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Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield

10 ISIS Leaders Killed This Month; Tribal Leaders in Ramadi Claim ISIS Still In Control Of One-Fourth Of City; Al-Qaeda Camps Sprouting Up In Afghanistan, According to NYT Report; West Alton, Missouri Being Evacuated Due To Flooding From the Mississippi River. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired December 29, 2015 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:01] TOM SATER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The duck hunting is a little different, yes you're on the water obviously its waterfowl, but in 2:00 a.m. in the morning conditions were quickly deteriorating. If they made the decision at noon on Saturday it makes sense it was 55 degrees.

Let me take you to the Northern part of Oklahoma and the temperatures were dropping quickly, 55 degrees at noon on Saturday down into the upper 30s already in a matter of hours when they were putting out that tweet and they're getting down to the freezing mark as the temperatures continues to plummet.

Windchills were dropping into the teens, 14, 15 degrees. Now, Ponca City here this is where the lake cold lake it's a pretty much divides Kay County and Osage County. Osage County had wind gust up to 59 miles per hour but they're still in terrain and this is a 2:00 a.m. temperatures were dropping close to freezing just above freezing but then the rain starts to mix with sleet and freezing rain overnight changing to ice accumulating it by noon on Sunday to a quarter of an inch, so the ice accumulations with windchills at 15 degrees.

If they were even wet at all deploying maybe decoys wearing waders we know they were in boat. If it did capsize they're extremely wet, so windchills getting down into the teens and then a little bit of snow on top of that quarter inch of ice is terrible for anyone who's outside even if they're prepared to do some hunting. So you can see temperatures dropping below freezing as we get into Monday at 7:00 in the morning ice is still there with them, so again a situation where even the amount of rainfall a quarter inch of ice accumulating with that snow I mean there's no way that even any boat at all on any lake can withstands 60 miles per hour with the rain changing over to sleet, this could have been prevented it's a sad, sad story with the storm that ravaged many States across the Southern plains.

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, that sounds like pretty, pretty tough conditions there. Ana just very quickly, what is the reaction in the Country music world?

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well they are talking about it they're sending up their prayers, their well wishes of family members. I want to read you a quick post from Tyler Rich. He's another upcoming country artist who wrote just a couple months ago.

Craig Strickland and I sat at the bar in National and talks about how lucky we were to be managed by such an amazing team and he goes on to say, you know they talked about how excited they were from what was going to lie ahead in 2016. And he writes no fear in our minds about tomorrow and he just sends out his prayers and well wishes hoping that they find Craig Strickland, Randi.

KAYE: We all do. All right, Tom Sater, Ana Cabrera thank you both.

Coming up breaking news in the war on ISIS we've just learned that 10 ISIS leaders were killed this month alone. We've got the details on that.

Plus old enemies are enjoying resurgence in Afghanistan. Our experts look at the rise of the Taliban and Al Qaeda that is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:36:12] KAYE: We are following Breaking News. The U.S.-led coalition now claims they have killed 10 ISIS leadership figures in targeted air strikes over just the last month. They say that some are linked to the Paris attacks.

Among those leaders reportedly killed is Charaffe el Mouadan. He is said to have had direct contact with Paris attack ringleader. According to coalition, El Mouadan was also actively planning more attacks before the air strike.

Speaking with the war on terror now, tribal leaders in Ramadi claimed that ISIS is still in control of 25 percent of deliberated city. Now this comes as the Iraqi Army begins their sweep through Ramadi.

Security Forces are looking to rid this city of remaining packets of Jihadis. And while a watchful eye is kept on ISIS, two terror groups are seeing resurgence.

First the Taliban who have claimed responsibility for a pair deadly attacks over the last week, and then, there is a New York Times report which says that al-Qaeda camps are sprouting up in Afghanistan.

So let's discuss further with CNN Military Analyst Major General Spider Marks along with CNN Intelligence and Security Analyst Bob Baer. Good to see both of you.

General Marks what do you make of this New York Times report saying now that al-Qaeda camps are popping in Afghanistan?

JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: No, we shouldn't be surprised. In fact, I think the statistic now is that the Taliban owns probably more land within Afghanistan than they've owned since 9/11.

In other words, the use of U.S. Forces and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan 14 years ago, created an incredible tipping point and we were able to surge and follow up and try to train and grow forces. Over the course of years, we diverted our attention elsewhere, it's just a matter of resource and physics if you will. And we were diverted if you will, and we weren't be - we weren't able to continue to maintain a push in terms of what is really needed in countries like this.

Primarily, Afghanistan as we know is defined its borders or defined by its neighbors. Afghanistan really doesn't have an identity other than war lured it, that exist within different packets.

