they are officially active in baghdad and around baghdad. as far as disputed area because of the lapse of the iraqi army -- collapse of the iraqi army, there are vacuums. the disputed area, according to the iraqi constitution, is completely under the control of the kurdish forces. this is a new reality. we have got three states within one. three states with different systems. one is islamist and internationalist because they do not recognize the border. they are targeting baghdad, they are targeting mosques, they are targeting beirut. there targeting jordan and kuwait, for the time being. i think they will target kurdistan and other areas. that is their program, that is their plan. we have got kurdistan, which is secure, which believes in democracy, tries to build a democratic process, believes in multiethnic society, believes in multireligious society, believes in human rights, believes in women's rights. this is next to a so-called islamic state. our border now is with an islamic state and not anymore with iraq. we have got a border of abo

embassy in baghdad. we also learned the united states has had brief, as it was described by a state department official, talks, there to talk about iran's nuclear program, while on the margins, they had informal discussions. they are emphasizing, obviously a very sensitive point, that they're not going to make deals with iran about iraq's future over the heads of the iraqi people as it was phrased. john kerry gave an interview to yahoo news, saying look, this is a complex are situation. he detailed the sunni, shia, spilling over into the border into iraq. the possibility that the united states will use air strikes to give the al-maliki government some breathing room. let's listen to john kerry. >> it's not whole answer but it may well be one of the option he that are important to be able to stem the tide and stop the movement of people who are moving around in open convoys and trucks and terrorizing people. i mean when you have people murdering is, assassinating in these mass massacres, you have to stop

what about the battle for baghdad? the islamic terrorists are gaining ground with the city closer and closer we're told. that's raising worries about the possibility of the iraqi capital falling. could it? the u.s. says no. but is that confident prediction right? ♪ "here i am. rock you like a hurricane." ♪ fiber one now makes cookies. find them in the cookie aisle. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ great rates for great rides. geico motorcycle, see how much you could save. thank you. ordering chinese food is a very predictable experience. i order b14. i get b14. no surprises. buying business internet, on the other hand, can be a roller coaster white knuckle thrill ride. you're promised one speed. but do you consistently get it? you do with comcast business. and often even more. it's reliable. just like kung pao fish. thank you, ping. reliably fast internet starts at $89.95 a month. comcast business. built for business. >>> despite the u.s.-led airstrikes, isis gaining ground in iraq. nearing a complete takeover of anbar province. is

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so they are officially active in baghdad and around baghdad. and there's a disputed area because of the collapse of the iraqi army, our kurdish fighters they fall in vacuum. that means that disputed area now, disputed area according to the iraqi constitution is completely under the control of kurdish. this is a new reality. we have got, in fact, three states within one. three states within a different system. is islamist. and specialist because they don't recognize the border. and they are targeting baghdad. they are targeting damascus. they are targeting beirut and targeting jordon and kuwait for the time being. and later on, i think they will target kurdistan and other areas. that's their program. that's their plan. we have got kurdistan which is secure which tries to build a democratic process. believed in multiette inic society -- multiethnic society. believes in women's rights. this is next to so-called islamic fate. our border is with islamic state. and not anymore with iraq. we have got a border of about 1,000 with islamic states from 1,

right now it is tied to baghdad to the central government with more authority were baghdad, though that's not what the constitution calls for. but with some autonomy the kurds would gain more authority over their own affairs. what does that mean? it includes selling oil without the consent of the federal government. but still sharing some of these revenues with baghdad. conducting other affairs such as maintaining it's defense forces. such as keeping and main tag its finances. and conducting more diplomatic missions abroad. >> alec, a central government has contributed to the kurds' ability to gain ground, literally, as well as politically. how much is the fractured government affecting the kurdish cause? it's not really an issue of a fractured government in baghdad. it's the fact that it has not really respected iraq's constitution. prime minister maliki has not, for example, implemented article 140 of the constitution, which calls for the resolution of the disputed internal boundaries areas that are both mixed. he has used iraq's great oil wealth as an economic weapon as saddam hussein

