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U.K. P.M. to talk with Iran Pres.; Bombs on ISIS in Syria; Refugee Crisis on Syrian Border; U.S. Airstrikes Thwarted Imminent Threat Against U.S.; Israel Shoots Down Syrian War Plane

Aired September 23, 2014 - 09:30   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, and by other countries at the United Nations that the Prime Minister may meet with, that includes Iran, correct?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It does --

COSTELLO: Not officially meet, right?

ROBERTSON: That is official. We understand from 10 Downing Street that he will meet with the president of Iran, and that ISIS will be -- and tackling the threat of ISIS will be one of the issues they will talk about. And certainly there's been a lot of discussion in Britain, should David Cameron engage the Iranians on this. The Iranians, obviously, a major player in Syria at the moment and would like to see ISIS defeated in Iraq and Syria. But so far, again, on that, the political will and temperature perhaps not there. This is being called a conversation rather than part of an extensive ongoing dialogue.

COSTELLO: Gotcha. Nic Robertson reporting live from London for us.

Anna Coren joins me now from Irbil, Iraq.

Anna, until now, air strikes, 190-plus of them have been confined to Iraq, but now the war on ISIS is expanding. What's the reaction from where you are?

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly speaking to political and military officials here in Kurdistan and northern Iraq, Carol, they are welcoming the air strikes into Syria. They have said from to get-go that they need to go after ISIS in its safe haven its sanctuary otherwise this entire operation is just a futile exercise. So certainly pleased. There's really a sense that, you know, about time that this has begun.

They also were very pleased to hear that Arab nations were involved in these air strikes. They feel that that is an encouraging sign moving forward. But as far as those officials here, they would like to see an intensification of the air campaign here. Yes, 190 U.S. air strikes to date, and a number of French air strikes over the weekend. It's helping, Carol, but it is not necessarily degrading ISIS the way that it initially was hoped. Obviously, taking out those artillery pieces, those enemy positions, and the armored vehicles, but it's not necessarily driving them back. Containing them, yes, but they're not retreating. And this is what the problem is ongoing for the Peshmerga, the Kurdish

forces, as well as the Iraqi security forces. And, you know, at the end of the day, Carol, they are the boots on the ground taking the fight. And if they have that air cover and still not making that -- those advances, what does it say for the strategy in Syria?

COSTELLO: We'll talk more about that a little later. Anna Coren reporting live from Iraq this morning. Thank you.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a growing refugee crisis at the Syrian border as record numbers, hundreds of thousands of men, women and children flee Syria to save themselves from ISIS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Wolf Blitzer at the United Nations.

We're following the breaking news, now chaos inside -- out of Syria as we report what's going on this morning. While bombs rained down on ISIS targets in that war-torn country, there's also been a sudden and massive flood of refugees fleeing the terror group. That is threatening a humanitarian crisis around the nation's border. CNN's Arwa Damon is live in a refugee camp right near the Turkish-Syrian border.

Arwa, this is unlike any other displacement we've seen apparently in the past three years of this Syrian civil war. First of all, set the scene for us where you are. What is going on?

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is one of the border crossings that the refugees have been coming across, 158,000 according to UNICEF since Friday. This is an unprecedented number since the beginning of the Syrian civil war three years ago. A lot of them coming across absolutely despondent, dejected, having waited overnight on the other side. And you can just see the conditions out here. It's hot, it's windy, it's dusty. The children didn't have water or food, many of them coming across in tears. A lot of the adults, the women especially, we were speaking to, breaking down completely as they spoke about everything, the lives that they left behind and the fact that at this stage they don't know when they're going to go back home. Refugees we spoke to three years ago when this first began are still living as refugees in Turkey, Wolf.

BLITZER: And what are you hearing, Arwa, about -- you're getting some initial reports on what the U.S. and these five Arab coalition partners managed to achieve with these initial air strikes, tomahawk cruise missile strikes, air strikes against these ISIS targets in Syria.

DAMON: Well, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is reporting that at least 70 militants were killed, hundreds more were wounded, saying that according to their sources, at least, and we can't independently confirm this, the wounded were being transported back across the border to Iraq. That being said though, Wolf, ISIS had been anticipating these types of air strikes from the U.S., and had evacuated a lot of its key locations and split itself up into smaller groups, had also been in the process, according to analysts that had been watching their movements very closely and hiding a lot of the artillery, the weaponry that they had at their disposal, especially in the cavernous landscape between the Syrian and the Iraqi border.

