Transcripts For CNNW The Situation Room 20150129 : vimarsana

Im wolf blitzer. Youre in the situation room. Lets get to the breaking news. In a cnn exclusive, we are learning that one of the socalled taliban five guantanamo detainees swapped for Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl may have returned to terror activity. This comes as we await word of an exchange between isis and a key u. S. Ally, jordan had agreed to swap a jailed female bomber for one of its pilots whose americanmade fighter jet crashed in syria. But the jordanians have demanded proof the pilot is alive and there is no word yet on his fate or that of a japanese hostage. We have full coverage of both of these stories and a whole lot more. Our correspondents and analysts are standing by along with congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees. Lets begin with some exclusive reporting. Our pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the very latest. Barbara . Reporter wolf good evening. Several u. S. Sources now tell me the u. S. Intelligence community suspects that one of those taliban five traded out of gitmo to get Sergeant Bowe bergdahl back one of them may now be reengaging in militant activity from where they are in the persian gulf nation of qatar. Thats where they went after they were transferred out of gitmo. The u. S. Conducts classified surveillance of their communications intercepts monitors them all the time in all of their communications. A couple of months ago something popped up that caused concern. Now the u. S. Intelligence community trying to determine is it a threat how much of a threat it may be. They are monitoring all five of them much more closely now, making sure they are on top of all of their communications, although they were monitoring them before. As this is going on wolf the world is watching in another prisoner swap another potential exchange in jordan and syria. Tense anticipation at this Border Crossing between syria and turkey. Desperately waiting for any signal that japanese journalist kenji goto and jordanian Fighter Pilot Muadh Al Kasasibah are free. As the sunset deadline passed there is no signs isis is meeting jordans key condition, proof the pilot is alive before it releases Sajida Al Rishawi, held since being convicted of a series of hotel bombings in jordan in 2005. Coalition war planes drones and satellites continue flying over isis strongholds in Northern Syria looking for any signs of unusual activity perhaps a convoy moving towards the border. But hope may be fading. Given the fact that isis has executed every hostage that they have publicly produced on a videotape except one british hostage, it does suggest that isis is not that interested in serious negotiations and is principally interested in the ability to get a lot of attention to its cause. Reporter leaving families in agony. In tokyo, kenji gotos wife heard from his captors on wednesday with their demand for a swap. Our baby girl was only seven weeks old when he left. Reporter in jordan the pilots family also waits for news. Translator if you release your brother, it will have a very positive reaction from all the jordanian and palestinian tribes. Reporter for now, the jordanians say al rishawi remains in jordan. As for isis, silence so far. And the jordanians very aware of in fact the bergdahl trade analogy. The jordanians making the case that if this does work they are not negotiating with terrorists. Their view is this is a Prisoner Exchange as happens very often on the battlefield. Wolf . Lot of sensitivities involved obviously. Barbara, thank you. Lets bring in our chief National Security correspondent jim sciutto. There is now word we are getting that more americans have been killed in afghanistan. Reporter thats exactly right. Im told by a u. S. Official that three u. S. Contractors were killed along with an afghan national. This attack took place at kabul airport, the north side where theres a major Coalition Military base. Im told as well by a u. S. Official quote, that initially, it looks like an insider attack though it is still being investigated. Socalled insider attacks or green on blue attacks when it involves blue for Coalition Forces green for Afghan Forces have been a consistent problem, though they peaked in the year 2012 48 such attacks then down to just six last year. If this does turn out to be an insider attack it would be a worrisome sign as we are in a period of transition in afghanistan as Coalition Forces transition from securing the country to advising and assisting Afghan Forces in doing that but its a major issue. We talked about it a number of times. The highest profile such attack took place in august last year. You will remember it was a two star American General who was killed in such an attack. Its enough of a concern that when i have traveled to afghanistan, you talk to forces there, they have what are called Guardian Angels to look after you in case someone turns their gun on you. Less of a concern than it was a couple years ago but still a real one. Certainly extremely dangerous to simply go there if you are an american. Lets talk about the swap the socalled swap these two hostages who are being held by isis. The female terrorist who is obviously in jail in jordan for ten years. A lot of analysts are suggesting irrespective of what happens, isis status has been elevated already. No question. This is