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U.S. Remembers September 11 Terror Attacks; John Bolton Out as U.S. National Security Adviser; Impact of John Bolton's Sudden Departure on Israel; Israeli Prime Minister Vows to Annex Parts of West Bank if Reelected; Palestinians Furious Over Netanyahu's Annexation Plan; Interview with Ayman Safadi, Jordanian Foreign Minister, Netanyahu's Annexation Plan; Georgia's Caucasus Mountains are a Popular Tourist Destination. Aired 11a- 12p ET
Aired September 11, 2019 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD, I'm Becky Anderson for you live from Abu Dhabi.
Eighteen years ago the world was changed forever. September 11th, 2001. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when planes hijacked by terrorists crashed
into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in the state of Pennsylvania.
Well the babies born that year can now vote. A whole generation of people who don't remember the day, the forever war began. It's a war President
Donald Trump has been determined to end. His administration holding peace talks with the Taliban for the past year. But the President says that deal
is now dead after backing down on his decision to invite the Taliban to Camp David last weekend. This is what he said today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I called them off when I learned that they had killed a great American soldier from Puerto Rico and
11 other innocent people. They thought they would use this attack to show strength, but actually what they showed is unrelenting weakness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The peace talks were seemingly the breaking point for Mr. Trump's relationship with one of the men connecting Washington to the
world. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton, the President firing him via Twitter yesterday. This latest White House departure being felt
around the world, particularly here in the Middle East.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Iran, Venezuela, North Korea. John Bolton's hawkish world view often put him at odds with his own boss. A source close
to the White House telling CNN that President Trump has, quote, been complaining about John wanting to start a war almost since the beginning.
End quote. And he often turned his attention and words to Iran. Which the U.S. has labelled as a state sponsor of terror.
JOHN BOLTON, THEN-U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Iran can never have nuclear weapons. Not against the USA and not against the world.
ANDERSON: In 2015, Bolton penned a blistering editorial in the "New York Times." the title, "To Stop Iran's Bomb, Bomb Iran". And a few months
ago, the U.S. came close. Fighter jets were in the air ready to bomb Iran over the downing of a U.S. military drone. It was only at the last moment
that the U.S. President Donald Trump said he called them off. Bolton's end game seemed to be for regime change.
BOLTON: The only solution is to change the regime itself. And that's why before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran, thank you very much.
ANDERSON: Iran's foreign minister dubbing Bolton as a key member of the B-team. A clever pun for a group he blames for stirring tensions in the
Middle East. Mr. Zarif said the world was breathing a sigh of relief over Bolton's ouster. According to a source close to the White House, Bolton
was concerned that Trump caves to dictators like Kim Jong-un and that Trump was going to do it again with Iran.
HASSAN ROUHANI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Americans should know that warmongering and warmongers are not in their favor. They should
put both aside, warmongers and warmongering and maximum pressure.
ANDERSON: But even with Mr. Bolton gone, Iran's President says they are not ready to talk.
As the clock ticks down on his first term, Mr. Trump is looking for at least one big foreign policy win. With an Afghan peace deal falling apart
and a stalemate with North Korea, a new deal with Iran might be Mr. Trump's last chance of bagging a diplomatic victory.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: CNN's Ben Wedeman joining me from Beirut in Lebanon and from the White House briefing room, senior Washington correspondent, Joe Johns.
Ben, let's start with you. In the eyes of Iran, the so-called B-team in the White House now down one player. Can Donald Trump now knock a home run
with this plan on Iran or for Iran?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Home run is highly unlikely given that the Iranians have said if there's no easing of the
draconian sanctions regime on their country they aren't going to play along with any photo opportunities that President Trump might like. Now we do
know that of course Mr. Bolton was opposed to any sort of meeting with Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian President.
