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U.S. Races to Evacuate Americans, Afghans by the Thousands; NATO Secretary-General is Interviewed about Afghanistan; Broward County Schools Reopen Today, Defying Governor on Masks; Rise in Vaccinations Among Adolescents Across U.S.; Texas Governor, Who Wants to Ban Mask Mandates, Tests Positive. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired August 18, 2021 - 06:00   ET

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

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. It is Wednesday, August 18. I'm Brianna Keilar along with John Berman on this NEW DAY.

[05:59:13]

And the exodus from Afghanistan is accelerating this morning. U.S. military flights evacuated more than 1,000 people on Tuesday, including 330 American citizens and permanent residents, and another 770 family members. Administration officials believe up to 15,000 Americans may still be in Afghanistan, meaning that the U.S. must now rely on its adversary the Taliban to exit its longest war.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And this morning, we're seeing new graphic images of the scene outside the airport in Kabul. Remember, that's the only way out. A "Los Angeles Times" photographer captured what appeared to be a brutal crackdown by Taliban forces. He spoke to Anderson Cooper overnight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCUS YAM, PHOTOGRAPHER, "NEW YORK TIMES" (via phone): I think a lot of them read on Facebook that the Americans were -- were picking Afghans and taking them out of the country, so they didn't just want to try their luck.

And this was on the road on the side of the airport, outside the airport when this was going on.

So, the Taliban -- the Taliban basically were doing -- they were doing crowd control. I watched several Taliban fighters walk around with sticks, whips, rubber hoses. They even used the butt of their rifles to hit people and chase them around and just basically shoo everybody. They just wanted everybody off the streets.

I even watched one Taliban fighter, after firing some shots in the general direction of crowd smiling at another Taliban fighter. Like it was a game for them or something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Again, this is what photographer Marcus Yam says was happening when people tried to get to the airport, which again is the only way out of the country.

He says he saw at least six people hurt, including a woman and her child.

Let's go to streets of Kabul right now. We're joined again this morning by CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward, live there.

Clarissa, as always, we want to know exactly what you're seeing, what the change is this morning. And also just shed some light on what we just saw there, the photos, if you can, of what's happening when Afghans try to get to the airport, which is the only way out of the country.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So essentially at the airport, what you have is this bizarre situation where the U.S. and also British forces are cooperating and communicating with the Taliban to try to lessen the sort of crush of people that have been descending on that entrance of the airport every day.

The idea, of course, is to prevent chaos, to prevent pandemonium. But what's actually happening, as you heard there from the very brave and talented photographer, Marcus Yam, is that the Taliban are being put in charge of crowd control.

And the way the Taliban carries out crowd control is very different than the way it might be carried out elsewhere. They've been whipping people, using truncheons, firing shots in the air, firing shots at people.

You saw that -- that spectacularly harrowing image that he captured of a woman and a child who were very seriously injured when they were shot by the Taliban.

So, inside the airport, it appears less chaotic, because it is having some effect. It is sort of thinning out that crush of people who have been pouring into the airport.

But, on the perimeter, it is, of course, incredibly intimidating for people who desperately want to leave this country. And they're fearful that the Taliban won't even let them pass those checkpoints.

One thing that's really interesting, obviously, I'm back on the streets here today. This is a location we've done a couple of live shots for you from before. But what's really noticeable today is, no Taliban. Far fewer Taliban check points on the streets, we've noticed. I'm not saying they're not around. They're definitely around. We see them in their pickup trucks with their weapons, but it is definitely a smaller footprint than what we had seen previously.

And it's unclear to me whether the objective behind that is to try to get normal life going again, to try to lessen the sort of intimidating factor of having all of these heavily-armed and -- let's face it -- pretty scary-looking men out on the streets.

And you can see steady stream of traffic. A lot of shops are open again. There is definitely a sense that bit by bit, life is creeping back more to normal at the moment. Whatever, though, with the caveat, whatever normal may mean -- John, Brianna.

KEILAR: And a normal obviously very different there on the streets of Kabul compared to what we were seeing at the airport as people are trying to exit. It doesn't seem that, you know, the supply to get people out is at all anywhere close to meeting the demand, Clarissa.

