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Ceremony to Honor Troops Marks Departure of U.S. Forces from Iraq; Violence Kills 20 Across Iraq; Troops in Iraq; End of War One Soldier at a Time; Progress and Toll in Iraq; Iraqi Public's Reaction to U.S. Troop Withdrawal; Legacy of Iraqi War; Outrage Over Attack on British Embassy in Tehran Spreads Across Europe; Delay in Results for Egyptian Election; Syrian Death Toll at Least 4,000; Sarkozy Says Europe Must Get Tough; World AIDS Day; Dominique Strauss-Kahn Releases Official Biography; Draw Day for Euro 2012 Tournament; Ukraine Boxer Looks Forward to His Nation Hosting Euro 2012; Rafa Nadal Spearheads Spain's Davis Cup Team; Afghan President Intervenes in Case of Rape Victim Sentenced to Adultery; Ten Years Since Taliban's Ouster Women Still Lack Rights in Afghanistan; Madeline Albright Biography Interview; Going Green: Solution for Diaper Waste; Parting Shots of Fishermen Getting Close and Personal With Great White Shark
Aired December 01, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: A solemn ceremony years in the making as the U.S. and Iraq come together to honor each other's sacrifice during the long and painful war.
Live from London, I'm Becky Anderson. Also tonight, a glimmer of hope in a desperate case. The president of Afghanistan moves to free a rape victim thrown in jail. PlU.S. --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADELINE ALBRIGHT, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I think it is a mistake not to have any contact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright tells me why she believes it's crucial to maintain links with Iran.
Nearly nine years after the United States unleashed Shock and Awe in Iraq, it is crediting shared sacrifices for bringing the war to an end. U.S. and Iraqi leaders honored troops from both countries at a ceremony today in Baghdad.
It wasn't a formal hand over, since the war won't officially end until all of U.S. troops leave Iraq at the end of this month. But the ceremony was considered the main event to mark the departure of U.S. forces.
Now, Iraqi troops face incredibly difficult security challenges when they do take over. Another reminder of that, a deadly car bombing today at an outdoor market near Baghdad. It was one of several attacks that killed at least 20 people across the country.
Our correspondent on the ground tonight in Iraq is Martin Savidge. He's been covering the war since the 2003 invasion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(GUNFIRE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watch out, behind you! Behind you! Behind you! Heads up!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Heads up!
(GUNFIRE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that behind you.
SAVIDGE: Oh, I can hear you, believe me. Because right now --
(EXPLOSION)
SAVIDGE: There goes another rocket blast, like a tank, which can be slow --
(GUNFIRE)
SAVIDGE: Go! You can take a look back here one more time. This tank continues to cook off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that was Martin reporting near Basra, Iraq back in March of 2003. The U.S. and Iraq are trying to put that painful chapter behind them, saying they want to forge a long-term strategic partnership after the war.
Martin Savidge reporting now on today's ceremony in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MILTARY BAND PLAYING)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Amidst the marble and opulence built for a dictator, U.S. and Iraqi leaders saluted the sacrifices that have launched a democracy.
It was the first of numeroU.S. ceremonies marking the departure of U.S. troops from Iraq, but it may be the only one where U.S. and Iraqi leaders and U.S. and Iraqi soldiers stand side-by-side honoring the occasion.
While the complete withdrawal of American forces is still weeks away, this event signified that Iraq is now very much in charge. The salute honoring the fallen was made by an Iraqi honor guard, and when "The Star Spangled Banner" poured through the palace, it was played by an Iraqi band.
The speeches shared a common theme, that Saddam Hussein was to blame for the war, that its end brings a new chapter in American-Iraqi relations, and that as U.S. soldiers leave, they go with the gratitude of the Iraqi people.
JALAL TALABANI, PRESIDENT OF IRAQ (through translator): We thank the United -- all our allies, the United States and the friends who helped in ending the oppression and build in Iraq a democratic era.
SAVIDGE: Vice President Joe Biden praised the troops from both nations for their efforts and sacrifices.
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All of U.S. are gathered here for the same reason. We're gathered here to thank the armed forces of Iraq and America and to honor your sacrifice. To honor your success as well as your commitment.
SAVIDGE: Then, Biden spoke the words many Iraqis and Americans have waited years to hear.
BIDEN: Because of you -- and it's no exaggeration to say that -- because of you and the work that those of you in uniform have done, we are now able to end this war.
SAVIDGE (on camera): But on the same day that leaders praised Iraq's success, at least 20 people were killed in violent attacks in Diyala province just north of Baghdad, and that would bring to a total of 56 people that have died in just the last eight days.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Iraq's prime minister admits his nation still faces a difficult future, but --
NOURI AL-MALIKI, PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ (through translator): We are confident that our security forces are ready and -- to carry out its task of protecting the country and citizens.
