Dan Rather Reports

Episode Number: 202

Episode Title: General John Batiste, Fallen Hero, Elite Search and Rescue

Description: Dan Rather interviews former General John Batiste about President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq; a family pays tribute to a fallen hero; and dramatic footage from Mt. Hood with an elite search and rescue team.

Transcript:

TONIGHT, STILL LOOKING FOR THE TWO MISSING CLIMBERS ON THE HELL THAT CAN BE MOUNT HOOD. WHAT IF AMERICA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS CAN SUDDENLY BECOME ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS. WITH SOME OF THE WORST WEATHER ON EARTH. I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE ON MOUNT MCKINLEY, MOUNT EVEREST, ANYWHERE IN THE HIMALAYAS THIS IS AS BAD AS IT GETS. WHAT ARE THE REAL NUMBERS BEHIND THE SO-CALLED TROOP SURGE IN IRAQ. A FORMER GENERAL, IN THE KNOW SAYS IT'S A LOT LESS THAN YOU THINK. ARE YOU TELLING ME OR NOT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 20,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIGHTING BOOTS ON THE GROUND OUT OF THAT 20,000, MAYBE SIX OR 7,000 AT THAT MOST? AT THE MOST. AND THE FAMILY OF A SOLDIER KILLED IN IRAQ WANTS TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS LIFE AND HIS SACRIFICE. HE'S NOT COMING BACK HOME ALIVE HE'S COMING BACK HOME HONORED. NEXT ON DAN RATHER REPORTS.

GOOD EVENING WE LIVE IN AN AGE OF EXTREME SPORTS, SPORTS THAT OFTEN REQUIRE AS MUCH FEARLESSNESS AS STRENGTH AND ABILITY. ONE OF THOSE EXTREME SPORTS IS MOUNTAIN CLIMBING. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS, AND, AMONG THE EXTREME SPORTS CROWD, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR. IT CAN ALSO BE DEADLY. LAST MONTH, THREE EXPERIENCED CLIMBERS TOOK ON OREGON'S MT. HOOD. IT WAS A CLIMB THEY NEVER FINISHED. ONE BODY HAS BEEN FOUND. THE OTHER TWO REMAIN SOMEWHERE ON THE ICE AND SNOW, HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN, WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. WE WANT TO TAKE YOU TONIGHT ON A JOURNEY TO MT. HOOD, TO SEE THE MOUNTAIN IN ALL IT'S MAJESTY, BUT ALSO TO HEAR THE STORY OF THE RESCUERS, WHO, OFTEN FIGHTING IMPOSSIBLE CONDITIONS, RISK THEIR LIVES TO TRY TO SAVE THOSE TRAPPED ON THE MOUNTAIN. FROM A DISTANCE THE SUMMIT OF OREGON'S MOUNT HOOD IS FORBIDDING AND SEEMINGLY INACCESSIBLE. BUT GET UP CLOSE AND ITS PRISTINE, PROTECTED UPPER REACHES ARE BOTH SPECTACULAR AND SEDUCTIVE. THE ELEVEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINE FOOT PEAK LURES THOUSANDS OF CLIMBERS EVERY YEAR. IT IS THE SECOND MOST CLIMBED MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD AFTER MT FUJI IN JAPAN. THOUSANDS ATTEMPT MOUNT HOOD WITHOUT TROUBLE IN GOOD WEATHER. BUT FACE TO FACE WITH ITS RIDGES AND CANYONS ESPECIALLY IN WINTER THIS DORMANT VOLCANO REVEALS ITS OTHER FACE. WHEN THE WEATHER SHIFTS FROM SUN TO CLOUD TO HOWLING WIND IN JUST A FEW HOURS, THERE IS NO DOUBT MT. HOOD HAS A LIFE OF ITS OWN. AND NO ONE KNOWS THE MOUNTAIN'S MOODS AS WELL AS HOOD RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF JOE WAMPLER. THE WORST WEATHER ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD IS RIGHT HERE I MEAN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS IN THE WORLD THAT YOU KNOW, IS HARD TO GET TO HERE. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THREE DAYS ON THAT MOUNTAIN MINIMUM. AND TO THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO OUT HERE AND JUST DO SOMETHING ON A DAY HIKE AND, AND COME RIGHT BACK IS, IS BAD, REALLY BAD, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S MT. HOOD OR ANY OTHER MOUNTAIN OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU PUT THREE DAYS WORTH IN YOUR PACK WHEN YOU GO. SHERIFF WAMPLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NORTH SIDE OF MOUNT HOOD. BORN AND RAISED IN A TOWN AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN HE KNOWS ONLY TOO WELL HOW UNFORGIVING THIS PLACE CAN BE. AS YOU SEE HERE AT 6000 FEET AND ABOVE HERE IT'S LIFELESS. THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT THERE ARE NO TREES OR ANYTHING OUT THERE AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE WIND AND THE COLD. ON DECEMBER SEVENTH THREE VERY EXPERIENCED MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS, 48 YEAR OLD KELLY JAMES, 37 YEAR OLD BRIAN HALL AND 36 YEAR OLD JERRY COOKE SET OUT ON THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT TO CLIMB MOUNT HOOD. OVER-NIGHTING IN A SMALL HIKER'S CABIN BELOW THE TREE LINE THEY STARTED THEIR CLIMB 3 AM FRIDAY DECEMBER EIGHTH IN GOOD WEATHER. AND THEY HAD LEFT THEIR SNOW SHOES BEHIND IN THEIR CAR BECAUSE WE FOUND THEM THERE, THE ONES THAT THEY'D RENTED. AND SO THEY WERE ON FOOT DURING THIS TIME LIKE WE'RE DOING RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW DRUDGING THROUGH THE SNOW. AND SO IT TOOK 'EM A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THIS FIRST MILE HERE TO THE BOTTOM OF ELLIOT GLACIER RIGHT HERE BEHIND US. THE THREE MEN CHOSE A DIFFICULT ROUTE UP THE ELLIOT GLACIER AND THEN A NEAR VERTICAL CLIMB TO ANOTHER RIDGE LINE THAT WOULD TAKE THEM TO THE MOUNTAIN'S SUMMIT. FROM THERE THEY PLANNED TO COME DOWN THE EASIER SOUTH SIDE TO MEET A FRIEND AT THE TIMBERLINE LODGE THAT SAME DAY.

