capabilities of iraqi security forces. we will not be sending u.s. troops back in to combat in iraq, but i have asked my national security team to prepara range other options that could help support iraq scurry forces. ill he be reviewing the options in the day ahead. this is not solely or even primarily a military challenge. over the past decade american troops have made extraordinary sacrifice to his give iraqis an opportunity to claim their own future.

that have long been created there. so any action that we may take to provide assistance to iraqi security forces has to be join booeedby a serious and sincere t iraq's leaders to set aside sectarian differences, and account for legitimate interests of ale of iraq's communities and to continue to build the capacity of an effective security force. we can't do it for them. in the absence of this type of political effort. short-term military action, including any assistance we might provide, won't succeed. so this should be a wake-up calm. iraq's leaders have to demonstrate a willingness to make hard decisions. and comprises on behalf of iraqi people in order to bring the country together. in that effort, they will have

the support of the united states and our friends and our allies. eyeye rock'seyiraqi neighbors he responsibility. nobody will benefit from seeing iraq descend in to chaos, but ultimate i it's up to the iraqis as a sovereign nation to solve their problems. indeed, across the region we have redoubled our effort to his help build more tapeable counter terrorism forces so that groups like isil can't establish safe haven. and will continue the effort through our support of the moderate opposition in syria, our support for iraq and security forces, and our partnership with other countries across the region. we are also going to pursue intensive diplomacy throughout this period both inside of iraq and across the region. because there is never going to be stability in iraq or the

broader region unless there are political outcomes that allow people to resolve their differences peacefully without resort to go war or relying on the united states military. we'll be monitoring the situation. our top priority will remain vigilant to our personnel serving overseas, we will make determinations about appropriate action and continue to keep the american people fully independent as we make decisions about the way forward. all right? i'll take a question. >> reporter: with recent u.s. history there are you reluctant to get involved in iraq? >> i think that we should look at the situation carefully. we have an interest in making sure that i group like isil, which is a vicious organization and has been able to take advantage of the chaos in syria, that they don't get a broader foot hold. i think that there are dangers

of fierce sectarian fighting if, for example, this terrorist organization try to over run sacred shia sites which could trigger shia soon icon flicks that could be very hard to stamp out. so we have enormous interests there and obviously our troops and the american people and the american tax payers made huge investments and sacrifices in order to give iraqis the opportunity to chart a better course, better destiny. we are not going to be able to do it for them. and given the very difficult history that we have seen in iraq. i think that any objective observer would recognize that in the absence of accommodation among the various factions inside of iraq, various military actions by the united states by

any outside nation are not going to solve those problems over the long-term and not going to deliver the kind of stability that we need. anybody else? >> reporter: mr. president, is the syrian civil war spilling over the iraq border? >> i think that's -- i think that's been happening for sometime. isil has been able to gain a foot hold in syria. that's part of the reason why we have been so concerned about it. that's part of the reason why we have been supporting the syrian opposition there. but it's a challenging problem. in iraq. the iraqi government which was initially resistent to some of our offers of help, has come around now to recognize that cooperation with us on some of the issues would be useful. that's not the case in syria where president assad has no interest in seeing us involved there and where some of the governments that are supporting us on -- have been able to block, for example, u.n. effort,

even humanitarian aid. but this is a regional problem and it is going to be a long-term problem. what it is is combine selective actions by our military making sure we go after terrorist that go after our troops overseas and homeland. we have to combine that with a very challenging international effort to try to rebuild countries and communities that have been shattered by sectarian war. and that's not an easy task. >> we are in contact with them now, we'll say better sense by the end of the week end after those consultations and we will be getting a better sense from there on how they might support an effort to bring about the

kind of political unity inside of iraq that bolster security forces. look, the united states has poured a lot of money in to these iraqi security forces and we devoted a lot of train to go iraqi security forces. the fact that they are not willing to stand and fight and defend their posts against admittedly hardened terrorists, but not terrorists who are overwhelming in numbers indicates that there is a problem with morale, a problem in terms of commitment, and ultimately that's rooted in the political problems that have plagued the country for a very long time. last question. last one. >> reporter: thank you. can you talk a little bit about u.s. concern of the disruption, potential disruption of oil? >> well, so far at least we have not seen major disruptions in ale supplies.

