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Kerry Makes Unannounced Visit To Afghanistan; General Killed In Afghanistan Returns Home; Palestinian Officials: "Progress Made" In Talks; CDC Issues Highest Alert For Ebola

Aired August 07, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. We do begin with breaking news this morning. Secretary of State John Kerry has just arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced trip. He's there to help settle a bitter election dispute between the two presidential candidates.

For more on this, let's go to Athena Jones. She is at the White House and also joining us, Elise Labott, our global affairs correspondent. Elise, I would like to start with you. Will John Kerry also talk to the troops, do you think?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I think if he does, it might be a short mention, Carol. It's really a very short visit, just a few hours. He's really there to meet with these fueling presidential candidates. He traveled to Afghanistan last month to broker this election dispute. Both sides claiming fraud.

He got both of those candidates to agree to a ballot recount and audit, but they're still feuding and you have the NATO summit coming up September 4th. They really want what the president has called the chief executive officer or president inaugurated before then so they can talk about the troop drawdown.

But clearly, Carol, after what happened on Tuesday at the training facility, the killing of General Harold Greene, wounding of other soldiers, underscores how fragile the situation in Afghanistan is as the U.S. forces begin to withdraw -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Let's head out to the White House and check in with Athena Jones. I guess, these are strong arm tactics by John Kerry in a sense. Will they work?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's certainly the big question as Elise points out the point of making sure they figure out who the next president is going to be so that president can sign the so-called BSA, the Bilateral Security Agreement that would allow the U.S. to keep a residual force in Afghanistan after pulling out almost combat troops by the end of this year.

The plan is to keep a force of about 10,000 troops there acting in an advisory role, helping with training, helping a little bit with counter insurgency, to try to help the Afghan security forces to continue to stand up on their own. Of course, the current president, President Karzai, has said he won't sign any such agreement so it's going to be up to the next president.

It's interesting that all of this is happening in the context of the return here to Dover, Delaware, of that Major General Harold Greene, who was killed on Tuesday. It's interesting because General Greene was acting in this sort of training role.

He was an expert in infrastructure and improvement and logistics and he was the deputy commander of a group that is responsible for helping transfer security control to the Afghans. It's a group called the combined security transition command.

And so that general was helping to relieve these training efforts. It does point out the challenges ahead, not just right now in Afghanistan, but also after the end of this year as the residual forces remain, if they are able to do so if this agreement is reached.

There's still going to be some challenges potentially leaving them exposed to more attacks like this -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Athena Jones and Elise Labott, thanks to both of you. As Athena just mentioned, just a short time ago, heart-wrenching moments as the body of Major General Harold Greene was killed in Afghanistan arrived at Dover Air Force base.

The military refers to this as a dignified transfer. Greene's family was there. A short prayer was said over his casket after the transport plane landed. Let's watch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready. Ready. Set. Order. Ready. Ready. Step. Face. Present. Present.

COSTELLO: Army Major General Harold Greene, killed in Afghanistan, 34 years of age to the military.

All right, let's turn to our other top story this morning, Israeli and Palestinian officials are in their third hour of negotiations and the clock is ticking down to either extend the current truce or put a more lasting deal into place.

There is a glimmer of hope at the negotiation table this morning. Israel says it is ready to extend the current deal unconditionally. While Palestinian officials say there has been some progress in the talks.

Reza Sayah joins us live from Cairo, Egypt, to tell us more. Hi, Reza.

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. Not much time for these two sides to make things happen. About 15 hours before we reach the end of the cease-fire scheduled to end 8:00 a.m. local time on Friday. These talks resumed today roughly four hours ago.

According to officials the Palestinian delegation has been in closed- door meetings throughout much of that time. It's been tough to monitor and gauge these talks because they've been held in secret. But based on the information we have, here's what we know. According to a Palestinian delegate, the Palestinian negotiating team is waiting to hear back from the Israelis through the Egyptians. That seems to suggest that the Palestinians have put forth a proposal and they're waiting to hear back from the Israeli team.

One Palestinian delegate telling CNN that he's optimistic that there is going to be a breakthrough that they are making progress, but the sticking point remains, apparently, the extension potentially of the cease-fire that's supposed to end tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.

There's all sorts of indications that that's what Israel wants to extend that cease-fire, but Palestinian delegates, notably Hamas, that has so much at stake with these talks, they don't seem to be on board. Their position is they don't want to kick the can down the road.

