Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
Terror in Virginia; Syrian Military: Fight to Defeat ISIS Escalates; Musicians Play for Peace at Korean DMZ. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired August 14, 2017 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[08:00:00] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military's most senior officer and the South Korean president meet to discuss ways to deal North
Korea.
But how do you deal with Kim Jong-un. We'll ask the expert for insight into the North Korean leader and how one group is trying to drown out the
war of words between the U.S. and North Korea with music.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: I will be here live in Seoul. I'm at the Cheonggyecheon Stream in the heart of the South Korean Capital, and some verbal valley between
the U.S. and North Korea intensifies all week.
We're going to explore all part of this horrible crisis from what we know about how Kim Jong-un thinks to why people in South Korea are taking it all
in their strive. And just a few hours ago, the U.S. military's most senior official met with the president of South Korea.
Joseph Dunford and Moon Jae-in discuss ways to deal with North Korea. And Mister Moon said the crisis must be resolved peacefully and there cannot be
war.
Now comes that the U.S. gets ready for military drills with South Korea next week. And General Dunford says those exercises are critical.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH DUNFORD, GENERAL, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS: And I want to tell you that today when you look at the rhetoric coming out on North Korea, the
exercises are more important than ever and as General (Inaudible) talked about it.
There's a direct linkage between these exercises and our ability to affectively respond. These exercises have developed and have developing in
our affability and developing the ability.
And aggressiveness who wants to force us here in the Peninsula as well as those forces that will be deployed in the even of the deterrence fails. So
we have to end that conversation and it didn't come up at all today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Joseph Dunford, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff there and Paula Hancocks joins me now here in Seoul for more of this story.
We've heard just in from General Dunford, after his meeting with Moon Jae- in here in Seoul that those rules to take place next are critical and they will go on.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And to be honest, that was very little else he could have said. This is the U.S. lines consistently.
That the (Inaudible) are necessary to keep that readiness that the South Korea and the U.S., they're going to need they believe to tank that North
Korean threat.
But what we also hear from General Dunford just before he left the try on (Inaudible), about how the military priority is to try and support a people
revolution of the North Korean issue. He says no one is looking for a war.
But he says it's absolutely necessary for him to have this variable military option in case the people and the diplomatic piece of a mixture
issue that works.
LU STOUT: So focus on a peaceful solution, focus on diplomacy and sanctions. We've learned today that China is tightening the screws the fan
on iron and steel, and (Inaudible) North Korea, what impact does that going to have of Pyongyang.
HANCOCKS: That's right. This is part of the recent nuance Security Council revolution to sort to try and sewing it. Playing it up within this
-- the department saying that they all going to ban those natural mineral resources, also seafood, all these imports coming into China from North
Korea.
When these U.N. sanctions will cause, the U.N. was hoping that something like the $1 billion hit for North Korea's exports. Now we don't know
exactly if that would be the expense the -- the financial damage to North Korea but China is really showing what they all say in their part.
We already heard from China's foreign minister back in Manila when the ASEAN summit is going on, that it was the case of China we're going be
economically impact is the most from these sanctions. So they recognize the fact that they have to play the biggest part.
LU STOUT: It's interesting op-ed that was published in the Wall Street Journal by U.S. secretary of State Rex Tillerson along with James Mattis,
we had a military in the United States or the defense secretary, finally a unified voice from the Trump administration on how the Trump White House
will deal with North Korea.
HANCOCKS: And interestingly, it was what General Dunford was going back to in his press conference as well, really find a stress as a top diplomat
within this administration agree.
The main focus of that (Inaudible) what that should be a diplomatic and economic resolution to the issue of North Korea. The military op-ed should
be the last option but then the real focus on a peaceful diplomatic solution, they often said that they have no interest in making change.
They go on to see and accelerated re-unification at the Korean Peninsula. So time to put things on his mind that rest almost but at the same time,
saying there was some of the Philippines leader.
LU STOUT: And behind the scene, just thinking among the officials here in South Korea as they have been listening to -- I mean so far, I'm going to
have to check Donald Trump's Twitter feed in just a moment.
But no new rhetoric out today but that rising rhetoric from the president, the mixed signals of the White House before that op-ed was published, what
was been thinking here in Seoul.
HANCOCKS: Certainly there was concern when you have the problems that the United States giving statements and quite frankly sort of come from North
Korea when you have the military op-ed are locked and loaded.
