American Morning
Afghans fighting back, one town at a time
President Obama will meet today with his top commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, and America's ambassador to Kabul, Karl Eikenberry.
As the president's war strategy starts falling into place, our Barbara Starr is already on the ground, embedded with U.S. forces.
Today she has the story of one village where Afghan forces are fighting back against the Taliban, and winning. It's a story you won't see anywhere else.
Exclusive: One-on-one with Secretary Clinton at NATO
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting NATO, meeting with world leaders to get their support for President Obama's surge strategy in Afghanistan.
Our John Roberts is there as well and had the chance to sit down, exclusively, one-on-one with Secretary Clinton. It was a wide-ranging talk. How many NATO troops will member nations commit? What can be done about the violence across the border in Pakistan? And what will the changes mean for U.S. forces already on the ground?
First up, Secretary Clinton talks about how many NATO troops are committed and what that will mean for U.S. forces on the ground.
Next, how the 18-month time line will play out. Plus, the challenge of transitioning power to Afghan forces, and Secretary Clinton responds to criticisms that the U.S. is going to "cut and run."
Fourth American hiker: 'No warning signs'
It's been three months since three Americans – Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal – were arrested in Iran. They reportedly crossed an unmarked border while hiking in Northern Iraq and are being held in Tehran where government officials say they now face espionage charges.
The families say it was an innocent mistake and in his first television interview, Shon Meckfessel – the "fourth" hiker, who was not arrested – told CNN's Kiran Chetry what they were all doing there in the first place.
Related: Iran to charge 3 American hikers with espionage, says prosecutor
Organized crime's new target: Medicare and Medicaid
Organized crime gangs are exploiting a new target for illegal profit: Medicare and Medicaid.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/22/arrest.jpg caption="Two members of a Nigerian organized crime ring are charged with defrauding Medicare of $6 million."]
Experienced in running drug, prostitution and gambling rings, crime groups of various ethnicities and nationalities are learning it's safer and potentially more profitable to file fraudulent claims with the federal Medicare program and state-run Medicaid plans.
"They're hitting us and hitting us hard," said Timothy Menke, head of investigations for the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services. "Organized crime involvement in health care fraud is widespread."
Los Angeles is among the hot spots for health care fraud, where Russian, Armenian and Nigerian gangs have been caught by federal agents.
Crime boss Konstantin Grigoryan, a former Soviet army colonel, pleaded guilty to taking $20-million from Medicare; Karapet "Doc" Khacheryan, boss of a Eurasian crime gang, was recently convicted with five lieutenants of stealing doctor identities in a $2-million scam, and last Thursday two Nigerian members of an organized crime ring, Christopher Iruke and his wife, Connie Ikpoh, were charged with bilking Medicare of $6-million dollars by fraudulently billing the government for electric wheelchairs and other expensive medical equipment.
Watch: Organized crime hits Medicare 
The two have entered pleas of not guilty and are being held in a federal detention center. "They deny any allegations of wrongdoing," said their attorney James Kosnett.
Defrauding government-run health care programs involves stealing two types of identities: those of doctors, who bill for services, and patients, whose beneficiary numbers entitle them to medical care and necessary equipment. Criminals are expert at collecting both.
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