[11:05:00]
But we heard the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo say that President Trump has -- is ready to meet with Rouhani without conditions. But what
exactly the White House has in mind in terms of improving relations between Iran and the United States is not at all clear. Will they ease the
sanctions? That's not at all clear. If the Iranians don't give on some of the demands of the U.S., which, for instance, involve reducing its
relations with groups like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen or other things that the Iranians perhaps simply aren't willing to do. For
instance, like reining in their ballistic missile development program. So I think President Trump has grand ideas for a photo op, but it didn't
appear that there's much more in his arsenal at the moment -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Interesting. All right. Well, that photo op, if it were to happen could be, of course, during the U.N. General Assembly, which is a
couple of weeks from now. John Bolton's opposition to Donald Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David has been seen, or certainly understood
to have been the straw that broke the camel's back in the relationship between the two. Donald Trump says that peace deal is dead. What happens
now?
WEDEMAN: In the immediate future we have on the 28th of September, Afghan presidential elections. And it is expected that the Taliban will make good
on their vow to increase violence in the country. And that's highly likely at this point. And it's also important to keep in mind, Becky, one basic
fact. The Taliban have time on their side. They're not going anywhere.
President Trump, on the other hand, made it one of his key campaign promises that the United States would pull out of Afghanistan. How he's
going to live up to that promise is not at all clear. Now the United States basically in its talks with the Taliban in Qatar said that they have
two basic conditions. One is a cessation or a reduction of violence in Afghanistan, and another is a vow from the Taliban not to launch or allow
any terrorist attacks to be launched upon the United States.
Missing in the whole equation was the U.S. backed Afghan government, which basically felt that they were being thrown under the bus by the Trump
administration. Which really didn't have much in the way of consultations with the government in Kabul as these talks were going on -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Joe Johns is in Washington. And Joe, as Ben was just talking there , we were looking at images of John Bolton sitting next to, of
course, another character who has since left the Trump administration. And that was one of his main guys, one of his military generals. Trump's
cabinet turnover seems to be the opposite of musical chairs. Too many seats, not enough characters to fill them as it were. One quarter of his
cabinet are acting. How does this setup affect U.S. foreign policy decisions?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well the argument always is that the more turnover you have, particularly in the foreign policy
areas, the more disjointed your foreign policy is. That there's more confusion. But the fact of the matter is, in this case, it is the
President's personnel policies in general that have also contributed --
ANDERSON: Like McMaster.
Johns: -- simply because -- right, you bring people on, like general McMaster for example, who is a national security advisor or even Michael
Flynn who was the first national security advisor. He had to go because of some of his ethical and legal problems. It's a question of personnel, and
it's definitely a question of the President's decisions to fire people and when -- Becky.
ANDERSON: With a view out of Washington and out of this region, via Lebanon with Ben Wedeman for you this evening, thank you both.
One country particularly concerned by the departure of John Bolton is Israel. Bolton was one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's closest
allies in the White House, as well as one of the biggest hardliners on Iran. Just a few months ago, Bolton toured the Jordan Valley with Mr.
Netanyahu, stressing what he called the land's strategic importance for Israel.
[11:10:00]
Well, that West Bank territory, the Palestinians want, as part of a future state is now in the headlines after Mr. Netanyahu vowed to annex it if he
wins reelection next week. Oren Liebermann looks at the campaign pledge that has caused a fire storm of controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a down-to-the-wire campaign move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is promising to expand the
boundaries of Israel if he wins re-election next week.
He announced a stunning plan to annex parts of the contested territory of the West Bank.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Today, I am announcing my intention to apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan
Valley and the Northern Dead Sea.
LIEBERMANN: It's a sweeping plan and critics say a play to his base that comes with strings attached.
NETANYAHU (through translator): I will not do anything without getting a clear mandate from the public, and so, the citizens of Israel, I ask you
for a clear mandate to do this.
LIEBERMANN: The 69-year-old Israeli leader has made promises of annexation before, but never like this.
Pulling out a map, he showed specific areas in the West Bank he would make official Israeli territory, areas he says are crucial to national security
but are held by occupied territory by most of the international community.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Should have taken place many decades ago.
LIEBERMANN: Facing a tough reelection bid here, Netanyahu has staked his future on his close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Tuesday night's announcement was no different. The Israeli Prime Minister connected his annexation plan directly to Trump's soon to be released plan
for Mideast peace.
