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CNN NEWSROOM

Rebels Advance On Key Syrian Cities; U.S. Labels Rebel Group Terrorists; Michigan House Approves Right-To-Work; Protests in Egypt Turn Violent; Carter on Marijuana Legalization

Aired December 11, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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


SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We're take you around the world in 60 minutes. Here's what's happening right now.

In Syria, rebels have taken full control of a military base. This is north of the key city Aleppo. Some of the fighters who are part of the rebel group have just been named by the U.S. State Department as terrorists. Now, the U.S. formally designated the al Nusra Front as a terrorist group linked to al Qaeda in Iraq. Well, the Treasury Department just imposed sanctions now on Nusra.

What does it mean for the fight on the ground in Syria, efforts to sort out good rebels from bad? Our Nick Paton Walsh explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They not only look different, black flags, well armed and disciplined, they fight differently, too. Using suicide tactics and mass casualty car bombs, radical extremists but undeniably effective. The al Nusra Front are behind a stream of rebel victories, overrunning regime bases across Syria, making many think the end of Bashar al Assad is nearer than ever.

So why has the United States, who also wants Assad gone, black listed them as terrorists?

VICTORIA NULAND, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: We've had concerns that al Nusra is little more than a front for al Qaeda in Iraq, who has moved some of its operations into Syria.

WALSH: That link clear in the document filed Monday, al Nusra deemed not a new group, just another name for al Qaeda in Iraq. U.S. officials believing insurgents who killed Americans in Iraq are now fighting for rebels against Syria's Assad.

But given how badly America wants influence over rebel fighters rapidly advancing on the ground, this move may make sense in principle but, say experts right now, less so in practice.

JOSHUA LANDIS, CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST STUDIES, UNIV. OF OKLAHOMA: This creates a confusing picture for the Syrians because Jebhat al Nusra is the hardest hitting group amongst the rebels. The U.S. says it wants to take down Assad, but at the same time they're cutting the rebels off at the knees. It doesn't make sense.

AARON ZELIN, EXPERT, JIHADIST GROUPS, THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE: The Jebhat al Nusra group should be considered a terrorist organization based on the fact that there are alleged connections with al Qaeda in Iraq. In the long term and after the regime does fall, I do think it will provide an opening since most of the rebels, while they respect Jebhat al Nusra, they don't actually believe in their world view, and therefore the more secular and liberal, as well as the moderate Islamists within the opposition might utilize this as an opportunity, as well as the United States, to distance themselves. But in the short to medium term, especially prior to the collapse of the regime, I don't see how to this will help out.

WALSH: They are popular with some Syrian fighters who see al Nusra behind this radical attack on an army headquarters as badly maligned heroes. The extremists bombing there blamed for, says one Damascus commander, is actually the work of regime loyalists trying to tar al Nusra's reputation.

"When America wants to put them on the terror list," he says, "it should differentiate between those who fight for and defend the Syrian people, and those who the Assad regime has implanted to lead the world to believe that this group is in al Qaeda."

Some Syrians even look to the organized al Nusra Front for services and food, like this handout, where other rebel groups fail them. Since the black listing, online petitions have told Syrians to protest their support for al Nusra nationwide Friday. Jihadists have congratulated al Nusra. Radical, but effective. And whatever America's intention, as this war rages to a conclusion, they may be black listed but are far from marginalized.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Another story we are following. We are just three weeks away from the tax hikes, the spending cuts that make up the fiscal cliff. We're now seeing House Speaker John Boehner discussing the issue from the House floor. This is the first time he's actually commented publicly after meeting with President Obama on Sunday. Let's listen.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Because right now the American people have to be scratching their heads and wondering when is the president going to get serious. I yield back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) yields back. The chair recognizes the gentlemen from Pennsylvania, Mr. Altmire, for five minutes.

REP. JASON ALTMIRE (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Victor Decarlo (ph) for receiving the national order --

MALVEAUX: We have just been listening to the House speaker talking about the negotiations that are taking place with the president. Obviously, a lot of people watching very closely. Trying to avoid the fiscal cliff, which would mean tax hikes for almost all Americans. It would also mean some severe cuts as well. They are debating that publicly, as well as privately.

