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ISIS Threatens American Medic; Ten People At "Higher Risk" For Ebola; CDC Briefing On U.S. Ebola Patient; U.S. Troops Heading To Center Of Ebola Outbreak; ISIS Beheads British Aid Worker Alan Henning; Unemployment Rate Falls To 5.9 Percent

Aired October 04, 2014 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Be sure to watch "Vanished: The Mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370" this Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

We have so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.

All right. Hello, again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the top stories we're following in the CNN NEWSROOM. From 100 to 50 to just 10, that's how many people the CDC now considers at higher risk for Ebola in the Dallas area. This as we await more information from the CDC about the deadly virus here in America.

Then, another brutal beheading by ISIS and another American's life threatened. The heart breaking plea from the family of that American medic being held by ISIS.

Plus, a live look at Central Hong Kong, packed with protesters right now. We're live in the middle of the pro-democracy demonstrations.

Another brutal killing of a western hostage by ISIS. This time, it was the beheading of British aid worker, Alan Henning. And once again, the terror group has released a video showing the killing.

Henning was kidnapped in Syria the day after Christmas after he went there to help as a medic. The video also contained a threat to American hostage, Peter Kassig. A masked captor threatened the Indiana man's life, saying his death will be President Obama's fault.

A short time ago, Kassig's family released a video statement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED KASSIG, FATHER OF PETER KASSIG: There is so much beyond our control. We've asked our government to change its actions, but like our son, we have no more control over the U.S. government than you have over the breaking of dawn. We implore his captors to show mercy and use their power to let our son go.

PAULA KASSIG, MOTHER OF PETER KASSIG: Dear son, we hope you will see this message from me and your father. We are so very proud of you and the work you have done to bring humanitarian aid to the Syrian people. We were grateful and relieved to have received your messages earlier this year.

We know you were very worried about your friend who was taken with you. He was released and is well. Please know that we are all praying for you and your safe return. Most of all, know that we love you and our hearts ache for you to be granted your freedom so we can hug you again.

And then set you free to continue the life you have chosen, the life of service to those in greatest need. We implore those who are holding you to show mercy and use their power to let you go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Arwa Damon has more.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fred, we first met Peter back in the summer of 2012. He had just been in Lebanon for a short while, after having basically thrown whatever medical supplies he could get his hands on into a backpack and making his way there.

He had decided that it was his purpose in life to try to help wounded Syrians. And that is exactly what we found him doing at a hospital in Tripoli, Lebanon.

He had an infectious enthusiasm and passion about the plight of the Syrian people and a sense of responsibility, he felt, to make a difference. Take a listen to what he told us back then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER KASSIG, AMERICAN AID WORKER: We each get one life and that's it. You get one shot at this. We don't get any do-overs, you know? And for me, it was time to put up or shut up. The way I saw it, I didn't have a choice, you know? Like, this is what I was put here to do. I guess, I'm just a hopeless romantic and I'm an idealist and I believe in hopeless causes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON: Peter and I have stayed in close contact since then and a few months after we first met him, he had already set up his own non- profit, SARA, the Special Emergency Response and Assistance.

It was focused on trying to help Syrian refugees, both in Turkey and inside Syria, also running much-needed medical missions, either training up volunteers because of Peter's EMT background, something that he was qualified to do or just deliver medical aid.

And that is what he was doing when he was captured by ISIS on October 1st, 2013. Now, we understand that during his captivity, at some point, he did convert to Islam, taking on the name, Abdul Rakman, according to a statement released by his family.

They say that they do understand, from other hostages who have been released, that he took great comfort in his faith -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, Arwa Damon.

All right, now to the threat of Ebola. Health officials in the United States are working around the clock, trying to keep it from spreading. One man is already diagnosed with the deadly virus. Thomas Duncan's case is the first in America to be diagnosed in America.

But he also had contact with at least ten people after arriving from Liberia. It's one of three nations in Africa, West Africa, that are battling the virus. Those ten people in the U.S., now, at higher risk of catching Ebola as a result of the contact with Mr. Duncan, while in the U.S.