SAVIDGE: In other words, for the first time in nearly nine years, the job of ruling and running Iraq rests solely in the hands of Iraqis.
Martin Savidge, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, since the 2003 invasion, the U.S. and 39 other countries from Albania to Ukraine have sent troops to the country.
Now, the numbers of troops peaked at 170,000 during the so-called surge in 2007. Now, only the U.S. remains. Currently, there are 13,000 American forces still in Iraq and virtually all U.S. troops will be out of the country by the end of this year. About 200 will be attached to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, we are told.
Well, hundreds of U.S. troops are rolling out of Iraq each day as the military carries out its withdrawal in stages. We just heard from Martin in Baghdad. Let's get back to him now as he visits Kuwait to get the story of one U.S. Army captain who had just crossed the border.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): At Camp Virginia in Kuwait, the war ends several times a day. For Captain Ben Carpenter of Fort Bliss, Texas, it ended around 10:00 on a Friday morning when he and his company arrived after driving most of the night from a base inside Iraq.
SAVIDGE (on camera): How'd it go, first of all?
BEN CARPENTER, CAPTAIN, U.S. ARMY: It went very well. Very uneventful convoy, that's what we like.
SAVIDGE: Pretty much the way you'd like it to be.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): It doesn't take long to realize there was more to his journey than just a drive.
SAVIDGE (on camera): What is that feeling like? I mean, is there any kind of real feeling as you make that crossing from Iraq into Kuwait?
CARPENTER: A sense of relief, in some respects. A sense of accomplishment. I know my gunner tapped me on the shoulder as we crossed through the fence, through the wire, there, and he's like, "Wow, I didn't really think that that was going to be as big a deal as it was, but that was something -- something special."
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Carpenter first came to Iraq during the dark days of 2006. Three deployments later, he feels good about what's been accomplished.
SAVIDGE (on camera): The war's over for you.
CARPENTER: It is, hopefully.
SAVIDGE: I mean, it's a simple thing to say, but that's actually kind of a big thing to say.
CARPENTER: It is. There's -- we've been to -- been here for a long time, so there's a lot of soldiers that aren't here today to see the end. This company and there's many other companies that are still here do get to see the end, and that's kind of something special.
SAVIDGE: So, what lies ahead for you?
CARPENTER: Well, we -- finish unloading our equipment and get on a plane and fly home. For me, personally, I'll go back and transition back to my family and I'm going to get out of the army, here, shortly and go home.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): After eight and a half years, America's war in Iraq is coming to an end, one convoy, one soldier at a time.
Martin Savidge, CNN, Camp Virginia, Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. So, let's get a sense of the state of play of progress in Iraq, shall we? The International Monetary Fund estimates that GDP will grow more than nine percent this year. That compares to a contraction of almost three quarters of a percent back in 2005. Not bad numbers, given the state of the world economy at the moment.
Iraq's economy relies heavily on oil. Iraqi wells are producing close to 3 million barrels of oil per day. By 2017, the country hopes to produce 12 million barrels a day.
What about this though? Other business struggling and citizens are suffering, and that is because Iraq experiences chronic power shortages. That is really important in the country at the moment, and Iraq's Ministry of Labor says unemployment is around 16 percent, and the UN says 23 percent of Iraqis live below the poverty line.
Well, there is no greater indicator of the toll of war than the loss of human life. Of course, no one knows for sure how many Iraqis have been killed since the invasion, but today, U.S. vice president Joe Biden put it in the hundreds of thousands.
Well, CNN talked to average Iraqis to get their feelings on the war and on the imminent U.S. troop withdrawal, and this is what they told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WISAM FARIS ABDUL ABBAS, GRADUATE STUDENT, UNEMPLOYED (through translator): -- Americans to leave. They destroyed the country. They didn't rebuild anything, and half of our problems are from the Americans.
But in my opinion, I don't believe that they will leave. Even if their forces withdrew, they will still have bases around Baghdad.
SALMA NASIR KAMAL AL-DEEN, MEMBER OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS NGO (through translator): The American presence was useful in the beginning of the war, but then it became harmful. And for how long should we depending on America's army? We are an independent country.
QASSIM ABDUL KAREEM JAFAR, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE (through translator): I believe the decision of the U.S. military to withdraw is a correct one. I believe we are ready and all the good people will help the Iraqi government to succeed and push the occupiers out of Iraq.
