PBS NewsHour; August 31, 2011 6:00pm-7:00pm PDT

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Ifill: MORE NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS EVACUATED THEIR HOMES TODAY, AS FLOOD WATERS CONTINUED TO RAVAGE THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE. ALONG THE EAST COAST, TWO MILLION PEOPLE ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER. GOOD EVENING, I'M GWEN IFILL.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE "NEWSHOUR" TONIGHT, WE UPDATE THE RESCUE, THE RECOVERY AND THE CLEAN UP AFTER HURRICANE IRENE.

>> Ifill: THEN, RAY SUAREZ EXAMINES THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S MOVE TO BLOCK THE MERGER OF TWO WIRELESS GIANTS AT&T AND T-MOBILE WITH CECILIA KANG OF THE "WASHINGTON POST."

>> Brown: WE HAVE A REPORT FROM TRIPOLI, WHERE LIBYANS ARE MARKING THE END OF RAMADAN AND CELEBRATING THE FIRST HOLIDAY IN DECADES WITHOUT MOAMMAR QADDAFI IN POWER.

>> ( translated ): THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I FEEL THAT I AM FREE AND I PRAY FREE WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS FROM QADDAFI'S REGIME.

>> Ifill: FROM TEXAS, WE GET THE LATEST ON THE SCORCHING TEMPERATURES, RAGING WILDFIRES AND THE WORST DROUGHT ON RECORD FROM WADE GOODWYN OF NPR.

>> Brown: WE LOOK AT WHO'S BEHIND THE SPIKE IN THE ILLEGAL MARIJUANA TRADE IN CALIFORNIA IN A STORY PRODUCED BY THE CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING.

>> WE'RE AT A FORK IN THE ROAD. IF WE DON'T MAKE AN AGGRESSIVE PUSH NOW TO TAKE BACK PUBLIC LANDS, WE MAY BE AT A POINT OF NO RETURN.

>> Ifill: AND 9-11 COMMISSION CHAIRMEN LEE HAMILITON AND TOM KEAN DISCUSS HOW FAR NATIONAL SECURITY HAS, AND HAS NOT IMPROVED, IN THE DECADE SINCE THE TERRORIST ATTACKS. THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S "NEWSHOUR." MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> I MEAN, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT SMALL BUSINESSES?

>> WE NEED SMALL BUSINESSES.

>> THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HELP DRIVE GROWTH.

>> LIKE ELECTRICIANS, MECHANICS, CARPENTERS.

>> THEY STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> EVERY YEAR, CHEVRON SPENDS BILLIONS WITH SMALL BUSINESSES. THAT GOES RIGHT TO THE HEART OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING JOBS, KEEPING PEOPLE AT WORK. THEY DEPEND ON US.

>> THE ECONOMY DEPENDS ON THEM.

>> AND WE DEPEND ON THEM. ♪ ♪ MOVING OUR ECONOMY FOR 160 YEARS. BNSF, THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS US. AND BY THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION. SUPPORTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND IMPROVED ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL LITERACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.

>> Brown: THE DEATH TOLL FROM HURRICANE IRENE ROSE AGAIN TODAY TO 45 KILLED IN 13 STATES AS FLOODING PLAGUED NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK STATE AND VERMONT. BUT THERE WERE ALSO SMALL STEPS FORWARD, WITH HELP ARRIVING IN BADLY DAMAGED COMMUNITIES. THE MOST TANGIBLE SIGN OF PROGRESS CAME IN HARD-HIT VERMONT. GROUND CREWS MANAGED TO REACH TEN OF 11 TOWNS THAT HAD BEEN CUT OFF BY MUDDY TORRENTS. SEVERAL TOWNS ALSO GOT AIR DROPS FROM NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTERS THAT FERRIED IN WATER AND READY- TO-EAT MEALS. AND SOME PEOPLE TRYING TO ESCAPE THE DELUGE TOOK MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.

>> SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE HAD BEEN RIPPED OFF THE EMBANKMENT AND CAME DOWN THE RIVER AND SO WE USED THEIR FLOORBOARDS TO MAKE A BRIDGE TO GET ACROSS THE RIVER.

>> Brown: ELSEWHERE, COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND NEW ENGLAND STRUGGLED ON AGAINST THE FLOODING. NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO TOURED SOME OF THE DEVASTATION IN PRATTSVILLE IN THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS.

>> WE BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE DAY THE TOTAL DAMAGE WILL BE CLOSE TO $1 BILLION. OVER 600 HOMES DESTROYED. SIX TOWNS INUNDATED. 150 MAJOR HIGHWAYS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. 22 STATE BRIDGES CLOSED. IN THE AREA OF AGRICULTURE, OVER $45 MILLION IN DAMAGE. 140,000 ACRES AND STILL CLIMBING.

>> Brown: IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY, NEW EVACUATIONS TOOK PLACE OVERNIGHT IN PATERSON-- THE STATE'S THIRD-LARGEST CITY-- AS THE PASSAIC RIVER CRESTED. ELSEWHERE, PEOPLE LIKE BONNIE RIDDICK OF LODI, NEW JERSEY RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES TO FIND A DAUNTING CLEAN-UP AHEAD OF THEM.

>> THIS IS MY SECOND FLOOD IN FIVE YEARS. I'M GETTING THE HELL OUT OF HERE. SO, MY WHOLE APARTMENT I CAN'T GET BACK IN FOR LIKE A MONTH, TWO MONTHS, UNTIL WE GUT ALL THE WALLS, DO ALL THE ELECTRICAL WORK AGAIN. SO ANNOYING.

>> Brown: POWER OUTAGES AND FLOODING ALSO MEANT THAT SUMMER VACATION WILL LAST A FEW DAYS LONGER FOR SCHOOLS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND. A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS DELAYED THE START OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH HAD BEEN SET FOR THIS WEEK.

>> WE'VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN GET THEM HERE SAFELY, THAT WE HAVE FOOD PRODUCTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PERISHED OR COMPROMISED BY HAVING NO POWER IN THE SCHOOL, AND THAT WE CAN GET OUR STAFF IN AS WELL.

>> Brown: IN ALL, SOME TWO MILLION HOMES AND BUSINESSES ARE STILL IN THE DARK, FROM NEW ENGLAND ON DOWN TO NORTH CAROLINA. AND, AS THE STATES CONTINUED TO TALLY THE DAMAGE FROM IRENE, PRESIDENT OBAMA DECLARED MAJOR DISASTERS IN NEW YORK AND NORTH CAROLINA. HE ALSO PLANNED TO VISIT PATERSON, NEW JERSEY ON SUNDAY, TO VIEW THE DAMAGE THERE.

>> Ifill: STILL TO COME ON THE "NEWSHOUR": TOPPING THE MERGER OF TWO WIRELESS GIANTS; CELEBRATING IN LIBYA AT THE END OF RAMADAN; FEELING THE HEAT IN TEXAS; GROWING ILLEGAL MARIJUANA IN CALIFORNIA AND ASSESSING NATIONAL SECURITY AFTER 9/11. BUT FIRST, WITH THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN.

>> Sreenivasan: PRESIDENT OBAMA NOW PLANS TO LAY OUT HIS JOBS PLAN NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN A PRIME-TIME SPEECH. AN ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY SAID HE IS ASKING TO ADDRESS A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS AT 8:00 P.M. IT WOULD OVERLAP A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES' DEBATE THE SAME EVENING. BUT WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JAY CARNEY SAID TODAY THAT IS NOT WHY THE PRESIDENT CHOSE THE TIME SLOT.

>> ONCE YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO DO A SPEECH TO CONGRESS AND YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULES AND OTHER... THERE ARE OTHER... THERE ARE MANY OTHER FACTORS HERE AND OBVIOUSLY ONE DEBATE OF MANY THAT'S ON ONE CHANNEL OF MANY WAS NOT ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE THE SPEECH AT THE TIME THAT WE DECIDED TO HAVE IT.

