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Black Pastors Split on Marriage; Greece Crisis Hits U.S. Stocks; Obama In Spotlight On Gay Marriage; Violence Disrupts Afghan Transition; 49 Headless Bodies Found; Oldest Known Mayan Calendar Found; WWII Plane Found In Egyptian Desert; Hard to Get a Share of FaceBook

Aired May 14, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from CNN headquarters in Atlanta, where it's 12:00 noon, 9:00 a.m. on the West Coast, I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

I want to get you up to speed for this Monday, May 14th.

Dozens of FBI agents, some of them using blood hounds, are on a manhunt for one of their own. They're looking for Steven Ivens. He's an agent who went missing from his home in California last week. He's being described as suicidal and could be carrying a handgun.

Police don't think he is a threat to anyone but himself, but they're urging the public not to approach him if they see him.

Days after revealing the nation's largest bank lost $2 billion in risky investments, JPMorgan has its first casualty. Iran Drew, the bank's chief investment officer, is retiring after more than 30 years. Now, over the weekend, CEO Jamie Dimon gave his own mea culpa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIE DIMON, CEO, JPMORGAN CHASE: It was a stupid thing that we should never have done, but we're still going to earn a lot of money this quarter. So it isn't like the company is jeopardized. We hurt ourselves and our credibility -- yes, and that we've got to fully expect and pay the price for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: It may not be enough. Former government watch dog on the bank bailout says Dimon should resign from the New York Federal Reserve Board. Elizabeth Warren says it's a move would shore up public trust that's so rattled from the 2008 financial meltdown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH WARREN, TRAP OVERSEER: There's been a guerilla war out there in which the largest financial institutions have been doing everything they can to make sure that financial regulations don't get put in place, and if they do get put in place, that they are loaded with loopholes and not very effective.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The Florida A&M University marching band will remain suspended through the next school year. The decision was announced last hour by the university's president James Ammons. During a conference call with trustees, he said university officials are setting new rules following last year's hazing death of band member Robert Champion.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JAMES AMMONS, PRES., FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY: I was heavily influenced by the need to be respectful of Robert Champion's family, as well as other alleged victims. A young man lost his life.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Uganda says it has captured a top commander of the Lord's Resistance Army. Now, that is a guerilla group that is headed by Joseph Kony. You might remember him from "Kony 2012" video that went viral recently. Kony's rebels, they were notorious for slaughtering civilians and using child soldiers in Africa's longest running war.

Authorities in Mexico are trying to calm the public after discovering 49 decapitated and dismembered bodies scattered on the roadside just 80 miles from the Texas border. Now, the killings are believed to be the work of another notorious drug cartel. We've got more on this developing story in about 40 minutes.

And to that exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, refuses to say what he thinks about Tibetan monks setting themselves on fire. Tibetan advocacy groups saying more than 30 monks have done it in the last year alone to protest Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama was asked about it at a news conference today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Tibetans have been setting fire to themselves, self immolating in protest against Chinese rules. Can you tell us whether you think that they should stop this now or should they continue?

DALAI LAMA, EXILED TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER: I think that is quite sensitive political issue. I think my answer should be zero.

(END VIDE CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And we're going to hear from President Obama in the next hour. Same-sex marriage is going to be look in the spotlight. The president delivers the commencement address at Barnard College in New York, a ceremony that begins momentarily is going to share the stage with a gay activist, the founder of Freedom to Marry.

Over the weekend, some African-American religious leaders wrestled with the president's position supporting same-sex marriage. And presidential candidate Mitt Romney reiterated his opposition to that in a speech at Liberty University.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So about President Obama's support among some black clergy. Is he actually going to be losing some? His endorsement of same-sex marriage cost him some votes in November. That is the question.

Athena Jones, she has reaction from some black pastors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Baltimore --

REV. EMMETT BURNS, PASTOR, THE RISING SUN BAPTIST CHURCH: I love the president, but I cannot support what he has done.

JONES: -- to Atlanta, to New York.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's only the couples involved. So it shouldn't be a community concern.

JONES: Black pastors and churchgoers tackled the topic of same- sex marriage Sunday. Days after President Obama expressed his support for it.

At Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, where the Obamas celebrated Easter last year, Reverend Wallace Charles Smith believes the president got it wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would have preferred had he not, you know, weighed in on the issue.