Let's go to CNN's Nick Valencia in Dallas. So, Nick, a group -- this group, rather, of ten was among the 50 and was then among the 100. What can you tell us about how it's been whittled down to 10?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that they have had direct contact with Thomas Duncan. Dallas Health County officials they say they had some missteps in this process, but they also say they've done a lot right. And they say the public shouldn't lose confidence in them during this process.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA (voice-over): At Texas Presbyterian Hospital Ebola patient, Thomas Eric Duncan remains in serious condition days after becoming the first person to be diagnosed with the illness on American soil, Dallas County Health officials are monitoring at least 50 others for Ebola symptoms.

At the apartment complex where Duncan stayed, fear has taken hold. Resident Mohammad Hussin originally from Somalia, worries about the outcome.

MOHAMMED HUSSIN, NEIGHBOR: Somebody, yes. If it happened.

VALENCIA (on camera): At the apartment complex where Duncan was staying, it is a very active scene. You see behind me a hazmat crew has just shown up here and is about to enter.

(voice-over): Hours after arriving, two people in hazmat suits emerged placing a tarp across the balcony of the apartment. Neighbor Ramon Estrada watches on with wonder but mostly concern.

RAMON ESTRADA, NEIGHBOR (through translator): Yes, everyone is alert. They're nervous and scared. They don't know what else could happen. If it's contagious or if there will be an epidemic.

VALENCIA: Community leaders have had their hands full. Local church volunteer, Chris Read, has been both tempering neighborhood alarmists and educating others to take the situation seriously.

CHRIS READ, FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH DALLAS: The greatest need for this man is medical care and for his immediate family his medical care. That should be where the attention is. Let's take care of that family. Let's take care of that person.

And not try to push them aside for any political reasons or anything else. Let's try to make sure that that's where the focus is because if we show we care for them.

VALENCIA: Dallas County health officials say things are under control and with Thomas Duncan quarantined they say everyone should ease their fears about the potential for an outbreak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: And we're also learning more about why Duncan traveled here. According to the family's church, they say that Duncan was on his way to the United States to marry his long-time girlfriend. Instead, he sits isolated at Texas Presbyterian Hospital still in serious condition -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And then, Nick, that hospital has been taking a lot of heat. You know, people have wanted to know why when he first came there and was sick, why he was turned away. And now he's back, and it's unclear exactly what kind of treatments. So how is that hospital, if at all, trying to address some of those missteps that you talked about?

VALENCIA: Well, they're coming out, front and center, in saying they could have done more to get those infectious items that Duncan perhaps had his hands on there in that apartment complex. It took a couple of days for hazmat teams to get in there.

Some of that had to do a little bit with bureaucratic red tape, but that process is underway. And they're also saying they have a strong health care system, they've got a strong infrastructure, and they also have the resources to treat a man, who's suffering from Ebola, like Duncan is -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nick Valencia, thanks so much, in Dallas.

All right, coming up in the NEWSROOM, are hospitals in the U.S. really equipped to handle a deadly virus like Ebola? We go inside one of the hospitals and see what they're doing to get ready.

But first, protesters in Hong Kong are given a new ultimatum. What could happen next? Live pictures right now of the many thousands still converging in Central Hong Kong. We'll take you there, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Right now, I want to take you straight to a telepress conference involving the CDC's director, Tom Frieden. Let's listen in.

TOM FRIEDEN, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: As of yesterday, I'll say, because today happens hour by hour and minute by minute, so we'll give you the information as of the end of the day yesterday. We had assessed 114 people who may or may not have had exposure

to the patient. We've done the assessments in all 114, but there are still a couple where we're sorting out whether or not they are actual contacts.

At this point, we have identified in conjunction with the folks on the ground in Texas, nine individuals who we're pretty sure are definite contacts with the source patient, with the index case, as we refer to him.

That includes family members, as well as some people in the health care profession. In addition, there are about 40 other people, and the numbers may change by one or two per day that we can't rule out had contact.

We don't know that they had contact, but because we're not certain that they did not have contact, we will be monitoring them as well. As of yesterday, that number total was 46 and we had been able to reach and monitor the temperatures of all but one of those 46.

All were normal, all were healthy, all of the nine who had definite contact, we were able to reach. So we are confident that none of those with definite contact had any symptoms related to Ebola. None of them had fever.

We'll be watching that very closely, particularly for those nine individuals in the coming days. Understanding that the peak period after exposure is about 8 to 10 days, but it can be as long as 21 days.

So for up to 21 days after exposure, we will be monitoring all of those roughly 50 people, and any others if we identify other contacts, and providing the information daily on the proportion that we have reached and the status of any individuals and whether or not they are ill.

