me completely... >> of the lives that were lost in the desert >> this is the most dangerous part of your trip... >> an emotional finale you can't miss... >> we got be here to tell the story. >> the final journey borderland continues... only on al jazeera america this is al jazeera america. calls for a national guard after another night of unrest in missouri, a medical examiner says that michael brown was shot six times. talks in gaza as the ceasefire is tried to be turned into a long-term truce between israel and hamas.

you are looking at live pictures from ferguson, missouri. a march for life is expected to kick off. we'll keep you posted. you can see some marchers now. a live look from the white house briefing room where president obama is expected to address the tensions. the president met with eric holder, and he will address u.s. operations in iraq. authorities took more steps to quiet the demonstrations in ferguson. missouri's government sent in the national guard to restore order and protect residents of the the governor said there'll be no curfew. the pathologists hired by michael brown's family releases the results of an independent autopsy. >> the brown family wanted to

have this autopsy performed on their behalf because they did not know whether the federal officials were going to conduct their own independent autopsy, and they did not want to be left having to rely on the autopsy done by the st louis law enforcement agencies, the same individuals, they feel, are responsible for executing their son in broad daylight. so, therefore, that is why they begged and pleaded to have an independent autopsy done. the attorneys here, we know too well if you don't have your own autopsy and you have to depend on the police department autopsy, that's not a good

thing. even our class understood that was not a good thing, whatever was going to be put in the reports about the tragic execution of their child. >> natasha is in ferguson. the autopsy results were preliminary, and not complete in the administration of the attorneys here, but tell us about the findings. >> well, transparency and expediency have been two key words coming not only from the brown family, but protesters, and although preliminary, the initial findings of the independent autopsy shed some light into what happened to michael brown the night he was shot. >> michael brown's parents wanted answers to difficult questions. >> it's not about - i met with the mother. she had a linkering -- lingering

question as any child would have "was my child in pain?" and the doctor shared with her, in his opinion, he did not suffer. >> they asked the former medical examiner of new york city to perform an autopsy, it was determined officer darren wilson shot the teen six times, brown was hit twice in the head, the shot that killed him was a bullet to the top of the skull. >> i do feel because the two gunshot wound to the head, indicating that mr brown was bunding over as they were coming -- bending over as they were coming down, they were most likely the last two to occur. they said four of officer wilson's bullets hit brown in the right arm and palm. witnesses said brown suds arms were in the air when officer wilson was shooting.

>> could have occurred when he put his hand up. i put my hand up, you can see where the wound is at, or when he put his arm across in a defensive manner. >> wilson says he shot him when brown lunged for him. indications were that brown was shot one to two feet away. there was no gunshot residue on the teenagers body, but there was no access given to the clothing to determine if they had gunshot residue. there were scratches to brown's face, but they were attributed to the teen's fall on the street. >> there were abrasions on the right side of mr brown's face, rubbing against the ground, which happened, as best we can tell, after the gunshot wounds he fell down unprotected and got the abrasions. ordinary, no evidence of a struggle.

>> the family's medical team stressed that findings were preliminary. although this is one of three autopsies being conducted, the family did not want to the rely on the autopsy carried out by st louis country -- county. >> we are here from st louis. we are looking at information that will allow us to reach final conclusions. the family's attorney addressed concerns that the violence last night may have been triggered by the release of the autopsy results, the attorney disputed that saying the ugliness had begun two hours before the results were released. >> a series of questions for you now - when can we expect the autopsy by the federal investigators to be completed?