we're live in baghdad. the campaign that's being carried out by militants here in iraq is being advertised online by this group isis on jihadi internet forums, on facebook, on twitter. the images that are emerging are frankly horrifying, some purporting to show the, cushions of iraqi security forces and others, mass executions. in a moment i'll speak with peter bergen and former see and fbi official phillip mudd on what isis is trying to accomplish but we want to warn you that the images coming up may be too graphic for some young viewers. howard damon reports. >> reporter: two of the captains have border guard patches on their sleeves. the guard tells them to repeat "islamic state here today." the first two comply, fear on their faces. the third struggles to formulate the words. moments later, this. . he appears to be dehydrated, barely reacting to what's happening. in the next video he is dead, his jaw blown off. at the end of the clip, the isis gunman proudly declares "we killed a shi'a." this facebook p

we're live tonight from baghdad, it is 3:00 in the morning, tuesday morning here in baghdad. curfew is underway here, curfew started at midnight. the city is largely quiet at this hour. the streets manned by iraqi government forces as well as militias. as well as volunteers who tried to fight isis. the group still some 45 minute drive outside of the city of baghdad. defenses have been strengthened, we are also just getting word that hundreds of u.s. troops, u.s. forces are going to be deployed to this city, to iraq. president obama has notified congress that up to 275 u.s. armed forces personnel, will be sent here to provide support and security for the u.s. embassy in baghdad and americans in iraq in the event of an evacuation. that force will be equipped for combat and stay in place until the security situation improves. it's been a day of dramatic developments to tell you about this evening. the united states is also considering everything from unarmed surveillance flights to air strikes to help hold this country together and stop the violent offense of being carried out b

if baghdad gets infected the government collapses that's worst case scenario. any assistance we provide needs to be coordinated with the political solution. you got acute military problem, got chronic political problem. there is no way in my view that malaki can pull this off. but there are people, your reporter mentioned something about the iraqi people. the average shiite doesn't want to be dominated. they don't want to live under isis rules. good news is average iraqi wants to move forward they have no infrastructure. iraqi air force grounded without american air power going to be hard to turn the tide. >> you heard the reports from there, iranians want to help, should we encourage them to help of all things ". >> we're probably need their help to hold baghdad. their goal create sectarian iraq. to have a puppet in baghdad that is shia dominated government they control outcome they want the southern part of iraq. our goal to have inclusive iraq. in the short term, deal with stall in because he was net a as bad as hitler we have some of dialogue with iranians,

trained and equipped iraqi national army, and heads toward baghdad. going too need more help from us and the international community. my team is working around the clock, to identify how we can provide the most effective assistance to that. i don't reel out anything, because we we do have a stake in making sure that these jihaddists are not getting a permanence foothold in either iraq, orser yeah for that matter. >> the situation on the ground appears to have outpaced the government. fighters have gotten much more of a foothold as events broiled thursday. heavily armed and vowing to march, the islamic state of iraq and the levan continues to gain more territory in iraq. decrete is the latest city to fall, hometown of former iraqi dictator sudan hussein, it is just 70 miles north of baghdad. the crusade gains speed just this week, after the lightening fall of mosul the second largest city. iraqi soldiers lay down arms and abandon their posts giving up ground tentatively controlled by them, after u.s. troops left. in the oil rich area of northern iraq,

ben is in baghdad, and, ben, there have been a series of bombs in baghdad this weekend. you have talked in the past about sleeper cells. despite all of this, the white house is saying that there really isn't any concern about isis and any sort of march to baghdad. >> well, debra, i think what they're saying is that there's no worry about a frontal assault on baghdad. the idea that, for instance, isis could take baghdad along the lines they did in mosul in june. the administration thinks it's unlikely, and here on the ground it doesn't look like that is going to happen any time soon. not just because of the fact that isis doesn't really have a lot of forces in the baghdad area, but baghdad say huge city populated by mostly shia who hate isis, and in addition, despite the weaknesses of the iraqi army, which had been on vivid display now for months, there are other players involved. tens of thousands of shia volunteers have been trained and armed to protect the capital and other shia holy areas in cities. iran definitely would not like to see baghdad falling to isis as well