That group of 50 does include some individuals who traveled in the ambulance after the index patient. And when we reviewed with the ambulance staff, all of the details there, we couldn't be 100 percent certain that other people in that ambulance may not, subsequently, other patients, may not have been exposed.

And therefore, those individuals, although they're not considered to be definite contacts, will also be monitored for the 21-day period. In addition to contact tracing, I just want to mention two other issues before turning it over to our colleagues in Texas.

First, the issue of, other cases in the U.S. As we anticipated, the arrival of the first Ebola patient in the U.S. has really increased attention to what health workers need to do in this country, to be alert, and ensure that a travel history is taken.

And that if people have fever and a travel history, or other symptoms that are consistent with Ebola, and that travel history is very specific, where you're in these three West African countries in the past 21 days. And in that case, we would, of course, do rapid testing. If that

testing is negative, we actually repeat the test, if it's a high-risk patient or a high-probability patient, after 72 hours, unless it's become clear that that's not their illness.

Because it can take 72 hours for someone who's being tested to test positive. We have already gotten well over 100 inquiries of possible patients. We've assessed every one of those with state and local health departments, with local health departments and hospitals, and just this one patient has tested positive.

We've helped a dozen laboratories around the U.S. do high-quality Ebola testing, so that that testing doesn't all have to come to us here at CDC. It can be done more rapidly, locally, as is being done in Austin, Texas.

And we expect that we will see more rumors or concerns or possibilities of cases until there is a positive laboratory test that is what they are, rumors and concerns. And in fact, we want to see more concern.

But we want that to be appropriate. We want the concern to be for someone who has symptoms, fever, and who has traveled to Guinea, Sierra Leone, or Liberia in the last 21 days. We're also looking at this point from some people from Nigeria.

But we think really transmission there and the two cities that had transmission has ended. In addition, there have been a lot of concerns about the process of monitoring people when they come into this country. And I just want to make a couple of key points about that.

The first is that our number one priority is the safety of Americans, full stop. Second, that we need to look at different suggestions that are being made. And we've seen a lot of suggestions made in the media, by the public, by members of Congress.

And we're going to take a hard look at that, and we're quite opening to seeing what can be done to ensure that if there are ways to reduce the risk, we implement them, and implement them well.

We also, I do believe, have to recognize that we are all connected and although we might wish we could seal ourselves off from the world, there are Americans who have the right of return, there are many other people, who have the right to enter into this country.

And that we're not going to be able to get to zero risk, no matter what we do, unless and until we control the outbreak in West Africa. And that's what we're working very intensively to do. And we're beginning to see some progress there, but it's going to be a long, hard road.

And finally, in terms of the entry process, we really need to be clear that we don't inadvertently increase the risk to people in this country by making it harder for us to respond to the needs in those countries by making it harder for us to get assistance in. And therefore, those outbreaks would become worse, go on longer,

and paradoxically, something that we did to try to protect ourselves might actually increase our risk. And I'll end with just one example along those lines, from the time that I was in Liberia.

The African Union is quite willing to send hundreds of health workers in to help fight the outbreak in these countries. And they, today, have folks on the ground, caring for patients. And that's a terrific development.

But their ability to get there was delayed by about a week because their flight was canceled and they were stuck in a neighboring country. So that neighboring country had taken -- Senegal, had taken that action in order to try to protect themselves, stopping all flights.

But in fact, that action ended up making it harder to stop the outbreak in Liberia and elsewhere and potentially increase the risk to that country.

So, number one is to protect Americans, but not to do things that might inadvertently make it harder to protect Americans. So I'll stop there and Barbara Reynolds will introduce the next speakers.

WHITFIELD: All right, you've been listening to the director of the CDC, Tom Frieden there, trying to comfort America by saying, here are some of the people who are considered at higher risk. They've now reduced the number of people who have had direct contact with the Liberian man who was diagnosed, the first to be diagnosed in the U.S. with Ebola down to nine now.

And he says they are pretty sure that these nine have had definitive contact. While they continue to monitor a number of other people, 40 people, they do not believe that they are in the high-risk category like that nine.

And among the nine, the family members who were in that apartment with Thomas Duncan and the health care professionals that handled him in the ambulance.