[08:05:00] The sort of fury, the fire, this isn't expected from a U.S. president. So obviously people have been a little more on edge when this
kind of rhetoric happens.
But you also have to play that this is Donald Trump, that lots -- the regular U.S. president that many around the world have seen. They haven't
seen the rhetoric that they thought the President Obama put some, but you never hear that from him.
So there is a case to be made that people here is actually have certainly take it with a pinch of salt because they know that rhetoric applies back
and forth, the threat of DMZ quite often as well. I don't think anyone welcome those type of comments here.
LU STOUT: Paula Hancocks, always appreciate your insights. (Inaudible) Seoul, thank you so much. Now, North Korea is also making direct threats
against the U.S. territory of Guam.
Last week, Pyongyang warned that it would fire four missiles near the island. Martin Savidge is in Tumon district, the popular tourist
destination on the island. He joins us now, and, Martin, there in Guam, is it still business as usual there?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's the face of there trying to portray here at least the leadership of the government -- the governor here
is saying that life is normal.
There is no indication of a threat level being raised and there's also been no indication for the military that their posture has change in any way.
So life does seem to carry on. It's not to say that people here aren't worried. They are very worried about what is happening and that was
exemplified by their faith.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: In every church, in every pew, they prayed for peace. Guam is a deeply Catholic island and then after a week of escalating threats
including nuclear annihilation, people sought shelter in their faith.
The main cathedral, the biblical readings spoke of God's protection. While the priest asked his congregation how they would spend their 14 minutes, a
blunt reference to the plank time of a North Korean missile from launch to impact here.
Before the service, Father Paul Gofigan confessed to struggling to find the right words.
REV. PAUL GOFIGAN, PASTOR, SANTA BARBARA CATHOLIC CHURCH: It is very, very difficult in trying to really, you know, specially over threat of nuclear
explosion that might calm is very difficult to really bring that message of inner peace.
SAVIDGE: Outdoors at noon in the capital Hagatna, hundreds more people gathered to pray. With these palm tress and beaches, this is usually a
place people come to get away from home. But now, Guam is in the middle of it all, target of North Korea where as some American military bases and
U.S. citizens.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pray that nothing happens and they come to a peaceful solution for this. That's what I hope and I think everybody else here
would like to see something like that.
SAVIDGE: Saturday, President Trump called the governor promising, America had Guam back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are one thousand percent.
SAVIDGE: The reassurance welcomed in this U.S. territory but often feels overlooked and misunderstood by Americans on the mainland. The words of
the president, that phone call he gave to the governor, do you think it will help?
GOFIGAN: I think it helps a little bit. In fact, I think we are blessed to be protected.
SAVIDGE: There's another reason Guam has fears. This is one of those Pacific islands were World War II was fought. The vivid and brutal
memories have been passed down.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have faith. It kind of worries me because my mom went it to during the World War II.
SAVIDGE: On Guam, they are worried and feel helpless. So they reach out to another superpower, simply seeking peace.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
SAVIDGE: You know, Kristie, there's another way that they have -- public here in kind of whipsawed in their feelings. One is of course they're
being reassured that there is nothing to worry about.
But at the same time, the civil defense department here is putting out very explicit instructions of what to do in case of a nuclear attack including
everything about how to wash your body and clear of radiation.
It's a very sobering thought of the same time when you're supposed to be feeling comfortable that nothing is wrong.
LU STOUT: So it's a combination prepare of this in flare there for the residence there on the Island of Guam. Martin Savidge reporting for us
live, thank you.
Now, we frequently hear the word irrational. It's used to describe the leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un. Our next guest is that approach kind of
catastrophic.
Joining me now, Andrei Lankov, a Professor of Kookmin University here in Seoul. Professor Lankov, nice to meet you in person and thank you for
joining us here.
(CROSSTALK)
LU STOUT: For so many years, Kim Jong-un and also let's face it, his father, his grandfather has been characterize as crazy, and irrational on
him, but you say no, why?
ANDREI LANKOV, PROFESSOR, KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY: Of course, necessarily, because they are survivals. They're extremely good in survival.
[08:10:00] Look, when Kim Jong-un took power when he was -- he is late trend. He was surrounded by the generals and all officials who had never
help Kim and who probably can fight him.
Kim manage to outsmart and purge them, and he's still in control. He's in front using Chinese federal reform, so his country is either being
(Inaudible) is growing. And he's quite successful in developing nuclear weapons.