ALI ABBAS, COLLEGE STUDENT (through translator): I don't want to dismiss the efforts made by the people working to secure this country, but the Iraqi army needs to be more ready. They are about 55 percent to 60 percent ready. I wish they could develop more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, earlier I talked about the legacy of the war with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALBRIGHT: There's a long way to go, and I think that the question is how the security situation is carried out, how the various factions within Iraq operate together, what the role of the outside is going to be.
The United States forces are coming out, but there's a very large diplomatic presence there. There is going to be a lot of work on building infrastructure and working on education and democracy, building in a variety of ways, trying to figure out how the parties and factions work together.
You know, I think the hard part generally is people want to always kind of do a check mark and say, done. Gone. That isn't how things work. I think problems have to be managed. There are issues that are continuing that have to be worked on, and I think people are planning to do that.
ANDERSON: Should the U.S. continue to provide money to Iraq as American troops withdraw at the end of December?
ALBRIGHT: Well, I think for different areas, yes. Which is not an easy issue, given the budget issues in the United States and how much has already been spent on Iraq. But I think that there is a plan to provide a certain amount of assistance in a variety of areas and work on technical issues, education, trying to be helpful.
But this is not about money. I think it is really about advice and the possibility of trying to work with a new -- with a Maliki government.
Mr. Maliki's coming to the United States in a couple of weeks, meeting with President Obama, and I think that there is a desire to establish a functional, working relationship.
ANDERSON: Do the inevitable closer ties between Iraq and Iran worry you?
ALBRIGHT: I think that we have been watching very carefully generally what Iran's role is and its desire to kind of have greater and greater regional influence. Yes, everybody is worried about where Iran is going.
Clearly there are issues in terms of the most recent IAEA report that casts real doubt as to what they're doing and calling for more international inspection and really having some purview.
But Iran itself internally is a little bit of a mess in terms of trying to figure out who's up and who's down. But I do think that people are concerned about the growing influence of Iran in the region.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD live from London. Still to come, more of my interview with Madeline Albright.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBRIGHT: I did talk to her just a couple of days ago, and I think that she is encouraged by some of the steps that have been taken by the government, but very watchful. And having Secretary Clinton there, I think, is very, very important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: As the current Secretary of State makes a landmark visit to Myanmar, Albright talks about her dealings with Aung San Suu Kyi and the significance of Clinton's trip.
Plus, a teenage girl in Afghanistan raped then thrown in jail. But Gulnaz might finally be getting justice. We're going to have a live report on that, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CNN, the world's news leader. This is CONNEC THE WORLD, I'm Becky Anderson, welcome back.
Now, outrage over the attack on the British embassy in Tehran on Tuesday has spread across Europe. The Iranian ambassador has been ordered out of the UK, diplomats are being withdrawn, and new sanctions have now been imposed. CNN's Jim Spellman has the latest on what is an escalating row.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here at he Iranian embassy in London, Iranian diplomats are packing their things after being ousted by the British government in retaliation for an attack on the British embassy in Tehran earlier this week.
And now, word of more sanctions, this time coming from the EU, who have targeted 180 Iranian companies and individuals for sanctions. They hope to ratchet up the pressure against them to eliminate an alleged nuclear weapons program.
CATHERINE ASHTON, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: The Council is outraged by the attack on the British embassy in Tehran and utterly condemns it. It is a violation of the Vienna Convention.
It also deplores the decision to expel the British ambassador from Tehran. The Council considers these actions against the UK as actions against the European Union as a whole.
SPELLMAN: But Iran avoided a much more stiffer sanction, a complete oil embargo on their exports to the EU. That could potentially have had a serioU.S. affect on their oil industry. About 20 percent of their oil comes to EU countries.
Our understanding is that Germany, Britain, France pushed for such an embargo, but that Greece objected. Greece relies heavily on Iran for their oil imports and they say that with their economy in such tough shape, they just couldn't afford such a sanction.
But the EU has left the door open, though, for further sanctions, and next week, heads of state will meet again in Brussels where further sanctions could be explored.
Jim Spellman, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right, a look at some of the other stories that we are watching this hour here on CONNECT THE WORLD.
Egypt's military rulers have announced a delay in results from round one of parliamentary elections. Now, they are expected Friday or Saturday, but Islamist parties already claiming big gains. The Muslim Brotherhood says it could get 40 percent of the vote, while local media predict Al Noor, a hardline Islamist party, could come in a surprising second.