I want to talk more about the rebel group that we had mention before in Syria, that is now designated a new terrorist organization. CNN's Hala Gorani is joining us from Atlanta.

And, Hala, first of all, you've got the Syrian rebels. They're there fighting Bashar al Assad's government. Now the U.S. government, the State Department, steps in and says, a small faction of this group is considered a terrorist organization. What does that mean on the ground in Syria for the rebel forces?

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, it's hard to tell if it's going to mean anything, really. Because what we're hearing now, pretty uniformly from rebel groups on the ground after the designation by the United States of the Nusra Front as a foreign terrorist organization, is, look, you can't not arm us, not finance us, and at the same time tell us not to rely on the best sort of armed and financed subgroup in the anti-Assad fight.

So rebel groups are saying, you're really putting us in a difficult position. They are having, in some cases, to rely on this jihadist group and its tactics that are very reminiscent of what happened in Iraq, Suzanne, by the way, as you know, with the car bombings and the suicide bombings, in order to make battlefield gains. And you saw Nick Paton Walsh's pieces as well, which was one of the most significant battleground advances, the reported occupation, or I should say taking of this army base west of Aleppo, was made by this Nusra Front. So rebels are in a position where they feel they have no choice.

Other rebels are saying, look, once this Assad regime is gone, we're going to fight them for control of the country and control of the region. So you might find a situation where you have jihadist groups on the one hand and more secular rebel fighters on the other in a fight for control.

MALVEAUX: So, Hala, what does this mean in terms of U.S. aid and U.S. support for the rebels on the ground? Because I imagine this really confuses this whole picture.

GORANI: Well, the United States wants one thing. It wants to make sure that if money or arms or anything else goes to the rebels, it does not go to help some of these jihadist groups. The problem is, you know, once money and arms flow into a war zone, as many of our viewers know, it's extremely difficult to control. So what the U.S. wants now is to tell those more secular rebel factions, distance yourself from the Nusra front and other jihadist organizations. But as I said, the rebels are saying, we doesn't have much of a choice right now.

This is all timed to coincide with the big meeting in Morocco, another Friends of Syria meeting. We know Hillary Clinton is not traveling to that because she's not feeling well. But this is where we anticipate that the United States is moving closer and closer to formally recognizing the political opposition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. So we're going to have to see, over the next few days, what the effect is. But on the battlefield, I can't imagine right now it will have much of an impact. MALVEAUX: All right, Hala, thank you. Appreciate it.

And, of course, we've been talking about the chemical fears, the weapons potentially in Syria. Well, people are saying, look, take a breath here. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta now reassuring folks that this is not necessarily the case. This is what he said on his way to Kuwait City.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON PANETTA, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, I'd like to believe he's got the message. We've made it pretty clear, and others have as well. But, you know, it's also clear that the opposition continues to make gains in Syria. And our concern is that if they feel like the regime is, you know, threatened with collapse, that they might resort to these kinds of weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: There's only one thing that everybody around the world agrees on, nobody likes taxes. Well, one of the reasons people are protesting in Egypt. We'll get a live report on what the government has decided to do next.

Plus, my interview with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. He is pro- legalization and pro-nuclear energy. We're going to hear why.

We're also going to introduce you to an Ethiopian artist fusing the music of his country with a new kind of sound.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Huge pro-labor protests taking place now at the Michigan state house. There is a vote from the house that has passed the right to work bill.

I want to bring in Alison Kosik for the very latest. This is very controversial, Alison. How are people responding?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Actually, there's not much response out here. But what's going on inside the capitol is this. There are two votes happening today in the house and one just passed, as you said, 51-48. That is the public union portion of the right-to-work law. That just passed the house. Now what the house is going to do is vote on a senate bill on private unions. And that is also expected to pass. Once that does, if that does, it's expected that that measure will head to Governor Rick Snyder's desk, where he is expected to sign it.