So, right now, let's try to break all of this down and get a better understanding of what we're dealing with when we hear that a patient has been diagnosed with Ebola in the U.S.

Dr. Ali Khan is with us. He is a retired assistant surgeon general joining us via Skype from Omaha and currently the dean at the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Kaun, good to see you.

DR. ALI KHAN, RETIRED ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Was there anything from that press conference involving the director of the CDC that particularly, you know, caught your attention?

KHAN: Nothing. I mean, Dr. Frieden did a really nice job of emphasizing what it takes to protect Americans isn't just the health care system, but the public system, and those two have to work in conjunction if we're going to protect Americans from public health threats such as Ebola currently.

WHITFIELD: Do you feel comforted that American hospitals can handle a newly diagnosed patient of Ebola in this country?

KHAN: I think the fact that we have seen a number of potentially exposed health care workers during this current situation in Dallas makes the point that there's a lot of work that still needs to be done, within health care facilities to make sure that they're prepared for patients, such as another patient with Ebola or other diseases that are really contagious.

So if nothing else, this makes the point that there's a lot of work that still needs to be done. And if you have an option, you're probably best served in a place that is really trained for this, for many years, not just for the infection control purposes, to prevent disease to employees and patients and the community.

But also have thought about case management issues. And that's why facilities such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center have gotten patients in the past.

WHITFIELD: And while we're hearing from, you know, federal health authorities or the public health saying, and trying to comfort America, saying, we are equipped, we have the infrastructure in place, unlike the three West African nations we've been talking about.

That's why this country is in a better position to be able to deal with Ebola. When we look at just some of the images, we were just now looking at, with the cleaning crews and the hazmat type of material outfits and they're cleaning the apartment, where the four members, family members and friends were staying after Thomas Duncan was taken to the hospital under quarantine.

How do you comfort the other people who live in that apartment complex, who want to know whether all of these materials are going to be properly disposed of? Because we heard during last night during that press conference out of Dallas, that while all of that material is being put in a trailer.

It isn't going anywhere yet, because they don't have the approval from the Department of Transportation, which to move it. But how will those items be disposed of? How do people know that any kind of contaminants in that apartment will not be exposed or contaminate anything else outside that apartment?

KHAN: You know, that's a really great observation. And I think we just need to admit that, it's very appropriate for people to be concerned in this situation, given that everything we have been telling them all these years, about the next big infectious disease is going to come out and have significant effects within the population.

So telling people about the risk of emerging infectious diseases, we have people here in hazmat suits going around, but saying, they're wearing hazmat suits, and the individuals think, should I be wearing the same thing?

So it really comes down to recognizing that people have a legitimate reason to be concerned. This is why education is so critical. To help people understand, that this disease is only transmitted by direct person-to-person contact.

And also remind them of a part that they never see, which is the public health system, which is there to try to protect them and identify cases and make sure that there's contact tracing going on, which is going on right now, and make sure within hospitals, there's no additional transmission.

But this is a really good wake-up call to say that we have a lot more work to do in our public health system, to make sure that it's prepared for subsequent cases in the United States, and within health care facilities, to make sure that they're all prepared.

And where have we been putting our resources to make sure that that health system, public health system here in the United States, is really as robust as it needs to be?

WHITFIELD: Dr. Ali Khan, thank you so much for your input from Omaha, Nebraska.

KHAN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead, protesters in Hong Kong are given a new ultimatum. What could happen next for them? We'll take you to the streets.

But first, CNN is proud to announce the top ten CNN Heroes of 2014. Each of them will receive $25,000 and a shot at the top honor, CNN Hero of the Year, which will earn one of them an additional $100,000 for their cause. And you could help decide who that person will be. Here's Anderson cooper to show you how.

BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": Now that we've announced the top CNN Heroes of 2014, I want to show you how you can choose who should be CNN Hero of the Year and receive $100,000 for their cause.

Take a look. This is the main page of CNNheroes.com where you'll see all the top ten and learn more about each one of them. Here's how to vote for your favorite. Once you've decided who inspires you to most, click down here on vote.

Then a new page comes up showing you all the top ten heroes. Choose the person to vote for. I'll randomly select Ned Norton. His photo shows up under your selection. Then just enter your e-mail address, type in the security code and click on the vote button right down there.