Some Egyptians are suspicioU.S. about the delay in results. Others are taking it in their stride.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's bad. I want the results to come fast because we want to see how the election went. We want our country to be better than before, so we want the results to be faster than this. I think maybe some problem that's happened they don't want to tell U.S. about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's probably because they wanted more time to sort out things and the papers and stuff. They don't want to rush things up, and they want something to be accurate, so that's why they -- that's what I'm thinking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, moving on to Syria, and the UN human rights chief says at least 4,000 people have been killed there in the crackdown against protests, and the toll could actually be an awful lot higher.
Meanwhile, this new video apparently shows a group of military deserters. One man identifies himself as a brigade commander and asks for international protection for Syrians.
Well, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, says it's time for the eurozone to get tough as its members battle their debt, and that he and German chancellor Angela Merkel will meet on Monday to announce plans to achieve that.
In a televised speech, Mr. Sarkozy said Europe faces some tough choices, and that the concept of Europe needs to be rethought.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLAS SARKOZY, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): At the heart of the European economy, there must be a zone of stability and confidence, which is the engine of European competitiveness.
I will do everything and nothing less to keep France and Germany united, together, wrapped in the fabric of stability and confidence so that this can safeguard Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The United States is pledging an extra $50 million to help fight HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day was marked across the globe with the red ribbon symbol that you'll be -- you'll have seen around to show solidarity with the 34 million people living with the virus.
Two thirds of those live in sub-Saharan Africa. President Obama says the world will overcome the disease.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Make no mistake, we are going to win this fight. But the fight's not over. Not by a long shot.
The rate of new infections may be going down elsewhere, but it's not going down here in America. The infection rate here has been holding steady for over a decade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Dominique Strauss-Kahn says his sex life ruined his chances of becoming the French president. In an official biography, the former head of the International Monetary Fund gives his version of what took place with a New York hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault.
Now, those charges have since been dropped. And while Strauss-Kahn admits in the book to having "weak flesh," he maintains his encounter with the maid was consensual.
This is CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN. I'm Becky Anderson in London for you at 22 minutes past 9:00. Still to come, countdown to the European Cup. We are on the eve of a crucial day when we find out what shape the draw will take. We're going to take a look at the worst-case scenario, the so-called Group of Death.
And more of my interview with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, why she believes the U.S. is making a mistake having no contact with Iran.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: The stage is set, the people will undoubtedly come. It's the football Euro 2012 tournament, after all. But who will be celebrating at the very end?
Well, tomorrow we could get a better idea. It is, of course, draw day, when we will find out what the group stage will look like, and that is when betting can begin.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD live from London. I'm Becky Anderson, joined by Alex Thomas tonight, who's going to give U.S. a closer look at the shape of the draw. There are going to be some anxioU.S. football fans out there tonight.
ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're still so far away, but we like to drag it out, don't we? But the draw's an important thing, and the reason that we're nervoU.S. football fans throughout Europe, Becky, is because the co-hosts have to be in one of the four pots but in with the top seeds.
Poland and Ukraine are actually ranked, according to FIFA's rankings, lower than any of the other 40 nations in the competition, but they're top seeds because they're hosts. They need to give them the chances to get to the latter stages to keep all those people still coming into the stadia.
So, you could have this situation where you have the current European and world champion, Spain, in a group with former world and European champions Germany, Portugal and their megastar Cristiano Ronaldo, and former European and world champions France all in the same group.
That would be the nightmare scenario for those four teams, but it's just the way the seedings have turned out.
Of course, our team are on the ground. Pedro has all the coverage, along with me and Don and football writer Rafa Honigstein tomorrow, but the boys been busy today speaking to Vitali Klitschko, the boxer, another bout with David Haye rumored to be on the horizon. But we asked him about the pride of Ukraine hosting this big event.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VITALI KLITSCHKO, WBC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: I just talked a couple of minutes ago with Andre Shevchenko --
PEDRO PINTO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: OK.
KLITSCHKO: -- about everybody has good moods and prepare for the next year, and we hope -- we hope we have a good result and who knows? We have a dream to fight into the final, to be the in the final of Euro 2012.
PINTO: That's exactly what Andre told me earlier this week. He dreams about the final, high expectations, no doubt about that.
Were you ever scared when there were a lot of criticisms about the infrastructure, the roads, the hotels, the terminals, that things weren't going to be ready on time?
KLITSCHKO: Yes, of course, there was a huge discussion in Ukrainian society and all media around the world talking about that we'll be prepared or not. Right now, we don't doubt, we're sure it's -- everything will be ready.
The infrastructure, airports, the stadiums, the hotels, everything is already done and we wait for guests around the world, and happy to say welcome to Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS: So, two men of many talents, there, Pedro, Vitali Klitschko, politician, boxer, and football fan.
