civilians, families trudging across the bridge and part of this kind of ad hoc humanitarian corridor that's come together for people by the thousands, by the tens of thousands to flee the isis militants and make it here to iraqi kurdistan to safety. they're basically routing themselves through a kurdish enclave in syria. they're being helped by the group that rules that enclave which is known throughout the region as the kurdistan workers party who have provided vehicles. the refugees tell me, and then they get repatriated across this bridge into iraqi kurdistan. some of these people have escaped from mount sinjar, from that place that has become a bit of a trap for people fleeing the city of sinjar to escape account

isis militants. they traveled instead of the way we did by helicopter yesterday, they trudged 10, 15 hours from the mountain under the protection of the kurdistan workers party to syria and one young man that i talked to, wolf, he said that he buried two of his brothers, his infant brothers who he says died along that ordeal, ta long journey. very difficult to hear that are to imagine what that man had gone through to make his way here to iraqi kurdistan where on roadsides, in abandoned buildings, these people who have made it here to safety are now camping out under the stars tonight provided some food by volunteers by a few aid organizations. but they're basically refugees sleeping on the street right now here in the city. >> ivan watson on the scene for you. we'll get back to you. stand by. meanwhile, there's chaos in iraq's capital. baghdad was rocked tonight by a

fair of car bombs that left at least nine people dead and a political standoff continues. the outgoing prime minister nuri al maliki is vowing to hold on to power even though the united states and now even iran are both backing his designated successor. let's go live to nick paton walsh in baghdad for us. first of all, the bombings in the iraqi capital, what can you tell us. >> reporter: well, shaken here almost by a plume of smoke, an explosion a few blocks away in the district. we're now looking at a death toll from two explosions in roughly a similar area, shia districts targeted in the capital as at least eight people killed, dozens potentially injured. . it shattered a tense quiet. everybody i think seeing in the writing on the wall for prime minister nuri al maliki apart from him, iranians as you say, john kerry encouraging the prime minister designate haider al abadi to get on the job as

quickly as possible. french accusing nuri al maliki of being behind the crisis in iraq itself. even the saudi arabians suggesting that they want haider al abadi to become the prime minister here. nuri al maliki defiant saying he doesn't want the military to be involved in politics here or he has suggested he might use force to stay in power. we saw a potential window of conciliation the past few hours. haider al abadi, the man nominated to replace maliki saying nuri has a place in iraq's future. perhaps a bid to try and calm tensions here but bob all, nuri al maliki not stepping back from the plate. >> there was a very disturbing moment today. an iraqi military helicopter trying to aid some of the minorities, christians, yazidis up in the north that iraqi military helicopter crashed apparently into something the

pilot was killed, a reporter for "the new york times" alissa rubin was injured along with a photographer for "the new york times." there was a parliamentarian, the yazidi parliamentarian in the iraqi parliament who was on board. quhak you tell us about that helicopter, that chopper? what do we know what happened to it? they're all insisting there was no hostile fire but it was some sort of technical or mechanical failure. >> that's really all we know from the iraqi military. they said it came down because of a technical failure and the pilot died. many injured including an mp, a number journalists, alissa rubin suffering a concussion and broken wrist according to her own newspaper. many other injured too on board. we've seen the pictures how they fly over territory infested with isis militants often having to fire down below for their own protection as they travel. it's clearly a very dangerous place but it does seem they use

the phrase technical failure. i've heard that used in the past in combat zones, perhaps a ux mix for when helicopters may come under attack. there's no independent suggestion that happens here. we're talking about very old russian-made helicopters. very difficult conditions. dust heat make the chance of a technical problem high, as well. in this case, only one person lost their life. it shows you how peril lous these rescue missions are, wolf. >> where are you in baghdad right now, give us a flavor around that so-called green zone where the u.s. embassy, the largest u.s. embassy in the world, there are literal little thousands of americans there, contractors, diplomats, military personnel. over the weekend we heard reports maliki's loyal troops were moving thanks into that area looking like he was going to have some sort of coup detat if you will. has that situation eased now that all the pressure is mounting on him to disappear, if

you will? >> it's certainly not mounted since their first night's report of thanks in the green zone. driving in from the airport we saw soldiers from the army division known as the golden division, very loyal to nuri al maliki. a slightly heightened sense of police on the street. a different atmosphere in the city as various militias try and calculate where they fit into the constantly changing political environment. it's very quiet indeed. very little traffic. some residents describing to me it's a city definitely on edge because the political vacuum here may ease in the days ahead if maliki reads the writing on the wall. it's the capital and isis have been breathing down its neck for a matter of months. the explosions each time they happen, people wondering is this the beginning of something new. a lot of fear for residents still in baghdad. >> nick, be careful over there in the iraqi capital. we'll have much more on the story coming up including

reports the u.s. may be on the verge of deploying many more military advisors to iraq right now. we'll go to the pentagon for that. but up next, authorities provide new details about the suicide of the actor and comic robin williams. we're about to take a much closer look at his brilliant career.

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fly. be free. >> well, i guess we'll have to have a quick burial at sea then. >> amazing talent. the other breaking news we're following, new details revealed by authorities on the death of the actor, comedian robin williams. ted rowlands is in san rafael, california for us. what's the latest over there? what have we learned? >> well, wolf, an autopsy was done on mr. williams body this morning. the coroner came out and briefed us on the cause of death and some details of surrounding his death. he apparently has died of suicide and he has apparently hung himself. that is what the conclusion is at this point. investigation is still going on. they're waiting on toxicology reports that will take two to five weeks. at this point, he appears to have hung himself in a room by himself. he was found by a personal assistant around noon yesterday.

