Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Frightening Scene Near U.S. Capitol; Iraqis Regain Part of Ramadi; NSA Data Collection Program in Jeopardy; Nation Pauses for Memorial Day. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired May 25, 2015 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:13] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Will there be a new strategy in the war against ISIS? Following a grim prognosis from the White House, the defense secretary revealing Iraqi forces showing no will to fight. This as ISIS unleashes a new massacre in Syria. Team coverage breaking down our big story this morning.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. John Berman has the morning off. It is Monday, Memorial Day, May 25th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East. Nice to see you this morning.

Up first, though, a big scare near the U.S. Capitol. The bomb squad called in to detonate a pressure cooker found in a suspicious vehicle last night, turned out to be a false alarm. A Virginia man was arrested at the scene. Pressure cookers have been used in several recent terror attacks, including the Boston marathon bombings. The incident last night taking place as thousands of people were gathering for a Memorial Day concert.

Now to the Middle East, Iraqi forces rising up against ISIS in Ramadi, taking back part of the city one week after it fell to the terrorists, showing life after the U.S. defense secretary questioned their will. All this as we get disturbing new reports of mass slaughter in Syria at the hands of ISIS fighters.

I want to begin this morning, the situation unfolding right now in Ramadi, CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon live from Baghdad this morning.

Good morning, Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. And that force is attempting to push ISIS back towards Ramadi is made up of the Iraqi security forces, army and police, but also perhaps more importantly, they are being beefed up and supported by these Iranian-backed Shia paramilitary forces that are proven to be quite instrumental, for example, in the battle for Tikrit, but quite controversial as well, given this country's ability for sectarian tensions to rise. They are also working alongside the Sunni tribes. But those tribes, you do need more weapons and there are calls on the Iraqi government to begin in earnest an effort to arm them.

Now, Iraqis that we have been speaking to are bristling at the U.S. secretary of defense's comments that the Iraqi army did not have the will to fight. They would counter that by saying that they have been fighting in Ramadi for well over a year. And, in fact, as far as November, they were calling on the U.S. to up its airstrikes in the area and also calling on the Iraqi government to send them more reinforcements.

A soldier that we spoke to was saying that the issue was not with the soldiers fighting on the ground, but rather with their leadership and a fragmented logistical route that left them without ammunition on the frontlines. They would also say the U.S. perhaps should have gotten it right the first time around when they were the ones training up the Iraqi army.

ROMANS: All right. Arwa Damon for us this morning in Baghdad -- thank you so much for that, Arwa.

With ISIS making stunning advances across the Middle East, the Pentagon signaling it is open to a shift in strategy in Iraq. Defense Secretary Ash Carter questioning as Arwa just pointed out the will to fight the terrorists, in an exclusive interview with CNN.

We get more with Athena Jones from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

Ever since the fall of Iraq in Ramadi and later Palmyra in Syria this past week, there's been a lot of discussion about whether the U.S. needs to change its entire strategy towards ISIS, to insure the defeat of the terror group. Secretary Carter is saying that one of the big problems at least in Iraq is with the Iraqi forces themselves. Take a listen to what he had to say.

ASH CARTER, DEFENSE SECRETARY: What apparently happened was that the Iraqi forces just showed no will to fight. They were not outnumbered. In fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing force. Yet, they failed to fight. They withdrew from the site. And that says, to me, and I think to most of us, that we have an issue with the will of the Iraqis to fight ISIL and defend themselves.

Now, we can give them training. We can give them equipment. We obviously can't give them the will to fight. If we give them training and give them equipment apparent give them support and give them some time, I hope they will develop the will to fight because only if they fight can ISIL remain defeated.

JONES: So, there you have Secretary Carter telling the Iraqi forces to step up.

You also, though, have Republicans both on Capitol Hill and out on the presidential campaign trail who are calling for U.S. ground troops in Iraq, 10,000 ground troops, they say, will be necessary to ensure the defeat of ISIS.

Well, ground troops are not on the table -- Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE) [04:00:03] ROMANS: All right. Thank you so much for that, Athena.