If they stop fighting, they came here to Cairo to address some of their core demands which include lifting of the economic black cade on Gaza, the opening of some of the border crossings and releasing of some of the prisoners. That seems to be the sticking point.

The question, Carol, will they extend the cease-fire, will these two sides make some concessions. One Palestinian official telling CNN that depending on how the Israelis respond, we could have an announcement by 10:00 p.m. tonight, that's roughly five hours -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I hope so. Reza Sayah reporting live from Cairo, Egypt, this morning.

Still to come in the newsroom, the CDC goes on its highest state of alert for the Ebola virus. Sanjay Gupta is here with more.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's called a Level 1 alert, the last time it happened was for H1N1 back in 2009 and Hurricane Katrina before that. We'll explain what it means for you right after the break.

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COSTELLO: More than 900 deaths now and counting. The deadly Ebola outbreak is only getting worse. The CDC has now issued its highest alert for the global crisis, a Level 1. Let's go straight to our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, what does that mean, a Level 1?

GUPTA: Well, in a couple ways it's a signal, I think, to public health departments all over the place in the United States and around world that the CDC is devoting a significant amount of resources and energy to this. They obviously monitor lots of infectious diseases at any given time.

But they're really going to be focusing on Ebola and also brings a lot more staff in and higher-level staff. We know, for example, 50 people are being deployed to West Africa from the CDC to try and help stem the epidemic.

This is what the CDC does. I want you to take a look at how some of that happens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice-over): This is the CDC's Emergency Operation Center. Think of it as the nerve center of its response to the Ebola outbreak. Just a few minutes after I walked in, phones and Blackberries started buzzing everywhere.

(on camera): While we were here the activation level went up to level 1. Just in the last couple minutes. What does that mean?

STEPHAN MONROE, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: What that means is just more people and more resources dedicated to the response.

GUPTA (voice-over): In that room, you could feel a quiet determination and a sense of urgency.

(on camera): What you're looking at is what the CDC looks at, a map of the world, trying to figure out what infectious diseases are happening and where they're happening. As you might imagine a lot of focus on Ebola right now, tracking that as well real-time, they've been doing it since March. Take a look in here.

This really jumped out at me. Mid-May they thought things were basically under control. But then look what happens at the beginning of June. Everything takes off. This is on its way becoming the worst Ebola outbreak in history.

(voice-over): Dr. Stephan Monroe is helping lead the CDC's Ebola response. Not an easy task at all.

(on camera): Was there mistakes made and a reason why this outbreak is worse than any other outbreak in history?

MONROE: The initial event, the lightning strike, was right in this corner between three countries in a very remote part of each of those countries and so it quickly spread across the borders.

GUPTA (voice-over): Here in the United States, different questions. For example, if Ebola is not airborne, then why were there such extraordinary precautions taken for Dr. Kent Brantly and Miss Writebol. It turns out it was more an abundance of rather than a necessity.

MONROE: We're pretty confident any large hospital could handle an Ebola case if one were to show up at their doorstep using traditional isolation rooms with negative pressure room and with traditional droplet and respiratory precautions.

GUPTA: And while I suited up in multiple layers when I was in Guinea just earlier this year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Worn by health care workers when they come into contact with patients. GUPTA: The CDC says a mask, goggles, face shield, a protective gown and gloves can provide all the protection you need for most situations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: One thing I want to point out, tomorrow the World Health Organization, may weigh in on whether they're going to call this a public health emergency of international concern. That's something that could affect airlines, borders, things like that, in terms of trying to control the epidemic as well -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Sanjay, the director of the CDC is set to go before members of Congress today, talk about tackling this threat. Tell us more about that.

GUPTA: You will have Dr. Tom Friedman from the CDC and also representatives from some of the charitable organizations that have been on the ground, Samaritans Purse, for example, and people who have been helping oversee the effort about Ebola in West Africa itself.

So I don't know -- I think it's going to be a wide range of issues will be my guess. The United States' role here, probably the two American missionary workers, may get asked about this experimental treatment that was used.

And the ethics of that and may it be more widely available sometime soon, how long would that take, after it's been tested more thoroughly. I think it's going to be a wide range of issues -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, as a fragile cease-fire holds in Gaza, one American rabbi says the actions of Israel have broken his heart. We'll tell you why after a break.

