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Wolf

Advisors Only in Iraq; North Korea Releases Last Two Americans; Israeli Prime Minister Warns of Bad Deal with Iran; Israel Tries to Contain Violence; Yemen Embassy Evacuation Plan

Aired November 11, 2014 - 13:00   ET

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

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, new reports, ISIS is gaining allies as the U.S. moves into Iraq's Al Anbar Province. Is the coalition making any progress in its fight?

Also, Israel on edge. The government says terrorists are responsible for two separate stabbing incidents. I'll speak with a former top Israeli intelligence official about what might be coming next.

And live pictures of the Vietnam veterans' memorial here in Washington where a ceremony is under way this hour to mark Veterans Day here in the United States.

And earlier, moments of silence and wreath-laying around the world to mark Armistice Day.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, 6:00 p.m. in London, 8:00 p.m. in Jerusalem, 9:00 p.m. in Baghdad. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

We start with the battle against ISIS. American troops have moved forward, closer to the front lines of the fight in western Iraq. They're in the Anbar Province right now, the major Iraqi military base. The base around 100 miles from Baghdad has been under fire by ISIS. The mission is to prepare Iraqi forces but not necessarily to fight alongside them.

Let's bring in our Chief National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto who's watching this story for us unfold. It's a pretty dangerous part where at least 50 U.S. troops are now on the ground in Anbar and many more on the way.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right. This is an assessment team to set up for the advisers that the president announced just at the end of last week that he's going to send there. There's some good news and some bad news.

The bad news, ISIS has taken over a great deal of Anbar. The Iraqis clearly need help pushing back against them and these advisers are going there to help train up the Iraqi forces so they could -- they could carry out that task. And when the president made the announcement of these 1,500 troops going, it's not just Anbar where U.S. troops are go outside of Baghdad and Erbil. They're going north of Baghdad, another base there, and at a number of locations around the country with the Iraqi and Kurdish divisions to help advise and assist so they can push back.

The good news in this is that U.S. officials say, we wouldn't be doing this if the Iraqis weren't finally standing up and confronting ISIS. And you've seen some evidence of that, including yesterday, the Iraqis carrying out their own air strike along the Syrian border. Signs but still a long way to go.

BLITZER: And now, there's the disturbing report, though, in "The Daily Beast" suggesting that ISIS may be in some sort of merger talks with Al Qaeda. Because we know that there was a split. ISIS was too radical even for core Al Qaeda but now there's some sort of merger that could potentially be in the works?

SCIUTTO: It's interesting because this would be a case of the prodigy taking over the mentor, in effect. ISIS which started, as you know, as Al Qaeda in Iraq a number of years ago as an offshoot of Al Qaeda. It was the junior partner in this alliance. Then there was a split. Al Qaeda thinking that ISIS was going too far, frankly, too radical even for Al Qaeda, if you can imagine that.

But now, there may be some sort of detente here with ISIS today arguably being the more prominent player. And you see that in their numbers. It comes from success. As they've taken over this territory in Syria and Iraq, they've been able to draw foreign fighters at a thousand a month. And that has put them -- you know, with that level of success, it has given them more providence. You can argue that Al Qaeda needs ISIS, to some degree.

BLITZER: And that we see ISIS huge gains in Iraq, huge gains in Syria, and now there's a very worrisome report they may be aiming for the largest Arab country, arguably maybe even the most important Arab country, that would be Egypt.

SCIUTTO: No question. And this is another case of ISIS's success reaping rewards because it's why foreign fighters flock to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS, because they've seen ISIS have this success taking over territory. But also now, with the U.S.-led air campaign, in effect standing up to the west despite the great military power of the U.S. military. And you have another group now.

What's interesting about this, too, again, this might be the good side. As you have these groups unite, you have more countries in the region who will see ISIS as a direct threat, Egypt included, who can then confront it together. You've seen that, to some degree, with the extent and the breadth of the U.S.-led coalition fighting now in Iraq, a little bit in Syria. If you have that now in Egypt and other countries, you get a bigger alliance standing up to them.

BLITZER: Jim Sciutto working the story, working his sources as well. Thanks very much --

SCIUTTO: Thank you.

BLITZER: -- for that.

President Obama's plan to send additional troops to Iraq has come under fire from Republicans. Here's how the Arizona senator, John McCain, summed up his take on this mission earlier today on "NEW DAY."

