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Implications Of India Being Onboard With President Trump's Plan; Ten U.S. Sailors Are Still Missing After Ship Collison; Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's Wife Criticized For Latest Activity On Instagram, The Daily Caller Criticizes 11-Year-Old Barron Trump; Mattis, No Decision On Troops levels yet; War In Afghanistan; Diplomacy Under Trump; Finding The Barcelona Suspect; Excitement Of U.S. Eclipse. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 22, 2017 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:01] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will break their will, dry up their recruit, keep them from crossing our borders, and yes, we will
defeat them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: About faith, U.S. President Donald Trump breaks a campaign promise and recommits his country to its longest wars. Next, a
live report for you in Kabul.
Also, remains have been found after U.S. warship collides with an oil tanker. Ahead, what this could say about American military's readiness in
the face of the North Korean nuclear threat.
And as the surviving suspect goes before the judge, police say they shot this man, who drove a van into a crowd of people in Barcelona. Later, more
on how he was found.
Welcome, this is Connect The World. I'm Becky Anderson. It is 5 in the afternoon here in Paris, 7:30 in the evening in Kabul, in Afghanistan, 11
in the morning in Washington. Now, every man has two countries, his own and here to France itself, but for American presidents of late different, it
may be a little different, not one, not two, but three. The third one you ask, Afghanistan. American troops like these have been on the ground there
fighting for some 15 years, 10 months, 2 weeks, and 1 day in what is America's drawn-out war ever. And what we know, it won't be over anytime
soon. Laying on the works, troops, flags, carefully worded speech, Donald Trump asking for trust as not explaining his thoughts on why he wants to
stay. Here is CNN's Athena Jones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and unacceptable.
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump recommitting the United States to the nearly 16-year war in Afghanistan, despite repeatedly calling
for America to pull out of the conflict entirely.
TRUMP: It is a total and complete disaster. And I'd like to see money spent on this country.
At some point, we are going to be there for the next 200 years. You know, at some point, what's going on, it's going to be a long time.
JONES: The president acknowledging this change of heart on Monday.
TRUMP: My original instinct was to pull out and historically, I like following my instincts. But all my life, I've heard that decisions are much
different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office. However, our commitment is not unlimited and our support is not a blank check.
JONES: President Trump vowing to build up America's military presence in the region, but refusing to offer specifics.
TRUMP: We will not talk about numbers of troops or our plans for further military activities. Conditions on the ground not arbitrary timetables will
guide our strategy from now on.
JONES: The commander-in-chief criticizing his predecessor while pledging to roll back Obama era restrictions on military engagement.
TRUMP: Micromanagement from Washington, D.C. does not win battles.
JONES: But certain key components of President Trump's strategy largely echoing the previous administration.
TRUMP: We are not nation-building again.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have no interest in occupying your country.
TRUMP: Perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
OBAMA: We will work efforts by the government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence.
TRUMP: Pakistan often gives safe haven agents of chaos.
OBAMA: This thing cancer has also taken route in the border region of Pakistan.
JONES: The initial response from Republicans to the address largely positive.
PAUL RYAN, SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: I'm pleased with the decision. We cannot allow another safe haven for
terrorists to materialize again.
JONES: While Democratic leaders criticized the president for declaring an open ended commitment to America's longest war. The commander-in-chief used
the beginning of his speech to call for unity, a belated attempt to address the damage caused by his unwillingness to immediately condemn white
supremacist in Charlottesville.
[11:05:15] TRUMP: The young men and women we send to fight our wars abroad deserve to return to a country that is not at war with itself at home.
JONES: His tone, a stunning departure from his language just six days ago, which drew widespread condemnation.
