he said syrian leaders would reject the report if they judge it incomplete. u.s. president barack obama says he has not made a final decision on how to respond to the chemical attack. obama said the syrian military's use of chemical weapons poses a security threat to the united states. he said he's considering a limited narrow military action but will not send ground forces. >> part of our obligation as a leader in the world is making sure that when you have a regime that is willing to use weapons that are prohibited by international norms on their own people including children that they're held to account. >> obama said he will talk with members of congress and foreign allies, then make his final decision. secretary of state john kerry says u.s. leaders have evidence syrian troops fired chemical weapons on a suburb of damascus. >> we know for three days before the attack, the syrian regime's chemical weapons personnel were on the ground in the area making preparations. >> kerry said syrian troops had orders to wear gas masks. he said u.s. leaders know chemical ro

to cross talk the war in syria i'm joined by a bell in damascus he is a syrian academic with the syrian foreign press in washington we have michael shank he is the director of foreign policy at the friends committee on national legislation and a professor at george mason university and in new york across the ed he is a associate editor at reason twenty four seven right cross talk rolls and i think that means you can jump in anytime you want michael in watching if i go to you first secretary kerry is absolutely convinced the assad regime. has used chemical weapons against his people he doesn't give any proof but he's absolutely convinced and now we have the drumbeat to war i think i saw this movie and it has a very bad ending you know what i mean yes certainly we did the same in iraq we undermined u.n. inspectors there we're doing the same in syria we actually called on the inspectors in syria to abort their mission certainly paving the way for an easier strike on our end so we don't kill any u.n. inspectors but it's it's a little spurious to say that we have the evidence when the inspec

of the syrian military. they said if attacked they would strike israel. now just after the president's speech, some of which they carried live, they have now cut to a correspondent will on the streets of damascus. something of a street party interviewing women, children, and men who are out celebrating. essentially declaring victory. israelis cowhering in their shelters, lining up for gas masks, america says that they won't strike. obviously there is a little bit of a nuance here. it certainly seems as though the syrians are going to take it and run with it very far. we haven't heard from president assad or anything like that yet. whether he will talk or not. we are not clear whether he will make some sort -- type of statement going forward. the thing that is interesting also on the other side of the coin, is what is happening in israel here now. remember, some of the language that president obama has used in terms of red line and what he will do, not, even what he alluded to in his speech, saying if we don'

leaders pledged themselves to start arming the syrian rebels this unofficial deadline was set in may when e.u. ministers led by britain and france agreed to end the arms embargo since then though they seem to have had a change of heart regarding weapons supplies to the syrian opposition over that of extremism concerns more foreigners are now fighting in syria with many coming in from e.u. states experts say that most of the westerners of radicalized and join the terrorist dryness of al-qaeda and the al nusra front a french official said this flow was unprecedented as in one year alone more than one hundred jihad it came from france to syria and while in nine years of conflict in afghanistan they've identified fifty she harvests who went to the country tests are syria has more now on europe's involvement. what are you ok on the syrian rebels or not that's a question that's been answered a number of different places a conflict began a mostly in varying degrees of light but ultimately always sending signals of support for the opposition it will be no political progress unless the opposi

army is going to have the more the syrian army is going to have control on the ground that's number one number two there seems to be an ongoing conflict within the american administration with two currents one that is known to be very intervention the hawks the new conservatives who are clearly applying the extreme extreme pressure on the obama administration obama coming from a democrat democrat background is probably has probably been a little bit more reluctant for intervention has clearly announced a policy that will try to avoid engaging in more wars his priority is to withdraw from afghanistan so with more pressure he's probably going to succumb to a compromise with those hawks inside. the american administration and their advisers to take a scenario similar to kosovo that's the more the more similar the more. the more scenario that i would imagine that he would probably consider remote or strike without boots on the ground intervention or a substantial military intervention what let me gauge and then you can let me ask you a question let me ask you a question is regime change