embassy in baghdad. and as you pointed out with that contractor you interviewed, there are a number of americans working at military installations, working around iraq. if baghdad does become threatened in the coming days and all indications are isis is moving toward baghdad, the u.s. would have to make a decision if the embassy was so threatened that it would have to evacuate it. this is one of the most secure if not the most secure u.s. embassy in the world. but it is also one of the largest that makes it a target. there are evacuation plans as there are with all u.s. embassies, very detailed. but it would be the state department's decision to make that security call if and when the time comes, anderson. >> and jim, how did -- really just a couple thousand make such quick gains of territory. the idea that they can be threatening baghdad when you realize the size of the iraqi army itself is extraordinary. >> well, this is what the intelligence community believes. they believe that isis had help inside i

i know baghdad very well. where you see the car bombings going off places that are a large shia population, they are trying to have more of a civil war and focus the government of iraq on protecting baghdad without concern for the rest of the country. it seems like they're doing a pretty good job of it right now. we have to continue to help the iraqi government pull their head back a little bit and look at the whole. get sunni uprisings going again and support the kurds and at the same time defend the capital city. >> we're going to keep our eye not just on baghdad but also anbar province as well. ben wedeman, i know you know the area better than anyone. thank you. barbara starr at the pentagon for me and lieutenant general, thank you so much. >>> coming up next, back to ebola and these hazmat suits. is this enough to keep medical personnel safe when they're treating these patients? according to the cdc, yes. and they have specific guidelines as far as how you put on the equipment, how you remove it, but is it

take the fight to baghdad, they're confident that they can take the fight to baghdad, baghdad is their aim. they don't want to storm into the city, they say they want to negotiate, they want a government of national unity to be formed. but they are doing this side by side with these isis fighters. the tribal leader said we've been capturing and letting go many, many iraqi army forces. he said this is not the way that al qaeda operates. this is the way the tribes operate. he said that he believes they have the upper hand over these isis fighter and that if isis starts turning radical islamists, they will turn their guns on isis. it's unclear which way this hundred fol will unfold, but he is clearly deeply troubled that irans that put troops into iraq. he feels the situation could turn into a sectarian blood bath. yesterday he felt confidence, today this news has made him very worried about the situation because he knows that this is prove case and he also says it shows the true colors of prime minister nuri al maliki that is really siding with iran. the world should wake up. one other p

baghdad asks for u.s. help. >> i don't rule out anything. >> reporter: reports from holly williams in iraq, elizabeth palmer in syria, and major garrett at the white house. former p.o.w. bowe bergdahl is coming home tonight. manual bojorquez on what happens next. what does facebook know about you? anthony mason on what the social network is sharing. up in the sky, it's a former president of the united states. and we'll remember actress ruby dee. >> don't do that. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. the war president obama wanted so much to put behind him is is coming back with a vengeance and demanding his attention. tonight, two and a half years after the last u.s. troops left iraq, the country is in danger of falling apart. and hundreds of americans are being evacuated this evening. government forces are battling militants who are taking back territory where thousands of american troops died, and they're vowing to march on to baghdad. mr. obama said all options a

do you want a strong baghdad or not a strong baghdad. these are difficult to reconcile. i think the kurds are perhaps insufficiently attuned to how baghdad is balancing not only their negotiations, but everyone else's. for example, i think if we were just talking about baghdad and the kurds, we could probably reach some kind of accommodation. i'm not a party. the iraqis could reach some kind of accommodation on how much oil is pushed through the state oil company and how much can the kurds manage to export on their own. because there is boz rough in the equation -- bazra, it has to be redlined on how much can come to the state oil company. i don't think baghdad can afford to coppermine is eyes on that condition, not because they could not work it out but because that president has been set. this is the problem with a multiplayer game, it's not like you can reach an accommodation with two sides, you have to reach an accommodation that includes everyone and i will close on a pessimistic note that even if prime minister a body would say i will do whatever it takes to get a

