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Terrorists Now Within 40 Miles Of Baghdad; President Obama Summons National Security Team; Team USA Wins Thriller In World Cup Opener

Aired June 17, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the NEWSROOM, double twisters rip through Nebraska, homes, cars, telephone poles obliterated, we're live from a town that was nearly wiped off the map.

Another day, another recall for General Motors, a new reason why millions of cars are being told that your car isn't safe to drive without a fix.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming for the World Cup title, I told you, man. We're number one, we're number one!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: America is cheering after a stunning World Cup win. Meeting the rookie behind that last minute goal that sends the U.S. to the next round.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Thank you so much for joining me. Carol is off today. We appreciate you joining us here in the CNN NEWSROOM. The morning crisis in Iraq deepens and the sense of urgency is growing. Witnesses are telling CNN that terrorist fighters are now within about 35 to 40 miles from Baghdad.

They stormed a police station in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad stealing all the weapons and engaging Iraqi troops in fire fights. In Baghdad, fears are building and security is intensified. The "New York Times" is reporting that the first flash points of major violence in Baghdad since terrorists invaded that country.

Four men shot to death. Their bodies left on the street and the threat of sectarian bloodshed in the capital appearing more imminent now. President Obama has notified Congress that up to 275 troops were sent to support the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Most are already on site beefing up security.

There's more American fire power on the way. The aircraft carrier, "George H.W. Bush" is in the Persian Gulf, along with another five warships and still developing whether the U.S. will work with Iran to stop the militants advance on Baghdad. We now know officials from rival nations talked briefly yesterday. Only CNN has the vast worldwide resources to bring you every angle of this rapidly changing story. Our correspondents, our analysts and our guests will dig down through the many layers of this complex story.

So let's begin now. Our coverage in Baghdad with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Anderson is on the ground. Anderson, Nouri Al-Maliki says he wants to gain back some lost ground from those opposition forces. But some believe that at this point, it is a lost cause, what is the view from the ground?

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": It's a big question whether or not they can gain back the lost areas. As you reported, the big news this morning, the fact that there is fighting some 35 to 40 miles now outside the city of Baghdad. You know, on your broadcast last night at 10:00, we were talking about 50, to 55 miles. Now we're talking about 40 miles at the most, the western edges of the city of Baquba.

As you said, they took over police station, stole the weapons, fatalities there and withdrew to the western part. Fighting still going on. That would be yet another defeat for Iraqi security forces on top of yesterday's defeat in the northwest in the city of Tal Afar. ISIS' forces taking over the city of some 200,000 people in the northwest. So again real questions remaining about the capabilities of the Iraqi military to stop the advance of ISIS forces and their supporters -- Don.

LEMON: And Anderson, we have been talking about the Iraqi forces outnumbering the opposition 100 to 1 yet still they have issues fighting them off. We talked about a morale problem. What exactly is it? Why are they having issues when they outnumber them 100 to 1?

COOPER: A lot say morale is certainly an issue. They feel perhaps not as much support from the central government. The central government is divided. It seems weak. That translates down into the Iraqi forces. They have not had the battlefield experience the ISIS forces have had. Many of them have been fighting on the ground in Syria and now they have come here to fight.

We haven't seen obviously the same from the Iraqi security forces. So there's a lot of different factors involved. There are more specialized forces which are now ringing Baghdad, the hope is at least is that if ISIS forces continue to approach Baghdad, those forces would come into play and they would be able to resist any kind of an advance, but again that remains to be seen.

LEMON: So Anderson, what are they saying? What are Iraqis saying about American involvement? Are they wondering where are the Americans now? Do they feel like America is helping them out right now?

COOPER: Certainly, Maliki's government says they want help from the United States. They really want more. They want to see clearly some military involvement from the U.S. in terms of drone strikes or air strikes. Something to help them -- something that will help them on the battlefield fighting in these cities and towns and in the places in between, as these forces advance. You know, this force, ISIS, though it fights like a terrorist force, it also is fighting like a conventional army. It's got vehicles and equipment now. So they are a target that can be hit from the air. The question is will the U.S. -- will other western powers get involved.