THAT WAS THE PLAN. BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY SOMETHING WENT WRONG. THE CLIMBERS SLOWED DOWN AND THE WEATHER TURNED ON THEM. INSTEAD OF A ONE DAY CLIMB THEY SPENT FRIDAY NIGHT SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT TRAPPED IN A HOWLING WHITEOUT. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL SUNDAY DECEMBER TENTH THAT THE FRIEND WAITING FOR THEM CALLED SHERIFF JOE WAMPLER'S OFFICE TO SAY THE CLIMBERS HAD NEVER COME DOWN. HEARING THE NEWS- THE SHERIFF OPENED AN EMERGENCY COMMAND CENTER IN HIS TINY HOOD RIVER COUNTY DISPATCH CENTER. BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'VE DONE THIS SO MANY TIMES THE LOGISTICS, JUST TO GET THERE MEANS I, I'VE GOT TO START SETTIN' UP TRANSPORTATION. FINDIN' PEOPLE TO GO UP ON THE MOUNTAIN. UNDERSTANDIN' THE WEATHER. WEATHER THAT WAS GOING FROM TERRIBLE TO ONE OF THE FIERCEST STORMS EVER, WITH 100 MILE AN HOUR WINDS AND VISIBILITY OF JUST A FEW FEET. PEOPLE GO UP ON THE MOUNTAIN DURING A GOOD WEATHER WINDOW AND THEN THAT DOOR SLAMS SHUT. WELL, THIS DOOR SLAMMED SHUT FOR OVER A WEEK OF 100 MILE AN HOUR WEATHER. SNOW. WIND. AND, IT'S ONE OF THOSE, I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE, ON MOUNT MCKINLEY, MOUNT EVEREST, ANYWHERE IN THE HIMALAYAS. THIS IS AS BAD AS IT GETS. THERE WERE CLUES, A NOTE IN THE CLIMBERS PARKED CAR WITH THE ROUTE THEY PLANNED. A SECOND NOTE AT A FOREST RANGER STATION LISTING WHAT SUPPLIES THEY WERE CARRYING AND THEN THE PHONE RANGE. AND IT WAS KELLY JAMES' WIFE SAYING HE'D CALLED FROM HIS CELL PHONE TO SAY HE WAS IN A SNOW CAVE SOMEWHERE BELOW THE SUMMIT. HE TOLD HIS FAMILY HE LOVED THEM, THAT HE WAS COLD AND WET AND THAT JERRY COOKE AND BRIAN HALL HAD GONE FOR HELP. THEN HE HUNG UP TO SAVE THE PHONE'S BATTERY. NOW, SHERIFF WAMPLER KNEW THEY WERE ALIVE AND THAT ONE CELL PHONE CONNECTION MIGHT BE THEIR LIFELINE. WE'RE IMMEDIATELY GETTING FEEDBACK FROM TECHNOLOGY REGARDING HIS CELL PHONE AND ALL THIS STUFF THAT SAYS; OKAY. CONFIRMS. NOW I INSTANTLY KNOW, THAT THIS THING'S GONNA REQUIRE A LOTTA PEOPLE. BECAUSE NOW WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE MOVIN' UP ON TO THE MOUNTAIN IN BAD WEATHER. SO INSTANTLY I CALL THE CRAG-RATS. HOOD RIVER COUNTY SEARCH & RESCUE ON THE MOUNTAIN'S NORTH SIDE THE ALL-VOLUNTEER SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM IS AN ORGANIZATION DATING BACK TO 1926 CALLED THE " CRAG- RATS" . TODD WELLS AND BRIAN HUKARI ARE BOTH THIRD GENERATION CRAG RATS WILLING TO RISK THEIR OWN LIVES TO SAVE OTHER CLIMBERS. THEIR LODGE CLOUD CAP HALF WAY UP MOUNT HOOD BECAME THE SEARCH MISSION'S HEADQUARTERS BUT FOR DAYS THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE GET FAR FROM THEIR OWN DOOR FRUSTRATING FOR THEM AND FOR FRIENDS OF THE THREE MISSING CLIMBERS WHO CAME TO HELP. I THINK THEY REALLY SAW THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION. YOU KNOW AND YOU SEE IT ON THE NEWS AND DON'T THINK YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE SEARCHERS AREN'T DOING AS GOOD A JOB AS YOU'D LIKE. AND BY THE END OF THAT WEDNESDAY THEY THEY DEFINITELY SAW THAT. IT WAS SNOWING A LOT AND JUST YOU KNOW, WISHING WE'D GET SOME -- SOME GOOD WEATHER SO WE COULD GET UP HIGH AND LOOK WHERE WE THOUGHT THAT THEY MIGHT BE. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN THE PORTLAND MOUNTAIN RESCUE VOLUNTEERS WERE FACING THE SAME CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE AN EASIER CLIMB FROM THE SOUTH SIDE VETERAN CLIMBER ROCKY HENDERSON AND HIS TEAM COULDN'T GET BEYOND THE TOP OF THE HIGHEST SKI CHAIR LIFT. WE GOT PROBABLY NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 500 TO 1,000 FEET ABOVE THIS POINT RIGHT HERE. THAT'S AS FAR AS WE COULD GET. AND THAT WAS, YEAH. I MEAN, MONDAY MORNING. AND WE DIDN'T GET ANY HIGHER UNTIL SATURDAY. FOR FIVE DAYS AFTER KELLY JAMES CALLED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN THE MOUNTAIN WAS STILL IN A WHITE OUT NOT LETTING A SINGLE HUMAN BEING COME NEAR. THE SHERIFF HAD GROUND CREWS AIR CREWS AND EVERY AVAILABLE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY BUT ALL THE CLIMBERS' FAMILIES COULD DO WAS WAIT FOR NEWS FROM SHERIFF WAMPLER. HERE I'VE GOT A FAMILY SITTING DOWN IN HOOD RIVER YOU KNOW, 25 MILES AWAY FROM HERE. THE WEATHER'S BAD. THEY CAN'T EVEN SEE THE MOUNTAIN. AND THEN THE WEATHER BROKE. A WEEK AFTER THE MISSING CLIMBERS SHOULD HAVE COME DOWN RESCUERS THOUGHT THEY HAD THE BREAK THEY'D BEEN WAITING FOR AND STARTED THE CLIMB UP. IT WAS YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS CLEAR. BUT IT WAS WINDY, REALLY WINDY, IT WAS LIKE A GROUND BLIZZARD. SO, WE GOT UP ABOVE, OH I DON'T KNOW 7,500 FEET. AND WE COULD SEE THE SUMMIT, YOU KNOW, NOW AND NOW AND THEN FROM, YOU KNOW, IN BETWEEN THE- THE STUFF THAT WAS BLOWING AROUND. BUT WE COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND. I MEAN, IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW, 50 FEET VISIBILITY SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, REALLY COLD, REALLY WINDY.

AGAIN THE RESCUE TEAMS WERE TURNED BACK BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME PLANES AND HELICOPTERS COULD CIRCLE THE SUMMIT SO THE TWO CRAG RATS JOINED THE AERIAL SEARCH. SO, SATURDAY MORNING WE WERE IN THE HELICOPTER. AND WE WERE FLYING AROUND FOR PROBABLY AN HOUR, AN HOUR AND A HALF. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THE BACK IT'S A CH1 OR A CH-47, A CHINOOK. THAT BACK DOOR'S DOWN. SO, WE'RE HANGING. WE GOT WE'RE ALL TIED IN. BUT WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE GOT A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF EVERYTHING. SO, WE SEE AN ANCHOR THE ANCHOR RIGHT THERE. AND THEN WE SEE TRACKS COMING DOWN DOWN TO IT PRETTY WELL, PRETTY WELL DEFINED TRACKS. UNABLE TO CLIMB UP THE TWO VOLUNTEERS WERE FLOWN TO THE SUMMIT AND LOWERED ONTO THE ICE AND ROCK FROM A HOVERING HELICOPTER. THEY HEADED DOWN TO INVESTIGATE WHAT MIGHT BE A SNOW CAVE. THERE WERE SIGNS OF THE MISSING MEN BUT NO ONE WAS THERE. WE FOUND THE TWO TOOLS AND THERE'S LIKE A SLEEPING PAD THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY AT THAT POINT I REALLY THOUGHT THAT THAT'S WHERE KELLY JAMES WAS GOING TO BE. BUT BUT YOU KNOW, THEN THE THOUGHTS WENT WELL YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT IN THIS CAVE, WHERE WHERE IS HE? SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY WENT WRONG. MAYBE, WHY DID THEY LEAVE THEIR TOOLS THERE, YOU KNOW? THEY WERE, THEY WERE THROUGH WITH THE CRUX OF THE CLIMB SO MAYBE THEY WERE JUST LIGHTENING THEIR LOAD. JUST IT, ALL IT DID WAS OPEN MORE QUESTIONS. WITH LIGHT FADING THE CLIMBERS HEADED BACK UP TO THE SUMMIT TO REPORT FINDING THE TROUBLESOME CLUES ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CLIMBERS' ROUTE # UP# THE MOUNTAIN. BUT NOT FAR AWAY AT ALMOST THE SAME ELEVATION, TWO OTHER SEARCHERS WERE DISCOVERING THE SNOW CAVE KELLY JAMES' HAD CALLED FROM. INVISIBLE FROM THE AIR, IT TOOK THE SEARCH TEAM BY SURPRISE. WHEN THEY DUG IN THROUGH THE ENTRANCE THERE WAS THE BODY OF KELLY JAMES. THE INITIALS ON HIS SIGNET RING IDENTIFIED HIM.