obviously, if in fact isil was able to obtain control over major output, significant refineries, that could be a source of concern. as you might expect, world oil markets react to any kind of instability in the middle east. one of our goals should be to make sure that in cooperation with other countries in the region, not only are we creating some sort of backstop in terms of what's happening inside of iraq, but if they do end up being disruptions inside of iraq that some of the other producers in the gulf are able to pick up the slack. so that will be part of the consultations that will be taking place during the course of this week. just to give people a sense of timing here, you know, although events on the ground in iraq have been happening very quickly, our ability to plan, whether it's military action or work with the iraqi government on some of these political

issues is going to take several days. the so people should not anticipate that this is something that is going to happen overnight. we want to make sure that we have good eyes on the situation there. we want to make sure that we have gathered all the intelligence that's necessary so if, in fact, i do direct honored, any actions there, that they are targeted, precise and have an effect. as i indicated before. i want to make sure everybody understands the united states will not involve itself in a military action in the absence i've political plan by the iraqis that gives us some assurance that they are prepared to work together. we are not going to allow ourselves to be dragged back in to a situation in which, while we are there, we are keeping a lid on things and after enormous sacrifices by us as soon as we are not there, suddenly people

end up acting in ways that are not conducive to the long-term stability and prosperity of the country. all right? thank you very much, everybody. we have been listening to the u.s. president barack obama making an address at the white house on the lawn there. it seems like he was warming up and preparing the u.s. public to some possible military action in the near future. he says that will only happen obviously if it's coupled with a political plan. he was talking about the chaos dramatically unfolding in iraq. confirming that the u.s. will do its part, but that it will pursue intens intensive diploma. let's join patty from d.c. is that correct, laying out the possibility that the u.s. will get involved in the near future? >> reporter: he is laying out the possibility, jane, but giving himself a good couple of days. he most likely at least his political team wants to see how

these statements play out with the american public which you know has been income isolationist and more war weary especially when it comes to iraq. it gives him a chance to see what the landscape is in the u.s. when it comes to domestic politics. but more than that it tells me a couple of things. it tells me that some of the criticism might be true in this and that the u.s. government despite all its surveillance and what we know about the national security agency is able do, didn't necessarily see it coming because he said they need a couple of days to make sure that we have the right intelligence, we have the eyes on the ground. that says that they were taken aback a little bit by it. but the thing that i was listening for and did not hear as somebody who listens to the man every day, he didn't say this, the problems in iraq are in the u.s. core national interests. now, recognize, he just laid out his whole philosophy on military force. and he said that is the threshold. what he said is it could pose a threat to the u.s. that is much different than saying, it is in our core national interest. and that is the threshold he said would be needed for the

u.s. to act unilaterally. so you heard him say we want to see what our partners want to do. but we haven't seen a big readiness especially from allies in europe, we want to launch air strikes as well. so the question becomes is he going to spends these couple of days first to try to get some concessions from nouri al-maliki, which i can tell you his word doesn't mean a lot of washington they feel like he's made a lot of promises about an inclusive government and broke them before. they feel like now this is their best bargaining chip he needs them. they want concessions from the iraqi government. they want ally to his jump on board with any military strikes. and he wants to make sure it polls all right that the american people are all right with getting involved back in iraq. >> it seems the military air strikes are the one option that's favored. what about the option of talking to iran as well? >> reporter: i think they are probably going to be doing that behind the scenes, but given how basically tense that is right now, when it comes to members of congress, they are very concerned about the nuclear

negotiations, they are concerned the nuclear negotiations are going well and president obama will allow iran to keep some sort of newspaper lahr program something the lobbyists have been pushing hard against think anything dealing with iran is seen through that prick of the e nuclear negotiations wrapping up. you heard the president say there is no appetite in in country for american troops to be back in iraq. we know that there are two to 300 troops there they are just there to protection the embassy. some of the u.s. contractors have been pulled out of iraq. they do not want to get involved in the land war again. they are talking about air strikes. even the republicans are saying what is the point of that what will you accomplish? let's say you do the air strikes but the iraqi army doesn't want to stand up and fight? this is one of the things that i think the president will be asked to clarify. his foreign policy agenda is now to arm and train troops in other

countries. so he, again, doubled down on that saying that is what the u.s. should be doing. but in the same speech he talked about what a disappointment the iraqi army has been, they have been basically giving up and running away. so, again, just to give some perspective from the u.s., a lot of this has to do with the blame game president obama is being blamed by even some members of his own party for pulling troops out of the -- u.s. troops out of iraq too soon. but he was in a very difficult position. he campaigned on getting out of iraq. when the last troops left iraq, he said i did this. i promised i would do it, i did it. what he didn't highlight is he had been negotiating with the iraqis to keep u.s. troops there. and they said, no, so he was forced to pull troops out. but having taken credit for taking the troops out, he can't go back and say but i wanted to but they wouldn't let me. he's in this very difficult position of defending his actions so the way they are doing that is putting all the blame on nouri al-maliki. >> we are going to leave you president obama is about to take off in his helicopter.

