international conversationn't. e we have had the conversation in the united states. we continue to have it. we need to have it with the coalition. >> that's why the arab league is important. having the saudis involved. having the turks involved. >> a statement from the arab league is easy. stopping the fundi ining by sau arabia is hard. the guy, that was just taken out, the leader in somalia taken out by the obama administration and u.s. military a few days ago was educated in a pakistani madrasa, funded by saudi arabia and given a scholarship without saudi arabia funding that and giving the scholarship he would not have been a threat to the united states or africa where he was. >> want to point out tonight. viewers had the opportunity to actually sort of discuss what they feel about it, to respond in real-time to the president's speech, using microsoft's bing pulse technology. tom forman has a close look at

what the response showed? >> everaoverall people liked th speech. 50%. in gender lines. women in pin pik here. better off than men. in the party, democrats in blue, consistently always above the independents and republicans and importantly the independents tracked very well. with the republicans not with the democrats. this is the high point. where most people, saying, and at that point identifying the problem. take a listen. >> isil is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. and it has no vision other than the slaughter of all who stand in its way. in a region that has known so much bloodshed. these terrorists are unique in their brutality. they execute captured prisoners.

>> the point in all of this. where do the people really dislike it. independents and republicans really not happy here. >> just lost tom forman. smooth transition, huh? >> stuff happens. live television. >> good work. thank you very much. good evening to our viewers in the united states and around the world. a special edition of "cnn tonight" wolf blitzer reporting from washington. following the breaking news. the president lays out his strategy to defeat isis. no combat boots on the ground. but what he calls a relentless campaign including air strikes on targets isis targets in syria not only in iraq. >> i want the american people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in iraq and afghanistan. it will not involve american combat troops fighting on foreign soil. this counterterrorism campaign will be waged through a steady relentless effort to take out isil wherever they exist using

our air power. and our support for partners forces on the ground. >> but has the commander-in-chief made his case to the american people. and to the partner countries around the world. vital to the plan's success. will it work. we are here with cnn's team of experts. let's begin with cnn's jim accost acosta. >> the president has been cautioner in chief, cautious of his word, actions. not the case tonight. he is rolling the foreign policy dice. expanding u.s. military operations in iraq and syria. ordering air strikes in fact in syria. although there is no timetable yet for the air strikes. take a listen to what the president had to say about an hour ago. >> i made it clear. we will hunt down terrorists that threaten our country wherever they are the i will not threaten to take action against isil in syria as well as iraq.

this is a core principle of my presidency. if you threaten america, you will find no safe haven. >> up until tonight the u.s. mission in iraq going after isis has been basically to protect u.s. military personnel and conduct humanitarian missions. that is no longer the case. a senior administration official conference call with reporters earlier this evening, senior administration officials, with the white house, said that now the mission is to go after isis terrorists wherever they are in iraq or in syria. now, part of that involves ramping up the capabilities of iraqi forces on the ground in iraq. so the president is ordering 475 u.s. military service members to go to iraq to begin that mission. that brings the total there, wolf, to 1,600 u.s. military personnel. but we were told on this background conference call with reporters that no u.s. military personnel will go into syria to duplicate that mission there. although they do want to arm, train, equip, the moderate opposition forces in sear yeah.

they're not sending u.s. military personnel on the ground in syria to conduct that part of the operation. one other thing that is important to point out wolf on this conference call. the president talking about a global coalition. saudi arabia, very interestingly will be a big part of that coalition. on that conference call earlier this evening. a senior administration official said saudi arabia will be hosting anti-isis fighter training so that is where a lot of those, syrian rebels will be going for their training. they went be trained by u.s. personnel on the ground in syria. it sund loounds like they will trained in saudi arabia. >> jim acosta at the white house. has the the president made his case? can he count on support from congress? joining us now guests. thank you for joining us. did the president make his case

effectively? >> wolf, i think the president laid out the beginnings of a plan and strategy. i did think what we are missing in this, he didn't speak to our allies. he didn't define the coalition. those are things that i know my constituents with fort campbell, a majormy -- post in my district. something they are hearing and want to know. >> what about that, congressman, schiff? >> this is the opening state, not the closing argument. in the weeks to come, the president will have to set up what the partners are going to have to do. the saudi willingness to host this is very significant. most of what the gulf states are willing to do has been only covert. the fact that they would so openly take on isis this way, maybe quite a significant shift for the saudis. and if we can get everyone on the same page in terms of who they would be behind, that also would be a significant shift. earlier in the conflict.

