CNN Student News Transcript: September 10, 2007




(CNN Student News) -- September 10, 2007

Quick Guide

Report on Iraq - Learn what topics President Bush might address in his upcoming report on Iraq.

Bin Laden Tape - Listen to an analysis of a new videotape recently released by Osama bin Laden.

Temple Dust-up - Find out why an Israeli archaeologist has concerns about a construction project.

Transcript

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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CNN Student News
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MONICA LLOYD, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks for joining us for the start of a new week here at CNN Student News. I'm Monica Lloyd. An assessment from the commander in chief: President Bush is getting ready to give congress a report on the situation in Iraq. A tape from Osama bin Laden: The leader of al Qaeda releases a new video before the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And a dilemma for archaeologists: Construction near a site that's sacred to several world religions is causing tension in Israel.

First Up: Report on Iraq

LLOYD: First up today, President Bush is getting ready to give a report to congress on the situation in Iraq. One of the issues that's likely to come up is a strategy he announced back in January: sending an additional 20,000 troops to the Middle East nation. The move is commonly referred to as the surge. Now, when he made the decision, President Bush said the majority of the troops would be sent to Baghdad. Their mission would be to help secure neighborhoods in the Iraqi capital and protect the local population. The president has said that a lot of his report will be based on recommendations from U.S. military and civilian leaders in Iraq. But as Josh Levs explains, the information is coming directly from the commander in chief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER JOHN BOEHNER (R-OHIO): General Petraeus.

HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CALIFORNIA): General Petraeus.

FORMER PRES. BILL CLINTON: General Petraeus.

JOSH LEVS, CNN REPORTER: The pressure is on the top U.S. commander in Iraq as he prepares to tell Congress how things are progressing. But don't be fooled by the term "the Petraeus Report." Lawmakers talk about it in news releases and news conferences.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, MINORITY LEADER (R-KENTUCKY): The Petraeus Report in September.

LEVS: There isn't one. Even the Defense Department says "there is no such thing." The general will testify to Congress, as will U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. Expect some sharp questioning.

PELOSI: The facts are self-evident that the progress is not being made.

LEVS: The written report about the state of affairs in Iraq comes from the president. Congress mandated that he submit it by Saturday, September 15th. He says he'll go largely by what these two say.

U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: The main ingredients in that report for me to report to the country will be what General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker report.

LEVS: What can we expect his report to say? Based on his remarks during his recent surprise trip to Iraq, we know he'll argue the troop increase is helping.

BUSH: The surge of operations that began in June is improving security throughout Iraq.

LEVS: As for the idea of withdrawing some troops, he gave no suggestion that such a step could be imminent.

BUSH: When we begin to draw down troops from Iraq, it will be from a position of strength and success, not a from a position of fear and failure.

LEVS: CNN has learned that Petraeus will recommend no troop reductions before the spring, when the troop increase is scheduled to start phasing out. Ultimately, that decision is up to President Bush. The U.S. military war death toll currently stands at over 3,700. Josh Levs, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Is This Legit?

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is This Legit? Al Qaeda means "the base." This is true. Al Qaeda is Arabic for "the base."

Bin Laden Tape

LLOYD: Al Qaeda is also the terrorist organization that was behind the attacks of September 11th, 2001. And their leader and founder, Osama bin Laden, is one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives. U.S. officials have confirmed that a videotape released last week features the al Qaeda leader. On it, bin Laden calls the war in Iraq "unjust" and encourages Americans to "embrace Islam" to end it. Brian Todd has an analysis of the tape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN TODD, CNN REPORTER: The same clothes and calm demeanor as his video in October of 2004. But this time, the beard is black, not streaked with gray. The appearance and body language of Osama bin Laden on this latest tape is the first thing we analyzed with Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize-winning author on bin Laden.

STEVE COLL, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: There's a long streak of self-consciousness and vanity in his appearances. He often re-tapes some of his presentations when he feels he hasn't done a very good job. He's a performer and a marketer.

TODD: Early on, he crows about September 11th, saying despite America's status as the world's greatest economic and military power...

OSAMA BIN LADEN: Nineteen young men were able to change the direction of its compass.

COLL: Now he more or less concedes that this is his doing and he's quite proud of it in a way. So I think the more time has passed, the more pride he has taken in that attack.