JONES: But he and his congregation have been praying for President Obama every Sunday for years and this day was no different.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will this hurt the African-American support for the president in the upcoming election? Well, I would hope not. We've got some larger challenges that we've got to struggle with.

(APPLAUSE)

JONES: Darryl Wise, a Shiloh member who is gay, says the president took a courageous stand.

DARRYL WISE, SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH MEMBER: As a black gay male and also as a Baptist, I feel that, you know, things will change and opinions will change, and the only thing I have to do is lift it up to the Lord.

JONES: While African-Americans have been a strong base of support for the president, polls show they are more likely than whites to oppose same-sex marriage. That opposition has softened in recent years.

But in Baltimore, Pastor Emmett Burns is so upset, he publicly withdrew his support for President Obama Sunday and says the issue will cost him the election.

BURNS: People I know, people coming up to me are saying they don't support this, they don't like this, they're disappointed with the president, and they plan to stay home. I don't plan to vote for Romney for sure. Right now, I plan to stay home.

JONES: Burns, who is also a Maryland legislator, is leading a petition drive to force a public vote on a new state law legalizing same-sex marriage.

Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: I want to bring in White House correspondent Dan Lothian.

So, Dan, we know that the president reached out directly to a small group of influential pastors as well as African-American pastors who didn't agree with him in a conference call. Is this part of an ongoing dialogue with this group to convince them or is the message simply move forward, get on board?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I think it's the ongoing dialogue that's taking place here, and that conference call you referred happened just after the president conducted his interview with ABC News last week, and it continues. That outreach continues. Other White House officials have held conference calls with ministers, but in particular African-American ministers as well.

And what you've also seen is this effort to send around letters from prominent African-American leaders who support the president's position on this, with testimonials. They realize, as one Democratic official told me, that not everyone is going to agree with the president on everything. But what they're trying to focus on is what the president has done to help the African-American community, his accomplishments, education reform, health care, job training. These are the things they say that the president has been pushing for or has been able to accomplish, and they believe that's more important for the African-American community especially in this tough economy.

MALVEAUX: And, Dan, the fact they are making such an effort here, does it suggest that they are concerned, that they're worried, or do they feel confident they're still going to have that critical support from the black community?

LOTHIAN: Well, I don't think you're hearing anyone here say that they're confident that they're going to get the kinds of numbers that they saw in 2008 where African-Americans overwhelmingly showed up to the polls to support President Obama. But what they're saying is that they realize that there are African-Americans out there who disagree with the president but will still support him. And you heard that in Athena's piece as well.

They know that. They're trying to shore up that support, but realizing that they won't necessarily get the big numbers they got in 2008.

MALVEAUX: And, Dan, looking forward here, very quickly, what do we think the main message of the president is going to address at the commencement speech in Barnard College next hour?

LOTHIAN: Well, speaking to young people, in particular addressing young women -- we're told by White House aides he'll be talking about the role that they will play in shaping the future and some of the challenges that they will face, especially in this tough economy. We'll be waiting to find out if the president will talk at all about his decision to come out and support same-sex marriage. We have not been able to get any excerpts from his speech, but we'll be waiting to see if he talks about that.

MALVEAUX: All right. We'll be carrying it live. And, good to see you always. Thank you.

LOTHIAN: OK.

MALVEAUX: Here is rundown of some of the stories we're covering.

Greece is on the edge without a government and it's hurting American stocks now.

Also, he said he had a computer science degree. It was not true. Now, the CEO of Yahoo! is out.

And President Obama on this week's cover of "Newsweek" magazine with the title "The First Gay President." We're going to look at whether he is benefiting or hurting from his position on same-sex marriage.

And don't forget, you can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work, head to CNN.com/TV.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Greece is near the breaking point. A desperate effort is under way to form a new government to deal with the country's economic crisis. Now, if the political parties fail to form a coalition, Greece is going to have to hold new elections and the European economy, U.S. stocks could all be impacted.

I want to bring in our Michael Holmes here to talk a little bit about this. And, Michael, already today we are seeing U.S. stocks reacting to what's taking place in Greece. And it doesn't look good. It looks like those stocks are going down.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Yes, look, try being in the Greece (INAUDIBLE), the major stock markets in Europe, they were down 2 percent, 2.5 percent today. It's been like that for days as well.

