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Russia Submits Syria Weapons Plan; Feinstein Believes Russia's Intent On Syria; Obama: I'll Let Diplomacy Play Out; Car Bomb Explodes In Benghazi; "Parts Unknown" Back For Season Two; "$500 Handshakes"; Can The NSA Steal Your Thumbprint?; Robots May Save Lives On The Battlefield

Aired September 11, 2013 - 14:30   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Bottom of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

After more than two years of Russia obstructing international intervention in Syria, we now have had two days of whirlwind progress. Russian news services reporting Syria will hand over control of its chemical weapon arsenal, reveal their locations, halt production, show international teams those facilities and sign the chemical weapons convention. And today, a Russian news agency also says a plan is now on paper and Russia has submitted it to the United States. It's happening quickly here. It's enough for Russia to earn an official nod from the U.S. Senate floor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I believe that Russia's goal is in fact to eliminate these weapons and I would point out that that is also our goal. So I very much hope that the path to settlement, although complicated no doubt, but if well intentioned by all participants, it can be accomplished.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: With me now live from New York, Ed Husain. He is the senior fellow from Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Ed, welcome back.

ED HUSAIN, SENIOR FELLOW, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: You lived in Syria during the Iraq war. You saw firsthand the consequences of American mistakes in the Middle East. What do you make of this possibility for diplomacy here?

HUSAIN: I think this -- this trick is something that is very important for people in the Middle East to see. During the Bush era, for all its rights and all of its wrongs, I'm not taking a political pop here, I think it's worth mentioning that people in the Middle East often thought that there was a trigger happy attitude here in the United States, that people opted for military options much sooner than diplomatic options.

And there was a feeling that this was a cowboy nation in parts of the Middle East, but whatever mistakes we may want to mention in terms of the Obama administration, what we have seen is close deliberation. We've seen thought. We've seen caveat. We've seen thinking. We have seen intelligence. We've seen diplomacy. We've seen greater cooperation with international allies, with all of its faults.

I'm not saying that's been perfect, but I think it corrects the impression of people in the Middle East that America was in the path at least to being too happy to pull the trigger, to now working through diplomacy and allies in the region and outside of it, indeed, Russia, and once the history of what's going on is written, assuming the Russian plan delivers and assuming we see a de-escalation in violence.

BALDWIN: Which could be big assumptions, we don't know.

HUSAIN: Yes, but all of that said, I think America thus far is not seen as the kind of bully boy that it was seen to be in the past. So at this juncture, I recognize that many in the region aren't happy with America not toppling Assad, but Obama is right. It's not America's war, and Obama is right. You break it, you own it. Why should the American taxpayer own Syria?

BALDWIN: So I hear you. Also talking to our very smart folks on Capitol Hill, the reality check is that the president just simply didn't have the votes in Congress. You have a public that doesn't want to go to war, when you look at the polling. How much, Ed, do you think going forward is this about President Obama's ability to negotiate with Vladimir Putin versus Putin simply wanting to reassert himself on the world stage?

HUSAIN: I think it's a combination of both of those factors. And to be fair to Putin, this is a way in which he wants to reassert himself on the world stage, one in which he's partnered with the United States and is in dialogue with the United States, that's no bad fear. My fear isn't the dynamic between Putin and President Obama.

My fear is Bashar Al Assad, the war lord in Syria plays both off one another and ends up buying more time for himself, killing more people on the ground, securing his dictatorship in the country and therefore having greater influence in the region. That how I think is where the real battleground lies as to the way in which Assad maneuvers between these two important polls.

BALDWIN: That's an important point that I haven't heard brought up. That Assad could play Putin. So if that happens, I guess the bigger question is how long does the world wait for the diplomacy to work?

HUSAIN: For as long as possible. We should give diplomacy every chance. There's no guarantee that military action whether it's the form -- in the limited form that's been advocated by the current White House throughout the Pentagon, or whether it's the more involved form advocated by our allies in Turkey and in Saudi Arabia, there's no guarantee that any of this will result in the suspension of the war inside Syria.

And ultimately, that's what we should all want, the fighting to stop. That could only happen when the Syrian opposition decides to sit with the Syrian war lord, Bashar Al Assad, and that can only occur when there's grating pressure from the U.S., from Saudi Arabia, from Turkey on the rebels and from Russia is its supporters, Iran, on the Syrian regime.

Ultimately, that's the real solution on the ground. That can't happen unless there are peace-keeping forces under the U.N. auspices that keeps fighting factions apart, prevents genocide on the ground against the (inaudible) and other minorities including the Christians. We're not there yet. That will power develops in the international community we'll continue to see sadly greater bloodshed in Syria.

BALDWIN: Ed Husain from the Council of Foreign Relations. Ed, always great to have you on, thank you very much.

And today, not only marks the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. It also marks one year since that attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed that day and this morning in Benghazi, a car bomb rocked that city.

The blast damaged the foreign ministry building at 7:00 this morning, an hour before the street would have been full of people. No one was killed, but a security guard was injured. And U.S. officials tell CNN that in recent days, some 250 U.S. Marines were moved closer to Libya to help beef up security before today's anniversary.