>> Sreenivasan: WASTE AND FRAUD HAVE COST THE U.S. UP TO $60 THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 53 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 11, 613. IT'S NOW BACK IN POSITIVE TERRITORY FOR THE YEAR. THE NASDAQ ROSE THREE POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2579. WASTE AND FRAUD HAVE COST THE U.S. UP TO $60 BILLION DURING THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON WARTIME CONTRACTING REACHED THAT CONCLUSION IN A FINAL REPORT TODAY. IT CITED LACK OF OVERSIGHT, POOR PLANNING AND CORRUPTION IN CONTRACTS FOR BATTLEFIELD SUPPORT AND RECONSTRUCTION. MUCH OF THE MONEY WAS LOST TO PROFITEERING, BRIBERY AND EXTORTION. THE PANEL RECOMMENDED AMONG OTHER THINGS, CREATING A NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL POSITION. GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS SAID A FINAL FAREWELL TO THE U.S. ARMY TODAY, AFTER A 37 YEAR CAREER. HE BEGINS IN HIS NEW POSITION-- DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY-- NEXT WEEK. PETRAEUS HAS SERVED AS OVERALL COMMANDER OF U.S. AND NATO TROOPS IN BOTH IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. AT A FAREWELL CEREMONY TODAY OUTSIDE THE PENTAGON, HE ARGUED THAT CUTS IN DEFENSE SPENDING MUST NOT UNDERMINE THE WAR EFFORT.

>> AS OUR NATION CONTEMPLATES BUDGET DECISIONS I KNOW THEY WILL, TAKING CARE OF THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES MUST BE OUR PARAMOUNT OBJECTIVE. BEYOND THAT IT WILL BE IMPERATIVE TO MAINTAIN A FORCE THAT NOT ONLY CAPITALIZES, BUT ALSO MAINTAINS THE VERSATILITY.

>> Sreenivasan: PENTAGON OFFICIALS ARE ALREADY UNDER ORDERS TO CUT DEFENSE SPENDING BY UPWARDS OF $400 BILLION OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, AND CONGRESS MAY DEMAND EVEN LARGER CUTS. THE INVESTIGATION OF A SUICIDE CAR BOMBING AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS IN NIGERIA TOOK A NEW TWIST TODAY. THE COUNTRY'S SECRET POLICE ACKNOWLEDGED THEY ARRESTED TWO ALLEGED ORGANIZERS OF THE PLOT-- SIX DAYS BEFORE THE BOMBING. IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO STOP LAST FRIDAY'S ATTACK IN THE CAPITAL CITY-- ABUJA. IN ALL, 23 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 80 WERE WOUNDED. THE SECURITY CHIEF FOR THE UNITED NATIONS HAS SAID HE HAD NO WARNING ABOUT A COMING ATTACK. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JEFF.

>> Brown: AND WE TURN TO A MOVE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO BLOCK A MAJOR MERGER. RAY SUAREZ HAS THE STORY.

>> Suarez: THE PROPOSED $39 BILLION MERGER BETWEEN AT&T AND T-MOBILE WOULD HAVE CREATED THE LARGEST WIRELESS COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY. BUT TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FILED SUIT TO BLOCK THE DEAL, SAYING THE MERGER WOULD LEAD TO HIGHER PRICES, POORER QUALITY SERVICES, FEWER CHOICES AND FEWER INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS FOR THE MILLIONS OF AMERICAN CONSUMERS. AT&T VOWED TO FIGHT THE DECISION AND ARGUED THE MERGER WOULD IMPROVE ACCESS TO WIRELESS SERVICES AND RESULT IN BILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS. FOR MORE ON ALL THIS, WE'RE JOINED BY CECILIA KANG, TECHNOLOGY REPORTER FOR THE "WASHINGTON POST." AND CECILIA, FIRST, LET'S GET THE OUTLINE OF THIS DEAL. THE ORIGINAL MERGER AND WHY AT&T WANTED IT.

>> SURE. THE MERGER ITSELF WAS PROPOSED LAST MARCH. AT&T PROPOSED TO BUY TOBL FOR $39 BILLION AS YOU SAID AND REALLY WHAT IT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD COMBINE TWO OF THE FOUR LARGEST NATIONAL WIRELESS CARRIERS INTO ONE COMPANY WITH 132 MILLION CARRIERS AT A TIME WHEN AMERICANS ARE RELYING ON THEIR CELL PHONES MORE THAN EVER. ONE IN FOUR HOMES, FOR EXAMPLE, RAY, RELY ON CELL PHONE SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO TELEPHONE. TO SO THEY JUST RELY ONLY ON THEIR CELL PHONES SO IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING TIME AND AT&T CLEARLY SEES WIRELESS AS ITS FUTURE.

>> Suarez: WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HEADING TO COURT TO BLOCK THE MERGER AND WITH THE GROUNDS IT LAID OUT, IS THIS DEAL EFFECTIVELY DEAD?

>> NO. NOT AT ALL. THIS IS SORT OF THE FUNNY WAY OR THE INTERESTING WAY THAT WASHINGTON WORKS. THIS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HURDLE TO COME ALONG FOR AT&T AND T-MOBILE IN ITS QUEST TO MERGE. BUT THIS IS BY NO MEANS THE END OF THE STORY FOR THESE COMPANIES. AT&T HAS VOWED TO CHALLENGE THIS LAWSUIT IN COURT. AND WHAT IT COULD DO IS IT COULD COME UP WITH A SETTLEMENT, IT COULD CONCRETE TO SOME CONDITIONS THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MAY BE SEEKING. THE F.C.C., THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, ALSO HAS TO WEIGH IN ON THIS DEAL. BUT BOTH AGENCIES, BOTH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE F.C.C., HAVE TO APPROVE THE DEAL. SO THIS IS A BIG HURDLE. WE HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE JUDGE AT THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ON HER DECISION ON THIS CASE. BUT THIS IS JUST ONE MORE STEP IN THE PROCESS. BUT A SIGNIFICANT ONE. THIS IS ALSO POLITICALLY IN SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE COMPANIES. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REALLY IS MAKING AN UNPRECEDENTED STEP, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, WHEN IT HAS PROVED SO MANY OTHER MERGERS THAT'S COME BEFORE IT, INCLUDING COMCAST MERGER, JOINT VENTURE WITH NBC UNIVERSAL, GOOGLE'S ACQUISITION OF A TRAVEL COMPANY BY I.T.A.. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE SUCH AN AUDACIOUS MOVE TO BLOCK A ENERGYER.

>> Suarez: I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE OTHER MERGERS BECAUSE IN SOME OF THOSE CASES THE FIRST SALVO, IF YOU WILL, WAS THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OR THE REGULATOR IN SOME CASES THE F.C.C. SAYING IF YOU MEET CERTAIN CONDITIONS THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE MERGER.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Suarez: THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCEMENT SEEMED A LOT MORE CATEGORICAL THAN THAT. LIKE IT WASN'T OPEN TO MASSAGING THIS DEAL BEFORE IT GOES FORWARD.

>> THAT WAS THE MOST STRIKING THING TO COME FROM BOTH THE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH ANTITRUST OFFICIALS AND THE COMPLAINT ITSELF. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IN ANY WAY... IN EVERY WAY THAT IT LOOKED AT THE MERGER, EVERY TEST THAT IT POSED THAT THE MERGER ACTUALLY FAILED TO MEET ANY OF ITS ANTITRUST STANDARDS. AND THE TIMING OF THE MERGER JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED, THE MERGER WAS ANNOUNCED FOR THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO REALLY KIND OF QUICKLY COME UP WITH A LAWSUIT TO BLOCK THE DEAL REALLY SIGNALED TO ANTITRUST EXPERTS WHO ARE FOLLOWING THIS MERGER THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT WANT TO FIND SOME SORT OF MIDDLE GROUND. THAT THEY REALLY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT TRYING TO BLOCK THIS DEAL.

>> Suarez: IS THERE A LOT AT STAKE HERE FOR AT&T BEYOND SIMPLY NOT ACQUIRING T-MOBILE? THIS IF THIS DEAL WERE NOT TO GO THROUGH?

>> THERE CERTAINLY IS. THERE IS CASH AND ASSETS AT STAKE. IF AT&T DOES NOT CLOSE THIS DEAL BY SEPTEMBER, 2012, IT WILL HAVE TO PAY IN CASH $3 BILLION TO DEUTSCHE TELECOM, THAT'S THE PARENT COMPANY OF T-MOBILE AND ALSO HAND OTHER ABOUT $3 BILLION IN ASSETS THAT INCLUDES WIRELESS SPECTRUM RADIO AIRWAVES AND OTHER ASSETS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AT STAKE HERE. THERE'S REAL OBLIGATIONS. THERE ARE THINGS ON THE TABLE. THAT SAID, THIS IS A COMPANY THAT MAKES ABOUT $30 BILLION EVERY QUARTER, SO $6 BILLION IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT THAT IT WOULD LOSE BUT ONE THEORY IS THAT IT ALSO HOBBLED IF COMPETITOR FOR ABOUT A YEAR THROUGH THIS REGULATORY PROCESS AND IN THAT WAY WOULD COULD WIN EVEN IF THE MERGER IS NOT APPROVED.