Now, I did talk to a couple of protesters out here. I let them know that the first part did pass. One teacher I talked with who came out here today said they're not listening to us standing out here. At the same time, another person who's in favor of the measure came up to me and said, what's the latest? I said the first measure passed. And she jumped up and said, yeah. But you know what, out here you are feeling sort of the tension start to happen out here. One thing that happened about 40 minutes ago, there was a tent -- I don't know if you can see it over there -- a tent. That tent was actually for a group in favor of the right-to-work measure. And at one point the unions tore it down. Union members tore it down, presumably out of -- out of the tense -- the anger and the tense -- sort of the tense feeling that we certainly are feeling out here today, right in front of the state capital here in Michigan.

Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: So, Alison, explain to us what this mean. We've got 23 other states that have these right-to-work laws on the books. What does this mean for Michigan now?

KOSIK: OK. So, Michigan, if this second part does pass today, Michigan would become -- and goes to the governor's desk, of course, where he signs it. This would be the 24th state in the country to have this right-to-work legislation. And what it essentially means is that, if you're looking for work here in the state of Michigan, you would not have to pay fees to a union as a condition to get or keep that job. It means that you're not going to be forced to join a union anymore.

Obviously, a huge blow, not just to the unions here in Michigan where unions were really born. The United Autoworkers Union was born here in 1935. But it wouldn't just be a blow to unions here in Michigan. It could also undercut the power and the influence of unions across the country.

Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right, Alison, we're going to be getting more from you as this develops. A lot of people who are quite angry about this. This is a very controversial issue in the state of Michigan.

We are also watching violence in Egypt. Mass gunmen opening fire on opposition protesters. This is all in Cairo's Tahrir Square, wounding several people. Now, the crowds are gathering at key spots in the capital, including outside the presidential palace. You've got these rival rallies that are taking place. This is just four days before a vote on their proposed constitution.

Reza Sayah, he's joining us live from Cairo, where the soldiers are guarding the palace. Reza, I imagine a lot of nervous people there. Has it remained peaceful today?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's probably the best news at this hour, no violence, no clashes, no fights. We've had a lot of dramatic days in this political crisis. This is another one of those days, because there's certainly the potential of things getting ugly. Again, that's because the two sides of this conflict have called for mass demonstrations.

The opposition factions, the critics of the president, they've called to march on the presidential palace. The marches are taking place as we speak. They're scheduled to culminate at end up at the palace where we are.

About 15 minutes away from here, that's where the supporters of the president, the Muslim Brotherhood, they have their own mass demonstration.

Many relieved they're not meeting at the same place. We know what happened last time that took place. Last week, they went to blows here at the palace, nearly 700 people injured, several people killed. Nobody, Suzanne, wants a repeat performance.

Right now, at this location, things are peaceful as crowds starting to grow and get louder.

MALVEAUX: And, bottom line here, what do they want? What are these two sides fighting over?

Can you hear?

We can't seem to hear Reza Sayah. We're going to try bring him back as soon as we can.

There is also tremendous heartache in the Philippines that we are following. This is after Typhoon Bopha.

Authorities are now saying the storm has killed more than 700 people. About 900 others are still missing, many of them fishermen.

Just take a look at damage left behind in south there. Homes, entire villages now destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people are struggling to rebuild.

Now, the storm hit last week, but officials have just started to make it to some of those remote areas to search for survivors and just to get a sense of the scope of the damage.

The U.N. is asking for $65 million in international aid.

The prank phone call that revealed information about the pregnant duchess of Cambridge might have led to the tragic death of the nurse. Now, the radio station behind the prank going are going to donate at least $500,000 to this deceased woman's family.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha apparently committed suicide after she let the hoax call go through the ward where the duchess was staying. London police say an autopsy on Saldanha is going to be carried out today. She was married and had two children.

After four days of testing, authorities reveal why former South African President Nelson Mandela is in the hospital and how serious his condition is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We're learning new information about the health of former South African President Nelson Mandela. Officials are now saying he's being the treated for a lung infection. Mandela's been in the hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, since Saturday.

Now, people around the world paying attention to his condition.

Robyn Curnow is joining us live from Pretoria. And, Robyn, this is not actually the first time he's been treated for a lung infection.

He's 94-years old. Are they saying that this is something that is very serious?