RYAN: I do believe that he messed up in his comments on Tuesday when it sounded like a moral equivocation or at the very least, moral ambiguity,
when we need extreme moral clarity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Athena Jones reporting you. Well, Afghanistan, it is not just America's enemies that have to watch, it is friends do, too, it seems. We
will get more on that thought of things from Ravi Agarwal who is in New Delhi, India, in just a name. First to Catherine James who is out in
Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, for us. And, Catherine, short on specifics it may have been, but this was speech nevertheless applauded by the Afghan
government, who categorically failed to turn the tide on the Taliban. How has what we have had to date going to make a difference?
CATHERINE JAMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. The specifics were really lacking. And perhaps to some extent, that's a military decision
ministry decision not to obviously flag to the so-called enemy, what the plan is, what the strategy is, and contribute to any kind of timeline, as
they said, when you kind of date on a withdraw. The reasons why I think Afghanistan's leadership and military leadership welcomed it is of course
it is a commitment from their foreign partners that they are not going to abandon, so to speak, or pardon.
They are seeking to reverse this momentum that the Taliban seem to have in the last few years. Keep in mind though that the situation in Afghanistan
isn't one that is going to be won by military ways, so to speak. So, 7,000 troops are not likely to do a lot. However, they are aiming from what I
understand to be able to reach more of the Afghan forces and to be able to train and advise them.
ANDERSON: Catherine, as you have said, this is not about nation building. He said it was about killing terrorists. And we saw in Athena's report,
Washington keeping the door open to a political solution with the Taliban, but they didn't see interest. And that really matters. Just check out this
map, short back in May, but take a look at all of the areas, in purple and orange. They are either ruled by or are helping out that group. If the
Taliban aren't on board, Catherine, can Afghanistan be one as pertains to the victory in the eyes of the White House?
JAMES: I think what really needs to happen here is that you look at a map like that, and yes, various of control on areas that are being protested,
more or less that aren't directly being held by Taliban -- I'm sorry, by the Afghan government, we need to understand that those areas are basically
being -- how can I put it, they are Taliban contested. However, the situation where the satisfaction of the government is so high that you are
basically going to go onboard with any anti-government group that is in your region district or in your district. And so it is not so much an
ideological push against foreign forces or even to say against the Afghan government. But more or less, a level of dissatisfaction with the
government in the area, and it is quite natural that people take up arms in a lot of these areas that have often been ruled by arms.
And so, what you have is a push against a level of corruption, abuse of power. And so, what I think when President Trump said he is not engaged in
nation building, that is of course to a great extent -- because the military forces is not simply going to leave. What you need is to bring
back the people and their confidence in their local government, district by district, problems by problems.
ANDERSON: I want to get to the bottom this appeal to India from Trump to getting involved. One describing this invitation if you will to India as
puzzling arguing that it may encourage Pakistan to invest more in armed groups on the ground. How do you assess Trump calling out India at this
point?
[11:10:10] RAVI AGARWAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, it has been seen as quite puzzling here in India, not the least, because India been involved
in the nation building in Afghanistan since the very beginning, since 2001, and even perhaps before then. Since 2001, India has is invested more than
$3 billion in nation building in Afghanistan. It has built 2,500 km of roads, it has built dams, it has built hydroelectricity plants, it has
three to four consulates. It has done a lot of Kabul including the new parliament there.
So India will say it has already done its share. It wants to do more. The official line from India is that it is aligned with the White House's
statements and that it wants to partner with the U.S. when it comes to Afghanistan. But there was some surprise here with Trump's line,
especially on the trade imbalance between India and the United States, because Trump said that India needs to do more because it has a trade
surplus with the United States. And India probably won't like that, the tone of that message very, very much. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, let's take a look at these numbers. Donald Trump talking on trade between his country and where you are, India, and it is huge, some
$140 billion just last year alone. As many might expect, Ravi, the U.S. buys a lot more from Indiana than the other way around. Will it have to
listen and do more at this point?
AGARWAL: Well, India long said that you know its priority is to be a very good partner for the United States. India sort of made its bed as they were
in that sense. On one hand, it has skirmishes of Pakistan. It has skirmishes even with China. Both of which were aligned as friends in the
region. They're aligned also in Afghanistan. So in a sense, India has made its bed when it comes to the United States. And it would need to heed with
the United States is saying and that's why in his official line has been throughout that it is aligned with what the United States is proposing in
Afghanistan.