conflict together in geneva to try and map out such a political solution the syrian opposition says they're not going to sit down at the at one table with those who have blood on their hands moscow says in order to stop the bloodshed all hands need to come to the negotiating table and foreign minister lavrov said john kerry. that the syrian opposition is going to be there but making progress on those very important issues concerning global security becomes not much part of wind relations are defined by scandals now going back to president obama's news conference tomorrow he was not all about president obama has announced proposals for me and i say some failings president obama said he intends to work our way through one provision of the patriot act known as section two fifteen gives the government broader authority to obtain business phone data records he announced the creation of a panel of outsiders former intelligence official civil liberty and privacy advocates and others to assess the program since. it just changes by the end of the year but everybody understand it's all happen

syrian political analyst sharing his thoughts with us on this ongoing syrian conflict and its new latest revelations by the u.s. is insisting there this time around it will be nothing like iraq or serbia even libya washington is confident that when it comes to syria the evidence is unquestionable just like it was when saddam was accused of hiding weapons of mass destruction his art is damage again on america's record of missteps military. before every u.s. intervention in the last fifteen years there was a hype of lies misinformation and discrepancies but every time washington would present its case for war as the ultimate truth leading people to believe that waging war was the only way to peace as the us is preparing an attack on syria striking similarities can be found in how lawson can makes its case for intervention material i will present you comes from a variety of sources some are u.s. sources and some of those of other countries we have additional information about this attack and that information is being compiled and reviewed together with our partners and we will provide that

syrian airround the force, but that would not stop the syrian government from doing other means of delivery. would these images change political calculation? thisey are horrified by terrible civil war, but i do not isthe public at large interested in this experience in iraq and afghanistan without much to show for it. --t i think is like lee likely is the white house will provide -- step up to equipment. >> egypt president mubarak will in hours. he was sentenced to life in , but judges accepted his appeal. >> for a lifetime he commanded egypt, but he has been behind bars. the relics of the revolution of what the 11 are still in tyree square.e -- tahrir people fought and died here to remove mubarek from power. they wonder was it worth it. is the revolutionary clock being turned back in egypt? >> millions demented than celebrated an end to his 30 year rule. egypt chose grip, democracy. the 26-year-old fought and died to bring about president mubarak 's downfall. she clings to the memory of her son and his sacrifice. she says mubarek has the blood of hundreds on his hands. >> he should we hang

there has been no international action on the findings of the syrian army. our correspondent has more. >> syrian state television is saying that they found traces of chemical agents after entering tunnels used by rebel fighters in the damascus suburbs. the shells they found had markings on them that said they had been made in southeast arabia, just a reminder that saudi arabia is opposed to the syrian president. the soldiers started suffocating and ambulances had be sent to the scene to assist. syrian television is also reporting the soldiers found antidotes that are used to heal the intoxication, this coming after reports of a new attack earlier this week that saw involvement of chemical weaponry. we have reports that anywhere from between a dozen and over 1000 people were killed in the new attack. air has been a loss of footage making the rounds online, photos of people foaming at the mouth, suffocating, all of them pointing to the possible use of sarah and gas. some of the photos online show empty cells. it seems to point to the fact these ad is of the at

when it comes to the syrian opposition, on line -- and the syrians have been very savvy, the opposition members. you saw on social media it lighting up with basically syrians denouncing obama's decision to delay any strike, waiting first for congressional authorization with some syrians calling him a coward and saying he's not going to take a step forward. syrians very quick also to remind me, one man that i was just talking to, a rebel on the phone, a rank and file member of the armed opposition, that it has been two and a half years, basically, since bashar al-assad started cracking down with deadly force in the opposition in syria, and that they have not taken any point along the evolution from ray government-led crackdown to a civil war that has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people and will be reaching out to other opposition syrian leaders as well to hear what they think about this. of course, the turkish government, a member of the nato alliance, has come out very clearly saying it wants the u.s. to lead with a broad operation with the ultimate goal of weakening the assad