And it is -- it's all due to this uncertainty over Greece. They had the election, no clear winner. The three leading parties have had a go of trying to get a coalition. You've got this butting of heads between those who say we have to go down the path of austerity and cuts and everything so we can get the economy back and those who say we're fed up with austerity, the people don't want it, we're not going to do it.

So, they can't get a government together. So, as you said, there will be new elections. All indications are they'll end up like the last elections. I mean, the uncertainty is killing the economy there.

MALVEAUX: And what's the time table here? Because we've been looking at this story day after day after day. Is there a point where it's either, you know, you're going to get this thing together or cut bait?

HOLMES: Well, they've got to have the election -- the election will be next month. It will be a few weeks away. They have to do that.

What happens then with the results of the election, one of the things that's interesting is the parties on the left and right, they're saying the 66 percent of people voted against austerity, so we're against austerity. But we don't want to leave the euro.

They're mutually exclusive. You can't have one without the other.

MALVEAUX: And describe what austerity means because some people don't really understand just the kind of things that you can't purchase, you cannot take advantage of in your own society. What is that --

HOLMES: Basically brutal cutbacks. Greece for years and years lived high on the hog with unbelievable pension plans, retirement at 50 and all sorts of great social services. It came back to haunt them.

So, now, all of those things are being cut, even the minimum wage is being cut, and it was only $1,000 a month. That is now being cut by 22 percent -- those sorts of cuts. Pensions aren't being paid.

Some people are working for companies like you'd be working for the equivalent of CNN aren't getting paid.

MALVEAUX: Wow, that's unbelievable. If it's such a failure and they can decide even we're going to leave the euro, go back to our original currency, what does that mean for us here?

HOLMES: Well, going back to the drachma, which was the original currency, it can be done if they leave the eurozone, but it depends how it would be done. But even if they did do it in an orderly fashion, the currency would be devalued by 30 percent to 50 percent. Imagine what that means for savings.

And the cost of doing trade would become ridiculous. All of their exports would become very cheap. We buy feta cheese and olive oil and all that sort of stuff, and some computer hardware. That would become very cheap for us.

They are a big importing country. I mean, everything from cars to oil to machinery is imported. That would become prohibitively expensive. Fifty percent more expensive. The country couldn't afford that economic.

There's even loose talk that it could fall apart and the military could take over in Greece. That's way down --

MALVEAUX: And what about our 401(k)s, could they be impacted by all of this?

HOLMES: Well, they are impacted every time the Dow goes down and the Dow is down today and a lot of that is due to Europe. A little bit due to JPMorgan, but most of it due to Europe. Every time that happens, what are we down now? Eighty-six -- well, it's a bit there in the walls.

That hurts us, all of us. And it will hurt us when it comes to import/export -- we did $1.6 billion worth of trade with Greece in 2010. So it's not an insignificant relationship.

MALVEAUX: Right.

HOLMES: Our stuff will become way too expensive for them to buy. So, that would go away.

MALVEAUX: That's a huge impact in our economy.

HOLMES: Yes, it's a lot of money.

MALVEAUX: It's a lot more than the olive oil and feta cheese you brought up.

HOLMES: That's right. If it did go south, and Greece's economy collapse, bargain for tourists.

MALVEAUX: That would be the upside.

HOLMES: Cheap place to go.

MALVEAUX: All right. Michael, good to see you as always. Thank you.

The Yahoo! CEO who lied on his resume is now out the door. We're going to look at what is next after the company goes through three CEOs in three years.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Yahoo is still a pretty big name among Internet companies, but right now it's having some problems in the board room. CEO Scott Thompson out of a job now, only four months after starting at the company. What got him in hot water was a lie on his resume, claimed to have a college degree he didn't really have.

And adding another twist, "The Wall Street Journal" reports that before resigning Thompson announced he's been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

I want to bring in Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange.

Alison, obviously, this is a problem for the company itself. How did this happen in the first place?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That's what everybody is asking, Suzanne. This is an established company, as you said. Everyone is scratching their heads, how could this happen.

And then you add to the fact that this fake computer science degree, it was everywhere. It was on Yahoo!'s bio and then on these SEC regulatory filings and the problem with this is when you lie on an SEC filing, guess what? It's illegal. CEOs, they personally certify these filings, that they're accurate, and Thompson signed off on it. What this could do is carry a penalty of 20 years in prison for a $5 million fine.

