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North Korea Releases Two American Detainees; Obama Orders Up to 1500 Troops to Iraq; SEAL Under Fire for Going Public

Aired November 08, 2014 - 13:00   ET

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

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Pamela Brown in for Fredricka Whitfield. And we begin this hour with breaking news.

Americans Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller just released by the North Korean government. They're on their way home right now.

And President Obama as well has officially named Loretta Lynch as his nominee for attorney general.

We've got team coverage of both stories starting right now. First, global affairs correspondent Elise Labott is in Washington along with CNN's Eric McPike.

Erin, to you first. We've heard from the president this morning about their release. Tell me what you're learning.

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, we did hear a little bit from the president as he was leaving that nominating ceremony for Loretta Lynch. He was asked about the release. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's a wonderful day for them and their families and obviously very grateful for their safe return and appreciate doing a great job on what was obviously a challenging mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: Now, obviously, you would expect that the president would be brought in to approve something that's this high stakes. We did just learn, though, that he was, of course, briefed on this and that he did approve sending Clapper there to carry out this mission.

We also learned that the administration did as well brief members of Congress as this mission was going on -- Pamela.

BALDWIN: And for more on this, let's now bring in global affairs correspondent, Elise Labott.

Elise, do we know if there were any conditions surrounding these Americans' release?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER: Our understanding is no, Pam. I mean, basically, the U.S. and North Korea have been having some talks for some time, about the possible release of the Americans. And a few weeks ago, when we reported on American Jeffrey Fowle being released, they -- those discussions were ongoing and the North Koreans called and said, OK, send a military plane, come pick him up.

We understand it was very similar to what happened here. That discussions were continuing to happen and then all of a sudden, they started to progress on the operational side. And the North Koreans asked for a cabinet level official. The president decided it should be James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, and that's how it happened. That's how he went.

But we're told there were no conditions, there was no quid pro quo, if you will, and this was not a negotiation. James Clapper was prepared to go there and listen to what the North Koreans had to say. But definitely not a negotiation and officials tell me that they didn't even know when Mr. Clapper went over to North Korea, that for sure he would be bringing Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller home.

BROWN: OK, Erin McPike, Elise Labott, thank you so much.

And earlier this year, Will Ripley, one of our correspondents talked to Bae and Miller while they were being held in North Korea in this exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Mr. Bae, Will Ripley with CNN.

(Voice-over): This is a moment we never expected. During a CNN trip to North Korea, officials take us to a secret location for a surprise interview with Kenneth Bae, the American missionary who's serving 15 years hard labor for what North Korea calls a Christian plot to undermine the government.

(On camera): Can you tell me about the conditions at the labor camp?

KENNETH BAE, AMERICAN HELD IN NORTH KOREA: The condition in the labor camp is I'm working eight hours a day, six days a week and working agricultural work to other hard labor that is required to do every day.

RIPLEY: Do you think you're being treated humanely?

BAE: Yes.

RIPLEY: And your message to your family?

BAE: Well, I'm sure they're very worried about my health at this time and even though right now, last month and a half my heart's been or so not -- it's been failing. So right now, what I can say to my family and friends is to continue to pray for me and also ask them to continue an effort on getting me released here.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Bae's been in North Korea for almost two years. Two other Americans were arrested separately in April. (On camera): We were pulled off our regular schedule and brought here

to a building in Pyongyang where we were told that we had precisely five minutes with each of the detainees.

(Voice-over): They're held in separate rooms and have no contact with each other. American Matthew Miller admitted to tearing up his visa and seeking asylum in North Korea. Now he wants out.

(On camera): What's the bottom line about your situation here and your message that you want to put out?

MATTHEW MILLER, AMERICAN HELD IN NORTH KOREA: That my situation is very urgent, that very soon I'm going to trial and I would directly be sent to prison. I think this is -- this interview is my final chance to push the American government into helping me.

JEFFREY FOWLE, AMERICAN HELD IN NORTH KOREA: I'd like to thank you guys for being here.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Jeffrey Fowle, a father from Ohio, confessed to leaving a Bible behind during a tourist trip, considered a covert act by the North Korean government. He was arrested on his daughter's birthday.

(On camera): And your message to your family?