So, we have a very strong security relationship with the Afghan government, but it doesn't have the legitimacy that's necessary to create the resistance that's required in these different packets throughout the country, so, not surprising.

KAYE: So Bob, let me ask you to focus on Helmand province because that's the - in Southern Afghanistan, has seen advances by the Taliban there. And now these two attacks, I mean, what more would you say needs to be done by the U.S. and the Afghan Forces to try and counter the Taliban there.

ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY ANALYST: Well Randi, I mean, we did our job in Afghanistan, we defeated the Taliban, we killed Bin Laden, ran al-Qaeda out. But the problem is as General Marks' said, he's right on, is political.

I mean, you have the car site (ph) government was terribly corrupt, it supported the Tajiks, a different ethnic group, then the Pashtuns who live in the south.

And it's not surprising they're coming back. I mean, the Taliban is less known for its corruption, it's fairly clean organization if phonetical.

And that's the problem, now what do we do know. We just simply can't take the current Afghan government, start dictating, we don't have enough forces, we ran out of money, and the rest of it. So, it's a pretty dire situation.

Now, I'm not saying they're going to take Kabul tomorrow, but you know, I think we have to, you know, consider this eventuality.

KAYE: So let's also talk about ISIS General Marks. After the fall of Ramadi, the Iraqi prime minister vowed to retake the city of Mosul in what will be quote the fatal and final blow to ISIS, that's what he said.

Is he correct in saying that, do you think?

MARKS: No, he's not. I mean, he certainly has to put on the very best phase for his nation, that Mosul is a necessary next step.

[12:40:04] Baghdad has to continue to declare and demonstrate that it does have control over packets within Iraq. It's got to maintain its sovereignty. So it must hold in Ramadi. So the first step is what has taken place. They've taken Ramadi they now have to hold Ramadi and they need to build, they need as Bob as indicated. We need the -- Iraqis need to continue to demonstrate that hey can establish governance. They got to turn on power they got to have sewer systems, etc. They must do the same in Mosul. That is going to be a much tougher fight because ISIS has been there for couple of years and they have created a government inside Mosul.

KAYE: But if you take a look at the big picture Bob that Iraqi officials are saying that they've reclaimed 40 percent of territory taken by ISIS but I guess the question, how do you measure success with the group like ISIS that is so big and so successful on social media?

ROBERT BAER, CNN INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY ANALYST: I think, you know, we are writers. Its ISIS is an idea, you know, if they lose Ramadi it's not a big thing for them. Even if they lose more cities up to Euphrates or the Tigress it's an idea in it's belief that Sunni Islam is under attack and indeed it is, it's lost over the last four five years, you know, four capitals. And these people are fear mongering with Sunnis and as long as that fear exists they'll continue to thrive.

And that, you know, it's not geography even look at Nigeria where Boko Haram was supposedly defeated last week and then yesterday they launched an enormous attack on an important city.

So, this is, you know, this is going to be a generation war and, you know, you look at the rest of the Middle East it's the same thing especially Yemen it's conflict we've forgotten but Al Qaeda and the Islamic State is established there and it's getting stronger as it is in Libya.

KAYE: Yeah, it certainly is. General Spider Marks, Bob Baer, thank you both for your expertise always appreciated.

MARKS: Thanks Randi.

KAYE: And coming up at the top of the hour stay with CNN for a live interview the Iraqi ambassador to the U.S. for more about the war on terror and partnership between Iraq and the U.S. led coalition.

All right, some breaking news out of Missouri. Check out these live aerial pictures you see they're massive wide spread flooding. This is the town of Union, Missouri you could see there water way up, up to the second level of some homes we're told as well, up to the roofs on gas stations and other businesses there. That is a whole lot of water there at that McDonald and that gas station there that 66, wow, the pumps there are covered in water.

Much more on this breaking news, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:55] KAYE: We are following some potentially disastrous flooding in the wake of those violent storms and nation's midsection. The Mississippi River town of West Alton, Missouri, we are told is being evacuated. Tom Sader is joining me from CNN weather center, with the very latest.

Tom, looking at some of those pictures there that we showed even before the commercial break, there is trouble there.

TOM SATER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Randi, I know the area well, born and raised in St. Louis, and many are thinking, well, could this be in 1993? Many may remember the massive flooding. If you is seen the city flag at St. Louis, its red, but it has three rivers coming together. You got the Mississippi but you also have the Merrimack River, the Missouri River, so it does flood.

But when you have a record rainfall over 8.5 inches at Lombard airport I mean you're breaking all kinds of records. We've had down power lines at Princeton that's Illinois, central areas down into around the Ozark, southwest areas of Missouri into Arkansas and Oklahoma. So massive amounts of flooding.

