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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield
Obama and Putin Relationship Examined; More World Leaders Address UNGA; Trump Tax Plan Discussed. Aired 12:30-1p ET
Aired September 28, 2015 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:30:09] JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: And yet, President Obama accepting in effect that he has to deal with President Putin has to deal with Russia on the ground and frankly accept as you say this intelligence cooperation with Iran and Iraq and accept frankly, Russia's military presence on the ground in Syria
It's a remarkable reality that the President is accepting there despite the diametrically opposed views of who is wrong and who's right. .And remember it wasn't long ago that the Obama administration called for Assad's immediate removal, but the President is saying, listen and the fact is the President we have to deal with Russia on Syria, we have the deal with Russia with Assad on Syria going forward.
It's a pretty remarkable turn around and although the President endorse and defend the diplomacy, mentioning his successes in Cuba and Iran.
On this issue, it's going to be a very difficult instance of diplomacy to solve trying to end the conflict there. And you heard those best vastly differing in point of views as to who is responsible as obstacle to diplomacy for solving the bloodshed on the ground in the Syria Ashleigh.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Elise Labott if you could dovetail of what Jim just said and this notion that they could be more diametrically opposed and certainly publically in their address. And yet there will be this face-to-face meet. Take me there, and what we can expect to happen later?
ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIR CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ashleigh, I think what's really remarkable that Jim touched upon is how President Putin is saying it was an enormous mistake not to cooperate with the Syrian government, because they're really the ones that fighting terrorist and, you know, when President Assad says terrorist, he doesn't only mean ISIS, he means some of these other opposition groups.
Some of them are the U.S. considers legitimate rebels in the opposition, some of them are like job (ph) on this road that are considered terrorist by the United States.
On President Putin saying and I think he kind of asserted his leadership on this issue in away today that Presdeint Obama did not saying to Europe to the rest of the international community. Islamic state is really festering, it's bleeding into the European countries, it's bleeding into Russia, and you need us, you need Russia to fight these terrorists. I will do it with President Assad and you will be happy that I it, because I'm going to solve this problem for the international community in a way that it has not been done.
So I think when President Obama and President Putin sit down today, they need to find some rules on the road. The U.S. needs to have more clarity of what Russia's intentions are on the ground. I think they're OK to have Russia working with the Syrian -- with the Syrian regime, but in a way that has this as Jim said managed transition away from eventual political transition form Assad.
BANFIELD: Well, if there's going to be a lot of rubbing of elbows, it's certainly going to happen where you are. That this schedule couldn't be tighter packed in together all these world leaders.
Richard Roth, if you could just look ahead, I think we're just moments away or he already started with the President of Korea and the then right after will be the address from Hassan Rouhani from Iran.
And so they're effectively all in the building together, but who has the potential to steal the show today?
RICHARD ROTH, SR. UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think we've already seen the heavyweights, the Iranian in the past when it Ahmadinejad, he could steal the show and have a -- his walk out of people. I just was to comment also on what we've been talking about looking at the history of it. One can help fail to note. 70th of the U.N, that is what drew this international array of leading Presidents and Kings and Prime Minister diametrical sides opposed with big issue to discuss Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: A lot of news still to come out of the U.N. Thank you to the three of you Richard, Elise and Jim. We'll continue to cover the happenings at the U.N. through the day here on CNN.
How will the President of Iran respond to President Obama and to President Putin? We're about to find out. The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani coming up to the U.N podium in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:38:00] We are following an extraordinary conversion of the world leaders for the 70th session of the U.N. general assembly. This morning President Obama laid bear the challenge posed by ISIS which Washington called ISIL for a world body devoted to diplomacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: There is no room for accommodating an apocalyptic cult like ISIL and the United States makes no apology for using our military as part of a broad coalition to go after them. We do so with a determination to ensure that there will never be a safe haven for terrorists who carry out these crimes. And we have demonstrated over more than a decade of relentless pursuit of al-Qaeda, we will not be outlasted by extremists.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BANFIELD: And the President of Iran is due to speak shortly if not briefly at the United Nation. You're going to see it happen live right here on the CNN. But already Hassan Rouhani has spoken on a host of world hot button issue in a interview with CNN Christian Amanpour. And I want you to hear Rouhani thought on whether and how his country just might end up releasing who're held in Iranian prisons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. HASSAN ROUHANI, IRAN: There are a number of Iranian in the United States who are in prisoned, who went to prison and result of activities related to the nuclear industry in Iran.