It's even easier to vote on Facebook. Click your selection and vote over here. You can vote once a day until November 16th. Rally your friends by sharing your choice on Facebook or on Twitter. We'll reveal your 2014 hero of the year during "CNN Heroes, An All-Star Tribute," a CNN tradition that promises to inspire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In Hong Kong, noisy protests are still happening on the streets of the city's central district. At least 20 people have been arrested in clashes so far today and in the seven days of protest, more than 150 have been injured. Students have also now called off talks with government officials.

CNN's Will Ripley is there on the scene. So, Will, Hong Kong leaders have laid down yet another ultimatum so what will happen if protesters don't clear out by Monday?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, that's the big question. What is the city of Hong Kong going to do? They face a really tricky situation here, because on one hand, this is a major road through the city that for a week now, more than a week, has had people sleeping every night, spending all day, eating -- look, they've set up tents.

I want to show you this, Fred. These tents line this highway. This is one where they're handing out water, ice, and towels. There's tents here where people are sleeping and they're also handing out protective face masks and goggles, just in case the police decide to move in here.

Because a lot of these students tell us, this is their turf that they are going to defend until they get what they're asking for, which is real democracy in this city.

So if this Monday deadline passes and the protesters haven't moved out, if the city decides to use a large scale show of force to clear these people out of here, they risk a potential backlash.

Because when day tried that on Sunday, it only increased the number of protesters out here. We have a source close to the Hong Kong city government saying they essentially are going to try to wait this out, hoping that these crowds will eventually dissipate.

But how long will that take, and can this city take the financial toll and all of the gridlock as a result of these major parts of this city essentially being shut down indefinitely?

WHITFIELD: Will Ripley in Hong Kong, thanks so much.

All right, still ahead, the Pentagon about to send thousands of U.S. troops to the heart of the Ebola outbreak, but will the members of our military be safe from the virus?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bottom of the hour now. Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are some of the other big stories making news right now. Some unusual diplomacy happening right now in South Korea today.

Three officials from North Korea made a surprise visit. The first such high-level trip in more than five years, and they delivered a message. Pyongyang is willing to hold a new round of high-level meetings later this month or in early November.

Meanwhile, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-Un, remains mysteriously out of sight. Officials say he has been suffering from what they call discomfort for nearly a month.

Ferguson, Missouri, police are no longer patrolling the streets during protests in the small St. Louis suburb. That duty is now being handled by officers from St. Louis County. A spokesman says the small police force in Ferguson didn't have the manpower.

And a fire in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, may have damaged artifacts from September 11th. It's not known how the fire started in the headquarters of a memorial to United Airlines Flight 93. This is new video from a viewer who says his father was working on a nearby construction site and spotted the fire and reported it to his supervisors. Investigators are now assessing the damage.

As CDC workers focus on ten people now in Dallas possibly exposed to the Ebola virus, at least 3,000 American troops are preparing to deploy to the center of the outbreak. Now even more troops are slated to head to Liberia.

CNN's chief Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, takes a look at their preparations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CHIEF PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With 3,000 troops already tapped to head to Ebola-ravaged West Africa, CNN has learned the U.S. military is increasing its fight against the deadly disease. Hundreds more troops are being added to plans to help the infected countries contain and control Ebola.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's America -- our doctors, our scientists, our know-how, that leads the fight to contain and combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

STARR: Approximately 200 U.S. troops are already in Liberia. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has signed orders for another 700 from the 101st Airborne Division to head to Africa in coming days, to staff a command headquarters. Seven hundred more army engineers will be going to help build and advice on mobile hospitals.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're standing up a field hospital and treatment units. We'll be training thousands of health workers.

STARR: Even before most have left the U.S., military officials tell CNN the Pentagon is considering drastic measures to insure they don't come back to U.S. shores with the disease.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are working with experts right now, on this. STARR: That could include enforced isolation for 21 days, the Ebola incubation period, for high-risk troops who may have come in contact with the disease. All troops deployed will be monitored daily for symptoms. And all service members will face increased monitoring for those 21 days, before they are allowed to return to the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a complex emergency, beyond a public health crisis. That has significant humanitarian, economic, political and security dimensions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: How concerned is the Pentagon about keeping the troops safe? Well, they will take all their own supplies, food, water, fuel, everything they need for a six-month deployment -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Barbara. So the question remains, how do we protect our troops working in countries crippled by the Ebola virus? We're joined now by a senior fellow at the London Policy Research Center, Lieutenant Colonel Tony Shaffer. Good to see you.