iraq's most senior shia cleric has called on people to take up weapons and fight sunni-led rebels overrunning towns and cities. the fight has continued to tighten their grip on the north and the east and they are threaten to go march towards bag dal. imran kahn reports from the iraqi capital. >> reporter: in the holy city a call to arms. through his spokesman the most influential shia critic in iraq, he says the people must act. >> translator: i call on iraqis who are capable of carrying arms and fighting the terrorists in defense of their people, their country, and their holy shrines, should volunteer to join the security force to his achieve this sacred goal. >> reporter: aand act they have. young men flocked to the local recruitment sent tore join the iraqi army. >> translator: we have volunteered to defeat the criminal isil fighters who harbor malice towards our

country. we will go to mosul and god willing we will fight them. >> mosul this is what they will find. a military parade held by confident fighters belong to go the us hal i can state of iraq and the levant and other sunni groups. isil fighters have issued a statement in mosul encouraging people to become more religious. they want women to cover up. and they want people to go to the mosque five times a day. they have also said to any iraqi soldier who wants to return they are welcome as long as they repent. they have also encouraged people to open up their businesses and their shops. they are get th getting the roak in order and paying government salaries. while there is an uneasy calm in the city, those that have left are finding it difficult. some have begun to return to villages near mosul because they haven't found shelter in the kurdish region of iraq where about half a million people have gone and need help. >> translator: my god, the situation is terrible. our normal life has been destroyed, our fate is uncertain because of the existing

sectarian tension. we are all turk men, that's why we are afraid they would target us and that's why we left our home and came here. >> reporter: in kirkuk sunni rebels showed off the spoils of war and continued to push on. they have taken the more towns and are pushing towards more. if they take that third down, the province there only making the crisis in iraq worse. imran kahn, al jazerra, baghdad. for the very latest let's go live to baghdad. talk us through what the government has been up to today, omar. >> reporter: well, in the last hour or so, prime minister nouri al-maliki arrived in samarra on military helicopters. he met with security commanders in the city. he also met with the governor of the province. he held a few meetings, they are discussing the security conditions in samarra and the

wider conditions in the province. government sources -- or actually security sources here in baghdad told us that the government contained against -- campaign against isil fighters and groups could start in the very near future. he said within two days things could be turned against isil fighters. so we have to wait and see what the government will do, but there are movements for troops and there are air strikes from helicopters at home in tikrit. now, a mosque was damaged in that air strike, i believe four people were killed. four people from the same family were killed after that strike. and nine injured. that strike took place in tikrit. >> so this military campaign now working in conjunction with shia

fighters, we know that the top shia clear i can has called on shias to take up arms and defend baghdad? >> reporter: yes, absolutely. we are hearing from ditch sources that the number of volunteers are in the thousands and some of them have already reached samarra to protect the shrine and by the way the mine minister maliki visited the shrine so i think he wants to boost the morale of the people there. this is a sacred shrine for shia muslims as well as soon i muslims, it has a huge sentimental religious value so protecting it from any harm is very unfortunate. if you remember in 2006 al qaeda fighters destroyed the shrine and then sectarian warfare started, sectarian violence that killed tends of thousands of people. the situation in baghdad

according to military commanders is relatively calm but everybody is tense. they are taking precautionary measures to protect the capital of baghdad. and when you have the grand iatola of iraq through his representative calling on people to join the army so you can sense there is a huge fear and things could turn really nasty because people fear it could lead in to a renewed sectarian violence. >> okay. omar, thank you. let's levi rack and go to syria now. the government is continuing to bombard rebel-held areas. activists say the army has targeted two downs in aleppo's northern county side. these pictures are said to show an attack in a town. the military is trying to gain control of a town near damascus. several people have been reported to have been killed. let's turn to develops in crane and the prime minister has ordered the energy sector to

prepare for russia to cut off gas supplies by monday. let's go straight to neave barker live in donetsk. they have talked about russia shutting off gas but this isn't expected is it? >> reporter: absolutely. it comes as a surprise because it woulding russia shutting off the supplies to ukraine not ukraine deciding to do it of its ona cord. but the prime minister has ordered the energy and coal ministries, the regional administrations across the country and a country's state gas provider to stop using russia gas as of monday. monday was the day that russia set for the deadline for ukraine to pay off $2 billion in it's bass gas debt with russia. it now says the country would defend its case at the stockholm

arbitration court. what can be read in to this is perhaps two different scenarios. either ukraine is trying to show russia that it can do without russian gas, or it's getting ready for a shut off and it's showing its own people that they are able to survive without having to depend heavily on russia for energy. what is going to happen next is yet to be seen. but of course ukraine does have some plans, essentially in the pipeline. it has some fall-back plans to bring in gas from neighboring country, from slovakia, poland and hungary as well. there are questions about the security of gas supplies going to europe. about 15% of european gas flowing from russia goes through ukrainian territory. it does raise some questions about the security now of those energy supplies back in 2006 and

in 2009. the dispute between kiev and moscow led to shortfalls across the entire continent. moscow has responded by calling the move inappropriate. we have still yet to hear how brussels will respond, though. all right, let's leave it there but stay with the ukraine. the government says there has been many casualties in the southeastern port city. kiev says it's retaken the counsel. kim vinnel has the report there. >> reporter: left to deal with the war these people say is not their own, this is the aftermath of a fierce battle between ukrainian troops and pro-russian separatists. emblazoned on this armored vehicle a symbol of the donetsk people's republic. their fighters had been hold up in this central city building until the early hours of the morning when ukrainian troops moved in. >> translator: first they were shooting with guns, and after that, i don't know how many rounds were fired.