Once the sanctions have been lifted why keep those folks in American prison. So, they must be free. If the Americans take the appropriate step and set them free, certainly the right environment will be open, and the right circumstances will be created for us to do everything within our power and our purview to bring about the swiftest freedom for the Americans held in Iran as well,
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: And in case you're wondering just so they about signed this historic agreement of the nuclear program, and the President of Iran Rouhani and President Obama are not expected to have a face-to-face meeting at this U.N. general assembly.
[12:40:04] My CNN colleague Wolf Blitzer had some one-on-one time with the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. And here to talk to here to Syria and the question of backing a revolve regime against ISIS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. ABDEL FATTAH EL-SISI, EGYPT: What I hope for Syria is not the statehood does not fall completely into the hands of terrorist and extremists. I don't have that the Syrian army collapses and then its weapons and ammunitions will be at the free play of the extremists. I don't want to see the country dismantling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: And you can see much more of that interview on Wolf Show at the top of the hour. Now I want to take this opportunity to talk about all of these issues with my panel.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Ivan Watson, and also joining us CNN Contributor Michael Weiss.
Michael, if I can begin with you -- he's your spot, I mean this is pretty fascinating stuff to hear. The President of Iran suggesting, well, it seems to me that there's no reason to hold the Iranian prisoners in America if we're going to have this deal in place and I'd be willing to let everybody go.
Does that sound legitimate to you? Did that sounds like something we did not expect? MICHAEL WEISS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: No, it's sounds perfectly legitimate. I mean, after the program was let's get a nuclear deal with United States, let's have lifting and sanction, and then we can discuss a panel plea of issue including possible cooperation on counter terrorism, the war against ISIS. And yes, you know, let's put an end to this sort of 30 year Cold War between the two countries as best we can.
The Washington Post reported that it's currently an Iranian prison, Iran foreign minister Zarif. Mr. Zarif said that he's a spy for the Americans. So they're trying to do a trade.
What we say is, you know, sort of a violation of human rights in Iran, they are categorizing as no, the swapping of two intelligence operatives essentially. So again it's a way to try and re-legitimate (ph) their regime in the eyes of Washington.
BANFIELD: Ivan, talk to me a little bit about the rival coalition that's making front page news on the New York Times today, that the surprise of the American had and seeing that President Putin is now looking to work with Iran, Iraq and Syria.
On the ground where you spend so much time, how complicated is this?
IVAN WATSON, SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'd be really curious to see how it actually works, and how you can share intelligence between a military like Russia. The Iranians who can very active on the ground in Iraq and in Syria, they've had casualties among the highest ranks, and the Iraqi government, and the Syrian government.
I think it's easier said than done, and an interesting thing about the announcement, you do have a number of countries engaging in air strikes in both Iraq and Syria. The French just started bombing Syria.
BANFIELD: I think there was news this morning that U.S. lead coalition had 23 air strikes.
WATSON: That's right. So there's intelligence sharing going on there, certainly with the Iraqi government, and the U.S. with the courage of the North of the Iraq with Turkey that's allowing the U.S. to fly planes out.
So, at which point will there be an attempt to share some intelligence between these two groups? I don't know. We also know that the Americans and the U.S. military have been carrying out air strikes in somewhat close proximity to the Iranian-backed Shia militias that have been battling ISIS on the ground in Iraq. That's been an issue. So, it just kind of a messy prospect and these militaries have to think about how they're going to communicate to ensure that they don't cause casualties among the different ground.