>> well, the department of justice just announced yesterday that it was conducting its independent autopsy. they said due to the extraordinary nature of the case, and at the request of the family, and all we know is they say it will be done as soon as possible. >> so the unrest from last night may or may not have been linked to the release of the autopsy report, but what has been generally speaking the reaction in ferguson to the independent autopsy? >> you know, people are really focus the instead on their anger at the police. i want to step back and let you see the protesters. they have been told not to gather in large numbers. we saw two men get arrested earlier. it remains very tense in ferguson, and people are upset because they say that the police continued to tear gas them, but a lot of people don't

acknowledge the fact that place say several people were shot yesterday, eight people were, they were shot at trying to reach a shooting victim, and police said that there were molotov cocktails thrown. if you look at the mcdonald's, this mcdonald's was the scope of a flashpoint yesterday, the front glass on the other side was shattered. police say a cloud overrap the employees of this edmonton, and they were forced to hide inside a storage unit. >> that is not good. the curfew for tonight - are people there anticipating a more peaceful or chaotic night? what? >> the people we are speaking o on the streets are defiant. they are saying "we have a right to be here, and we'll be here." what is interesting is some civil rights groups requested that people remain off the streets of ferguson tonight,

despite the fact there's no curfew, but bear in mind the national guard will be on the streets. >> thank you again. let's look at the white house brifing room. -- briefing room. we are anticipating the president of the united states will step forward to address the tensions in ferguson, and will talk about the u.s. operations in iraq. any minute now we expect the president - when we see the president we'll take to you the white house press briefing room. >> let's give you an idea of where the protests are taking place. jonathan betz is here with more on them. >> let's get the bearings in ferguson. a suburb of st louis, 10 miles north-west of downtown st louis. this is where the police headquarters are, most of the mo pests are -- most of the protests are in the south-eastern part. michael brown was killed on cannes field court.

most of the clashes are along west florence avenue. it's a mile long. it's where most of the protests and lootings have been processed. the quick-trick convenience store is among the first attacked. it's been a major gathering point for protests and media. other stores in the days since this happened, and also ferguson market and liquor. this is where brown is accused of stealing the cigars. and nearby is the mcdonald's where two journalists were arrested. this is where you heard natasha talk about, has been vandalized. police have been down the road at a target parking lot outside the town limits. the national guard will protect this area. officers can focus more on the strip of land in the businesses here, and hopefully be able to stop the looting. >> where will the national guard be stationed?

>> the police are staged here in this large parking lot outside of a target shopping center. that is where the national guard will be focussed on protecting this area, so the local police - the concern in the days before all this is that some of the protesters, when they disperse from west florence avenue, they go north and loot more suburbs. >> appreciate it. for more on the national guard troop deployment, let's bring in the retired army general russ elhonera. it's great to talk to you. from your vantage point has the governor in missouri made the right call. from your vantage point you are on the ground. has the governor made the right call in (a), ending the curfew and, (b), calling in the national guard. the governor is trying to find a

political narrative that will work. when it will be not good method to believe that everybody know - out on the street know what's going on. so when people on the street, and they are not listening to the news 24/7. they may do what they did yesterday. and when that changed day by day, it creates more confusion, as you know. bearing down on new orleans, katrina, which is the same situation but the same problems. how do you communicate and build trust with people if you change things on them, and they perceive this as punishment as opposed to protection. that's the challenge, as well as the national guard. they are well trained, well equipped to do any mission to government. he has two battalions, of military police in missouri.

i assume that is the formation he sent. which means there are police officers, but military police officers. and they are cleared to do any law enforcement task assigned to them by the governor. in that regards they have the capacity. now, i am not verified what unit has arrived and what task they have been given, other than what i have heard in the news, i have information coming in, i'm proud of that unit. they have a great reputation, they ought to be able to accomplish any task, and i look for them to provide leadership on the ground. they help the police in iraq with the people. >> does the national guard have the authority in this situation to make arrests. what is the extent of their powers? >> there's an order to apprehend and arrest, and in this case mobilize them for the purpose of

law enforcement is what i say, to protect the people and protect property. so in that case it would be contingent on missouri law, and i should have that verified. they would have the authority. >> maybe a suggestion or advice on how you would advise the national guard to respond in this situation at this time. i thought you said something a moment ago that is key, this idea of building a sense of trust, particularly with people, and heavy-handed. you had this experience in new orleans, post katrina, what would your advice be to the national guard as to how to behave in this situation? >> use every opportunity to get out and talk with the people,

