Criticizing the General; L.A. Thoroughfare Reopens in Time for Rush Hour
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You're with CNN. You're informed. Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. Developments keep coming in to the CNN NEWSROOM on Monday, the 15th of October. Here is what's on the rundown. A major thoroughfare reopens just in time for rush hour. Los Angeles commuters dodge a big traffic jam. President Bush leads his Texas ranch behind today. His focus turns to money and his fiscal fight with Democrats. A former Iraq war commander calls the fight a nightmare with no end. A blistering assessment. Republicans react with anger, in the NEWSROOM. It is 8:00 a.m. now in Los Angeles, and thousands of commuters are waking up to see their dream came true overnight. A few hours ago, crews reopened most of Interstate 5, a major north-south freeway in L.A. County, but drivers are still being urged to avoid it if they can. The route between L.A. and Santa Clarita had been closed since a deadly crash inside the truck tunnel on Friday. A pileup of at least 30 vehicles ignited in an inferno. Two men and a baby were killed. The fire actually reached temperatures of 1,400 degrees. Steel melted and concrete exploded. Winds whipped through the tunnel and fanned the flames.</s>DEPUTY CHIEF JOHN TRIPP, LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT: There were 20 people that were in that tunnel with the raging fire going as we were trying to get to them and they were able to assist each other. And I think that's very commendable, to how all those people were able to help each other without the first responders able to get there and assist them. And we're, again -- very unfortunate that we did have the deceased, that we did. But at the same time, I think when we look at tunnel fires that have happen around the United States, let alone around the world, it's pretty miraculous that those people were able to get out like they were.</s>COLLINS: The tunnel portion of the roadway still is closed, but crews are working to replace several more supports in that structure. Here is what we know about this thoroughfare. Interstate 5 is the major north-south route along the West Coast. State officials say that stretch of freeway around Santa Clarita carries up to 225,000 vehicles each day. How vital is the roadway? Well, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an emergency declaration that allowed he states's Office of Emergency Services to help clear the roadway. Is al Qaeda in Iraq finished? Some U.S. generals think so. "The Washington Post" reporting they want the administration to declare victory over the terrorist group. The military says suicide bombings are down, dropping from more than 60 in January to about 30 per month since July. The Pentagon also pointing to the capture of several al Qaeda leaders this summer. Still, The Post reports the head of U.S. Central Command thinks it is not yet time to declare victory. A former coalition commander calls Iraq a nightmare. Now some angry Republicans want to know why was he painting such a rosy picture when he was in charge. Here now, CNN's Ed Henry.</s>ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Retired General Ricardo Sanchez had his say on Iraq.</s>LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ (RET.), FMR. COALITION COMMANDER IN IRAQ: America is living a nightmare with no end in sight.</s>HENRY: But now top Republicans are getting theirs.</s>SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I'm astounded really.</s>HENRY: Senator Lindsey Graham notes that on multiple trips to Baghdad, Sanchez told him the U.S. had enough troops on the ground.</s>GRAHAM: The surge a direct result of having to make up for mistakes early on. And as far as I'm concerned, he was part of that mistake by being a commander who did not express now -- then what he's saying now.</s>HENRY: Republican presidential candidate John McCain also had face-to-face talks with Sanchez in Iraq and heard the strategy was succeeding.</s>JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ),  PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: While he was in charge, he was supporting of a failed strategy.</s>HENRY: Indeed, back in 2004, Sanchez sketched rosy scenarios.</s>SANCHEZ: I think the current situation down in the south is moving very well forward. We have made some progress, as you all are well aware. Their morale is sky high.</s>HENRY: All of which make's Sanchez's current posture...</s>SANCHEZ: The best we can do with this flawed approach is stave off defeat.</s>HENRY: All the more galling to some.</s>BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: I think he's a little bit late on this.</s>HENRY: Even McCain, however, acknowledges it's difficult to buck the president. General Eric Shinseki took heat for saying early on the U.S. would need far more troops in Iraq than expected. And some retired generals defended Sanchez against charges he's lashing out to deflect attention from his own role as commander of U.S. forces during the Abu Ghraib scandal.</s>MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.): This is not a guy whining about not getting promoted or trying to throw blame on others. He spreads blame around and I really respect him for what he's saying and what he's doing.