But the other thing to look at their midst all of this is Pakistan, and India was very heartened by the fact that Trump explicitly said that aid to
Pakistan was up for grabs. That perhaps it would be reviewed. And those words which India has been loving for the longest time will be seen here in
India as a victory of sorts. Becky.
ANDERSON: Ravi in New Delhi, for our viewers, Ravi, thank you. Some like the head of NATO welcomes Mr. Trump's plan. International diplomatic editor
Nic Robertson joining me now from London. So, we got Afghanistan welcoming this plan. We get India saying that they're onboard. NATO welcoming this.
What are the implications? I want to talk about the others involved, what are the implications with India getting so overtly involved, or continuing
to be overtly involved, or for example, China weighing in as well?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I mean, it is really interesting, Becky. If you roll back the clock for 20 years when the Taliban control
over fighting for control Afghanistan, the Taliban were backed by Pakistan because Pakistan wants a strategic depth of security in Afghanistan i.e. it
wants to have an influence over who is in government in Afghanistan. And that is why today they are still backing the Taliban. So 20 years ago, the
Taliban fighting to control the whole of Afghanistan, they may have 80 or so percent of it. And they're backed by Pakistan.
And the other 20 percent is the Northern alliance which is the Tajiks and Uzbeks. This is the site if you will that the United States came in, in
support of after the 9/11 attack. But the northern alliance was very strongly supported by India so you have India and Pakistan historically on
opposite sides of the fight in Afghanistan. That's why bringing India into the equation is very sensitive. And Pakistan and India have long-running
tensions over Kashmir and long-running tensions over Afghanistan. They're two nuclear armed nations. Afghanistan -- Pakistan, rather is worried that
it has essentially India pushing on one border to the east, that India- Pakistan border. And they fear that India would also try and squeeze them if they have the influence, then Afghanistan, which is why Pakistan
continues to push back. I think that's an important piece of context when India gets involved. And you mentioned China, too, of course.
ANDERSON: Let's put money on this because it has been a severe shot across the bow vocally at least at this point from President Trump. He accused
Pakistan of creating safe havens for terrorists. What is at stake here for Pakistan do you think?
[11:15:05] ROBERTSON: You know, what people are talking about the great game, they always have done in the context of Afghanistan. I just rolled
back the clock 20 years. And now, I'm saying I roll it back to 200 years where the world powers were conflict over Afghanistan, that this pivotal
country who was going to control it and never had a strong central leadership.
Not to bore our viewers here, but you have now China weighing in on the side of Pakistan and saying, not so fast, essentially Mr. Trump, Pakistan
has a lot to fight international terrorism, international community needs to recognize that. But in essence, that is where we're back out today. And
the solution for Afghanistan is a strong government, that is able to have its reach across the whole country, and that requires having old
dispensations of the population involved in this very tribal country and that includes those dispensations that are represented by the Taliban.
President Trump has left the door open for that. The Taliban in their language also say if the United States continues its war fighting, we will,
but they leave the door open for coming into the talks. What has held the Taliban back in the past, we know that President Obama said the same thing.
What has held the Taliban back in the past from getting engaged politically in Afghanistan, they talked about it, they want positions in government,
positions in the military. And it has widely been viewed as Pakistan that has held them back. And I think that's what we are seeing President Trump
focus and put pressure on Pakistan.
Counting he back that up, can he withstand Pakistan's back pressure that may lead to closing the resupply we have seen Pakistan to U.S. forces
inside Afghanistan. You how, how can he play that? That's perhaps the differentiator here. What is Trump going to do about Pakistan?
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thank you, Nic.