LEMON: Anderson Cooper in Baghdad. Anderson, thank you. We'll see you throughout the day and evening here on CNN. Make sure you stay safe there.

This morning, let's talk about options now because the White House faces tough decisions and not a lot of time. President Barack Obama has met with his national security team to discuss all the options both military and political on the diplomatic front. Maybe none is more thorny than the possibility of cooperating with Iran to stop the militants advance.

Reza Sayah is Tehran for us. So Reza, is Iran as squeamish about a cooperation as Washington is at this point?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They have some concerns, Don, but the door is open according to Iranian officials. Based on what we've heard from them here in Tehran, and based on what we know has taken place on the sidelines at the Vienna nuclear discussions between Iranian officials and American officials, we're getting a much better idea what a potential alliance would look like.

Both sides have pretty much discounted military cooperation on the ground. In other words, it's very unlikely that we'll see a scenario where you have Iranian fighting forces on the ground in Iraq and up above, you have U.S. drones and U.S. fighter jets, that's not going to happen.

And that's no surprise for several reasons. First off, it doesn't look like either side has decided what kind of military action, if any, they are going to deploy in Iraq, and then if they are considering working together, it's going to be complicated. Remember, these are two countries that have been bitter rivals for much of 35 years.

There's no diplomatic relations. There's a lot of mistrust. You have to consider Iran's military doctrine. It's been a defensive one in modern history. They have never deployed uniformed forces in a sovereign country and the president, Hassan Rouhani has dismissed the idea at this point of deploying troops.

So the most likely scenario, if anything happens, is Iran providing intelligence to the U.S. government much like it did back in 2001 when it helped the U.S. beat the Taliban in Afghanistan, Don. But still not clear what kind of alliance, if any is going to happen, if these two countries get together.

LEMON: Reza Sayah in Tehran. Reza, thank you very much. And as violence intensifies, some Iraqi store owners are seeing a boost in business after Iraq's most senior Shiite cleric called on them to strike back against radical militants. Market owners say thousands of uniforms and combat boots have been sold.

The possibility of ISIS terrorists taking over Iraq could have dire consequences in addition to brutal and ruthless tactics. The group has unlimited access to cash and gold, which makes them a powerful force capable of almost anything. That's why House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says acting now is critical.

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REPRESENTATIVE MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN: Imagine a safe haven the size of Indiana. That's what they have right now. Meaning they can train and recruit and finance, some estimates as much as a billion dollars in cash and gold. That means they are well financed to do any operation in the world that they want to do. That is what is so concerning. We have to find a way to disrupt that activity very quickly and this isn't a month long project or two months or six months. We need to start that now and you can also have political reconciliation.

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LEMON: But disrupting activity quickly is going to be quite a challenge. Joining me is Marine Corps Retired Maj. General Tom Wilkinson. General, good morning to you. Do you agree with Congressman Rogers?

MAJOR GENERAL TOM WILKERSON, U.S. MARINE CORPS (RETIRED): You've heard a lot of experts talking about things and one of the most famous broadcast journalists once heard top say in time like these, we need to remember there have already been times like these. That was Paul Harvey. My point is what is the difference between the end of the Korean War and the Vietnam?

Very simply American forces stayed. What's the difference? American forces have left. We have ceded the initiative to those who remain on the ground. The problem now then is there are no good military options because they are all temporary. What that means is whatever we do, when they are through and the smoke clears, the three forces that are currently engaged will still be there, Shia, Sunni, and Kurd.

LEMON: Listen, you are saying that -- do you believe there aren't any real clear, good options here?

WILKERSON: That's right.

LEMON: That what you are saying?

WILKERSON: That's exactly what I'm saying.

LEMON: Not even boots on the ground?

WILKERSON: Well, because boots on the ground have been eliminated by the president. He's indicated we will not have a long-term presence on the ground in sizable forces such as those we have remaining in Korea since the early 1950s. So where we are today when the smoke clears from the temporary options, whether they are air strikes or support, the three fires are still going to be on the ground, and that's Shia, Sunni and Kurd.