engage with them, provide water for them, because the guard - they spend most of their time during humanitarian operations in the state. they know how to do that. any way they can to reach out to the people and protect the people, and help them in any way they can. and the guards know how to do that. they have a great touch. they know how to do it, as opposed to going if like super s.w.a.t. teams. they are there to help and protect people, not there to crack people's heads with batons. >> general, great to see you. we've been speaking to retired army general russell honera. thanks for your time the n.a.a.c.p. wants local governments to do more to help businesses affected by the protest. >> we'll also ask both of them, the town executive and the governor to especially look at -

now that it's been declared an emergency, and now that the national guard is in there, to look at the needs for those businesses, they have been looted. some have been burnt. some folks are talking about going out of business. some of those businesses are talking about the cata trophic losses. if this was a tornado, if this was a hurricane, if this was a flood. we are talking about f.e.m.a. and entities on a local, state and federal level to bring aid to the businesses, to help them get their doors back open, help them provide employment opportunities for the folks there. we are putting people out of work, and not doing anything to get them back in work. the businesses need help. we should provide it. >> it's not just the n.a.a.c.p. in ferguson. there's activists from all over the country there, including the

cofound are of twitter. why is the twitter cofounder there? >> jack dawesy is originally from st louis, you see him next to local councilman. he travelled to ferguson, and took part in the protest. he's been posting images of the protest, and is walking behind captain johnson, alongside the protesters in the video. dorsihas posed with fel ownious monk, a comeedion from chicago, and he has been tweeting his impressions from the area, including the spot where michael brown was shot, writing: also, monks from tibet are seen in ferguson. french writes: and, tony, some people are using

crowd funding to finance trips. a teacher and activist from new jersey, he has raised $1200 to travel there, he's there. he's there to help young people organise and protest in ferguson, and other groups are doing the same. this group wants to send chartered buses from d.c. to ferguson, and raised over $1,000. >> it's beginning to feel like jena, louisiana. appreciate it, thank you. a live look from the white house press briefing room. the president, again, is expected to address tensions of ferguson, and u.s. operations in iraq any minute. we'll bring you the president's comment as soon as we see the president. a 5-day ceasefire between israel and hamas is scheduled to expire 5:00 pm eastern. mediators spent the time shuttling between the two trying to reach a long-term solution. nick schifrin is in jerusalem.

the deadline looms. i'm getting word that there are indications that both sides are close to reaching an agreement before the deadline. >> i think both sides are trying to reach an agreement. we have about 40 minutes before the deadline expires. we don't expect the fighting to resume. both israeli, palestinian officials are giving hints or are leaking to the media that they want some kind of extension. what does that look like? is that a small-term extension, a long-term extension. that's what the u.s. wants, an official end to this war. but the problem is that the two sides really are very far apart right now. israeli officials argue for the demilitarization of the gaza strip, hamas does not indicate that they are willing to do that. hamas is asking for a lifting of the siege. does that mean the borders are

open, the maritime siege in the mediterranean sea gets lifted to they can move into the sea. israelis are not willing to go that far. what are the mediators trying to do - trying to get to a middle ground in which hamas and israel can go back and say "this is why we fought the war, this was worth it." that is difficult. some of the details is opening up the israeli-gaza crossings, increasing humanitarian supplies, talking about coordination between israel and the palestinian authority. trying to inch out hamas's control, in order to strengthen the palestinian authority, and a buffer zone agreement, a moving of israeli troops out, and palestinian troops into a buffer zone between gaza and israel and trying to inch hamas's control over gaza a little less.

again, these are details and negotiations in cairo are continuing now. >> terrific. nick schifrin for us in jerusalem. thank you. coming up on al jazeera america - iraq's biggest dam could be back under government control after troops take on islamic state fighters. no rest warrant for rick perry after he defends the decision that got him indicted. >> and ferguson, missouri - demonstrators preparing to march. the national guard is on hand. we'll have more in a moment. when you run a business, you can't settle for slow.