after one or one and a half hours the real battle begun and the sound was so deafening that windows shattered. >> reporter: the battle raged for most of the day as the men kiev calls terrorists scattered from their headquarters. we are told the separatist base is just a few blocks from here, we are still hearing sporadic gone fire every few minutes, but locals in the surrounding area are going about life as normal. some of them are just coming to take a look. as the shots rang louder however, scared residents took cover. children looking out for the men take over their city. the entire your minister says some soldiers were wounded and separatists detained. they never managed to take full control, residents have always been divided over who they support. >> translator: what am i feeling? of course, fear. i was worried. we didn't know what was happening. some supported the men in black. others supported the other side. we don't know who was right.

>> reporter: this could become a blueprint for kiev, seeing the first assaults targeting specific buildings in a city center. it's calling this a victory. residents aren't convinced and they say it's only luck that kept them alive. kim vinnel, al jazerra. china has released footage claim tclaiming to show a direcy vietnam in the seize. this shows a vietnamese ship ramming two chinese vessels last month. vietnam broadcast a similar video accusing china of the same thing, they have been involved in a maritime standoff after china built an oil rig on disputed territory. the united nation says it's willing to mediate the argument between the two nations it calls for both sides to resolve it peaceful and i legally. rob mcbride sent us this report from the south china sea. >> reporter: we are patrol with the vietnamese coast guard in the south china sea, hotly contested between vietnam and china. a dispute that has been inflamed

with the introduction of a chinese oil rig in to the area over a month ago. it's led to confrontations between vessels from both sides. and also active patrolling like this. the vessel we are on is now heading towards the zone where the oil rig is. with us are other vessels from the vietnamese coast guard. they are picturing to com expeco contact with chinese vessels that will try to prevent them from getting closer to oil rig. there have been a number of clashes in recent weeks. the vietnamese accused the chinese of ramming their vessels, they have shown us documentary evidence, videos from hand folks of such events taking place. for their part the chinese claim that they have been rammed countless times.

89 passengers on malaysia airlines flight 370 that went mishing in march are beginning to receive compensation. six families have been given an initial payment of $50,000. the flight is thought to have crashed in the indian ocean, but no concrete evidence has been found. an egyptian court has extended al jazerra correspondent descension for another 45 days. his lawyer had requested his immediate release on medical grounds. he has been held without charge since last august and has been on a hunger strike for more than four months, he insists he won't break his fast until he's released. three al jazerra english journalists falsely accused of supporting the outlawed muslim brotherhood have been held now for 167 days, after the last week he jeep he egyptian prosecs demanded the max it up. 72 peter and 15 for the others.

al jazerra continues to demand the release of its journalists detained in egypt. global leader and a hollywood actress have made hair final call to the end of sexual violence. been a two-year campaign about using rape in war. >> reporter: at times it felt more likely hollywood event than a conference dealing with an urgent human rights issue. if angelina jolie and her husband brad pitt lent the star power she also impressed many with her commitment to help women who are sexually abused in conflict. >> the injustice, the lack of prosecutions for those who have committed the crimes, one of the women that i met that was very, very young, i met in syria who was an iraqi refugees at the time fleeing from that war. she then fled the war in syria to return back to iraq. i don't know where she is now or where she will go.

>> reporter: people have come to this conference from wars and conflicts all over the world. they have told their stories, and now they must go home. knowing that any progress against sexual violence is likely to be gradual. it will take place over a long period of time. in the eastern democratic republic of congo people have paid a terrible price during years of civil war. many thousands of women have been raped and taken as sex slaves by the various militias that have brought such misery to this land. we meant one such woman in london. >> translator: i am always in fear and frayed of going back home now, but i have no choice. now i would like to be educated so that i can defend the rights of children. >> reporter: the british foreign minister william haige says there have been real achievements. an agreement signed by more than 120 countries to tighten laws and give more help to survivors of sexual violence. many people here say they have been inspired and encouraged. now they must take that spirit

back home with them. barnaby phillips, al jazerra, london. just to remind you that if you want to find out anything more about the stories that you have been seeing on our bulletin you can always log onto our website the address aljazerra.com. thank you very much for watching. >> i'm steve chow, malaysian borneo, where villagers are restoring one of the world's oldest rain forests. >> i'm omar khalifa and i'm in the philippines, where the humble coconut is leading the fight against environmental