LU STOUT: You're calling Kim Jong-un a survivor and a reformer.
LANKOV: True, at a very large extent because he's in front using something very similar to the Chinese reforms. Very cautious, very careful but
economy is growing and at the same time, unlike China, Kim remains extremely aggressive and he gives population -- gives (Inaudible) people
under very brutal surveillance and control.
LU STOUT: He uses fear as a weapon to keep...
LANKOV: And economy, too. Both. And he wants people, (Inaudible), but he also wants them to remain people of the government and that is what he
wants now.
LU STOUT: So what is Kim Jong-un is fearful of? What keeps him affected?
LANKOV: I will say threatened. He is sure (Inaudible), Afghanistan and Iraq. And he knows that if country is brigaded by the Americans together
is Iraq and Afghanistan. He's a threat of an American attack.
Therefore, nuclear weapons, he's a creator of a popular rebellion. Before what happened in -- during Arab Spring, therefore she is supporting all on
one hand, growth in economy through growth of the markets and Chinese follow reforms very careful and keeping civilization.
And he's afraid of his own general and co-politicians. Maybe some of them are family members. Therefore, if you are just an occasional assassination
had execute and so anybody who can't stand radicalization (Inaudible).
(CROSSTALK)
LU STOUT: Kim Jong-un inspires fear inside his own country but he is also a fearful man himself. He is afraid of foreign attack.
LANKOV: Yes.
LU STOUT: He's afraid of a domestic military coup. He's afraid of a domestic popularizing inside his own country.
LANKOV: Yes, but he's not paranoid because all he see is (Inaudible).
LU STOUT: These are rational theater.
LANKOV: It's up to PA (ph), you cannot say about some what you call out and born jump from the 10th floor then this person is paranoid. It's been
irrational.
LU STOUT: And this is why he has a nuclear arsenal?
LANKOV: Absolutely because he understands. He saw what happened to Iraq and the most important lesson about of course is Mohammed Karzai of Libya.
The only strong manner is (Inaudible) quite greedy through swap.
He has a nuclear weapon's program for economic benefits. And you know, Mohammed Karzai ended up killing. It was big boost lesson for the off
study since they are never tied of arterially openly repeating it.
They tell to themselves and they have be -- well look, the Libya is at massive chaos, a civil war, why? Because they give (Inaudible).
LU STOUT: So Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea a national reformer as you put it.
LANKOV: Right.
LU STOUT: This is why he wants to keep hold of his nukes but the western neighbors, they want to see a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Where are
the impasse here? Are we going to move forward?
LANKOV: I don't see any way forward because moment of what he is not going to surrender nukes. He believes that these solid nukes keep him go away of
Gaddafi very, very soon.
And frankly, it's not paranoia. Have I been test the devices, I looked in exactly the same. And therefore, well, each sanctions -- sanctions are not
working because of the Chinese position.
Actually they have said economies grow, but if sanctions provoke an economic crisis in the country, he will recruit to see how beyond people's
starving to death but he'll still take nukes.
He's not happy about it. He will not be happy. He wants his people be world class and get his economy grow. But if he faces a choice, nukes are
more important because it's the part of his survival, survival his nation, survival of his faith.
Same as money, corps that you can't sort of, you know, pay him some compensation like it was done (Inaudible) as well. (Inaudible) was a very
good lesson.
Nothing is going to war. Military option, look, they see a down town so valuable that will seek (Inaudible), maybe on but hundreds of mosque is
gone, the fine executive beach that they are selling and even as well, nuclear weapons, it was a massive disaster, not only for some states but
everybody else.
LU STOUT: Thank for that reminder of the excellent...
LANKOV: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
LU STOUT: And also this crisis that just remains at this impasse with all the reasons you said was about.
LANKOV: Nothing can be done to leave this situation and survive this situation.
LU STOUT: It can all leave for the status quo I guess.
LANKOV: Yes and it's the best status quo but we cannot change it.
LU STOUT: Got it. Professor Lankov, I look forward to my next opportunity to speaking with you. Thank you for joining us.
LANKOV: Thank you very much.
LU STOUT: Great to see you tonight.
LANKOV: Thank you. Thank you.
LU STOUT: Andrei Lankov of Kookmin University there. Now China is seen as a key player when it comes dealing with North Korea. And when we come
back, what Beijing is doing about the increasingly bellicose threats from Pyongyang.