a group that thrives on attention, whether its an attack that they carry out successfully whether on the ground in the region there or overseas like we saw, for instance at least the claim of the attack in the sydney cafe for instance. But also this kind of thing where they have these hostages and its not just their death that demonstrates their power, but its also holding a major power to task here. Jordan carrying on negotiations which are confusing and difficult negotiations for the jordanians and you have seen that with these constantly changing deadlines and demands and its one reason why you have had a lot of questions raised about why jordan took part in these attacks even with the life of that pilot in danger whats to be gained can you really trust that the other side will deliver. Its eight hours past that sundown deadline still no word. Worrisome sign. Jim sciutto, thanks very much. Jordan has already made it clear it is certainly prepared to carry out a swap with isis but its sticking to its demand for proof that its captured f16 Fighter Pilot is still alive. Whats the latest over in jordan . Reporter wolf we have not heard anything from the jordanian governments in the last few hours, the last thing we heard what is they are saying publicly. They are saying they are still willing to make this exchange they are willing to release the female prisoner but they still want that proof of life. As you mentioned, this is critical for the jordanians. So far, they say they have not received it although they have been demanding this for some time now. They say it is critical and there will only be a release if that happens. Until then this iraqi female prisoner remains in jordan and remains in jail. Its a very tense night here in jordan. Not just for the government and the family but many jordanians are really concerned about this situation and what might happen next. Hes considered a hero in jordan this Fighter Pilot. The jordanians understandably want him back. Thanks very much. Lets go in depth on all of this. Joining us now, a key member of the house Armed Services and Homeland Security committees democratic congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of california. Congresswoman, thanks very much for joining us. Do you believe these negotiations between one of our key allies in the middle east jordan and isis about a possible prisoner swap do you believe it sets potentially a dangerous precedent . Well we never want to see isis get the type of attention that its getting. It uses these types of protracted sort of situations for propaganda to get more militants in to its army if you will so its never a good sign. On the other hand of course we have seen this throughout many wars where you have Prisoner Exchanges. So you know this is an important pilot to the jordanians. They want to see him back. I can sort of understand why they are doing this. Some people are suggesting congresswoman, that the Obama Administration set a bad example by agreeing to swap five taliban prisoners who had been held at Guantanamo Bay for a long time for the release of u. S. Army Sergeant Bowe bergdahl this past summer. They say this was in effect negotiating with terrorists at the same time, to which you say . Well first i would say we leave no man or woman behind. Thats really a core piece of our people who go into the military to work for us on behalf of us to keep america and americans safe. So whichever way you want to cut it its a difficult situation to do. The fact of the matter is we did get him back and that was important to not only the family here but to many people across our United States to make sure that we bring our military back. So youre okay i just want to be precise on this congresswoman, negotiating with groups like the taliban or with isis both of which are seen as terrorist organizations by the u. S. Government youre okay with a swap with them . What im saying is its important to bring our military people home. Thats the first thing. The second thing is for anybody to think for a minute that there are not negotiations that go on in almost any case would be to be a little bit naive about whats going on. As i said there have been plenty of wars, we negotiated we do Prisoner Exchanges all the time for example in world war ii. And those we knew about. So there are many things that happened some of which the American Public doesnt even know where we do try to get our men and women in particular who are in military uniform back to our country. So if there were an american and fortunately there isnt, if there were an american f16 Fighter Pilot in the hands of isis right now, you would be willing to negotiate with them in order to bring that american pilot home . I think its important to bring that american pilot home. I havent been involved in any of those negotiations certainly, but i do believe that they go on more than we can see when we have a man or woman down somewhere. You heard Barbara Starrs report from the pentagon that one of those five taliban prisoners freed from Guantanamo Bay has now returned to what are being described as militant activities. Whats your reaction to that . Well first of all, you are probably talking to one of the few democrats who has always said we need to have an alternative to gitmo, to guantanamo before we close it down because we have people in there who tend to if we release them go back into doing