[Suzanne Malveaux, Cnn Anchor:] This hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, anti-American protesters are scaling U.S. embassy walls, burning cars in several cities. We're going to check out the map. The protests are happening from Cairo to Sana'a, Yemen, to Tel Aviv, to Tehran. The anti-American violence started in Egypt. It is not letting up. There are angry crowds that are protesting for a third straight day over the film that insults Islam. Demonstrators threw rocks, Molotov cocktails, pushed through barbed wire fencing outside the U.S. embassy in Cairo. Police responded by firing tear gas. Officials say 224 people were injured in today's protests alone. Egyptian blogger and journalist Mona Eltahawy, she has been witnessing this and joins us by phone from Cairo. Mona, I know that, first of all, you were in Tahrir Square over the last 24 hours. What is the feeling? What is the mood there?
[Mona Eltahawy, Egyptian Blogger And Journalist:] I was there in the early hours of today, Suzanne. I was there at about 2:00 a.m. I was not there today, and there was yesterday there was a street that was closed to block access to the U.S. embassy, which is why the clashes were taking place, not right at the premise as they were as the protests were on Tuesday, but further away. From what I gather from people on the ground today, as you said, more than 200 people were injured and it's a very different kind of protest today than it was on Tuesday that first day. On Tuesday, those protests were called by right wing members of the Talis movement in Egypt, and there was very little security and people were very surprised because the U.S. embassy is usually guarded like a fortress. Security has been out yesterday and today. And I want to emphasize that many of the protesters taking part in the clashes today with police are not just upset about the film but upset about police. There's a long-running anger at police brutality in Egypt, and this protest has as much to do or today's clashes have as much to do with that as they do with the film. It's a different kind of clash now.
[Malveaux:] What do they want, Mona? What do the protesters want?
[Eltahawy:] That is a great question, Suzanne, because on Tuesday, it wasn't clear what the protesters then wanted either. It wasn't clear if the protest was called to coincide with 911, and it wasn't clear why people were getting upset about the film now despite the fact it's been online for two months. Tomorrow, there's been a large protest called by the Muslim brotherhood movement from which our current president, Mohammed Morsi comes. And interestingly, the Salafis who are further to the right of the Muslim brotherhood, have decided to boycott tomorrow's protest which is actually one way of answering what's going on. I believe, and many people believe, first of all, there's a big concern about the reinstallment of emergency law and we worry these clashes will be used as a pretext to bring back emergency law but there's also a worry about political jockeying for power. There's a right wing in the U.S. that is behind this film and it's election season in the U.S., elections in November, obviously. Here in Egypt, there's a different kind of political jockeying. Whereas we have a president who wants to place himself in the center, as Hosni Mubarak
[Malveaux:] And, Mona, what do you think of what the U.S. president has said, Barack Obama saying that he doesn't really consider Egypt an ally or an enemy at this point, that it really is time will tell, that this is a work in progress. I mean, that really is kind of a stunning change of position from the White House perspective.
[Eltahawy:] I think that that statement took many people by surprise and shocked them a great deal because part of the anti-U.S. sentiment, and there is an anti-U.S. sentiment in the clashes today and in the protests on Tuesday and in the various countries where the protests are taking place, the U.S. has been a Egypt has been a major ally for the U.S. to the extent that five different U.S. administrations supported our dictator, Mubarak. I think the White House realized because over the past few minutes I've been reading statements, the White House realized what a shocking statement that was and it looks like they're trying to back pedal from this idea that Egypt has been demoted as an ally. I think everybody right now feels how sensitive the situation is and understands this political jockeying for power and again to reiterate, it's the revolution and its goals, freedom and dignity, but not be derailed. And I think it's imperative for the U.S. administration as well as the Egyptian administration to focus on those goals and not allow the right wing to derail us.
[Malveaux:] So, Mona, give what is the reaction of people in Egypt, though, to those statements, to the president's statement there? Do they feel abandoned? I mean, when they hear that the president of the United States is no longer necessarily categorically calling Egypt an ally?
[Eltahawy:] Well, you know, quite honestly, Suzanne, there's been a lot of confusion about what the U.S. role is right now and how the U.S. feels about Egypt, because, as I said, before our revolution began, there was and continued to be a lot of anti-U.S. sentiment because of this support by various U.S. administrations for dictators in this region. But hearing the statement today, I think people are thinking,
[Malveaux:] All right.
[Eltahawy:] well, you know, whose side are you on because we're trying to get this revolution working and it has definitely confused a lot of people.