>> mr. williams had been seeking treatment for depression. mr. williams was last seen alive by his wife at approximately 10:30 p.m. on august 10th, 2014 when she retired for the evening in a room in the home. the preliminary and i again say preliminary results of the forensic examination revealed supporting physical signs that mr. williams' life ended from as a fixfictionia due to hanging. >> it was emphasized that robin williams was receiving help for depression. no funeral arrangements at this point have been made. but his death is being health across the country and especially here in the san francisco bay area where he called home for many, many years. >> what a sad sad story indeed. ted rowlands, thanks very much. tom foreman is taking a closer look at robin williams

extraordinary life and career and joining us for this part of the story. >> the reaction, of course, is a very broad and deep loss of robin williams because out of all the comedians out there, those do diagnose political comedy and thoughtful and manic comedy, he was a category unto himself touching all of those areas and gathering new fans decade after decade. >> greetings. >> from his first moments in the '70s hit "happy days" as an alien visiting the 1950s, robin william was a time traveler. >> i couldn't help it. you understand? i honestly regret it. >> and once he found the spotlight for almost 40 years, he never left it. >> you wreck, stalagmite, stalactite, thanks. >> whether mocking a president for the college crowd on sat the

night live" or leaping into a film for all ages like jumanji, he engaged each new generation with such energy. it always seemed as if he had come specifically for them. >> what year is it? >> it was brand new. >> no, what year is it? >> 1995. remember? >> undeniably, had his range made it possible. in films like "mrs. doubtfire," he let loose was broad physical comedy. >> oh, sir, i saw some angry member of the kitchen staff. did you not tell him there was a run by -- >> in "aladdin," his extraordinary ability to conjure dozens of voices made the again i in the lamp brilliant. >> mr. an lanza. while we your pleasure be. let me -- you ain't never had a

friend like me. >> and yet, he could just as convincingly play it straight in movies like "dead poets society." >> gather ye rose while y e-mail. a latin term for that sentiment is carpe diem. who knows what that means? >> who knew? he did. because williams seized each day, each moment as if it were his last. whether entertaining troops, raising money for charity or teaching kids on "sesame street." >> when i breathe you can hear the air go in and out. sometimes you can even see it. like this. happy new year! >> perhaps one reason so many people loved williams so much was that age and worry and time itself seemed to pass him by. like his character in "hook," he was the boy who never grew old and in doing so, the man who kept us all a little younger.

>> kept cuss all younger. as we went through all these clips today, i was stunned by the breadth of his work. i've been aware of it, but he has been so prolific. he has produced so many movies, been on so many shows, done so many interviews, it almost defies believe he had this range of talent over such a long period of time. that's how he gathered so so many fans we're so troubled by the way had his life came to an end. >> it's simply amazing when you think about it. >> a huge talent. >> tom, thanks very much. robin williams was a guest on inside the actors studio back in 2001. there's one particular moment from that interview that stands out now in light of his death. watch this. >> if heaven exists, what would like to hear god say when you arrive at the pearly gates? >> there's seating near the front. the concert begins at 5:00.

it will be mozart, elvis and one of your choosing. or just a nice to know there's laughter, that would be a great thing just to hear god go two jews walk into a bar. >> james hipton is the host of inside the actor's studio and joins us now on the phone. james, thanks so much for joining us. he was on your program. you spoke with him about his struggles, addiction. he was pretty open about all of that. did you ever see, though, the pain behind that humor? >>. >> no. no, because what he did was remarkable. obviously, he was tormented. all his life apparently he suffered from this problem. but what he did was he kept that inside. that was for him. what was for us was the joy. he gave us nothing but pleasure, nothing but happiness. and he reserved for himself the harder part of his life. in the end, it became too much

to bear. that is a very sad fact. >> what was it like interviewing him? >> well, for one thing, he came out on the stage inside the actor's studio and off he went, bang. he just started. and he didn't stop and he just kept going. of course, i sat back enjoying it like everyone else. finally i raised my hand after about 7 1/2, eight minutes. he said what do you want? i said it's time for my first question. that was what happened on the ho. of course, the most famous moment in the history of the show was of the 20 years of inside the actor's studio was the pink pashmina he took from a would you think woman in the first row. when i said to him, look, robin something's happening here i don't understand that none of us are capable of understanding. what's going on inside your head? are you thinking faster than the rest of us? what are you doing? and he just laughed and he said, well, i can't explain it but

i'll show you. he took the pashmina and in the course of the next six or seven minutes, he used the pashmina in various ways to become an indian film director, an iranian woman, a gay rabbi, the iron chef, and finally at the end of it, he folded the pashmina and he -- back and forth in front of his face with its tassels and came he through with his face and he was a car emerging from a car wash. that is something that can't be taught, that the can't be learned. you have to be born with that kind of jean,ious. >> just ad libbing. these were not planned routines that he had done hundreds of times before, right? >> i'm sorry, i didn't hear. >> you this is not planned routines he was doing. this was all off the cuff ad libbing >> improvisation. let me say something once and for all about robin. his life was an improvisation. in "aladdin," he played the

genie. the genie trotted out all the things he needed to learn in order to proceed with his life. in the course of that three-minute scene, do you know how many characters he created in three or four minutes of that scene? 52. 52 separate discrete complete characters were created by him alone in a studio in front of a microphone. they animated to it. there's only one word for it, that's genius. >> i remember having the privilege of seeing him do standup. here in washington, george washington university a few years ago. i was sitting up close. i'll never forget, it must have been two hours and he was making all of us laugh so hard. but he was working so hard. he was so passionate. he was sweating. the towels were coming out. they were soaking because he gave it all of that. i'm sure you noticed that, as well. >> well, he did his standup act

in front of a water bottles and he would go through 10, 20, 30 bottles of water in the course of a single evening. he gave us everything he had. he withheld nothing. the only thing that withheld from us was his suffering. and in the end, he paid for that. that is a sacrifice to making >> what an amazing, amazing talent. all of us are so sad that we have to do what we're doing right now. remember him because we would have enjoyed his performances. serious and comedic for many, many years to come. james, thanks very much for sharing thoughts an with us. we appreciate your joining us. >> you're very welcome. thank you. >> thank you, japs lipton inside the actor's studio. please be sure to tune in later tonight for a special cnn spotlight "remembering robin," that will air 11:30 p.m. eastern right here on cnn. we're going to have much

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"the situation room." we're hearing more u.s. military advisors are heading to iraq. let's go to pentagon correspondent barbara starr. what are you learning? >> wolf, two u.s. officials tell me the decision has been made that indeed, more than 100 additional u.s. military advisors will be making their way mainly to northern iraq where that crisis with tens of thousands of people people stranded on that mountain has gripped the world's attention. one of their main jobs will be to look at humanitarian relief options and the options, what are they for getting those people off the mountain. president obama has already twice said and they said here at the pentagon yesterday they want to look at options to get those people out of there. they need more help, more military advisors to do it. they also are going to be taking a look clearly at the unfolding situation in northern iraq. what additional assistance may be needed for the kurdish peshmerga fighters going against isis for weeks now.

certainly expect to see more air strikes unfold especially against mount sinjar positions where isis is. they want to push isis back from that mountain before they move in with any rescue mission. wolf? >> with another 100 u.s. military advisors heading over to iraq, ha number keeps going up and up. active duty u.s. military personnel now in iraq totaling how many? >> wolf, we are now somewhere as they say north of 800 personnel, give or take. and clearly, this is one of the most sensitive issues the administration we are told very sensitive to the notion of mission creep in iraq. u.s. military personnel already know that. it's a very sensitive matter. >> all right, thanks very much. with u.s. aircraft constantly in the air over northern iraq, carrying out strikes against isis targets and now more u.s. military advisors being sent in, will there be a way out of iraq anytime soon?

