>> i believe, i'm stephanie sy. these are some of the stories we're following at this hour. >> this is the indiscriminate, inconceivable horror of chemical weapons. this is what assad did to his own people. >> secretary of state john kerry said the u.s. has the evidence that would justify an attack on syria. president obama is suggesting a limited attack is possible. today he'll make the argument to senators in hope of gaining their support in strike. u.n. investigators will arrive in lebanon. plus, disturbing new pictures

out of syria as school children are killed and burned. reportedly by a napon-like substance. >> it now appears to be only a matter of time before the u.s. launches military strikes on syria. president obama said he is considering a limited and narrow attack, and for the fires time secretary of state john kerry revealed new evidence that the assad regime used chemical weapons on its own people. mike viqueira has the very latest. >> reporter: president obama is now talking openly of a military response. insisting there is little choice even in the face of skepticism from the american public. >> it is important for us to recognize that when over a thousand people are killed,

including hundreds of innocent children, through the use of a weapon that 98% or 99% of humanity says should not be used even in war, and there is no action, then we're sending a signal that that international norm doesn't mean much. >> reporter: mr. obama stressed it had more than once. military move would be limited. >> in no event are we considering action that would involve boots on the ground. >> reporter: he also laid out the case against th the assad regime. >> we know where the rockets were launched from, and at what time. we know where they landed and when. we know rockets came only from regime-controlled areas and went only to option-controlled or contested neighborhoods.

>> reporter: the administration released a map to go along with that charge with 12 contested and rebel control areas of the attacks. it was part of a four-page intelligence report unclassified and released to the public. among the allegations 1429 people were killed by chemical weapon including sarin, among them 426 children. the regime used the weapon multiple times in the last year, mostly in areas where the rebels had fought the government to a stalemate. >> the primarily question is really no longer what do we know. the question is what do we, we collectively, what we in the world are going to do about it. >> reporter: concern about revealing sources and methods restrict how much they can say. one thing not alleged in the report is that assad himself gave the order for the attack. but officials sa say there is no

doubt that he is the decision maker. >> u.n. weapons inspectors concluded their investigation and moved on to lebanon. their goal is to establish whether chemical weapons were usedded in syria, the report does not include who used them. it may take weeks to prepare and some say congress should wait for weeks for that probe. >> there is evident of how skeptical the white house case the administration's case for actions against syria. we learned in a tweet from the press office of senate minority leader mitch mcconnell that the white house will be briefed in a conference call sometime tomorrow. we learned from other congressional sources that this call is expected to take place sometime later in the afternoon. again it is just further evidence that congress is not

convinced of the white house's rationale, thus far not convinced of the reasons why, the means or the end game. this comes on the heels of a 90 minute call on thursday of bipartisan skepticism, tough questions, respectful, but a lot of questions about what the administration hopes to accomplish, what is the end game, how are they going to fund it, and again a lot of questions outstanding about the case for an attack on syria. >> thank you, and it's not just republican who are asking questions. some members of the president's own party are wondering if he's taking the right course of action. when asked how she would vote on the use of force. >> i don't believe there is any military solution to what is taking place. we have to get to a negotiated settlement. any vote that would not get us there, i would be opposed to.

if military--and i believe this president is correct, and i believe secretary kerry is telling us the truth, that this will not be another iraq, which i vote against, another afghanistan which i voted against, another libya, which we did not have an opportunity to vote on. but i also believe, and i know for a fact that once military action is taken there are many unintended consequences violence in many respects begets violence, and if in fact, we want to see this stopped, remember, syria is in the middle of a civil war, over 100,000 people have died. and needlessly. we have to really come to grips with the fact that we have to speak in a negotiated settlement and bring the international community, the world community together to begin to stop this terrible, terrible war that is going on and the carnage that is taking place result of the chemical attack. >> as the west considers how to respond to last week's chemical

weapons attack disturbing new images are coming out of syria. the bomb may have contained napalm or a similar substance that sticks to the skin and burns. al jazeera cannot independently confirm reports. the syrian conflict has already spread beyond the country's borders as 2 million refugees have crossed into neighboring countries. the fear of strikes has heightened regional fears. it still has powerful allies. >> reporter: syria's president has supporters here in lebanon and across the region. lebanon shia group hezbollah is

fighting along the regime, and iran has warned the united states to stay out of the conflict. if not it threatens to retaliate against israel. many say that is not an empty threat. if the survival of the regime is in question. syria's assad is critical for the regional's backers only survival. the war threatens to escalate beyond it's borders. syria, he said, is a false line when you play with it, there could be an earthquake that would affect the entire region. that region includes israel where people crowded distribution centers for gas masks. the government deployed missile batteries for a possible attack. the people of jordan are just as afraid. but syrians have accused the