FOWLE: Message is I'll come home as soon as I can. My family is the biggest thing on my mind right now. I've got the wife and three elementary-age school kids that depend on me for support and my mother-in-law is staying with us, too. So there's six of us in our household. And I'm gone.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Right now Fowle is in a hotel, but that could quickly change if he's found guilty later this month.

FOWLE: I'm good for the time being but I need to let people know that I'm getting desperate. I'm getting desperate for help.

RIPLEY: Each man says they're getting humane treatment. They're pleading for the United States to send a special envoy to secure their release. Three Americans held in North Korea, waiting and hoping that, someday, they'll go home.

Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And now we're finding out they are coming home. Let's bring in Will Ripley now for more on his reaction to the Americans he interviewed while they were being held in captivity in North Korea -- Will.

RIPLEY: Yes, Pamela, you know, those interviewed happened with very, very short notice. And we heard Jeffrey Fowle saying he had just 30 minutes' notice before he found out he was going home. We had a matter of seconds between the time that we were told -- I should say, a matter of minutes between the time we were told that we'd be speaking with the three detained Americans and we were walking into that room, those three different rooms in that hotel and conference center to talk to them.

It just goes to show that things can change very quickly. But it was clear to us at that time that North Korea was using these men to send a message to the United States government. That they wanted a special -- you know, a cabinet level envoy or some sort of big name to come to Pyongyang and work to secure their release.

We saw Jeffrey Fowle as first to be released. He was the only one of the three that had not been sentenced and had not been convicted of his crime. And now we're seeing Bae and Miller on their way home right now.

BROWN: And we know that their families are anxiously awaiting their arrivals. In fact, Kenneth Bae's family, we spoke to earlier, and they say they have just been crying with joy today.

Will Ripley, thank you so much. We'll stay on top of this story. In fact, up next, we talk to former ambassador to South Korea, Chris Hill, about the two Americans who are now on their way back to the states.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: And joining me now on the phone is Christopher Hill, former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and former U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

Ambassador Hill, thanks for coming on to speak with us. Tell me what signals are --

CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA: My pleasure.

BALDWIN: What signals are you reading from this latest move by North Korea to release the last of Americans there?

HILL: Well, this is, I would say, a significant move, first of all, to release the two remaining Americans is substantial. As you recall, a few weeks ago, they released Mr. Fowle, but there didn't seem to be any strings attached there. In this case, they seem to have had a discussion with a very senior American official, that is General Clapper.

The problem has been, and the problem has been throughout the Obama administration, that North Korea has essentially walked away from commitments they previously made over their nuclear programs and the Obama administration has been very understandably reluctant to deal with the North Koreans until they make those commitments again. So let's see what's happening, but this is obviously a significant move.

BROWN: Yes, I think the big question on everyone's mind is why did they do this? Our Elise Labott has been speaking to U.S. officials with firsthand knowledge. And they tell her that there were no conditions surrounding this. Why do you think they did this? It's hard to believe North Korea just

did it out of the goodness of their hearts.

HILL: Well, goodness of their heart, we can pretty much rule out. Why they did it, though, could be a kind of difficult thing to figure out. It might be, it might be that they realized that their relationship with China has not gone well and they want some kind of external relationships and they've always been intrigued by the idea of talking to the United States. So that may be it.

It may be a kind of internal propaganda issue, so that Kim Jong-Un can show that he is capable of managing some of these foreign policy issues. It could be as simple as that. Or it could signify a desire to get back into the nuclear talks. But again, Kim Jong-Un has not shown any sign that he's interested in living up to what his father agreed to, which was to do away with their nuclear programs.

BROWN: And I do think that raises a good question, because out of this, perhaps, it brings about hope that the U.S. and other countries could work with North Korea on their nuclear program and perhaps improve relations with South Korea.

Do you see that happening or is that wishful thinking?

HILL: Well, I think it is certainly within the range of possibilities. But it has been very tough. I mean, there was a six- party process put together. China was in the lead. We made some progress, but ultimately the North Koreans backed out of it. So the question is whether the North Koreans see fit to start up that process again.

After all, I think it would be difficult for the Obama administration to do. I mean, that is to make concessions at this point to country that continues to go back on its word. Nonetheless, the American election cycle basically allows for two years of trying to work things. So they may be trying to work something here, but it's really kind of early to tell.

What is clear, though, is getting these two Americans out is an important gesture and it's particularly relieving to the families of these two Americans. And I hope that in the future, Americans will look very carefully at the State Department warnings about making visits to North Korea.