chief national security correspondent jim sciutto is looking into this part of the story. some critics are already seeing it as mission creep. >> no question critics and also supporters saying it's necessary. today the former commander of nato added his voice to the chorus of lawmakers and some iraq war veterans who say u.s. military involvement not only is likely to grow but must grow to confront isis. the retired general told the military times he believes the u.s. should triple the number of advisors on the ground and expand their role to become spotters for air strikes. both steps the administration says it will not take. >> here, the aftermath of a devastating usair strike on isis fighters in northern iraq. the obama administration insists attacks from the air like this one are the limit of america's combat role in iraq. but several veteran iraq commanders we interviewed say

mission creep is inevitable. >> i think this is the first toe in the water and eventually this administration will have to confront how to destroy this islamic state. >> when you look at the capabilities or lack of capabilities of the iraqi military, the u.s. is going to have to be more involved going forward. >> do you think that's a reasonable assessment? >> you need an organization whether it's the united states or coalition forces that come in and provide them with professional military advice. and eventually, if u.s. forces are not on the ground, i don't see how we're going to keep isis at bay. >> for now the administration has defined u.s. objectives very narrow narrowly, one protect tens of thousands of members of iraq's yazidi minority from an impending massacre. and two, protect hundreds of american diplomats and military advisors stationed in erbil and

baghdad. however, even the pentagon concedeses those goals as strictly defined do not address isis itself. >> these strikes are unlikingly to affect isil's overall capabilities or its operations in other areas of iraq and syria. >> >> in fact, since the president first announced u.s. military action last thursday, the u.s. has already expanded its military support. sending weaponry to kurdish forces and considering raising the number of u.s. military advisors on the ground. today, secretary of state john kerry categorically ruled out u.s. ground troops though crucial caly he set the stage for further military support for iraq's new government. >> the u.s. does stand ready to fully support a new and inclusive iraqi government particularly in its fight its isil. >> the administration has yet to the define what that additional

help to the new iraqi government will be. we know that kurdish forces have asked for heavy weaponry including mortars and artillery. white house is now sending more than 100 advisors and the key will be if the mission expands beyond protecting the yazidis up north and the americans in erbil and baghdad to helping iraqi forces push back isis as forces, something they've not been capable of to this point. that's an open question. >> or the iraqi military has to show up and be willing to fight. so far they have not. >> no evidence whatsoever. >> thanks very much for that. should americans be worried once again about what's called mission creep in iraq? joining us now two guests. former u.s. ambassador joe wilson, the deputy chief.mission in baghdad during the run-up to the first gulf war in 1990, '91, along with stephen biddle, an advisor to general david petraeus in iraq. joe wilson, are you worried about what's called mission creep right now the?

>> well, i'm really much more worried about isil. i think there's three zing problems, one is getting the yazidi population off of mount sinjar which is in the hands of a very competent army who knows how to do this. this is something we know how to do. the second problem is the transitioning in baghdad. i thought what the secretary had to say about the necessity for inclusive government is an absolute necessity. i think our options there and our leverage is limited. but i do think we should be pressuring the new iraqi government to try and an approach the sunni tribal leaders and see if they can dislodge them from their temporarily alliance of convenience with isil. the big strategic problem is isil itself. and again, i think we have to, as i said last time i was on here, whatever we do has to be seen in the context of taking out isil and not in the context of being involved in somebody

else's sectarian war. we do not need to be seen indiscriminately killing sunni on behalf of an iranian supported shia regime in baghdad. >> stephen, you know those isil, isis troops, whatever you call them, they are well armed. they've got a lot of u.s. weaponry, armored personnel carriers, american thanks all of which they stole from the iraqi military stuff the u.s. left behind. the peshmerga are not armed, they can't do the job. the iraqi military apparently so far they've run away. they're not doing the job. if you're going to destroy the isis in iraq, you can't do it with air power alone. that means the u.s. military, right? >> i think that's right. i think it's very unlikely that the kinds of air power options that we're talking about at the moment are going to roll isil back very far. it's very unlikely any of the local combatants on the ground will be able to do that anytime soon.

it's not just isil. it's an alliance between isil and large fractions of the old more secular sunni insurgency fighting the government of iraq prior to say 2008. so this is a military job that's too big for the kind of limited options that people are talking about. but the scale of the u.s. interests at stake in the conflict are generally not thought to warrant the sort of massive u.s. ground involvement that would be needed to actually make a difference in the short run. a much biggerer air effort than anything anybody's talking about now from 2003 to 2007 with a multihundred thousand american soldier ground force in support of it couldn't bring a quick decisive end to a similar war then. to do that with much lessnous i think is not plausible. >> if you're going to destroy isis, joe wilson, you got to destroy i was. you can't just fool around with air power, right? >> well, look, i think it's

important to understand that this is not just an american problem. this is a regional problem and this is in fact, an international problem. the foreign fighters that are coming in to syria and northern iraq now will be going back to chechnya, will be going bab back to indonesia and western europe and coming back to the states. what appalls me on this and what i don't understand is why we are not going to the united nations, why we're not building a coalition and why we're not actively soliciting or getting the support of sunni governments in the region for what we're doing. we don't want to be out there all alone. it seems to me. >> joe wilson, we're going to continue this conversation. stephen biddle, thanks to you, as well. lots to digest. much more coming up on the story. also, we're going to take you behind the front lines in northern iraq to show you the imcan the u.s. air strikes are

will already having in slowing the advance of some isis insurgents and much more ahead on death of the actor, the comedian, robin williams. >> turning myself around. huh, fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. everybody knows that. well, did you know words really can hurt you? what...? jesse don't go! jesse...no! i'm sorry daisy, but i'm a loner. and a loner gotta be alone. heee yawww! geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. jesse?