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think as we've mentioned before on your show, the South African government has been very tight with the information it's giving to the South African public, very short, brief statements.

And the one we got today merely just saying he's suffering from a reoccurring lung condition and, more crucially, I think, for South Africans that he's responding to treatment.

So, we do know he's spending another night, the fourth night, in this military hospital behind me in one of those wards that are lit up.

I spoke to some doctors earlier and I said, what exactly is a lung infection? You know, what are we looking at here.

And they said, listen, it could be anything. Without details to go on, it could be something as simple as bronchitis or something more serious as pneumonia, which, of course, is common in very old people.

But you know, I think when it comes to Mandela, he's -- as you said, he's had health scares before. He's had issues with his lungs before. He's always bounced back. He's surprised his doctors.

MALVEAUX: That's a good thing. A lot of people are worried about him. I recently travelled to South Africa and people talk about him all the time and they think of him very warmly, very fondly, even as a leader still of that country.

What are people saying?

CURNOW: I know and you feel it, don't you, when you walk on the streets of South Africa?

He's very much part of the fabric of this nation because, of course, he's seen as the founding father of democracy here.

You know, I was reading some of the letters pages in a local newspaper and there's some very sweet, nostalgic, deeply affectionate letters written in and I just want to give you a sense of this.

"Get well. You brought freedom to our world. Without you, we wouldn't be here," was one. Another one, "We all leave footprints on our journey in life. Yours are worth following."

So, yes, you're right. You got that sense when you were here. South Africans deeply love him.

But they also are pragmatic. They also realize that, you know, he's not immortal and they've seen him age and he has aged quite obviously over the past few years.

So, I think they're also maybe preparing for a day when, you know, he isn't here.

MALVEAUX: It is a difficult day to prepare for. Robyn, thank you.

When I was in South Africa in October, I had a chance to sit down with one of Nelson Mandela's family member, actually his former son-in-law, Zweli Hlongwane.

He gave us a more intimate look at someone who really is more an iconic figure, kind of a peek inside the family dynamics, if you will.

He talked about marrying Mandela's daughter. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZWELI HLONGWANE, MANDELA'S FORMER SON-IN-LAW: (INAUDIBLE) loved and still loves Zindzi, as his baby, so anybody who comes in to want to challenge, you know, that space, as much as he was comfortable, but I had taken his baby, you know, the love, you know, that he had for Zindzi.

He welcomed me with an open heart and treated me really like a son, but in the back of his mind I have taken his daughter away in terms of the love.

You know, a father's love for their daughter, you can never challenge that, so I'm not going to lie and say everything was just smooth. That's the reality.

As much as he accepted me, but there was this problem that this, especially because he had just come back, you know? He hadn't had time to be with her, you know? He still wanted to be with his baby, you know, but the baby, immediately after he comes back, the baby says, Dad, I'm getting married.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: A nice intimate story of behind the scenes with the Mandelas.

Well, he's not just a former president. He was also a nuclear engineer and he thinks nuclear power could help cure the energy crisis.

I sat down with former President Carter to talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER: Well, I think that if nuclear power is treated as a very wonderful opportunity for safe and free from pollution source of energy and is adequately managed, like you do in a nuclear submarine, then I think it's a good place to have it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: The night he won the election, President Obama made a promise to make sure our children grow up unafraid of what he called the "destructive power of a warming planet." So, how do we actually get there?

I recently asked that question to another president, former President Jimmy Carter. He was a guest at the Captain Planet Foundation Gala in Atlanta on Friday night.

Mr. Carter was a champion of solar energy during his time at the White House, though new technology didn't catch on as fast as he had hoped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Back in 1979, you famously put solar panels on the White House and you said -- and I'm going to quote here -- you said, either they would be a curiosity, a museum piece, or they would be a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever under taken by the American people.

I'm sorry to say the solar panels are at the Smithsonian. They are museum pieces. What does this say about our commitment, where we are today, in protecting the environment?

CARTER: Well, it says that the protection of environment goes up and down in America, basically, because of the attitude of the president. And when President Reagan came in, he removed the solar panels, as you know, and sent them to a little college up in -- I think in Connecticut.