BROWN: Right. And it will be interesting to hear these Americans' side of the story because so far, you know, we really heard North Korea's side of why they were arrested and convicted, but there's still a lot to learn.

Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, thank you so much for coming on and talking with us.

And we are following several big stories out of Washington, including the announcement that President Obama is sending 1500 additional American troops to Iraq.

CNN global affairs analyst Kimberly Dozier joins us next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: After getting a request from the Iraqi government and his defense secretary, President Obama has authorized more troops to Iraq. The president has repeatedly said he will not put American troops back in combat in Iraq. The Pentagon insists the next deployment of up to 1500 troops will play non-combat roles.

Kimberly Dozier, our global affairs analyst, joins us now from our Washington bureau to discuss.

So, Kimberly, the administration is saying they're going to be in non- combat roles, but no doubt about it, they're still going to be in a war zone. I mean, they still are in harm's way, right?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: You're absolutely right. About 600 of the extra 1500 would be advisers alongside Iraqi forces. Now we don't know how far forward they would be. They would probably be back at the headquarters level, but still, Iraqi forces are a target, their commanders are targets, and these guys are going to be there with them.

The other 800 or so are going to be training. The training part is also dangerous because think about the training that's been going on in Afghanistan. You've got insider attacks, the people that you're teaching could be the threat. So that's why Obama is saying he won't do this unless Congress signs off.

BROWN: And help us understand this, because we've been through this before, we're training Iraqi forces and then we saw them flee, drop their weapons and run from ISIS. Why do we think this time around, training the Iraqi forces will make a difference?

DOZIER: Well, every U.S. commander you speak to who is working with the Iraqi forces said, we left them not quite fully trained when we departed. That they could have used another year or two years to do things like high-level strategy, better logistics, the kind of things that aren't very elegant, aren't very sexy, but they keep an army running. The Iraqi forces didn't really have a lot of that.

Also, their counterterrorism brigade is good, but it's not well supported by the rest of the military. So all of these different things are things that the U.S. could go in and professionalize. The other thing that's going on is that when you've got U.S. forces working side by side, even in an advising and training role, they're developing relationships, reestablishing relationships with the Iraqi military so that the next time it looks like they're under pressure, perhaps they won't buckle and run.

BROWN: And we also should make clear, they're training the Kurdish forces as well. Do you think, Kimberly, that this is all a good idea? I mean, should the president just have asked for more troops up front, perhaps instead of clinging to the politics about no more boots on the ground? What do you think about the strategy thus far? DOZIER: Well, the very smart part of the strategy that the White

House has done here is to say that they will not go forward with this deployment, unless Congress signs off on the money needed for it. That means that the president is pulling Congress into this process so that they also bear the responsibility for what is becoming mission creep, putting more boots on the ground in Iraq.

So they won't be able to say President Obama alone brought U.S. troops back to the war in Iraq. This was a decision of a now mostly Republican Congress, together with the White House.

BROWN: Yes, mission creep. You hit the nail on the head. The administration saying this is not mission creep, that this is what is necessary to be -- to get the job done in Iraq.

Kimberly Dozier, thank you so much.

DOZIER: Thanks, Pamela.

BROWN: And more on our two breaking stories, including a look at what people are saying about the release of the two Americans from North Korea on social media.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Thirty-year mortgage rates ticked up this year. The 15-year down a bit. Have a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Welcome back, I'm Pamela Brown and we are following two big breaking stories at this hour.

President Obama officially named Loretta Lynch as his nominee for attorney general just before he leaves for China.

And two Americans, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, head home after being released from a North Korean prison. Just short time ago CNN producer Steve Forest spoke with Kenneth Bae's sister. She told him that his family spent the morning reconnecting with relatives and friends over the phone and she also said they've been doing a lot of crying with joy over the good news.

Many others also reacting in similar ways, especially on social media.

CNN's Nick Valencia joins me now with that.

So, Nick, tell us, who else is reacting to this online?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Pamela, lots of elected officials as well as government agencies.

Let's just get to a couple of them here. Let's start with the State Department. They weighed in a couple of hours, actually very quickly after news became official. The State Department saying they welcome the release of U.S. citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller from the DPRK.