>> Suarez: WITH THIS DELAY, IS T-MOBILE IN ANY KIND OF TROUBLE? ISN'T IT SORT OF BLOCKED FROM LOOKING FOR OTHER SUITORS UNTIL THE AT&T DEAL IS SETTLED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?

>> IT CERTAINLY POSES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF T-MOBILE GOING FORWARD. IT WAS ALREADY A COMPANY THAT WAS IN TROUBLE BEFORE AT&T DECIDED TO TRY TO BUY IT LAST MARCH. SPRINT WAS RUMORED... PRINCE/NEXTEL WAS RUMORED TO TRY TO BUY IT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT AT THIS POINT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR ANY OTHER COMPANY TO HAVE EITHER THE CASH AND THE ASSETSTOR WITH W ALL TO FROM TRY TO MERGE WITH A COMPANY LIKE T-MOBILE AT THIS POINT. SO YOU MAY SEE SOME INTERESTING NEW PLAYERS COME OUT THAT WILL SHOW INTERESTS. RIGHT NOW THE COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY IS GOING THROUGH TREMENDOUS CHANGE. YOU'RE SEEING CABLE COMPANIES BECOMING MEDIA COMPANIES, SATELLITE COMPANIES BECOMING T.V. INTERNET STREAMING COMPANIES AND OTHER COMPANIES JUST CHANGING THEIR BUSINESS. MICROSOFT BECOMING A VIDEO VOICE COMMUNICATION SERVICE WITH ITS ACQUISITION OF SKYPE. THERE'S TREMENDOUS CHANGE SO WHO KNOWS? THERE MAY BE A SUITOR IN THE WORKS THAT WE MIGHT ALL BE SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM WITH T-MOBILE IF THIS DEAL DOES NOT GO THROUGH WITH AT&T.

>> Suarez: CECILIA QUICKLY, BEFORE WE GO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE COMPANIES THEMSELVES, ABOUT THE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE CUSTOMER. WHAT ABOUT THE COMPANY THAT MAKES THE PHONES? THE DEVICE MAKERS.

>> SURE. THE DEVICE MAKERS HAVE AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CARRIERS. THEY ARE AT ONCE BEHOLD ON THE THE CARRIERS BECAUSE THE CARRIERS-- AT&T, VERIZON-- FOR APPLE, THEIR NEGOTIATION WITH APPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE IPHONE, THEY PICK UP A LOT OF THE COST FOR THE MARKETING AND SALES FOR THESE DEVICES. AND THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THESE DEVICE MANUFACTURERS. SO THEY HAVE TO COOPERATE AND PARTNER UP WITH THEM. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU REDUCE THE MARKET FOR NATIONAL CARRIERS FROM FOUR TO THREE IS THAT THESE DEVICE MAKERS-- MOTOROLA, APPLE, GOOGLE, OTHER DEVICE MAKERS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK, NOKIA-- THEY HAVE FEWER COMPANIES TO NEGOTIATE WITH AND THEY HAVE FEWER TOOLS, REALLY, IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR DEVICES OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS THEY WANT. THAT... THEY CAN PUT MORE MONEY INTO R&D AND TO CUT DOWN ON THE COSTS THAT THEY HAVE TO INCUR TO MARKET THOSE DEVICES, TO SELL THEM CONSUMERS AROUND THE WORLD.

>> Suarez: CECILIA KANG OF THE "WASHINGTON POST," THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ifill: AND WE TURN TO LIBYA WHERE REBEL FORCES CONTINUE THE HUNT FOR THE COUNTRY'S LONGTIME LEADER, MOAMMAR QADDAFI. IN HIS HOMETOWN OF SIRTE, LOYALISTS HAVE REFUSED TO LAY DOWN ARMS DESPITE A SATURDAY DEADLINE IMPOSED BY THE REBELS. ONE OF QADDAFI'S SONS SAADI WAS SAID TO BE NEGOTIATING HIS OWN SURRENDER. WHILE ANOTHER SON, SEIF AL-ISLAM -- REPORTEDLY IN TRIPOLI-- VOWED ON ARABIC TELEVISION TO FIGHT TO THE DEATH. IN THE CAPITAL, THERE WERE CELEBRATIONS TODAY FOR THE MUSLIM HOLIDAY OF EID. LINDSEY HILSUM OF "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS" IS THERE AND FILED THIS REPORT.

>> Reporter: IN THE EARLY MORNING, THEY GATHERED IN CENTRAL TRIPOLI AT MARTYRS' SQUARE. NO ONE CALLS THIS GREEN SQUARE ANY LONGER. SECURITY WAS TIGHT AS THEY BEGAN THE EID PRAYER, MARKING AN END TO RAMADAN AND THIS YEAR, AN END TO COLONEL QADDAFI'S CONTROL OVER THEIR LIVES. THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT EID CELEBRATION. PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN TELLING ME THAT IN THE PAST COL. QADDAFI USED TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR FESTIVAL, USE IT FOR HIS OWN PROPAGANDA. NOT THIS YEAR.

>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I FEEL THAT I AM FREE AND I PRAY FREE WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS FROM QADDAFI'S REGIME.

>> WE ARE VERY, VERY HAPPY. ALL THE PEOPLE IN TRIPOLI VERY VERY, VERY, VERY, HAPPY. WE WORK THIS DAY FROM SIX MONTHS. ALL THE PEOPLE WAIT THIS DAY SIX MONTHS, WE AFRAID, HE KILLED MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE, MANY PEOPLE.

>> I NEED HUNDRED WORDS, NOT HUNDREDS, THOUSAND, MILLION WORDS TO SAY WHAT I FEEL.

>> Reporter: ON THE FRONT LINE, 25 MILES FROM COLONEL QADDAFI'S HOMETOWN OF SIRTE, THE FIGHTERS CAN'T CELEBRATE IN THE SAME WAY. QADDAFI'S SUPPORTERS THERE HAVE SAID THEY WON'T SURRENDER. HIS WHEREABOUTS REMAIN UNKNOWN, BUT HIS SPOKESMAN SAID LAST NIGHT THEY WON'T GIVE IN TO, AS HE PUT IT, ARMED GANGS. HE SAID QADDAFI'S SON SAADI WOULD NEGOTIATE, BUT THE FIGHTERS HAVE COME TOO FAR FOR THAT. ON THE SQUARE THEY POSTED THE PICTURES OF SOME OF THOSE WHO'VE DIED IN THIS REVOLUTION. THE FEAR IS THERE MAY BE MORE.

>> THE MARTYRS-- WE LOST SOME OF OUR BEST YOUNG PEOPLE AND MANY LOSS HAS BEEN DONE, BUT INSHALLAH, INSHALLAH LIBYA WILL BE OPTIMISTIC.

>> Reporter: CLUSTERED AROUND SOME IRREVERANT QADDAFI CARTOONS, WE CAME ACROSS A GROUP OF YOUNG WOMEN WHO TOLD US FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT THEIR HIDDEN ROLE. AMIRA TARHUNI SHOWED ME THE EMERGENCY KIT SHE USED FOR A SECRET HOSPITAL FOR FIGHTERS IN A TRIPOLI SUBURB.

>> ( translated ): THERE IS A LOT OF SNIPERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I CAME TO THE HOSPITAL I CAM IN THE CAR, RUN FAST AND MY HEAD IS DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE AFRAID FROM THE SNIPERS, IF THEY KNOW THEY WILL COME AND KILL US.

>> OTHERS MADE WRISTBANDS AND COOKED FOOD TO SELL, SENDING THE PROFITS TO THE REBELS IN THE MOUNTAINS. WERE YOU FRIGHTENED YOU MAY BE FOUND OUT.

>> ( translated ): OF COURSE. BUT YOU CAN'T SIT DOWN AND DO NOTHING WHILE YOU SEE OTHERS SUFFER. THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST BE SAFE.

>> Reporter: THIS IS WHERE COLONEL QADDAFI MADE HIS LAST PUBLIC SPEECH. TODAY PEOPLE SEEMED TO BE UNBOTHERED THAT HE'S STILL ON THE LOOSE. THEY JUST WANTED TO LET OUT THE EMOTIONS THEY SUPPRESSED FOR SO LONG.

>> THERE IS NO WORD CAN DEFINE HOW I FEEL TODAY I JUST WANT TO SHOOT SOME BULLETS IN THE AIR.