baghdad claims the kurds owe them money. the kurds claim that baghdad owes them money. and in that -- in that space is where a deal lies. and i think that's going to be part of the conversation informing a new government. >> if it is true that baghdad owes them as much as $6 billion, would the u.s. support the kurds' ability to export oil and obtain that revenue so they can keep themselves going? >> we want to get as much oil on to international markets as possible from all parts of iraq. and that's something that we very strongly support. we worked very hard over the last six months to get a deal on the table by which the kurds would have exported as much oil as they possibly could through some of the existing arrangements with the revenue-sharing allocations that exist. and that deal almost succeeded, but it ran up again the election time frame. once in the election, it was very difficult to close a deal. i think we'll be able to get that back on the table. we want as much oil from iraq, north to south, on to international markets as soon as possible. >> okay. now --

and they wish that they did not have to go back to baghdad. but they are doing so out of necessity and lack of choice. the kurds could not comprehend how essential government in baghdad could starve people from funds at at the time of war against terror. how they can deny -- arriving in kurdistan via the air when people are being slaughtered and religious minorities facing genocide and increasing number of displaced people need basic needs. that's the refugees internally displaced from all parts of iraq. in fact, yesterday, mr. maliki decided to give salaries to people from mosul and tikrit to only those in baghdad now and none of those in kurdistan reach. so had it not been for the u.s. air strikes and the international help, it would have been extremely difficult to stop isis and make progress. as well as helping the internally displaced people who are now well over 600,000, in fact, if you include those elsewhere, it exceeds 650,000 people. so imagine kurdistan just under 5 million and it suddenly increased by 5 million without the resource

baghdad claims the kurds owe them money. kurds claim that baghdad owes them money. in that space is where a deal lies. i think that's going to be part of the conversation in forming a new government. >> if it is true baghdad owes them as much as $6 billion, with u.s. support kurds ability to export oil and obtain that revenue so they can keep themselves going? >> we want to get as much oil on to international markets as possible from all parks of iraq. that is something we very strongly support we worked very hard over the last six months to get a deal on the table by which the kurds would have exported as much oil as they possibly could through some of the existing arrangements with the revenue-sharing allocations that exist. that deal almost succeeded, but it ran up against the election time frame. once with the election it was difficult to close the deal. i think we'll be able to get that back on the table we want as much oil on iraq as soon as possible. >> i appreciate the fact we are going through assessments and studying the problem. i want -- you have to reco

that showed encirclement of baghdad. it came to be called the baghdad belt. we know that isis is not going to stop. we think baghdad is next. we have to look for the potential encirclement of baghdad by the isis. >> and 130,000 u.s. troops had a hard time handling them then. general, how on earth are 300 military advisers from the u.s. going to make a difference? >> the vulnerability for isis is that it's extremely stretched. 300 to 400 kilometers is a long way to move men and equipment to encircle baghdad. if there is to be some -- on the iraqi forces as they exist today, those advisers will help to try to create some sort of scenario in which the lines of communication can be cut off and supplied can be withdrawn or hindered from making it down to an encirclement around baghdad. >> i want to go to colonel ganyard. what about the possibility of air strikes? >> there are difficulties. because we won't have u.s. eyes and boots on the ground to be able to pick out targets. that said, out in the west where we see the supplies coming in from syria, there may be p

then they'll continue to threaten baghdad. i don't think they'll get into the city because there are a lot of shia security forces there. but they are going to threaten the city with continued car bombs and continued insurgency attacks. that will cause the baghdad government to continue to look inward. >> they now control 80% of the anbar province, which is not very far away from baghdad. and the iraqi military is m.i.a., they're not even defending their own territory. >> there has been some strong reports of some of the sunni units, especially the regiments, the new national guard regiments forming and fighting back. as jim sciutto said, we don't get to see much of that. we're hearing reports and i'm getting feeds from people i know there, that they are fighting hard. but they are certainly -- isis is certainly consolidating their gains in the anbar province. it is troubling, there will be this continued attacks inside the city of baghdad by car bombs and other means. >> paul, what are you hearing about the americans, suppose