FOR THE JAMES' FAMILY IT WAS AN ENDING. THE CELL PHONE CALL FROM THE SNOW CAVE WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THEY HEARD KELLY JAMES' VOICE. EVEN THOUGH THAT CALL HELPED PINPOINT THE SNOW CAVE'S LOCATION AT THE END, NOTHING COULD OVERCOME THE SEVEN DAY STORM UNLEASHED ON MOUNT HOOD. I THINK THAT BASED ON HIS BATTERY SUPPLY AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED LATER HE PROBABLY TRIED TO MAKE SEVERAL CALLS. THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT US FROM DOIN' OUR JOB WAS WAS MOTHER NATURE, NOBODY COULD HAVE PENETRATED THAT. WHEN THE FAMILIES FIRST STARTED SHOWING UP HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, "GEE, JUST GET A HELICOPTER, FLY UP THERE." WELL, THAT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, THE BEST TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD ISN'T GONNA PENETRATE CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WHICH EXISTED HERE, AND IT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN. BUT IT'S HARD TO CONVINCE THEM THAT BECAUSE YOU WATCH TV AND "GEE, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ANY TIME."THEY WANT YOU TO. AND WE WANT TO TOO. BUT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WHEN WE CAN. NEXT: SHERIFF WAMPLER NOW HAS TWO MISSIONS TO HELP KELLY JAMES' FAMILY AND FRIENDS COPE WITH A TRAGIC ENDING AND RACE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION: WHERE ARE BRIAN HALL AND JERRY COOKE?

THEY BROUGHT KELLY JAMES' BODY DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN ON MONDAY DECEMBER 18TH. IT WAS ANOTHER CLEAR DAY ON MOUNT HOOD. MORE THAN A WEEK BEFORE, HOWLING WINDS AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS HAD TRAPPED JAMES AND HIS CLIMBING COMPANIONS JERRY COOKE AND BRIAN HALL NEAR THE SUMMIT. WITH TWO FAMILIES STILL WAITING FOR WORD THE JAMES' FAMILY LEFT OREGON AND TOOK KELLY'S BODY HOME TO DALLAS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELD THE FAMILIES TOGETHER AND ESPECIALLY OUR FAMILY TOGETHER ON THOSE FATEFUL DAYS ON THE MOUNTAIN, ONE OF HE THINGS THAT GAVE US ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPE IS THAT WE KNEW KELLY HAD A SURVIVOR'S INSTINCT. HE WAS TOUGH AS NAILS, MY BROTHER KELLY, HE HAD AN IRON WILL. HE WAS A TRI-ATHLETE. AND HE HAD THAT EXTRA SOMETHING, THAT DETERMINATION. AND KELLY DID EXPRESS HIS FAITH IN WAYS THAT I DIDN'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND. ONE OF THOSE WAYS WAS IN MOUNTAIN CLIMBING. MOUNTAIN CLIMBING WAS KELLY JAMES' PASSION. HE MADE DOZENS OF FRIENDS AS HE CLIMBED MOUNTAINS ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE EVEN CHOSE MOUNT RAINIER AS THE SETTING WHEN HE PROPOSED TO HIS WIFE KAREN. THEY PLANNED TO CELEBRATE THEIR FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY THERE. KELLY ALWAYS SAID TO MANY OF US IN THE FAMILY, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THAT WHEN IT CAME, WHEN HIS TIME CAME, HE WANTED TO GO ON THE MOUNTAIN. HE COULD NOT HAVE CHOREOGRAPHED A MORE GLORIOUS EXIT THAN FOR HIM TO GO OUT ON THE MOUNTAIN. WHEN SEARCH TEAMS FOUND KELLY JAMES' BODY IN A SNOW CAVE LATE ON THE AFTERNOON OF SUNDAY DECEMBER 17TH IT SOLVED ONE MYSTERY. BUT IT ALSO CREATED A NEW URGENCY. WHERE WERE HIS CLIMBING PARTNERS BRIAN HALL AND JERRY COOKE?

THAT MONDAY, THE AVALANCHE DANGER WAS BUILDING BUT THE WEATHER WAS STILL HOLDING. IT LOOKED LIKE THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEARCH TEAMS TO FOLLOW THE LEADS THEY'D UNCOVERED IN THE PREVIOUS 48 HOURS. NOT ONLY PHOTOGRAPHS OF FOOTPRINTS THEY'D GOTTEN FROM THE AIR BUT THE LAST PICTURES FROM A CAMERA KELLY JAMES STILL HAD WITH HIM IN THE SNOW CAVE WHERE HE DIED. ONE OF THOSE PHOTOS SHOWS JAMES ON THE MOUNTAIN. SEEING IT HELPED SEARCH TEAM MEMBERS TODD WELLS AND BRIAN HUKARI IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. JUST FROM THE TRACKS AND THE PICTURES WE SAW FROM THE KELLY JAMES CAMERA, YOU KNOW TRIED TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. THEY'RE PLANNING ON GOING DOWN THE SOUTH SIDE WHEN THEY GET TO THE TOP. WE SAW SOME MORE TRACKS GOING DOWN. YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY THAT WAS THOSE TWO GUYS DOWN CLIMBING ON SUNDAY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ABOUT THE LAST, THE LAST TRACKS WE SAW THERE. THOSE TRACKS END ABOVE DEEP CREVASSES WHERE CLIMBERS OFTEN FALL TO THEIR DEATHS. WHEN AIR SEARCHES FOUND NOTHING AND THE WEATHER STARTED TO BUILD AGAIN HOOD RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF JOE WAMPLER FACED HIS TOUGHEST DECISION. SINCE THERE WERE TWO TOGETHER, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD ODDS. BECAUSE YOU, ONE GUY IN A SNOW CAVE IS COLD. TWO GUYS IN A SNOW CAVE IS OKAY AND YOU'VE GOT TWO GUYS TO KEEP EACH OTHER COMPANY AND, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS WHILE YOU'RE WAITING. SO, THE ODDS ARE A LOT BETTER. BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, AFTER, AFTER TEN DAYS, WHEN IT GOT TO THAT POINT IT JUST DIDN'T IMPROVE AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING ANYWHERE. THAT JUST FORCED US BACK TO AN ACCIDENT, SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC UP ON THE MOUNTAIN.

AS A PILOT AND A VETERAN CLIMBER THE SHERIFF DECIDED HE NEEDED TO SEE FOR HIMSELF. TAKING THE DEPARTMENT'S TWO-SEAT PIPER CUB HE CIRCLED THE MASSIVE MOUNTAIN TO MAKE SURE NOTHING HAD BEEN MISSED. WE WERE AT A STAGE ON THIS DAY, WHILE WE WERE VIRTUALLY MAKIN' THE DECISION TO CALL OFF THIS SEARCH. WHERE WE HAD FELT THAT, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THE CHANGES OF FINDING SOMEBODY ALIVE WERE PRETTY SLIM. SO I WANTED TO GET UP THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW CHECK THIS LEAD OUT MYSELF. BUT TO LOOK AROUND THE REST OF THE MOUNTAIN TO MAKE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE MIGHT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'VE NOT DONE.