Plus, two neighboring countries are marking their anniversary of their independence. We will bet on the partition of India and Pakistan, and the
high price that was paid.
[08:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: All right, you're watching News Stream live from Seoul. As we bring you the latest on the U.S. stand off with North Korea.
One of Pyongyang's staunchest allies is tightening the screws of China, says it is banning the import of iron, lead and seafood from North Korea
starting on Tuesday.
This comes as the United States tough diplomat and defense chief try to present ignited friend on North Korea. Rex Tillerson and James Mattis call
on Beijing to take a leading role and bringing Pyongyang to the negotiating table.
CNN's David McKenzie joins us now live from Hong Kong. And David, China stand-on to those tough new sanctions against North Korea and it's acting
on it. Tell us how.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well that's right. A very strong statement from the commerce ministry, Kristie, in Beijing, they say they
cannot hold all of those mineral imports that are part of those new sanctions, those increased toughest sanctions that China signed up to just
know a few days ago. And so that shows that they're being serious about this.
It's a well ahead of the schedule that would have been on a given 30 days to kind of enforce those sanctions that shows that they want to appear
tough and they want to send a message to Pyongyang, that though they are still out on many levels.
And ally of North Korea that they've had enough of these ongoing missile and nuclear test and that they want to send a powerful message that will
hurt the economy in the medium to long term certainly the analyst of the North Korean regime, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Now, David, President Trump in the past, he's conducted trade deals, and deal with North Korea and could denounce to get tough on trade
with China leader today. Beijing isn't happy, is it?
MCKENZIE: Well, no, it's not happy. It certainly not happy about the fact that the U.S. through the trade representative of the White House, might
start this probe into possibly triggering formal investigations of China, particularly, Kristie, on the U.S. copyright issue within China.
Something that I've heard many American businessmen over the years, complaining about, it's potentially something that has been a long time
coming.
But in the current context, certainly it will raise eyebrows, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign event -- Affairs saying that the two issues, North
Korea and trade should by no means be complacent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUA CHUNYING, SPOKESMAN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY (through a translator): The Korean Peninsula issue and the trade issue belong to two different
categories. China and the U.S. should respect each other and strengthen cooperation on these two issues.
[08:20:00] It's obviously inappropriate to use one issue to pressure the other side on a different issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: A senior administration official of the White House said to CNN this weekend, that -- that in no way, Kristie, are the two things
connected.
But this is contradicting what President Trump has said earlier this year, tweeting out that you know, he might give a break to China on the trade
issue if the held pressure the North Korea issues.
So certainly a bit of confusion coming there from the U.S. administration about you know those tougher probes might be coming in just a matter of
hours. Kristie.
LU STOUT: David McKenzie reporting live for us from Hong Kong. David, thank you. We will continue to follow this situation clear on the Korean
Peninsula but right now, I want to take you to another region of the (Inaudible), to India and Pakistan.
It is been seven decades since India gain independence from British Empire, and Pakistan was created but the partition of India left legacy of
hostility between the two neighbors. Mallika Kapur has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALLIKA KAPUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Their neighbors with a share history but a fractured present. Seventy years ago this week, British ruler sliced a
giant Indian Empire into two countries, a new Hindu majority India and Pakistan home to mostly Muslims.
From the 18th-century to independence, the British Empire in India stretched from Afghanistan in the west to Burma in the East. But by the
1940s anti-colonial sentiment swelled in many British colonies around the world including India.
Demands for India's independence grew led by freedom fighters, one as Karamchand Gandhi, (Inaudible), and Mohammad Ali Jouhar, who favored a
separate stage for India's Muslim minorities. India was burning, communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims spiraled out of control cause to end
British rule were reaching boiling point.
On the back of a costly Second World War, Britain lacked the will and the means to defeat the independence movement. Britain decided to quit India.
In March 1947, naval officer Lord Mountbatten was appointed the Viceroy of India to oversee the handover of power.
He is and British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe to draw the partitioned line. In just six weeks, he finalized a plan to divide India along religious lines.
There would be a new India -- a secular India though it's whether Hindu majority would live and a separate country called Pakistan for Muslims. On
midnight of August 14, 1947, the British Empire officially transferred power to India and Pakistan.
After nearly two centuries of colonial rule. India became a sovereign nation and Pakistan was born. Jouhar became head of the newly formed
Pakistan, (Inaudible) became the first Prime Minister of India.
