Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Dan Rather) The deaths of 2 more American soldiers in Iraq reported; casualty figures cited.

(Baghdad: Elizabeth Palmer) The uncertainties about who will form Iraq’s new government and how they will be chosen examined; scenes shown from the site of the latest roadside bombing; details given about concessions from the Shiite majority, who are pressing for elections. [US administrator in Iraq Paul BREMER – says there are 133 days before sovereignty returns to an Iraqi government.] [U.N. Secretary General Kofi ANNAN – says elections cannot be held before the end of June.] [Student Ali HAMADI†- expresses fear about a civil war.]

(Studio: Dan Rather) Report introduced.

(London: Richard Roth) Evidence that Al Qaeda was planning to incite sectarian warfare in Iraq months before the discovery of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi††’s letter encouraging resistance featured; details given about Al Qaeda’s strategy for defeating America in Iraq, outlined by Yousif Al-Ayeeri† {aka “Swift Sword”}, in 2 textbooks published on the Internet. [Coalition spokesperson Dan SENOR†- says Zarqawi’s blueprint calls for unleashing civil war.] [Iraqi intelligence expert Ibrahim al-MARASHI†- says Ayeeri’s book was evidence that the war in Iraq would increase terrorism.] [Muslim cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri MUHAMMAD†- comments on Ayeeri’s influence.]