ANDERSON: Fantastic. Well, he's an undoubted patriot, of course, Klitschko, as a Ukrainian. Let's talk, though, about Rafa Nadal. He's been complaining --
THOMAS: Another patriot.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. He's been complaining of a lack of passion of late. He'll, though, be spearheading Spain's Davis Cup team.
THOMAS: He will. We were reporting last week, weren't we, from the ATP world tour finals here in London, Nadal crashed out surprisingly early complaining about fatigue. He needs to gather himself one last push as Spain try to become Davis Cup champions for a fifth time, up against Argentina, three-time finalists, but they've never won it.
ANDERSON: I always wonder how important Davis Cup really is these days.
THOMAS: While, Jim Courier, the American, says it's vastly underrated, it's squashed in the calendar, the players don't like to play it along some of the grandstands of many other events. They're trying to look at the calendar, but there's so many vested interests.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. "World Sport" an hour from now with Mr. Thomas in the house for you this evening. Thanks, Alex.
Still to come on CONNECT THE WORLD, high level support for an Afghan rape victim jailed for 12 years. We've got news of a big breakthrough in her case for you this evening.
And arriving in North Korea back in 2000 just one of the highlights of Madeline Albright's career as the first female U.S. Secretary of State. My Big Interview with her is coming up.
And too close for comfort. A Great White Shark gives a group of friends the fright of their lives just 40 kilometers off the coast of Boston.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: It's Thursday evening in London just after half past nine. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD on CNN. Check of the headlines for you this hour.
U.S. and Iraqi leaders honored troops from both countries at a ceremony earlier today in Baghdad. It was considered the main event to mark the departure of the U.S. forces even the troop withdrawal won't be complete until the end of the year.
The European Union is vowing to take appropriate measures against Iran after this week's storming of the British embassy. EU commissioners extended existing sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program to 180 more individuals and businesses.
Another delay in the release of Egypt's parliamentary election results. The country's military rulers say they won't be revealed until Friday or Saturday. Two Islamist parties both claim they have the lead.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met for the first time today. Clinton also met with Myanmar's president. She says the U.S. is willing to help the country economically and diplomatically if the country continues reforms.
Those are your headlines this hour.
And I want to bring you an update, now, an important update in the case of a rape victim imprisoned in Afghanistan. CNN brought you the horrific story of Gulnaz a week or so ago, jailed for adultery because her attacker was married. Her only option to get out of prison was to marry him.
Now, Afghan president Hamid Karzai has intervened in her case. We're going to go live to our correspondent Nick Paton Walsh in a moment, but first, though, his story of the cruel treatment of an innocent victim.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gulnaz remembers clearly the smell of her rapist's clothes.
GULNAZ (through translator): He had filthy clothes on, as he does metal and construction work. When my mother went out, he came into my house and he closed the doors and windows. I started screaming, but he shut me up by putting his hand on my mouth.
WALSH: Her rapist was the husband of her cousin, but in Afghanistan's draconian society, this 19-year-old was also blamed. Her rape, sex with a married man, was seen as adultery by the courts, and she was sentenced to 12 years in jail. To her, there's only one way out. A dreadful choice.
GULNAZ (through translator): I was asked if I wanted to start a new life by getting released by marrying this man. My answer was that one man dishonored me, and I want to stay with that man.
WALSH: Inside the prison walls, she agreed to be interviewed with her face hidden. Here, she can't escape her attacker. Her daughter is the child of the rape.
GULNAZ (through translator): My daughter is a little innocent child. Who knew I would have a child in this way? A lot of people told me that after your daughter's born, give it to someone else, but my aunt told me to keep her as proof of my innocence.
WALSH (on camera): In Afghanistan, a rape victim's ordeal often simply begins with the physical attack. Then, there's isolation from society. In Gulnaz's case, the possibility she may have to marry her attacker, and then the risk she could be killed because of the shame of her ordeal.
WALSH (voice-over): We spoke to her convicted rapist in jail, who didn't want to be shown on camera and denied raping her. He said Gulnaz would definitely be killed on release, but by her own family out of shame.
WALSH (on camera): Because of how Afghan justice has treated Gulnaz, she's taken the extraordinary step of speaking out about her attack, but even that has brought her problems.
WALSH (voice-over): She spoke openly, her face uncovered, in a documentary about women's rights, paid for by the European Union. But the EU blocked its release, saying it would endanger her.
Yet the documentary makers say the EU blocked it also because they don't want to make the justice system look bad. The EU ambassador said it was his call.
VYGAUDAS USACKAS, EU AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN: What I'm concerned about is the situation of the woman, about her security and well-being. That's of paramount importance. That's the key criteria, according to which I, as a representative of the European Union, will judge.