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why pay more for less? call today for a low price on speeds up to 150mbps. and find out more about our two-year price guarantee. comcast business. built for business. once again a live look at the white house press briefing room. the president is expected to address tensions in ferguson. he met with attorney general eric holder earlier in the day. we expect comments from the president as to what came out of that meeting, and maybe a new course. the president has been criticised for not taking a strong enough stand in this case against the violence there, and calling for more even-handed

approach from demonstrators and law enforcement. for some that does not go far enough. the president will also be talking about u.s. operations in iraq. when the president appears at the podium we'll take you back to washington d.c. a live look at ferguson missouri, a hands-up, don't shoot rally scheduled to take place in support of michael brown's family. we'll brick you the latest. kurdish fighters claim to have taken the mosul dam from the islamic state group. al jazeera can't independently verify the claim. since islamic state took the dam half of the air strikes have been aimed at fighters there. there were fears if the islamic state destroyed the dam, rivers would overflow and destroy baghdad.

170 bombs have been displaced. the president and advisors met to discuss u.s. actions in iraq. the aerial campaign is being expanded. the u.s. has launched 68 air strikes in iraq over the last 10 days. zeina khodr has the latest from northern iraq. >> reporter: they are still in control of territories in the east of mosul. the islamic state group is holding their ground. preventing the kurdish forces from advancing towards teleket. it has not been easy for the peshmerga. they have been coming under sniper fire, and the islamic state group has been using mortars to target their positions. this is an active front line. and the kurds, with their limited resources, have been firing back. this general has not left the battlefield since saturday, when the kurds started an advance

under the cover of u.s. air strikes, telling me that they are facing a strong enemy. >> translation: they are well trained. many of them were former officers? saddam's army, many are arab fighters, chechens of the afghanistan war. kurdish fighters recaptured three towns, islamic state controls a third of the country. we are 9km from the city center of mosul. peshmerga commanders tell us they have no intention of pushing to the stronghold. islamic state group. they would be ready to do so, if there is an agreement among iraq's communities. the iraqi army is taking part in the battle for mosul dam. according to the peshmerga, numbers are insignificant. it's a symbolic gesture, and important to show that the air

strikes are not just helping the kurd, but iraqi nations as a whole. >> we are fighting terrorists on behalf of the world. all countries should help us. >> the peshmerga are defending christians of iraq. they have been forced out of their homes. an old couple were left behind, because they were too old, frail and sick. living in their home without food and electricity for a week, when the islamic state was hear. let's take you back to the white house briefing room and comment from the president. >> across different parts of our strategy to support the iraqi government and combat the threat from terrorist group i.s.i.l. first, military operations are protecting personnel. over the last 11 days american troops stopped attacks in erbil, pushing back the terrorists. we have urgently provided arms and assistance to iraqi forces,

including kurdish and iraqi security forces fighting on the front lines. today, with our support, iraqi and kurdish forces took a major step forwardly recapturing the largest dam in iraq by the city of mosul. it fell under terrorist control and is tied to the objective of protecting americans in iraq. if na dam was breached, it could have proven catastrophic with flood affecting the lives of civilians, and endangering embassies in baghdad. >> iraqi and kurdish forces took the lead, performing with courage. this operation demonstrates that ricky and kurdish forces are capable of working together and taking the fight to i.s.i.l. if they continue to do so, they have the strongest support of the united states. second, we are building an international coalition to address the how manian tarian

crisis in northern iraq. we have worked to help yazidi escape the siege of mt sinjar, hundreds of thousands have been displaced by i.s.i.l.'s violence. more are at risk. going forward the united states will work with the reiki government and part -- iraqi government and partners like the u.k., france, italy and australia to get food and water to people in need, and to bring long-term relief to people driven from their homes. third, we will continue to pursue a long-term strategy to turn the tide against i.s.i.l., by supporting the iraqi government and working with partners in the region and beyond. we saw progress as iraqis named a new prime minister designate haider al-abadi, and iraq's outgoing prime minister nouri al-maliki agreed to step down. this peaceful transition of power will mark a major milestone in the political

development. as i think we are aware, the work is not yet done. over the next few weeks the work of forming a new broad-based iraqi government - one that develops a national programme to address the interests of all iraqis. without that progress, extremists like i.s.i.l. can pray upon iraq's divisions. with the new government in place, iraqis will be able to unite the county against the threat from i.s.i.l., and will be able to look forward to support not just from the united states, but other countries are in the region and around the world. let's remember, i.s.i.l. poses a threat to all iraqis. and to the entire region. they claim to represent sunni grievances, but they slaughter sunni men, women and children. they claim to oppose foreign forces, but they actively recruit foreign fighters to advance their hateful ideology.