BANFIELD: I think Senator Kerry, former Senator Kerry. Secretary Kerry now is calling this a B conflict to make sure there isn't this complication and sort of disastrous no launch in the middle and they see there are two coalitions at play.
Michael Weiss, Ivan Watson thank you to you both. I appreciate it.
Any moment now we're expecting the Iranian Hassan Rouhani to take to the podium at the United Nation, of course we're going to bring that you live just a moment that he step up to the play. It is a busy day at the U.N. and it also a busy day in American politics too.
Up next, how much tax a President Trump would make you pay? Well, a lot of Americans it just might be zero. The Trump tax plan revealed. But before you get too excited, there is a lot of criticism.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:48:00] BANFIELD: Big news from the campaign trail, Donald Trump says he's not only wants to give middle class people a tax cut, he wants a big percentage of them to pay nothing, nothing at all. Just about an hour ago the GOP front-runner reveals his tax plan and in it he said if you earn less than $25,000 a year or if you are married and the two of you together earn less than $50,000 a year. Have got news for you he said. You pay zero. The top individual tax rate would be cut to just 25 percent. And the tax on businesses could be capped at 15 percent, and one-time 10 percent tax on overseas profits.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This eliminates very strongly and quickly the marriage penalty very unfair penalty. It eliminates the AMT, which is the Alternative Minimum Tax. It ends the death task to double taxation. A lot of the families go through hell over to the death tax. It reduces or eliminates most of the deduction, and loopholes available to special interests and to the very rich.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: With me now from Trump tower where Trump announce his tax plan. A CNN Political Reporter Sara Murray who has been covering all things. Trump - and I'm going to get future economic had on. This sounds amazing, this sounds like, you know, economic catnip for those of us out here who hate paying taxes which is every single one of us. But there are some realities and critics are saying it doesn't add up. If you take away taxes somehow you got to pay for the United States of America and its $19 trillion debt.
So, tell me a little bit about this pie in the sky critics and tell me a little bit about how Donald Trump is fighting those critics off.
[12:50:00] SARA MURRAY, CNN REPORTER: Well, that's always the big questions about big cross the board tax set, right. Is how do you pay for them? And those tax set as you said is a big one, when we look at condensing these individual rates as Donald Trump does and putting the top tax rate at 25 percent instead of now where it suppose to 40 percent not that very big tax cut on some very wealthy families in America, and so do lose that revenue.
Now Donald Trump campaign said they will make it up in number of way, one is by eliminating certain deduction and loopholes. The other is by this one time 10 percent of tax on companies with their profits overseas. They hope that will inspire more companies to bring money back to the U.S.
The tax experts I have talk to you so far. I think that is not going to cover it. They tell me they still think they should be a very expensive proposition. And while these say it would benefit middle class families as well as poor ones. They had say they had folks who are only the top tier of the income scale will still be the one who benefit the most from that big drop from 40 percent to 25 percent, Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: So, do some people are saying that just aren't enough hedge funders out, Sara or loopholers to make up the difference. And I think a lot of people who in the fix (ph) of economics want to know who is advising Donald Trump when it comes to put in policy together like this, because many campaigns at the very public not just now, but in the past about who they economic advisers are, and they get some big waves too. Who is helping Donald Trump with this?
MURRAY: You know that's an excellent question. And he was asked about that today, and Donald Trump will no say who is advising him on the tax policy nor will his campaign, I've been asking staffers that for days and they say they don't want to unveil who these advisers are.
Now I also asked Donald Trump what pick would his effective tax rate is plan. He said that the wealthy need to pay more. So I said what your tax rate, will it go up or down? He dodged that question too and said they'll be answering more questions about that in the coming days and the coming weeks. So while he answered many questions, I think there are still a lot that are still lingering our there.