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been making rapid gains across iraq over the past few months. they now control one-third of the country which really is quite staggering. one of the towns that they seized last week was claimed back by kurdish forces, the peshmerga thanks to u.s. air strikes. we visited that town and spent time with the soldiers who were doing everything they can to fight the enemy. driving towards enemy territory an armored convoy of peshmerga escort us beyond the frontline. days ago, isis militants claimed these vast plains and nearby township of mamor as part of what it calls its new islamic state. that was until u.s. air strikes suddenly stopped their advance. >> this is one of the targets. artillery used to attack kurdish forces who for the first time were inspecting the results of the power unleashed by u.s.

fighter jets and predator drones. this is the impact of a 500-pound laser-guided bomb. as you can see, the usair strike has completely destroyed the isis mobile artillery piece. but out here in the open, the militants are easy to attack. once they move into urban areas, they will be much harder to find. for the peshmerga, usair support is critical. before it arrived, they were outgunned by the sunni extremists armed with american weapons seized from the iraqi army. and were quickly losing ground. >> i think the u.s. -- >> this is a u.s. >> yes, because this is the iraqi army. >> but with kurdish forces now receiving weapons directly from the u.s., according to local officials, they believe their soldiers can effectively fight the enemy. isis is bad. they're against humanity, democracy, everything that has to do with life. that's why we believe in the battle and we were able to win.

but not everyone is so confident. these families who fled during the vicious fighting have returned to pack up their belongings and leave indefinitely. fearing isis as just kilometers away in a nearby village will return. >> translator: we're all afraid. the situation is bad. we think isis will come back and we don't feel safe. america has to help us, plead this had woman. isis is evil. they behead children like my my grandson. with virtually no one left in the vulnerable border towns, the peshmerga are desperately hoping the u.s. intensifies its campaign over the skies to help them in their desperate battle. people are very fearful of what isis is going to do next because no one believes for a second that they are going to be satisfied with the territory that they have at the moment which is why those u.s. air strikes are critical, wolf.

>> certainly our thanks very much, anna coren in erbil for us. when we come back, we're learning new details about a phone call that the former secretary of state hillary clinton placed to president obama and why she now says she's looking forward to "hugging it out with him." stand by. ♪ [ woman ] if you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis like me, and you're talking to your rheumatologist about a biologic... this is humira. this is humira helping to relieve my pain. this is humira helping me lay the groundwork. this is humira helping to protect my joints from further damage. doctors have been prescribing humira for ten years. humira works by targeting and helping to block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to r.a. symptoms. humira is proven to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage in many adults. [ male announcer ] humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis.

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just coming into "the situation room." beer getting new reaction about a phone call that hillary clinton placed to president obama just a little while eye go in the aftermath of an interview she did in which she seemed to suggest she was distancing herself from him on a key policy

issue. brianna keeler is working the story for us. what is the latest? >> the white house trying to down play differences after hillary clinton called the president to smooth things over. this is after she lobbed a bit of an "i told you so" at the president. calling president obama to make sure that she knows nothing she said was set to attack him or his policy or leadership. like any two friends working in the public eye, she looks forward to hugging it out when she see reach other tomorrow night. they will both attend martha's vineyard where the president is vacationing. this is an apology for an interview that clinton gave. she also appeared it take a swipe at his self coined description of his foreign policy decisions of don't do stupid stuff. she said great nations need

organizing principles and don't do stupid stuff is not an organizing principle p. that upset the obama camp. axelrod tweeting today just to clarify that don't do stupid stuff means stuff like occupying iraq in the first place which was a tragically bad decision. you see an obama defender. but the white house down playing the friction. here is what one of the president's top foreign policy aides told jim acosta moments ago. >> he and secretary clinton have been through so much together. on the campaign trail and in the white house and state department. sort of a flash back in the campaign a bit ago. they've been through so much together. i think they understand that they agree about far more than they disagree. >> but obviously they're caught up in the back and forth of the white house as well as hillary clinton's camp.

now wolf, axelrod is taking a hit at the 2002 vote to authorize force in iraq giving president bush that ability. but her hawkish comments here really getting not under the skin of the obama camp and a lot of liberal activist who are very upset with her. >> see how she hugs it out with him on martha's vineyard. thank you very much. at the top of the hour, much more on the two breaking stories we are following. more than a hundred additional u.s. military advisors sent to northern iraq as the crisis escalate in the region. also, new details on the death of robin williams as the world recognizes his career. ♪ sweet, sweet st. thomas nice ♪ so nice, so ni-i-i-ce ♪ st. croix, full of pure vibes ♪ ♪ so nice, so ni-i-i-ce ♪ st. john, a real paradise ♪ so nice, so ni-i-i-ce

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breaking news. cnn learns the obama administration getting ready to send more than a hundred military advisers to iraq to help tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the isis onslaught. thousands refugees have fled on foot, making a gruelling, sometimes deadly trek to safety. police reveal new information about how the comedian robin williams took his own life. fans around the world, heart broken. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer, you're in the situation room. >> this is cnn breaking news. we're following two major breaking stories this hour. police revealing new details of the death of robin williams.

the suicide that is shocking his fans around the world. stand by, we'll update you. we're also following breaking news in iraq. sources telling cnn more than a hundred u.n. military advisers are being sent to iraq to help deal with the humanitarian crisis in the northern part of the country. we are covering all of the breaking news this hour with our correspondent. our guests, cnn's global resource is, let's begin with our pentagon correspondent barbara starr, barbara, what's the latest you're hearing over there? >> we expect a formal announcement from the pentagon at any moment. more than a hundred u.s. military advisors, additional military advisors being sent to northern iraq right now. one of their main jobs will be to see if there is any way to rescue those stranded iraqis. >> the first challenge for any possible rescue operation, figuring out how many people are trapped on the mountain. the pentagon's top operations officer says nobody really knows.

>> i've seen reports of numbers in the thousands and i've seen reports in the numbers of tens of thousands. >> the u.s. is continuing airdrops of food and water. and airstrikes against isis positions around the mountain. trying to push militants back. a vital military step if a rescue operation is to be launched. >> we're working with international partners to develop options to bring them to safety. >> several defense officials tell cnn if there is any rescue mission, it could be chaos like this. there will have to be ground troops from some country on the mountain to keep an evacuation orderly and secure. u.s. officials tell cnn there are two basic options. a massive air lift. potentially landing helicopters and cargo planes for weeks to move everyone out. or ground operation. using hundreds of vehicles to transport people to safety.