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COSTELLO: In the wake of criticism of Israel's actions at Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, is speaking out saying Israel regrets the deaths of civilians, but the fault rests solely with Hamas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The tragedy of Gaza is that it is ruled by Hamas, a tyrannical and fanatical terror group that relishes civilian casualties. They want civilian casualties.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Rabbi Michael Lerner is editor of "Tikkun" magazine and the chair of the Interface Network of Spirit. Welcome.

RABBI MICHAEL LERNER, EDITOR, "TIKKUN" MAGAZINE: Hi. COSTELLO: I should also mention your book, it's called "Embracing Israel/Palestine, A Strategy To Heal and Transform The Middle East." So again, good morning, Rabbi and thank you for being here.

LERNER: Thank you for having me.

COSTELLO: In a piece for salon.com, you talk about you are mourning Judaism writing in part, quote, "Increasing numbers of Jews have abandoned the religion of compassion and identification with the most oppressed and instead come to worship power and to rejoice in Israel's ability to become the most militarily powerful state in the Middle East." Explain what you mean?

LERNER: Well, Judaism came into the world as a critique of the empire and the view of the world that says that security can be achieved through domination and power over others.

And it came with a different vision and said no, security can be achieved through love and care. And says when you go into your land remember to love the stranger, not just live peacefully, love the stranger, treat the other with real caring and respect.

Unfortunately, Israel's occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza has been the opposite, it has been a policy of oppression and domination without any serious attempt to negotiate a final peace agreement and when --

And for years, Israel has complained that there was no point in negotiating with the Palestinian authority because they didn't represent Hamas and then Hamas agreed to be part of the negotiations and Israel cut it off.

COSTELLO: Let me ask you this, Hamas is a terrorist organization.

LERNER: I have no sympathy for them.

COSTELLO: So you're not talking about Hamas the love and care part, right?

LERNER: No, of course not. But the way to end this struggle is to end the occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza. I understand why Hamas is not jumping for the cease-fire accord right now, because in the -- while the blockade has gone on, the people of Gaza have suffered terribly.

Hundreds of children dying every month of malnutrition because the blockade keeps them from getting the food and the equipment that is needed for adequate health care in Gaza.

COSTELLO: So I would say --

LERNER: Support Hamas -- Hamas is a terrible and oppressive force there, but the central issue is the occupation and the occupation and the blockade have to end and it can end, that's what embracing Israel/Palestine in my book I lay out the terms of how that could happen. Israel knows that they've been -- COSTELLO: Who do you think, Rabbi, is more to blame for so many

casualties and deaths in Gaza, is it Israel or Hamas?

LERNER: Well, look, Israel has been targeting, claiming to target the bad guys, but meanwhile, they have destroyed -- they've killed a thousand civilians. They have -- they have hurt -- they have wounded over 6,000 civilians.

And it's inevitable if you're going to make a war against the people, after all, Hamas, the Palestinians don't have an army. They don't have an air force, they don't -- so where do they -- where are they? Of course, they're located in the people. This is a people's rebellion against the oppression there.

COSTELLO: I understand. I want to get to your final point in the salon.com article, you also write it's OK for Jews to say they don't believe in God. That they will be welcomed, but if they question Israel they're labeled self-hating. Jon Stewart parodied that recently after he condemned an Israeli attack on Gaza. Have you encountered this sort of criticism?

LERNER: Totally. Whenever I or anybody else speaks out to critique Israeli policy, it's as though we were critiquing God. A large number of American Jews have given up on God after the holocaust. I don't blame people for feeling God abandoned them during the holocaust.

But instead they have given up on the notion that God taught us, which is that the world should be based on love, generosity, caring. This is the essence of the Jewish message. That message has been abandoned instead people give blind loyalty to the state of Israel.

Even though Israel has continued to expand its settlements in the West Bank and has no intention of getting out and allowing the Palestinians a real state. And have done everything they could to block it. That's a tragedy but the biggest tragedy is for Judaism itself.

Because when Judaism is represented by -- by the Israeli army as though this is what Judaism is about, it's a -- it's a desecration of God's name and an abandonment of our highest values.

COSTELLO: Rabbi Michael Lerner, thanks so much for being here. I appreciate it. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, radical Islamists eager to increase their territory in the Middle East are looking far beyond the borders help to achieve that goal. CNN's Stephanie Elam has that story. Hi, Stephanie.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. In fact, they are looking throughout the west. It used to be a taboo, but now Jihadists are looking for women. We'll have more on that coming up.

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