WARD: I mean, I just can't stress this enough. I get a phone call, a text message, a WhatsApp, a tweet every 20 minutes: Please, can you help this person get out of the country? Please, can you advise this person how to leave? Please, can you help this person get to the airport?

The desperation and the volume, the scale of the amount of people that want to get out, who are so frightened about facing reprisals. We interviewed someone earlier today. He was part of President Ghani's security detail. He can't leave the house. He's been getting threatening messages from the Taliban, he believes, saying that, you know, we know who you are. You'll never escape us.

He used to reach out regularly to General Miller when he was still in country. And he says, Where is General Miller now? Where is he now in my hour of need? I worked closely with the Americans for more than a decade.

[06:05:02]

His actual quote, what he told me, Brianna, he said, "I started working with the Americans when I didn't have a beard. And now my beard is white from the fear of what's going to happen to me."

He very much believes that he and his family will be killed.

And I said, "Have you done your paperwork?" Because when I asked the Pentagon spokesperson yesterday, John Kirby, that's what he said. They've got to do their paperwork.

To which he said, We had no idea that this could happen so quickly. I don't even know how to begin doing my paperwork. I don't have an Internet connection. I'm moving house every night. I'm sleeping on the floors. I'm trying to keep my children alive.

And so this is the reality on the ground here in Kabul.

BERMAN: Yes, paperwork. Try to -- try to write something down on a piece of paper or type something into a computer with a figurative or, in some cases, literal gun to your head. It's not easy to do. It's not where your heart is in moments like this.

Clarissa, one of the things that can happen in a town or a city after a military takeover, you know, no fuel. No water. No services. No cash. What are you seeing in terms of just those types of services and things?

WARD: Yes. Basic services are running. Bakeries are making bread. You can get fuel. We need a lot of it for our generator. You can get food. You can get any number of things on the streets.

Believe me when I tell you that the Taliban understood how important it was to keep this city running, to keep things functioning, to show that they can govern. That's why yesterday they said, OK, anyone who's a government employee, who works in a ministry or whatever capacity, you need to get back to work.

That's why we saw traffic policemen yesterday for the first time. They know the world's watching, and they want to show that they can pull this off.

And I think that's why they're a lot savvier than they were before. They're making sure that things are running. They're trying to provide some law and order. They're even lightening their footprint a little bit on the ground today, trying to get people to feel more at ease that their presence isn't threatening.

But as I said before 100 times now, that is not enough to assuage the fears of people who worked with the Americans and who now believe that their lives are in very real danger.

KEILAR: Yes. And we're seeing, Clarissa, people certainly on social media who worked with those Afghans quipping darkly, you know, after 20-some years it looks like the Taliban has figured out public relations. But is it smoke and mirrors? You know, that's going to be the question here. They think it is.

Clarissa, thank you so much. We, of course, will be coming back to you throughout the show. Appreciate your report.

BERMAN: So as of now, NATO suspended all support for the Afghan government, which is now basically the Taliban.

Joining me now is the NATO secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg.

Mr. Secretary-General, thank you so much for being with us. We've been hearing the difficulty that thousands and thousands of Afghan allies to NATO and the U.S. are having getting to the airport. What is NATO's role in getting these people not just out from the airport but to the airport so they can leave?

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: So, we have been working now for a long time on how to evacuate as many people as possible. This is part about making sure that allies are ready to resettle Afghans who supported us and worked with us for decades in Afghanistan. And I welcome the fact that allies are ready to do so.

Then it is about getting people out from the airport. And on Monday, we had some very difficult images from the report. But now, we have restored operations. And the planes are flying in and out, and we are doing whatever we can to increase capacity.

There -- there are around 800 civilian NATO personnel at the airport, providing critical services such as air traffic control, communications, and -- and other essential services to make sure that the airport can -- can function. And then it is the issue of getting people to the airport. Our

diplomats on the ground, our people on the ground, are working hard to enable those who are threatened, those who have worked for us, staff and others, to enable them to get to the airport.

And we're also sending a very clear message to the Taliban that we expect them to provide safe passage to enable people to get to the airport.

BERMAN: As of now, it seems like what you're saying is this depends on the good graces of the Taliban?