that's already begun on a small scale. a humanitarian corridor opened by iraqis has helped thousands of yazidis escape. driven to the boreder with syria, now left with nothing, still looking to get back to their homes. either option will require stepped up u.s. airstrikes to keep isis away. for now, the u.s. says, no american boots on the ground. >> there will be no reintroduction of american combat forces into iraq. >> kurdish forces already fighting isis may have to step in. >> sme speak the language. they're better able to coordinate. they're better able to cooperate. they're better able to take control. >> and if there is a rescue mission, clearly this will draw u.s. forces deeper back into iraq. wolf? >> the only problem, barbara, the forces don't have the armor, don't have the equipment to fight isis. they have abram's battle tanks,

armored personnel carriers. they may be great fighters, very courageous, but they basically have weapons, ammunition. they can't compete in that area. >> wolf, if that happens, this will all depend on military tactics. one of the thing that people here are predicting is you will see stepped up airstrikes. it will be up to u.s. warplanes to continue to pound those isis targets, get them back off the mountain, get them away from any humanitarian corridor, so these people can be safely transported out of there. but make no mistake, it is dangerous for everybody, wolf. >> u.s. has to step up military supplies. military equipment, major military equipment to the kurdish forces. quickly on the hundred additional -- hundred plus additional military advisors, now heading to northern iraq, that will bring the number closer and closer to a thousand active duty u.s. military personnel in iraq right now. isn't that right? >> that is correct, wolf. we've gotten a better read-out from our sources. this will take the number of

active duty personnel in iraq. u.s. military personnel to well over 900. now they do everything from foreign military sales. still, selling weapons to the current iraqi military, working on security at baghdad airport, protecting the embassy, working both in erbil and baghdad on trying to assess, evaluate and help the iraqi military. now what we are seeing tonight, wolf, two new missions, possible rescue mission. possible assistance to the fighters up there. >> they are all active duty military personnel, wearing uniforms. they will be wearing their boots. they will be on the ground. there will be boots on the ground, although they are now saying these won't be combat troops. so that the difference. they're saying they're not combat forces. is that right? >> wolf, these people, under the war powers notifications to the president has made to congress, these people will not be engaging in offensive combat operations. if they were to come under attack, they have every right to

defend themselves. but they are not going out there on combat operations either by themselves or with iraqi or peshmerga forces. >> u.s. fighter jets are engaged in combat. clearly they are actively engaged in combat. all right, we are going to continue this this hour. barbara starr, at the pentagon, thanks very much. the yazidi refugees fleeing for their lives. joining us from northern iraq where this humanitarian crisis is unfolding, ivan, what are you seeing now? because you've shown our vier vs in the united states and around the world some very powerful images. >> reporter: well, wolf, we're having a few audio problems. but yes, we saw the stream of humanity pouring across the border from syria into iraqi, kerg stan, across the river, on a bridge.

now, why where they coming from syria? massive, exhausted, desperate, frightened civilians. because there is an informal humanitarian corridor that has come together to help the people. many of them, religious minority members, come from the iraqi soun of sinjar and surrounding areas that the sinjar mountain that many fled to. they are escaping by crossing the border near syria, a kurdish control part of syria, controlled by a group called the the workers party. they then trudge across the bridge. and the people told horrifying stories of their arab neighbors joining the largely foreign force of isis militants to atobacco and threaten their kurdish yazidi neighbors. they describe stories of their

children dying on the marathon journey through the desert taking 10, 15 hours on foot to reach safety. and then coming here where these people are once again sleeping out under the stars, on road sides. with no tents to speak of. some of them sleeping on scraps of cardboard tonight after spending more than a week out in the open, wolf. >> this looks like such a desperate situation. these folks you've spoken to them and we saw you on that helicopter, rescuing some folks with the iraqi military. some kurdish fighters. what is their mood right now? do they feel they have any hope? >> what i've heard from these yazidis streaming north near syria, they are just looking to the u.s., to europe for help. and the refrain i heard from

some of the hundreds of thousands of iraqi christians, another religious minority that had been fleeing on mass since this crisis began. they too would say the same thing. we just need a safe refuge somewhere in the west. they've already given up hope on iraq. i think largely because they've seen and heard that neighbors from their communities have turned on them. have joined isis and taken up arms against them and they feel they cannot go back home to those communities ever again again. it is truly a sectarian classic. >> ivan, tell us quickly about that iraqi military helicopters, that crashed, if you will, to bring aid to trap the yazidis on mount sinjar earlier today. we know the pilot was killed. what do we know about this incident?

>> this is one of the iraqi helicopters delivering aid to mount sinjar to the perhaps tens of thousands of mostly yazidis trapped there and coming back in the chaotic scenes we witnessed yesterday, coming back, carrying more passengers than the helicopters are equipped to carry. bringing them back to safety in these truly chaotic scenes. in this case, one of these flights, one of these choppers went down on mount sinjar. the iraqi air force pilot was killed. a number of the other people on that helicopter were injured. including a new york times journalist. there was a photographer, friend of mine, who was on board as well and published a photo in time n "time" magazine. i'm told he is okay. what burdens the helicopters,

aging russian helicopters are taking when they are overloaded with refugees, bringing them off of that mountain. and also, how much the iraqis and kurds need help for this dangerous even delicate operation. >> we heard from the "new york times," the experienced war correspondent had her wrist broken, concussion. she's been air lifted out. she's in the hospital. together with several of the other people who were on that helicopter. ivan watson doing amazing work for all of us. thank you so much for your reporting. complicating all of this, a major power struggle in baghdad where a new prime minister has been designated but the indu incumbent is vowing to raise serious concerns of a possible military coup. mr. adam bambassador, thanks veh for joining us. will he go away, malachi, or will he resist? >> that's the key question.

at this moment, it is unknown. i listen to his press conference. i listen to his speech today again, saying that he is going to launch a complaint with the judicia judiciary. this doesn't sound good. he, by now, should understand that the entire country is against him. his own alliance. members of his own party. i mean, the prime minister designate is from his own party. he was his deputy. he turned against him. he should understand. but the reason he doesn't -- >> malachi -- >> malachi, doesn't want to go, he is surrounded by cronies.

they are deeply implicated in all kind of corruption, crimes possibly. they are scared. and they don't know where to go. >> well, here's the question. does he have military backers? backers in the military who will fight to protect him and cause an effect a civil war. >> from the first term, from 2 006 of, he started working on consolidating his grip over the security forces. then the special forces, especially, he made that as an operational force loyal to him. he put all the leadership of these forces -- >> what i hear you saying, mr.

am ba ambassador -- >> just to round out the thought -- >> yes. snrs. >> he considered himself operational responsible for the movement, this interpretation is unique to him. >> so what you hear you saying, correct me if i'm wrong, and i've heard this from others as well, nouri al-maliki, with his cronies as you call them, have stolen tens of hundreds of millions of dollars from the iraqi people. and they are afraid that if he is no longer prime minister, he could be arrested, sent to jail and that money could be taken from him. >> i think they are terrified. if you go and look at the record of his performance during the last two years. he has driven the country into the ground. look, he interpreted politics as winner takes all. now if you are a winner in

politics, you have a license to loot and they have been looting the country blind. now, at the end, this has to stop. we hope that new prime minister will did a u-turn on this and will start using politics for the reconstruction and mending of iraq -- >> do you know this -- the new prime minister? >> i do. >> you think he is a descent guy? >> well, we give him the benefit of the doubt. >> he's the best hope that we have right at the moment. that's all we have. and but what is clear, wolf, is what policy works and what policy doesn't. what doesn't work is creating enemies. splitting the country into sectarian factions. what works is bringing the country together. that's what we hope the new prime minister will do. >> he may not walk away because of the money he and his cronies have stolen.