what they were doing before. What do i mean by that. I believe that even of those that we have released to other countries, not in Prisoner Exchanges but just because we were trying to move them on we really didnt have the type of evidence we needed to convict them et cetera we did some of this moving them from gitmo into other places and we have seen a very high recidivism rate. We have seen i believe the last time i checked it was about 70 of these people tend to go back into their old business. Most of which is against western countries, certainly sometimes against the United States. So im not surprised that at least one of those five may be back into bad business. I would anticipate its probably even higher. I want you to hold on because we will continue this conversation congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of california. We have a lot more to discuss. We are following the breaking news on multiple fronts. soft, calm music. hi, youve reached emma. Im out of the office right now, but will get back to you just as soon as i possibly can. 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Well again, you are talking to a democrat who even of the president s party has been one of the biggest people espousing the idea that somehow if we give arms to people or we use the iraqi army or we train the iraqi army somehow they are going to put down isis in iraq or in syria, i just believe that thats a big dream and a big fantasy. I think its very difficult to do this to do it the way that certainly the president has outlined so far. I dont believe that it is working as we need it to work. Isil and isis whatever you want to call it is a deep threat to the American People and more importantly, its a threat to the region that we find ourselves so deeply involved in. I certainly think that we need to sit down at the table and come up with a different strategy. What would be what would you like to see the United States do to degrade and ultimately destroy isis . Well again, i dont have a lot of confidence at this point and i have been working this issue of iraq. Remember you are seeing somebody who didnt vote for the iraqi war but having said that supported trying to get our troops in the right place. We went to this whole issue of trying to increase the iraqi army, to train them. It was pretty significant that they turned away. The real hard issues of what is actually happening in iraq goes all the way back to our biggest and major problem and that would be iran. Until we figure out how we contain what iran is doing, its affecting that entire region. I think it really needs for us to step back and to really take a look at our involvement in the region. Iraq on its own or syria and iraq on its own is not going to solve the continuing problem that we have in that arena. Iran seems to destabilize everything and anything that it possibly can in order to keep us tied up there. On the other hand iran is deeply opposed to isis as well. Iran, a shiite country, they support Bashar Al Assads shiiteled regime in damascus. Isis is sunni so let me just repeat the question. What do you want i assume you agree with the president , isis represents a threat it must be degraded and destroyed. What would you like to see the u. S. Do . I think the u. S. Either has to decide its going to be all in and get this done or it has to decide that we are not the players to get that done. And there are plenty of partners that we have in that region who quite frankly havent been asked and havent stepped up to take care of the things that are going on in their neighborhood. So i think i would get much tougher and have a real sitdown with our partners in that arena. Which countries are you talking about . Well you know we have saudi, we have uae, we have turkey who has, you know completely may be a nato ally but hasnt been as helpful as i think that it should be. Weve got some real problems there in that arena. Sounds to me like you would like to see the United States simply evacuate get out of that part of the world and get home. Is that right . Well i think we either we cant be half in or half out. We either really i mean we really have to take care of this situation one way or another. If isis and isil or whatever you want to call it is a threat to us coming back here in the homeland then we better get our Heads Together with our allies out there and take care of business. Either theyve got to step up to the plate and take care of business or weve got to step up to the plate to take care of business. As you know right now, theres at least some training theres an operation in the works to try to regain mosul, the second largest city in iraq from isis working with iraqi forces working with Kurdish Forces and u. S. Military commanders are getting involved as advisors to try to go in and retake the city of nearly two million people. It could be bloody it could be and almost certainly will be a very dangerous situation. The pentagon is clearly getting ready for that. The president seems to support it. Do you . Well if i believe that we with air cover and with training of troops on the ground that we could have a fast and significant and real win in mosul, i would be for it. If the iraqi army were as into going and getting this job done as for example, the kurdish fighters the kurds have been with us the whole time. They will go in and get the job done. The problem is th