takeaway is our company emerges from a time of war that i was elected in part to end. buzz we really want to turn away ♪ ♪ hello and welcome to al jazeera. i am dale walters these are your headlines at this hour. syria topping the agenda during high-level white house meetings and a hearing on capitol hill. a bankrupt detroit selling off schools it closes and selling them for cash. looking for work, we'll have the 10 fastest growing jobs in the u.s. ♪ ♪ >> president obama speaking out ahead of his meeting with house leaders on syria. those meetings are now underway and we are specting speaker john

boehner and house minority leader nas i pelosi to come out to the podium after the meeting wraps up and when they do we'll bring those events to you live. ahead of that this is what the president had to say at the start of the meeting. >> we have high confidence that serious used in an indiscriminate fashion chemical weapons that killed thousands of people, including over 400 children. and in direct violation of the international norm against using chemical weapons. that poses a serious national security threat to the united states and the region. and as a consequence assad and syria needs to be held accountable. i have made a decision that america should take action. but i also believe that we will be much more effective, we will be stronger if we take action together as one nation. >> randle pinkston joins us now

live from washington with more on the meeting today. the senate some say will be an easier sale than the house, why? >> reporter: well, in part because the president has already managed to get the approval or the tentative approval from two of his key critics, republican senator john mccain and republican senator lindsay graham. yesterday have indicated that they would likely sign on to the action that president obama wants to take against syria's president assad for the use of those chemical weapons. mccain had all along encouraged the president to take some action, even before the use of the chemical weapons. he also said that he did not think a one-shot strike would be sufficient or effective. and so he was encouraging the president to take action that would not only respond to the use of chemical weapons, but also would degrade assad's military ability and would upgrade the ability of the

rebels who are fighting assad. and interestedly today, president obama used both of those phrases upgrade and degrade when he was talking about the actions that he is content plating taking against assad. so the indication is that in the senate, he will definitely have bipartisan support. the house might be a bit more difficult. >> randle, your take on the fact that the house leadership did not call the full membership back and, in fact, do not return from their summer recess until monday the 9th, what do you make that have? >> reporter: we know president obama's primary critic on his a whole host of issues are in the house of representatives, the republicans in the house of representatives have fought him tooth and nail on a range of issues throughout his term of office. speaker boehner initially suppressed concern if not reservations about any kind of military action in syria.

today i suspect the president is opening that when speaker boehner comes out of the white house he will come out making a statement of unity in accord with the president, but whether boehner will be able to persuade his members, his noninterventionist members, that's a whole other matter. and so boehner didn't call them back because he knows that he will have a job to do to try to persuade them between now and when congress returns from recess on september 9th. >> randle pinkston joining us live from washington. thank you very much. later today secretary john carry and chuck hagel and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff will seven in front of a senate committee. paul is? washington and has the latest on that side of the story. how are -- do you expect john jn kerry and the others to be received by the committee? >> reporter: he certainly will get some tough questions from all directions as randall said

earlier from the white house, the presence says he's confident that he has a strategy that congress will approve. it's going to be secretary kerry, secretary hagel's job today to convince this very important senate subcommittee that they have a sales pitch that everyone can buy in to here. now, again, he -- we are hearing that senators mccain and graham, two very important critics, again giving their tentative conditional approval for the white house plan going forward, but it's going to be a tough sale to a broader senate body. dale. >> is there a pence, paul, that the members of the senate as well as the members of the house on capitol hill who have yet to come back in to full session but some are still milling around understand the entire worlds is watching what happens in washington this week? do you expect some of the grilling or is there a grilling or will things be more demure? >> reporter: i think things will be on all end of the spectrum here, dale.

this is the biggest story in the eyes of the world seeing what these lawmakers have to say and how the process will move forward. everybody will be making their case trying to sale it to their constituencies at home, abroad and here in washington. so, dale, a lot of action. >> paul joining us live from capital it hill. thank you very much. joining me now is didi, former aid to president george w. bush. there used to be a sailing that politics stopped at the water's edge. technically we are back in the water. do you expect things to be difficult on capitol hill? >> i think we are in the water and it will be very hot. it will be a big fight. i don't think it will be demure at all. so-called -- some would say ice actionists some pro meshes, the rand pauls. and ted cruzs of the world will be loud saying we have no business being in syria. there is a big group that john