jordanian government of a participating in an u.s.-led aggression. >> things can be resolved without a military strike because it will have consequences, the arab people and syrian people don't need. >> they issued a thread saying the country has not attacked jordan in two and a half years and that would be a shame if that had to change. syria was more blunt. it said it would support military action and people there have little appetite for action by the west. >> this is part of america's plan to divide the middle east. it started with iraq, and now syria. and this is in israel's interest. >> an american intervention is a

flagrant interference. it happened in iraq, i maybe evn syria and maybe even egypt. >> there are those who have warned what assad has repeatedly said. the fire in syria won't stop at its borders. >> as we mentioned the u.n. inspection team has left syria arriving in lebanon. it could take weeks for them to release their findings, but the u.s. may not wait for that report before launching an attack. we have more from the u.n. where diplomats are working to find other solutions. >> ththe ambassadors and five five-member security council are on their way. a place where so many historical decisions have been taken. instead they arrive at the

office of the u.n. secretary general th the ambassador of the country by passing the security council. ban ki-moon told the five ambassadors the weapons inspectors have made good progress taking samples, a witness statement inside syria at the site of the chemical attacks. they will now take that scientific evidence to europe for laboratory testing. >> the team is doing it's utmost to expedite analysis. while keeping this in mind, they also have to keep something else in mind, maintaining the integrity of the process. >> that laboratory work could take days or weeks. is the u.s. prepared to wait? many security council diplomats

will tell you they expect their break to be interrupted by military action. al jazeera, united nations. >> sounding off, real americans voice their opinions on military action in syria. >> meteorologist: we've had a lot of showers and thunderstorms overnight and we can expect more on the way for our labor day weekend. we'll show you where our temperatures are headed to coming up next.

tonight 10:00 eastern on al jazeera america. >> i'm kim bondy, growing up in news was always important. you have this great product that you are ready to share with the country. i'm a part of a team that is moving in the same direction. >> as the u.s. prepares for a possible new attack on syria,

one new poll suggests there is public opposition to the idea. most americans believe the u.s. should not interconvenient in syria, even if chemical weapons were used. 44% say they are against u.s. intervention. 2% are in favor of military action. nearly one quarter of respondents were undecided. the margin of error is 4 percentage points. the antiwar sentiment is evidence from coast to coast. >> i'm torn. of course there is a big humanitarian crisis over there. but i feel like the u.s. economy is back on track, and we're not the world police. >> i don't think we should get involved. i think there are way too many problems domestically to be involved in foreign countries at this point. >> i feel bad what is going on there, but i don't feel like we can go into another war. we just got out of a war and right now we've got a lot of

things at home to take care of. >> chemical weapons, i think the united states should get involved on behalf of people who cannot defend themselves. >> i would like to see more involvement of other countries, britain, germany, the u.n. they would all tomorrow together and agree it's something that we should do jointly. i agree at that point the u.s. should get involved. otherwise, it's their country and it's hard for us to get involved in other people's matters when we need to address our own issues in this country did we don't even have the support of our allies. wi don't think we should. >> i don't think we should get involved. the only reason we should get involved military efforts is acting self defense during a war. >> i think it's very frightening, but i oh don't see how we're going to be able to avoid it. what's going on there is totally

unacceptable. i like everyone else would hate to see us get involved in another war, but sometimes it can't be avoid. >> while nearly one-third of people surveyed said they would support u.s. action, most americans are hesitant about getting involved in another conflict in the middle east. >> in israel many people are preparing for the worst. the possibility of retaliation by syria if the u.s. attacks. in jerusalem families have waited hours in line for government-issued gas masks. jonathan betz reports. >> reporter: as crowds swell up near the jerusalem community center, inned a mother from california pled for help. she's among thousands now desperate for gas masks, so

nervous she didn't want her name used. her family moved to israel two weeks ago. >> it doesn't feel real yet. it seems like something that we should have to be ready. >> reporter: she needs five masks but the government is firm. >> i'm not allowed. >> she gets only four because she doesn't have the needed pain work for her 15-year-old. >> that's the boy who won't have a mask on his face. it's easy to do it. it would be easy to do. you know that. >> reporter: governments made gas masks available for free for years u but now they're especially in demand. fights have broken out. but most sit and wait. she has been here for seven hours. >> i'm nervous. there is something will happen and i won't have a mask for my child. me and my husband have a mask for ourselves. >> reporter: a poll shows most israelis don't want their

country involved, but people here worry that they're the ones here who have to deal with attacks. >> the last thing on the regime's mind will be drawing israel into the circle of conflict, and thus providing itself with a far more formidable enemy. i just don't think they'll be thinking in those storms. >> reporter: along the borders extra israeli troops will be called in. >> back in jerusalem the pleas from the american family went unanswered. >> wrong, very, very wrong. >> reporter: so she left short one gas mask for their new life far from california. in jerusalem, jonathan betz, al jazeera. >> hi, i'm meteorologist rebecca