navy spoke to iran to save baghdad from falling. even as the leader of the national guard, the qods force, is in baghdad helping militias defend the capital. >> we're open to discussions if there's something constructive that can be contributed by iran. if iran is prepared to do something that is going to respect the integrity and sovereignty of iraq and the ability of the government to reform. >> reporter: the talks between kerry's deputy, william burnes, and iran 's foreign ministers restarted today in vienna. the goal is to press iraq's prime minister maliki to include rival sunnis in his government, a key step toward a political solution. still, any talk of military cooperation with iran makes u.s. allies in the region, israel, and saudi arabia very nervous about any dealings with their adversary, iran. and among the military options are the limited use of special forces inside iraq if needed to help guide possible air strikes. brian? >> of course it could still be early yet in this crisis. andrea mitchell in our d.c. newsroom t

their positions in baghdad. we continue to help them with air strikes with our assistance and our advisors which i have -- at the direction of president obama added to our numbers there. >> now, just the night before on friday chuck hagel was saying how dire the situation is in an bar province as other administonurse uses very brutal tactics, but the other point i would make, deb, is that president obama has said very recently that they have overestimated the iraqi armied forces for five years or so, and those are the very armed forces who are supposed to be securing baghdad. now, of course, though, there are american troops there in security roles, deb. >> are there signs that the administration is getting pressure from the outside, as taking heat for what is going on within iraq? >> well, we are essential hearing more and more from republicans who are criticizing the administration and also the situation on the ground, that it is not going as well as planned. i want you to listen here to comments that senator

baghdad is a a threat. we have to be ready for the moment at which we are going to have to step up. >> i just note that kevin barron, he actually was just telling us what the pentagon is telling him. >> right. that wasn't, you know, i mean, he, too has concerns, i think just about everybody. not to mention the disappointment to many americans, all the blood lost and all the disappointment there to try to rescue this country and now look at it. where i was based at is under isis control. no point when i was sleeping there in 2008 and 2009 did i ever imagine this would happen. and here we are. >> i was in kurdistan in september two weeks later fallujah goes down and mosul in june go through the whole thing. things weren't so bad even last december. anyway, thank you, congressman. >> thank you, thanks for having me. >> and before he was first elected in 2008, president obama promised his supporters he would close gitmo. now, six years later, it is still open and the white house is now contemplating bypassing c

isis will not take baghdad. they can't take baghdad. >> barbara talked about anbar province and kobani has been in the news a lot. kobani, many are saying, there is so much coverage about it, it's not a big deal but anbar province would be a big deal. >> it is a big deal. at this point, it's probably gone. it's probably gone. baghdad remains solid right now. certainly the airport is going to remain in tact but it could be on the verge. but the united states and is fchf, the iraqi security forces are paying attention to that. isis owns the rest of the border with turkey. and the turkish forces are up on the high ground watching over this advance on kobani. kobani strategically has no importance other than in terms of perception vis-a-vis isis and its ability to act with momentum and with ease within syria so then what is the goal here? does that seem possible considering how much ground they have gained? you don't think they are going to take baghdad. does that seem possible at all. >> you don't want to attack yo

patrick, talk about what you are expensing right now in baghdad. -- experiencing right now in baghdad. >> it is a very frightening city. nobody quite knows what is going to happen. the news keeps coming in a isis.r gains by --ahe whole of anbar portion of the anbar province has fallen. there are six or 7 million people, the majority shia. but the fact remains that since , theall of modul, -- mosul government hasn't won any victories. isis has gone taking more cities. you see militiamen in the streets of baghdad. the price of everything has gone up. is an atmosphere of panic. >> and the significance of john kerry being in baghdad right now and what message he is sending to maliki, the prime minister? clearly the message is leave, go, we need a new prime minister and we need a new political leadership. and that'll probably happen. the sense i get all of these diplomatic maneuvers with john kerry and the iranians and the iraqi government all in slow time, but the advance of isis islamiststreme sunni is much faster than that. doubt maliki has been a disastrous prime minister. better andso