>> Reporter: AND SO THEY DID-- NOTWITHSTANDING THE BAN ON FIRING THE NEW AUTHORITIES ARE TRYING TO BRING INTO FORCE. IN A FEW DAYS TIME, EID WILL BE OVER. ALL THE COMPLEXITY OF VIOLENT CHANGE WILL COME TO THE FORE-- POLITICAL DIVISIONS. HIGH EXPECTATIONS, FRUSTRATION WITH POOR SERVICES. BUT TODAY IN TRIPOLI, LIBYANS WERE SIMPLY HAPPY TO CELEBRATE.

>> Brown: THE FESTIVE MOOD CONTRASTED WITH SOME DARK DISCOVERIES IN TRIPOLI IN RECENT DAYS. EMMA MURPHY OF "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS" WAS SHOWN TWO FORMER DETENTION CENTERS THERE-- PLACES WHERE PRISONERS WERE APPARENTLY TORTURED. A WARNING: HER REPORT CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES.

>> Reporter: DARK AND CHEST-TIGHTENINGLY CLAUSTROPHOBIC, THESE ARE THE TORTURE CHAMBERS OF THE QADDAFI REGIME, THE TINY CELLS JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE TO BE FORCED TO THE FLOOR. THE ONLY VENTILATION, A GAP IN THE CEILING THAT COULD BE CLOSED WITHOUT WARNING FROM ABOVE. THE APPARATUS OF TORTURE IS ALL AROUND. THE ABANDONED FOOD AND INDICATION OF HOW RECENTLY THESE CELLS WERE OCCUPIED. BUT IT IS, PERHAPS, THE WRITING ON THE WALL WHICH GIVES THE CLEAREST INDICATION OF THE HELL THAT HAD BEEN ENDURED HERE. "MY GOD, SAVE ME. TODAY I TAMM." "GOD, HELP ME."

>> Reporter: THIS MAN IS A FORMER QADDAFI DETAINEE.

>> THEY HAVE TORTURED US MAYBE BY ELECTRIC SHOCK, MAYBE BY CONDUIT OR MAYBE BY DEPRIVE HIM FROM THINGS.

>> Reporter: AND THIS IS HOW THE TORTURE ENDED FOR SO MANY. THESE BODIES FOUND AT ANOTHER DETENTION CENTER. MEN SNATCHED FROM STREETS AND HOMES BY EXECUTION SQUADS, HELD, AND KILLED. 150 BODIES HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT OF THIS WAREHOUSE. THE FEAR IS THERE ARE MANY MORE SITES LIKE THIS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. YOU ONLY HAVE TO WALK A FEW MINUTES TRIPOLI TO FIND THE FAMILIES OF THE THOUSANDS WHO'VE DISAPPEARED. THIS WOMAN SAID SHE'S LOOKING FOR HER SON WHILE OUTSIDE THIS MAN FOUND THE CAR HIS SON WAS TAKEN FROM BUT HE HAS NO NEWS OF WHERE HE'S GONE. THIS MAN'S UNCLE WAS A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SNATCHED 45 DAYS AGO FOR REFUSING TO DEFEND QADDAFI'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. A DOCTOR HAS NOW TOLD THE FAMILY HE WAS TORTURED TO DEATH DAYS AFTER BEING TAKEN.

>> SEVEN CARS CAME AROUND THIS AREA. STOPPED AND THEY CAME OUT, EACH CAR HAD FOUR OR FIVE POLICE OFFICERS WHICH LOCKED ON MY UNCLE'S DOOR AND DRAGGED HIM OUT.

>> AND CAME TO HERE?

>> YES, THEY CAME HERE, THEY DRAGGED HIM OUT, THAT'S THE LAST WE HEARD OF HIM. ONLY LAST NIGHT WE HEARD THAT HE'S BEEN KILLED ON THE FIRST DAY HE WAS ARRESTED.

>> Reporter: HIS OLDER BROTHER AND FAMILY NOW SEARCH FOR HIS BODY BUT WITH LITTLE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE FOUND.

>> TREATED VERY BADLY. THIS IS ONLY ONE STORY BUT YOU'LL FIND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILLION STORIES LIKE THIS.

>> Reporter: WE FOUND THE HIDDEN DUNGEONS HE WAS HELD IN BENEATH A GOVERNMENT BUILDING. A NEIGHBOR TOLD HOW THE HEAVY DOORS WOULD BE UNLOCKED FOR COLONEL QADDAFI TO VISIT. WHEN HE DID, THE SOUNDS OF SCREAMS AND BEATINGS WERE ALWAYS HEARD. NOW PEOPLE HERE WAIT TO SEE IF THE FORMER RESQLEPL FIND THEMSELVES IN INCARCERATED.

>> Brown: TOMORROW, TOP OFFICIALS FROM MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES WILL DISCUSS HOW TO GET MORE MONEY TO LIBYA, AS WELL AS HOW TO REBUILD THE NATION'S INSTITUTIONS AFTER 42 YEARS OF ONE-MAN RULE.

>> Ifill: WHILE TOWNS AND CITIES IN THE EAST HAVE STRUGGLED TO DRY OUT, TEXAS IS CAUGHT IN THE GRIP OF A DEVASTATING HEAT WAVE THAT HAS CREATED THE WORST YEAR OF DROUGHT IN THE STATE'S HISTORY. DALLAS ALONE HAS SEEN MORE THAN 60 DAYS THIS YEAR IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS. THE EXTREME CONDITIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO WILDFIRES THAT DESTROYED 25 HOMES IN NORTH TEXAS ON TUESDAY, WREAKED HAVOC ON THE STATE'S AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY AND FORCED RESIDENTS TO RATION WATER. FOR MORE ON THIS STORY, WE'RE JOINED FROM DALLAS BY WADE GOODWYN OF NPR. WADE GOODWYN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. SO, TELL ME, HOW SEVERE IS THIS DROUGHT?

>> IT'S THE MOST SEVERE DROUGHT THAT TEXAS HAS HAD IN A SINGLE YEAR EVER. THE STATE HAS DRIED OUT AND IT IS BURNING UP. THE DALLAS... DALLAS HAS HAD 63 DAYS, I THINK SO FAR THIS YEAR, OVER 100. AND THIS JUST ISN'T 101, THESE ARE TEMPERATURES LIKE 105 OR 107 OR 108. AND THAT COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD WATER RAIN, REALLY SINCE THE FALL OF LAST YEAR, THIS REALLY ALL BEGAN... THE FALL OF LAST YEAR THERE WAS HARD HARDLY ANY RAIN AND IN THE SPRING THERE WAS NOTHING AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO SUMMER WE WERE IN A VERY BIG MESS AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

>> Ifill: IS THERE A WAY TO MEASURE HOW MUCH OF THIS EXTREME CONDITION IS CAUSED BY THE DRY... THE HEAT CAUSING THE DRY BRUSH AND HOW MUCH OF IT IS CAUSED BY WATER SUPPLY NOT ONLY FROM THE SKY BUT ALSO FROM LAKES AND PIPELINES?

>> >> WELL, IT'S BOTH. THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY WATER HAS JUST BEEN DEBILITATING. BUT YOU ADD THAT WITH 107-DEGREE HEAT AND IT JUST NEVER GOES AWAY. I MEAN, I'M A TEXAN, I'VE GROWN UP HERE AND LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE. I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN REMEMBER A SUMMER THAT'S BEEN AS CRUSHINGLY HOT AS THIS ONE HAS BEEN. WHEN YOU GO OUT INTO RURAL TEXAS IT'S BURNED UP EVERYWHERE. WE'VE HAD ALMOST THREE AND A HALF MILLION ACRES THAT HAVE BURNED UP. I THINK IT'S BEEN SOMETHING LIKE 11000 FIRES IN THE LAST YEAR AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU GO TO WEST TEXAS, EAST TEXAS, CENTRAL TEXAS, SOUTH TEXAS IS SUFFERING TERRIBLY. YOU DRIVE OUT IN THE COUNTRY AND YOU SEE BROWN LAND THAT'S BEEN BURNED UP BY THE SUN OR BLACK LAND THAT'S BEEN BURNED UP BY FIRE.

>> Ifill: HOW DO YOU MEASURE IN AGRICULTURAL TERMS. THERE'S A BEEF INDUSTRY, THERE'S A COTTON INDUSTRY, THERE'S EVEN WINTER WHEAT PLANTING.