the so-called free syrian army, the syrian opposition that we saw growing up two years ago when this whole uprising and conflict began, i don't even recognize it anymore. the rebels we see today, there are defector syrian government soldiers who joined the opposition who were too scared to leave from turkey and go back into syria because the islamist extremist groups in the north of the country have gotten so strong, some are directly linked to al qaeda, directly linked to the islamic state of iraq and syria. i know some former young, very naive, idealistic activists who, over the course of these traumatic 2 1/2 years and the killing that they've seen, some of them have really embraced from hard line islamist ideology. i saw one guy i used to sit with singing songs to osama bin laden and the 9/11 terror attacks. there's been a radical change in a lot of the makeup of the armed opposition which just doesn't look like the peaceful protests that we saw 2 1/2 years ago starting, calling for democracy and freedom after 40 years of dictatorships fr from the assad leadership. >> where does

has sent this report from the leban lebanon/syrian border. what to expect next. >> they took their mission seriously. now, the evidence is taken to laboratories. the analysis will determine what was responsible for the deaths. the u.s. has asked to give it time before resorting to military action. it's something some syrians are asking for as well. >> my message to the west is to give peace a chance. syrians are to live together. it was a beautiful country. the only way now is to hold dialogue. let the warring sides talk and reach a compromise. >> the conflict in syria has affected the lives of so many and what might come next could cause even more suffering. that is why of syrians are fleeing to lebanon, in anticipation of western strikes against the regime and many know those strikes won't necessarily end the war. >> the outcome of all of this is that they are killing each other. brothers are killing brothers. isn't this a shame. many of these cars have damascus license plates. the feeling is that the stronghold will be hit. >> u.n. authori

inspectors had to the scene of the alleged attack but it's convoys targeted by sniper fire that syrian officials say came from the rebels. freshly exclaimed the americans and a state even spied on the united nations have waters while across the atlantic washington surveillance scandal threatens to influence the chambres german election . and try and from triumph to despair we'll look at how libya has resurrected the same control methods used by the toppled regime as the country's dragged back into chaos two years after the revolution. this is our day coming to you live from the russian capital i'm marina joshie welcome to the program while a foreign intervention in syria looks more likely than ever with countries including the u.s. britain france and turkey considering military action following last week's alleged chemical attack they blame the assad regime for the assault despite a found that u.n. inspectors are still yet to yog line their findings from the site meanwhile the vehicle carrying the u.n. team has reportedly come under sniper fire while heading to the area where a cameco

i think the real question is what the syrian government do something like this at the same. time there's a you and delegation that has just arrived to syria to investigate the usage of chemical weapons it would be political suicide on the other hand if we ask ourselves who is benefiting politically from such allegations we have to look at what's going on regionally and employer nationally as you know there was a few meetings over the last couple of weeks between the united states and russia to plan for geneva through the. peace conference in syria and the united states government has has has expressed displeasure at the fact that the syrian government has decided to attend that gin they have a two meetings so this allegation would provide grounds for banning the syrian government from attending that ginevra to conference also we have to keep in mind that the syrian opposition is using the smallman they are viable of the us and delegation to impose certain types of of intervention under the pretext of looking for and investigating the usage of chemical weapons as happened and

capitol and blames the syrian government. u.s. secretary of state john kerry said 141,400 people were killed, including 426 children. the u.s. is considering a military strike on syria to remove chemical weapons capabilities. >> the united states government know knows at least 1,429 syrian were killed in this attack, including at least 426 children. even the first responders, the doctors, nurses and medics who tried to save them, they became victims themselves. we saw them gasping for air, terrified that their own lives were in danger. this is the indiscriminate, in conceivable horror of chemical weapons. this is what assad did. it masors because if we choose to live in a world where a thug and a murderer like bashar al assad can gas thousands of his own people with impunity even after the u.s. and our allies said no and the world does nothing about it, there will be no end to the test of our evolve and the dangers that will flow from those others who believe that they can do as they will. >> in a moment, will speak to diplom

they have planned in the beginning they have felt that it is the syrian regime and the syrian government. after three. but it proved to the people of syria and the government of syria. to us and a half even the so-called liberal and terrorists that they have been to syria have been militarily defeated. because of the situation go to good for the stated and now they are committing the same situation what we have seen in two thousand and three before the war in iraq. they themselves supplied the gods to the terrorists and now blaming without any fact on the ground even bypassing the un security council to plot attacks syria ok let's now go back to carla del ponte as you know claims here and her allegations washington in the one hand seems to be convinced that the syrian government help for control of the chemical stockpiles and does that mean that her allegations allegations by carla del ponte today are wrong or possibly the weapons the rebels allegedly used did not come from syria what's your take. i think dr khan that she was quote united states just invents in order to to to achieve it