Secret talks in China between Afghanistan and the Taliban. This two- day meeting held last week was orchestrated by Pakistan's intelligence agency. It was attended by Afghanistan's most prominent peace envoy and ex-Taliban officials.

One diplomat called it talks about talks. The goal to get the warring parties to agree to peace negotiations.

One week and counting until the NSA's bulk data collection program expires. The White House is already assessing what the agency would be allowed to examine if the law does lapse June 1. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will have a session on Sunday night, but it is unclear how legislation can move forward after being defeated in the chamber over the weekend.

Another Republican presidential hopeful coming out in favor of ending the NSA program. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, he suggests authorities should have to get a warrant if they want to listen in on Americans' phone calls. He argues the program has not been effective.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: Two hundred and twenty- five different terrorists plot over the past year since 9/11, and so far, not one of them has been tied directly to the NSA's collection of metadata. So, if this is so effective, how come it hasn't resulted in the foiled terrorist plots?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The issue has divided the 2016 Republican field, with several arguing with keeping the program or at least a modified version of it to fight terrorism.

The investigation into Hillary Clinton's e-mails getting dismissed as petty politics by a member of the president's cabinet. HUD Secretary Julian Castro, calling out the Republicans on CNN Sunday for wasting Americans' time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIAN CASTRO, HUD SECRETARY: You have here with these e-mails is basically a witch hunt. And, you know, Congressman Gowdy who is leading this very intentionally trying to manipulate this witch hunt to play politics. That's unfortunate and it's one of the reasons that Congress has a 19 percent approval rating.

I think that we need to focus on more substantive things. As one who hasn't spent my lifetime in D.C., I know that out there in America, they care about are you reducing veteran homelessness, are you providing the impetus for young people to achieve their dreams? Are we making sure that America in this 21st century remains the undisputed land of opportunity? Not whether somebody had e-mails or didn't have them. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Of course, he is one of those names that is often whispered about as a good running mate for Hillary Clinton. The first round of Clinton e-mails was released Friday with no major developments. Thousands more expected to be released by the State Department with no clear timetable.

Jeb Bush is getting new digs. "The Boston Globe" reports the likely presidential candidate is having a 3,000 square foot house built for him at the Bush family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. The Bush family has a long history in the area. Jeb's four siblings already have homes there.

The nation pausing today to honor those who have fallen defending our country. President Obama marking this Memorial Day by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Other top defense officials will pay respects in one of the newer sections of the cemetery, where many of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried.

Eight minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money this Memorial Day. The market is closed, of course, for the holiday. But remember, stocks right at record. So far this year, the Dow is up 2.3 percent. The S&P up 3.3 percent.

The NASDAQ doing even better. Look at that. It's up more than 7 percent.

One of the biggest debates on Wall Street right now, what's the deal with oil? Bank of America issued a note last week, telling its clients now is the time to buy oil stocks. Smart money already doing that. The 50 largest hedge funds bought a lot of oil stocks in the first quarter.

It looks like a smart move so far. Oil has rebounded from $45 a barrel to about $60. That is still well below $100. That was the price last summer. Some analysts say prices may be headed lower again soon.

All right. Record rainfall brings deadly flooding to Texas and Oklahoma. Thousands forced to flee their homes. The damage done and storms still on the way, as dangerous situation still, folks. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:12:22] ROMANS: All right. Back to the chaos in the Middle East. We are getting disturbing reports of rampaging ISIS fighters slaughtering government soldiers and civilians in Syria. At least 400 people, many women and children, killed in the ancient city of Palmyra. According to Syrian state TV, the streets are littered with bodies. Many of those bodies have been beheading.

I want to get the latest from CNN's Ian Lee. He is live from Cairo. This is exactly what officials have feared that that town, anybody who

was -- anyone who was loyal to Iraqi military or anyone who resisted ISIS or was deemed by ISIS to be an enemy would be killed.

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christine. That goes with what we have seen all over Syria and Iraq. They're going -- ISIS militants going door-to-door searching every house for people who sympathized or helped with the government and taking them out. Most times, executing them right there on the spot.