NETANYAHU (through translator): The most important question facing us in this election is who will negotiate with President Trump? Who will recruit
him to our side?
LIEBERMANN: A Trump administration official tells CNN there is no change in U.S. policy at this time but adds that Netanyahu's announcement doesn't
get in the way of the peace plan. Two weeks before Netanyahu's last election in April, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty in the Golan
Heights, a political gift to his friend Netanyahu.
Trump also put Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the terror list and he had the secretary of state visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Tuesday night, Arab politicians in Israel and Palestinian leaders slammed Netanyahu's new plan, accusing him of working to liquidate the Palestinian
issue and eliminating the possibility of a two-state solution and peace.
Netanyahu says Trump's peace plan is coming soon, telling Israelis he should be the one to handle negotiations, but only if he wins the election.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well there's a world of reaction to this story today. From the United Nations, to the EU to the Arab League and beyond. As for the people
who would be most affected by Mr. Netanyahu's plans, Palestinians are warning of consequences. Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas,
says he will tear up all signed agreements with Israel if the annexation goes through.
Oren Liebermann joining us live from Jerusalem. Sam Kiley with us tonight where there is reporting from the West Bank. Let's just start with you,
Oren, and the perspective, if you will, from Israel on this.
LIEBERMANN: Well Netanyahu certainly made the right headlines with some of those he wanted to. But it didn't exactly go over with flying colors even
with the right-ring. His critics on the right said these are words. We've seen the words before, we're going to see them again from the Prime
Minister. Instead of words, he should take actions. And here we found out he's promised to announce a new settlement, retroactively legalize an
illegal outpost in the West Bank in an attempt to try to appease those voters and try to bring them over to his side.
The bigger issue for Netanyahu on a day when that announcement should have made all the headlines, it didn't. It was blown out by the news of John
Bolton's firing or resignation. Then it was doubly blown out by video of Netanyahu being whisked over to a burden with a red alert going on in a
later campaign event he was holding. So the headlines he wanted to make not what he ended up with this morning here.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. And from the Palestinian perspective, Sam, the position is what?
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The position on this is extremely clear, Becky. As far as the Palestinians are concerned, in the
words of the Saeb Erekat, who's the chief negotiator for the so-called peace process, it sounds pretty more abound. This in his words would
amount to a war crime. The prominent Arab Israeli politician, Ayman Odeh, said that this would be an introduction -- Israel's official introduction
of apartheid. It's been roundly condemned by Palestinians because it really does pretty much kill off if it went ahead, any hope of a two-state
solution.
But, Becky, we're taught these terms, one state solution, two state solution, it's quite easy to forget what exactly we're talking about. It's
about a people and landscape. And I recently travelled through the West Bank and this is what we found.
[11:15:03]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: We weren't allowed to film it. And we've just crossed from Israeli territory onto the West Bank, which was a landscape that was captured by
the Israelis in the Six Day War in 1967. Since then, has been seen -- at least by the international community -- as occupied territory.
(voice-over): Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian leadership to deliver two neighboring nations living in peace began in 1991. And they
limped on for decades. Punctuated by terror attacks, Palestinian uprising and continued expansion by Israel into disputed territories like the West
Bank.
Now the peace process effectively non-existent since 2014, has collapsed. Israelis are banned by their own government from entering Palestinian
authority-controlled areas. The West Bank is divided into area A under Palestinian control, area B under Palestinian administration, but Israeli
security control, and area C, entirely under Israeli control.
Jewish settlements have steadily increased. And while electioneering, Israel's Prime Minister has repeated his promise to annex the settlements.
NETANYAHU (through translator): With God's help we'll extend Jewish sovereignty to all the communities as part of the land of Israel, as part
of the state of Israel.
KILEY: The Trump administration says that it has an unpublished deal for both sides. Palestinians are cynical. They see Trump as openly favoring
Israel. Especially after moving the U.S. embassy to the divided city that both sides claim as their capital.