>> i think what al-maliki will do in the next few days will be key. and also what iran will do in terms of signaling that they will be dead against his renewal. that would be key. >> because i ran has a huge amount of influence in baghdad right now. >> absolutely. and i this i that not all iranian leaders, but at least some very key leaders in iran have concluded that al-maliki is more of a liability than an asset. >> thanks very much for coming in. >> thank you. >> still ahead, we will have much more on this story coming up. also, please reveal new details of the death of robin williams. williams as a grief-stricken nation mourns his loss. your 16-year-old daughter

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sources telling cnn, the obama administration getting ready to send another is 00 plus additional military advisers to iraq to help deal with the tens of thousands of refugees fleeing isis militant forces. we get a closer look now at the mysterious leader of isis. what are you learning? >> wolf, we've been speaking it u.s. tin tell generals sources about the information they have about a senior intelligence official tells me al-bagdadi is showing they are heirs to osama bin laden. he seemed intent on showing that. clad in a black turban, he appeared in an ornate mosque in mosul. but this was no man of peace.

>> translator: you should take up jihad to please god and fight in his name. >> reporter: this showed the mysterious leader of isis declaring a new cal fate, an islamic state in iraq. >> he didn't just come out to say hello to his followers, he came out to say, i amount new leader of the entire muslim world. >> this from a man who kept such a low profile, he was known as the invisible shaykh. >> this guy used to cuff his face even when meeting with his own people. someone taking extraordinary precautions when it came to his own security. >> al-baghdadi was thought of a

little more than a thug when he was caught about a decade ago. when he was released in iraq he turned to the camp commander with a chilling message. >> he looked over us to. as he left, he said, see you guys in new york. >> now analysts say he leads a group run almost like a corporation. with spread sheets on assassinations and operatives missions. u.s. officials tell us it is unlikely al-baghdadi has hands on in the battlefield. he leads with inspiration, they say. what about a paradox, a figure that shows himself as holy and gentle but leads crucifixions. >> is that what he wants? >> every indication we have is this campaign has signed off from the very top of the org organization has sign-off from al-baghdadi. this is much more extreme than even the leadership of al qaeda. even bin laden himself.

>> analysts say the u.s. airstrikes against isis have likely elevated his stature among jihadists around the world. the fact that the crusaders are attacking them will only get others to rally around him. >> senior u.s. intelligence official tells me it is hard to know exactly where he is. the pourous border between syria and iraq is making it difficult to nail down his whereabouts right now but he is almost certainly moving around. he is in bunkers. he is very weary now of security, especially in light of what is going on. >> he is a target. i'm sure the u.s. would like a drone to fly over where he is. >> they are trying to kill him. >> launch a missile and kill him. i'm sure that's on the agenda if they can find him. >> yes. >> let's dig deeper with cnn counterterrorism analyst, phillip, former cia counter terrorist official, joining us from memphis. also, former cia operative robert berry is joining us from

irvine, california. what sort of military effort, when all is said and done, could destroy isis in iraq. i think they control about a third of the country. >> i think the military effort has to be a lot more sustained than we've seen. obviously over a few days. and i think the breath of targets has to expand. you're talk about weeks or months of engagement. all we are doing is holding off the front lines of isis. while we get civilians out of sinjar and help protect the kurds when they get their feet under them. what we are dealing with long-term is multiyears where they've embedded in iraq, syria and to dislodge them, juproot them, to imbed in towns i think will take a much more extensive effort than we've seen so far. >> you know, right now, they say that president, vice president, secretary of state, the mission is to help those refugees, minorities, yazidis, christians, they are struggling, facing potential genocide. also to protect the americans.

diplomatic personnel, military personnel there on the ground. it is not necessarily, at least they're not saying the u.s. objected as to destroy isis in all of iraq. >> no. we simply don't have the forces on the ground to do that. nor do we have the air assets to get them. you know, a plane flying at 900 miles an hour, over a desert with gur rerrilla forces, the ks are well armed with american arms and ammunition will hold them off. but the united states without actual troops there, i doubt it's going to work. isis is expanding as we speak. and continuing to attack across iraq unpredictably. even rumors that they are trying to move into tripoli, lebanon. this is big group, well-funded, well-organized and fighters that know what they're doing. >> you know, bob, they are not that well armed. they may be courageous fighters but they don't have the ability

to deal with the armored personnel carriers, battle tanks, all of the sophisticated military equipment that the isis militants stole from the iraqi military, all basically u.s. hardware. >> wolf, you're absolutely right. when isis attacked last around sinjar, they came with armored humvees, 14.5 aircraft guns and kurds had six magazines of ammunition, as the kurds tell me. but al-maliki has been starving the kurds, both of oil revenue and weapons. central government wouldn't give them anything. it is a catch-up game now. what you give the kurds and arm them, i spent a couple years with them. watch them overrun three iraqi divisions. they are good foighters, but thy need to be armed. >> they certainly do. so far the administration has been reluctant to provide, they are providing ammunition right

now. but i don't see a major push to air lift major equipment into the kurds right now. one of the reasons i think over the years, the turks have been very nervous about seeing those forces too strong. but let me go back to phillip. how worried are you that nouri al-maliki will use whatever power he has to resist leaving quietly baghdad. >> first, obviously, is the immediate threat of isis up north. but if you look at what al-maliki has done, the fat lady sang and he hasn't figured it out. the sunnis aren't with him. kurds aren't with him. most of the shia cleric is not with him. iranians aren't with him. despite the fact he is head of iraq by election, he is turning out to be an auto considerate. what we have seen with other autocrat, mubarak, khadafi, i'm

afraid he won't want to leave and someone will say, let's shoot him to get out. >> we will see if there can be some peaceful transition. thanks very much. more of the breaking news coming up. president obama now speaking out about the police shooting after black teenager who witnesses say was unarmed. we have new details just released from the medical examiner. plus, new information about the death of robin williams. police are releasing details about his suicide. his fans around the world are mourning. please choose one based oh, no on the cover.n that. here we go... woah! no test rides allowed. i can't show you the inside, but... trust me. are you kidding me? at university of phoenix, we think you should try before you buy. that's why we offer many first time students with limited to no college experience a risk free period.