So, at this point, Yahoo! said, you know what? Let's get Thompson out. They kicked him out after four months. In fact, one top executive at yahoo! told CNN last week Suzanne that there was just a loss of confidence in Thompson after this whole resume scandal broke.

You know this -- it's real hard to lead when you don't have the people behind you. But this is coming at a very hard time for Yahoo! has had four CEOs in five years. Yahoo! is having a rough time of it, to say the least -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Yes, absolutely. And how is Thompson doing? Is he going to be getting a golden parachute? And do we know anything about his health?'

KOSIK: Well, first of all, his health may have played a role in maybe his excuse in why to leave and sort of the mutual reason on why he left. Now, whether or not he's going to get a golden parachute, that really depends on whether or not Yahoo! had reason to fire him. What this is called, it's called cause.

Now, if Yahoo! had cause to fire him, Thompson won't get any seven severance. You think lying on your resume is cause enough but this may not be so cut and dried. You look back to Carol Bartz who was fired last fall, she was the head of Yahoo! of actually offered for failing to turn around yahoo! But multimillion dollar payout.

So, for Scott Thompson I think it's open to interpretation, whether he is going to get that golden parachute. Of course, Yahoo! is investigating to try to see where all this began -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Alison, real quick, how are we doing with the markets today?

KOSIK: Markets are down but they've come back quite a bit. The Dow is down 83 points. Between that was Earlier in session. Tthe Dow was down as much as 160 points. A lot has to do with Europe, a lot about the banks. JPMorgan fallout.

Europe -- because of that uncertainty about when Greece is going to form its own government.

JPMorgan shares down effect still being seen on the market. Financials also down as well. Wall Street is expecting more fallout to come on this. There's a lot of worry that if JPMorgan was pulling off these shenanigans, what does it mean for the less healthy banks out there as well? Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Thank you so much, Alison. I appreciate it.

KOSIK: Sure.

MALVEAUX: They're calling him the first gay president in the cover of "Newsweek," not everybody sees it as a compliment. We'll look at the sea change in American culture and how it has turned into a political weapon.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Five days after President Obama's decision to come out in support same-sex marriage, the issue still making waves and magazine covers. You got to check out this.

"Newsweek," this picture of the president with a rainbow halo and the caption "The First Gay President." tracing the evolution of the president's views on same-sex marriage, an on the cover of "the New Yorker" a picture with the White House with rainbow columns there.

I want to bring in our political panel to talk about both of these images, Democratic strategist Estuardo Rodriguez and conservative Chris Metzler, professor at Georgetown University.

You know, it was a week, about a week ago when he made the announcement and people are very focused on this issue, same-sex marriage, as well as other social issues.

First of all, Estuardo, do you think it's important for the president now to turn the corner to focus more on the economy, to get off this issue, or do you think he's doing a good job of taking advantage of some benefit here?

ESTUARDO, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I have to say he's actually been doing both. He's been simultaneously last week talking about the importance of maintaining college tuition rates at the level they are as opposed to the Republican call it -- the double rates for loans and at the same time asking congress to move forward on jobs and the economy, that plans that need to happen to revitalize.

I think moving forward he's doing what he needs to get done. It's just the response we're waiting for from the Republicans on the hill to make sure the economy is doing what it needs to do.

MALVEAUX: Let's talk a little bit about this, Chris. Mitt Romney and some of the Republicans and their stand on this. It was over the weekend that Romney reiterated his position against same-sex marriage at the commencement at Liberty University.

This from Senator Rand, Paul, too. Scoffing at the president's support for same-sex marriage, and this before Iowa's faith and Freedom Coalition. I want you to listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: The president recently weighed in on marriage, and, you know, he said that his views were evolving on marriage. Call me cynical, but I'm not sure his views on marriage could get any gayer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So I don't know, Chris, I don't know really what he means by that, but it doesn't seem like it's very flattering, and there's a lot of laughter there. Is that the proper tone for Republicans to take regarding gay issues or supporting gay rights?

CHRIS METZLER, CONSERVATIVE: No, not at all. And I really -- first of all, I think as it relates to Mitt Romney's speech at Liberty over the weekend, the commencement speech, I thought it was an excellent speech because, in fact, what he did was he kind of set the tone relative to -- because it's very important here for him to get the evangelical base, and I think that's part of what he was doing relative to the speech at liberty.