ALI HAMRAN, GARAGE MECHANIC (through translator): No one of all the Palestinian people think that those suggestions can be of benefit to the
Palestinian people. So people are so depressed and will never trust the American administration or any other.
KILEY: Palestinians have consistently said that the growth of settlements are an impediment to peace. And frequently accuse some settlers of
intimidation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They attack us almost every day. They burn our trees. Throw stones so we leave our house. If you look
there, they burnt the trees last week. All we can do is document those attacks.
KILEY: Settlers also come under attack on the West Bank. There are killings on both sides. Clashes are frequent around places like this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people who live here do all kind of -- futures and builders and movers and --
KILEY (voice-over): From outposts, towns like Ariel grow and that's no accident.
(on camera): Would you support still a two-state solution?
DAVID HAVIRY, SETTLER SPOKESMAN: I think that that idea was a huge mistake to begin with. People who to this day have not realized that the two-state
idea is a mistake. My prescription is that Israel, the sovereign country, that has controlled this area for the past 52 years needs to complete and
take full responsibility for this region.
KILEY (voice-over): That's not going to fly with most Palestinians.
NASSER AL QIDWA, YASSER ARAFAT FOUNDATION: There is nothing called one- state solution. That means greater Israel. That means Israel expansion. Negation of the Palestinian national guides, Palestinian national existence
even.
KILEY: But polls consistently show that belief in and support for the two- state solution dropping below 50 percent on both sides. So the idea isn't dead yet. But the nails are going into its coffin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: Becky, those nails were driven a bit further in if Netanyahu gets reelected. Because he wants to turn this landscape below me apart from the
city there of Jericho into entirely sovereign Israeli territory. 62,000 Palestinians live down there. It's always been part of the Israeli
argument that they have security control over what effectively would be a border with Jordan. But taking that out of the equation without
negotiations would leave the Palestinians with very little to talk about -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Sam Kiley reporting there from the West Bank. Thank you, Sam, and to you Oren.
Mr. Netanyahu's plan not going over well with Israel's neighbors. Jordan for one says it could push the whole region towards war, the vowed to annex
the Jordan Valley that is. I'll be talking with the Jordanian foreign minister after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: It's 20 minutes past 7:00 here in the UAE. You're watching CNN. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. If you're just joining
us, you are more than welcome.
Even Israel's neighbors are condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge to annex parts of the West Bank. Saying it would kill off any
remaining hopes for peace. The Arab League called the plan a dangerous development and a new Israeli aggression. Jordan's foreign minister called
it a flagrant violation of international law that would terminate the peace process and undermine the right of the region and its peoples to achieve
peace.
Ayman Safadi joining us now from . Sir, more ominously perhaps you have said that the announcement would fuel the conflict and push the entire
region towards violence. Thank you for joining us. How so, sir? Can you explain?
AYMAN SAFADI, JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Good evening, Becky. Well ultimately this very dangerous and serious escalation, if implemented will
undermine the very foundation upon which the whole peace process has been predicated since 1991. It will ultimately say that the door to a
comprehensive peace is closed. People will lose hope. The two-state solution around which the whole international community has really sought
for years will have no chances of being realized. The pale will prevail and violence is definitely going to erupt, an expression of this
frustration and loss of hope. That is a kind of balance that we fear will have repercussions way beyond the borders of Palestinian occupied
territories in Israel and the region into whole international community.
When you come and say you're annexing almost 30 percent of the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem has been taken off the table. A systematic campaign
to liquidate under one ultimately -- and the issue of refugees outside a comprehensive context on the basis of the international law. What's left
to talk about? So that is an extremely dangerous situation that would really undermine the very hard effort that we enjoy and many others in the
region and in the international community have work for.
ANDERSON: Benjamin Netanyahu has long advocated this strategic importance of the region. Back in June he took the then U.S. national security
advisor, John Bolton, on a helicopter tour of the valley. But, Ayman, let's be very clear. Israeli leaders on both sides of the divide see the
territory as crucial to Israel's security needs. The Prime Minister says he intends to annex it in coordination with the United States. What do you
understand he meant by that?