One Syrian activist who we spoke to in Raqqa said that they had appeared to have changed their behavior. ISIS militants now much more prominent in the streets. Also he was saying taking over people's homes. So while this may seem like a very significant act, and it was in the fact that the U.S. has put this coalition together, is not to be underestimated. This is still just the beginning of a very long battle that is what all indications are it is going to promise to be because this is not an organization that is going to just evaporate into thin air.

Plus we're hearing reports also from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the U.S. hit other targets. The Nusra Front, for example. Other Islamic militant groups that perhaps the U.S., at this stage, views as being terrorist organizations. But that not necessarily the view that is shared by some of the Syrian opposition members across the border from where we are right now, Wolf.

BLITZER: And so you're there in Turkey. You're right on the border with Syria, Arwa. Turkey is a NATO ally. We know about 1.5 million Syrian refugees over the past three years or so have flooded into Turkey. Certainly Turkey has its hands full dealing with these refugees. But what are you hearing about Turkey's willingness to allow U.S. war planes to use Turkish air bases to launch these kinds of strikes against ISIS targets in Syria? Will Turkey cooperate militarily with the U.S.?

DAMON: That we're going to have to wait and see. The Turkish government had been very reluctant, and, in fact, did not join this coalition that the U.S. was putting together, and it's come under some heavy criticism for that. Their rational behind not wanting to join this coalition is because ISIS has 49 Turkish hostages in their custody. Their release was negotiated over the weekend. The details of that not being put out to the public at this stage, but the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, did come out on Sunday saying, now that the hostages had been released, Turkey could perhaps be in a position where it would be taking more aggressive action. And so we have that potential in the future. And the country, again, not just dealing with this influx of refugees that has been massive, but also with a lot of tensions within this own country, even across the border here, some of the refugees, for example, earlier today were very upset that they couldn't bring their livestock with them and they began screaming, shouting. Some of the Turkish security forces here firing tear gas at them. So the situation is very tense and it is so incredibly complicated.

BLITZER: The Turks are being tight lipped about what they did in order to get those hostages, those Turkish hostages, nearly 50, I think 49 or so, back over the past few days. Arwa, be careful over there. We'll stay in close touch with you. Lots happening on the Turkish-Syrian border. Still to come, Tomahawk missiles, bombers, fighter jets, the U.S. conducts punishing air strikes inside Syria, not just on ISIS but al Qaeda veterans. We're now told by U.S. officials they were plotting against a U.S. homeland target. We're getting new information. Stay with us. The breaking news continues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN NEGROPONTE, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: This is really starting now to look like a fairly comprehensive strategy. There's been a move in Syria, which we've been waiting for, for a long time. There's the coalition with the other countries, the other gulf states, who have been participating in these attacks. And, of course, the other shoe that has to drop now, it seems to me, is what happens in Iraq. What kind of boost to the morale of the Iraqi and Kurdish forces will these actions represent? They've got to follow up on what I think now is an opportunity being created for them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We are following the breaking news, the U.S. not only struck ISIS targets in Syria, but also thwarted what a top U.S. official is now calling an imminent threat against the U.S. homeland target.

Debris was being cleared this morning from a suspected U.S. air strike against the group known as Khorasan. Khorasan we are told is an al Qaeda affiliated group, and the members have plotted attacks against Western Airliners, the group has set up training camps inside Syria for western fighters and members coming from Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan and elsewhere. And indeed, a 33-year-old Kuwaiti Muhsin al Fadhli is a top operative.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is joining us now with more on this operation against Khorasan. It is a very different operation than the ISIS targets inside of Iraq and Syria. These are air strikes against this terror group known as Khorasan, and what are you learning, Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, these air strikes against Khorasan took place in western Iraq near Aleppo, clear on the other side of the country from where the ISIS attacks took place. And a place where the Syrian regime does have some air defenses, but they were not in action last night. And U.S. went after a number of Khorasan targets because they had intelligence that the group, the al Qaeda affiliate, were in the final stages of planning an attack, possibly against a target of the U.S. homeland or in Europe.