Mr. Trump says the United States will fight to win, attacking the enemy until it is obliterated. We heard a lot about ministry might in his
Afghanistan speech last night, but where does diplomacy fit in? We speak with a former U.S. official who is very concerned. He says American
diplomacy around the world is on the decline and says the consequences are dangerous, indeed, with America looking to change them how to do things in
Afghanistan.
Out on the Pacific, just so far this year, not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times its Navy ships have been hit, hit other ships, or it rocks
with North Korea looking on. Some are asking if America fumbling?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:08] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADMIRAL SCOTT SWIFT, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET COMMANDER: The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps divers join the search today, assessing sealed compartments and
damaged parts of the ship. The divers were able to locate some remains in those sealed compartments during their search today. Additionally, the
Malaysia Navy has reported that they have located potential remains. They are working to confirm and identify those remains.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, you have just heard from the U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott Swift. Ten U.S. sailors are still missing after their ship
collided with another on the Singaporean coast on Monday. But it appears the search and rescue operation might be turning to a recovery one.
American and Malaysian divers have been scarring USS John S. McCain and nearby waters, but the discoveries are not promising. For the very latest,
let's go to our Matt Rivers who is in Singapore, not far from where the warship is docked. Matt.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We were at that press conference with the Admiral. And he's in charge of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. He was the first one
to tell us, confirm that they had fatalities as a result of this accident. What happened throughout the day today here in Singapore is that divers are
from the U.S. Navy were trying to access the damaged part of that ship, the USS John S. McCain. And they made their way into some of those sealed
compartments that were sealed when flooding occurred as a result of that incident, that happened early Monday morning.
The other thing that happened while those divers were able to find some remains in those compartments, although the Admiral would not confirm
exactly how many of the missing sailors were recovered, the other thing that happened though is that the Malaysian Navy actually found a body in
the waters, in the area where that incident took place. That body in the process of being transferred to the U.S. Navy for identification.
So the Admiral said, look, search and rescue efforts are continuing. There is some hope at least in his mind that survivors might be found, but
clearly, there's been some very bad news here in Singapore. And as each day goes by, the odds of finding more or any survivors really gets worse.
ANDERSON: Matt, the collision forcing a rare red operational pause, the entire U.S. Navy, what is a tense time in the region, correct?
RIVERS: Absolutely right. I mean, this incident didn't happen in a vacuum. In fact, as you said, just before the break, four different incidents
involving ships deployed to this part of the world, these are ships that are supposed to fight tonight ships, the ships that are ready to defend
America's interest in this region, specifically around the Korean Peninsula, in Japan, and in the South China Sea.
And there have been four instance including two fatal incidents, one back in June, an incident involving USS Fitzgerald, in an accident with a
container ship. And now, this ship. And so, what is happening is the U.S. Navy said look, something might be going on here. Are there systemic
problems? And if there are, we need to tackle that. And so, they're doing what they're calling a comprehensive review of safety standards, best
practices across the entire U.S. fleet, not just here in Southeast Asia.
And so, they're taking a look at that in the hopes of finding what could be a lack of standards, lack of training that could prevent them -- allow them
to prevent this from happening again.
ANDERSON: That's the story from our reporter out in Singapore for you today. Thank you.
While U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration are used to being on the scrutiny by now, that is not necessarily the case, with some of
their family. The wife of be Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is being criticized for her latest activity on Instagram, following a trip to
Kentucky. Let's go to Kate Bennett in Washington for more. Explain if you will.
KATE BENNETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, basically, last night, the newlywed wife of Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin, her name is Louise Linton,
posted on her Instagram account a picture of her departing on a government plane, after a day trip to Kentucky, accompanying her husband to discuss
tax reform. And in the photograph of herself departing the plane, she tagged a number of designer label that she was wearing from Hermes, to Tom
Ford.