And stay with CNN tonight, we have an exciting line up for you. Here's what's coming up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: At 7:00, Erin Burnett, "OUTFRONT", 9/11 remembered as House Homeland Security Chair Michael McCall sizes up U.S. national security in 2013. At 8:00 on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," the president makes his case on Syria. Now, what's the White House's next move?

Then at 9:00, on "PIERS MORGAN LIVE," a live primetime exclusive interview with Diana Nyad as she answers her critics on her record- breaking Cuba to Florida swim. It's all on CNN tonight, starting with Erin Burnett "OUTFRONT" at 7:00, "ANDERSON COOPER 360" at 8:00, and "PIERS MORGAN LIVE" at 9:00 tonight on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Back here at home, a major football program accused of a scandal. It's pretty shocking. I'm talking sex, cash, $500 handshakes. That's not all these players are getting accused of here. That investigation is coming up.

Plus, a war of words over the troubled city of Detroit, the mayor of Boston is apologizing now for saying it should be blown up. I talk to Anthony Bourdain about that. He spent time in Detroit for his show. His answer, very Anthony Bourdain response, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: Sunday cannot get here fast enough. That's when season two of Anthony Bourdain "PARTS UNKNOWN" is back on CNN, and this popular original series, by the way, if we can just, you know, say this, they have been nominated for four primetime Emmys since it last aired so congrats to them. This season, full of surprises and shockers and firsts. Premiere episode kicks off with Bourdain's tour of Jerusalem. He told me he had never ever been.

So he also took a trip to Detroit. It made the news recently because the mayor of Boston has since apologized for saying the city of Detroit should be blown up. So I asked Anthony Bourdain about those comments and here is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, HOST, CNN'S "PARTS UNKNOWN": Wow. That's first of all a shameful, shameful thing to say about a city that where just about everything great in America comes from, rock 'n' roll, the credit card, the automobile. Look, it's a city with enormous and possibly intractable problems. But it's a city with a lot of heart, a great sense of humor.

And people who in spite of all evidence and sometimes good sense, insist on sticking it out, fighting it through, improvising, and adapting. It's an incredible, incredible looking city, both as far as what it used to look like and what it looks like now. There are -- it's overgrown. It's largely abandoned. It's hauntingly tragic and beautiful.

BALDWIN: So from one part of the world to somewhere I understand you have never been and just with Syria in the news cycle and you think of the neighbor, Israel. You and your crew had never been to Jerusalem. You're filming in the West Bank and Gaza. What was that like and are people there really just used to violence?

BOURDAIN: You know, it was a very, very confusing place. You know, Israel is a place where it's difficult to shoot even the names of ordinary things are subject to argument. Is it a wall, is it a fence? Who makes the best falafel? Where does hummus come from? I'm glad for the opportunity to show people what I saw and I think it's going to be very surprising, very shocking, and very provocative.

BALDWIN: Of all the different cities, Anthony Bourdain, that you and your crews visited across the world, which surprised you the most?

BOURDAIN: Wow. Most surprising? I guess --

BALDWIN: This season, this coming season?

BOURDAIN: Tokyo, for sure. You know, it's funny. It was the first -- Tokyo was the first place to surprise me. I've often described visiting Tokyo for the first time like taking LSD.

BALDWIN: Why is that?

BOURDAIN: It's a hallucinatory deeply traumatizing experience, quite pleasurable in my case. But one where you emerge from it different than the way you went in. It tends to alter one's perspective. Though I have been to Tokyo many times, done a number of shows in Japan, I don't think anyone has ever showed you Tokyo the way we're going to show it to you. I'm going to guess it will require a parental advisory.

BALDWIN: I will take your word for it. Anthony Bourdain, thank you so much. I can't wait.

BOURDAIN: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: I'm truly a fan. My DVR is already set. I hope yours is as well. Anthony Bourdain's all new season starts Sunday night. This week, he explores Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank. "ANTHONY BOURDAIN, PARTS UNKNOWN," Sunday night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

Coming up, damning allegations involving Oklahoma State's football program, sex, drugs, socks full of cash? The reports do not stop there. That story right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The $500 handshakes, this is how one former Oklahoma State University football player is describing receiving cash payments from coaches and boosters during his time at the school. "Sports Illustrated" is out with this incredible special report on the OSU football program, and with it, a long, long list of alleged violations that could -- I don't think it's too much to say here, could destroy that program. We're talking about everything from money to passing grades to sex.

SI senior writer George Dohrmann and Fair Evans interviewed a number of former players who described receiving favors. Among those favors, these claims, a bonus system set up by an assistant coach that paid players for good performances on the field. Also, tutors and OSU personnel completed course work for players and professors gave passing grades with little or no work to be done.

Recreational drug use was tolerated, and recruits were offered sex by members of a student hostess program. Let's talk about this. SI's George Dorman joins me now, and George, I mean, talk about damning allegations. There's just so much in this piece and I know that you're reporting that the boosters, they were giving these players cash. Even paying them for jobs they never performed. Just start with the gifts, George, wads of cash in socks. How much, how often?