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SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: This sort of gradual increase in involvement that we're going to reminds me of another war a long time ago in Vietnam when we just gradually increased our involvement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Let's bring in the former ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson. Ambassador, thanks very much for joining us. You agree with Senator McCain? They're talking about advisers only. And if you lived in the 1960s, you remember that they were initially U.S. advisers sent to Vietnam. There were 300 in Iraq, then there were 500, 1,500, now up to 3,000. Is this emerging as another Vietnam?

BILL RICHARDSON, FORMER AMBASSADOR, UNITED NATIONS: No, I don't think so. And I think the president has been clear that these advisers are going to have a secondary noncombat role. What I do hope is that the new chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator McCain, and the Congress in a first bipartisan way in the lame duck session come up with the funding and the authorizing support for the president.

But I see the president and Senator McCain perhaps becoming stronger partners in this ISIS issue. I'm concerned about the Al Qaeda links, about their penetration into Egypt. I think that Turkey needs to step up a lot more. Our coalition partners and NATO need to do more of the bombing. This is going to be a long effort. It's not going to be easy.

BLITZER: Iran says now, you know, they're fighting ISIS as well. The major reason ISIS hasn't moved into the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and the 7 million people who live there is because Iran is protecting Baghdad. You say?

RICHARDSON: Well, I'm very skeptical of Iran. I'm skeptical about a new nuclear deal with Iran, although I'll wait to see the details. But Iran possibly can be an anchor, can be of help in this fight against ISIS. I just don't trust them. I think they're up to no good. I think they're not leveling with us. I don't see their massive participation that would really be needed.

So, I'm skeptical and I hope that this Iran nuclear deal, it's airtight. I've supported the administration almost 100 percent in their foreign policy in the Middle East. But I worry about a -- this nuclear agreement with Iran mainly because I don't trust the Iranians to follow through.

BLITZER: I went with you to North Korea four years ago, almost exactly four years ago. In recent weeks, we've seen the North Korean regime of Kim Jong-Un take some steps some are describing as a charm offensive. We're showing viewers some pictures when you were there when I accompanied your trip to North Korea and Pyongyang at that time. Are you encouraged by what's going on right now? Do you see some potential breakthrough as far as -- as far as North Korea, the U.S., the west is concerned?

RICHARDSON: I am -- I am positive about what happened. I think there's a potential opening, not a breakthrough. It seems that Kim Jong-Un, the new leader, is realizing that his very hardline policies, his very tough rhetoric, his very strong negative moves are not producing much. So, he's put out feelers by the release of these not just the Americans several days ago but a month ago without almost any conditions.

Yes, they've got a presidential envoy but no concessions, really, on the part of the administration. I think because of the heat they're receiving at the United Nations on human rights issues, taking them to the international criminal court, the fact that they do want a dialogue with the United States, although we're saying not until you reduce or terminate your nuclear weapons, there's a lot of tension in that region.

And I think we should take advantage of this because what we don't want, Wolf, is a very, very tense East Asian Peninsula where we don't know what China is up to. Russia is moving in there. And we need to find ways to stabilize that area. So, I hope the administration has a plan to reengage North Korea in some way.

BLITZER: Is it smart for Americans, tourists, missionaries, others to go to North Korea, at this time, because, as we know, they just released three Americans. But they could pick up another one or two down the road and we could get back into this whole situation that had existed for the past two years. So, what advice do you have for Americans who are watching us right now and say, you know what? There's tourism -- there's tourists going to North Korea. Is it smart or not smart?

RICHARDSON: Well, I -- they have to be very careful. They have to be specific humanitarian exchanges, be careful about, for instance, taking bibles in and making it a religious mission. That's a cause for a problem. But I always feel people-to-people contact, the business leaders, students going there, finding the North Koreans to an opening so that they see that they're isolated, I'm for that. But just be very careful that you don't mix religion and politics with your trip if you're a tourist.

BLITZER: Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a former governor of New Mexico. As usual, thanks for joining us.

RICHARDSON: Thank you.

BLITZER: An Israeli and a Palestinian both dead today. Violence flaring up in the west bank. We're going live to Jerusalem. A lot of people are on edge right now.