the iraqi people reject them and unite to push them out of the land they occupy. this will take time. there'll be challenges ahead. meantime there should be no doubt that the military will carry out the limited missions authorised. protecting personnel and facilities in iraq, erbil, and baghdad and providing humanitarian support as we did on mt sinjar. my administration consulted with congress about our strategy in iraq and we'll continue to do so. when it comes to the security of our people and the efforts against a terrorist group like i.s.i.l., we need to be united in our resolve. i also want to address the situation in ferguson, missouri. e spoke with governor nixon, and senators. i met with attorney general eric holder. the justice department has

opened an independent federal civil rights investigation into the death of michael brown. there on the ground, and along with the fbi they are devoting substantial resources to the investigation. the attorney-general will travel to ferguson on wednesday to meet with the fbi agents and d.o.j. personnel conducting the federal criminal investigation, and will receive an update from them on their progress. he will meet with other leaders in the community whose support is critical to bringing about peace and calm in ferguson. ronald davis, the director of the d.o.j.s office of community ord nated policing services or cops is travelling to ferguson to work with police officials on the ground much we had experts from the d.o.j.s community relation service working in ferguson since the days after the shooting to foster conversations among local stakeholders and reduce tensions among the community. let me close saying a few words

about the tensions there. we have all seen images of protesters and law enforcement in the streets. it's clear that the vast majority of people are peacefully protesting. what's also clear is that a small minority of individuals are not. while i understand the passions and the anger that arise over the death of michael brown, giving in to that anger by looting or carrying guns and even attacking the police only serves to raise tensions and stir chaos. it undermines rather than advancing justice. let me also be clear that our constitutional rights to speak clearly, assemble and report in the press must be vigilante safeguarded, especially in moments like these. there's no excuse for excessive force by police or actions to

deny the right to protest peace tli. ours is a nation of laws. for the citizens that live under them and enforce them. to a community in ferguson that is rightly hurting and looking for answers, let me call once again for us to seek some understanding, rather than simply holler at each other. let's seek to heal, rather than to wound each other. as americans, we've got to use this moment to seek out our shared humanity laid bare by this moment. the potential of a young man, and the sorrows of parents, the frustrations of a community, the ideals that we hold as one united american family. i have said this before, in too many chupties around the -- communities around the country a gulf of mistrust exists between local residents and law enforcement.

in too many communities too many young men of colour are left behind and seen as objects of fear. through initiatives like my brothers keeper i'm committed to changing perception and reality, and we are making some significant progress as people of goodwill of all races are ready to chip in. that requires that we build and not tear down. and that requires we listen, and not just shout. that's how we are going to move forward, together. by trying to unite each other and under each other, and not simp simply divide ourselves from one another. we'll have to hold tight to those values in the days ahead. that is how we bring about justice, and that's how we bring about peace. with that, i've got a few questions i'll take, starting with jim. >> reporter: the incident in ferguson left a discussion about whether it's proper to

militarize the nation's city police forces. i wonder if you think - you see that as a factor regarding the police response in ferguson, and also do you agree with the decision by the governor to send in the national guard? >> well, i think one of the great things about the united states has been our ability to maintain a distinction between the military and domestic law enforcement. that helps to preserve our civil liberties. that helps ensure that the military is accountable to civilian direction. and that has to be preserved. after 9/11, i think understandably a lot of folks saw local communities that were ill-equipped for a catastrophic terrorist attack, and i thing people in congress, people of