What you're seeing there and again this is a evacuation now order for the city of Alton. Many times the Mississippi when it does flood the first flooding when you get to around 33 feet on the flood stage, will flood some of the areas, mainly, a lot of these are like city parks, but now it's getting into residential spots. The city of Alton, many are being urged and in fact, mandatory evacuations taking place.

The amount of rainfall really has been staggering. It's not just areas of the deep south where the tornadoes raged across the areas of Texas in through Mississippi and Alabama, but the heavy amounts of rain. One storm system after another, as a stationary front and that's why we call them stationary did not move whatsoever, so the record rainfall from parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, across Missouri valley has been causing this flooding.

Now, they have made improvements since 993. However, with the flooding west of St. Louis, you will get to the around a place called Mid Rivers, this is Interstate 70, a major interstate that actually closed of eastbound traffic down to one lane to westbound and temporarily closing that as well. But you can see we've got over 443 river flood warnings right now with the stages up and down from Texas the to areas of northern Florida all of the way to Carolina's to the north where they've had problems not just in Iowa but around Chicago and into areas of the great lakes.

So again the stationary front has been the main culprit for this, most of it is moving out, but it's going to take several days for the rain, Randi, to make its way from the small streams and creaks into the larger tributaries, so these river crests are going to go higher. We're going to see more warnings as the major rivers like the Merrimack, the Missouri and the Mississippi will continue to see that crest rise and then make its way down stream, terrible situation.

KAYE: Yeah, absolutely it is and Tom so glad that we have you with us and you know that area so well. So stick with me here for a moment, I to bring on the phone, Colene Mcentee, she's with the St. Charles County Emergency management where water has breach a levee there in west Alton. Colene, what can you tell us about this levee breach?

COLENE MCENTEE, ST. LOUIS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Actually it is an over top of the consolidated north County Levee of the Mississippi River in west Alton, and because of those the mayor of west Alton, and the west point fire chief have directed residence and the city of west Alton kind of evacuated effective immediately.

This is the final stage of the evacuation decree that the mayor issued on Sunday.

KAYE: And are they heading those orders as the evacuation underway?

MCENTEE: It is in progress with those time.

KAYE: And what are conditions like there? I mean, can folks get safety out of town, get out of the community?

MCENTEE: One of the roads into town, the highway 94, there is water covering that road, and some issues right now with the roads that are leading into town, which is why they are asking residents, you know, to evacuate as soon as possible.

KAYE: So you can get around there, not just, not on some of the roads?

MCENTEE: Excuse me.

KAYE: You can get around, just not on some of the roads then?

MCENTEE: Yeah, yeah. There's going to be issues, you know, really soon would be even able to even, you know, get in and out of west Alton.

KAYE: Have you seen the water yourself there anywhere, can you tell me what it's like, what it looks like to you?

MCENTEE: I have not been out in the west Alton area, but in Alton, Texas the video and everything. The water rain in past few days is definitely, you know, impacted the county as the whole.

[12:50:10] KAYE: Is there any type of shelters for these folks set up or where were they going?

MCENTEE: There is shelter set up in the St. Louis area, set up by the Red Cross. We have shelters on standby from the Red Cross in St. Peter that has not opened as of yet.

KAYE: Let me bring back in...

MCENTEE: Around St. Peter's located in St. Charles County.

KAYE: Let me bring back in Tom Sater who might be able to give us an idea of what to expect as these folks, Tom you just heard it there was that levee breach.

SATER: Right.

KAYE: In west Alton.

SATER: Yes, west Alton. I'm glad you clarified that because Alton is quite large. And again, to repeat what she said, the levee that was breached is the consolidated North County Levee. Usually along the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis, most of the flooding does occur a little bit more on the Illinois side.

Now, also, west of St. Louis metro as I mentioned where the I-70 closure was back in 1993, the terrible flooding that was a 500-year flood, so they built up the levees quite a bit. And it's a heavily populated area, you get into areas out to the west, not just I-70, but I-40 as well.

But again, a lot of these flooding you're seeing in the downtown area, this is mainly across the river into areas of Illinois as well. So this is going to be a problem I think for not just the next several hours, but for the next couple of days as mentioned, because it will take a while Randi, for the water to finally make its way into these major tributaries.

KAYE: Yeah, that's right. I ask you I mean, first of all not only how long it takes, but where this water go?

SATERL: Well, it is a great question. It will go south, and most likely we will find the crest making its way toward Ste. Genevieve that south to St. Louis, following down to the booth hill that's Cape Girardeau, Paducah then we'll find it, makes it's way down.

Most likely that crest will continue at least to around the states of Arkansas and maybe midway down in the Mississippi as well. So again that just the Mississippi River, there are so many that lived in and so many larger rivers as well across central areas by land. This is a lot of flooded farmland right now in Illinois, back in areas to south west Missouri as well.