LT. COL. TONY SHAFFER, U.S. ARMY (RETIRED): Hi, Fredricka. Good to be on, thank you.

WHITFIELD: So these U.S. troops, the main duty is to set up treatment centers there in Liberia.

SHAFFER: Right.

WHITFIELD: And while we heard from Barbara they'll be bringing their on water, they've got their own equipment, how do -- how does anyone feel assured that their direct contact with Ebola is minimal?

SHAFFER: There's no way of ensuring that based on two factors. First, we've already seen the disease make kind of interesting leaps. Another network had correspondence affects, and I'm sure they were not anywhere close or touching the people who were infected.

This is a huge indicator that this disease is not being adequately isolated. Secondly, when we does this, you expose yourself to this disease by proximity. This is not the best use of military forces. This is really a CDC effort. We have civil elements that should be doing this.

The military, U.S. Army, has something called the Amirads, which is designed during the Cold War to do this sort of thing. And Fredricka, my concern is we're not actually using the plans we had established during the Cold War to deal with a situation like this.

The military has very key and specific roles they're supposed to be doing, CDC is supposed to be doing other things. So putting the troops in the field to expose them to the disease by building field hospitals is not the role we should be doing.

We should be enabling civil authorities, both local and those coming to that country. The military's role, I think, is being misappropriately applied in this case at this point in time.

WHITFIELD: So you say it's not the best use of the forces. We heard the Department of Defense has approved it, but we're not hearing anything about, you know, here's the actual date in which this many troops will be departing.

So given that, do you feel like there is room for more discussion, that perhaps the CDC would be able to come up with a team of medical professionals, who would replace that notion of U.S. troops filling that need?

SHAFFER: Absolutely. This is one of the concerns I have as a professional studies in Africa. The Africans are always afraid we're trying to militarize Africa. This is sending the wrong signal, just on the political side.

Secondly, I think the CDC and medical experts and contingency plans we put in place during the Cold War is a much better option to go deal with the medical crisis at hand. These troops are not doctors. These are not medical techs that actually know what to do in the situation.

I'm worried about just the basic misunderstanding of what may be relevant to preventing infection may be overlooked. These guys will be to be isolated. God forbid one of these folks get infected, because it's going to be a very bad day for the military and I think we're looking at a misuse of military forces in this case.

WHITFIELD: So we're hearing the language, "U.S. troops," might it be that they are U.S. military medical teams and they fall under the category of troops and that perhaps we just don't know enough about the expertise of those who are being dispatched?

SHAFFER: Medical troops don't build hospitals, engineers do. Again, I'm being very specific here. I understand we have to have medical teams, we have teams that are trained to do this. We don't have 3,000 medical teams, we're doing things beyond the mission we should be doing. That's all my point is.

WHITFIELD: OK. So, Colonel Shaffer, if you could stick around, because we have more questions for you. I love to get your points of view on more of this. And also, involving the latest ISIS beheading and the continued threat for American interests and people. So we'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. The Department of Defense approves the possible dispatch of thousands of U.S. troops to Ebola-stricken West African nations. My next guest, he's back with me now. He thinks this is a bad idea.

Colonel Shaffer back with me, senior fellow at the London Policy Research Center. Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, thanks so much. So you think it's a bad idea. It's the improper use of U.S. forces, as you put it. This really is something that should be left up to the medical community.

So how about this. What if the U.S. military were to provide these kits, so to speak, of setting up these treatment centers, and then whether it be the medical workers there or perhaps medical workers from the U.S. that would be sent in to put these treatment centers in place? Is that a possibility?

SHAFFER: Absolutely. That's the answer. It's enabling, not doing. We have to be able to actually use these military resources in the proper way, without exposing them to the diseases. And I hate to sound that direct about it, but that's the way it really should be.

Again, we have to minimize our footprint for purposes of political concern of the Africans there. There's ways of doing this, Fredricka, that is going to be very effective. And if we're in this long-term, we have to consider transitioning this any way to a civil authority.

That's what we should be doing from day one. It's good to get in there and put these kits in there, but we've got to move on to other things. And dealing with Northern Iraq and Turkey and all those issues is something the military force is much more appropriately used for.