how is the syrian government reacting? is more and more condemnation comes in from world leaders. >> well, we do know that the syrian government has categorically denied using chemical weapons. in fact, they have accused the opposition fabricating these lice to use it as a pretext to intervene in syria. so this is a position of the syrian government, but when you talk to observers, they will tell you that the syrian government seems to be confident. yes, we've heard tough words from the french foreign minister, officials in turkey, they've been saying that force needs to be used, the red line has been crossed, but we've heard those statements before. the syrian government knows they can count on the support of russia in the u.n. security council of china, and they know that. more importantly it is not just the deadlock in the security council, is that there is a reluctance among the western nations to intervene in syria. they say it is not in their interest to intervene in syria at the moment because in the scenario at the

by their mind up if they don't then the syrian government will be accused of moving them so the syrian government be damned if they do and damned if they don't whatever the un inspection teams find the decision has already been taken i think over the past few minutes john kerry's been responding to the situation in syria he reiterated that washington has got little doubt that it's the assad regime that's behind the alleged chemical attack let's go to new york. what evidence did he bring up to back up those claims that the assad regime is faulty or . well u.s. secretary of state john kerry said that first and foremost the obama administration does not believe that the syrian opposition would be capable of carrying out a chemical attack and attack with chemical weapons because he says that those chemical weapons are not in the hands of the opposition they are in the hands and protected and guarded by the syrian government and this is why the u.s. is now blaming the syrian government of carrying out an attack with chemical weapons and kerry also said that the obama administration is still

by the mind if they don't then the syrian government would be accused of moving them so the syrian government be damned if they do and damned if they don't whatever the un inspection teams find the decision has already been taken i think our full interview with investigative journalist neil clark is available for you any time at r.t. dot com while you're there also tell us what you think the preparations for a military response could mean well at this point let's take a look at a picture most of you have voted in our online poll say it's washington trying to distract public attention away from its own problems and hold this view of the majority now just under a third of the respondents believe that the u.s. will go ahead with the attack despite president obama's cautious words the rest of this point seem to be believing it's being done to get leverage over at the u.n. investigation and another part thing that whether it's all just the pentagon's plan b. so do let us know what you think on this issue by logging on to our team dot com. our snowden's revelations that the u.s. have been spying on

opposition and the syrian opposition. so the turkish president came out last night to a remarkable statement to turkish journalists where he said, hey, a one- to two-day u.s. military operation against the syrian regime that just won't cut it. he called for a much broader military operation in the model of the u.s.-led operation against the serbs in kosovo in 1998, something that would weaken the assad regime to the point of a compromise or even regime change entirely. and that is something that the obama administration has not really voiced support for, making it clear they do not want u.s. boots on the ground across the border here in syria. john? >> they made that clear and continue to make that clear. thanks so much, ivan. >>> so an american president says a middle eastern country has become a threat to american security and u.s. military action is needed. some argue that president obama's comments on syria sound pretty similar to president bush's comments about iraq. my next guest says, not so fast. there are plenty

syrian's ambassador to the u.n. is calling for the npors in da mats cuss to look into the new claims. dominick cain reports. >> reporter: syrian tv broadcasts what it says are chemical agents that government forces apparently seized in recent raids in a suburb of damascus. the program claims this hold was found close to the center of the syrian capital on saturday. it says, some of the soldiers were suffocating when they entered the town. it's prompted the syrian government to call for the u.n. chemical weapons inspection team currently in damascus immediately to examine these apparent incidents. >> members of the syrian army inhaled poisonous gas as a result of the use by the terrorist-armed groups of chemical agents. >> reporter: this is not the first time president bashar al assad's government and its allies allege fighters have tried to use chemical weapons in syria. the russian government has alleged that a weapon was fired at assad forces in aleppo in march. a suggestion the u.s. government has rejected. in ma