Charlie Rangel, who is a congressman from the state of New York, also weighed in -- actually just a few days ago, Charlie Rangel called for their release in one of -- a statement that he released from his office. He's saying, "I'm very pleased that the North Koreans did the right thing in releasing Kenneth Bae." He links to that statement I talked about he released a couple of days ago.

Senator Patty Murray who's from the state of Washington where Kenneth Bae calls home, there in Linwood, Washington, saying, "I'm thrilled Kenneth Bae is finally coming home. His amazing family has kept pressure on for two years and never lost faith." She has signed with "Patty Murray." That's how you know it's officially from her.

Moving on to David Reichert, another congressman from the 8th Congressional District in Washington state, saying, "All of Washington celebrates the release of Kenneth Bae from North Korea today. We are thankful for his and his fellow captive's return."

And finally Ted Cruz, the senator from the state of Texas, he's weighed in as well just a short time ago. "Excellent news," he says. "Two Americans imprisoned by North Korea, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller, are on their way back to the United States."

In fact, Kenneth Bae released almost two years to the day that he was officially taken captive in North Korea. Lots of good news. Many more people weighing in. We'll get to those tweets and updates on social media in the next hour -- Pamela.

BROWN: And of course the situation growing increasingly dire for Kenneth Bae, considering he was in poor health.

Nick Valencia, thank you so much for sharing all of that with us.

And earlier today, I spoke with another man previously imprisoned in North Korea. Jeffrey Fowle spent five months behind bars before being released just last month. I asked him to give us an idea of what this moment is like for the freed prisoners and their families.

Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFFREY FOWLE, HELD IN NORTH KOREA: I'm sure they're very happy, and happy to be reunited with their families.

BROWN: What do you think they were feeling, Jeffrey? I mean, what goes through your mind when you've gone through so much, being held prisoner in North Korea, and then all of a sudden, you're told you're coming home.

FOWLE: Well, I can't speak for either one of them, but I'm sure they're elated at the prospects of being reunited and coming home, getting back to things American here. Yes, just happiness. I'm sure there are a lot of emotions going through their minds, like happened with me three weeks ago.

BROWN: When you all were held prisoner, did you interact much? Did you have a relationship with them at all?

FOWLE: With the other two Americans?

BROWN: Yes.

FOWLE: I was given very little information. I never saw them or was -- had any kind of contact with them whatsoever.

BROWN: Despite that, I'm curious if you felt any sort of guilt or remorse when you found out you were released, you were coming home, and they were staying behind in North Korea. What did that feel like for you?

FOWLE: Yes, I was very sad.

BROWN: Did you wonder why?

FOWLE: Yes. I didn't realize I was getting released until a half an hour before we took off. It was like, you know, hit like a ton of bricks.

BROWN: Wow. And were you wondering, why me? Why are they letting me go and not them?

FOWLE: Yes, very much so. On the ride to the airport, I didn't know anything about their status, and I was hoping that they'd be on the plane as well. But I got there and they said I was the only one coming home. I was upset by that. I was happy, but also upset that they weren't coming with me. I was the last one detained. Kenneth Bae or Matthew Miller should have been released before I was. But I'm glad to hear that they're on their way home now.

BROWN: I can imagine that you were going through just a rollercoaster of emotions during that time. If you would, bring us all in and sort of paint a picture for us, what it was like being held prisoner in North Korea. What the conditions were like, how hard it was. Just walk us through that, if you would.

FOWLE: Well, I was never actually a prisoner. Technically, I was a detainee. I never saw a prisoner jail while I was there. I spent only -- I had only two locations where I was held, one was a high-rise hotel on the south end, (INAUDIBLE) Hotel, and I was actually -- that was 3 1/2 weeks, and after that for the duration of my detention was at a hospitality center, like a guesthouse type of facility. A small storey places with eight or 10 suites in it, and that was it.

I never saw -- I never saw guards. The people I interacted with were the tour guides of the Korean tour agencies that take foreigners around the country. So I never saw guns or jail bars or anything like that, guard towers. I was just in a -- like a hotel suite type of room at both locations.

BROWN: One of the -- FOWLE: I had an interpreter that was assigned to me, so once my

interactions with the Koreans were through that interpreter, probably at least 99 percent of my communications was through him.

BROWN: One of the big questions when you're released like this, is what the reintegration process is like, coming home, adjusting to life back in America. What was -- what has it been like for you?