STOLTENBERG: We don't control the territory outside the airport. And -- and therefore, there are contacts between NATO allies, tactical contacts on the ground to make sure that we are able to get people from Kabul to the airport and then out of Afghanistan.

We have seen progress when it comes to operating the airport. And what is, of course, crucial. We are able to get thousands of people out, but we need, also, to help people get to the airport. And that's exactly what we're working hard on now with the people we have on the ground.

BERMAN: When's the last time you spoke with President Biden?

STOLTENBERG: I haven't spoken with him now since we had the meeting here in -- in Brussels in July. But I've been in regular contact with Secretary Blinken. And we meet, of course, regularly with the U.S. And I consult with other allies here in Brussels and also on -- on phone.

And -- and we were aware of the risks entailed to the decision to end the NATO military presence in Afghanistan, the risk of -- of Taliban returning. But we also knew that the alternative to end our military presence was an open-ended military presence in Afghanistan, most likely with more troops, NATO troops, in Afghanistan, more combat, more fighting, more casualties, more loss of life of NATO soldiers, and also more civilian casualties because of the increased fighting we had to expect if we remained in Afghanistan.

So we were faced with a very difficult dilemma, either to leave and risk Taliban returning or to stay and risk more casualties, more fighting and open-ended military mission. And therefore, allies agreed to make the difficult decision to end our military mission.

BERMAN: There are those who suggest, though, that it wasn't a completely binary choice. That there was something, no in the middle, but you can leave but do it in a way that wasn't nearly as chaotic.

And now you're having NATO members, you know, member states, including the defense minister of Latvia, who is suggesting the way this has happened has diminished NATO in Europe in the eyes of the world. He said, "This kind of troop withdrawal caused chaos. Chaos causes additional suffering. This era is over. Unfortunately, the west and Europe in particular are showing they are weaker globally."

That is from the Latvian defense minister, a member state of NATO. Your reaction?

STOLTENBERG: NATO remains a strong alliance. And whatever happens in Afghanistan, Europe and North America has to stand together. It is in our national security interests to work together, especially in the light of a shifting global balance of power with the likes of China and more assertive Russia. All makes more important that Europe and North America stand together.

And it's also for the United States. To have friends and allies in NATO is extremely important for United States, because no other major power has as many friends and allies as the United States has in NATO.

BERMAN: There's a suggestion -- there is a suggestion among some that NATO was pushed into this by the United States. That somehow now this was something that NATO might not have done, had the United States not been -- and President Biden, been so adamant, and president Trump.

This is criticism coming from Lord George Robinson, who was NATO secretary-general back on September 11, 2001. He says, "It weakens NATO, because the principle of in together, out together seems to have been abandoned by Donald Trump and Joe Biden."

Is this something that you -- you were pushed into by the United States?

STOLTENBERG: Well, it is -- it is correct that in February, last year in 2020, the United States signed an agreement with Taliban, where the United States committed to leave Afghanistan by May, and where Taliban agreed to make sure that Afghanistan do not host, does not host international terrorist groups.

And after close consultations, all NATO allies then agreed to follow the U.S. decision. Also because, of course, we went into Afghanistan after an attack on the United States. And hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops but also European, Canadian, partner country troops have served in Afghanistan, and many have paid the ultimate price.

It was very -- it was actually politically impossible for European allies to continue in Afghanistan, given the fact that the United States has decided to end its military mission. We went in together, and -- and we adjust our presence together, and now we leave together. After close consultations among all 30 allies.

BERMAN: Sounds like so the U.S. decision tied NATO's hands?

[06:15:06]

STOLTENBERG: The U.S. decision, of course, framed or created the conditions for the -- for the -- for the NATO decision. It was an -- an agreement signed in February last year, where there was a timeline for when the U.S. was going to leave. And of course, all European allies had to take that into account when we made our decision as NATO later on.

But all allies realize the risks of leaving but also the risks of staying for more casualties, more civilian suffering, with more combat and the need for more NATO troops.

Because it was not possible to continue with the -- with the level we have seen of troops over the last months, because that was a result of the agreement that -- that made the Taliban agree to not attack NATO troops.

BERMAN: Secretary-General --

STOLTENBERG: If we stayed, they would have started to attack us, and we would have been forced to engage more in combat with Taliban again.