Now, move to Rand Paul. I have no idea what he's talking about. I thought it was inappropriate. I thought the tone was just weird, and I think as we move forward, this is about making sure that we can talk about the economy at this point.

Look, there's a choice here. The president has made his position clear. Mitt Romney has made his position clear, and so now Americans will decide.

At this point I think it's time for us to move on and start talking about jobs and the economy. That to me is what's critical here.

MALVEAUX: Estuardo, go ahead.

RODRIGUEZ: I just want to say while I agree there, it was surprising to hear that kind of comment, I do think it was honest. It's exactly what we're going to see throughout this entire campaign from Mitt Romney's camp and also from the Republicans. They're completely out of touch -- that old good old boy network, that whole sense of superiority, it will resonate and voters will see that.

The idea to propose as Romney does a constitutional amendment to discriminate against any American, that's unheard of. But that's exactly what Romney is proposing.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Do you think that there's this kind of that tone is acceptable. I mean, do you think there's a good old boy tone that's taking place there in the party?

RODRIGUEZ: No. I don't think so at all, and I don't think that you're going to hear that from the Romney camp because I don't think that you're going to hear that there's should be discrimination from the Romney camp.

What we've got here is two very different views, and Americans are going to make their choice as to which views they think is the better view. I think that's what you're going to hear and that's how we're going to proceed. I don't think there's this good old boy hate and vitriol going on from the Republican standpoint.

MALVEAUX: Chris, do you think that Romney should condemn those remarks by Rand Paul, Senator Paul. Do you think he should say, look, that wasn't appropriate?

RODRIGUEZ: I think he should say it's not appropriate. First, I don't even know what Rand Paul was talking about. It was just kind of a bizarre rant. But, again, I think we just -- we need to move on to the real issues.

MALVEAUX: Let's turn a little bit. "Saturday Night Live," they had a field day with this over the weekend. This is a little bit, the vice president upset that he didn't get credit for bringing up the issue. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe, you've been locked inside your room all day. What's wrong?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's wrong? Are you serious? Do you really not get it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does it have something to do with the whole gay marriage thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not fair, OK? I was the first one who said it should be legal, but now you're the one getting all the credit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not true.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes? Really? Then why are you all dressed up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to a gala with Lady Gaga and Elton John. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: OK. Estuardo, does it matter really like who gets the credit, who gets the blame for all of this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. This is honestly about equality and fairness for every American. The president made it very clear in his remarks, you cannot imagine ten years from now or even less than that looking back and thinking that we were fighting about denying any American -- two Americans who love each other in a monogamous relationship as adults who want to be together and saying that you can't.

It resonates to the time, which is not that long ago where blacks couldn't marry whites. Women couldn't vote. You know, these are the issues we'll look back on and this is something that I think it's unfortunate that we're fighting about today.

MALVEAUX: Chris, do you really think ten years from now this is not something people are going to be fighting over here? Because it looks like that the country is pretty evenly split on this.

CHRIS METZLER, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR: Yes, I think we're still going to be having this discussion ten years from now, and I don't think the whole black versus white comparison is appropriate here.

But I do think the country is very much divided on this and people are trying to figure out where they are on this issue. I think the Republicans have made ourselves clear as to where we are on this issue.

The Democrats have done the same, and it's going to be time for the American people to decide. But I don't think this is going to be the decisive issue in the election. I think a whole conversation -- this is one of the conversations. The other conversation still is about jobs and the economy.

MALVEAUX: We're going to have to leave it there. Chris, Estuardo, good to see you both. Thank you.

Afghans prepare to take back control of their own security but just as NATO gets ready to pass the torch, there's a high-profile assassination and bombings. We'll go live to Kabul.

Don't forget you can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work, head to cnn.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: A bomb exploded inside a shop in Northern Afghanistan today killing nine civilians. That is on top of the violence that has left an Afghan peace negotiator and eight NATO troops dead just in the past three days.

It all comes as Afghanistan releases a new list of areas in the country that it's going to hand over to the Afghan authorities. Nick Paton Walsh is joining us live from Kabul.