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, INDIA'S FIRST PRIME MINISTER: At the stroke of the midnight, when the world sleeps, India will awake to light and freedom.
KAPUR: The partition saw one of the largest human migrations the world has ever seen. Millions of Hindus and Sikhs living in Pakistan headed to
India. Millions of Muslims migrated to Pakistan, in train (Inaudible) on foot.
In a matter of months at least 10 million people moved across the border. At least a million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs died in communal attacks as
they cross the border.
Tens of thousands of women and girls were abducted and raped, families were divided. Twenty-four years later in 1971, the East Wing of Pakistan split
away to become a separate country called Bangladesh.
The Westside remained as present-day Pakistan. India and Pakistan have fought four wars since 1947, was be fueled by disputes over the Northern
Himalayan State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Both countries claim it in its entirety, but only controlled parts of it. The both sides have attempted to restore peace many times. They remain
hostile nuclear arms neighbors even today.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAPUR: So to understand why the country has so much hostility today, it's important to look back at the circumstances under which both these
countries were born under the circumstances, against which India and Pakistan both became independent nations.
And as you just saw given how violent and how bloody it was, it is understandable to see how those event really set the torn for future
relations. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yet on of global histories most defining moments, Mallika Kapur reporting for us. Thank you so much. Take care.
[08:25:00] You're watching News Stream and still ahead, President Donald Trump is expected to speak again about the weekend violence in
Charlottesville, Virginia, many critics say his first response did not go far enough.
And drowning out tons of war and violence with music, a choir perform at one in the world's most heavily fortified areas. We will take you to the
DMZ.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout. You're watching this special edition News Stream live from Seoul. I'm at the Cheonggyecheon Stream in the heart of
the South Korean Capital.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: The U.S. military's most senior officer shoring up ties in Asia to deal with North Korea. Joseph Dunford talks to South Korea's President
Moon Jae-in.
Dunford says next week's military drills between the U.S. and South Korea will go as planned. A security force in Burkina Faso have ended a
terrorist suit on the cafe that left 18 people dead. The country's communication administer says searches are still going on near by.
No one has claimed responsibility. The attack echoes a similar led last year, the same reason that killed 29 people and was claimed by al-Qaeda.
Reuter's supports that oxygen supplies haven't restore to the hospital in northern India where more than 60 people have died of encephalitis in
recent days.
Many of them showed less. Report says the hospital ran out of oxygen and other supplies after failed to pay its bills. The head of the hospital and
the head of pediatrics haven't removed from their jobs.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to speak at the hours ahead by the deadly car attack in Virginia over the weekend. A car ran into counter
protesters who are marching against white supremacists in Charlottesville.
One woman was killed. President Trump has faced criticism for failing to denounce white supremacist by name after the attack. One of those critics
is the mayor of Charlottesville.
MICHAEL SINGER, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA MAYOR: I think it speaks for itself, he had as moment -- I mean these are times for leadership.
It already seem, think about working families and solutions which I have to do all the time as the mayor of a city like this, is just kind of, you
know, put action on the table. Get things done. He kind of have his opportunity with and I think that speaks for itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Joining me now is CNN's Jeff Zeleny. He is in Bridgewater, New Jersey, close to where the president is staying at his golf resort. Jeff,
how is the White House defending Trump's reaction to the deadly violence in Charlottesville?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House is saying that the president is going to be meeting with the attorney general
and the director of the FBI later today when the president takes a brief interruption from his working vacation here in New Jersey. But the
president silence did not go without much criticism here. Yesterday on Sunday, it was only the fourth day of his presidency. He decided not to
send out a tweet of any kind. Of course he has been very blunt and direct about many things, but on the attack in Charlottesville, the white
supremacist, he was virtually silent.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have no tolerance for hate and violence. The white supremacist, neo-Nazis, or the KKK.
ZELENY (voice-over): Vice President Mike Pence doing publicly what President Trump did not over the weekend, directly condemning white
supremacist by name after the deadly violence in Charlottesville.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We condemn in the strongest possible terms, this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on
many sides, on many sides.
ZELENY (voice-over): The vice president coming to the president's defense in the face of growing backlash over Mr. Trump's response.
PENCE: President Trump clearly in an ambiguously condemn the bigotry, violence, and hatred. I take issue with the fact that many in the national
media spent spent more time criticizing the president's words than they did criticizing those that perpetuated the violence to begin with.