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you're looking at live pictures of the hollywood walk of fame where fans are leaving flowers and memories of robin williams. today authorities confirm the actor and comedian committed suicide. but while this afternoon's news conference at times went into some very, very gruesome detail, it left important questions still very much unanswered. let's go live to cnn's ted rollins joining us from california with the very latest pf what are we learning, ted? >> reporter: well, the question we don't know, wolf, is why? why did robin williams take his own life? we do know because of a preliminary report, an autopsy was conducted this morning at 8:00 pacific time. we know that robin williams did take his own life, dying of

asphyxiation by hanging. he was last seen by his wife, susan, at 10:30 in the evening. she went to bed in one area thinking he was going to bed a little later. she woke up the next morning and left the house at 10:30 a.m. thinking that robin williams was still asleep. it wasn't until his personal assistant was having trouble getting a hold of him. she got into the room where he was. she found him and called 911. we don't know if there was a suicide note. if investigators do not want it answer that question at this point. they say they are still investigating. they are are waiting on toxicology reports. they expect those to take two to five weeks. bottom line is, though, no other evidence of any other conclusion than robin williams took his own life by hanging himself. >> what a terrible, terrible situation. what a terrible story this is. thanks very much, ted rollins. robin williams was very open about his battles with alcohol,

drugs and depression as we're about to see, he mentioned it in a number of his routines and interviews over the years. >> look at this thing. look, flipper. right now, what are you doing? oh, my god. relax, relax, relax. you're a nice man. you won't hurt me. >> no, no. >> do i perform sometimes in a panic cell? yes. am i manic all the time? no. do i get sad? oh, yeah. does it hit me hard? oh, yeah. >> is there a sadness about these past two years, then? >> yeah, there's a sadness. then you have to go, there's also hope. sadness, it's almost like, yeah, you wish they hadn't happened, but they did. and the purpose is to make you different. >> alcohol is especially dangerous for people like myself, alcoholics. or say ethanol challenges. what ever you want to call it. get drunk, go out to indian

food, wake up in bombay with a camel liking your [ bleep ]. tada! you are an alcoholic. rehab is just the beginning, having went through it. >> you went through it? >> yeah. >> for what were you addicted? >> alcohol. it wasn't problem, everybody had it. but i was a -- >> you were a drunk? >> that's nice of you to say that. >> to talk about it is caused by something. but -- >> of course it is just there. latent. it waits. it lays in wait, for the time when you think, it's fine now. i'm okay. and then, deep. then the next thing you know, it's not okay. not going so well. always good for me to come to vegas after rehab. i love that. >> good time for you. >> good time for me. like columbia. where are you going for detox? colombia. 24-hour alcohol town.

get out of rehab, and like getting out of jenny craig and let's go to work at haagen dazs factory. >> you think you've beaten it. >> oh larry, it's always there. yeah, i kicked it. i'm fine. the idea is that you always have a little bit of fear. like you have to just keep at it. a day by day. >> robin williams in his own words. at a news conference. officials saying robin williams had been seeking help for depression. let's discuss all of this with the psychologist jeff gardeer. thanks for joining us. it sort of stand out to be, in july of this year, just a month ago, he was at a rehab facility in minnesota. obviously trying to get some treatment. then all of a sudden, he goes ahead and hangs himself. explain how this happens. >> well, there are many different reasons why this could have happened. i'm sure we will find out more later. especially as we get results of the toxicology report. it could be quite frankly, that

this was a person who was just plain tired. sick and tired of being ill. of having an addiction. of being sick, physically. he had some physical issues he was experiencing. but we can also look at perhaps side effects of anti-depressents. not compliant. so there are all sorts of issues going on. but this was someone, wolf, who was profoundly sad, profoundly depressed, and even though he was very resilient, and had that manic energy and was so funny, that was a mask for what he was hiding. >> because you would think, jeff, that someone who brought so much joy to the world, everyone who watched him, whether a serious role, in a movie, or stand-up comic, he really gave so many millions of millions of people pleasure. you would think that would make him not so depressed, if you will. >> well, certainly, we gave him a lot of love. but that also enabled him, too.

when we saw billy crystal, and whoopi goldberg sitting with him and he was talking about his addiction, all three of them laughed. and they laugh because it was a joke and they felt it was something they had to do and they felt perhaps he was on top of it. and he was beating it. but in fact, there was something that he was struggling with everyday and when we give him that adulation then it just allows him to mask a lot of that depression that he's experiencing. >> so he was masking that pain with humor. is that what you're saying? >> that's what i'm saying. and trying to work out a lot of his demons as many comedians do. that is their catharsis. that's their coping mechanism. using houm humor. but a lot of comedians, like the laugh factory, they're offered additional psychological care because they convince themselves that if they can step on stage and deliver the routine, dot movie do the television show,

then they're okay. they're on top of it. but as robin said in his own words, he's not on top of it. it is something you have to do every single day. you have to stay on top of that addiction and your depression. >> in 2009, about five years ago, he had open heart surgery. i'm told, and you know a lot more about this than i do, that people who have open heart surgery, they can go through major depression in the aftermath as well. >> that's right. because now they are really slowed down. things change for them tremendously. they are facing their own mortality. there is a period of very deep depression. most of them make it through, but some see this as a call or signal that they aren't the person they once were. imagine robin williams with all of that manic energy to come to the realization that he is a mere mortal. >> yeah, when i saw him perform here in washington, a few years ago, he spent a couple hours

doing stand-up at george washington university. behind him he had bottles of water. he was drinking the water. sweating. he was giving us everything he had. it was such a powerful -- he made us all laugh. we were laughing so hard. but you could see this guy was driven to make us all enjoy what he was doing. >> and who knows, because perhaps he couldn't keep up that energy level any longer. through the heart surgery. through the depression. which is very deep that he was experiencing. that may have been what pushed him over the edge to do something as horrible as this. >> very quickly, jeff. the most important lesson viewers here in the united states and around the world watching us right now should draw from this, this shocking tragedy is -- >> that a lot of people are saying that perhaps he did this and he was selfish. he wasn't selfish. he was in the throws of depression and people have to understand, depression is a mental illness.