goodwill decided we have to make sure that they get proper equipment to deal with threats that historically wouldn't arise in local communities. and some of that has been use: i mean, some law enforcement didn't have radios that they could operate effectively in the midst of a disaster. some communities needed to be prepared if, in fact, there was a chemical attack, and they didn't have hazmat suits. having said that, i think it's probably useful for us to review how the funding has gone, how local law enforcement has used grant dollars to make sure that what they are purchasing is stuff that they actually need. because there is a big difference between our military

and our local law enforcement, and we don't want those lines blurred. that would be contrary to our traditions. there'll be bipartisan interest in re-examining some of those programs. with respect to the national guard, it's important to remember this is a state-activated national guard. it's under the charge of the governor, it's not something initiated at the federal level. i spoke to jay nixon, expressed on interest in making sure if, in fact, the national guard is used, it is used in a limited and appropriate way. he described the support role that they'll provide to local law enforcement. and i'll watch over the next several days to assess whether, in fact, it's helping rather than hindering progress in ferguson. >> steve, reuters. >> reporter: how do you avoid mission creep in iraq, and how long do you think it will take

to contain i.s.i.l.? >> i have been firm from the start that we are not reintroducing thousands of u.s. troops back on the ground to engage in combat. we are not the iraqi military, we are not the iraqi air force. i am the commander in chief of the united states armed forces. and iraq is going to have to ultimately provide for its own security. on the other hand we have a national security interest in making sure our people are protected and in making sure that a savage group that seems willing to slaughter people for no rhyme or reason, other than they have not cow toed to them, that a group like that is contained because they ultimately pose a threat to us. our goal is, number one, to make

sure we have a viable partner, and that is why we have so consistently emphasise the need for a government formation process that is inclusive, that is credible, that is legitimate, and that can appeal to sunnis as well as shias and kurd. we have made significant progress on that front, but we are not there yet. and i told my national security team today, and i will say publicly that we want to continue to communicate to politicians of all stripes in iraq, don't think because we have engaged in air strikes to protect our people that now is the time to let the foot off the gas and return to the same kind of dysfunction that has so weakened the country generally. dr haider al-abadi said the right things. i was impressed in my conversation with him about his vision for an inclusive government.

but they've got to get this done, because the wolf's at the door. in order for them to be credible with the iraqi people, they'll have to put behind some of the old practices and create a credible united government. when we see a credible iraqi government, we are then in a position to engage with planning not just with the iraqi government, but also with regional actors, and folks beyond the middle east, so that we can craft the kind of joint strategy, joint counterterrorism strategy that i discussed at west point, and i discussed several years ago at the national defense college. our goal is to have effective partners on the ground. if we have effective partners on the ground, mission creep is less likely. typically what happens with mission creep is when we start

deciding that ber -- we are the ones that have to do it ourselves. that can work for a time. we learnt that in iraq. but it's not sustainable. it's not lasting. and so i have been very firm about this precisely because our goal here has to be to be able to build up a structure not just in iraq, but regionally, that can be maintained. and that is not involving us effectively trying to govern or impose our military will on a country that is hostile to us. >> reporter: [ inaudible ] . >> i don't think, steve, at this point i'm prepared to provide a blanket answer to that. a lot of it depends on how effectively the iraqi government comes together. i think that you will see if, in fact, that government formation

process moves rapidly and credibly that there'll be a lot of actors in the region, around the world prepared to help and step up assistance, many of whom may have been reticent over the last several years because the perception was that baghdad was not being inclusive and it would be self-defeating to put more resources into it. i think you'll see a lot of folks step up. iraq will have a variety of partner, and with more folks unified around the effort, it's something that can be accomplished. it means that there's the prospect of sunni tribes who are the primary residents of areas that i.s.i.l. controls, saying that we have a viable option, and we would rather work with a central government that appears to understand our grievances and is prepared to meet them, rather