ben, you are there in baghdad. chuck hagel says the city is fully in iraqi military control right now. do you see anything there that might suggest otherwise? >> reporter: well, it does seem to be fully in iraqi military control to the extent that's possible. but what we did see this evening is two car bombs going off, and two baghdad neighborhoods which left more than 40 people dead, many more wounded. so yes, at the moment it appears that the defenses of baghdad are working, that iraqi forces are able to defend the capital. but there's the threat from within, which is really the primary and major concern of iraqi security officials at the moment. as far as the threat to baghdad, no, it's not imminent. the threat really is to the entire anbar province, which is the biggest province in iraq. and iraqi officials tell us provincial officials from anbar tell us that at this point isis controls 80% of that territory. they also told us today that according to their intelligence, which obviously we can't check, they beli

"racing toward baghdad." a brutal terror group moves into town after town spreading bloodshed and panic. we're learning there were intelligence warnings about this months ago. >>> fighting back. as iraqi forces try to make a stand, president obama says they need help. but he won't put u.s. boots on the ground. what happens to thousands of americans if terrorists reach the iraqi capital? >>> and reign of terror. we're going to show you shocking new images of the group that is so brutal even al qaeda has disowned them. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." >>> and we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. iraq now under attack from within. a brutal terror group speeding toward the capital sending civilians and troops fleeing. we have new information that u.s. intelligence saw this coming. as the islamists vow to raise their flag over baghdad, shiite clerics are now calling for volunteers to defend their holy sites and the capital. iraq's military is trying to regroup,

want a strong baghdad or do you not want a strong baghdad? tose are very difficult reconcile, and i think think the perhaps insufficiently attuned to how baghdad is balancing not only their negotiations but everyone else's. for for example, if we were just talking about baghdad and the kurds we could probably reach some kind of accommodation. not a party, their advocates could reach some kind of accommodation on how much oil is publicked through the state oil company and how much can the kurds manage to export on their own. but because there's basra in the to be redbaghdad has lined on having must come influence the state oil company. baghdad with afford to compromise on that position, not because it work it out with the custody, but because of the president that was sent for basra. and this is the problem of it being a multiplayer game, like you can just reach an accommodation between two reach anu have to accommodation that includes everyone much and i'll close on a pessimistic note. if even of the prime minister were able to do whatever it

that's why baghdad is so critical right now. >> ken, i mean, baghdad is because of what went on in 2006, 2007, baghdad is overwhelmingly sunni -- excuse me, overwhelmingly shiia dominated. do you think it's unlikely baghdad could fall because it seems like iraqi security forces would be more motivated to protect this city. >> yeah, i think you've hit on a number of important points, anderson. it is the case as jim is suggesting that isis and iraqi sunni militants will have a toucher fight on their hands as they get closer and closer to baghdad. we're seeing that in some of the other out lying towns. where the shia soldiers are defending homes and families, all of a sudden their resistance stiffens. they have been joined by large number of militia men who are as vicious as the isis and alibi da and other militant fighters on the sunni side and of course, they are being backed up to some degree by the iranians. baghdad is eight, maybe 9 million people. it's a huge urban sprawl and urban terrain is some of the toughest terrain to take, especially a force like isis that is mostly capitalize

how safe is baghdad now from isis? >> well, in the mega-picture, baghdad is not going to fall to the islamic state like mosul did. that's simply not going to happen. baghdad say majority shi'a city that is just-- whose citizens find isis to be absolutely anathema and it will not be welcome in any way, shape, or form. now, that said, isis does have sanctuary in and around baghdad and can doha rasing attacks. what everyone is most concerned about, of course, is the baghdad airport. the western edge of the baghdad airport is just a few kilometers from anbar province, and it is not inconceivable that isis is trying to not capture but interdict the baghdad airport. you put one or two artillery rounds on the runway at baghdad airport, and all of a sudden, international air travel shuts down for that city, which would then send into a tizzy the international community that's in baghdad, all the embassies, all the military assistance, et cetera. so that's a very real problem that we're watching. >> sreenivasan: all right dougl