And then, she was criticized by a woman and the comments for doing so, in sort of bragging about the wealth. And in response to this woman who ends
up being just a regular average citizen from Oregon, Ms. Linton sort of attacked her and came up with the many reasons why she had posted including
that she and her husband Treasury Secretary probably pay more in taxes, live a wealthier lifestyle, she said -- you know, she criticized this woman
in a passive-aggressive way for having a cute family and a cute lifestyle and using emojis. So this is very sort of contentious defense and some
people are calling it highly condescending to this woman who left to comment. And then, Ms. Linton was obviously being very critical in counting
her wealth.
Surely, they are after she deleted the Instagram post. And shortly, she took her Instagram account private. However, not before a lot of people
witnessed this exchange.
ANDERSON: Another family member coming under fire, Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron. The conservative website, The Daily Caller, has criticized the
11-year-old boy for wearing casual clothes. And while his dad can rarely count on celebrities and political opponents to defend him, that isn't the
case with Barron, it seems.
BENNETT: That's true. I mean, I think everyone from media to other members of you know political families in the past were sort of appalled by this
story and that there was a story criticizing this 11-year-old child for wearing t-shirts and shorts in the middle of summer, and that he needed to
dress better, which is you know, as a child who lives a private line is probably not the right thing.
One of the people to defended Barron Trump was Chelsea Clinton, who is not a stranger to what is like to live life in that microscope of being a White
House, a presidential child. She tweeted that it is high time people left Barron Trump alone and let him live his life in private as he deserves. So
this is sort of a moment where partisanship went out the window and you know, the Clinton daughter reaching how ostensibly to the Trump's son and
sort of saying, hey, guys, back off. This is not a topic we should be covering and let the kid live his life. And I think it is an important
issue and one that I think the Trump will probably appreciate like Chelsea spoke out on.
ANDERSON: Yeah, I thought we decided this poor young boys wasn't fair game. It's ridiculous. All right. Thank you for that.
Still to come, we will have much more in Donald Trump's plan to ramp up a war, his long advocated dating back. We are live at the Pentagon for you
just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:15] ANDERSON: Here in Paris you are watching CNN this is Connect the world with me Becky Anderson. We are returning to our top news at this
hour. President Donald Trump plan to beef up the American troop presence in Afghanistan a 16 year war, he vowed to pull out in the past. Here is
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is in n Baghdad right now the general say, he is still waiting up plan for the extra troops to send in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES MATTIS, DEFENSE SECRETARY GENERAL: I prefer not to go in those numbers right now. The first you have to do is level the possible plan and
count for everybody who is on the ground there now. The idea being that were not going to have different (inaudible) I will tell you what the total
number is and there is a number that I am authorized to go up to, I have to look, and I have directed the chairman to put the plan together now, we
have obviously we have discussed this options for some time, when he brings that then I will determine how many more we need send in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: General Mattis said with huge specific on the president's view plan for Afghanistan, I want to dig a little bit deeper with our reporter.
Ryan Browne for you and before we talk Ryan, remind our viewers the human cost of the war in Afghanistan. Since 2001 more than 3500 U.S. and
coalition troops have been killed in the fighting, more than 30,000 Afghan troops and police have been killed more than 31,000 civilians have been
killed with thousands more willing to or displaced more than 40,000 Taliban and the militant it's reported having been killed. Now another American
commander-in-chief further commit to his nation to war. What is the mood at the Pentagon right now Ryan?
RYAN BROWNE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY: Well I think the military has long (inaudible) some of these changes that Donald Trump reference to last
night. First and foremost this kind of lack of timetable and one thing of the military push back on during the last administration of Barack Obama
was his decision to serve additional forces into Afghanistan but tied into a very specific time period and a military base are encouraged Taliban to
quote waited out, you know kind of sit on the sidelines as that time period last similarly with Pakistan, I think that it is a much better bargaining
position in trying to get Pakistan to crackdown on Taliban elements like the Haqqani network if they believe that the U.S. is going to have an
enduring counterterrorism presence, so this something that the military is long advocated for from a tactical point of view, this kind of conditions
based operations mindset to this is something that they would welcome, but again you talked about the casualties the cost of this war is very
different war for the military point of view that was spot on previous years. Still primarily a training advising assisting role primarily away
from the front lines using the casualties have dropped dramatically since those days in 2011 2012. When you have a hundred thousand U.S. troops
there is much more supporting roles with is a different kind of mindset going into this military operation in the under this new strategy by
President Trump.