>> $5.2 BILLION AND COUNTING, THAT'S HOW WE MEASURE IT SO FAR. IF YOU GO OUT AT THE CATTLE AUCTIONS, THEY'RE HAVING FIVE AND TEN TIMES THE NUMBER OF COWS FOR SALE BECAUSE THE STATE IS EMPTYING ITSELF OF ITS CATTLE. A CATTLE AUCTION WHICH WOULD HAVE BETWEEN 500 AND 1,000 WILL SEE SEVEN OR 8,000 COWS. THE AUCTION WILL START AT 10:00 IN THE MORNING AND GO TO 1:00 IN THE MORNING. LUCKILY CATTLE PRICES ARE HIGH OR WE'D REALLY BE IN TROUBLE. THE INTERNATIONAL DEMAND FOR MEAT IS PUSHING THE PRICE OF CATTLE HIGHER SO AT LEAST THESE RANCHERS AREN'T SELLING IN A DOWN MARKET.

>> Ifill: BUT THEY'RE AUCTIONING THE CATTLE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SUPPORT IT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT. I MEAN, A BALE OF HAY IS GOING FOR $65 TO $85 FOR A BALE OF HAY. THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN KEEP A LARGE HERD GOING IF YOU HAVE TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR HAY. AND WE USUALLY USE THIS HAY IN THE WINTERTIME. WE'RE HAVING TO USE UP ALL WHAT HAY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHEN FEBRUARY COMES? THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG PROBLEM. WE NEED RAIN NOW. WE NEED TO START HAVING RAIN IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AND WE NEED LOTS OF IT. OR ELSE THE SITUATION IS GOING TO GET A LOT WORSE.

>> Ifill: YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY. IS THERE A LONG-TERM WAY OF MEASURING THIS? YOU DID A PIECE ON NPR ABOUT THE GENERATION GAP AMONG RANCHERS AS IT IS. DOES THIS EXACERBATE WHO GETS INTO THE BUSINESS? WHO THINKS THEY CAN MAKE A PROFIT IN IT ANYMORE?

>> YOU KNOW, RAISING CATTLE HAS BEEN AN OLD MAN'S GAME. IF YOU GO TO A CATTLE AUCTION AND LOOK AROUND THE ROOM YOU'LL SEE THAT. A LOT OF THESE GUYS IN THEIR 50s 60s, AND 70s. AND IT TAKES YEARS, DECADES TO A BUILD GOOD HERD AND THESE RANCHERS ARE HOLDING ON TO WHAT THEY CAN. THE GOOD MOTHER COWS, THEIR BEST BULLS, SELLING EVERYTHING ELSE OFF AND TRYING TO HOLD ON BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE WATER YOU'LL RUN THE RUBBER OFF YOUR TIRES TRYING TO TRUCK WATT UNTIL FOR YOUR CATTLE. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THESE HERDS ARE BEING SOLD AND IF YOU'RE 65 OAR 70 YEARS OLD AND YOU'RE BUILT YOUR HEARD FOR 40 OR 50 YEARS, YOU'LL GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS. THAT'S GOING TO BE IT. I THINK NATIONALLY WE'RE GOING TO SEA MEAT PRIZES RISE AS WE MOVE INTO THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS.

>> Ifill: EVEN THOUGH THE RANCHERS ARE STILL BEING ABLE TO SELL THEIR HERDS FAR GOOD PRICE ARE WE, THE REST OF US WHO ARE ACTUALLY BUYING THE MEAT, BUYING THE COTTON GOODS, ARE WE PAYING THE PRICE?

>> Reporter: YOU WILL BE. THESE PRICES ARE GOING TO GO UP AND THE FACT IS WHEN THESE RANCHERS SELL OFF THEIR HERDS AND THEY DECIDE NOT TO GET BACK IN, WHERE'S THOSE NEW HERDS GOING TO COME FROM? IT WILL TAKE TIME TO REBUILD THE STOCK OF CATTLE IN TEXAS. I WAS TALKING WITH THE FARM BUREAU AND AS A WAY OF TRYING TO REASSURE ME, THE FARM BUREAU TOLD ME "WELL, I THINK THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A CATTLE BUSINESS IN TEXAS." AND I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, WELL, WHAT? I MEAN, THE FACT THAT HE HAD TO REASSURE ME THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE CATTLE BUSINESS IN TEXAS WAS A SHOCK TO ME AND I THINK IT WAS INDICATIVE OF JUST HOW DIRE THINGS ARE ACROSS THE STATE.

>> Ifill: AS YOU TALK TO PEOPLE-- FARMERS, RANCHERS, PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON RAIN-- DO THEY HAVE ANY INNOVATIVE OR ALTERNATIVE IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO COPE WITH THIS CRISIS OTHER THAN TO GET DOWN ON THEIR KNEES AND PRAY FOR RAIN?

>> NOT REALLY. IT'S KIND OF HEART BREAKING. YOU SEE THESE CATTLE, THEY'RE LIKE STICK FIGURES WITH BLANKETS THROWN OVER THE TOP OF THEM. IT'S PATHETIC TO LOOK AT AND THE HORSES ARE EVEN WORSE. AT LEAST THERE'S A MARKET TO TAKE THE CATTLE TO. HORSES ARE BEING SOLD FOR $10, $15 OR $20 A HORSE OR GIVEN AWAY. AT THE CTION I WAS LAST WEEK THAT GAVE A MARE AND TWO FOALS AWAY OR THEY'RE BEING ABANDONED ON THE ROADSIDE. AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE HORSES IS A REAL ISSUE IN THIS STATE. AS TO WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS, REALLY, JUST PRAY FOR RAIN. IF YOU'VE... IF YOUR WATER HAS DRIED UP ON YOUR PROPERTY THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO. YOU HAVE TO SELL YOUR STOCK. IT'S ONE THING IF YOU CAN BRING HAY IN BUT IF YOU'VE DRIED UP, YOU'RE DONE.

>> Ifill: WELL, HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION: WHAT'S THE WEATHER REPORT LOOK LIKE?

>> THERE'S NO RELIEF IN SIGHT. IT'S 105 OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO HOPE FOR RAIN IN NORTH TEXAS ANY TIME SOON. THERE'S A TROPICAL STORM IN THE CARIBBEAN AND WE'RE ALL HOPING IT COMES OUR WAY.

>> Ifill: SO, WAYNE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY HOPING FOR A TROPICAL STORM. YES, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A SMALL HURRICANE OR A TROPICAL STORM. THAT'S WHAT THIS STATE NEEDS. THERE'S ONE BUILDING IN THE CARIBBEAN AND THEY'RE NOT SURE WHERE IT'S GOING YET BUT IT WOULD BE A RELIEF TO HAVE THAT STORM COME ASHORE, NOT DO TOO MUCH DAMAGE AND THEN SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS MOST OF THE STATE. THAT'S WHAT FARMERS, RANCHERS, EVERYONE IS PRAYING FOR HERE. WE NEED RAIN.

>> Ifill: WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE EAST COAST IS HOPING, THAT YOU TAKE SOME OF THEIR RAIN, WADE GOODWYN OF NPR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.

>> Ifill: NEXT, A REPORT ON WHO'S BEHIND THE LUCRATIVE MARIJUANA FARMING BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA. THE CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING AND KQED, SAN FRANCISCO HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THAT ISSUE FOR A YEAR AND JOINTLY PRODUCED THIS STORY FOR THE "NEWSHOUR." THEIR REPORTER IS MICHAEL MONTGOMERY.

>> Reporter: MARIJUANA IS A CASH CROP IN CALIFORNIA. LAST YEAR, LOCAL AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SEIZED SOME SEVEN MILLION ILLEGALLY GROWN PLANTS MUCH OF IT CULTIVATED ON NATIONAL FORESTS AND PARKS LIKE YOSEMITE. POLICE SAY THE GROWERS ARE NO LONGER JUST LOCAL HIPPIES. INCREASINGLY, THEY ARE ARMED TRAFFICKERS READY TO CONFRONT WHOEVER COMES THEIR WAY. MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFF TOM ALLMAN SAYS THAT'S WHY HIS DEPUTIES ARE TRAINING IN NEW TACTICS TO CAPTURE MORE GROWERS AND DISRUPT THEIR TRADE NETWORKS.

>> WE'RE AT A FORK IN THE ROAD, IF WE DON'T MAKE AN AGGRESSIVE PUSH NOW TO TAKE BACK PUBLIC LANDS, WE MAY BE AT A POINT OF NO RETURN.

>> Reporter: MORE AND MORE, THAT BATTLE TO TAKE BACK THE LAND TURNS VIOLENT.