SAFADI: Well, I mean, again, this is election season in Israel.
[11:25:00]
And we think it's extremely dangerous to toy with the future of the region for electoral purposes. But if indeed the intention is to annex such a
huge part of the occupied territories, then the statement, the message to the Palestinians and to others the region and the world that Israel does
not really want a peace that can last, that people can accept. Ultimately what we've been working for decades in Jordan, in the Arab world is a
comprehensive lasting peace that will address the legitimate rights of both Israelis and Palestinians.
You cannot have a peace under which people are occupied under which illegal settlements continue to be built, under which Palestinians homes are being
destroyed and children are thrown into the streets and ultimately killing the hope. If we kill the two-state solution, what is the alternative?
It's either a two-state solution, which really has been advocated by the whole international community as the way forward, or it is going to be a
one-state solution. And if it is a one-state solution, is it going to be apartheid or is it going to be democratic Israel. These are the questions
that we need to address and I think it is incumbent upon all of us in the international community --
ANDERSON: OK.
SAFADI: -- to speak up against such toying with the future of the region.
ANDERSON: And the region needs to know from the states where it stands with regard the U.S. administration, whether he resigned or he was fired --
and the jury is out on that. John Bolton is no longer a serving member of the Trump administration. Do you believe his departure will signal a
change in policy on the region?
SAFADI: I cannot speak to that. All I know is that the U.S. has been saying that it is working on a plan that they believe will address the
conflict with a view to resolving it. We've been very frank and very open with the United States. And we have constant conversations that the path
to peace is known. The end of occupation, the emergence of a Palestinian state that would live in peace and security alongside Israel on the basis
of June 4, 1967 lines. It's the only way to go forward.
And by the way, this is the position, not just of Jordan. It's the position of the Arab world, of the Muslim world, of the European community.
We've seen the statements that have come out from all those entities over the past 24 hours and even before. This is a unanimous Arab position. The
Arabs have made a strategic decision for peace. We want a comprehensive and lasting peace, but we know we are part of the region and Jordan will be
on the receiving end of every crisis in this part of the world and we know what are the makings of the peace and more illegal settlements and
conservation of occupation --
ANDERSON: OK.
SAFADI:-- is not the path for peace, it's a path for killing all the chances for peace.
ANDERSON: I want to allude to one of those statements made in response to these vows by Benjamin Netanyahu. Saudi Arabia, not mincing its words with
the kingdom saying that Mr. Netanyahu's declaration is, and I quote, a very dangerous escalation against the Palestinian people and constitutes a
flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations. The statement says if Israel takes any steps towards annexing these areas, they should be
considered legally meaningless.
Foreign minister, there may be surprise in some quarters at the speed of that statement from Riyad, given the perceived support that the Saudis have
shown of late for a normalization of relations with the Israelis. And the deal of the century promised of course by the President's son-in-law, Jared
Kushner. Do Palestinians once again have the support of the most influential Arab states in any negotiations over peace?
SAFADI: Well, I mean, the Saudi position that was expressed last night or early this morning is the same position that Saudi has expressed in every
Arab summit and every meeting and every pronouncement on this conflict. This is reflective of unanimous Arab and Muslim positions supported by the
international community. We've long said that we all want peace. And we've all long said that we're unanimous. That these are the parameters
embodied in the Arab peace initiative within which peace can be achieved. Saudi Arabia, the rest of the Arab world, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine,
everybody else has been talking the same language.
If you back to the Mecca summit, the Mecca Islamic summit, and the Mecca Arab summit and before that the Hamman Summit. This is the language that
we have consistently used all of us. There is a unified Arab position on what it takes to achieve peace. And I think the statement that came out
from Saudi reflects the statement that came out from the Arab foreign ministers' league session we held yesterday in Cairo. It's the same
language all of us are extremely alarmed, extremely concerned. We condemn this announcement. We reject it and we warn against its consequences not
just for the prospects of --
ANDERSON: Let me just --
SAFADI: -- peace but for a peace and security in the region and beyond.