BANFIELD: All right, Sara Murray live at Trump Tower with lots of question to ask and waiting for a lot to be answered too. Excellent work out there Sara. Thank you for that. I want to zip right over actually not too far from where Sara is, because the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has now begun his address to the U.N.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROUHANI: Praise be to Allah. And peace and greetings to Prophet Muhammad and his two companies. Mr. President, dear attendees I'm speaking on behalf of a great nation, who mourning the lost of thousands of Muslim pilgrims and hundreds of its own citizens, old, young, men and women who had to come together in the grand and the global spiritual gathering of the Hajj. But unfortunately fell victim to the incompetence and mismanagement of those in charge. Do to their unaccountability even the missing cannot be identified and they expeditious return of the bodies of the deceased to their mourning families has been prevented
The scope of the calamity in which thousands of innocent people from the four corners of the world have been kill and wounded is so broad that you cant not be dealt with as a national disaster or a local issue, the pain and emotional distress inflicted on millions of Muslims is greater than what can be repaired merely through material calculation.
Public opinion demands that Saudi Arabian officials promptly fulfill their international obligations and grant immediate counselor access for the expeditious identification and return of the cherries bodies and remains.
Moreover, it is necessarily that the conditions are prepared for the independent and precise investigation into the causes of this disaster, and the ways of preventing its repetition in the future.
Mr. President, distinguished secretary general excellencies ladies and gentlemen, I am speaking on behalf of a nation that two years ago, again, voted for constructive engagement with the world, and I can now proudly announced that today, a new chapter has started in Iran's relations with the world.
[12:55:13] Two years ago the people of Iran in a competitive election with their votes gave me a mandate for consolidating peace and constructive engagement with the world while pursuing national rights, interests and security. This national will manifested itself through a careful and clear diplomatic effort which resulted in the joint comprehensive plan of action between the Islamic Republic of Iran and six world towers that was immediately turned into an international instrument with the ratification of the United Nations Security Council.
BANFIELD: The President of Iran making comments about Saudi Arabia, just so, you know, he's referring to 769 who were killed during the Hajj pilgrimage.
ROUHANI: Rather than negotiating peace after war engaged in dialog and understanding before the eruption of complex. At this point I did mean necessary to recognize the role of all of the negotiators in achieving this agreement. We had decided to bring about a new environment while maintaining our principals, and we succeed in doing so. Where necessary we moved forward and where necessary we showed the courage for flexibility.
And At each point, we made use of the full capacity of the international law and show cased the potentials of constructive dialogue. The key point regarding the success of dialogue is the fact that any actor in the international system who pursues maximals demands and does not allow space for the other side cannot speak of peace, stability and development, as in commerce and economic activity where the interests of both parties should be taken into the account in politics and international relations as well, and multilateralism and win-win solutions should be the basis of engagement.
Mr. President, the United Nation was established to sustain global peace and security after two World Wars, but unfortunately, it must be said that in most cases this important international institution has not been successful or effective. This time, however, the United Nations made the right decision.
Though we protest the adoption of unfair resolutions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the imposition of sanctions against the Iranian nation and government as result of misunderstandings, and sometimes provoke hostilities of some countries. However, we believe as an old Iranians saying goes, the sooner you stop harm the more benefit you will reap. Today is the very day that harm is stopped. Security Council resolution 2231 despite some significant sort comings was important development and the basis for terminating sanction, imposing resolutions against Iran. We consider as unfair the conduct of the Security Council in the past, and insist that Iran, due to the important Fatwa of its leader, and its defense doctrine has never had the intention of producing a nuclear weapon, and therefore the sanctions resolutions against Iran were unjust and illegal. Sanctions by the Security Council and unilateral sanctions by some countries were base on elusive and base this allegations and created difficult conditions for our people. But these sanctions never in any way affected the policy that we adopted and the approached we took for its negotiation.
We proved in these negotiations that there is nothing on Iran's table other than logic, reason and ethics, and where necessary legitimate and decisiveness self defense against any kind of aggression.