There's one or thing to keep in mind. There's an overriding objective the president has to concern. That is Americans killed in the action or Americans captured in those actions by forces that are very clearly violent, that is something that's constantly got to be on his mind as it was on other previous presidents like Jimmy Carter when the embassy was captured. You can't afford that.

LEMON: OK, I don't want to put words in your mouth.

WILKERSON: You are not, Don.

LEMON: What I'm gathering militarily there aren't any options. The only options that anybody really has, including United States, is -- lies with the government of Iraq and the leader, and that leader appears the one in charge now does not want to cooperate with the other side and so that's the hold up.

WILKERSON: Well, the unfortunate thing Prime Minister Maliki and his administration have a track record of not cooperating with the Sunnis, of not necessarily acknowledging the Kurds and now he finds himself in desperate straits. It's probably a stretch to say he's the leader of Iraq. He is not clearly.

LEMON: I don't know if I should continue on talking about the options that U.S. have because obviously we can put boots on the ground. Obviously we can do air strikes. There are a number of things we can do, but it would all for naught unless there's a change at the top, starting with Nouri Al-Maliki. Is that what you're saying?

WILKERSON: And a change on the other sides and the willingness to reconcile and if you put boots on the ground, how long do you leave them? In other words, look at Korea. We thought the war in the 50s. Our presence there is still a powerful military force in cooperation with the allies, the South Koreans. Do we intend to be in Iraq for the next 50 years?

LEMON: So in a sense we're fighting a losing battle militarily and putting people in harm's way militarily because, again, it really lies with Nouri Al-Maliki or whoever takes over. And that could happen soon whoever takes over after Maliki.

WILKERSON: We're making Vice President Biden a profit. When he was a senator, he postulated the ultimate posture of Iraq it would be three different states. There are no good military options if you are not committed to stay for the long term. What the smoke clears is what you are going to see is the same three committed entities, the Kurds, the Sunnis, the Shias, still there, intermingled in the population and still engage.

LEMON: Do you think Kurds, Sunni and Shia, and the violent people, do you think they can work together to have a unified country?

WILKERSON: If you are from Las Vegas, you might not want to bet on it.

LEMON: Thank you. Appreciate you, General Tom Wilkerson.

WILKERSON: Glad to be with you today.

LEMON: Still to come here on CNN. World Cup fever, gripping cities all across the United States. Look at those fans out there. I think that's in Chicago in Grant Park. Fans were rewarded with a thrilling finish to game one. CNN's Lara Baldessara is in Natal, Brazil. You are very lucky, my friend.

LARA BALDESARRA, CNN SPORTS: It was thoroughly exciting. We're going to have a full recap of this entire match and what it means to the USA now.

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LEMON: I love that animation. Team USA, winning a World Cup match in dramatic fashion, turning casual fans into rabid ones and committed fans even crazier.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming for the World Cup title, I told you, man. USA, we're number one, we're number one!

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LEMON: My gosh, fans at Lucky's Pub in Houston toast the winners with drinks literally on the house.

That was a much larger viewing party in the thousands watching on a big screen at Chicago's Grant Park with the same wild reaction. Wow! A lot of folks. I'm sure the reaction was just as strong where Lara, where she was covering the match in Brazil. I know it is just the opening game for the U.S., but I mean we can celebrate, right?

BALDESARRA: Yes, Don, we can definitely celebrate. This was a match that really the USA wasn't supposed to win. They weren't the favorites. They weren't expected to win this. They have that past little hoax with Ghana. No one really saw this being the USA's year for them to be something special, especially coming out of this group which is so strong being the group of death, with the strongest teams playing in it.

Everybody said, well, is this the year that Jurgen Klinsmann is assembling a team that's going to be for the 2018 World Cup. No. He's been putting together the interesting team. The excitement we saw last night got started right away. The USA couldn't have asked for a better start.