baghdad claims the kurds owe them money. kurds claim that baghdad owes them money. in that space is where a deal lies. i think that's going to be part of the conversation in forming a new government. >> if it is true baghdad owes them as much as $6 billion, with u.s. support kurds ability to export oil and obtain that revenue so they can keep themselves going? >> we want to get as much oil on to international markets as possible from all parks of iraq. that is something we very strongly support we worked very hard over the last six months to get a deal on the table by which the kurds would have exported as much oil as they possibly could through some of the existing arrangements with the revenue-sharing allocations that exist. that deal almost succeeded, but it ran up against the election time frame. once with the election it was difficult to close the deal. i think we'll be able to get that back on the table we want as much oil on iraq as soon as possible. >> i appreciate the fact we are going through assessments and studying the problem. i want -- you have to reco

. >> anbar is just west of baghdad. the obama administration insists iraqi forces can defend the iraqi capital. joining me now, cnn's senior international correspondent ben wedeman in baghdad and erin mcpike at the white house. ben, i want to start with you. detail for us these attacks that we've seen in baghdad most recently. >> reporter: victor, what we saw last night were two very large car bombs in baghdad itself leaving more than 40 people dead, many more wounded. now earlier today there were three bombs outside of baqouba, one was a suicide bomber, one was a remotely detonated car bomb and a third a suicide car bomber. that left more than 20 dead. and the situation in anbar continues to be grim. last night the head of -- the chief of police in ramadi or for all of anbar province was killed in an ied attack and now ramadi, which is a town that is sort of half under the control of isis, half under the government, we're told at least in the government areas it is under a 24-hour curfew, so the situation there grim an

ambassador in baghdad. ambassador, thanks very much for joining us. >> thank you. >> thank you. >>> just ahead this hour, president obama under a lot of pressure to respond to the crisis in iraq. a democratic congressman says not so fast, mr. president. congressman adam shift of the intelligence committee standing by to join us live. also, hillary clinton prepares for an exclusive town hall event today, moderated by our ownmanp. what will clinton say about the arrest of a key suspect in the benghazi attack? get your all-time favorites like creamy chicken alfredo. plus unlimited salad and breadsticks and dessert. 2 for $25 guest favorites at olive garden. (music) defiance is in our bones. defiance never grows old. citracal maximum. calcium citrate plus d. highly soluble, easily absorbed. [ chainsaw buzzing ] humans. sometimes, life trips us up. sometimes, we trip ourselves up. and although the mistakes may seem to just keep coming at you, so do the solutions. like multi-policy discounts from liberty mutual i

he is in baghdad now. i spoke with him hours ago through an internet hook-up that was weak but his message was powerful. watch this. canon white, very good to be here tonight. despite the fact that you have a personal struggle with m.s., despite threats on your life, despite being subjected to all sorts of if not torture close to and losing many of your staff members, you've stayed in iraq to try to broker a peace between the sunni and the shia. never i assume did you anticipate seeing a force like isis. what is the state in baghdad tonight as this force is apparently on the western outskirts of the city? >> well, the reality is we are in the most difficult period i have ever seen. i've been here for years, but people are even too afraid to go out to the street, the streets are almost empty and people are fearful of what is going to happen. all of the christians originate from nineveh which is mosul. and so they have all had family members who have been killed. they've been slaughtered, massacred, and so t

baghdad is going to be taken. >> do you think they can take baghdad? >> i don't think they can seize full control of baghdad. >> partial? >> they can certainly cause some havoc there where security forces can be confused and don't know how to act. >> and end up pushing them back into kind of a green zone? >> absolutely. >> david, do you think they can take baghdad? or how much will they take? >> i think they will encircle baghdad. they tried to do this during the war when there were american troops there. in the middle of this is the largest american embassy in the world. there are apache helicopters sitting at the airport to deal with that possibility. can the united states get its people out of baghdad if, you know, isis lays siege to the city. and this is, leon panetta says they are very well founded. they've formed the achilles heel. and they're pushing turkey, a separate topic, but things aren't going well in syria because turkey's not really helping the coalition at this point. >> to baghdad airport, baghdad airport is more vulnerable than baghda