ZELENY (voice-over): The White House releasing a statement from an unnamed spokesperson Sunday, 36 hours after the protest began, insisting President
Trump's comments decrying bigotry includes white supremacist, KKK, neo- Nazi, and all extremist groups. Top aides to the president also pushing back on the Sunday shows.
H.R. MCMASTER, UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: The president has been very clear. We cannot tolerate this kind of bigotry, this kind of
hatred.
TOM BOSSERT, WHITE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR: The president not only condemned the violence and stood up at a time in a moment when calm was
necessary and didn't dignify the names of these groups of people, but rather addressed the fundamental issue.
ZELENY (voice-over): President Trump ignored multiple questions from reporters after a statement on Saturday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, do you want the support of these white nationalist groups who say they support you, Mr. President?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you denounced them strongly enough?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- a car plowing into people, would you call that terrorism, sir?
MAYOR MICHAEL SIGNER, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: We just aren't seeing leadership from the White House.
ZELENY (voice-over): The president's refusal to denounce the groups by name, drawing fierce backlash from his own party.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: And I would urge the president to dissuade them of the fact that he sympathetic in our first the president
to dissuade them of the fact that he's sympathetic to their calls. Because their cause is hate. It is un-American. They are domestic terrorists. And
we need more from our president.
SEN. CORY GARDNER (R), COLORADO: Call this white supremacism this white nationalism evil, and let the country hear it, let the world hear it. It is
something that needs to come from the oval office and this White House needs to do it today.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZELENY: The president will be back at the White House, not the oval office per se, that is actually under a summer reconstruction up, but the
president will again be meeting with his attorney general and the director of the FBI.
But the question here at the root of this is, will the president directly call this an act of domestic terrorism? He's been very quick to point out
other such attacks around the globe such as the Anis (ph) attack as being a terroristic incident.
This question here, he has not directly condemned this. We are watching today if he does.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: Just check his Tweeter feeds to know direct comments in relation to that just yet. And you just wonder
because we heard statements from the vice president and from the first daughter condemning directly the hate and the violence in Charlottesville.
But Trump's statement left that directness. Do you know why?
ZELENY: It did lack that directness. And this something that the president decided himself what to say, specifically in those moments on Saturday. He
was of course hearing a lot of information from his advisers but he made the judgment.
I'm told is that many sides are responsible for this and that was the controversial part there. But we know from his history that he has been
reluctant to call out white supremacist and races and other matters like that. And frankly some are his supporters.
Of course all of his supporters are not white supremacist at all. We should make that distinction very significant here. But the president has often
been reluctant to call out such things like this. And the criticism from Republicans, people in his own party was swift and furious. They're urging
them to do so.
So I do believe after hearing the vice president do that, the president will attempt to achieve this, but interesting, he's certainly missed that
first opportunity at a moment where, you know, there was certainly a call for moral clarity here in the U.S., that first opportunity he can't get
back.
We will see if he does it again today when he speaks at the White House later this afternoon. Back to you.
[08:35:00] LU STOUT: Yes, we are still waiting for that clarity. Jeff Zeleny reporting for us live in New Jersey. Thank you so much and take
care.
The Syrian army says it has driven ISIS fighters out of a town they were holding at the center of the country not far from the city of Palmyra as
Syrians say the campaign against ISIS is growing more intense. Fred Pleitgen has been to the front line and set this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An assault on ISIS in the Ewastern Syrian Desert. The Syrian government says
it has drastically stepped up its offensive against the terror group on various fronts.
It recently released this video showing their gains on the battlefield. Syria's military give us access to one of those front lines where ISIS too
was increasing the pressure, the local commander says.
"You feel that the fighters of ISIS are brainwashed," he says. "They're coming here to die. They're fearless. They fight until the end."
ISIS is attacking this area because it's near strategic road and a pipeline. But also the Syrian army believes because the group is losing so
much terriroty in other parts of Syria and Iraq.
PLEITGEN: As ISIS gets squeezed out of its urban strongholds like Raqqa, more and more of its fighters are coming down into this region. And the men
we're with say they have had to deal with a lot more ISIS attacks than before.
PLEITGEN (voice-over); And sometimes those attacks amount to massacres. ISIS fighters invaded the village Akareb in May, killing more than 50
civilians, according to Syrian government media.
Nine-year-old Mudara (ph) says he was forced to watch his mother, brother and two sisters get executed by the militants, only barely surviving
himself.