than to deal with, you know, individuals who don't seem to have any values beyond death and destruction. >> i'm going to take the last question from somebody who, after 41 years, i understand has decided to retire. ann compton, everybody knows is not only the consummate professional, but is also just a pleasure to get to know. i was proud to be able to hug her grand baby recently and i suspect that may have something to do with her decision. but i just want to say publicly ann we'll miss you and we are proud of the extraordinary career and work that you have done. we hope you are not a stranger

around here. [ clapping ] >> i suspect you may get some cake at some point >> reporter: let me ask you - this is an interesting time in your presidency. one of the things that you have so emphasised in the last few months and last year or so is a reach out to my brothers' keeper and a generation that doesn't feel it has much chance, sending the attorney-general to ferguson is a step. have you considered going yourself? is there more that you personally can do, not just for ferguson, but communities that might feel that kind of tension erupting in the way it has in ferguson. >> ann, obviously we have seen events in which there's a big fufl between... -- gulf between... tween...

..very careful about not prejudging the events before investigations are completed, because although these are issues of local jurisdiction, you know, the d.o.j. works for me, and when they are conducting investigation, i have to make sure that i don't look like i'm putting my opinion on the scales one way or the other. it's hard for me to address a specific case beyond making sure that it's conducted in a way that is transparent, where there's accountability, where people can trust the process, hoping that as a consequence of a fair and just process, you end up with a fair and just outcome.

but, as i think i have said on some past occasions, part of the ongoing challenge of perfecting our union involved dealing with communities that feel left behind, who, as a consequence of tragic histories often find themselves isolated, often find themselves without happy. without economic prospects and you have young men of colour in many communities likely to end up in gaol or the criminal justice system, than they are in a good job or in college. and, you know, part of my job, that i can do without potential

conflicts, is to get at those root causes. now, that's a big project. it's one that we have been trying to carry out now for a couple of centuries. and we have made extraordinary progress, but we have not made enough progress. the idea behind something like my brothers's keeper is can we work with cities, communities, clergy and parents and young people themselves all across the country. school superintendents, businesses, corporations and can we find models that work, that move these young me on a better track. now, part of that process is also looking at our criminal justice system, to make sure that it is upholding the basic principle of everybody is equal before the law.

and one of the things that we have looked at during the course of where we can make - during the course of signaturing where we can make a difference is that there are patterns that start early. young african-american and hispanic boys tend to get suspended from school at higher rates than other kids. even when they are in elementary school. they tend to have much more frequent interactions with the criminal justice system at an earlier age. sentencing may be different. you know, how crowds are conducted may be different. and so one of the things that we have done is to include department of justice in this conversation under the ban are of my brother's keeper to see

where can we start working with local communities to inculpate more trust, more confidence in the criminal justice system. and i want to be clear about this, because sometimes i think there's confusion around the issues, and this dates back for decades. there are young black men that commit crime. and we can - we can argue about why that happens, because of the poverty they were born into, a lack of opportunity and school systems that failed them or what have you, but if they commit a crime, they need to be prosecuted because every community has an interest in public safety. if you go into the african-american community, or latino community, some of the

folks intend on making sure that criminals are dealt with are people who have been preyed upon which them. so this is not an argument that there isn't real crime and law enforcement doesn't have a difficult job, and they have to be honoured and respected for the danger and difficulty of law enforcement. but what is also true is that given the history of this country, where we can make progress in building up more confidence, more trust, making sure that our criminal justice system is acutely aware of the possibilities of disparities in treatment, there are safeguards in place to avoid the disparities. where, you know, training and assistance is provided to local law enforcement who, you know,

may need more information in order to avoid potential disparity. all those things can make a difference. one of the things i was proceed of in the state legislature, when i didn't have grey hair and none of you could pronounce my name, i passed legislation requiring video taping of interrogations and professions and passed legislation dealing with local profiling in ilare. we worked with -- illinois, we worked with law enforcement and you can do a better job as a law enforcement official if you built up credibility and trust. there are basic things that be done to promote that kind of trust. in some cases there's a lack of information. we want to make sure we get the information to law enforcement. there are things that can be