WHITFIELD: OK, it is a crisis this nation is trying to tackle in so many different ways. Another crisis is ISIS overseas, and now the latest beheading of a British aid worker, Alan Henning, and now ISIS is threatening to kill another hostage, American medic, Peter Kassig.

So we know in large part that ISIS is doing this to promote terror, to frighten people, especially the western communities. But is there something that's come with the timing of this latest beheading, Mr. Henning and the threat of another?

SHAFFER: The timing is important by the fact that, Fredricka, we have not stopped one of the critical elements of any conflict, which is the enemy's momentum. They're doing this both for purposes of terror, to make sure that we understand what they're doing.

And they want us to be more engaged, put boots on the ground, which we really don't want to do, and this is, to be blunt, a recruitment video for them. They continue to do a heavy level of recruitment from a number of western countries, drawing in Jihadis to join the effort.

This is showing they're still on top of things, they're still, without any pause, doing what they want to do. They're on their game plan, and we're seeing this as well right now on the ground, by the fact they're about to take the city of Kobani on the border. So we have to break the momentum. We have not done that yet.

WHITFIELD: Colonel Shaffer, thanks so much.

SHAFFER: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: All right, next, good news for the U.S. economy and people out of work. What the new job's report means for you and why it could make a difference when you head to the polls in November.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Some good news for anyone looking for work. Employers added 248,000 jobs last month. Here's CNN's Jim Acosta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Escaping the gloom and doom in Washington, President Obama toured a steel plant in Indiana to shine a light on a revived U.S. economy.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: This progress that we've been making, it's been hard, it goes in fits and starts, it's not always been perfectly smooth or as fast as we want, but it is real and it is steady and it is happening.

ACOSTA: The new numbers are encouraging, 248,000 jobs created in September, and an unemployment rate at 5.9 percent, the lowest level since July 2008. The president thanked workers, then patted himself on the back.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: It's also got a little bit to do with some decisions that we made pretty early on in my administration.

ACOSTA: But the president isn't getting much credit. Before the latest jobs report, only 42 percent of Americans said they approved of Mr. Obama's handling of the economy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have undeniable unfinished business. That's why no one's spiking any footballs here at the Labor Department or the White House because there's still too many people that need work.

ACOSTA: Republicans argue that's because government regulations are holding back job growth.

REINCE PRIEBUS, RNC CHAIRMAN: We need to start growing America's economy, instead of Washington's economy, so that working Americans see better wages and more opportunity.

ACOSTA: Cue the midterm elections, a little more than a month away. The president wants voters to approve his economic plan, which includes raising the minimum wage and passing immigration reform by keeping Democrats in control of the Senate.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I'm not on the ballot this fall, but make no mistake, these policies are on the debate.

ACOSTA: In less than a day, the GOP quickly worked that line into new ads from Kansas --

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Obama's candidate for Senate in Kansas, Greg Orman.

ACOSTA: To Kentucky, where the balance of power in the Senate could be decided. UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Obama needs Grimes, Kentucky needs Mitch McConnell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: One reason why Americans aren't feeling the recovery yet is wages. American take-home pay is only up a meager 2 percent over the last 12 months. And until that number changes, President Obama may not get the credit he wants for the improving U.S. economy. Jim Acosta, CNN, the White House.

WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Hello, again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the top stories we're following in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Violent protests on the streets. Tens of thousands of demonstrators shut down Central Hong Kong. Now an ultimatum. Off the streets or else.

The Ebola crisis has left us with so many questions and few answers. We have an infectious disease specialist here in studio to answer your questions.

And a sudden surprise visit to South Korea by high-level leaders from Pyongyang. What's happening here and why now?

We begin with the urgent battle to contain Ebola in America. The head of the Center for Disease Control just held a briefing on the nation's first case of the deadly disease, and he says his agency assessed 114 people, who may have had contact with the Ebola patient being treated in Dallas, but the bottom line is, that man is the only person who has tested positive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEDEN: We have already gotten well over 100 inquiries of possible patients. We've assessed every one of those, the state and local health departments, with local health departments and hospitals, and just this one patient has tested positive.

We've helped a dozen laboratories around the U.S. do high-quality Ebola testing, so that that testing doesn't all have to come to us here at CDC, and can be done more rapidly locally, as is being done in Austin, Texas. And we expect that we will see more rumors or concerns or possibilities of cases, until there is a positive laboratory test, that is what they are.