And later, an Al Qaeda affiliate threatens the U.S. ambassador in Yemen. We're going to tell you how our officials are responding to the threat and the escalating violence there.

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BLITZER: In Israel, a soldier stabbed in Tel Aviv has now died from his wounds. Another Israeli was killed, two others wounded in a rash of stabbings yesterday. Today, in the west bank, a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli troops. He was on the roof of his home in a refugee camp watching clashes between Israel defense forces and Palestinians when it happened.

Lots to discuss right now. All these latest incidents come as Israel is struggling to contain a growing wave of violence. For months, tensioning have been rising.

Let's bring in my next guest, the former chief of Israeli military intelligence, retired general, Amos Yadlin. He's now director of the Institute for National Security Studies that's a foreign policy think tank in Israel. General, thanks very much for joining us. A lot of people, as you know, are concerned that this situation is about to explode in Israel and to, potentially, a third intifada. Is it?

MAJ. GEN. AMOS YADLIN, RETIRED, FORMER CHIEF OF INTELLIGENCE, IDF: When I was in my job as chief of defense intelligence for five years, I was asked this question about the third intifada. So people are asking me in the last four years when I'm director of INSS. And my answers were always, no, we are not going to the third intifada.

Second intifada was directed by Yasser Arafat. A total (INAUDIBLE) against Israel. First intifada started from bottom up, from the street. So if I had to judge whether the leaders of the Palestinians are going to accel (ph) intifada, no, they have a better strategy, diplomatic intifada in the U.N., in the international institutions.

BLITZER: It seems to me that if there was a revived peace process and there was some hope that there would be this two-state solution, Israel living alongside a secure and independent Palestinian state, and there had been progress over the years, that maybe that notion of more violence would go away. Is a two-state solution still viable?

YADLIN: I think the second intifada came right after the time by Clinton, Barack (ph) and Arafat to reach an agreement. So I don't see the direct connection. But as I told you, the chances for second - for second intifada is higher than ever but still I don't think it's the interest of anybody.

BLITZER: Is the peace process dead?

YADLIN: The peace process is in a big, big deadlock. It was collapsed in April, end of April. Then the Gaza war came. The Palestinians decided that they don't want to go through the peace process back (ph). They have a better strategy. They will go to the U.N. as soon as the midterm election is over and they will try to achieve in the U.N. what they need to achieve in a negotiation.

BLITZER: But is there -

YADLIN: But in negotiations, they have to pay.

BLITZER: But do you believe, because there are a lot of voices in -- not only in Israel, but in the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his cabinet saying the peace process, a two-state solution is no longer viable.

YADLIN: I haven't heard the prime minister saying that.

BLITZER: Not the prime minister but Neftali Bennett (ph) and others.

YADLIN: Neftali Bennett is not the prime minister of Israel. Sixty- five percent of the Israelis still believe in two-state solution.

BLITZER: Do you believe in the two-state solution?

YADLIN: I do believe. I don't believe that the Palestinians want two- state solution. This - this --

BLITZER: But Mahmoud Abbas would like a two-state solution.

YADLIN: I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

BLITZER: The Palestinian Authority president.

YADLIN: He - he's run away twice from the need to give an answer, a positive answer to a proposal. Olmert (ph) gave him a proposal in 2008 and he ran away. And we haven't agreed to the proposal from your president in February when he came to the White House -

BLITZER: All right.

YADLIN: The principal from (INAUDIBLE).

BLITZER: So you think a two-state solution is still possible, even at this late date? And you think the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, still supports it?

YADLIN: I think we are in a very bad situation because of (INAUDIBLE) decided to go to an alternative way to the two-state solution, which is unilateral, which is in the U.N., because he don't want to do the concession --

BLITZER: Right.

YADLIN: That he had to do for the peace.

BLITZER: Abu Masin (ph) is the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

Let's talk about Iran for a second. It looks like they may be getting a deal by November 24th, the deadline. Israel's very nervous about any deal that the U.S. and the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council in Germany might put together. How does it look, first of all, from your standpoint? Does it look like they're close to a deal with Iran? YADLIN: I think it's very close. It's very close. But the real issue

is not whether there will be a deal but what kind of deal. The two sides want very much a deal, but they cannot agree on the parameters for the deal. They have agreed on some parameters, the level of enrichment, I think the number of (INAUDIBLE) will (INAUDIBLE), even for doing the (INAUDIBLE), but there are huge issues that are still behind it. It's how the sanctions will be relieved, for how long it will stay. And this is because -- and the potential military dimension of the Iranian program. And this is in the basis of the distrust in the (INAUDIBLE) intention to go for a nuclear bomb. And this was not yet guaranteed in the agreement.