stevenson. fire and thunderstorms still the story in the desert southwest. we're going to expect this all the way through labor day weekend. we're working up through southern california, nevada, and we do have flash flood watches continuing for the days ahead. as we take a look at the amount of rainfall we'll see showers in the next three days. we do expect to get into later sunday and monday and have the increase of rainfall here into the east coast especially as we get into the northeast as well where we've been a little drier, well, it doesn't feel dry, it's pretty humid, but we'll get that rain moving later sunday into monday. over the course of the overnight hours we'll start out dry and still very warm in the midwest. low temperatures not really low. they're hovering right around the mid 60s to 70 dress. 70 degrees. we were oh close to 100 in so

many stops. we're heading there again. if we went coast to coast it will feel better around the seattle area where we're going to have the sunshine for your dab lay weekend in the upper 70s and low 80s. we'll have the chance for thunderstorm decreasing and staying muggy and the mid 60s. just in time for the labor day weekend we'll show you how the jersey shore has come back after taking a beating from hurricane sandy, and still how far it has to go. the young folks. >> what are the laws going to begin to take effect? >> reporter: the laws do not go

>> in mexico the battle against drug cartel and corrupt police has reached an extreme. buyer communities are taking, um, arms to protect themselves. and the government isn't happen about it. as adam rainy reports a these days it's hard to del the good guys from the bad guys. >> reporter: mexican soldiers disarming vegetable atlantays serving a community police. increasingly common sight in the area. but in some places it's the vigilantes who have the upper

hand. they strip the official police of their weapons and duty. many of these vigilantes say they have no choice to take up arms in the face of corrupt authorities and dangerous drug cartel. >> this is our glorious mexican army. they stained their uniform which used to command respect. >> reporter: but across the state it's unclear who is in charge, the army, the police, or the powerful cartel. dr. morrelles said people have to step up. they were tired of the rapes and extortion going on in town. so they decided to take up arms. he skipped his shift at the hospital to take up war against the knights templar. when are we going to give up our arms? when we're finished with these

criminals. that day we'll give up our guns. we're shop keepers, businessmen, ranchers. >> reporter: they say the vigilante is all that stands between the honest people and the cartel. >> we the people could take control of things, but the state will never do it. they don't have the capacity. >> reporter: the cartel leaders and even some government authorities say the vigilantes are just a front for other criminal gangs. and in this town people say its safer than community police. for now no one has the power to stop them any way. >> we came to speak to someone in charge, but what we found was many signs against the mayor saying he's a member of a cart cartel. and hang aing above the door is a wanted sign. he was run out of town months ago and he has never been seen

since. the town police were on duty. they don't patrol any more because there is no money for fuel. the area once known for farming and rugged mountains than cartels. the people are calling for piece. they say it's up to them to achieve it. al jazeera, mexico. >> jusjustice rued ruth maders g will preside over a the marriage of her friends. during hurricane sandy state wide caused damage in the

millions. >> reporter: labor day weekend and this is the way life is supposed to be on the last holiday weekend of the summer. ten months ago it was all so different. that's when hurricane sandy hit hard. a massive storm sandy, the second costest hurricane on record came roaring ashore, pounding beaches, smashing homes, up rooting trees, downing power lines, wiping out store fronts and even sending the roller coast of seaside heights into the ocean turning it into one of the best known images of a disaster. this is where the rollercoaster once stood. there were plans to replace it, but now residents are glad that the pier is back. >> we didn't even have the rides open yet. we had the park, but then the

last week of july we missed two major holidays. those are the two main holidays you need. we're open for labor day and we're looking for a big turnout. >> reporter: any success has been hard won. as we move up the coast many homes along the way have been damaged. some homes have been repaired, others have clearly been abandoned. woody's restaurant was under three to four feet of water, but the parking lot became a camp site for people looking for hot food and secondhand clothing to keep warm. after they opened after four months people came from all over the country, and the summer has been solid. >> it's like walking into a desert. the way it is right now we're

rebuilding. that's what this is for. we're rebuilding. >> reporter: behind woody's restaurant the lifeguards patrol the beach. with 50% and 60% of the town still out of their homes beach income is down this year but they still have plenty of visiters. >> it was a great summer, people came back. people came from all over just to support us. >> why? >> because it's a great little town by the beach. there is no other place like sea bright. >> after the beach is closed after labor day and people go back to their lives the people of mercy shore will be able to reflect on their first summer after the storm. >> that will do it. for this edition of al jazeera news we are we thank you for watching. we'll be back with news at 4:00.

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