</s>HENRY: And not surprisingly, Democratic presidential candidates are praising Sanchez' candor.</s>SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: General Sanchez, who was our commander on the ground in Iraq starting in June 2003, made clear that George Bush's war policies have not worked and will not work.</s>HENRY (on camera): The Sanchez criticism raises an important question -- are there current military commanders who share the same concerns but are holding their tongues? It's a question that people with family members in harm's way would rather answer now than years down the road. Ed Henry, CNN, Crawford, Texas.</s>COLLINS: Want to get back to the situation now that we've been telling you about all morning long, L.A. County and Interstate 5. There was a major fire and tunnel collision that happened on Friday night. A horrible situation there. Something like 30 cars and vehicles -- you see the pictures now -- were involved in this. There were three fatalities, two adults and a baby, in fact. Several injuries as well. We want to get the very latest coming to us now from the California Highway Patrol, Tom Marshall. Tom, do us a favor and just update us on the situation today, because obviously with Monday morning and rush hour in full swing as we speak, wondering how people are doing out there on that roadway.</s>TOM MARSHALL, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL SPOKESMAN: Well, the good thing for us is this happened in a remote area. It's not in the urban area of Los Angeles County, but it is the major north-south route throughout California that connects northern California and southern California. And even better news is we have both northbound and southbound lanes open, so the roadway is for the most part open. There are some transitional routes that take you from one highway to another that are not open yet, and, of course, the tunnel where the crash and fire occurred will not be open for some time.</s>COLLINS: Yes, I'm glad you explained that, because for people who are not real familiar with the area, they may not have understood that that tunnel is basically used for semi trucks, correct?</s>MARSHALL: Yes. It's a transition route for the trucks to go from a couple of the crossroads that merge in at this place. Anybody in southern California knows this area very well. It was severely damaged years ago during a couple of earthquakes, and in this case it looks like most of the structural damage, according to our transportation officials, Caltrans, most of the damage is at the truck tunnel itself.</s>COLLINS: What about the structure -- as you said, it was severely compromised after those earthquake events, but obviously had been rebuilt and passable. What about the structure now? We were seeing some reports that there is some work being done on supports inside.</s>MARSHALL: Well, I would have to defer you to our transportation department, Caltrans, but they did bring in their contractors that are shoring up some of the other areas. It is safe or Caltrans wouldn't have opened it. And frankly, this has opened a lot sooner than what many people could have expected because of the damage, and it was a Herculean effort by Caltrans, the CHP, and the fire department to get to where we are now.</s>COLLINS: Yes, but I think there is a question out there today and certainly over the weekend about escape routes. When something like this happens, no matter how rare, boy, that video that we have gotten in -- and I'm sure you have seen plenty of it as well -- just an absolute inferno. How are folks feeling about those escape routes and maybe plans to look further into getting people out of situations like this?</s>MARSHALL: Well, there is no one plan that would fit all. Whenever something like this happens and it's in an enclosed area like a tunnel or, in this case, also a freeway cloverleaf, you just have to use your best judgment at the time to see which is the quickest way out of the danger area, understanding that the fire will be caused by spilling fuel. And you want to get away from the vehicles as fast as possible. Don't stop to get your belongings, just get out of the area and away from the fire and the danger as quickly as possible.</s>COLLINS: Hey, Tom, are there any restrictions on what type of cargo can travel through that tunnel?</s>MARSHALL: I don't believe so. It's pretty much open. It's the major route from northern California to southern California.</s>COLLINS: Yes. All right. Tom Marshall, our spokesperson from California Highway Patrol. Appreciate that very much. Thank you, Tom. Parts of Colorado under snow this morning. As much of a foot of it in the mountains. Fun for the young and the young at heart, but for some drivers, no fun at all. Several fender-benders reported on I-70 in the Rockies. Tow trucks called in from as far away as 50 miles. No reports though, thankfully, of any serious injuries. Rob Marciano joining us now to tell us a little bit more about this.</s>COLLINS: Speaking of, precious water, but too little of it to go around. Trying to survive an extreme drought. More on that in just a moment. Meanwhile, attacked by a hungry bear. A Boy Scout uses his training to survive. You're getting screened, and the numbers bear it out. Cancer death rates take a big tumble. Progress ahead.