FOWLE: Well, for me, it's been relatively simple. I was able to get my job back -- I was terminated back in September, but the city I work for has reinstated me, fortunately. I'm grateful for that. So things have fallen back into place pretty well for me.

Kenneth Bae has been gone two years now and it might be a little bit more difficult for him. And he was living in China before his ordeal. So I'm not sure what his reentry procedure or Matthew Miller's, for that matter, is going to be like.

BROWN: Yes. What advice -- would you give them, Jeffrey?

FOWLE: Well, back a couple of weeks ago, tell him to keep his faith. That's what got me through my ordeal of six months. Have faith in God and have faith that eventually I would come back home and that has come true for all three of us. We're all going to be back home, which is great, great news.

BROWN: And what was that like for you when you stepped foot on American soil after being over there? What was that feeling like?

FOWLE: It was fantastic. My family was there waiting for me on the tarmac at Wright Pat Air Force Base. And it was great being reunited with them after a long separation.

BROWN: And we're watching video of that right now, really, just incredible. What is your take on why they may have been released now? I mean, obviously, they weren't released when you were, and then several weeks later, North Korea decided to release the last two Americans. Why do you think that is?

FOWLE: I don't know. I can't say. I don't have connections to the high levels of government either here in the United States and can only speculate, but it's just speculation. Wonder why now, why this particular order, why me first, Ken and Matthew later. I don't know. Don't have any concrete information.

BROWN: You had mentioned you didn't have a lot of interaction with them if any.

FOWLE: Zero.

BROWN: Do you plan on perhaps meeting them now that they're coming back to the U.S.? And if so, what would you say to them in person?

FOWLE: Well, if they would -- I'm willing if they would like that. It's up to them. What I would say, I would have to wait until I meet them to find out what I would say, I guess. BROWN: Yes. But you said the advice you'd give is keep the faith.

FOWLE: Yes. That's what got me through my six months there.

BROWN: Did you ever think you might not be released?

FOWLE: Given the track record of detainees there, I felt I would be released eventually. It was just a matter of when. Kenneth Bae's sentence of 15 years was in my mind. That happened before I left. I knew that he'd got 15 years, so there was that possibility that I could be there for years.

BROWN: What was it like, because CNN interviewed you and it was a surprise for us to be given access to interview you and the others. At that moment, did you think, this is my opportunity? This might be sort of setting the stage for my release? What was going through your mind when CNN interviewed you?

FOWLE: Yes, that was an opportunity to get my story out. Let the world know. When I first got detained, I had no idea who knew what about the situation. That was probably the worst part of my detention, was the black question marks on my horizon.

BROWN: And if you would, Jeffrey, for those viewers who haven't been keeping up with your story, set the backstory for us, how you ended up being detained in North Korea. What happened?

FOWLE: Well, I had brought a bible with the intention of leaving it behind. That's part of my statement that was released that's accurate. I was in a nightclub up in the north part of the country and left a Bible, a Korean English Bible in the nightclub that we were visiting at that time on May 4th. And it was quickly found out, the next day I was confronted with it and admitted to it.

And I had two days left on tour, and at the end of the tour, they took me into custody at the airport at Pyongyang -- down in Pyongyang.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: You just heard Jeffrey Fowle, who was also detained in North Korea. He was released several weeks ago and today we're learning Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller, the two last Americans being held prisoner in North Korea, are now on their way home. Meantime, he's telling the world he is the Navy SEAL who fired the

kill shot that took out Osama bin Laden. Next, we talk to a former Navy SEAL who says Robert O'Neill's own life may now be in danger.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: It's the interview you'll see only on CNN. Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill under attack for telling the world he is the man who shot and killed Osama bin Laden. Well, not only is he taking heat from the Pentagon and possibly the Justice Department, but there are other accounts about the raid that claim O'Neill did not deliver the kill shot. Freelance war reporter Alex Quade, who's been talking to O'Neill for

more than a year now, and Quade shared part of her interview with O'Neill about his state of mind going into the bin Laden raid and his take on some of the criticism aimed at him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX QUADE, FREELANCE: So how do you feel about 9/11 today?

ROBERT O'NEILL, FORMER NAVY SEAL: I feel good on 9/11. I woke up early, which was 8:00 Eastern Time. So the first plane hit at 8:50? 8:48?

QUADE: 8:47.