THE DIFFICULTY OF DECEMBER'S SEARCH IS CLEAR. THE VAST SNOW AND ICE FIELDS THE SHARP STEEP RIDGES MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE TINIEST BIT OF COLOR THAT MIGHT BE A MISSING CLIMBER'S GLOVE OR A BIT OF JACKET FABRIC.

THERE WERE NO NEW CLUES. WAITING BACK AT THE SHERIFF'S HEADQUARTERS WERE THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF BRIAN HALL A PERSONAL TRAINER FROM DALLAS AND VETERAN OF MANY CLIMBS WITH KELLY JAMES AND JERRY COOKE A WALL STREET ATTORNEY WHO MET HALL AND JAMES EARLIER IN THE YEAR CLIMBING MOUNT RAINIER. MANY OF THE MEN'S OTHER CLIMBING PARTNERS ALSO CAME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY DURING THE SEARCH. TOUGHEST THING FOR ME I THINK WAS SEARCHING WITH THE TWO FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, AND SEEING THE DETERMINATION ON THEIR FACES AND, YOU KNOW, COMING IN AFTER A LONG HARD DAY AND NOT HAVING ANY RESULTS AND SENDING THEM BACK DOWN TO THE FAMILIES AND WITH THAT NEWS. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, I THINK, I THINK THE HARDEST PART. SHERIFF WAMPLER KNEW THAT AFTER TEN DAYS IN TERRIBLE WIND AND COLD THERE WAS LITTLE CHANCE LEFT FOR THE TWO MISSING MEN. WITH NO SIGN OF WHERE THEY MIGHT BE, HE WANTED THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN HE GREW UP CLIMBING. SO HE TOOK SOME OF THEM UP FOR A CLOSER LOOK IN HIS PLANE. WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY BECAME AVAILABLE TO GET THEM UP HERE CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAIN AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT IT. THEN THEY REALLY HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH WHICH WAS IMPORTANT TO ME. BECAUSE WE WERE YOU KNOW, AT DECISION MAKING TIME IN THE TINY PLANE EMOTIONS SPILLED OVER WHEN ONE FRIEND SAW WHAT THE SEARCH TEAMS WERE UP AGAINST. HE WAS A VERY GOOD, GOOD FRIEND OF ONE OF THE CLIMBERS. AND WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS THE CLOSEST ANYONE HAD GOTTEN FROM THEIR GROUP TO THE MOUNTAIN. AND HE GOT PRETTY EMOTIONAL IN THE AIRPLANE. AND OH YEAH, I FELT EVERY BIT OF THAT TOO. AND BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY'D GONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THOUGHT HAD MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED AND THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH AREA, THE AREAS OUT HERE TO LOOK AT. YOU KNOW AND I TOLD HIM, "IF I HAD 2,000 PEOPLE OUT HERE I COULDN'T COVER IT ALL. IT'S JUST TOO TOUGH OUT THERE." AND AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT. THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT. FOR THE THIRD TIME IN TEN YEARS SHERIFF WAMPLER WOULD HAVE TO CALL OFF A SEARCH WITHOUT BRINGING THE BODIES HOME. TWO TIMES BEFORE CLIMBERS HAD SET OFF ALONE ON HIS SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. FROM DAY ONE I KNEW THIS WAS A BIG PROBLEM UP HERE BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. SURVIVABILITY IN THOSE CONDITIONS IS NOT VERY GOOD. BUT IT DID SURPRISE ME WE DIDN'T GET EM. BUT AGAIN THERE WERE SO MANY DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL CALL SO MUCH SNOW THAT YOU KNOW THE EVIDENCE WAS JUST COVERED UP. AND WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET UP THERE AND PENETRATE THAT. ON DECEMBER 20TH THE SEARCH AND RESCUE BECAME A RECOVERY MISSION. NO LONGER WOULD VOLUNTEER CLIMBERS RISK THEIR LIVES. BUT FROM THAT DAY FORWARD MOUNT HOODS' CLIMBERS HAVE NEVER GIVEN UP. ON THE SOUTH SIDE PORTLAND MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS WHO FRANTICALLY FOUGHT THEIR WAY AS HIGH AS THEY COULD GO IN THE WEEK OF WHITEOUTS KNOW JUST HOW DIFFICULT IT WILL BE TO FIND THE MISSING MEN. JUST IN MY HISTORY. PEOPLE DISAPPEAR HERE ON MT. HOOD. AND WE NEVER FIND THEM. THERE'S JUST THERE'S CREVICES, THERE'S PLACES THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU GET BURIED BY ROCK FALL. AND THERE'S NO WAY WE'LL FIND 'EM. ON THE NORTH, THE CRAG RATS SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM MEMBERS STILL LOOK UP AT THE ROUTE THE CLIMBERS TOOK AND THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN NEXT CLIMBS. WELL YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE CLIMBING MT. HOOD. AND IT'S, IN GOOD WEATHER IT'S AN EASY CLIMB. BUT IN BAD WEATHER IT CAN BE PRETTY GNARLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVEN'T FOUND. I HOPE WE DO IN THE SPRING. AND BECAUSE THE MYSTERY OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT MOUNTAIN IN DECEMBER MAY FIRST BE SOLVED FROM THE AIR ON CLEAR DAYS WHEN THE SKIES OPEN A SMALL WINDOW SHERIFF WAMPLER GOES UP TO LOOK. SO FAR HIS SEARCHES HAVE TURNED UP NO NEW CLUES. THE BIGGEST MYSTERY IS NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE AT. I REALLY CAN'T SAY I KNOW THAT. I MEAN, THERE WAS EVIDENCE. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FIND SOME EQUIPMENT. WE FOUND KELLY JAMES. WE KNOW THEY WERE ALL THREE AT THAT SPOT. YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO KELLY JAMES HIMSELF, THEY'D LEFT THE DAY BEFORE TO GO GET HELP. AND SO AND IT SHOWS THAT THEY ACTUALLY STARTED DOWN OFF THAT MOUNTAIN. THIRTY-NINE PEOPLE HAVE DIED OR GONE MISSING IN THE PAST 48 "YEARS. EVERYONE WHO KNOWS THE MOUNTAIN KNOWS MOUNT HOOD CAN CLAIM LIVES AND NEVER REVEAL WHAT HAPPENED . I'M SURE THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO COME DOWN OFF THAT MOUNTAIN, GO GET HELP AND BE RIGHT BACK. AND AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S ALMOST THAT SIMPLE UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS MARJORY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. SHERIFF JOE WAMPLER IS DETERMINED TO BEAT ODDS THAT FAVOR THE MOUNTAIN NOW BUT HE KNOWS THERE WILL BE MORE SEARCHES MORE RESCUES AND MORE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE POWER OF MOUNT HOOD'S AWESOME BEAUTY. YOU KNOW, I TRY AS MUCH AS I CAN TO PROTECT THE MOUNTAIN FROM OURSELVES AS MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM THE MOUNTAIN. I GREW UP HERE WITH SEARCH AND RESCUE PEOPLE. I STARTED ON THIS MOUNTAIN HELPING PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS I'M ABLE TO. I HELP EVERY TIME I CAN GO UP THERE AND SAVE SOMEBODY, BRING 'EM DOWN OFF THAT MOUNTAIN, BRING 'EM HOME TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WAITING DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES ME FEEL PRETTY GOOD. CAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE WE'RE GONNA BASED ON WHAT I KNOW NOT PRETTY SURE, I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN THE SNOW LEVELS ALLOW US TO GET UP THERE WE CAN GET UP THERE AND FIND THESE GUYS AND AND SEND THEM HOME. WHEN WE RETURN, AN OUTSPOKEN FORMER GENERAL SAYS PRESIDENT BUSH'S SURGE ISN'T WHAT IT SEEMS.