ANDERSON: Stephen Collinson joining us in Washington as well this hour, Steve when it comes to Afghanistan it seems there is a tale of two Trumps,
one on one hand, morning to get out right away on the other saying what could be really long time in his speech -- what I guess for politician any
politician anywhere in the world admitting to that, let just have a you a quick listen to what Trump said in the past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A total and complete disaster and honestly we don't know what we are doing. We have a leader
that has no clue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Let us fast forward to last night then.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: My original instinct was to pull out and historically I like following my instincts but all my life I've heard that decisions are much
different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:35:00] ANDERSON: Clearly President Trump is prepared to change his mind, is this president Stephen who you can deliver that will change?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: That is a good question and the thing that you can make many arguments that this strategy doesn't
have many elements that have already been tried by the last two administrations in particular think about the pressure on Pakistan but this
does suggest that even a politician is unconventional and was unchained as Donald Trump discovers that sometimes you know winning is a lot harder than
it appears in many ways this was a president who came to office predicting he could win in ways other president haven't been able to in Afghanistan is
one of there isn't really potentially a win to be had, I think this is a strategy in many ways from a political sense a lease which is designed to
stave off further deterioration of the conditions in Afghanistan and to save the present from an embarrassing loss of his watch.
It doesn't seem at least at this strategy changes or of the fundamental conundrum that the last two presidents has face in Afghanistan is a war of
the United States can't afford to leave but is it is a war in which the United States hardly can't win either.
ANDERSON: Take a look in the number of the 9/11 U.S. initially at 10,000 troops there by mid-2002 in the coming years and 50 countries sending
troops getting around in 14,000 and coalition soldiers in total is as Ryan's point out. Most of the American soon after the U.S. troops started
leaving of course doing length and 8400 from the U.S. right now. Military experts who support these new plan and there are many of them, they say in
part because it provides the U.S. military with the flexibility it needs to help the Afghan military regain momentum and that is different from the
rules on the ground during Obama's administration and I guess the question really is realistically what impact will a true increase have on the ground
supporting troops from the government and many call simply an (inaudible).
COLLINSON: Right and the question is whether Afghanistan will the political conditions be such that even a U.S. victory in Afghanistan be
sustainable I think the last administration eventually came to the conclusion that was never going to be the case given the levels of
corruption and just the political dislocation in the country has been, you know in a viscous Civil War for 40 years whatever it is, I mean I think
that the question here is, yes this could restore momentum for the Afghan troops, it filter could help them over a period of, say several years are
perhaps you know rather than injection of 30,000 troops in a surge in which was what Obama first decided upon in 2009 but the question is, you know are
the conditions around Afghanistan such that it will be united sustainable in the longer term. The president spoke very clearly that his or put more
pressure on Pakistan. My question is this is an administration that is down played diplomacy as part of its foreign policy, it doesn't seem in its
effort on Pakistan is going to be as resourced for example as the one the Obama administration tried when it came into office. Try to salvage a
strategy that didn't work.
President George W. Bush, you know impose intense pressure on Pakistan to stop supporting militants in Afghanistan, what is this strategy didn't
discuss either was the increasing role of Russia in Afghanistan. There have been some reports that Russia's been providing weapons to his former
enemies in and in the Taliban and mostly it influence Iran. So I think there is a big diplomatic questions that will sort of say when the military
strategies have chance of succeeding.