Nick, first of all, explain to us what is going on there. I mean, the fact that you have one of the negotiators, Taliban negotiators, being assassinated and all of this back and forth at a time -- a critical time when they're trying to take over their own security.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Arsala Rahmani who was shot dead in Kabul about 9:30 yesterday morning. The former Taliban official himself who joined this thing called the High Peace Council set up by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to try to get negotiations going with the insurgency.

Those talks have really been in trouble since the Taliban pulled down of talking to the U.S in March. It is hoped people like Rahmani could keep the background chatter going and the whole idea of negotiated end to this decade long war still being feasibility.

His death in the center of Kabul shocked many, of course, because he was on his way to work. What's been slightly confusing is the Taliban came out very fast and said it wasn't them. Some say that's because they don't want to be seen as having killed somebody as popular as Rahmani.

We had a text message to Pakistani media from a splinter group named after a hard core leader of the insurgency killed a few years back saying they had done it and they would continue to do it.

Either way the Taliban has said such peace negotiations are their targets and his death I think was a chilling reminder that the center of Kabul is not as safe really as it should be.

MALVEAUX: Nick, how do we think this is actually going to shake the talks that are going to take place in Chicago, the NATO Summit? That is right around the corner here. Is there a sense of confidence from either side that these talks will make any difference at all?

WALSH: I'm sure officials in Chicago in the back of their minds will be reminded of instances like this and violence across the country every day to remind them what the job is ahead of Afghan and ISAF forces in this country.

But really, Chicago I think is much more of a stage that's been set for NATO members to talk about their contributions to the years ahead. There is background of expedited withdrawal of the French saying they want out early, the Australians saying the same thing.

Even Washington saying they want to see their troops in a noncombat role by the middle of next year. I think really Chicago is summit tailored to try to construct this idea that things are on track, that violence is ebbing, the Afghan security forces can take care of it.

And NATO still wants to see its troops in a role here until 2014 despite the fact their role and their numbers and the number of analysts here may significantly be reduced. MALVEAUX: Nick, we just saw President Obama in Afghanistan very recently, and now you have these incidents. Speak from your side, from your vantage point there.

Are the Afghans -- are they confident that they are going to be able to take over their own security, that there will be a situation, a day when you don't have these kinds of killings that are taking place?

WALSH: It's a double edged sword I think for many Afghans here. There is a belief that the presence of foreign troops ignites much of the insurgency. When they start to lessen in numbers you might see less violence from insurgents who are unhappy seeing foreign troops in their neighborhood.

But on the other side, there are real concerns about Afghan security forces. Some of them are good, some of them have fend off tanks effectively in Kabul, but out in the rural area where the Taliban is strongest, they are often ramshackle and I have seen American soldiers disappointed at the professionalism of the Afghans serving alongside them.

You also have the green on blue attacks, significant number. That's really damaging the trust relationship between ISAF and Afghans that's so vital to the handover. I think there is much to be concerned about for Afghans on the ground here.

MALVEAUX: All right, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you for breaking it down for us.

Next hour, we're going to focus on the escalating crisis in Syria. Anderson Cooper will join us live from the Syrian/Turkish border to talk about it. He's at a refugee camp getting firsthand accounts of what it's like to live through the unrelenting violence that began more than a year ago.

Anderson Cooper 360 tonight 8:00 Eastern here on CNN. We're looking at live pictures from Barnard College that is where President Obama is set to give the commencement speech. We're going to bring it to you as soon as it starts.

But first, the decapitated and dismembered bodies of dozens of people are discovered along the side of a Mexican highway. Just the latest in a bloody drug war that's claimed more than 47,000 lives. What's going on? And should the U.S. be concerned? We'll go behind the Mexican drug wars.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: It is one of the worst massacres in Mexico in recent years. These numbers are startling. You have 43 men and six women were decapitated and mutilated just 80 miles from the U.S./Mexican border. This is nothing new.

Officials say that more than 400 people have been killed there this year alone and 47,000 across Mexico in the last six years. Want to bring in Raphael Romo who joins us here to talk a little bit about this. It's stunning. Do we even know who is behind all the carnage?

RAFAEL ROMO, SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: Authorities are looking at two very distinct possibilities. One, that it was a retaliation between these two very criminal drug cartels that are fighting for that territory in that part of Mexico. The second option is that it might have been migrants making their way through Mexico from Central America trying to get to the United States. That part of Mexico, where this happened, has been called the Bermuda Triangle of Mexico because of the disappearances and the killings there. And so it's a possibility that authorities are looking at, at this point.