THE PRESIDENT'S LATEST PLAN FOR IRAQ CALLS FOR COMMITTING 20- THOUSAND MORE TROOPS MANY OF THOSE WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO BAGHDAD TO HELP THE IRAQI ARMY STOP THE BLOODSHED. BUT JUST HOW MANY COMBAT TROOPS WOULD THAT REALLY MEAN? THAT WAS JUST ONE QUESTION I PUT TO A FORMER GENERAL WHO LED THOUSANDS OF TROOPS INTO IRAQ AND AT ONE TIME WAS IN THE INNER COUNSELS, THE UPPER TIER AT THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT MAJOR GENERAL JOHN BATISTE IS NOW RETIRED. BUT HE'S NOT SHY ABOUT SHARING HIS OPINIONS ABOUT FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DON RUMSFELD, MILITARY OPERATION SIN IRAQ AND THE PROSPECT OF MORE U.S. TROOPS AND WHY THE LATEST BUSH PLAN IS A LOT LESS THAN IT APPEARS. WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WANTED A QUOTE " SURGE" OF AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY 20 THOUSAND TROOPS, YOU REACTION TO THAT WAS? MY VIEW IS THAT 20-THOUSAND SOLDIERS AND MARINES IS INSUFFICIENT TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN IRAQ. REMEMBER THAT CHAOS REIGNS. FOR FOUR YEARS NOW WE HAVE BEEN MOVING FORCES AROUND IRAQ, IT'S A SHELL GAME HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE CAN IT MAKE? HOW MUCH DIFFERENT WILL IT MAKE? 20,00 TROOPS. FIVE BRIGADE COMBAT TEAMS. EQUATES TO PROBABLY 6,000 COMBAT SOLDIERS. EXPLAIN THAT TO ME. WITHIN A BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM THERE, THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF CAPABILITY. THERE ARE INFANTRY SOLDIERS, AND, AND THEN THERE'S A, A LARGE TAIL, IF YOU WILL. THE GUYS AND GALS THAT PROVIDE THE MAINTENANCE. THE MEDICAL SUPPORT. THE FUEL. THE WATER. THE BULLETS. YOU CAN'T EXIST WITHOUT THEM. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM. THAT MAY BE FOUR OR FIVE THOUSAND SOLDIERS. THERE'S ONLY A, A FRACTION OF THAT TOTAL THAT ARE ACTUAL WAR FIGHTERS. KICKING DOWN DOORS. GOING AFTER MOQTADA AL-SADR. ARE YOU TELLING ME OR NOT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 20,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIGHTING BOOTS ON THE GROUND OUT OF THAT 20,000, MAYBE SIX OR 7,000 AT THAT MOST? AT THE MOST. AND THAT, DAN, IS A SMALL DROP IN THE BUCKET OF THE REQUIREMENT. WE HAVEN'T YET TALKED ABOUT. AND THE STRATEGY THAT WAS OUTLINED THE OTHER NIGHT DIDN'T ADDRESS HOW WE WERE GOING TO SECURE THE BORDERS WITH IRAN AND SYRIA. THAT'S A LONG BORDER. LONG BORDER. AND IT WILL TAKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS. MAJOR GENERAL BATISTE IS A 31 YEAR VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. A WEST POINT GRADUATE AND TWO-TIME COMBAT VETERAN, HE LED THE FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION, 22-THOUSAND AMERICAN SOLDIERS, INTO IRAQ IN 2004. FROM BEING THERE ON THE GROUND SOME MYSELF, THE ARMY WE HAVE IN IRAQ NOW IS NOT THE ARMY THAT WENT INTO IRAQ. WHAT'S HAPPENED? DAN, THE ARMY, THE MARINE CORPS ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE IN MY VIEW. BOTH INSTITUTIONS AT A BREAKING POINT. WE WENT INTO THIS WAR IN IRAQ WITH A FLAWED STRATEGY. THAT'S WELL KNOWN. I THINK IT'S WELL UNDERSTOOD BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. BUT WE WENT IN THERE WITH INSUFFICIENT CAPABILITY. WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO WIN THAT KIND OF A COUNTER-INSURGENCY STRUGGLE. WE LOST THE INITIATIVE EARLY ON IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2003. AND WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO REGAIN IT. IT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT, ACCORDING TO GENERAL BATISTE, NEVER GOT OFF THE GROUND. AS PRINCIPLE MILITARY ADVISOR TO DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PAUL WOLFOWITZ IN 2001-2002, HE WAS PRIVY TO THE INNER DEALINGS AND HEATED TALKS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. WELL, GIVE ME SOME SENSE. SOME EYE WITNESS, EAR WITNESS SENSE OF HOW THOSE DISCUSSIONS WENT. DID SOMEBODY ARGUE FOR A LARGER ARMY? A LARGER GROUND ARMY? SURE. THERE WAS AN UNHEALTHY TENSION IN THE PENTAGON. A TENSION HE SAYS DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD SEEMED TO RELISH IN. ARROGANT, DISMISSIVE. SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH COMPLIANT, LIKE MINDED OFFICERS AND SENIOR CIVILIANS. TO ACCOMPLISH HIS GOALS. THAT ATTITUDE AND ONE INCIDENT IN PARTICULAR, GENERAL BATISTE SAYS, SET THE TONE IN THE RUN UP TO THE WAR. WHEN GENERAL SHINSEKI WENT TO THE SENATE OF-- SENATE ARMS SERVICES COMMITTEE WHO WAS CHIEF OF THE ARMY AT THE TIME. AT THAT TIME HE WAS CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY. AND TESTIFIED THAT IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSANDS OF US FORCES TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION IN IRAQ. THAT SENT REVERBERATIONS THROUGH THE PENTAGON. OUTRAGE ON THE PART OF CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP. AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD THIS GREAT GENERAL. WHO HAS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. WHO HAD RECENTLY COMMANDED ALL NATO FORCES IN THE BALKANS. DOING THAT TOUGH WORK. AND BELIEVE ME, THERE ARE PARALLELS BETWEEN WHAT WE DID IN BOSNIA AND KOSOVO. AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN IRAQ. HE UNDERSTOOD. HE GOT IT. BUT HIS OUTSPOKENNESS PROVOKED THE IRE OF DONALD RUMSFELD. AND WHEN I AND MY COMRADES SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GREAT FOUR-STAR GENERAL. STEPPED ASIDE. PUT ASIDE. THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND HIS INNER CIRCLE DIDN'T EVEN GO TO GENERAL SHINSEKI'S RETIREMENT CEREMONY. WHICH IT WAS THEIR DUTY TO DO. THAT SENT A POWERFUL MESSAGE. WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE? THE MESSAGE IS, DO IT MY WAY. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK. I'M NOT TAKING SOUND MILITARY ADVICE. I KNOW BETTER. WHAT DID YOU THINK AT THAT TIME? AS A YOUNG BRIGADIER GENERAL, IT MADE ME ANGRY. AND WHEN I SAW SENIOR GENERALS NOT STEP UP TO THE PLATE. AND NOT MAKE THE CASE. WHICH I KNEW TO BE DOCTRINALLY CORRECT. I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED. GENERAL BATISTE LEFT THE PENTAGON AND DEPLOYED OVERSEAS, FIRST AN ASSIGNMENT TO KOSOVO, THEN WITH THE FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION TO TURKEY; PUMPING UP HIS SOLDIERS FOR THEIR MOVE INTO IRAQ WHILE HARBORING DOUBTS ABOUT HOW THE WAR PLAN WAS UNFOLDING.. GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS. WHO WAS THE COMMANDER OF ALLIED FORCES FOR THE RUN TO BAGHDAD. IS GENERALLY CREDITED WITH RUNNING AN ALMOST PICTURE PERFECT OPERATION. TO GET TO BAGHDAD. CAPTURE THE CAPITAL. AND BRING ABOUT REGIME CHANGE. NOW, HE TOOK THE ORDERS OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND MADE THEM WORK. I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE AMERICAN MILITARY'S APPROACH MARCH AND ATTACK TO SEIZE BAGHDAD. AND AFFECT REGIME CHANGE WAS MASTERFUL. BUT AT SOME POINT IN THE SPRING OF 2003 THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NET CALL ON THE RADIO. AND THE COMBATANT COMMANDER SHOULD HAVE SAID, CHANGE OF MISSION. THAT WAS CRITICAL. THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL. ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL. AT THAT POINT IN TIME DIVISION COMMANDERS SHOULD HAVE LOOKED BACK OVER THEIR SHOULDER. AND SEEN NEW CAPABILITY FLOWING THEIR WAY FROM KUWAIT. TO SECURE THE COUNTRYSIDE. TO SECURE THE BORDERS. THE INFRASTRUCTURE. THE OIL. THE WATER. THE ELECTRICITY. TO KEEP THINGS UNDER CONTROL. SO IT DIDN'T SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. TO NIP THE INSURGENCY IN THE BUD. BUT THAT TRANSITION NEVER HAPPENED. BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER PLANNED FOR. IT WAS IGNORED. WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS THAT? THERE'S ONLY ONE PRESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THERE'S ONE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. AND THERE'S ONE COMBATANT COMMANDER. WHAT WE DID WAS WRONG. IT SET THIS COUNTRY ON THE WRONG PATH. WE WENT TO WAR ON THE CHEAP. WE DIDN'T PLAN FOR IT. WE DIDN'T REHEARSE IT. AND WHEN WE NEEDED TO TRANSITION INTO THAT PHASE OF THE OPERATION. WHICH, TRUST ME. WE NEEDED TO. IT WASN'T CLEAN. THAT MISSTEP, ACCORDING TO BATISTE, HAS LED THE U.S. INTO A WAR THAT WILL LAST FOR YEARS. HE SAYS IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF ADVICE FROM TOP MILITARY COMMANDERS HADN'T FALLEN ON DEAF EARS. OH, I THINK HISTORY WILL JUDGE DON RUMSFELD AS BEING VERY CLOSE-MINDED. DURING THIS PHASE OF HIS LIFE. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE PERIOD OF TIME WHEN HE WAS THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE SECOND TIME AROUND. GENERAL BATISTE AND THE 22- THOUSAND TROOPS UNDER HIS COMMAND SPENT 12 MONTHS IN IRAQ, TRYING TO SHORE UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE THE BEST OF A STRATEGY GONE AWRY. BY THE TIME HE RETURNED IN THE SUMMER OF 2005, HE WAS FRUSTRATED AND FED UP WITH THE WAY THE WAR WAS BEING WAGED. DAYS WITHIN BEING PROMOTED TO A THREE STAR GENERAL, HE FOUND HIS CONSCIENCE WAS UNEASY. I KNEW THAT SOMEBODY NEEDED TO SAY SOMETHING. I KNEW THAT I COULDN'T DO THAT IN UNIFORM. BY ALL ACCOUNTS I HAD A GREAT CAREER IN FRONT OF ME. BUT I CAME TO THAT GUT-WRENCHING REALIZATION THAT IT DIDN'T MATTER TO ME HOW MANY STARS THEY OFFERED ME. WHAT JOB THEY WANTED TO GIVE ME. WHAT PLAYED OUT IN MY MIND. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WAS THE VIGNETTE WE ALL STUDIED AT THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE. WHERE GENERAL HAROLD K. JOHNSON WENT TO THE PRESIDENT. LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON AT ONE POINT. AND HIS INTENTION WAS TO TAKE HIS FOUR STARS. THROW THEM ON THE TABLE. AND SAY ESSENTIALLY, YOU'VE MADE A MESS OF VIET NAM. YOU DIDN'T MOBILIZE THE COUNTRY. I RESIGN. IN THE COURSE OF THAT DISCUSSION HE DOES WHAT MOST OF US DO. YOU CONVINCE YOURSELF THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN STAY IN THE INSTITUTION AND CHANGE IT FROM WITHIN. ON HIS DEATHBED, A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF HIS ASKED HIM, DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS? AND THE STORY GOES HE SAID, I HAVE BUT ONE. THAT DAY WHEN I WAS WITH PRESIDENT JOHNSON. I SHOULD HAVE TENDERED MY RESIGNATION AND TOLD THE TRUTH. IN THE END, GENERAL BATISTE DID WHAT IN THE MILITARY AMOUNTS TO CAREER SUICIDE HE TURNED DOWN THE PROMOTION, RESIGNED, AND WENT ON THE RECORD, PUBLICLY DEMANDING THE RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD RUMSFELD. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. I KNEW IT WHEN I STEPPED OUT. I KNEW THAT WHEN I ATTACKED DONALD RUMSFELD I COULDN'T STOP UNTIL I WAS SUCCESSFUL. YOU SEE, THE ARMY'S TRAINED ME TO ATTACK. TO CROSS A LINE OF DEPARTURE. AND NOT STOP UNTIL YOU ACCOMPLISH YOUR OBJECTIVE. THIS WAS IMPORTANT IN MY VIEW FOR OUR COUNTRY. GENERAL BATISTE WAS NOT ALONE. HIS DISSATISFACTION WAS ALSO SHARED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF GENERALS AND IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS IT BECAME AN ISSUE. JUST TWO DAYS AFTER A STUNNING DEFEAT OF THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN CONGRESS; PRESIDENT BUSH ANNOUNCED THAT RUMSFELD WAS STEPPING DOWN. AMERICA IS SAFER AND THE WORLD MORE SECURE BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF DONALD RUMSFELD. WHEN YOU SAW AND HEARD THAT, WHAT DID YOU THINK? DID YOU HAVE A SENSE OF REDEMPTION? YOU KNOW, DAN, IT SADDENED ME. CLEARLY IT WAS MY OBJECTIVE. AS WE DISCUSSED, THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR MILITARY AND OUR COUNTRY. BUT IT SADDENED ME. AND IT CAUSED ME TO FOCUS ON THE WAY AHEAD. HOW DO WE UNTIE THIS KNOT THAT WE AS A NATION HAVE CREATED? AND GET A UNIFIED STRATEGY THAT WILL WORK IN IRAQ. SO IT WAS A IT WAS A SENSE YES, OF SATISFACTION. BUT JUST AS MUCH SADNESS AND RESOLVE TO CONTINUE THE WORK. TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE WAY AHEAD? WHAT LIES AHEAD IS NOT OUTLINED IN PRESIDENT BUSH'S NEW PLAN FOR IRAQ, ACCORDING TO GENERAL BATISTE. THE PROPOSED " SURGE" , OR INCREASE IN TROOPS, HE SAYS, IS SIMPLY TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. TO WIN, HE THINKS IT WILL TAKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS; WHICH CANNOT COME FROM A MILITARY STRETCHED SO THIN. WE GOT SOME PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW WITH MANNING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THE MILITARY BY 90,000 MEN AND WOMEN. MY QUESTION IS, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO COME FROM? CAN YOU DO IT WITHOUT A DRAFT? I DON'T KNOW. YOU SEE, THIS IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION THIS COUNTRY MUST HAVE. WE'RE NOT MOBILIZED TO FIGHT THE WORLDWIDE ISLAMIC EXTREMIST MOVEMENT. NOBODY'S FOCUSED ON THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT WITH OUR CURRENT MILITARY. SO IF WE CAN'T RECRUIT MORE INTO A VOLUNTEER FORCE, THEN I SUSPECT WE BETTER START HAVING THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT A DRAFT. WE'VE HAD TWO GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WHO, FOR THE MOST PART, DON'T UNDERSTAND SERVICE. THEY'VE NEVER DONE IT. THIS IS NOT GOOD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. AND IT TAKES LEADERSHIP. NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE REQUIRED LEADERSHIP LIKE WE DO TODAY. TIMES ARE GRAVE, I'M AFRAID. AND IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND GENERAL BATISTE FEARS THAT THE ROAD INTO IRAQ IS LEADING THIS COUNTRY'S MILITARY DOWN AN IRREVERSIBLE PATH. OUR MILITARY IS A NATIONAL TREASURE. AND BECAUSE OF THIS FLAWED STRATEGY. BECAUSE OF THIS DIRECTION THAT PEOPLE TOOK US ON. IN 2003. OUR ARMY AND OUR MARINE CORPS ARE AT A BREAKING POINT. THERE'S ONLY SO MANY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAMS IN OUR INVENTORY. THEY'RE ALL COMMITTED. THEY'RE EITHER IN IRAQ. OR GETTING READY TO GO THE IRAQ. OR COMING BACK FROM IRAQ. NONE OF THEM HAVE THEIR EQUIP. BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN IRAQ. OUR NATIONAL GUARD HAS BUT 32 PERCENT OF ITS EQUIPMENT. WE WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TODAY. BECAUSE OF THIS FLAWED STRATEGY. TO COMMIT THIS NATION ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. OR GOD FORBID, A HOMELAND SECURITY DISASTER IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. OR A NATIONAL DISASTER. IT'S GONNA TAKE YEARS TO FIX WHAT WE'VE WROUGHT. RETIRED MAJOR GENERAL JOHN BATISTE. JUST AHEAD, WHAT THE WAR IS LIKE, WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE, FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE SACRIFICED. A TEXAS FAMILY WANTS TO TELL YOU THE STORY OF THEIR HERO. SO STAY WITH US.