"I acted like I was dead," he says. "They started stepping on me, but I didn't move at all."
The massacre in Akareb has fueled hatred towards ISIS among Syrian government troops vowing to route the terror group at any cost.
"I am ready to fight day and night against ISIS," this fighter says. "We've decided already that ISIS will not get out of this area."
And the commander adds, "Getting rid of ISIS is only a question of time because of time because the Syrian army has decided to defeat them totally
in this area. We tasted their massacres like the one in Akareb."
Both attacking and defending against ISIS are difficult in this desert area. Still, the Syrian army and its Russian backers say ousting the terror
group from the southeast of the country is now their main priority and they hope to accomplish that task in the coming months. Fred Pleitgen, CNN,
Akareb, Syria.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Just ahead right here on "News Stream," we will take to the Korean Demilitarized Zone where a choir and orchestra are using music and
hopes to bring in peace to the peninsula.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Last stop for you on "News Stream." Some musicians are taking issue of peace on the Korean Peninsula into their own hands, bringing a
symphony of songs directly into the demilitarized zone. Our CNN's Alexandra Field reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[08:40:00] ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the sound carries beyond these walls --
PATRICK SANGUINETI, HARVARD-RADCLIFFE ORCHESTRA (voice-over): You look around over these mountains after this, it is really a beautiful place.
FIELD (voice-over): It will take you to a beautiful place, and estranged place.
SANGUINETI (voice-over): Before coming here, like, this seemed like a really scary place. I mean, with the barbed wire, like the tank traps.
FIELD (voice-over): A dark place.
SANGUINETI (voice-over): They tell you not to hop the fence, you know, don't do anything stupid.
SANGUINETI: You know, the reality is that it is -- there is like a lot of anxiety heads up here.
FIELD (voice-over): Mostly though, there is the pain they've known almost forever now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My heart is boom, boom, boom, boom. Why we can't go there? Part of my heart, it's something very painful.
FIELD (voice-over): The idea seemed like a stretch. A senior choir, a South Korean youth orchestra, a group of Harvard students in concert, during the
time of rapidly rising tension right on the edge of North Korea.
SANGUINETI: This is really scary for a lot of people not just us. A lot of family was contacting us, making sure that we're OK with what's actually
going to happen.
FIELD (voice-over): As the war of words between U.S. and North Korea gets ever wilder, for a moment, they're drowning the North.
FIELD: Why are you singing at the DMZ?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We wish for -- you know, to send our wishes to the North. Our wish for reunification. That is my dream and my choir's dream as
well.
(CROSSTALK)
FIELD (voice-over): They can't go any further than this.
FIELD: This is one of the most heavily fortified border areas in the world. The Demilitarized Zone cuts the Korean Peninsula in half. It's 160 miles
long, it's two and a half miles wide. And that's been enough to keep families permanently rippled apart.
FIELD (voice-over): Bae Yung-Ja feels close to her husband's family in the North when she's here. She never met them, and she's already lost him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Before I die, I want to hear something useful from his family.
FIELD (voice-over): When the choir and the orchestra walked outside, she's looking in the right direction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Music is the one way. Why can't we be together?
FIELD (voice-over): For Grant Riew, who came from Harvard to be here, it's already that.
GRANT RIEW, HARVARD-RADCLIFFE ORCHESTRA: Music is, actually, a universal language. And so, yo can come to Korea. I don't speak any Korean, but I am
Korean and I can sit down with all these people and be able to make music together.
And you know, it's really something that everyone can personally relate to. There are some like 80-year-old people in the choir, and there's also like
10-year-old children that we're playing with.
When we started playing these folk songs, this traditional music, I had heard (INAUDIBLE) before like a long time ago when I first started learning
(INAUDIBLE), but none of it really had any kind of real sentimental value for me. I had this emotion on me on stage, I felt like I was a part of it.
FIELD (voice-over): The finale is this song composed in the North when the Korea's were still one. If the sound could carry, these musicians hope it
would travel back there. Alexandra Field, CNN, at the DMZ.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: (INAUDIBLE) sounds there. Tomorrow, we'll be back live from Seoul as North and South Korea celebrate Independence Day, and event shared by
two countries at the time when the rift grows between North Korea and the rest of the world. All that and more only right here on "News Stream."
That is all for today's show. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Seoul. "World Sport" with Alex Thomas is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
END