O'NEILL: 8:47, then 9:02 was the other one? 9:03.

QUADE: 9:03, yes.

O'NEILL: Yes. So I woke up before and I was able to started to see them read the names. And even on the helicopter ride in for the bin Laden raid, when we knew we were going to die, we didn't do it for us, we did it for the people that didn't want to die, but they chose to, you know.

QUADE: Did you actually have that going through your head?

O'NEILL: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) yes, we all talked about it.

QUADE: Really? Before the mission?

O'NEILL: We're talking about before -- the three days before --

QUADE: Before launching?

O'NEILL: The three days between the time we were given the green light and we launched, so those two and a half days, whatever it was, we talked about it and we knew we were going to die. We knew we weren't coming back, let's put it that way. Maybe not die right away, but end up in Pakistani prison and die soon after that.

We talked about that. It was need to, group of guys who knew their time on earth was up so you could be honest with each other. And we all accepted it. And nobody was afraid. It was really cool.

QUADE: But mindfully, you all talked about 9/11 and stuff? I mean --

O'NEILL: Oh, no, we talked about --

QUADE: Was this about a sense of meaning?

O'NEILL: The way we put it was the single mom who went to work on a Tuesday morning and later -- a few minutes later, decided to jump instead of burning to death, and her last gesture of human dignity was straightening out her skirt and then she jumped. You know, that's why we went, for her. And you know, for the -- all the people at Cantor Fitzgerald, for the Scott Brady who was on a golf trip and his entire office was lost, his brother was killed.

QUADE: But was all of this, I mean, mindfully talked about?

O'NEILL: No, all of this. Like we're talking about now.

QUADE: No, I mean --

O'NEILL: Well, you have to pump yourself up to go die.

QUADE: Yes.

O'NEILL: So we would talk about this.

QUADE: But it was like to get your guys' heads in the right place?

O'NEILL: We didn't need it in the right place.

QUADE: Right.

O'NEILL: We just need -- we just wanted the re-justification that this is it. And we're going to die, but we're going to die when the house blows up, but knowing that (EXPLETIVE DELETED) face blew up, too.

QUADE: Meaning? That means --

O'NEILL: So anyway, you know, going around your ass to get your elbow answer is, yes, 9/11 is very significant. It was the whole reason we're there.

QUADE: You sound like a very happy person from a year ago from that.

O'NEILL: I'm very happy. I am. I was pissed.

QUADE: And why are you so happy?

O'NEILL: I was pissed when the "Esquire" article came out. I was mad as hell.

QUADE: When -- I'm sorry, when the --

O'NEILL: The "Esquire" article.

QUADE: OK. Why? Just because that was time in your life or --

O'NEILL: I mean, little things, from shooting Osama bin Laden, three weeks later getting passed over for promotion. Just getting blackballed for doing something that everyone was so close to doing. And even now, I mean, there are guys now saying that I'm full of (EXPLETIVE DELETED). But, you know, hey, you only know what you're told unless you're in the room. And fortunately, for me, there was two people in the room, and one of us is dead, was Osama bin Laden.

QUADE: Getting back to your role with helping vets and public with closure. It's a cliche term. Everyone says closure. O'NEILL: See, again, I don't think that vets need closure. I think

that people need closure. I think the people that weren't prepared to fight need closure. And every time -- like, I mean, I'll be honest, and you can quote me on this (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Every time that I'm not speaking, I need to be careful how I say this, until I'm outed. When I'm out speaking, I never mentioned the bin Laden mission, but any time anyone says, you know, my brother died at Cantor Fitzgerald or my mom -- whatever, one thing I'd tell them is, all right, Osama bin Laden died like a (EXPLETIVE DELETED), that's all I'm telling you. Just so you know. He died afraid. And he knew that we were there to kill him.

And that's closure. Vets don't need closure. Vets need to sack up. We will bash each other for no (EXPLETIVE DELETED) reason. Every Marine that gets out, every Ranger that gets out, every Army guy that writes a book, they're lauded as heroes. You do it as a SEAL and you're a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) villain.

QUADE: Well, you guys are --

O'NEILL: No, we're not. No one's quiet. The only funny thing about is, though, and you can use also use the article, is Delta Force, like, well, we don't say anything, you know why? You don't [(EXPLETIVE DELETED) do anything? How about that? Sorry that we did everything.