WALSH: But now, rape victim Gulnaz has been judged an adulterer.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kabul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, in a major breakthrough, Afghanistan's president has now ordered Gulnaz be released from prison, but there are serioU.S. concerns for her safety once she is free. Nick Paton Walsh is in New York this evening, and he joins U.S. from there. What do you know, Nick, at this point?
WALSH: Well, the decree issued by Afghan president Hamid Karzai is quite specific that she should be released. They sent a judicial committee to examine the details of this case, and she will be allowed out, we hope, perhaps, by this weekend once the Afghan weekend is passed and they can, perhaps, begin the paperwork to put her into a safe place.
Her lawyer is suggesting that there is a sanctuary lined up for her. No further details, obviously to protect her safety in this.
They also addressed the issue of marriage. There was some suggestion, I think, to be honest, in a confused translation, sometimes of the statement from the palace, that a condition of her release might be that she has to marry her attacker.
We understand, though, from the spokesman of the president that is not the case, and there is no such condition on her release. She will be allowed to go entirely.
And of course, the question now is what kind of precedent does that set in Afghanistan? This one intervention, one case, one piece of fantastic, happy news, hopefully for this one woman.
But there are, potentially, hundreds if not even, some say, thousands of other women who have been convicted for what people refer to as moral crimes whose cases may now, perhaps, be benefited from this one presidential intervention. Becky?
ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh. It was his reporting that brought this story to the attention of the world. Nick, we thank you very much, indeed, for that.
Well, earlier I spoke to the British ambassador to Afghanistan, William Patey, and I asked -- well, I certainly put it to him that in Afghanistan, despite ten years passing since the overthrow of the Taliban, women such as Gulnaz still have no rights. And this is what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM PATEY, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN: I think part of the problem in Afghanistan is it's a society in transition, and we're seeing women's rights -- we've made some progress over the last ten years, or Afghan women have made some progress.
But there's still some way to go, and I think the fact that a rape victim can be treated as a criminal is symptomatic of some way to go.
But women's rights are protected in the constitution and we need to hold on to that, we need to see the enforcement of women's rights, the international obligations Afghanistan has signed up to, we need to see that translated into law both in theory and in practice.
ANDERSON: How do you respond to concerns that the international community is reticent to lean on the Afghan justice system for fear of jeopardizing relations, as it were?
PATEY: Well, I think we've got to be sensitive. This is an Islamic, conservatively Islamic society and change isn't going to come overnight. So, I think we have to work with the grain of society. We have to support Afghan women, which we're doing.
We're doing it in many other ways and making sure that they have access to employment, that they're represented in parliament, that they're represented in the -- in public bodies. And also that they are properly represented in the judiciary. The UK has a program which seeks to ensure the increase in the number of female prosecutors and judges.
So, it's going to be a long haul. We have to be patient.
ANDERSON: With respect, sir, we're not looking at change overnight, we're looking at a decade after the overthrow of the Taliban, and still with cases like this, it is very clear that Afghan women have very few rights.
PATEY: But in that decade, we've seen an Afghan parliament formed in which 25 percent of the parliament is guaranteed to be women. We've seen a public service where female representation is over 20 percent. We're seeing an increase in prosecutors and judges. We're seeing millions of young Afghan women being educated.
So, these are all important -- milestones, and I don't think we can say that after a decade nothing has been achieved. It is tragic and unfortunate that cases like Gulnaz continue to come to the fore, but Afghanistan is not the only country in the Islamic world where this happens. I've spent 30 years in the Islamic world, and it's not unique to Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. We'll bring you the very latest developments with Gulnaz and the plight of women in Afghanistan here on CNN.
And do check out cnn.com/opinion for a special report from the author of "The Kite Runner." That's Khaled Hosseini. He says despite recent developments, far too many women are denied the right to speak for themselves there in Afghanistan. A really good read, do check that out.
When we come back, a force to be reckoned with on the international stage. My Big Interview with the first woman to become U.S. Secretary of State. Do stay with us, we are back in 90 seconds.
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ANDERSON: You're watching CNN, this is CONNECT THE WORLD, 42 minutes past 9:00 in London. I'm Becky Anderson for you.
Now, under President Bill Clinton, she became the highest-ranking woman in the history of the United States. Few envoys have burst onto the diplomatic stage quite like her. Madeline Albright's distinguished career makes for what is a wide-ranging and fascinating interview. That is coming up.