>> THIS WAS FOUND IN A GARDEN.

>> Reporter: LAST YEAR, MENDOCINO COUNTY SAW AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF ARMED CONFRONTATIONS, MANY WITH MEXICAN NATIONALS WITH SUSPECTED LINKS TO DRUG GANGS ACROSS THE BORDER.

>> WE HAD PARTICULAR INFORMATION THAT THERE WERE VIOLENT, CARTEL TYPE MEXICAN GROWS UP IN THIS REMOTE PART OF THE NORTHERN COUNTY. AS OUR SWAT TEAM WAS CLEARING THROUGH ONE OF THE GARDENS, THEY CAME DOWN A REAL NARROW TRAIL IN THE BRUSH AND IT JUST OPENED UP INTO A CAMP, WITH ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE IN IT.

>> Reporter: OF THE SEVEN WAS THIS MAN-- MARIANO FERNANDEZ.

>> HE HAD A AK-47 TYPE RIFLE AND A HANDGUN, AND ACTUALLY POINTED IT AND TRIED TO GET A ROUND OFF AT THE SWAT TEAM AND THEY OF COURSE ENGAGED AND TOOK HIS LIFE.

>> Reporter: LT. NOE SAYS THE HIGH-POWERED WEAPONS AND LARGE QUANTITY OF POT PLANTS RECOVERED AT THE SCENE INDICATE THE OPERATION WAS THE WORK OF A LARGE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION. AND SHERIFF ALLMAN SAYS THE FERNANDEZ CASE IS PART OF A WIDER PATTERN. A MONTH LATER HIS MEN WERE INVOLVED IN ANOTHER SHOOTING, LEAVING ANGEL FARIAS, ALSO FROM MEXICO, DEAD.

>> I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME TO ME AND SAY, MY FAMILY HAS HUNTED IN THE MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST FOR FIVE GENERATIONS AND WE DON'T GO THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE GO THERE WE HEAR SHOTS BEING FIRED AROUND. OR PEOPLE HAVE LITERALLY WALKING INTO OUR HUNTING CAMP AND SAID GET OUT OF HERE.

>> Reporter: BUT FERNANDEZS WIDOW JESSICA, WHO GREW UP IN MENDOCINO, SAYS THE COPS OVER- REACTED. MARIANO WAS JUST DOING WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES IN THESE PARTS OF CALIFORNIA.

>> MARIANO DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIES AT ALL TO A CARTEL OR GANG OR ANYBODY BUT TO MAKE MONEY FOR HIS FAMILY. HE WAS UP THERE DOING IT BY HIMSELF. HE WAS NOT INVOLVED WITH ANY OF THAT. AND NEITHER WERE ANY OF THE OTHER GUYS HE WAS WITH.

>> Reporter: RON BROOKS, WHO LEADS A FEDERALLY-FUNDED DRUG TASK FORCE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, DOUBTS THAT. HE SAYS THE SCALE AND SOPHISTICATION OF THE MARIJUANA GROWING OPERATIONS POINT TO SOMETHING MORE SINISTER.

>> IT IS NOT JUST THE GROWS, THERE'S GOT TO BE A NETWORK. THAT MEANS FACILITATION OF STASH HOUSES, OF COMMUNICATIONS, PEOPLE THAT RENT THE CELL PHONES, PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THE TRUCKS, PEOPLE THAT SELL THIS MARIJUANA AT WHOLESALE AND RETAIL LEVEL. PEOPLE THAT GET THE MONEY BULK TRANSFERRED BACK TO MEXICO, WHICH IS WHERE THE COMMAND AND CONTROL IS FOR MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY BIG ORGANIZATION.

>> Reporter: THIS MAN, WHO ASKED US TO CONCEAL HIS IDENTITY HAS GROWN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF MARIJUANA IN CALIFORNIA. HE BECAME AN INFORMANT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED. HE SAYS HE ORIGINALLY CAME HERE FROM MICHOACAN MEXICO TO WORK ON ILLEGAL POT FARMS FIVE YEARS AGO.

>> ( translated ): U CAN EARN HERE IS 20 TIMES MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN EARN IN MEXICO.

>> Reporter: HE STARTED OUT AS A LUNCHERO, A LUNCHMAN. THAT'S A KIND OF FOREMAN WHO IS HIRED BY A BOSS TO DELIVER FOOD AND FERTILIZER, OFTEN TO MANY SITES AT THE SAME TIME.

>> ( translated ): I'VE KNOWN OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD ONE LUNCHERO FOR EIGHT OR TEN POT GROW SITES. BUT I'VE KNOWN OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE 25 OR 30 POT GROW SITES.

>> Reporter: SINCE USE OF THE LAND IS FREE-- SO LONG AS YOU DON'T GET CAUGHT- - THE MAN SAYS THE PROFIT MARGINS ARE HUGE.

>> ( translated ): YOU SPEND ABOUT $15,000 TO BEGIN A GARDEN, IF THE LAND IS GOOD, YOU WILL GET 800 POUNDS. $200,000-$300,000.

>> Reporter: AND HE SAYS IT'S NOT JUST THE MONEY. ITS SAFER IT TO GROW POT IN CALIFORNIA, EVEN IF YOU GET CAUGHT.

>> ( translated ): IN MEXICO, YOU GET FIVE YEARS IN JAIL AND THEY BREAK BOTH YOUR FEET, BOTH OF YOUR HANDS, AND SOMETIMES KNOCK OUT YOUR TEETH. SO SIX MONTHS HERE IN THE U.S., IN JAIL, COMPARED TO MEXICO, IS NOTHING!

>> Reporter: NATIONAL MARIJUANA POLICY COORDINATOR TOMMY LANIER SAYS THE DANGERS IN MEXICO ARE DRIVING MORE GROWERS NORTH.

>> A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE TARGETS THEMSELVES IN MEXICO. SO THEY FIGURED OUT THAT ITS EASIER TO COME TO THE U.S. ALTHOUGH THEY BRING THEIR SAME TYPE OF ATTITUDES. BUT THEY CAN GROW A LOT OF MARIJUANA. THEY KNOW HOW TO SMUGGLE IN ALIENS. THEY HAVE ALL THOSE NETWORKS ALREADY SET UP.

>> Reporter: LAST MONTH, SHERIFF ALLMAN SPEARHEADED THE BIGGEST SERIES OF POT RAIDS IN COUNTY HISTORY, FOCUSING ON THE MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST. SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN 100 ARRESTS AND FEDERAL INDICTMENTS AGAINST AT LEAST TEN MEXICAN NATIONALS. AUTHORITIES SAY THEY ARE INVESTIGATING LINKS TO GANGS ACROSS THE BORDER. BUT OUR INFORMANT TELLS US THAT COULD BE DIFFICULT. HE SAYS THESE GIANT FARM OPERATIONS ARE FINANCED BY MEXICAN MONEY, BUT THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY CONTROLLED BY THE BIG CARTELS AND NEITHER ARE THE WORKERS ON THE GROUND.

>> ( translated ): THE GROWERS ARE NOT INVOLVED WITH THE DRUG CARTELS OR WITH CRIMINAL BANDS, THEY'RE JUST PEOPLE WITH FAMILIES, THEY JUST COME TO GROW FOR A SEASON OR TWO AND THEN RETURN TO MEXICO.

>> Reporter: SO THE MEXICAN CARTELS THAT WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT, THE LA FAMILIA OR THE JUAREZ CARTEL-- YOU ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT HERE IN THE POT FIELDS OF CALIFORNIA.

>> ( translated ): NO, THEY ONLY HAVE THEIR PEOPLE WHO BUY AND SELL MARIJUANA.

>> Reporter: THE MAN EXPLAINS THAT WHILE CARTEL OPERATIVES AREN'T IN THE POT FIELDS THEMSELVES, GROWERS STILL RELY ON THEIR NETWORKS TO MOVE THE LARGE QUANTITIES OF POT PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA.

>> ( translated ): ALL OF THE MEXICAN CARTELS HAVE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY. LA FAMILIA, CARTELS FROM JUAREZ, THE ZETAS. THEY ALL HAVE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE CARTELS KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE DRUGS. THEY CARRY IT TO ANOTHER STATE OR CITY AND DISTRIBUTE IT. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

>> Reporter: FOR SHERIFF ALLMAN THIS MEANS THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THE COPS ARREST ARE JUST FIELD WORKERS, BUT HE SAYS, THEY'RE ALSO THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR A ORGANIZED CRIMINAL NETWORK.