GEORGE DOHRMANN, SENIOR WRITER, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Yes, the boosters and coaches were, you know, giving them money, basically. The coaches were giving them money as part of a pay-out system, a bonus system, $500 for a sack or $50 for a tackle. They would a lot of times it was delivered in an envelope after the game. They would give them an envelope that was supposed to be with $15, their purdiem, and it had hundreds it in instead. BALDWIN: I know people are wondering what the school is saying. We have the school's A.D., Athletic Director Mike Holder speaking about the allegations. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HOLDER, OKLAHOMA STATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Unfortunately, we've got something out there on the horizon that we're going to have to deal with. We're all committed to playing by the rules, doing things the right way here, and for people to say that that's not what's happening is very disturbing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So according to your piece, this spanned 2000 to 2001. Before 2000, Oklahoma State's football program was down. Since then, they have been big, big winners. How do you qualify this? Is this a case of allegedly winning, really at all costs?

DOHRMANN: Yes, I mean, think there's a clear ark you can see, which is that they were not a good program. They bring in a new coach, Les Miles. They sort of throw the rulebook away. In every way, and then they start to win. Winning seasons, winning seasons, culminating in 2012 when they ended up the number three team in the country.

BALDWIN: I wanted to note here, we saw this mention from oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens who said he has given a ton of money, like more than $500 million to this school. Football stadium even bears his name. Let me be clear, he hasn't been implicated in this whole thing, but he called SI. He called your reporting, his word, disappointing. Saying the allegations go back to a decade ago, SI failed to ask what is happening at Oklahoma State today. Let me ask you that, George. What about -- did what you did, you know, find improprieties in the last couple years?

DOHRMANN: I think Boone Pickens is putting a spin on that that is sort of comforting to him. We have allegations that were 2010, 2011. So to say this was a decade ago is, I think, him trying to find a way to sort of ignore that, you know, he gave them money, and the program started winning. And in some ways, he is tainted by this.

BALDWIN: George, let me tell everyone, this report, this first story, this is part of a five-part series that you guys are calling the dirty game, going to read it in "Sports Illustrated" and si.com. George, thank you. You mentioned Les Miles. He responded. Let me say what Les Miles said.

Quote, "I revered my time in still water. The idea that someone would characterize the program that was run there as anything but right and correct, did we work hard? You bet you. Did we make tough decisions about starting line ups? You bet you, but every guy was encouraged to get his degree, stay the course, and fight. I can tell you that people who were commenting on the state of the program weren't there long enough to figure it out," from Coach Les Miles.

Just ahead, Apple's new iPhone lets you use your fingerprint as a security code. It's supposed to make the phone more secure. So what could possibly go wrong? The privacy concerns. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If you're like plea, you have enough security passwords to fill a small diary, so replacing passwords with a thumbprint sounds like a dream come true, but is it really more secure and who can get access to the print? Can the government? Big questions we're asking here.

First of all, finance correspondent, Zain Asher, is here to help us answer some of these. First things first, how does this even work with the phone?

ZAIN ASHER, CNN FINANCE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brooke. Well, basically there's a button on the iPhone 5S that doubled as a fingerprint scanner. Here's what's interesting, there are actually different levels of fingerprint security depending on how many different points on your thumb are actually going to be read.

For example, some types of technology might use 16 different points on your thumb to verify it's you. The iPhone 5S however is probably going to use less because it may have to account for variables like if you burn yourself, for example. Obviously Apple, they don't want people to constantly complain they can't get into their phone.

Now the problem is the fewer amount of points, the more likely it is for someone else around the world to have a fingerprint to access your phone. There's no chance you'll ever meet them or they'll ever get into your phone.

BALDWIN: Like the NSA, for example, Zain?

ASHER: Well, yes, there are some concerns about how vulnerable these phones are going to be to hacking. Here's what you have to understand. First, the thumbprint is going to be encrypted. Second of all, they're going to be stored locally on the actual phone on a chip. It's not going to be stored in some server or on the Cloud. You probably won't have to worry about that.

BALDWIN: Zain Asher, thank you. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: How about this? A robot saving lives on the battlefield, I know it sounds futuristic, but it could happen as we learn more in today's "Technovations."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN (voice-over): It might look a little bit like Johnny 5 from the 1986 film "Short Circuit." But this rumbling robot doesn't need Hollywood magic to drop your jaw or in this case, shake your hand. This is Robo Sally, a bot with bionic powers born at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Lab.

For operators where a motion capture system from the waist up allowing the robot to mimic their every movement, add a visor and they see what the robot is seeing. Their hands and fingers have the dexterity to lift cases, give a thumbs up, even diffuse mock bombs and they could take humans out of harm's way.

MICHAEL MCLOUGHLIN, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: If you had a vehicle checkpoint, we could stop the vehicle, the robot could take the driver's license from the driver, go to the back of the vehicle, open the doors. It can take things out. If it finds something that's a concern, it could investigate it.

BALDWIN: With funding from the Department of Defense and interest from the U.S. Navy, we could start seeing Robo Sally earn its stripes in the most valuable way possible.

MCLOUGHLIN: The first time that Robo Sally goes out into the battlefield and is completely obliterated by an explosive device, that's the time we've saved a life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)