First, though, a reminder of a remarkable woman who rose to the very top of her game.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): A young Madeline Albright with her father just a few years after the family was forced to flee the Nazis in Czechoslovakia. From London, they moved to the United States, where Albright became an academic, and then moved into the world of politics as America's ambassador to the United Nations.
She quickly became one of the most prominent and outspoken members of President Bill Clinton's administration, famously criticizing the UN Secretary-General's handling of the genocide in Rwanda.
Her big ticket job came in 1997, the first female U.S. Secretary of State. During her time at the top, Albright is credited with convincing the Clinton administration to launch air strikes against Serbia. And in October 2000, became one of the highest-level Western diplomats to be granted a rare meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong-il.
Today, Madeline Albright travels the world, continuing to make her mark on the international scene.
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ANDERSON: I spoke to Madeline Albright earlier today in London on a day U.S. officials revived talk of targeted sanctions on Iran's Central Bank. Now, that is following the UK's lead in what is a Western policy of increasingly isolating Tehran.
I began our wide-ranging discussion by asking her whether she agreed with that stance. This is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALBRIGHT: The UK is looking at a variety of aspects. There are questions, and I know in the United States, also, in terms of what the relationships are with the bank, what does it do in terms of money laundering, targeting.
And I think that that is one of the big considerations out there, is trying to figure out how to make it difficult on the Iranians, on the leadership, without, in fact, totally cutting off everything. Because if you completely isolate Iran and you never talk to anybody, then you really don't know what's going on.
ANDERSON: And on Iran, this time last year, the outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen said, and you may remember this quote, "We are not talking to Iran, so we don't understand each other. If something happens, it's virtually assured that we won't get it right. There will be a miscalculation, which would be extremely dangerous in that part of the world."
Do you concur and, if so, what needs to be done about that?
ALBRIGHT: One can encircle and isolate a regime without saying I'm never going to talk to it. And this was -- has been one of the problems that the U.S. has had with Iran, not having information. And frankly, the United Kingdom was very helpful, and our friends and allies on this.
So, I think it is a mistake not to know what's going on. And our information on Iran is scattered. That's -- which is why the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency was important, of a neutral group that was able to declare a variety of problems. But it is an issue.
ANDERSON: Iran, of course, has got one eye very firmly on Syria at the moment, the latest flashpoint in what was known as the Arab Spring, now the, perhaps, Arab Winter. What's the end game there?
ALBRIGHT: I think that more and more, the end game is that Assad has to go. So, the question is, what, when? And then, what elements are there that would take it over.
But Syria is -- the thing about Syria that's so complicated is that it involved every sect, so to speak, within the area. Everybody is there, and any fighting there then becomes a very serious problem.
ANDERSON: What is the future for democratic movements across the Middle East and North Africa, do you think?
ALBRIGHT: I think the future is good, but it is -- it's not the Arab Spring or the Arab Winter, it is something that's going to go for quite a long time.
ANDERSON: And what we're seeing is the rise, of course, of the Islamist parties across the region. Does that worry you?
ALBRIGHT: Actually not, because these are countries that are majority Islam, and you can't just automatically say Islam radical. I think that we have to watch how it develops.
ANDERSON: This one to address the issue of Myanmar with you while Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State is there on what is, it seems, a fact-finding mission, wants to get a sense of whether the regime is actually doing what it says it will do going forward after the elections.
I know that you have met and are in contact with Aung San Suu Kyi. What's your sense of the situation there at present?
ALBRIGHT: I did talk to her just a couple of days ago, and I think that she is encouraged by some of the steps that have been taken by the government, but very watchful.
And I think having Secretary Clinton there making very clear that whatever reform movements are going on need to be pursued, that the political prisoners in Burma have to be freed, and that we're watching.
ANDERSON: I want to talk to you about the euro crisis for just a couple of minutes, here. The euro crisis is dominating headlines around the world. Do you share the U.S. administration's concerns that the sovereign debt crisis here is being mismanaged and is likely to drag the world economy back into recession?
ALBRIGHT: Well, people are very, very concerned. I think that there are many people who thought that the U.S. didn't want a strong Europe or the eurozone or the euro. That's not true.
I can tell you from a fact is that people saw it, a strong Europe, as a partner in economic development, a partnership in democracy, all kinds of aspects. And so, there is huge concern.
There also is amazing contagion. I mean, we are very interdependent, and in the United States, even the most kind of ordinary viewer will say, "Oh, the markets have gone crazy in Europe, we're going to have a terrible day here." And so, I think that people are very concerned.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Madeline Albright speaking to me earlier. What a joy.
You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD here on CNN. When we come back, they are small, they are cute, and they create a lot of waste. But one company in the UK is trying to change that. We're Going Green after this.