We are hearing numbers anywhere from 90 to well into the hundreds of people who have been executed. Now, we haven't been able to independently verify these executions or the number, but we know that this is the sort of thing that takes place once ISIS takes an area.

We are also hearing that roughly 600 people have been arrested. These are people that ISIS accuses of being part of the regime also there. If the past is any indication, they will likely be executed as well, really just shows the humanitarian crisis that evolves once is takes an area. We know that 11,000 people have fled Palmyra, also known as Tadmur in Arabic, following ISIS takeover.

So, really, this is just a short picture, a picture into the wider view, the wider chaos, the wider brutality that is ISIS.

ROMANS: So, Ian, what is the Assad regime's, I guess, plan to retake Palmyra?

LEE: Well, what we're hearing right now are the reports that those forces loyal to the regime and also regime forces are gathering outside of Palmyra waiting for the go ahead to start their counteroffensive and try to retake the city, although no date or time has been given.

We're also hearing from the Lebanese Shiite militia and political group Hezbollah who has been supporting the Syrian government.

[04:15:03] We heard from their leader Hassan Nasrallah, that their forces are no longer focusing on the border on fighting ISIS and al Qaeda's affiliate al Nusra front close to the Lebanese border, but anywhere they are in Syria. So, we are seeing an escalation of the fighting there as well.

ROMANS: All right. Ian Lee for us this morning in Cairo. And again, disturbing news out of Syria about what ISIS fighters are doing in Palmyra.

A deadly weekend of flooding in Texas and Oklahoma. The severe weather leaving three people dead and several others missing with hundreds forced to evacuate their homes. Emergency crews trying to get a handle of the scope of the devastation.

CNN's Alina Machado has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, we have been to the hardest hit areas in Texas but nothing compares to what we're seeing here in Wimberley, Texas. We have seen houses that had been knocked off their foundations or tipped over, like this one here, just by the sheer force of those rising flood waters.

We know that there are hundreds of homes that have been damaged or destroyed in this area. And the debris field here is quite extensive. You can see here and tell just how high those flood waters got just by the debris that's been stacked up right there against the tree. There's even a child's toy wrapped up in that debris.

I want to show you something else we were told by the people who were here. You know, this all happened very quickly. A lot of them didn't have time to react. Some had to ride out the rising flood waters in their homes in this area as all of this was happening.

There was a truck that normally parks over there in front of where that jeep is turning. If you walk over here, look at it right over there, completely overturned, just resting, quite a ways away from where it normally is.

You know, there's no doubt that the clean-up effort here will take a very long time and it's going to require the help of many people, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Alina Machado for us in Texas this morning.

You know, a very dangerous situation. Is it going to get worse in Texas and Oklahoma? Let's get to meteorologist Pedram Javaheri for an early look at your weather.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, good Monday morning, Christine. Great working with you.

And, yes, let's look at this, because Texas finally on the dry side, but it is over portions of Louisiana and eventually to Mississippi. Also, western and central Kansas where we have thunderstorms this morning.

But things over the next couple hours expected to change. Flash flood watches and warnings still in place over this region, from Oklahoma City and points south.

But here are the models. They have done a wonderful job as far as accuracy in the forecast in recent days. Into the early afternoon hours, north of Dallas and unto Oklahoma City, east of Austin, tremendous rainfall yet again developing over this region.

So, a couple more inches of rainfall not out of the question. You see some places in Texas literally picking up Texas-sized rainfall, a 24- hour total of nearly 12 inches. Remarkable stuff when you think how much rainfall that is. Oklahoma City, historic month of May, just about 18.7 inches has come

down. Look at this, because for cities like Seattle, it would take six months to get what Oklahoma city has seen so far in the month of May. Phoenix, two years worth of rainfall. Even Houston, Christine, would take five months to get the rains they have seen in just 24 days in the month of May.

ROMANS: Wow. All right. Pedram, thank you so much for that this morning.