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BALDESARRA (voice-over): Just 29 seconds in and Clint Dempsey opened with a big goal. A shocking beginning. It was the fifth fastest goal in World Cup history. The Team USA crowd in the stadium and back home, they simply erupted. It was that kind of support inside the stadium that really lifted this team right from the national anthem. KYLE BECKERMAN, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM: Just hearing how loud they were and chanting the whole game. It was pushing us on.

BALDESARRA: It didn't go completely the Americans way. Ghana was not pushover, with the game tied 1-1 it was the 21-year-old, John Brooks, that found the winning goal. Before the game, he talked about what it's like being on the American national team.

MICHAEL BRADLEY, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM: It was a big dream to come to this team. It's an honor to wear this jersey.

BALDESARRA: It was a win for the USA that was remarkably hard fought.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The determination to fight, the mentality, those things carried us through.

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BALDESARRA: It was really like the Americans were playing in a home game last night. There were so many American fans, they are so loud and proud, and they really helped to carry this team, Don. It was really fun to be there.

LEMON: I know there's a delay between us. Did you get any sleep? Did you play any beer pong? What did you do for fun?

BALDESARRA: I wish. My fun was watching the game and talking to you right now.

LEMON: Well, when this is all over and the USA wins and you and I will party together. Thank you, we'll see you soon. Have fun out there. Twitter exploded with salutes to USA. But this tweet was not thought out very well, the Statue of Liberty works for the U.S. There are no giraffes in Ghana. Alison Kosik is here with the fallout. Alison, what is the fallout?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Twitter exploded in a funny way. This is a big oops for Delta. You think about anybody following the World Cup right now, they are taking the games very seriously. You saw how excited everybody was at that one place. So you couple this pride with a tweet massive racism from a big airline from Delta. You got people steaming mad. Delta reduced Africa to simply animals and an animal no less that doesn't live there. Giraffes don't live in Ghana.

They call Africa home, but once again they don't live in Ghana. They probably should have chosen the flag, maybe choose an elephant or antelopes. Damage control kicked in. Delta went ahead and tweeted an apology. We sorry for choice of photo and our precious tweet and oops, corrected that word precious, to the previous.

LEMON: Boy, a flag probably would have been a good idea. Twitter explodes for everything. They shouldn't have been so touchy.

KOSIK: Well, it depends. I don't think it was kind of not pc, don't you think? LEMON: No, it was terrible that they did.

KOSIK: At least have an animal that lived there.

LEMON: The rush to fix it, they screwed up, they should have just waited a bit. People on Twitter respond to a lot of things.

KOSIK: Let me show you one tweet. I don't know if you guys have a picture of it. One twitter, I love this, tweeted this image of sort of the inside of an airplane and you can see the giraffe looking inside the airplane. Isn't that funny? People are having a field day on Twitter about it.

LEMON: Another airline making an apology to golfer, Rory McIlroy, Alison, we've been all been there. What's happening?

KOSIK: Well, we've all been there, but something tells me that if my airline lost my luggage and I tweeted it, something tells me they wouldn't come to my rescue. Rory flew. He had just taken part in the U.S. Open. He tweeted out to United. Sort of need them this week, can someone help? There you go, good news said United they found the clubs. They are going to deliver them to the tournament. He was able to use Twitter as his tool to help get his lost clubs. I don't see that happening for the average old person like me.

LEMON: Come on, they will hold the plane for you. Thank you, Alison. See you soon.

Still to come, Hillary Clinton's exclusive town hall kicks off tonight right here on CNN. You can do more than just watch the live event. Brianna Keilar live at the Newseum where it all goes down. What's up, BK?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's why this event is going to be so interesting, Hillary Clinton answering questions at the only network televised town hall. No topic is off limits. I'll tell you how to participate after the break.

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LEMON: I've got a question for you. If you can ask Hillary Clinton one question, just one question, what would it be, seriously? Now CNN is giving you the chance to do that. In just a few hours, she will be taking her questions live in an exclusive town hall. Good morning, BK. What's going on?

KEILAR: Good morning to you, Don. Well, we are awaiting this event that is going to be pretty interesting.