KAYE: So what is this going to do I guess to that farmland. I mean, it's hard for me to tell but you're the expert here. How deep is some of the water?

SATER: Well, I just drove through it just two days ago, and in fact, all of the rivers and streams were quite wide, in fact crossing over the bridges, the water were rising, but it was the farmland that look quite inundated. It wasn't massive in many spots are you get out in the way from the cities. But again this is winter, farmers are going to be able to know more than I would, you know, winter week and thanks to that nature.

But again they can handle that. Right now it's going to be watching they'll populated areas along those the Mississippi and those other rivers as mentioned.

So again, the evacuations west Alton right now, the consolidated North County Levee, so that is a concern that we're going to be watching for a couple of days.

KAYE: And Top what kind of warning, she Colene we're speaking with from the St. Charles County emergency management said that there was a voluntary evacuation and now an official order for an evacuation at least in west Alton. What kind of warning would this community have a had, with this water flooding in?

SATER: Well, this area, Randi, they know what floods and what does not flood. They have seen it before. So many of these communities have seen this in the past, what they have not seen is the record-breaking rainfall to aggravate the situation. It happened so quickly across couple of days, but now, of course there's last-minute evacuations taking place. Many may have been prepared, they know that waters once you get record rainfall, you got see some flooding, but their most likely will be some rescues now, as many are inundated in their home, may even they have to get to the rooftop.

So I suspect we're going to find some first responders getting out after this record rain helping the areas of west Alton and possible others to the south in the next 25 to 48 hours.

KAYE: And is there anything that they can do, Tom, to sort of, you know, move this water along and to try and, you know, open it up and try to get in to those homes, maybe a little faster?

SATER: I don't know really know that the levee system right now, the Mississippi, it is a wait and would situation. Because they're going to have to just wait for the waters to recede. The good news is that the rain has come to the end. They are looking at the pleasant conditions, and dry conditions going into the weekend. So that's going to be first of all, the top of the charts as far as good news.

KAYE: Yeah.

SATER: The waters will start to recede, but I do suspect we're going to see some rescues probably takes place in the next couple of hours.

KAYE: And you mentioned that there were improvements there, so why does this still happen?

SATER: Well, record rain, I guess, Randi. Most of the improvements that we have seen in the St. Louis area were in the west metro area, and out to the communities to the west. Cities such as Chesterfield, St. Peter's, and areas of that, which is, you know, maybe a 40-minute drive, and some cases St. Charles Missouri has flooding a lot this historic town there.

But again, most of them would have built up levees to the west. Now, I'm not so sure what they've done since 1993 along the Mississippi, but I can guarantee you that corps of engineers had been working on this. But record rainfall 8.5, you know, in a day and a half, but at least it's drying up, and the weather is looking good for the next couple of days.

[12:55:05] KAYE: Yeah. But, you know, I'm looking at some of these video, you know, the McDonald there where the rain is all the way up, you know, at least half way of the doors, the homes where the some of the rains was up to, you know, up past the front door there. I mean, what will the recovery be like for, you know, a community like this to dry out, and get back to normal? When will these people can be able to get back in their homes?

SATER: You know, that's a good question too. It's going to take a couple of day days. The waters will recede quickly in the residential areas. Now obviously when you see a business like that, that just one of several homes and businesses that have been inundated. But the waters in the community areas will recede first.

This is going to takes weeks, obviously, and there's going to be major repairs and the foundations, the structures, the infrastructures of the homes are going to have to be checked.

KAYE: Yeah.

SATER: Mold going to be a problem in the near future, so it's just a terrible mess specially so close to the holidays, but this storm system, what an epic storm from the blizzard conditions and the tornadoes that took many lives and now the river flooding that will continue for maybe another week or so.

KAYE: And as we continue to look at these live pictures from Union, Missouri town. I mean, you are look at the same picture I'm looking at. What's striking you the most?

SATER: Well, that it continues to happen. You know, that's exactly what you were, you know, alluding to moment ago. You know, improvements can happen, but when you have three major rivers coming together with historic rainfall, record-breaking rainfall, you're going to have problems I think, well, for years and years to come. I mean, this is just unfortunate part of the country where all of the major rivers and the tributaries come together.

KAYE: Well Listen, I'm glad that you were with us. Glad to hear that you are from this area. I'm sorry that your community is going through this, but it was great to have with us to talk us through what's happening there. Tom Sater much appreciated.

And thanks so much for watching. I'm Randi Kaye. Wolf with Brianna Keilar start right after this very quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:00:06] BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there. I'm Brianna Keilar in for Wolf Blitzer. It is 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, 6:00 p.m. in London and 7:00 p.m. in Brussels, wherever you're watching from around the world. Thank you so much for joining us.