but relation origin they are syrian citizens on the record they are part of the syrian so safety was going on in the north of syria that. there is a massacre against syrian citizens it doesn't matter the our courts or what have been in the north of that there get this here more time in the north of syria we are in front of terrorist groups and most of the or other groups these groups they are getting support from the government absolutely. and everyone knows that and he is afraid that from what they call the state or response to it or a in the north or syria or the state or something like that i don't think. so and i think that now in the big game they tried to keep government to play these car against the syrian government and they try to use people population against this regime now was going on in the north of. there is attempt to. stack the call this population to kill them. not to defend themselves all. because they should be in the game with the. syrian government and this is what's going on now this seems if you were late with an awful lot like we are in front of tourist organ

as you heard the syrian minister say they have been doing. russia also warns that any military action in syria will redown to the benefit only of al-qaeda and armed islamist groups. and russia otherwise warns that based on history afghanistan, iraq, libya, another war of this type of intervention will only result in what i think the deputy foreign minister said today would be catastrophic consequences and russia is singing the same tune as damascus is and they are completely and increasingly at odds with the west over this. >> reporter: fred, i'm just wondering how much pressure russia is feeling or perhaps how much pressure it has bowed down to or could bow down to considering when we hear reports of a couple weeks ago the meeting that took place between the saudi chief and the russian president vladimir putin to get russia to bow down or take a different approach on the syrian issue. >> yeah, this meeting actually took place in late july. it's one of a series of meetings between prince bandar, the head of saudi intelligence and they have a

has asked the syrian government to allow chemical arms inspectors access to the site of the recent attack in story mark ullman us but i'm a little early he's been closely following the conflict he says there were no indications whatsoever that a sad was behind this assault the syrian government would have to be not only very brutal but very stupid to have done this in a period when the u.n. and chemical weapons inspectors are just down the road in damascus secondly you would have seen if they had done this if they had launched a very large scale for surely they would have sent in special troops under the cover of the chaos caused by such an act occupy the area in order precisely to prevent kind of films and pictures of merging politically sent around the world by the opposition this after all this american trial by the opposition so far the problem arises with the demands of syrian government permit experts to visit to see syrian government doesn't control the scene of the crime if it was crimes were committed it's up to the rebels if we see no attempt to press for rebels to cooperate so

it suspects syrian rebels were responsible. and it's accused the united states and its allies of making up excuses to justify some sort of military intervention in the country. so it is very unlikely syria will support any u.n. resolution that includes the threat of force. >> reporter: i'm in beirut, where there's a tremendous amount of concern about what the escalation of a syrian conflict might mean. lebanon has experienced a spillover of violence. there have been bomb blasts in the past few weeks that have killed dozens, injured hundreds. adding to the volatility, injured refugees. at least one in every six people here in lebanon is now a syrian refugee. >> so what can the u.s. and world allies do to stop the raging civil war, especially now that appears a red line has been crossed with the likely use of chemical weapons? >> christiane amanpour joins us now from france. before we talk about the options and what's likely to happen, let us remind ourselves what president obama said last year, and this very important term being

it also is how the syrians respond. i don't want to say the syrians are stupid where they launch the missiles in to israel. i think it's a real question as to what happens next. >> it's interesting to watch. thank you for joining us. >>> thank you. >> well nearly 2 million syrians have fled their country easyville war an many are hoping a u.s. attack will mean they can go home soon. aid agencies say that's not likely. >> reporter: less than two weeks old and the tents already look weathered and old. news that a military strike is hope with the syria's refugees where they can be home soon. she's looking after her family and hopes she won't be here for long. >> translator: we would like someone else to replace president assad. if he's the the same type of person then it's no good for us. look at our situation. we would rather go back to our country. >> reporter: her views are ebg code around the camp. >> translator: we hope an air strike will come soon and we can go home. >> reporter: others say any military action will l

revolutionary command council which says that government forces loyal to the syrian president bashar assad were final to the area after the bombardment using chemical agents now this attack happened in the rebel held area of eastern damascus in a place called eastern ghouta the area has witnessed heavy fighting between opposition fighters and the army what we are hearing is reports that the north through a front which often. items that are affiliated with al qaeda are also operating there now some reports do suggest that more than a thousand people were killed in this latest attack but other reports talk about dozens dying graphic images have flooded the internet showing an alleged victims choking foaming at the mouth and displaying of a possible symptoms of the attacks in syria the origin of this footage however is unverified and that point needs to be made that no one knows where it was filmed or who filmed it we are trying to get more details at this stage from the area we have been speaking with local residents who complain that there was fighting there earlier but they insist th