BERMAN: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, thank you very much for being with us this morning. We do always appreciate your time.

STOLTENBERG; Thank you so much for having me.

BERMAN: So, disturbing new video overnight of women inside Afghanistan, worried that they will be killed in a Taliban massacre. We will hear from them.

KEILAR: Plus, a dire situation across the U.S. as five states hit 90 percent capacity in their ICU units, and one state is running out of beds altogether.

And he doesn't want mask mandates. He's been out and about the past few days, and now Texas Governor Greg Abbott tests positive for COVID. Hear about the treatment he's getting that is in tight supply for other Texans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:20:53]

BERMAN: The new surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the Delta variant is pushing hospitals to the brink, past the brink, honestly.

In five states ICU beds are at more than 90 percent capacity. In Alabama, there is negative availability, meaning there are more intensive care patients than there are ICU beds to treat them.

This morning, students returned to school in Broward County in Florida, with a district-wide mask requirement in place, in defiance of the governor's order.

CNN's Amara Walker is live outside a school in Broward County. Broward going its own way despite whatever penalties, you know, Governor Ron DeSantis now threatening, Amara.

AMARA WALKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it sure is, John. So 261,000 students across Broward County public schools will be returning to the classroom in the next couple of hours or so, including here at bay view elementary school.

As you said, face masks will be required. If anyone refuses to do so, they will be turned away per Broward County public school policy. And as you know, John, there's been a lot of drama in the lead-up to

the reopening of the school year, between Governor Ron DeSantis and the district. And last night, it culminated with a vote by the Florida Board of Education to take the next steps to punish the district over masks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER (voice-over): It's the first day of school here in Broward County, Florida, and students will be required to wear masks, the decision defying the governor's order and facing possible punishment from the Florida Department of Education.

RICHARD CORCORAN, COMMISSIONER, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (via phone): We have districts who are picking and choosing what laws they want to follow.

WALKER: A move school officials say is worth the risk.

VICKIE CARTWRIGHT, SUPERINTENDENT, BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (via phone): We're also very concerned about the number of cases that are happening here within Broward. As of this morning, we only have five -- five -- ICU pediatric beds available. That's it.

WALKER: At least 4,700 Florida students and staff tested positive for the coronavirus in the 15 largest school districts already in session. And at least another 14,200 others are in quarantine or isolation due to the virus.

DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT GRADY: We're flying with reckless captains. We have governors who have actually issued mandates that school districts are prohibited from issuing mask mandates. And we are really in a terrible situation, because we don't have the appropriate response.

WALKER: And the battle over wearing masks in schools isn't just in Florida. Arizona's governor is threatening to withhold funding increases for schools requiring facial coverings.

It's the same in Texas, where the school mask mandate is being fought in court and where Governor Greg Abbott announced he's tested positive for COVID-19.

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): I have received the COVID-19 vaccine. And that may be one reason why I'm really not feeling any symptoms right now.

WALKER: There's only around 300 intensive care unit beds available in all of Texas.

And in Alabama, there's none available within the entire state.

DR. DON WILLIAMSON, ALABAMA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION: We've never been here before. We are truly now in uncharted territory in terms of our ICU bed capacity. Fortunately, we still do not have an issue with ventilators. WALKER: New coronavirus infections are on the rise in at least 37

states. With the surge, masks will be necessary at outdoor concerts and sporting events, with more than 10,000 people in Los Angeles County starting tomorrow.

The TSA is also extending its federal mandate, requiring masks on planes, trains and buses through January.

DR. PETER HOTEZ, PROFESSOR AND DEAN OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: For the masks, I mean, that's a no brainer. Right now we're at a screaming level of virus transmission in the United States. We're pushing up to 150,000 new cases a day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: So the governor, Ron DeSantis, has threatened to withhold the salaries of the superintendents and school board members at Broward County public schools. Also, Alachua School District.

But it turns out he cannot directly do that, and that's because they are not on the state's payroll. So what the governor would have to do is withhold funding equal to the amount of their salaries, although the White House has expressed support for these two school districts, saying that they would make federal funding available, if necessary -- John.

[06:25:03]

BERMAN: Yes. The question is how far does Ron DeSantis want to go to limit local control and the decisions of these school boards?