QUADE: OK.

O'NEILL: Why did they send SEAL -- why do send SEAL Team Six.

QUADE: I'm going to call that the inter-service rivalry. That's very friendly.

O'NEILL: Why did they send SEAL Team Six to get Osama bin Laden and not Delta Force?

QUADE: Mike should have been here. This would have been fun --

O'NEILL: You know the answer to that one?

QUADE: No. Tell me again.

O'NEILL: Because they wanted him dead. They captured Saddam, great job. We killed Osama bin Laden.

QUADE: OK, you don't --

O'NEILL: In their defense, now I will say this, that if Delta was given the mission, they would have done exactly what we did. We're better, but they're really good. The most important thing that I've learned in the last two years is, to me it doesn't matter anymore if I am the shooter. The team got him. It was a successful mission. Regardless of the negativity, I don't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). We got him. We brought him out and we lived.

And I mean, obviously will go down historically, but I don't care if I'm the shooter. And people think I'm not, so whatever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: There you heard Rob O'Neill, the former Navy SEAL who said he shot and killed Osama bin Laden.

And joining us now to discuss this, Jonathan Gilliam, a former Navy SEAL, a former FBI agent, and a former U.S. Air Marshal.

Thank you so much, Jonathan, for coming on. First, I want to get your perspective on this. The Navy's Rear Admiral Brian Losey wrote a letter to all the SEALs telling them to basically keep their mouths shut. You think both the SEALs, Matt Bisonette, he wrote the book "No Easy Day," Rob O'Neill and the real admiral just need to be quiet. Why is that?

JONATHAN GILLIAM, FORMER NAVY SEAL: Well, the nature of what we do as SEALs is we work in secret. We do things in secret. And it's not just the SEALs, it's all the Special Forces community. And for this stuff to come out, you know, that video or that audio that you just played is a good example. I mean, we might as well just give him a Superman cape and let him fly around saving everybody.

That sounded like a conversation a guy has with a girl that he's trying to pick up in a bar. It didn't sound like a guy who's remorseful for the families of 9/11. It didn't sound like somebody who went into a battle with grief in his heart for the country because we were hurt. But it sounded like a guy who is trying to make a name for himself when he gets out.

And you know, let me just say for the record, Admiral Losey is a good leader. What he said was spot on. But the way he put that letter out there, that's the second letter that's come out from an admiral and neither letter did any good. These types of problems have to be solved within the community. And these two guys come out and they speak out, they bring heat on the community, and an admiral does not pull him back in and stop the problem.

It's not doing anything. So the only way I have to reach out to the admiral and show him what the public sees, because I'm in the public's eye now, is by writing a letter.

BROWN: Do you think that the admiral's letter was aimed more sort of getting the message out to the media than getting the message across to SEALs on that note?

GILLIAM: You know, it's a good question. I have no idea because if it was to go out to the media, it does no good, if it -- except making himself look good, like he was trying to actually do something. And I hope that's not the case. If it was to go out to the SEALs, there's channels he could have reached externally and there's definitely -- you know, he could have mustered the entire group of SEALs that are in the Navy and talked to them personally if he wanted to so I just think that the first letter proved that it wasn't any good, and I think the second letter just exacerbated the problem that's going on now with these two guys. You know, I've said this again and again, it starts at the top with

the vice president and the former secretary of defense, setting the standard, which is, we can talk about classified information all we want, and then you have these two guys who knew each other on that team, they're friends in that team, and they get out and they're both talking like crazy.

BROWN: Well, you bring that point out, but some might call you a hypocrite, Jonathan, because you're a former Navy SEAL. You're telling these two Navy SEALs to be quiet, as well as a rear admiral, but here you are on TV talking about it. How do you defend yourself?

GILLIAM: Sure. Well, I've never been paid by the media once. You know, I've been on -- I've been in the media for over two years as an expert analyst. And I come on and I give my analysis of a situation that is not mine. So I'm being used as somebody to inform the public through my expertise.

And there needs to be voices in the media that are used as experts from our community. However, you don't see me going out, trying to make $25 million or being angry because I had the $25 million taken away from me, because I gave away classified information.

Those experts like myself that come from the FBI or law enforcement or the military that are in the media, we take great strides not to give away classified information, but there has to be an expert voice on TV. So it's apples and oranges, two different things completely.