boehner will not be available to reel in and will not change their minds, it will be a lively discussion. >> i keep going back to this number, 1400, 1,000 people dead according to obama administration. 400 children gassed, they suspect by the assad regime. do the members not understand that that is what is at stake and not necessarily scoring political points. >> i think they understand, but i think they are more concerned about america, they are more corner kentuckyed about obama care and stopping it and more concerned about jobs, for them for syria to fight their own war. no one everyone agrees with that. but some feel very strongly about it and they are going to discuss it and their constituencies. and their districts. i am guessing they are taking the temperature of folks in their district. >> i want to ask you a question that you can speak to directly. your administration, the bush administration when you were there was criticized for not getting congressional approval for the war in iraq now the

obama administration is -- >> brit sized bio bomb a. >> exactly. in fact, your administration was criticized by then senator obama. is the white house doing the right thing this time? >> i think it's the only thing that president obama can do. he's not exactly a hawk. and he says -- >> but is it the right thing? >> yeah, i think it's the right thing. i do. i think many don't think we should go in syria. and so, of course, it's very smart for him politically. because he will have some cover. we'll have debates, i went to congress and if congress votes that way, who knows, it's 50/50. if congress votes no, what can he do? he wants to go with what the american people want. and if they say yes, well, then he says, look, i have the approval of congress. i am good. either way it's a better situation for the president. >> stand by because we continue to watch the white house wait for this situation that will he ledger in the meantime, french president says he is waiting for the u.s. congress for their decision on any military action that they may take in france regarding the situation in syria.

meanwhile, the syrian opposition saying the government forces have now moved the chemical weapon to his new locations just within the last 24 hours. speaking over the past hour in turkey, the main syrian opposition group is saying that chemical weapons were moved to at least two new locations. a doctor and a deflector who directed evidence from a help owe inside syria is set to present even more evidence today. david jackson is standing by in beirut. standing bailiff as well to break it all down for us. david, what can you tell us about this supposed new information? >> reporter: well, dale, that is right, there is new information coming out you have syria from a couple of different sources there. all sort of gathered together by the syrian national coalition. talking about the fact that the chemical weapon supplies have been moved around inside syria in these intervening days, now that they know there is this kind of delay. didn't surprise anybody terribly that that would happen. it was expected that they were moving a lot of military equipment of all sorts in many different directions so this was

something of an expected statement. but now officially putting a stamp on it is something of news today. and it is also believed that the rest of syria is still in the middle of what has been called just its ongoing civil war by way of saying other syrian national coalition spokes people have said today, we are too business fighting a civil war right now to keep track of all these delays, we are in the middle of battles all day every day and just hoping that if a strike comes, when it comes, if it's approved that it's strong enough and powerful enough to do us the kind of good that we want. dale. >> david, that being said, you are right, there is a war that is raging in that country, but there are also people preparing for what could be military action by the united states. what are they doing? >> reporter: well, it appears that the assad troops, in effect, who moved in to residential areas in preparation for an attack already inside syria, have remained where they

had put themselves. there are reports coming out of syria that they had gone in to schools, gone in to residential areas, moved themselves away from military bases, any and all kind, certainly far way from any air fields, such that if an attack came that was targeted at military installations it would hit what amounts to an empty military installation rather than one that had troops deployed there. they have kept the troops way from the installation, presumably for the second seven, eight days they will do that until they hear otherwise and, everybody waits, as the nation of lebanon waits feels frozen by almost the conditions that lead everyone to say, well, we can't do anything demonstrative until we know what we know. so they have to wait for a period of time, dale, and that's what is it's all coming down to now. >> david jackson joining us live from beirut. david, thank you very much. and then there is this, israel saying that it held a joint missile test with the u.s. early this morning, that is a report

that has now been confirmed by the united states. israel defense forces saying they fired a left-hand-based missile over the mediterranean sea in a test of one of their you anti-missile system. the u.s. said it was a joint long time effort and had nothing to do with a response to the attack of on syria for using chemical weapons. >> reporter: the significant alarm that was evidence on tuesday more than has now calmed down somewhat. what we do know is that the israeli's fired one their new type of missiles, it's a sparrow missile, known here in israel as an k.o. r. and it's used to test the anti-missile capabilities of a system called arrow two, which is known here in israel at hess. it caused alarm because although the americans were formed in advance that this a test was taking place it seems that the

russians were not informed and so the russian tracking of this missile caused a certain amount of caniste consternation, that e israel is are striking what seems to me a deliberately nonchalant attitude towards in this afternoon. i spoke to one source in the israeli government said we are just practicing, making sure everything works, no big deal. that said, russian analysts are describing the test is irresponsible. and there is no doubt that at this very sensitive pes period e we await a decision by the u.s. congas to whether or not president obama will be permitted the option after lawn thing a miles an hou a militaryt syria, this type of strike while it may not nonchalant from the israeli point of view is intended to send a message to israel's neighbors they are prepared and equipment to defend itself. >> paul in gentlema jerusalem. thank you very much. al jazeera has continuing coverage of the ongoing crisis

in syria we invite you to stay updated 24 hours a day with the help of aljazerra.com. children across the country are heading back to classes today, but in bankrupt detroit, that is not the case, dozens of shuttered schools are being sold off to hepa leave 80 the strain on the city's cash-strapped school district. and the latest technology on your wrist. samsung is said to unveil it's new smart watch. ♪ ♪