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR AMERICAN PATRIOTS FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO THE WARS WE FIGHT TODAY. THIS IS SECTION 60 OF THE CEMETERY, NOW HOME TO 10 PER CENT OF THE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN KILLED IN IRAQ . THEY OPENED THIS SECTION 60 FOR BURIALS BECAUSE ITS OPEN SPACES PROVIDE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE HUNDREDS WHO COME HERE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE FALLEN. AND HERE THEY LAY HEAD TO HEAD, HARDEN COMBAT VETERANS WITH NEW RECRUITS CHRISTIANS, JEWS AND MUSLIMS AND WHAT REMAINS NOW IS FOR THE LIVING TO REMEMBER AND TELL THEIR STORIES. STATISTICS TOO TELL A STORY. MORE THAN 2 DOZEN OF THOSE KILLED IN IRAQ WERE JUST 18 YEARS OLD THREE STATES - CALIF, TEXAS, AND NY - HAVE PAID THE HIGHEST PRICE - OF THE SOLDIERS KILLED WERE FROM THESE 3 STATES. MY HOME STATE OF TEXAS WAS ESPECIALLY HARD HIT OVER THE HOLIDAYS. IN MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS, A HORSE- DRAWN CAISSON CARRIED ARMY SPECIALIST AARON PRESTON, AGE 29, TO THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. SPECIALIST PRESTON WAS KILLED IN BAGHDAD IN A TARGETED ATTACK WHILE ON PATROL ON CHRISTMAS DAY. 2 OTHER SOLDIERS WERE ALSO KILLED. SPECIALIST DUSTIN DONICA FROM SPRING, TEXAS WAS KILLED BY SNIPER FIRE IN THE AL ANBAR PROVINCE ON DECEMBER 28TH. HIS DEATH MADE HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE HE WAS NUMBER THREE THOUSAND. DECEMBER WAS THE DEADLIEST MONTH OF 2006 --115 SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN DIED SERVING THEIR COUNTRY IN IRAQ. ARMY SPECIALIST. BRYAN T. MCDONOUGH, 22, MAPLEWOOD, MINN; DIED DEC.2ND WHEN HIS VEHICLE STRUCK AN EXPLOSIVE IN FALLUJAH. ARMY SPECIALIST. COREY J. RYSTAD, 20, FROM RED LAKE FALLS, MINN; DIED IN THE SAME ATTACK. HE JOINED THE MILITARY RIGHT AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL. ARMY CORPORAL. BILLY B. FARRIS, 20, BAPCHULE, ARIZ., DIED WHEN AN EXPLOSIVE DETONATED NEAR HIS VEHICLE. HE LEAVES BEHIND AN 11-MONTH OLD SON. ARMY SPECIALIST. KENNETH W. HAINES, 25, FULTON, N.Y., DIED WHEN AN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVISE DETONATED NEAR HIS VEHICLE IN ABU HISHMA, IRAQ. HE WAS ON HIS SECOND TOUR OF DUTY IN THE COUNTRY. ALSO KILLED, AIR FORCE CAPTAIN. KERMIT O. EVANS, 31, HOLLANDALE, MISS. - HE LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE AND A 13-MONTH OLD SON. MARINE LANCE CORPORAL. THOMAS P. ECHOLS, 20, SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY., DIED DURING COMBAT IN THE AL ANBAR PROVINCE. ARMY PFC. NICHOLAS D. TURCOTTE, 23, MAPLE GROVE, MINN., DIED IN NASIRIYAH OF INJURIES SUFFERED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. ARMY SERGEANT. YEVGENIY RYNDYCH, 24, BROOKLYN, N.Y., WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON DEC 6TH IN RAMADI, IRAQ. THE ENGAGEMENT RING HE HAD SENT TO HIS FIANCE E ARRIVED JUST HOURS AFTER SHE HAD BEEN TOLD HE WAS DEAD. CORPORAL RICHARD SMITH, AGE 20, MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAST SOLDIER OF THE YEAR TO DIE. HIS MOTHER BARBARA GOT THE CALL THAT HER YOUNGEST SON HAD BEEN KILLED ON NEW YEAR'S EVE. I GOT A PHONE CALL REALLY A HYSTERICAL PHONE CALL. AND SHE TOLD ME THAT I SAID " DON'T TELL ME THAT CAUSE THIS ISN'T REALLY HAPPENING." . I'M A HOSPICE NURSE AND I DO ALL TERMINAL CARE. MY YOUNGEST THAT I TOOK CARE OF WAS 14 DAYS OLD, THE OLDEST WAS A HUNDRED AND FIVE. AND I'VE SEEN JUST ABOUT EVERY THING YOU COULD THINK OF. I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU, OUT OF EVERY THING I'VE EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE, THERE IS NO PAIN LIKE THIS. WHENEVER CORPORAL SMITH CALLED HOME HE WAS ALWAYS UPBEAT SO HIS MOTHER WOULDN'T WORRY UNTIL LAST CHRISTMAS. BARBARA: ON CHRISTMAS EVE, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT SOUND IN HIS VOICE. AND HE CALLED LIKE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AND HE HAD NEVER CALLED THAT MANY TIMES. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THOSE CALLS. AND HE TOLD ME THAT, HE LOVED ME AND MISSED US AND THAT HE WISHES HE WAS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS WHEN WE MET WITH THEM, THE SMITH FAMILY WAS STILL WAITING FOR CORPORAL SMITH'S BODY TO BE RETURNED TO TEXAS. HIS BROTHER ANDY SAYS HE WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THAT HIS BEST FRIEND IS GONE UNTIL HE SEES THE BODY. ANDY SMITH: YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT THOUGH. YOU SAY LIKE, I STILL DON'T, EVEN THOUGH ANYBODY SAYS IT OR NOT, I WANT TO SEE HIM WHEN HE GETS HERE. I KNOW IT IS REAL, BUT I JUST UH, I JUST DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE IT. I MEAN I KNOW IT IS THE TRUTH. BUT I THINK I WILL HAVE MORE PEACE MAYBE WHEN I SEE HIM AND TALK TO HIM MYSELF. CORPORAL SMITH'S BROTHER AND TWO SISTERS ARE STILL IN A STATE OF SHOCK, BUT WANTED TO TALK - THEY SAY - SO PEOPLE NEVER FORGET THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED - AND THE PAIN OF THOSE LEFT BEHIND. THEY WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHY CORPORAL RICH SMITH WAS SPECIAL. CORPORAL SMITH'S SISTER DENISE THOMPSON. DENISE THOMPSON: IT'S GONNA BE HARD NOT HAVING HIM AROUND. IT WON'T EVER BE THE SAME. I LOVE MY LITTLE BROTHER, I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF HIM. AND THE MORE I HEAR THE PEOPLE THAT KNEW HIM, THEY KNEW HIM DIFFERENT THAN WE DID. THEY KNEW HIM AS SPECIALIST SMITH, YOU KNOW. CORPORAL SMITH NOW. AND ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE WAS DOING IN THE ARMY. I KNEW HIM AS LITTLE RICH. LITTLE BRO. ANDY: IT NEVER ONCE CROSSED MY MIND THAT MY LITTLE BROTHER WOULD BE KILLED EVER. BECAUSE LIKE I SAID ANY THING HE EVER DID IT ALWAYS WORKED OUT THE EXACT WAY HE WANTED IT TO. THE SMITH FAMILY IS A PATRIOTIC FAMILY A FAMILY WHO SUPPORTS PRESIDENT BUSH AND A FAMILY THAT SAYS CORPORAL SMITH DIED DOING WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. I KNOW WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT HE'S IN A BETTER PLACE, I KNOW HE'S IN HEAVEN. HE WAS DOING WHAT HE WAS CALLED TO DO, THE JOB IN THE SERVICE THAT HE REALLY WANTED TO DO. BUT THE TRUTH OF HER SON'S DEATH - THAT HE DIED IN A HUMVEE WITH FOUR OTHER SOLDIERS IS STILL A HARD THING TO LEARN. THEY SAY THAT THEY WERE DRIVING ALONG AND THAT THE BOMB HIT THE HUMVEE AND IT KILLED RICHARD INSTANTLY. THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER YOUNG MAN KILLED AT THE SAME TIME. AND SINCE WE DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT, WE'VE HEARD THAT ONE OF THE OTHER YOUNG MEN IS GONE ALSO. AND SO THAT MEANS THERE IS ONE THAT IS STILL WITH US. THE SMITH FAMILY SORTS THROUGH FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS TRYING TO HOLD ON TO MEMORIES OF A LIFE CUT SHORT. THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE WHICH I HAVEN'T EVER SEEN THIS PICTURE, IT'S ALL FOUR OF US ON RICHARD'S FIRST CHRISTMAS. AND YEAH HE WAS A BABY. THAT'S MY SON CHASE WITH HIS UNCLE RICH. WE WERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND AH HIS UNCLE RICH BOUGHT HIM THOSE BTUS, SO HE COULD WEAR THEM AND FEEL LIKE HIS UNCLE RICH. AND THERE IS SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS DEALING WITH THIS UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY BARBARA: LOOK THERE IS AMBER KISSING HIM AFTER BOOT CAMP, CORPORAL SMITH MARRIED HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART AMBER. MOST OF THE TIME, YOU SAW THEM LIKE THIS: KISSING OR LAUGHING OR HUGGING EACH OTHER WITH LOVE. AMBER IS NOW 6 MONTHS PREGNANT. SHE SENT HER HUSBAND A TAPE OF THE SONOGRAM AS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT. SHE SENT THE TAPE OF THE HEARTBEAT SO HE COULD HEAR IT, THE BABIES HEART BEAT. HE PLAYED THE TAPE AND THEY WERE ASKING HIM " WHAT IS THAT? HE SAID THAT'S MY BABY'S HEARTBEAT." THEY WERE ALL JUST " WOW." AMBER WILL FIND OUT THE SEX OF THE BABY THIS MONTH BARBARA: IF AMBER HAS A BOY SHE'S GOING TO NAME IT FOR RICH SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. THE SMITH FAMILY IS JUST ONE OF MORE THAN 3 THOUSAND AMERICAN FAMILIES WHO HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE LAST WEEKEND, THEY BURIED A SON, BROTHER, HUSBAND, AND FATHER TO BE. BARBARA: HE DIDN'T COME HOME ALIVE. BUT HE CAME HOME HONORED. ANDY: NOW THAT MY BROTHER HAS LOST HIS LIFE IN THIS WAR, AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE. IT'S NOT JUST OUR FAMILY. IT IS 3000 OTHER FAMILIES. BARBARA: PRESIDENT BUSH DID WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND SO DID I AND SO DID RITCHIE. BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT CAME TO A POINT WHERE HE THOUGHT WE SHOULD COME HOME. I BELIEVE THAT. AND I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY MORE PEOPLE DIE. I MEAN HAVEN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE DIED?