it is a brain illness. having a substance abuse problem change is your brain. this person was extremely ill and he made a decision in the middle of an illness. >> jeff, thanks very much. important information for our viewers watching right now. this depression, it's a major, major illness and you have to treat it. you can't just ignore it, despite some of the problems that are out there. thanks, very, very much. the stigma of depression. tonight, by the way, 11:30 eastern on cnn, you can watch or dvr a special edition of cnn spotlight, remembering robin. and as we go to break, robin williams poignant graduation speech from the 1996 movie "jack." >> in the end, none of us have very long on this earth. life is fleeting. and if you're ever distressed,

cast your eyes to the summer sky. and the stars strung across the velvety night and when a shooting star streaks through the blackness turning night into day, make a wish. think of me. make your life spectacular. i know i did. your 16-year-old daughter

studied day and night for her driver's test. secretly inside, you hoped she wouldn't pass. the thought of your baby girl driving around all by herself was... you just weren't ready. but she did pass. 'cause she's your baby girl.

and now you're proud. a bundle of nerves proud. but proud. get a discount when you add a newly-licensed teen to your liberty mutual insurance policy. call to learn about our whole range of life event discounts. newlywed discount. new college graduate and retiree discounts. you could even get a discount when you add a car. call liberty mutual for a free quote today at see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance. breaking news, president obama now calling for calm following several nights of angry, sometimes violent, disturbances in a st. louis

suburb. the trouble started when police shot and killed an unarmed teenager. the president calling the 18-year-old's death heart breaking. our justice correspondent is here in the situation room taking a closer look. what are you finding out? >> tempers continue to flair in missouri even though police were supposed to name the officer who shot and killed michael brown. today they decided not to citing safety concerns. this as new video is making the rounds on social media showing onlookers behind police tape where michael brown bodies lies uncovered. we want to warn you these images are very disturbing video posted on social media showing michael brown's body on the street lying there unattended for some time before being covered. as outrage over the death set off another night of protests. the police chief announced tuesday the department is now delaying releasing the name of the officer who shot 18-year-old michael brown. >> the value of releasing the name is far outweighed by the

risk of harm to the officer and his family. >> the announcement fueling even more tension between police and fired-up resident. now the medical examiner's office is telling cnn brown was shot multiple time. at least one eye witness said the unidentified officer shot and killed brown while he was surrendering. >> he shot again, once my friend felt that shot he turned around and put his hands in the air and started to get down but the officer still approached with his weapon drawn and fired several more shots. >> reporter: police tell a different story saying brown physically assaulted the officer and tried to take his gun. >> it is our understanding in this point in the investigation that within the police car there was a struggle over the officer's weapon. there was at least one shot fired within the car. >> reporter: xa exactly did happen is at the center of local and federal investigations. they're working in tandem with other federal civil rights

investigators to find out if the officers violated the law that states it's a crime for a law enforcement official to willfully deprive a person of his or her protected rights. the first step in the investigation, getting to witnesses as fast as possible. >> they want to get to those witnesses before witnesses hear other stories and then to coalesce the stories that they might tell. >> reporter: a source telling cnn federal officials are coordinating interviews with witnesses for official statements. >> why are you wearing a shirt? >> because my son don't have justice. >> reporter: brown's grieving parents say all they want is a fair and theory thorough invest for their son killed two days before college. >> never did we think we'd be planning a funeral. >> reporter: the department of justice has sent in a group of so-called peacekeepers to reduce tensions. don't expect results from the investigation any time soon. it's a lengthy and painstaking process. >> i'm sure it is.

pamela brown reporting. up next veterans finding hope and healing after the trauma of war. soledad o'brien joins us live. we'll discuss her powerful new special. (vo) friday night has always been all fun and games, here at the harrison household. but one dark, stormy evening... she needed a good meal and a good family. so we gave her purina cat chow complete. it's great because it has the four cornerstones of nutrition. everything a cat needs for the first step to a healthy, happy life. purina cat chow complete. share your rescue story and join us in building better lives. one rescue at a time.

tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern, cnn presents the war comes home, a soledad o'brien report, military veterans struggling with depression and post-traumatic stress. they share some very candid and powerful stories. >> i pulled out my glock 19 out of my locker, sat down at my desk, made sure it was loaded,

stuck it in my mouth, was going to pull the trigger. the next thing that crossed through my mind was my kids, my two sons. at that point i say, i don't want some other -- raising my kids. i put my gun down and i called the v.a. suicide hot line, and that's where i can tell you a 40-minute wait on hold with a glock pistol sitting on my desk. it's funny, isn't it? glock pistol sitting on my desk and i'm on hold? >> soledad joining us from new york. tell us about this documentary. how systemic are some of these problems out there for the military vets coming home. >> the problems are huge. certainly, wolf, you know the statistics. 22 veterans every day will take their own lives. some of those veterans are not necessarily those who served in afghanistan and iraq but the

problem is massive. and ipg many people would say it's also undercounted. that gentleman who was talking is bobby farmer. ten tours of duty. he went through the able warrior program then in cohort number ten he was talking to some of the soldiers. the theory is if you can bring those guys or women in some cases together to talk tore 5 1/2 days to have equine therapy, to have other kinds of therapy, to talk about their problems, to have transcendental classes in how the brain works you may be able to take many of those guys in that particular cohort who are suicidal and show them that there actually is another path. we follow two soldier, two veterans who spend those 5 1/2 days and their lives are literally transformed. >> but these are supposed to be tough guys, they're coming home from a war. the stigma of a mental health problem is enormous, and they have to cope with this. >> you know what i think bobby farmer and guys like bobby

farmer are the role models for if i can tell my story, if i can create a brotherhood for veterans who come home so they're not isolated, so they don't necessarily feel a stigma, so they're not talking to civilians but other veterans who understand what they're going through, that that can be a very important step in saving their lives. disabled warrior itself cost about $1600 per person, the cost is very inexpensive. can you scale it and get basic fund-raising to get more soldiers to good through the program. >> we really have to do a lot more, don't we? >> yeah, really it's just a shame, isn't it? >> these men and women who come back from war, they deserve only the best. we'll watch your special tonight, the war comes home, 9:00 p.m. eastern on cnn. i think all of our viewers should watch it tonight or dvr it if they can. that's it for me.

thanks very much for watching. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room." you can follow me on twitter. @wolfblitzer. @cnnsitroom. the news continues next on cnn. next, new details about actor robin williams' death. his friends and fellow comedians are out front to remember the man who made so many people laugh. the breaking news. more military personnel heading to iraq. chaos and violence reigning in that country. will the u.s. put boots on the ground? and the president weighs in on an unarmed black teenager shot by missouri police. let's go "outfront." good evening. i'm erin burnett. "out front" tonight, police late today revealing the