International Aid Worker Taken Hostage in Baghdad; Interview With Michael Gordon; Bush Accuses Kerry of Practicing Politics of Fear - Part 1.

(From CNN News)

AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening again everyone. On another day when Iraq leads the news we'll look at what is perhaps the most interesting single question to be broached in weeks. Did the insurgency need to happen? Could it have been avoided if civilian leaders at the Pentagon had paid more attention to the uniformed brass? Why were the warnings of too little manpower rejected?

Michael Gordon, "The New York Times" lead defense writer offers some answers to that today in the first of a series of articles on how Iraq went awry and for those who still believe it has not gone awry consider this. Back when Saddam was overthrown when the Americans marched into Baghdad there was a plan to begin almost immediately a dramatic reduction in American forces there.

In part they would be replaced by soldiers from other countries and, in part, they wouldn't be needed at all in a lawful Iraq. Today there are 130,000 Americans there. More may be coming after the U.S. election and before the Iraqis vote in January. It did go awry. Tonight, Mr. Gordon joins us to talk about the fateful decisions made and the assumptions gone wrong. But the whip begins in Baghdad, CNN's Karl Penhaul with the duty so, Karl, a headline from you tonight. KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A top international aid worker is taken hostage in Baghdad. Meanwhile the insurgency grinds on -- Aaron. BROWN: Karl, thank you. Next to CNN's Jane Arraf and perhaps the toughest mission in any counterinsurgency not just this one so, Jane, a headline from you tonight. JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Whatever happened to winning Iraqi hearts and minds? Military officials say it's just not going to happen. They have a new goal -- Aaron. BROWN: Jane, thank you. We'll get to you in a few moments. And finally to Florida and the campaign and what many would see as the campaign scare tactics of both sides. Our Senior White House Correspondent John King is traveling with the president so, John, a headline tonight. JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, the president today accused his Democratic opponent of practicing the politics of fear when it comes to the flu, the military draft and other issues. Translation, the president's worried some of Senator Kerry's attacks might be sticking. BROWN: John, thank you. We'll get back to you and the rest. Candy Crowley joins us with the Kerry campaign as well tonight. Also coming up on the program from Atlanta what does a person have to do to get a flu shot these days, cross the border to Canada, stand in line for the day, buy a lottery ticket just to name a few. Also, the military wants them, your local high school students in big numbers. We'll look at recruiting in a time of war. And later joined by our very own recruit, a conscript actually, the rooster stops by with morning papers, all that and more in the hour ahead. We begin with Iraq and how things got where they've gotten so to speak. Today the American general in charge of Baghdad said the city needs about 10,000 more policemen but probably won't get the full complement until next spring or summer. Last summer the administration said the present level would be enough. For American forces the city and the country are still dotted with no-go zones and reporters not embedded with the troops are finding it harder to venture outside their hotels or even to stay put inside them.

In a moment some very thorough reporting on how decisions made prior to the invasion and in the days after have led to all of this, first, the news of the day starting with another kidnapping and CNN's Karl Penhaul. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PENHAUL (voice-over): Snatched by kidnappers and captured on camera, just hours after aid worker Margaret Hassan was taken hostage this proof of life was passed to Arabic language broadcaster Al- Jazeera. Hassan is director of CARE International's operations in Iraq. She's a duel British-Iraqi citizen who's lived and…