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ANDERSON: Well, in the U.S., they are called diapers, and in the UK, they are called nappies, and a growing baby can go through as many as 6,000 in just a few years. Well, that is an awful lot of diapers or nappies, isn't it?
And they are taking up a tremendous. amount of space in landfills all over the world. It's an important story. One company says it has a solution for all that waste, as CNN's Erin McLaughlin explains.
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(BABY LAUGHING)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Blame the babies.
(BABY COOING)
MCLAUGHLIN: British waste landfill sites are filling up fast, and one of the biggest contributions to the problems is being made by the smallest members of the population.
It's estimated each baby born in the UK will use between 4,000 and 6,000 diapers, or nappies as they're called here, most of which will end up in landfills, where they could take up to 500 years to degrade naturally.
For years, environmentally aware mothers have found themselves with a dilemma over whether to use cloth or disposable nappies.
GEMMA FITT, MOTHER OF TWO: Before my first child, I thought about whether -- trying to use washable nappies, and I managed that for about three months. But also used disposables, then gave up and went to using disposables all the time because it was much more convenient and much easier.
MCLAUGHLIN: Ninety-eight percent of parents make the same choice as Gemma. Nappy waste is one of the biggest remaining waste flows to hit landfills, which are predicted to run out of space by 2018, making the search for environmentally friendly alternatives increasingly urgent.
Knowaste aims to provide such an alternative, as the UK's first recycling plant for nappies. But it doesn't limit itself to baby waste. Feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products are also welcome here.
ROY BROWN, CEO, KNOWASTE: The vast majority of numbers are still in the baby nappies area. But the fastest growing part of the market is the adult incontinence market. Our principle customer base right now is the commercial sector.
MCLAUGHLIN: The company is able to take advantage of tax incentives aimed at promoting green solutions, and with a ready supply of raw material, there is no shortage of waste to feed the plant's hungry machines.
MCLAUGHLIN (on camera): It takes about 90 minutes for the raw waste to reach this point. This will eventually be turned into little, tiny, plastic pellets before being shipped out. And I have to say, I'm looking forward to leaving here, as well. The stench in this plant is overwhelming.
BROWN: This represents less than 48 hours worth of deliveries to our facility. We process 24-7, but in total terms of the UK market, the amount of absorbent hygiene products generated each and every year is over one million tons.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): In short, the company is virtually swimming in waste. In fact, each of Knowaste's plants can process 36,000 tons of absorbent hygiene waste per year, enough to fill 33 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
MCLAUGHLIN (on camera): How does this get recycled? What parts do you use and what parts do you discard?
BROWN: We first of all sterilize this product in an autoclave. And then we shred the material, and we do a separation, so we try and separate out the plastics from the fiber. In addition to that, we deactivate the super-absorbent polymers in there. That's our intellectual property.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): In simple terms, the nappies are shaken, rattled, and rolled, then ripped apart and converted into separate piles of plastics and fiber. Of course, with waste being a global issue, the company believes its growth prospects are global, too.
ANNA SCOTT, WASTE WATCH: Companies that are actually processing waste materials and linking it with companies that are actually making something from that product can only be a good thing in terms of stimulating the development of new technology and new markets.
MCLAUGHLIN: And the company believes what's good for Knowaste is also good news for the environment.
Erin McLaughlin, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Just the latest in our Going Green series here on CNN.
Well, it's one of the most -- world's most feared predators, a monster of the deep, but in tonight's Parting Shots, one fisherman got up close and personal with a Great White Shark.
Matt Garrett was fishing with some friends off the cost of North Carolina when beep! Suddenly the fish stopped biting. A Great White Shark had moved in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Expletive deleted.) I like the fact this is so - -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's hope they can see through it in the video. Oh, yes, you can. Look.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, (expletive deleted) big he (expletive deleted).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, keep making circles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Expletive deleted) 12 feet long at least.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, at least!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fourteen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, he's -- I think he's more than 15.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (expletive deleted).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- at the back of the boat. (Expletive deleted).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right here, dude.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Who cares how long it is? Get away! Experts say spotting a Great White in this region is extremely rare, so the friends might not have caught anything, but at least, well, they got a good story to tell, haven't they?
I'm Becky Anderson, thanks for watching. That is CONNECT THE WORLD for you. The world headlines and "BACKSTORY" up next here on CNN after this short break. Stay with us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a Great White.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a bull shark. I think it's actually a Bull Shark.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's no (expletive deleted) Bull Shark.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those things are (expletive deleted) near the Great White -- this --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's a Bull Shark.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is a big (expletive deleted).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at this (expletive deleted).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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