[Malveaux:] All right, Mona Eltahawy, thank you so much for your time. I want to go directly to Golden, Colorado. This is where the president is speaking about the four who were killed in Libya.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] who serve in difficult and dangerous places all around the world, to advance the interests and the values that we hold dear as Americans. And a lot of times, their work goes unheralded, it doesn't get a lot of attention but it is vitally important. We enjoy our security and our liberty because of the sacrifices that they make. And they do an outstanding job every single day without a lot of fan fare. So, what I want all of you to know is that we are going to bring those who killed our fellow Americans to justice. I want people around the world to hear me, to all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished. It will not dim the light of the values that we proudly present to the rest of the world. No act of violence shakes the resolve of the United States of America, and I have directed my administration to do whatever is necessary to protect all Americans who are serving abroad, that's one of my highest priorities as president. And we're also in contact with other governments to underscore that they've got an obligation to cooperate with us, to protect our citizens. That's part of their job. Now, I know that it's difficult sometimes seeing these disturbing images on television, because our world is filled with serious challenges. This is a tumultuous time that we're in. But we can and we will meet those challenges if we stay true to who we are. And if we would remind ourselves that we're different from other nations. We are we're different not only because of the incredible landscape that God has given us, we're different because we're a nation that's bound together by a creed. We're not made up of a single tribe or single religion or a single race. We're a collection of people from all around the world who came here because of a certain set of principles. The idea that all men and women are created equal. That we are all endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. That's what binds us together. That's what our flag means. But we also believe that these are not just American rights. We believe these are universal aspirations. And they are held by people who live in tiny villages in Libya, prosperous cities in Europe. That's our light to the world. And our task, as the most powerful nation on earth, is to defend and protect and advance our people, but also to defend and protect and advance those values at home and around the world. That's what our troops do. That's what our diplomats do. That's what our intelligence officers do. That's what our citizens do. That's what we believe. Those are the values that we hold to. And here in America, there is no more fundamental part of our democracy than the fact that all of you get a say in the decisions that are made about our country's future. And that's why we're here today. You know, over the past few weeks, Colorado, you've been offered two very different paths for our future. You've seen their convention, you've seen ours. And now you chase now you face one big choice. Ours our vision, our fight, is to restore the basic bargain that built the largest middle class and the strongest economy the world has ever known. The promise that says hard work will pay off. If you work hard, you can make it. That responsibility will be rewarded. That in this country of ours, everybody gets a fair shot and everybody does their fair share and everybody plays by the same rules from Wall Street to main street to Washington,
[D.c. Malveaux:] President Obama in Golden, Colorado, before an enthusiastic group of campaigners. Absolute chaos at the U.S. embassy today in the capital of Yemen. Furious protesters scaled the security fence, smashed car windows nearby. People are angry about a film produced in the United States that is offensive to Muslims. We are seeing similar scenes at U.S. embassies and consulates in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. Secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, talked about that film today and spoke directly to the people who are furious at the United States and attacking the embassies and consulates overseas. Take a listen.
[Hillary Clinton, Secretary Of State:] I also want to take a moment to address the video circulating on the Internet that has led to these protests in a number of countries. Let me state very clearly, and I hope it is obvious, that the United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video. We absolutely reject its content and message. America's commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. And as you know, we are home to people of all religions, many of whom came to this country speaking the right to exercise their own religion, including, of course, millions of Muslims. And we have the greatest respect for people of faith.
[Malveaux:] Secretary Clinton also had words for the protesters who are expressing their anger with violence.
[Clinton:] To us, to me personally, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose, to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage. But as I said yesterday, there is no justification, none at all, for responding to this video with violence. We condemn the violence that has resulted in the strongest terms, and we greatly appreciate that many Muslims in the United States and around the world have spoken out on this issue.
[Malveaux:] The hunt for those who killed the Americans in Libya will include warships and surveillance drones. Now, right now, there are two U.S. Navy destroyers, they are equipped with guided cruise missiles. They're on route to the Libyan coast. A contingent of Marines has also already arrived. I want to bring in Chris Lawrence from the Pentagon to talk about this. We know that there are drones, warships that are moving into position. What is the mission? What is the plan?
[Chris Lawrence, Cnn Pentagon Correspondent:] Well, Suzanne, to put it bluntly, it's to find the insurgent cell responsible for this attack and then to either capture or kill those responsible. The drones, we are told now, have been flying for several months. Pentagon officials confirming that they were flying perhaps even as far back as before the last attack on this American compound which was back in June. But now, the search is going to become much more focused, looking for elements of this insurgent cell that can then be targeted. Now, when you talk about some of the ships that are coming, two destroyers have been ordered to come to the coast, off the coast of Libya. Both of those are armed with tomahawk cruise missiles, which can be programmed to strike specific targets and are guided by satellite.
[Malveaux:] Give us a sense of what the Marines are going to be doing as well.
[Lawrence:] Yes, a quick response team of 50 Marines landed in Tripoli yesterday. They are there now. Their primary job is to beef up security at the main diplomatic compound there in Tripoli. They're also on hand in case even more Americans need to be evacuated. And we're also told that some U.S. units, some troops around the world, have also been notified that they may be moved to U.S. embassies around the world as well if the U.S. feels that extra security is needed. It goes back to what you heard President Obama just saying, that he had directed his team to make sure that diplomats and Americans that are working abroad for the government are protected. ...well if the U.S. feels that extra security is needed. It goes back to what you heard President Obama just saying, that he had directed his team to make sure that diplomats and Americans that are working abroad for the government are protected. The ships right now are a contingency. There is not a specific mission. But what they do, together with those drones, is give the President options.
[Malveaux:] All right. Chris Lawrence, thank you. Appreciate it, Chris. Here's what we're working on for this hour. Many experts believe al Qaeda was behind the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. We'll talk to an al Qaeda expert about the motive. We're also learning more about the filmmaker who sparked protests around the world.