[11:30:04]
ANDERSON: Let me put this one last question to you and very briefly. Jordan is one of two Arab countries that Israel has peace treaties with,
the other of course being Egypt. Is the 1994 Jordan/Israel peace treaty at risk as a result of this annexation threat?
SAFADI: Well, I mean, the fact that we've had a peace treaty for that long gives us the credibility. It shows that we are a credible nation when we
say we want peace. We've been committed to peace. We continue to be committed to peace because the alternative to peace is war. It's going to
engulf all of us. So when we speak and say this is not the path to peace, we warn against the dangerous repercussions of such irresponsible
announcements, then our words should be taken very seriously because these are the words of a country whose commitment to peace has been unwavering.
ANDERSON: OK.
SAFADI: And that has done everything it could to try and advance the cause of peace.
ANDERSON: With that, we leave it there. Foreign minister, it's a pleasure having you on, thank you very much, indeed for your time.
Viewers, we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: You're watching CNN, this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you. Just after half past 7:00 in the UAE. We are 50 days
away from the U.K.'s scheduled exit from the European Union. Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces yet another blow to his plans to leave.
Scotland's highest civil court has ruled that his advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament was illegal. Critics say Mr. Johnson made the move to
increase the chances of a no deal Brexit on October 31st. The government says it's disappointed by the decision and will appeal the ruling to the
U.K. Supreme Court. Stick with CNN for more Brexit news as that countdown continues.
Touching down on the tarmac, the scents, smells and sounds of a new country. Well it can be overwhelming, can't they? So how do you soak it
all in? Well cycling is becoming an increasingly popular option. Let's take our training wheels off then and head to Georgia, a country brimming
with rich history and stunning landscapes. The latest in our series, destination Georgia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Georgia's Caucasus mountains are filled with history. For centuries people have trekked through and inhabited
these valleys and hilltops.
[11:35:00]
Leaving behind age old buildings and crumbling remains. Many only accessible on foot, or increasingly by bike.
JEREMY FORST, tourist: That's a little rocky. OK.
The thing I love about mountain biking is that you can see so much more terrain in a day and you can get to many more interesting places.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A passionate mountain biker with Canada, with almost ten years' experience in the saddle. This is Jeremy's first day on these
rocky trails.
FORST: When you are travel in the country and you go with the local travel company, it's the best way to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His guide in David Chokheli, is the founder of the country's first mountain biking company.
DAVID CHOKHELI, OWNER GEONDERS: We have amazing single tracks. Many requests are coming here because people see this mountain, which is
ancient. You're traveling biking history.
Many people are coming here and I love to meet new people because we're sharing our stories, our memories.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taking in the impressive view, now it's all about the heart stopping descent.
FORST: Now the adventure begins.
They have obstacles all the time, so your mind is always at work as well as your body. It's just a blast. If I had to put mountain biking today in
one word, it would be adrenaline.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pedaling down narrow routes that zigzag through this steep valley, they arrive at an ancient watch tower.
FORST: Woo! It's so fun.
Ready guys? One, two, three. Nice.
Georgia is a gorgeous destination. Really friendly people. People are so willing to invite you in and show you the history.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Live from Abu Dhabi, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We will be back after this very short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
You're watching CNN, this is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you. Welcome back.
It was day that forever changed the United States of America. September 11th, 2001. Nearly 3,000 lives abruptly taken when planes hijacked by
terrorists crashed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in the state of Pennsylvania. Well today the U.S. remembers those tragic events
of 18 years ago.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania, marks the anniversary at the White House at 8:46 a.m. The moment the first plane crashed into the north
tower of the World Trade Center.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Andrew Bane.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Katherine Bantis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my Uncle Brian Christopher Novotny.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my Uncle, Michael J. Armstrong, we think of you always. You're never far from our thoughts. We love you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A somber ceremony held in New York City at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza as loved ones read the name of every person killed in that terror
attack -- those terror attacks. It was a touching and emotional tribute to America's darkest day.
I'm Becky Anderson. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. "WORLD SPORT" with Amanda Davies is up next. Thank you for watching.
[11:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
[12:00:00]
END