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>> there's more to america, more stories, more voices, more points of view. now there's are news channel with more of what americans want to know. >> i'm ali velshi and this is "real money." this is "america tonight." sglovrjs our -- >> our news coverage reveal more of america's stories. >> welcome back to al jazeera, i am dale walters in new york. you are looking live now at the white house. that is where the white house continues its push for military action against syria. the president right now meeting with party leaders of the house, including john boehner and nancy pelosi the house speaker and minority leader. vice president and secretary of state john kerry heading to capitol hill this afternoon. as we watch the situation in the house, we should point out -- or the white house, we should point out that we will take that

situation live if and when the leadership of the house comes out. well, summer is over. and kids across america are heading back to school. but for school districts nationwide, budget cuts are a very, very real thing of life. in michigan, some districts are being dissolved completely and the 53 that remain are starting the school year in the red. from our busch ow bureau in dete about the closures. and we are going to come to busy in a moment, please stand by, this is house speaker john boehner. >> it was a bash russ act. it's pretty clear to me that the united nations is unable to take action, nato not likely to take action. the united states for our entire history has stood up for democracy and freedom for people around the world. the use of these weapons has to be responded to and only the

united states has the capability and capacity to stop assad and to warn. others around the world that this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated. i appreciate the president reaching out to me and my colleagues in the congress over the last couple of weeks. i also appreciation the president asking the congress to support him in this action. this is something that the united states, as a country, needs to do. i am going to support the president's call for action. i believe that my colleagues should support this call for action. we have enemies around the world that need to understand that we are not going to tolerate this type of behavior. we also have allies around the world and allies in the region who also need to know that america will be there and stand up when it's necessary. thank you all.

>> reporter: speaker, why are you here alone? >> a short moment ago john boehner emerging from the meeting with the president and house minority leader nancy pelosi. taking no questions from reporters and going right back inside the white house. coming out to say, quite, i am going to support the president's call for action. i am joined right now by our in-house guest, dee and you worked inside the white house, two things were very, very interesting, one a very short statement on behalf of boehner, what did you make of that? and then i have another question after that. >> i think it's stunning that he is so supportive of the president when he knows -- >> there was no equivocation whatsoever. >> no equivocation at all. and i know a lot of members of the house right now probably are in an uproar because they will not be supportive. he has a big job to do in the next week to try to gain support in the house. >> also the other thing that seemed to be standing out is that he came out alone. nancy pelosi was not by his side. what did you make of that?

>> well, i think perhaps it was a strategy, he's thinking it's better for him to be alone and be the leader to bring in his republican colleagues and bringing in other members of the house. him standing there with nancy pelosi doesn't help his cause, what he's trying do is bring his fellow republicans and many are absolutely against this. >> so going in to to this particular meeting i asked you when you said you thought it was 50/50. senator john mccain from arizona on board saying the united states needs to take decisive action. and now john boehner, the speaker of the house saying the united states needs to do the same. handicap it for me, does it look like the president will get the support that he needs to launch a strike against syria? >> i still think it's/50. 50/50. the members are going to be home and hearing that we don't want a war, we are more concerned about jobs and so forth. people don't get it. people at home are struggling,

don't have jobs, they are worried about their kids, it's very sad in syria, but i am telling you that that is what a lot of folks, the republicans are saying. they don't want to go. so john boehner may agree but it doesn't mean he can gets the right numbers. >> do you believe that the tea party members and those members that you are talking about, will go along with anything that the white house wants to do no matter what? >> i don't know. i gotta tell you that, you know, you have to understand that they had a rally scheduled for next tuesday about obama care and now they are all reffed up for that and this sucks the oxygen out of that so i am sure they are not very happy. i don't know. i still think it's 50/50. we'll see. the senate will go along i am sure, the votes will be there. but in the house, who knows. in fact, this could be the end of john boehner. >> i was going say would that be a slap in the face for john boehner and not necessarily to the white house now? >> gentlemen, he's in a tough spot now this could be the end of his leadership. it's that important and it is that difficult in the house right now. it's split. >> thank you very much. we want to reminds you that al