>> I AM SURELY NOT PICKING ON ANYBODY BECAUSE OF THEIR ETHNICITY. I AM PICKING ON PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR ACTIONS AND THE ACTIONS OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HARMED MY COUNTY AND MY JOB AS SHERIFF IS TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO STOP IT AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING THIS SUMMER. BUT UNTIL LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS REACH UP THE DISTRIBUTION CHAIN, NEW SUPPLIERS WILL INEVITABLY CONTINUE TO STREAM IN TO MENDOCINO TO FEED THE GROWING DEMAND FOR CALIFORNIA MARIJUANA AROUND THE UNITED STATES.

>> Ifill: A RECENT STRING OF ARRESTS IN MICHIGAN, OHIO, UTAH AND ILLINOIS CAPTURED MANY CALIFORNIANS, ALL CAUGHT WITH LARGE HAULS OF MARIJUANA.

>> Brown: TEN YEARS LATER, HOW SAFE IS THE U.S. FROM TERROR ATTACKS? MEMBERS OF ONE OF THE KEY INVESTIGATING GROUPS WEIGH IN. THREE YEARS AFTER THE TERROR ATTACKS ON NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON. THE 9/11 COMMISSION ISSUED A REPORT THAT LOOKED BACK WITH A DRAMATIC RECOUNTING OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THAT TRAGIC DAY AND PROJECTED FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT FUTURE ATTACKS.

>> EVERY EXPERT WITH WHOM WE SPOKE TOLD US AN ATTACK OF EVEN GREATER MAGNITUDE IS NOW POSSIBLE, AND EVEN PROBABLE. WE DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF TIME. WE MUST PREPARE AND WE MUST ACT.

>> Brown: THE 500 PAGE REPORT INSTANTLY BECAME A BEST SELLER. IT INCLUDED 41 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AGENCIES. AMONG THEM: THE CREATION OF A DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO COORDINATE INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AS WELL AS FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC OPERATIONS; CONSOLIDATED CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE AND STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FIRST RESPONDERS IN DIFFERENT STATES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. TODAY, A GROUP THAT INCLUDED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF CALLING ITSELF THE BIPARTISAN POLICY MANY OF THE ORIGINAL 9/11 COMMISSION MEMBERS, CENTER PRESENTED A REPORT CARD ON NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS TEN YEARS AFTER THE ATTACKS. OVERALL, THE GROUP FOUND, "OUR COUNTRY IS UNDOUBTEDLY SAFER AND MORE SECURE THAN IT WAS A DECADE AGO," BUT, "WE FAIL TO ACHIEVE THE SECURITY WE COULD OR SHOULD HAVE." IN ALL, THE REPORT SAID THAT GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS FAILED TO MEET NINE OF THE ORIGINAL 9/11 COMMISSION'S 41 RECOMMENDATIONS. THE TWO CHAIRMEN OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION WERE PART OF THE GROUP THAT PRESENTED TODAY'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY REPORT CARD AND THEY'RE WITH US NOW: FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR THOMAS KEAN AND FORMER INDIANA REPRESENTATIVE LEE HAMILTON. WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU. FIRST, THE GOOD NEWS. YOU CITE MANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT SINCE THE COMMISSION REPORT YOU SAY HAS MADE THE COUNTRY SAFER. GOVERNOR, WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE THAT YOU'VE SEEN THAT HAS MADE US SAFER, DO YOU THINK?

>> PROBABLY THAT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS TALKING TO EACH OTHER MORE.

>> Brown: SIMPLE AS THAT?

>> SIMPLE AS THAT. WE HAD A LOT OF TERRORIST FROM 9/11 WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT VERY EASILY EXCEPT THE F.B.I. DIDN'T SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE C.I.A. AND VICE VERSA. AND WE HAVE 17 INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES AND THEY WERE ALL STOVE PIPES. SO THEY TALKED TO EACH OTHER, THEY DIDN'T TALK TO... THEY DIDN'T TALK TO EACH OTHER, THEY JUST TALKED WITHIN THE AGENCY. NOW THE MECHANISM IS NOW SET UP UNDER OUR LEGISLATION THAT ALMOST FORCES THEM TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND THIS'S A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

>> Brown: DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU AS THE KEY CHANGE? DO YOU SEE OTHERS?

>> NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. THE PRINCIPLE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION WAS THAT WE HAD TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF SHARING INFORMATION. WE'VE MADE LOT OF PROGRESS THERE AND INFORMATION TODAY IS SHARED MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS PRIOR TO 9/11. NOT YET WHERE IT OUGHT TO BE. NOT YET SEAMLESS, BUT BETTER.

>> Brown: WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THIS OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE WAS CREATE BUD YOU SAY IN THIS REPORT TODAY IT IS STILL NOT CLEAR THAT THE D.N.I. IS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION THAT WE HAD ENVISIONED. YOU WANT TO START WITH THAT? WHAT PROBLEM DO YOU SEE REMAINING?

>> IT'S THE PROBLEM OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. HE'S DEALING WITH A LOT OF AGENCIES. HE'S DEALING WITH SOME VERY POWERFUL PLAYERS: C.I.A. DIRECTOR, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND OTHERS. AND HE NEEDS AUTHORITY ON BUDGET AND ON COMES DOWN TO PERSONALITIES AND THE D.N.I. HAS TO BE VERY DIPLOMATIC BECAUSE HE IS DEALING WITH BIG PLAYERS. IF WE DON'T LIKE HIS DECISION WE'LL BOO GO RIGHT TO THE PRESIDENT. BROWN BRUP BUT YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER MORE BUT THIS NEW POSITION ISN'T QUITE AS COORDINATED OR AUTHORITATIVE AS YOU HOPED.

>> WELL, THEY WEAKENED THE LEGISLATION A BIT WHEN WE PASSED IT IN CONGRESS AND IT'S UNCLEAR. WE SAID AT THE TIME-- LEE IN PARTICULAR-- SAID THIS IS ALL GOING TO DEPEND ON THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE IF THE PRESIDENT GIVES THE GUY THE AUTHORITY THEN IT'S GOING TO WORK. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR DENYs IN SIX YEARS. WE HOPED IT WOULD BE A LONG-TERM PERSON WITH THE FAITH OF THE PRESIDENT WHO WOULD COORDINATE THE INTELLIGENCE OPERATION AND IT HASN'T BEEN THAT WAY.

>> Brown: ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE AVERAGE AMERICANS FEEL THE CHANGES MOST IS AT THE AIRPORT, RIGHT? AIRPORT SECURITY. TODAY'S REPORT, HERE'S ANOTHER QUOTE, IT SAYS THE AVIATION SCREENING SYSTEM STILL FALLS SHORT IN CRITICAL WAYS WITH RESPECT TO DETECTION. WHAT PROBLEM DO YOU SEE THERE?

>> WELL THIS IDEA IS TO DETECT BOMBS. EVEN WITH WHAT WE ALL GO THROUGH IT DOESN'T DETECT THE LATEST KIND OF BOMBS THAT TERRORISTS COULD BUILD SO THE TECHNOLOGY OF BOMB-MAKING HAS GOTTEN AHEAD OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF DETECTION. SO WHAT WE'VE REALLY GOT TO DO IS BRING THE DETECTION UP TO DATE. SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT AS SOMEBODY GOES THROUGH, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE TERRIBLE PROCESSES THAT AT LEAST THEY'RE DETECTING THE BOMBS THAT MIGHT BE THERE.

>> Brown: BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THERE'S ALREADY ENOUGH INVASIVENESS AND POSSIBLE INVASION OF PRIVACY WITH THESE NEW MACHINES BUT YOU'RE SUGGESTING ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY?

>> YES, INDEED, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO 9/11? WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT. THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS WORKED HARD ON IT BUT WE ARE NOT YET AT THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN DETECT THESE EXPLOSIVES THAT CAN BE HIDDEN ON THE BODY OR IN THE BODY AND WE MUST GET TO THAT POINT. THE DETECTION WE HAVE TODAY IS GOOD. IT DETECTS A LOT OF THINGS, BUT IT DOES NOT DETECT THESE EXPLOSIVES AND UNTIL WE GHETTO THAT POINT THERE'S A RISK. AND IT CAN BE A HIGH RISK BECAUSE THE TERRORISTS ARE VERY GOOD AT IDENTIFYING OUR VULNERABILITIES.