army has the capability the syrian state has has the material that is needed and everybody is keeping their mouths shut about the opposition also having the material possessing the material and possessing the capability they're trying to frame desperately the syrian government and the mandate that was apparently given to the u.n. inspectors near damascus is to establish whether chemical weapons were used not to specify who the perpetrator was well america always looks for want to put unity to intervene and enlarge their sphere of influence basically i don't think they are really interested in who kills who bombs who only uses chemical weapons against whom we know that they supported saddam hussein in the in the eighty's and his war against iraq we know that they benefited from mistakes that were taken that took place during that period to raise public opinion against him when the invasion of kuwait took place in nineteen ninety and so on the fourth so it's just about their interest and their company in the region nothing. across the border an iraq conflict is also raging a series of b

navy syrian authorities say the army is mobilizing for intervention. in the country and brings us more from the streets. if at the beginning of his speech i so that people looped nervous obviously frightened and why raid relief came to replace all these emotions all these feelings following a bomb and speech many here say that congress is unlikely to approve military action against syria but even those who think that it could happen that congress does approve this strike against a country say at least it is not going to happen tonight but if we're talking about the general mood in syria that public opinion is divided there are those who are afraid and frightened and they leave the country they pack their bags they send their families women and kids outside syria and they're following them themselves and there is another part of the syrian society they say we don't care we've been living under this pressure on did these dangerous highly unsafe and stable situation for more than two years and how if we didn't leave last year and two years ago why should

has little doubt that syrian president bashar al assad and his regime used chemical weapons on the syrian people after images of dying children being carried to hospitals have gone global un investigators were finally allowed to inspect the area where the alleged chemical attack happened but right as the u.n. convoy entered the area snipers the and firing down on the group forcing them to temporarily retreat u.s. defense official said over the weekend that the navy has moved a fourth warship into the region all of those warships have the ability to launch ballistic missiles if tensions come to that over the assad regime denies using chemical weapons on its people and says that the sniper shooting weapons at the inspectors were terrorists now the world is waiting and watching to see how things play out here to discuss america's options when it comes to syria i'm joined by brian becker he's a national coordinator at the answer coalition he's here with me in d.c. . is a middle east analyst in new york and from miami it was most often the executive director for the syrian emergency task force

so there is no connection with syrian government. why those military preparations and the united states declare about it. i can't hear any arguments. >> if i ask you about the russian response, what the russian response might look like following the foreign minister comments that intervention in syria is possible without the backing of the united nations if a coalition were to intervene in syria what would russia's response be? >> i think that even declaration of such kind, it is violation on international law. it is war against united nation's charter. united nation's charter absolutely clear, reduced it and only security council has the right, legitimate right to interfere. if anyone wants to over throw other governments or authority he can make it under any, well, fabricated special for this occasion. i think better french minister and minister of defense of them to keep silence this way because it's better to listen to united nation's decision, not france and not great britain decide the question. it's not the zone of responsibil

if that is the syrian gameplay, what is the u.s. doing to counter it? >> humiliation will not necessarily stop president assad from using chemical weapons in the future. >> it will remove him from power in the near term. we need to move towards a negotiated outcome. nobody wants to turn the country over to this rebel coalition. we want to get to some process where the people can say, there is no way out of this. the sense that the regime has now is, we are powerful. we will deter the americans from invading. a sense of humiliation will reduce the confidence that we have seen lots of sign from the regime, because they think they are winning right now. >> think so much for coming in. an end of a week in which there is been lots of discussion about military strikes against syria. still no conclusion on this friday evening. let's get a quick look at other news. of mohamedupporters morsi have taken to the streets in their biggest protest in two weeks. security has been tightened to block areas in cairo and elsewhere across the city. the military backed gover