has reached within five miles of the capital baghdad. the extremists control large swathes of embarq province including the city of falluja which is close to baghdad. from there, they have been able to launch a series of attacks to the north and west of the capital. there is fighting along the road between falluja and baghdad. a report contains testimony you may find stressing. >> heading to the last differences between baghdad and so-called islamic state fighters. weeks, the i.s. attacked this route on the western edge of the capital. we are traveling with two powerful shakes. their task is to rally the tribes and help stop the enemy at the gates of baghdad. heavy battlesbeen here, he tells me. our brothers were here, pointed to the gunmen. >> do not be fooled by their relaxed pose. the battle line lies beyond the horizon. to 16 miles away, i.s. is in charge and there are intense classes. you can feel the tension. >> this is the border between us and i.s. support from civilized countries like the u.s. and britain. >> when fighters of th

at this hour isis is closing in on baghdad, anbar province, just west of baghdad is undertack. officials are begging for the u.s. to send ground troops immediately to safe the province from imminent collapse. and the syria across the border from turkey a situation there is just as dire. we are at the. anbar is asking for u.s. troops but the request isn't coming from baghdad but anbar itself. >>> >> caller: th >>> they told us for ground troops to stop the onslaught of isis which in recent weeks advise steadily gained ground. in fact they are basically about 20 miles to the west of baghdad at this point. we understand from sources here in baghdad that they haven't received that request and it is also well known the iraqi government has had the position for quite some time that they don't want u.s. ground troops in iraq. and certainly the obama administration has made it clear they don't intend to send them. so that really raises the question what is going to be done to save anbar province? which is the biggest in iraq, from isis? now i spoke to the head of intelligence in anbar

, that baghdad would not fall. that seems to have lessened the urgency for some kind of quick airstrike. and so it will be interesting to hear what the president has to say as to why he was saying last week we might need a short-term immediate strike. but now this week it seems that urgency has evaded. >> jim acosta at the white house. we're going to take a quick break. when we come back, more on president obama's pending announcement about possible u.s. military action in iraq. back after this. not caused by a heart valve problem. that puts her at a greater risk of stroke. rome? sure! before xarelto®, mary took warfarin, which required monthly trips to get her blood tested. but that's history. back to the museum? not this time! now that her doctor switched her to once-a-day xarelto®, mary can leave those monthly trips behind. domestic flight? not today! like warfarin, xarelto® is proven effective to reduce afib-related stroke risk. but xarelto® is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for pa

so presumably they don't want to lose baghdad. as barbara says they can go in and cause havoc without having to take the city. baghdad is a typical target for the reasons that barbara outlined. they haven't gone to the south and iraq. they don't believe they really at this point in their strategy want baghdad. that's part of what the administration is figuring and the other part is this is an administration that has, you know, said one thing up until the time it changes. nothing changes from this administration until it really reaches the danger zone and they just don't feel that baghdad is there yet. >> everyone i was going i saw help wanted signs. and everyone i talked to said how hard it was to find people who were willing to retool, retrain and learn a truly useful skill and apply it. micro works evolved to shine a light on a lot of jobs that for whatever reason were going unloved. we set up a foundation to award work ethic scholarships. >> he travels to country to get his message out. >> people love acronyms. science technolo

isis said they'll get to baghdad. they might have been slow but seem to be on their way. >> nic robertson in baghdad, nic, thank you so much. >>> as we said here at the top, aircraft carrier the "uss george h.w. bush" is in the persian gulf near the coast of iraq. >> defense secretary chuck hagel ordered it moved to that location. cnn's athena jones joins us by phone. are we getting any insight into the decision-making process into what to do next? >> reporter: well, this is what the president and his national security team have been discussing all weekend. we know that the president has been spending father's day weekend out in california but getting updates on the situation in iraq from his national security adviser, susan rice, and others. of course he's asked his team his national security team to come up with a range of options to help iraq fight off these swiftly advancing insurgents. those options don't include sending in ground troops, but they could include air strikes and we know that this ship, the "uss geo