>> Brown: ONE OF THE LOUDEST LINES HERE IN TODAY'S REPORT THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS ABOUT EMERGENCY RESPONSE. UNITY OF COMMAND. AND THE LINE IS "DECADE AFTER 9/11, THE NATION IS NOT YET PREPARED FOR A TRULY CATASTROPHIC DISASTER. THIS GOES TO FIRST RESPONDERS COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER. WHY HASN'T THAT GOTTEN BETTER?

>> I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING LEE AND I WOULD AGREE WITH IS OUTRAGEOUS, THIS IS IT. WE THOUGHT THIS WAS FAIRLY EASY. THE FACT THAT PEOPLE AT THE SITE OF THE DISASTER SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER. WE KNOW IT COST LIVES ON 9/11. I MEAN, THE POLICEMAN COULDN'T TALK TO THE FIREMEN AND PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF THAT. IN KATRINA PEOPLE IN BOATS WEREN'T ABLE TO TALK TO PEOPLE IN RESCUE HELICOPTERS AND PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF IT. AND NOW TEN YEARS LATER WE STILL HAVEN'T DONE IT. THE SO-CALLED D-BLOCK WHICH IS WHAT THEY NEED, THE SPECTRUM SO THAT FIRST RESPONDERS CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER NOT JUST IN TERRORIST ATTACKS BUT IN ANY DISASTER.

>> Brown: YOU CITE KATRINA, YOU CITE THE GULF OIL SPILL. DO YOU HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THAT HASN'T GOTTEN BETTER?

>> WELL, THE RADIO SPECTRUM IS VERY VALUABLE PROPERTY. VERY VALUABLE PROPERTY. SO WHATEVER YOU'RE ALLOCATING PART OF THAT SPECTRUM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG DOLLARS. WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS A PART OF THAT SPECTRUM BE GIVEN TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND, OF COURSE, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SEE THAT AS AN INTRUSION ON THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS OR SOMETHING THEY SHOULD HAVE RIGHTS TO. THE DEBATE REALLY NOW IS DO YOU ALLOCATE PART OF THIS SPECTRUM DIRECTLY TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS-- THAT'S WHAT WE FAVOR-- OR DO YOU ALLOCATE IT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THEN LET THEM WORK IT SNOUT THIS IS THE DEBATE WITHIN THE CONGRESS NOW. THE IMPORTANT THING FROM OUR STANDPOINT IS THAT THE DEBATE BE RESOLVED. LET'S GET A DECISION HERE BECAUSE THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE NO BRAINER THAT THESE RESPONDERS V.O.A. V TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND IT IS A SOURCE, AS TOM HAS SUGGESTED, OF ENORMOUS FRUSTRATION TO US THAT WE HAVE... WE AREN'T THERE YET.

>> Brown: YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE HERE THAT WE CAN WALK THROUGH BUT WHEN YOU CITE THESE FAILURES TO IMPLEMENT THINGS THAT TO YOU SEEM VERY OBVIOUS, YOU BOTH SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN POLITICS. NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IS IT A FAILURE OF WILL? IS IT A FAILURE OF NONE? IS IT A FAILURE OF SFLIX A FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE TERRIFIC? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, THE SPENDING AND RECOMMENDATION MAY BE A DIFFERENT ANSWER. IN SOME CASES IT MAY BE MONEY. IN OTHER CASES IT'S POLITICS. WE'RE CALLING DESPERATELY FOR CONGRESSIONAL REFORM BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DYSFUNCTIONAL THERE THE OVERSIGHT OF THE INTELLIGENCE OPERATION.

>> Brown: DYSFUNCTIONAL IS A WORD USED A LOT HERE IN WASHINGTON THESE DAYS.

>> WELL, DYSFUNCTIONAL CAME FROM MEMBERS OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, IT DIDN'T COME FROM US. AND THAT CAN'T BE BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONLY INTELLIGENCE SECRET YOU CAN'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT. IF YOU'RE NOT DOING IT, NOBODY'S DOING IT.

>> OUR ARGUMENT IS THAT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IF YOU HAVE A DISASTER WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GET IT RIGHT NOW AND THERE SHALL A LOT OF OTHER INTERESTS THAT INTERFERE HERE THAT WE'VE REFERRED TO. YOU HAVE TO PUT THOSE ASIDE. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE UNLESS WE GET THESE PROBLEMS OF UNITY OF COMMAND AND INTEROPERABILITY OF COMMUNICATIONS WORKED OUT AND WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

>> Brown: ARE YOU SURPRISED TEN YEARS LATER THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANOTHER MAJOR SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON THE U.S.?

>> I THINK SO. I THINK IT'S INEVITABLE THAT THEY WILL SUCCEED AT SOME POINT. THE TECHNOLOGY IS CLEARLY AVAILABLE TO THEM. NO QUESTION ABOUT THEIR INTENT. THEY'VE MADE A NUMBER OF EFFORTS IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. WE'VE HAD THIS THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THE LONE WOLF, THE SELF-RADICALIZATION OF THE COUNTRY. WE WOULD BE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET BY ANOTHER TEN YEARS WITHOUT AN ATTACK. EVERYBODY I KNOW IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNITY THINKS ANOTHER ATTACK WILL EVENTUALLY SUCCEED. THEN THE PROBLEM BECOMES OUR RESILIENCE, OUR ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK AND NOT LET IT TAKE OVER OUR LIVES.

>> Brown: DO YOU FEAR, THEREFORE, THAT THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF URGENCY OR IT'S GROWN OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.

>> I THINK THE FURTHER YOU GET FROM NEW YORK CITY THE LESS THE URGENCY IS, THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IT THE SAME WAY BUT NO MATTER WHAT ELSE WE DO-- I RECOGNIZE WE'RE ALL WORRIED ABOUT BUDGETS, HEALTH CARE, UNEMPLOYMENT, WE SHOULD BE. BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T IGNORE. THE FIRST RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT IS TO DEFEND ITS CITIZENS. IF WE'RE NOT DOING THAT PROPERLY WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WELL.

>> Brown: SO SAFER BUT STILL MUCH MORE TO DO?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> Brown: GOVERNOR TOM KEAN, REPRESENTATIVE LEE HAMILTON, THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

>> Ifill: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY: THE DEATH TOLL FROM HURRICANE IRENE ROSE AGAIN TO 45 KILLED IN 13 STATES, AS FLOODING CONTINUED IN NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK STATE AND VERMONT... THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUED TO BLOCK THE $39 BILLION MERGER BETWEEN A.T.&T. AND T-MOBILE. AND WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THE PRESIDENT HAS ASKED TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AND THE NATION ON HIS JOBS PLAN NEXT WEDNESDAY, THE SAME NIGHT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN CALIFORNIA. HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER IS RESISTING THE REQUEST. AND OUR COVERAGE OF THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS CONTINUES ONLINE.

>> Sreenivasan: AMERICANS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE TOLD US HOW SEPTEMBER 11 CHANGED THEIR LIVES. FIND THOSE COMMENTS ON OUR 9/11 VIDEO QUILT PROJECT, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT A VIDEO WITH YOUR OWN REFLECTIONS ON THE LAST DECADE. OUR GLOBAL HEALTH UNIT EXAMINES NEW DATA ON NEWBORN MORTALITY SHOWING WHICH COUNTRIES ARE BEST AND WORST FOR INFANT HEALTH. PLUS ON OUR WORLD PAGE, READ ABOUT THE EDUCATION REFORM PROTESTS IN CHILE. THEY'VE GROWN INTO ONE OF THE LARGEST DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE COUNTRY'S GOVERNMENT IN YEARS. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE: newshour.pbs.org. GWEN?

>> Brown: AND AGAIN, TO OUR HONOR ROLL OF AMERICAN SERVICE PERSONNEL KILLED IN THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN CONFLICTS. WE ADD THEM AS THEIR DEATHS ARE MADE OFFICIAL AND PHOTOGRAPHS BECOME AVAILABLE. THIS IS ACTUALLY A REPEAT OF LAST NIGHT'S HONOR ROLL, BECAUSE OF SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, IT DIDN'T AIR IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. SO HERE AGAIN, IN SILENCE, ARE THOSE EIGHT NAMES.

>> Ifill: AND THAT'S THE "NEWSHOUR" FOR TONIGHT. ON THURSDAY, WE ASSESS WHAT'S NEXT IN LIBYA, AS TOP OFFICIALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD MEET IN PARIS. PLUS, A CONVERSATION ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES WHO WERE DEFEATED, BUT STILL INFLUENCED HISTORY. I'M GWEN IFILL.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: AND THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, WORKING TO SOLVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org