Now this is not the say that the U.S. had any intelligence of the exact target, but it did have the intelligence that it looked like the group was nearing the final stages of planning and if they let it go any further, the U.S. could have a lot of trouble detecting the actual plot. So they decided to move against it, firing a number of weapons last night against their leadership, and command and control. The question, of course, what is the result, and who and what did they

get? I want you to listen to what the Pentagon spokesman had to say on CNN a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We are still doing what we call the battle damage assessment right now throughout the morning, Chris. But we are pretty sure that on the strikes conducted against the group Khorasan are very, very effective. And again, we will be getting more information throughout the morning, but the early indications are that we hit what we were aiming at and we greatly disrupted this group's ability to continue the plot and planning that they were doing for attacks either in Europe or here on the homeland.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: And we expect a Pentagon briefing at 11:00 Eastern Time this morning with more details about all of the overnight activity in Syria. No word critically yet on whether or not they got that man al- Fadhli who is the reported leader of the Khorasan group. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right, we will have live coverage of course 11:00 a.m. Eastern. A little bit more than an hour from now, we have the Pentagon briefing at the top of the hour, and live coverage of the President's statement to the nation, an indeed the world on the south lawn of the White House.

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: So let's call what is happening now what it is, war. Yes, America is at war with ISIS and apparent with this Khorasan group. We have just entered a new expanded phase. Peter King, the Republican from New York is calling for bipartisan support. He tweeted, quote, "All Americans must stand with President Obama in our war against ISIS, particularly those air strikes in Syria."

With me now to talk more about this Robert Zimmerman, a Democratic strategist, and Kevin Madden, CNN political commentator and a Republican strategist. Welcome, gentlemen. Nice to have you here.

So, Robert, how important is this tweet from Peter King? So that is appears both Democrats and Republicans are on the same page?

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It is such an important statement, and very noble of Peter King to do that, but that is also his history. He always does rise above partisanship, and it is a mistake for both sides at a time of really national unity, where we are seeing this really important, and really in many ways unprecedented coalition emerge in the Middle East for us to speak as one country and with one voice. That doesn't mean both parties aren't going to grandstand, that is their reflect action unfortunately. Peter rose above it, Congressman King, it is to his credit.

COSTELLO: And, Kevin, the President did reach out the various lawmakers and told them about these air strikes before they happened. That is a good sign, right?

KEVIN MADDEN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Right.

I think that at a this time like this generally the public doesn't look at this as a Republican or Democrat - Through a Republican or Democrat lens. Instead, they look at the mission. They understand there are American service people in harm's way and they want to see the mission seen through.

COSTELLO: Well, it's not all hugs and kisses out there, though. There's a scathing op-ed in the Wall Street Journal this morning, it is titled "What Obama Knows, Everything President Gets Things Wrong. What Sets Obama Apart is His Ideology Rigidity and his Fathomless Ignorance". Wow, that's harsh, Robert.

ZIMMERMAN: That's the kind of rhetoric you hear on right wing talk radio and it's beneath the character --

COSTELLO: The Wall Street Journal.

ZIMMERMAN: It's beneath the character of "The Wall Street Journal". And quite frankly if you look at the actions the President took, the international leadership he showed, it proves the journal's editorial was wrong.

COSTELLO: You could argue, Kevin, that war is not within the president's ideology, at least the President Obama that ran for office in 2008.

MADDEN: Well, look, while everybody is looking to support the mission and hope this mission is successful, there is always going to be a push and pull on how we develop the policies. Whether they're long- term policies or short-term policies that are designed to keep the country safe. And also how it affects our overall world view as a nation when it comes to foreign policy.

Will there be voices of dissent? Of course, that's what happens in democracy. So I don't think it's outside the bounds. Instead, is it going to be a contribution that ends up having the President maybe have a better policy and has Congress increase their level of oversight of that policy? That's just all part of the roe says.

COSTELLO: I think dissent is a great thing but I don't know when it gets down to being just mean and with no real insight that's when you begin to wonder.

ZIMMERMAN: Dissent is important and clearly Congress has a critical role here to begin to engage in a better scrutiny and really explore what their constitutional responsibilities are now as this situation in the Middle East does escalate. But to resort to that kind of name calling which is all too common a practice in the political party, for both political parties, really does demean our political process and, frankly, undermine what should be a very important unifying time in our country.

COSTELLO: I hear you. With that said, you know, a lot of people have problems with President Obama's strategy or lack thereof. So, Kevin, does it seem to you right at the moment that the President's strategy might be working? Maybe is working?