jazeera will have live coverage of the senate foreign relations committee taking place in washington today, where senator chuck haige and john kerry will be meeting there, former senators, our cough within will get underway coming autopsy the 2:00 eats tar time. for us right now, we'll be right back. you are consuming them. that's next on "consider this." "consider this" will be right back. nothing. here is my question for every

member of

♪ ♪ >> welcome back. we continue to watch the events as they unfold in washington. the house leadership meeting with president obama just moments ago and a short time ago house speaker john boehner coming out saying he supports the white house efforts to strike at the syrian regime, saying, quote, i am going to support the president's call for action. saying that when something happens as happened in syria, the white house contend that go the assad regime used chemical weapon on his some 1400 of its citizens, speaking boehner saying when something like that happens the international community must act. we are awaiting word right now to find out when house minority leader nancy pelosi will come out to see if she has comments as well. in the meantime, right before we took to speak are boehner we were telling you about the situation in detroit.

and that being a dire school situation there, a 53 school districts that are open, most are opening the year in the red. from our detroit bureau, busy tells us more about the closures, busy. >> reporter: dale, the detroit public school system no longer wants to haga to property it's not using and this is giving investors an opportunity to breathe new life in to old buildings. the joel loves movies, and here he runs the show. the movie theater, the entire building, all of it is his and it was once a detroit public high school. >> many people saw the schools as a one purpose, one use, it's a school, tear it down. when i walk in i see a great space that can be used for almost any purpose. >> reporter: he's invested hundreds of thousands of dollars buying up several shuttered

detroit schools. one is now a charter school. another a music school and residential lofts. >> the reed wards are the influences on other people. >> reporter: joel isn't alone. over the past four years, all told, the city has sold 46 school buildings. >> detroit is hot right now. >> reporter: tammy dean runs the detroit public school districts real estate office. >> everyone is looking to see what is going to happen with the city, what will happen with the school district and all the property. there is lots of property. >> reporter: sales have generate overruled $18 million. money that goes back in to the budget of the city's cash-strapped school district. and a city whose population is half the size it was 50 years ago, the sales have been -- >> and we are interrupting busy's store right now to bring you house minority leader nancy pelosi. >> we are having difficulty with

the audio, nancy pelosi emerging from a meeting with president obama and house speaker john boehner moments ago as the white house continues to push for military action against syria. republican leader john bay never, majority leader boehner saying that he is on board, it would be safe to assume, although nothing can be assumed when it comes to politics in washington that anything can be taken for granted but of course nancy pelosi being side by side with the white house since the early days of the obamaed administration when she held the gavel as majority leader it can only be assumed that she would be supporting military action as well. we continue to follow those events. dee dee is in our studio yo righrightnow. any surprises from nancy pelosi. >> no, i am sure that she will toe the line and be with president obama. the surprise is john boehner coming out alone and being unequivocal. >> let's listen right now. we have the audio back. >> we cannot say never again, secondly from a national security standpoint, they have

to send a very clear message to those who have weapons of mass destruction of any variety, that they should forget about using them. it was a very constructive meeting the president listened to our colleagues, the speaker was very clear and i am sure that he has told you his view. i associated myself with his remarks, again, i believe that the american people need to hear more about the intelligence that supports this action and that is that the responsibility for this chemical weapons use is clearly at the feet of assad. now we go to the next step of having further de further debate congresses of the united states. i am hopefully that the people are a swayeded that this action happened. assad did it. hundreds of children were killed.

this is behavior outside the circle of civilized human behavior. and we must respond. >> reporter: are you ready then to any a sense with your membership get on board with the president we are been hearing obviously from the house especially all over the place? >> i respect that. on these kind of issues it's not a question of listening, it's a question of discussing to make sure that people have the information that they need to make an informed decision. to make sure that they have the full value of the intelligence that says this is how this happened. and then members have to decide, are they willing -- do they want to ignore the fact that this humanitarian disaster took place or not. and then there is the larger issue of syria's behavior if get away with this. so, again, very respectful of

all of the concerns that the members have that our constituents have. i do not in my district, i don't think people are convinced that military action is necessary. but it's important for them to know that the weapons of mass destruction use has taken to us a different place. that the president takes obviously any president would, but this president does not take this lightly. and that what will happen will be targeted, tailored, of short duration and will send the messaging that is necessary and then we go from there. so you are absolutely right. there is work to be done, but it's not a question of whipping, it's a questioning of discussing with our members hearing their views and some won't ever be comfortable. i myself from a humanitarian standpoint think that waiting for the u.n. and waiting for putin, the