the syrian government has said it took place, and the evidence that the syrian regime has used these weapons in the early hours of the 21st of august is right in front of our eyes. >> reporter: yesterday it seemed that the prime minister was pushing for a one vote today that would clear the path for a decision on military action. that does not seem likely to happen. there is too much opposition in parliament. instead, they're voting on humanitarian action today, and then they're hoping to get some more evidence from u.n. inspectors on the ground, talk to the u.n. security council, and then there might be a second vote before we hear anything on military action. so we're talking about several days before we see a british decision at least. >> all right. live from london. meantime, those inspectors are still doing their work. they're still collecting material from in country and on site. and there are more dire threats that are coming from the syrian regime on what it would do if it finds itself under attack by the united states. we're also hearing that some syrian military commanders

and more than a million syrian children most under 11 are now refugees. the major humanitarian crisis, and what's next. >>> plus california losing money from the movie industry. and google and the world brain. the internet giant plants to put every book in the world online. >>> hello, in consider this, there are grave concerns. a threat to national security and a challenge to the world. >> it increases the risk of chemical weapons, and what we use of the future and it falls in the hands of terrorist who is might use them against us. >> reporter: and as secretary of state said the syrian president should be punished for what he called crime against humanity. >> we need to ask what is the risk of doing nothing? [ explosion ] >> reporter: the u.s. must respond, the obama administration says, to prevent more death in syria, and to send a message to the syrian government and others that they can't get away with using chemical weapons against its people but limited strikes wouldn't topple syria's president assad. >> it would weaken assad, but it would not tilt

syrian state television is reporting that syrian soldiers found traces of chemical agents off to entering tunnels used by rebel fighters in a damascus suburb the empty shells that they found had markings on them met said that they had been made in saudi arabia just a reminder that saudi arabia is very mentally opposed to the syrian president bashar assad now these soldiers started suffocating and ambulances had to be sent to the scene to assist them syrian television is also reporting that these soldiers found antidotes that are used to kill the intoxication this comes after reports of a new attack earlier this week that saw the involvement of chemical weaponry we have heard reports that anywhere between dozens and one thousand three hundred people were killed in that new attack and it has been lots of verified footage making the rounds online we've seen photos of people phoning at the mouth people suffocating all of the pointing to the possible use of seven gets some of the photos online do show empty shells it does seem to point to the fact that this latest attack had this weaponry fire

of the syrian government forces. it has been clear that the syrian air force has been a game changer on the battlefield. it is clear that the tanks and the artillery used by the syrian military are decisively -- given decisive advantage to the syrian forces so i would expect to see some sort of military action against those elements on the battlefield keeping the advantage on the side of the syrian forces. so that would be going against the syrian air force and armored capabilities. >> mark kimmit joining us live via the middle east, assistant secretary of defense. and al-jazeera is closely watching the developments from all parts in the middle east and for all news on syria, visit us on our website. >>> the fast-moving wildfire continues to rage in and around yosemite national park. it is now only 7% contained. at risk, more than 4500 homes and businesses. what is going on at this hour? this map shows us why there is so much concern. the hydroelectric plant there provides water and power for more than two million pe

you have good contacts with the syrian opposition, the free syrian army and others. what do they want the u.s. to do? >> reporter: well, at this junction, wolf, they're basically saying that given the plan that the u.s. is putting forward in the sense that this is not a potential strike that is going to bring down the regime or dramatically change the dynamics of the battlefield. a lot of them do believe that they would actually prefer not to see this take place. quite simply because people are absolutely terrified and rightfully so that the regime is then going to turn around and retaliate against opposition strongholds and they say it's not as if america has a plan in place to continue to protect the civilian population. it is going to hurt them much more than it is actually going to hurt the regime. some of the activists that we've been speaking to also pointing out that while this strike might, yes, ever so slightly potentially decrease the regime's capabilities, slightly perhaps. even out on the battlefield this is a battlefield where at the forefront are these

