to have to pay a penny, it's hard to get any better than that.</s>SNOW: Lawyers for Gruner & Jahr disagree.</s>MARTY HYMAN, PUBLISHER'S LAWYER: Gruner & Jahr believe</s>SNOW: Lawyers for Gruner & Jahr still plan to seek damages. And as for Rosie O'Donnell, she wants to be reimbursed for her legal fees, $8 million so far; $2 million more than she initially invested in the magazine -- Anderson.</s>COOPER: All right. Mary Snow, thanks very much. Appreciate it. We're going to have more on Rosie O'Donnell's legal saga. We're going to talk with her attorneys coming up on 360. We're also following a number of stories right now "Cross Country." Let's take a look. A 30-hour talkathon is now occupying the Senate. You're looking live at the floor of the Senate. Republicans protesting Democrats preventing a vote on three of President Bush's judicial nominees by filibustering. Cots have even been brought down to the floor so senators can lie down during the filibuster. There are two of the cots. Democrats say they have every right to do this. San Rafael, California: fallen firefighter remembered. Thousands turned out today to honor the only firefighter to lose his life battling the recent southern California wildfires. Stephen Rucker (ph), that's his name. That's his photo right there. He died October 29 when a firestorm swept over his crew as they were trying to save a house in San Diego County. Washington: fewer hate crimes. New FBI figures show a sharp drop in hate crimes in the U.S. in 2002. Reports of crimes involving bias against a victim's race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or disability decreased more than 20 percent from 2001. Critics say the stats are unreliable because victims underreport hate crimes. That's a look at stories right now "Cross Country." They are accused of terrorizing suburban Washington a year ago. Now they are on trial for their lives. We'll have the very latest on the two sniper trials. We're also going to look at why John Muhammad's defense wasted little time making its case. Also tonight, you will not believe what happened to an American soldier right after he returned from Iraq. The shocking death of Army specialist Richard Davis after a night out with his fellow soldiers. And our series "Sleepless in America" continues with a cutting- edge research on how to keep people awake. We'll also give you some pointers on what you can do to keep your eyes wide open. First, let's take a look "Inside the Box" at the top stories on tonight's network newscasts.