The city of Cleveland threatening to erupt. Protesters taking to the streets after a police officer was acquitted of manslaughter charges in shooting death of two unarmed suspects. Police able to keep the protests peaceful for now.

Let's get more this morning from CNN's Nick Valencia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, it was an NBA playoff game in the city on Sunday night. Cleveland officials were worried that things could get out of hand. But the biggest demonstrations were held on Saturday, and even those were on a very small scale. Protesters upset that a local police officer was acquitted of two voluntary manslaughter charges and a fatal shooting in 2012.

Earlier, civil rights leaders in the city spoke to the public, asking them to keep the peace.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Cleveland. Not Baltimore. Not Ferguson.

VALENCIA: With the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, there are no major demonstrations planned. City officials hope that things remain calm here in the city of Cleveland -- Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Nick.

About 20,000 gallons of oil has been cleaned up from that devastating spill along the California coast. About 80,000 gallons remain in the water nearly a week after the accident north of Los Angeles. Now officials with Plains All American Pipeline LP say crews will start extracting the broken section of pipe from the ground after it finishes draining all the oil out from inside. Dozens of protesters took to the streets Sunday along the beach in Santa Barbara, demanding an end to fracking and other forms of oil extraction, and pressing authorities to rule out dangerous chemicals to clean up that spill.

Tributes this morning pouring in for John Nash, the Nobel Prize winning professor whose battle with schizophrenia was portrayed in 2001 film, "A Beautiful Mind."

[04:20:05] Nash and his wife Alicia were killed Saturday when a taxi they were riding crashed in New Jersey. Neither was wearing a seatbelt. Russell Crowe, who played Nash in the film, tweeted, "Stunned. My heart goes out to John and Alicia and family. An amazing partnership, beautiful minds, beautiful." John Nash was 86. His wife was 82.

An intense search to find thousands of migrants at sea by human traffickers. The pope now weighing in on this crisis. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Welcome back. Good morning, everyone.

A powerful earthquake rocking central Tokyo overnight, causing the temporary suspension of bullet trains and shutting down runways at airports. At this hour, there are no reports of significant damage from this magnitude 5.6 quake.

The search for thousands of migrants abandoned at sea is intensifying this morning. Indonesia's armed forces joining the mission which begun Saturday morning. Thousands are stranded in the Indian Ocean with dwindling supplies. They were abandoned by human traffickers after trying to buy passage to other Southeast Asian countries. Now, the pope speaking out on the ordeal, urging the international community to help.

A milestone for Ireland. In a landslide, the country voted to legalize same-sex marriage. It's the first country to do by a popular vote. Ireland once deeply conservative voted 2 to 1 in order of changing its constitution to define marriage as a union between two people regardless of their sex.

[04:25:07] Catholic leaders and rights activists called the vote a social revolution.

An international group of 30 female activists has crossed the heavily guarded Korean border calling for peace. At the helm, well known American feminist Gloria Steinem. The group crossed near the demilitarized zone after promoting rights in North Korea. The activists have planned to walk across the border, but were forced by South Korean officials to take a bus across instead.

Breaking overnight, a frightening scene at the capitol. The bomb squad finding a pressure cooker and gasoline in a suspicious vehicle. What we're learning this morning, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Have Iraqis lost the will to fight against ISIS? A troubling new assessment from the White House as the terrorists unleash a new massacre. Live team coverage ahead.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans on this Memorial Day. John Berman has the morning off. It is 29 minutes past the hour. Nice to see you all this morning.

Up first, a big square near the U.S. Capitol. The bomb squad called in to detonate a pressure cooker found in a suspicious vehicle last night. It turned out to be a false alarm. A Virginia man was arrested at the scene. The pressure cooker bombs have been used in several recent terror attacks, including the Boston marathon bombings. The incident last night taking place as thousands of people were gathering for a Memorial Day concert.

And to the Middle East now where Iraqi forces are rallying against ISIS in Ramadi, taking back part of the city one week after it fell to the terrorists, showing signs of life after U.S. defense secretary questioned their will.