that the syrian opposition is going to be there. making progress on those very important issues concerning global security becomes much harder when relations are defined by scandals now going back to president obama's news conference it was not all about president obama proposals before him and they say. president obama said he intends to work on ways to try one provision of the patriot act known as. the government broader authority to obtain business phone data records he announced the creation of a panel of outsiders. privacy advocates and others to assess the program sir. it just changes by the end of the year but everybody understand it's all happening because of edward snowden's revelations probably that's why the majority of americans say edward snowden is a whistleblower and not a traitor now it's not clear whether the government will actually go through with those were forms promising is one thing delivering on those promises is something else but at the end of the day the american people may actually benefit from what snowd

by the mind if they don't then the syrian government will be accused of moving them so the syrian government be damned if they do and damned if they don't whatever the un inspection teams find the decision has already been taken i think ok but i don't think. i mean do they not have states won that war i mean if we look at the polls they show that american people are ganz to a new war because i mean it's going to be again a burden on the taxpayers so and also do you think that we potentially damaging for president obama and why would he want to go ahead. well it would be only nine percent of americans support the war is america a democracy that's what we're about to find out the american people are sick of war they're war weary you have wars to war to war but i'm afraid there's powerful lobbies in the us the israel lobby is pushing for this war pretty strong the saudi arabians want this war and it's a question of whether president obama stands up to them i fear that what's going to happen is there will be some military strikes in syria the way president obama will sell it to the syrian americ

their mind up if they don't then the syrian government will be accused of moving them so the syrian government be damned if they do and damned if they don't whatever the un inspection teams find the decision has already been taken i think well less than ten percent of americans back the idea of military intervention in syria that's according to a recent survey anti-war activist highbury explains why people in the u.s. are far from enthusiastic with the prospect of involvement in yet another war for the last twelve years the united states has been fighting. a war of choice in iraq it war of choice in afghanistan that turned out to be longer battle the war than the then the vietnam war which also was a war of choice the american people are war weary we know that what's going on inside syria americans even the average american know it's a proxy war we know we're not going to get the correct information from our government and we know that our government officials are only interested in continuing what would be a fear tactic of a continuation of war after war after work to keep the amer

or is this syrian policy? is this cyber warfare being waged by syria's military at the direction of syria's president? is this one of the things that syria feels it can do to lash out at the rest of the world as that country gets increasingly isolated and condemned among the nations of the world? today syria's foreign minister warned at a press conference that if western powers intervene in syria, if western powers attack the syrian government and syrian military, the country's response should not be underestimated. he said, "we have the means to defend ourselves and we will surprise everyone. we will defend ourselves using all means available. i don't want to say more than that." whether or not you think syria's got anything that it can do that should worry the rest of the world, are they going to be attacked by another country? are they going to be attacked by us? is the u.s. military, with or without international allies, about to launch a military attack on that country? if you kind of take the binoculars

conflict together in geneva to try and map out such a political solution and the syrian opposition says they're not going to sit down at the at one table with those who have blood on their hands moscow says in order to stop the bloodshed all hands need to come to the negotiating table and foreign minister lavrov said john kerry. that the syrian opposition is going to be there but making progress on those very important issues concerning global security becomes not much part of wind relations are defined by scandals now going back to president obama's news conference democracy was not all about president obama's proposal strictly for me and i'd say it's president obama said he intends to work on. one provision of the patriot act known essential between the government broader authority to obtain business phone data records he announced the creation of a panel of outsiders intelligence officials civil liberty and privacy advocates and others to assess the program since. suggest changes by the end of the year but everybody understand it's all happening because of edward snowden's revelation

were syrian hackers responsible? our special report continues. [ male announcer ] come to the lexus golden opportunity sales event and choose from one of five lexus hybrids that's right for you, including the lexus es and ct hybrids. ♪ this is the pursuit of perfection. >>> despite all the signs pointing to an imminent military strike against syria, some prominent voices are opposed suggesting the war is not something the united states has any business getting involved in. joining us on the phone now, the new co-host of "crossfire" newt gingrich. the defense secretary chuck hagel, he says the u.s. military is ready to go in launching some sort of strikes against syria. what do you think? is this is a smart idea? >> well, i'm sure they're ready to go. and i think it's not a very smart idea. number one threat to the united states in me middle east is iran. we've now spent several years chasing after libya, chasing after egypt, now we're going to chase after syria. none of them are mortal threats to the united states.