done to improve the situation. but short-term, obviously, right now, what we have to do is make sure that the cause of justice and fair administration of the law is being brought to bear in ferguson. in order to do that we have to make sure that we are able to distinguish between peaceful protesters who may have some legitimate grievances, and maybe long-standing grievances, and those who are using this tragic death as an excuse to engage in criminal behaviour, and tossing molotov cocktails and looting stores. that is a small minority of motion, and may not be residents of ferguson, but they are damaging the cause, not advancing them. all right. thank you very much, everybody. there you have the president

of the united states, as expected, taking on a couple of the big issues of the day. first of all, the situation in ferguson. although it wasn't addressed in this order, but the situation in ferguson, with the governor there, governor nixon calling in the nard, lifting the -- national guard, lifting the curfew. and the president talking about the situation in iraq. let's bring in mike viqueira, live for us outside of the white house. let's see if i go through the highlights. there was a conversation about erbil and that the terrorists have been pushed back there. the mosul dam has been recaptured. iraqi and kurdish forces working together taking on i.s.i.s. fighters, i'm presuming in boats operations, and the -- in both operations and the president making the point to beat back effectively i.s.i.s., it will need an inclusive government led by haider al-abadi. >> well, that's right. there's a lot to unpack. on the two topics, let's you and

i stick with iraq. the president has a decision point on iraq. initially it was "we are going to protect american people and american facilities" - the embassy in baghdad, a protective force was sent in this case it needed to be evacuated. and commencing air strikes when the islamic state was threatening the outskirts of erbil. kurdistan, erbil the capital of that region. it morphed into rescuing and averting a massacre of the ethnic and religious minority, the yazidi, and you reported 68 american air strikes, sortees have been undertaken, 35 were to fight islamic state group forces around the mosul dam and drive them back, something characterised as a military victory, it's interesting how the president makes a distinction between iraqi and kurdish forces, the peshmerga,

they are all part of the iraqi republic, no question and points in a subtle way, the disparities that remain. the president saying the wolf is at the door, americans are not going to continue in mimentry substance -- military assistance to iraqis, until they get their act together. the president praising the installation or the selection of the prime minister designate there, prime minister haider al-abadi. >> terrific stuff. >> prime minister designatement. >> important to make the distinction, kurdish and iraqi forces. and a hands up don't shoot rally is scheduled to take place in ferguson, missouri. let's check in with natasha. the president making a couple of points, eric holder is on his way to ferguson, will get this wednesday and meet with the d.o.j. staff. the president making the point that the vast majority of the demonstrators are demonstrating

and protesting peacefully and the president chastising those looting. tell us about the rally touching off behind you now? horns horns >> well, people already, if you look behind me, are marching peacefully with science. one that caught our attention says that the teacher - can we have peace so i cap teach. this was supposed to be the first day of school in ferguson. due to safety concerns school was cancelled. there's no word as to whether or not kids will return to school tomorrow. you talked about the comments that president obama made. he mentioned in many communities, ferguson is one of them. there's a golf between police and law enforcement. and many are left behind, and he talked about building up, instead of tearing down. he talked about listening, instead of shouting. something we have seen is verbal

shouting and sparring. people are so angry. even when we asked them about the possibility that there may be a small minority of people creating problems, they are focussed on what they few as excessive force on the part of the police department. what happens is oftentimes people talk about the fact that they can't find a job, there hasn't been a lot of investment in the town of ferguson, and they talk about previous encount or with law enforcement. >> it's a bigger story than about michael brown. it's the flashpoint for other issues, education, the gap between rich and poor, jobs, sort offio economic stat ask yous the -- status and the ability to get a great education. appreciate it. thank you so much. that is all of our time for this

newshour. i'm tony harris in new york. if you would like the latest of any stories head to the website aljazeera.com. "inside story" is next on al jazeera america. ory.

>> the final journey borderland continues... only on al jazeera america >> the war to end all wars didn't. >> the war to end all wars didn't, but it did change things in ways big and small. world war i began 100 years ago this summer, and we live in the world it made. it's the "inside story." >> hello,