MADDEN: Well, it's obviously -- I think most military experts will tell you that it is -- we won't know right now whether or not -- we won't know for a long time whether or not these strikes are going to have a greater impact on degrading the infrastructure of ISIS. Also we have this new threat. Many people right now are just hearing about this new threat from the group that's out in western Iraq and --

ZIMMERMAN: Wouldn't you agree, Kevin, that the coalition the President has established, and bringing the Arab countries into this process is a very important first step for addressing this crisis? Come on, kevin, you can do it.

MADDEN: Look, I think just like when President George W. Bush put together a coalition to take actions in the national security interests of the country, I think it's good when President Obama does it. I think the differences we had here is that President Obama should have done this a lot earlier before this threat became so imminent.

ZIMMERMAN: Kevin, the difference we have here is that --

MADDEN: In regard to the national security interests of the American people.

ZIMMERMAN: The difference we have here is this is not an American mission, this is, in fact, a mission for the soul of Islam and the Arab countries are leading that battle and we're supporting them in the process. That's what makes this so credible as opposed to the U.S. becoming a recruiting tool for al Qaeda.

MADDEN: And, Robert, the big challenge going forward is whether or not it's going to be sustained an whether or not it's part of a larger national security strategy.

ZIMMERMAN: That is exactly right. We both agree on that.

COSTELLO: I'll end it there then. That is a good thing. Thank you so much Kevin Madden, Robert Zimmerman.

Let's head out to the United Nations and Wolf has new info for us. Hi, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Carol, thank you.

High tensions across Syria this morning while the U.S. wages war on ISIS targets. Israel is also now taking responsibility for shooting down a Syrian warplane that Israel says attempted to infiltrate its airspace.

IDF, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner is joining us for more on what happened. He is joining us on the phone. Lieutenant Colonel, tell us what happened. LT. COL. PETER LERNER, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: At around

9:00 this morning a Syrian Air Force aircraft infiltrated Israel around 800 meters, almost a kilometer into Israel's airspace. Just to put that into context, this airplane could have crossed the entire width of Israel in two minutes. This is why there's absolutely -- we absolutely do not tolerate the breach of our airspace.

The aircraft, the Syrian aircraft was struck down by a patriot air defense battery and, yes, the incident is over as far as we're concerned. We're looking into the cause. We don't know what mission the aircraft was on but, indeed, the challenge and the Syrian civil war on the other side has been spilling over several times in recent weeks and this is part of it.

BLITZER: Do you know what the intention of that aircraft was? Was it hostile intention towards Israel? Could it have just strayed in? Do you have any indication of what was going on?

LERNER: Well, we don't know what their mission was. It could have been stray, they could have had malicious intentions. As far as we're concerned, it really isn't important. From the minute of breach into the state of Israel, within five minutes they could be over Tel Aviv and two minutes over Haifa. We don't have the flexibility to allow this type of penetration. And the Syrian military Air Force they are aware of this, they know this and that's why they should have remained on their side of the fence and not penetrated into our airspace.

BLITZER: What about the pilot or pilots of that Syrian warplane? Any word on what happened to them?

LERNER: We know that they ejected. They landed in Syria. I don't know as far as their well-being. We can confirm we saw them eject from the airport.

BLITZER: This is, what the, the first time in about 25 years there's been an incident along these lines between Israel and Syria, is that right, colonel?

LERNER: Indeed. It's the first time an incident in the air has taken place. But in recent years we've had several incidents, cross-border fire, errant mortar fire, rockets, explosive devices along the border with Syria. But, indeed, this is, of course, extremely out of the ordinary when an airplane infiltrates our airspace. I think it's since about 1985 was the last time something like this happened. So, yes, it's a different reality but it is probably a result of what's going on on the other side of the fence and we have to stand guard and be prepared for that potential spillover.

BLITZER: And very quickly, Colonel, the U.S., I take it, has not asked Israel to get involved militarily in these air strikes or any other strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, is that right?

LERNER: There are violent extremist organizations, whether they are Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Nusra Front, they're all around our neighborhood. We are focusing on defending our borders and maintaining our safety and security, our allies there operating under their own interests and we have to maintain our own. So we're operating within house -- the safety of our borders and that's the right thing for us to do at this time.

BLITZER: Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner of the IDF, spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, thank you very much.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.