Amara Walker, thank you so much for that report. Appreciate it.

KEILAR: Now, according to a new CNN analysis, as COVID cases rise, vaccinations among teenagers are also increasing nationwide. And CNN's Jacqueline Howard is joining us with more on this. This is an interesting trend.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH CORRESPONDENT: It is an interesting trend. We've been tracking COVID-19 cases and vaccinations during the summer, and we did notice this parallel increase, where cases have been going up but so have vaccinations.

Brianna, pediatricians I've talked to said that there are many factors at play here, but they believe that, as more young people have been hospitalized with COVID-19, parents have noticed that, young people have noticed that, and it's really driving and motivating them to get vaccinated.

So during the course of the summer, when it comes to the COVID-19 case rate among the youngest age group eligible to get the vaccine, ages 12 to 15, we noticed that case rate go up nearly five times.

There are 3.4 cases per 100,000 adolescents, 12 to 15, in June. That went up to 9 in July. It reached 14.6 in August. And at the same time, when it came to vaccinations in this age group,

the age group 12 to 15 represented 31 percent of all people who received at least one dose of vaccine in June. That percentage went up to 39 percent in July, 45 percent in August.

So this is a good sign, Brianna, that we're seeing more young people getting vaccinated. As time goes on, we hope that that will add to this share of young people who are fully vaccinated, because there's still a ways to go.

At this time, we're still at 32 percent of all adolescents 12 to 17 being fully vaccinated. But we expect that to go up -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Good news. Yes, the risk is low, but it's not as low as it was, and it's not low enough for the comfort of a lot of parents, I think we're seeing. Jacqueline, thank you.

BERMAN: So as we mentioned, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has banned mask mandates in Texas schools, who has said that local governments and school boards cannot make their own decisions about mask requirements in schools, he's tested positive now for COVID.

Now, Abbott is fully vaccinated and we're told is experiencing no symptoms, according to his office. We will note, he is getting antibody treatment, though.

But look at this video shared by his campaign on Twitter. It shows Abbott in a parked -- packed room for a party on Monday night, no mask on. Abbott's office says everyone who's been in close contact with the governor has been notified.

Joining us now is Ron Brownstein, CNN senior political analyst and senior editor at "The Atlantic."

Ron, you know, it's good that the governor has no symptoms, which is what we would expect from someone who has been vaccinated. Yet to see that picture from the night before in a crowded room, no mask, it does create a sense of political irony.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Well, look, I mean, you don't wish COVID on anybody, but it is pretty striking that they announce that the governor has COVID on the same day that the state's Republican attorney general is asking the state Supreme Court to overturn these mask mandates from all -- from school districts in all of the largest cities in Texas. And obviously, young kids under 12 can't even get vaccinated.

And while he is getting the best care, the county executive, the county judge in Dallas, announced the other day that there were literally no pediatric ICU beds left in north Texas, even as they are opening the schools and he is attempting to ban them from requiring masks.

KEILAR: Yes. It's very "let them eat hydro chloroquine," you know, because he's getting monoclonal antibodies, which are generally for people who have symptoms; and it's not easy to get. It's available, but it's not widely available. And so there's this disconnect.

And I wonder, Ron, if -- you know, look, hopefully there are no problems, health-wise, for the governor. Nonetheless, what about his policies?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, look, I mean, you know, I think what you're seeing in Texas, what you are seeing in Florida, what you are seeing in Arizona, all three of those governors yesterday significantly escalated their kind of offensive against localities that are requiring masks, whether in court or trying to withhold federal funds in Arizona, or the state board of education looking for ways to punish the executives in Broward County.

And to me, this is -- what we are seeing from local governments, Brianna, I think is the biggest pushback against state preemption, really, in this modern era of about ten years.

I mean, the story that we're seeing across the Sun Belt is basically every metro in the Sun Belt, from Orlando and Atlanta, to Houston and Dallas, and Austin to Phoenix, generally has been growing more Democratic over the past decade. And as they have grown more Democratic, we have seen Republican-controlled state governments, which are based on their dominance of rural areas, moving more aggressively to overturn their decisions on everything from regulating plastic bags to police budgets.

Obviously, last year, we saw a lot of that on lockdowns and school -- and business hours. But this year, there is more pushback, more --