BLITZER: I know the secretary of state, John Kerry, was in Oman the past few days meeting with his Iranian counterparts. We'll see if they come up with a deal. We'll see if they get another extension. They're still possible that they could get another extension in these negotiations and we'll see what happens.

General, thanks very much for joining us.

YADLIN: Thank you.

BLITZER: General - retired Israeli General Amos Yadlin.

Up next, an al Qaeda affiliate threatens the U.S. ambassador in Yemen. Now the U.S. is stepping up plans for a potential evacuation of the U.S. embassy there. Brian Todd is digging into this story. He'll have the latest.

And President Obama, he's in China right now for the big summit of pacific leaders. I'm going to tell you why he's catching some heat for, guess what, for chewing gum, of all things. Stay with us.

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BLITZER: The U.S. military officials are growing more concerned about the escalating violence in Yemen. The al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen has issued threats against embassy workers and even the United States ambassador. The military now updating its plans for evacuating the U.S. embassy there in Yemen. The State Department has ordered a reduction in embassy staff. Our correspondent, Brian Todd, is here. He's watching this story for us.

What are you learning?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, real instability in the Yemeni capital Sana'a right now and elsewhere in the country. That's what's got U.S. officials really concerned today. There's been instability because a Shia group called the Houthis has been battling against Yemini government forces in the capital until recently when they reached a power sharing agreement.

But the Houthis have also been battling against al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula. That very dangerous branch of al Qaeda in Yemen. They've been battling against them in the capital and elsewhere and it's created real instability in the capital. U.S. officials tell us in recent days the concern has grown about the uncertainty in the security situation and what they've told our Barbara Starr and Elise Labott is that they're -- the military is updating plans to potentially evacuate the U.S. embassy in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen.

There have been a series of conversations between the Pentagon and the State Department over how long U.S. embassy personnel can safely stay in the capital. The bottom line is, they don't want another Benghazi, Wolf, and they're making plans to possibly evacuate U.S. embassy personnel, their amphibious gunships off the coast and elsewhere, that Marines can use to get people out if they need to.

BLITZER: Yes.

TODD: But it's a very unstable situation right now.

BLITZER: That would be a huge, huge setback for the U.S. if it has to abandon the U.S. embassy in Sana'a in Yemen.

TODD: That's right.

BLITZER: Is there largely AQAP, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, that's responsible for these threats?

TODD: It's AQAP responsible for some of the threats, especially against U.S. personnel. But also just the overall instability. The AQAP has been really engaging in street battles and other battles with this group called the Houthis, which has created this real instability. And the Yemeni government does not have the control over the capital and over these two groups that it needs to. Every analyst will tell you that.

Now, in recent days, Wolf, the AQAP, the al Qaeda group, has claimed that it targeted the U.S. ambassador, his name is Matthew Tueller, that it targeted him with IEDs as he visited the home of Yemen's president last Thursday, November 6th. But Defense and State Department officials tell us there's no indication that there was an attack truly targeting the ambassador. A Yemeni diplomat told me a short time ago, there were no IEDs found outside the president's house that day. So you've got one claim that the AQAP is making that it targeted the U.S. ambassador and that the bombs were uncovered before they could explode. U.S. officials, Yemeni officials saying that's not the case. But one analyst told me the U.S. ambassador there is in real danger, as he always is in these situations.

BLITZER: If they've got to get him out, they've got to get him out.

TODD: That's right.

BLITZER: All right, thanks very much for that, Brian Todd.

It's - Brian, thanks very much.

TODD: Sure.

BLITZER: We're following what's going on elsewhere as well. The president of the United States is facing a minefield of international issues at the summit in China that's underway right now. I'll speak with America's former ambassador to China, Gary Locke. We'll talk about what the president can accomplish, just how tense things are with foreign leaders right now.

And one former president pays tribute to another former U.S. president. The two also happen to be the son and the father. Bush 43 honors Bush 41. Stand by.

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