ANDERSON: Stephen Collinson is out of Washington for you today. You had your reporter out of the Pentagon as well wrapping up that part of the
show, guys thank you for that. Time global threats are on the rise US diplomacy well it seems it is only decline that is the message of our next
guest, who warns the consequences could be grim, former Diplomat Brett Bruen serves as Director of global engagement in the Obama White House he
just written an article in the Hill saying and I quote it is a bad time to the United States to diminish international influence, there are never been
so many global threats somebody will be safer with no weapon over a decade in Afghanistan or truth talk of the limits of even our military might
regret. Bruen is joining us now from Washington, he is the president of the consulting firm Global Situation and here of course a part of what you
could see with this article is, this is about the fact, you know with little talk in diplomacy and few diplomats on the grounds these days you
are concern that the U.S. only has one avenue, correct? That being the military one.
[11:40:46] BRETT BRUEN, FORMER U.S. DIPLOMAT: Quite. And I think if you look at the Afghanistan strategy of President Trump control where it's
quite one-dimensional there is no diplomatic component, there is no developmental components so while from a security standpoint we may be able
to stave off as some of the attacks. There are no other tools that were able to draw on in the strategy of President Trump laid out.
ANDERSON: We once talk about slashing of budget at the State Department actually when you do a little digging on this, it is unlikely that we are
told by sources that Congress will be prepared to draw down as significantly as the numbers that were speculating about when Tillerson
first joined the department. Is it any clear at this point what state will look like on the ground internationally going forward?
BRUEN: It was quite concerning is that even if Congress allocates the funds Secretary Tillerson and President Trump they are shown in
unwillingness to spend those spots. We could end up in a situation where Congress has allocated money and you are diplomats are denied those funds
to carry out their duties and we are on the situation where we are drawing down by executive decree and in that puts us in a very precarious
situation, our citizens are going to be put in danger, our companies are going to be disadvantaged and certainly the security posture and influence
United States will be compromised.
ANDERSON: Donald Trump himself acknowledging in about face in his thinking when it comes to Afghanistan and that being the top story today it is quite
a dramatic reversal, he is a critic of Barack Obama in Afghanistan strategy repeatedly taking to twitter over the years to pull U.S. troops to come
home. Mr. Trump said America has wasted billions of dollars as well as quite enormous amount of blood and treasure, that was then this now, I
wonder what you think is change and also where you think at the president is positioning himself when he said that this is absolutely not about
nation building, this is about killing terrorists. What did that say about Washington's message to the outside world?
BRUEN: The problem is that if it's not about nation building and we're going to have to contend with broken nations and that poses a security risk
to our allies in the region and indeed to the United States itself. We need to think through a much more complex strategy simply putting a few
extra troops on the ground and hoping for the results is not going to deliver security and it's certainly not going to be sustainable over the
long term.
ANDERSON: Good to have you on Sir, we will have you again, thank you, live from Paris this is Connect the World. Coming up several development in the
Barcelona terror attack including an alert to citizens helped police tracked down the key suspects up next.
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[11:46:20] ANDERSON: We are in Paris, there is an iconic image for you, this CNN. I am Becky Anderson with Connect the World. Welcome back if you
are just joining us you are very welcome to the terror investigation in Spain, now four suspects scene last week Barcelona attack had cause Madrid
this Monday, less than 24 hours ago police killed the man they say Melissa Bell has the latest warning report that contain graphic images.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The last hideout of 22-year-old Abouyaaquob a rural hillside about an hour from Barcelona. A villager told
police Monday afternoon, after spotting someone suspicious, Abouyaaquob was shot dead wearing an explosives belt that turned out to be fake. It was
the end of an intense manhunt.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Until sure Catalonia and Europe and the world's most safe today after the death of Abouyaaquob and before.