MALVEAUX: And who are the victims? Are these people who are caught in the crossfire. Is this about territory? Is it about drugs? Explain this to us.

ROMO: What authorities say up to this point is that nobody -- no civilians were targeted. That these are people who might have been involved with any -- with some of these criminal organizations that we're talking about or that were possibly migrants who were going through that part of Mexico. So there's no indication that civilians, either domestically in Mexico, or foreigners are being targeted.

MALVEAUX: This is not just in one particular state. This is across a whole bunch of border states. Describe for us what the situation is like on the border.

ROMO: The violence is mainly concentrated, as you say, on the border states. Think states that are south of Texas, south of New Mexico, south of Arizona. Those are territories in dispute by the drug cartels because, as you can imagine, these are transit points. Routes that the drug cartels want to control because there's a lot of money involved. And so that's the reason why you see the violence in places like (INAUDIBLE) because there's this turf war going on and it has been going on for the last six years or so.

MALVEAUX: What is the government doing about it, the Mexican government, the president?

ROMO: There was, in Mexico, a surge similar to what happened in Afghanistan where the Mexican president sent 50,000 troops and federal police to hotspots throughout the country. And that seemed to work in the short term. But the problem was that violence seems to move to different locations where the surge was not in progress. What we have seen specifically in this part, and this is just to give you an idea, near southeastern Texas, people are familiar with McAllen.

MALVEAUX: Right.

ROMO: It is 80 miles southwest of McAllen on the Mexican side of the border. But President Calderon sent additional troops and federal police back in 2010. It was quiet for a while. But this year, the first few months has been wild again.

MALVEAUX: Is there any fear that this violence is going to cross over to the American side? That you will see some of that violence and those assassinations occurring on both sides of the border?

ROMO: Not in the scale that you see on the Mexican side of the border. They know that they cannot mess with American law enforcement and they're not going to do about it. But the problem is that in many instances, Mexican law enforcement agencies have been overwhelmed. They go to one spot, they target the criminals, and the criminals just move to another spot. And that's the problem right now.

MALVEAUX: Unbelievable. All right. Rafael, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

ROMO: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Used to be considered the sign of the apocalypse. We're talking about the Mayan calendar. People used to worry about abrupt ending 2012 was an ominous sign for the future. Fear not, we found the rest of it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, ACTOR, "2012": To the Mayan calendar, which predicts the end of time to occur on the 21st of December of this year. This year. This year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right. For those of you who thought the world was going to end like the doomsday pic there "2012," because the Mayan calendar, you're wrong. New discovery proves it was all a myth.

Chad, tell us a little bit about this.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Because there are people -- you know, Rafael just told me, that they're booking their vacations for Cancun, December 2012.

MYERS: Yes. It turns out that the Mayan printer ran out of toner in 2012 600 years ago. And so they just couldn't print more years. The Mayan calendar goes for another 5,000 years. So we're still OK.

MALVEAUX: Oh, God. How did this happen? Can you please tell me how this happened? Please.

MYERS: They found a room, honestly, they found a room -- this is pictures from National Geographic -- where they think there was just some scribe, some boys, maybe young men and women, just scribing the calendar on and on and on. And they found this building here completely full of debris and trash. And that's how they think, in just the jungles here, near Saltoon (ph), they found it and they said, look, the calendar keeps going. And they took pictures. And it's in perfect shape. And it appears now we're going to be OK until at least 7,000 something.

MALVEAUX: We have another 5,000 years now. OK.

MYERS: The calendar does keep going.

MALVEAUX: What happens to all those folks who are like preparing for the end of the world? Do they know?

MYERS: They still get to go on vacation.

MALVEAUX: And you can celebrate. Yeah, we have more time on our hands.

MYERS: They just have an awful lot of water stocked up in their basement, you know.

MALVEAUX: They've been doing a lot of shopping.

MYERS: Right. They have canned goods they have to eat now.

MALVEAUX: Yes, maybe they could share.

MYERS: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Tell us a little bit about -- there's another discovery that was really very cool in the Egyptian desert.

MYERS: Yes.

MALVEAUX: A World War II plane, is that right?