TODD: But there's contradiction: He almost condemns 9/11. In the transcript, quote, "Burning living beings is forbidden in our religion, even if they be small like the ant." Is he ignoring the images of the World Trade Center on fire?

COLL: He's often contradicted himself in this way, particularly when he feels defensive, when he's accused of violence against civilians.

TODD: And what to make of him ticking through news events, the Democrats taking power in Congress, even an apparent reference to the American mortgage crisis? Coll says he wants to do more than prove he's still alive.

COLL: Like American news consumers, he seems sometimes to get irritated at politicians and newsmakers talking about him in a way that he doesn't agree with.

TODD: It's bin Laden's seeming consumption of news that Coll believes might offer insight into where he is. Satellite TV, access to news outlets, is widely available in Pakistan. Coll believes that's the most likely place this video was made. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

AZUZ: Time for the Shoutout! Which of these words describes the study of ancient people and their cultures? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Angelology, B) Audiology, C) Archaeology or D) Anthology? You've got three seconds -- GO! It's C, archaeology, that describes the scientific study of ancient humans. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Temple Dust-up

LLOYD: Archaeology is all about studying what's old. But we live in modern times, right? So out with the old, in with the new. It makes sense when you're cleaning out your closet. But what if that modern update might destroy something ancient forever? Atika Shubert reports on a debate happening in Israel right now where archaeology is throwing a wrench in a construction project.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN REPORTER: It's a simple trench: 500 meters long, over 1,600 feet, just one and a half meters deep, less than five feet. But it is causing a big stir in the most disputed property on Earth. Muslims call it the Noble Sanctuary, home to the Al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. Jews call it the Temple Mount, where the first and second temples, the holiest sites in Judaism, once stood. Any construction here draws controversy. In February, riots broke out after Israeli authorities attempted to repair a bridge leading to the area.

Israeli archaeologist Gabriel Barkay of Bar Illan University says this construction is destroying valuable artifacts. He gave us a tour of the site. Israeli police allowed only a small handheld camera. Archaeological finds litter the site, Barkay says. His team points to what they say may be a Roman pillar here, a Byzantine facade there.

GABRIEL BARKAY, ARCHAEOLOGIST: The depths hide inside it all the secrets of the Temple Mount. All that was removed. It is very, very delicate work.

SHUBERT: But the Waqf, the Islamic trust that oversees the day-to-day running of the area, says the trench is necessary to replace dangerously outdated electric cables. The trust says Israeli government monitors are here every day, including an archaeologist from the state Antiquities Authority. The engineer overseeing the project says no archaeological find of significance has been found.

BASSAM HALAK, ENGINEER: 'Til now, I've been working here 27 years. I don't hear they found anything.

SHUBERT: But Barkay disputes that. He heads a project to sift through debris from previous construction in the area, funded by a Jewish group that aims "to strengthen Israel's current and historic connection to Jerusalem."

BARKAY: In Jerusalem, archaeology and politics unfortunately go hand in hand.

SHUBERT: Nonetheless, he says he has turned up tens of thousands of artifacts, many of them small items, like this Roman die. The Antiquities Authority refused to comment. Barkay is demanding a full archaeological excavation in the area, rejected by both the Israeli government and the Islamic Waqf. Engineer Halak says the solution is easy.

HALAK: Not to make any digging.

SHUBERT: Perhaps not the answer either side is looking for. Atika Shubert, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

LLOYD: Curious to know what we talk about when we put together our daily show? Want to find out what we're cooking up for our next big project? Our blog takes you behind the scenes to get all the inside scoop. Check it out at CNNStudentNews.com!

Before We Go

LLOYD: Before we go, we want you to see a mother Chihuahua taking care of her babies. Now before you call this the cutest, cuddly-est video ever, take a closer look. Those aren't puppies she's licking clean. They're baby squirrels! The dog's owner found their nest last week in a fallen tree limb. When he brought them home, Mimi's maternal instincts took over, and she's been caring for them as if they were her own litter.

Goodbye

LLOYD: A little different, but very sweet. And that's where we sign off for today. We'll see you tomorrow for more CNN Student News. Thanks for watching. I'm Monica Lloyd. E-mail to a friend