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BELL: Five days ago Abouyaaquob drove the van into crowds on Barcelona's most popular street in La Rambla, he escaped on foot through a market then
hijacked a car, stabbing to death its owner. As he went on the run, five other members of the cell where preparing to launch an attack in the town
of Cambrill, about 100 miles down the coast. All five were shot dead by police, they too were wearing fake suicide belts. Most of the cell were
young men of Moroccan origin in her 20s and most came from the quiet town of Ripoll in the foothills at the (inaudible). They used to meet at this
apartment according to police. This young men were spending a lot of time a long way from home in a house in the town of Alcanar that was destroyed
by a massive explosion last week. Found in the wreckage of the remains of a preacher 42-year-old (inaudible) a man who appears to have influence to
many of the attackers. Spanish police discovered more than 100 gas canisters in the wreckage as well as components to the powerful explosives
TATP, there was so much dangerous material in the house that police had to carry out several controlled explosions, and they believe the group for
preparing dozens of bombs for one or more major targets in Barcelona. The bomb maker appears to have made a fatal mistake. Up and down in La Rambla
candles blow at night in tribute to the people of seven nationalities who lost their lives here and in hope to the recovery of the dozens still in
hospital.
Details emerge about the scale in this size of this group, there is a frightening realization of the carnage could have been so much worse and
there are alarming questions too, about how this conspiracy on the bomb factory in the heart of it went undiscovered. Melissa Bell, CNN Barcelona.
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ANDERSON: Some of the other stories on our radar today, you check out this dramatic video.
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ANDERSON: They are rescuing a baby boy on an earthquake hit the island of (inaudible) in Maples. His two older brothers were also rescued at least
one person was killed in the quake.
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ANDERSON: A bizarre story out of Denmark the web police working to identify headless torso found on the shore, it is believed it could be that
Swedish journalist Jim Walsh missing since she boarded a private submarine earlier this month.
[11:50:13] We are learning more about the case. Brexit the latest revealed the government is back down on plans to completely break free from E.U. a
deal that is more certainty for businesses and on citizens of rights. At least one person was killed and another injured when a van crashed into two
bus stops in different parts of Australia on Monday. The incident according to police is not being treated as terrorism at this stage. Back
from Paris, city of lights to a country that saw darkness in two minutes the views of the U.S. total solar eclipse in ways you probably haven't seen
yet. That is up next.
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ANDERSON: What can you say about photos like this, astonishing, breathtaking, glorious, I can't hardly think of a word that quite captures
this glory? This was one view of Monday eclipse across America from down here on earth. And this the view from above us, the shadow of the moon,
sailing across the face of the earth. So for your part shots, let's bring in a star who will never be eclipse, the one and only Mr. Chad Myers.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Did you raise that? Another word that we will use this will be scientific, because you could put a giant rock on the
moon in front of the sun that almost fits exactly and you can find these little spot his prominence is here, another here this is the stuff that
the science community will use to try to predict what in the future will happen to the sun, because we know we haven't seen it all the time being
billions of years old we haven't been around that watch it another shot below all that satellite the good of the effect of the shadow went all the
way over the United States and parts of the Caribbean here north of the Bahamas.
So I know 12 million people actually in the path of this without moving. Another 12 if not more than that moved yesterday on our Google Earth here
in America they can take a cellphone signal and know how fast you're going and they know that there were tracker gems all across America right along
the path of this as people tried to get the totality and why is that, because right here were I am standing we have 98 percent coverage, that was
only 2 percent of the sun and I looked outside and said, what was that a cloud? You couldn't tell it was dark at all. It was nothing out there
that would tell you you're in an eclipse is it just looked like a published from 1000 years old to be needed to be in a totality needed to be 100
percent.
[11:55:06] So where we go from here, we go to South America in 2019 and 2020 we go to South America for a total again lunar eclipse somewhere in
the two minute and three minute range. We are talking totality, because that is what really made a big difference. Here are some pictures, I have
about 15 seconds left just to give you an idea of what else people were feeling, what they were seeing in America, where you can see the eclipse
itself just the entire blackness. It is nothing left to the sun, the moon fit perfectly back it was an amazing day.
ANDERSON: That absolutely remarkable. All right live from the city of light we are in Paris. Thank you so much for watching.
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