MYERS: 1942 this thing went missing. And the pilot is still missing. So to put this into perspective, they never did find the pilot. But take a look at this plane and what happened to this plane, or what didn't happen to this plane, in the desert for 70 years now. This is RAF. This is Royal Air Force. This is a P-40 left 70 years ago. Never came back. They do believe the pilot survived, but eventually just died in the desert. This is Sahara Desert. This is the reason that they put airplanes in the desert when they want to put them in storage. They don't need to put them in hangars. They can leave them outside. There was even ammunition still with this plane. They found the parachute open. They think he tried to -- the pilot tried to make some type of cover, some type of shade with the parachute. But the plane went down and the engine got knocked off. You can see the propeller.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

MYERS: Polish guys are out there looking for oil wells, making new oil field discoveries, and they said, what could that be? And they had no idea that this thing was 70 years ago that it went down. And they took pictures, brought it back, and RAF said, hey, that's one of ours.

MALVEAUX: Is that typical that you'd have that plane survive, all those parts intact? That they would not deteriorate or disintegrate in any way? MYERS: Yes, it really is because there's just -- there's nothing there to deteriorate it. Many of the gauges and the dials on the inside were still good. The glass was still there. Now, it could have been so many years that, you know, and you'll have the shifting sands of the Sahara. They could blow. The shifting sands could have covered that thing up and then eventually uncovered it again to be found.

MALVEAUX: Could that thing fly again if you put a new engine in it?

MYERS: No, I don't think so.

MALVEAUX: No?

MYERS: I mean the air frames (ph) are good for -- pretty much forever.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

MYERS: I mean, you know, they -- but it would take more work than it would probably be worth (ph).

MALVEAUX: And, Chad, you're a pilot. Could you fly that?

MYERS: I could have flown it when it was good 70 years ago. I think I could have at least got off the ground with it. I'm not sure I could have put it on the deck, like he did. That pilot landed with all those rocks there and actually survived that rocky crash, rocky landing.

MALVEAUX: Wow. Wow. Really cool pictures.

MYERS: Yes, good stuff.

MALVEAUX: All right, thanks, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

MALVEAUX: All things. You're a pilot. You know, you're everything. And a calendar.

MYERS: And I found some more toner for the Mayan printer.

MALVEAUX: OK. Got to have that toner handy. Thank you.

MYERS: You're welcome.

MALVEAUX: The world waits for FaceBook to offer its stock to the public this week, but it's not going to be easy for the average investor to get in. We're going to take a look at why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: You've been hearing the hype for weeks. Now, FaceBook expected to make its shares publicly available this Friday. But as Christine Romans explains, it's not going to be easy for the average investor to buy in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suits, meet the hoodie. FaceBook's Mark Zuckerberg gets rock star treatment on his company's road show, but should he get your money when his company goes public? FaceBook will price that IPO between $28 and $35 a share.

RYAN MACK, PRES., OPTIMUM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: Wait about a month after the shock has been released. The mutual funds and the institutional investors are going to be the major ones buying up the stock. So when the stock actually opens, I do believe it's going to come in probably between $90 and maybe even $100 a share when it actually gets released. So let the hype go out, let it go down, let the euphoria go down.

ROMANS: Because a lot of rich people get in before you ever will. Investment banks underwriting the IPO get the first crack at shares. They sell them to their best clients -- hedge funds, big money managers, and insiders. They get that IPO price. Then retail investors, the little guys, they get their shot. Dead last, E*Trade is an underwriter of the IPO and E*Trade will have some shares available. TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab too.

ROMANS (on camera): Limit order. Two words. If you're going to try to buy the IPO, limit order.

MACK: Yes. What's your price? What's your budget? And that's going to be very valuable, especially limit order to make sure since you limit the price in which you're willing to pay on a particular stock.

ROMANS (voice-over): The most famous investor will not buy the FaceBook IPO.

WARREN BUFFETT, CHAIRMAN, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY: I can't recall in my life buying a new offering. The idea that something coming out, we'll say on a Monday, that's being offered with significant commissions, all kinds of publicity and everything, the seller electing the time to sell is going to be the best single investment that I can make in the world among thousands of choices, it's mathematically impossible.

ROMANS: Before obsessing about an IPO, make sure you're maxing out your 401(k), you're balanced properly and have a right mix of investments. That's a surer bet.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)