BROWN: Going back to Rob O'Neill, who is, as we heard, he said he shot and killed Osama bin Laden. There have been some reports out disputing that he was actually the one who shot and killed him. But regardless of that, regardless if he's telling the truth or not, wouldn't coming out and saying, you're the SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden make you a target among terrorists? Wouldn't that put his own life in danger?

GILLIAM: Well, absolutely. I know I was on with Peter Bergen the other day and he was scratching his head, trying to figure out why al Qaeda would do that. But I don't think necessarily we need to be worrying about al Qaeda anymore. I think Peter's a very, very smart guy. Not going against him, but you know, we have -- it's been proven over just the past three months, where we had a guy kill a kid in New Jersey and several others on the West Coast, saying he was a jihadist.

A guy that, you know, hit some police officers here in New York in the head with a hatchet, saying he was a jihadist. Canada, car, you know, the guy took a car and ran over somebody. The next day they have a shooting, all saying that they're jihadist. These are the types of individuals that O'Neill will forever be looking out for, his family will be looking out for. And I know his father had a quote, saying that, you know, hey, let him come to us.

Well, his father is not Iron Man. You know. He can't watch himself 24/7. And this is a problem for him. And it's going to be a problem for the rest of his life.

BROWN: All right. Jonathan Gilliam, thank you.

GILLIAM: Good to be here.

BROWN: So who is Attorney General Nominee Loretta Lynch? We go live to Brooklyn, up next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Welcome back. Some breaking news now. We just received a statement from the family of Kenneth Bae. He is one of two Americans who was released from North Korea after being held prisoner there for two years. And here's what the family had to say.

"The day we've been praying for has finally arrived. Early this morning, my family heard news from the U.S. State Department that my brother was on a plane from DPRK, North Korea, with fellow detainee, Matthew Todd Miller. They had left the North Korean airspace bound for America. Words cannot adequately express our relief and gratitude that Kenneth is finally coming home. We have been waiting for and praying for this day for two years.

"This ordeal has been excruciating for the family. But we are filled with joy right now. I am thrilled to imagine hugging my brother soon. He will not have to spend another day at a labor camp. And he can now recover from this imprisonment and look forward to his wife, kids and the rest of his life.

"Our Thanksgiving celebration this year will be one we will never forget. We sincerely thank the United States government for all the hard work and dedication to securing my brother's release. As well as the release of Matthew Todd Miller. We are also grateful to the DPRK government for allowing them to come home. We must also thank the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang for their tireless efforts to advocate for Kenneth during his prolonged imprisonment.

"We are grateful to everyone who has supported my brother's cause, including reporters and editors who cared enough to see this through. We are thankful for people here in Seattle and across the world, who have continued to advocate and pray for Kenneth. We believe that God is with people who endure hardship and that he never leaves them.

"It is with great joy and with thankfulness to God to see Kenneth released. Our family could not have been sustained without the knowledge that Kenneth was in God's care when it seemed we were helpless to do anything. On behalf of the family we ask for some space from reporters and the public, as he tries to adjust to his life back home."

That is from the family of Kenneth Bae, one of the Americans released. The family have been pleading with the government for years to release him. He was in poor health. And now they are getting the great news that Kenneth Bae is on his way home.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

BROWN: Hello. I'm Pamela Brown. Great to have you with us on what's shaping up to be a very busy Saturday. Two breaking stories we're following for you this hour.

First, President Obama makes it official, nominating U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch to be the country's next attorney general.

But we begin this hour with freedom for the two last U.S. citizens detained by North Korea. Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller are on their way back home. Family members telling CNN they are crying with joy over the good news and they just released a statement.

Will Ripley is in Tokyo, Erin McPike at the White House, and Elise Labott at our Washington bureau.

Elise, I'm going to start with you. National Intelligence director James Clapper, dispatched to Pyongyang after request from the North Korean government. Why was it so important for him to be over there to be -- to secure this release?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER: Well, a couple of reasons, Pam. I mean, these talks between the U.S. and North Korea have been going on for some time about the release of these Americans. If you remember a few weeks ago when the North Koreans released American Jeffrey Fowle, those talks were ongoing. The North Koreans called pretty suddenly within that context and said, send a military plane, come to pick him up.

We understand it happened kind of similarly again. This time the North Korean said they wanted to send a cabinet level official. Why James Clapper?