WHATEVER CHALLENGES AMERICA CONFRONTS IN THE YEAR AHEAD, WHATEVER INITIATIVES ARE PROPOSED BY THE NEW CONGRESS OR THE GROWING FIELD OF REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WAR WILL HANG OVER OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION AS LONG AS OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM FACE DANGER IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. ON SUNDAY MORNING TALK SHOWS AND SUNDAY EVENING DINNER TABLES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEBATE HOW, IN THE WORDS OF RETIRED GENERAL BATISTE, WE " UNTIE THIS KNOT THAT WE AS A NATION HAVE CREATED." WE STAND, NOW, AT THE LATEST- AND PERHAPS THE LAST- IN A SERIES OF CRITICAL POINTS IN IRAQ. DESPITE THE OPPOSITION OF MOST CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS, MORE THAN A FEW REPUBLICANS, AND THE MAJORITY ACCORDING TO POLLS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PRESIDENT BUSH SAYS HE IS DETERMINED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON HIS PLAN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TROOPS IN IRAQ. LEGEND HAS IT THAT ALEXANDER THE GREAT ENSURED HIS VICTORY IN ASIA MINOR BY, IN ONE BOLD STROKE, CUTTING THE GORDIAN KNOT. WILL PRESIDENT BUSH'S PROPOSAL DELIVER THE BOLD STROKE THAT EXTRICATES THE U.S. FROM IRAQ WHILE LEAVING BEHIND SOMETHING MORE LIKE SUCCESS, LESS LIKE CHAOS? OR IS IT, AS GENERAL BATISTE AND OTHERS SEE IT, " TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE." NO MATTER ONE'S VIEW, NO MATTER THE POLITICAL DEMANDS OF THE MOMENT THE COLD CALCULUS OF LIMITED OPTIONS BECOMES PLAINER WITH EACH DAY- AS WE STRIVE TO BALANCE OUR CONCERN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL OF DUTY IN IRAQ, AGAIN AND AGAIN WITH THE ALL-TOO CREDIBLE VISIONS OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO IRAQ- AND THE GREATER MIDDLE EAST- IF WE BRING THEM HOME NOW. THERE ARE NO GOOD OPTIONS, BUT CHOOSE WE MUST.

FOR HDNET DAN RATHER REPORTING GOOD NIGHT.