i think the saudis, qataris, turk thousands, willing to throw money at any one willing to fight assad. that helped create the problem. there may be convergence on who we ought to get behind. >> are you with the president when he says he does not need additional congressional authorization to launch air strikes against isis targets in syria? >> wolf, i would prefer he come to congress. that we give that authorization. i think looking at what he laid out tonight as being the beginnings of his strategy. he talked about following what we have done in somalia and yemen. and where we have seen al qaeda really grow and what is still the strongest of the, al qaeda affiliates, they're in yemen. and they're exporting terrorism. that causes me a little bit of concern. i know it is cause might constituents concern. what we would rather see, see him do is be more aggressive and more forth right and go with

this full force. not go at it halfway. >> to both of you, first to you, congressman bishop, will you volt for t vote for the $500 million the president is using to arm the syrian rebels? >> i have been as you know, skeptical about arming the rebels. both because they have not proven to be a cohesive force. they have not proven to be moderate either. the game changer for me may be the saudi willingness to be the host country and if we can get all of the gulf nations behind the same group of, forces, that may be enough to push me over the edge. but i still think -- in the amount of time it will take to train these forces and the small numbers we are talking about there are likely to be just as many foreign fighters in the country over the next three years, trained up even with $500 million investment. i think we need to be very realistic about any expectations for this force. >> congresswoman will you vote for the $500 million appropriation? >> at this point in time the

president has all of the money that he need. the levels at the -- continuing resolution 2014 level are above what the president's initial request has been. right now he has the the money that he needs. as you talk about additional fund. what we need to look at is the sequester that is affecting the military funding. and work through that process. i don't think this is going to be something that is done quickly. or in haste by congress. i think you are going to see a very thoughtful approach off to this. we have to defeat isis. we have to make certain that we destroy them. and that we push them back. they are where they are in the middle east. i want to know more about the coalition. i want to hear the president speak to our allies and that coalition. >> sound like neither one of you yet ready to vote for that $500 million appropriations request the president is putting forward. we'll see what happens down the

road. marsha blackburn, adam schiff. dana bash from capitol hill, and a cnn military analyst, former commanding general, u.s. army europe, and seventh army, and here in our studios, jake tapper and gloria borger. dana, what's been the reaction so far up on capitol hill? you know, there is a lot of, "i told you so" going on. particularly in the republican ranks. you heard a little there from marsha blackburn. frustration from republicans who are glad that the president has laid out the strategy. who are glad that he wants to finally be more robust in helping the syrian rebels, those, that are, that are left to combat isis. but not very happy in the way that -- the president laid it out. because -- some, some republicans have talked to think that he was -- too effusive in the idea that the threat around the world is as low as it is

now. i think the broader, more important point is the question about whether the president is going to get this authorization that he is seeking. he didn't explicitly talk about what he really wants from congress. what it is, wolf, is not so much about money, $500 million part of it. but the legal authority that he thinks that he absolutely need to carry out this strategy. that is what up until now has been cope vert vert operationsi the open to. have defense operations. to train rebels to combat isis. he need thatch . wants it now in the next two weeks. making calls all day long to try to get that. the question is whether he will before congress leavesen t ein weeks to campaign full time for midterm elections. we don't know. there will be a meeting tomorrow morning. important one, house republicans will discuss it and if they will

give that to him in the near term. >> congress in session for two weeks. then they go out. theresa has to go out and campaign. let me play a clip. an excerpt of what the president said about an hour or so ago. >> the region that has known so much bloodshed these terrorists are uniquen the ein their bruta. execute captured prisoners, they kill children, they enslave, rape, and force women into marriage, they threaten religious minority with genocide, and in acts of barberism took the lives of two american journalists, jim foley, and steven sotloff. the president had a major mission tonight to convince the american public he is on top of it. he had a strategy. and deserves their support the how did he do? >> the american people are there. they're angry and afraid because of the beheading videos that they have seen. and because they have been told

from national security sources here and there that isis does pose a threat, if not right now, to the american people in the homeland, potentially at some time in the near future. so they're already there. so president obama calling for strikes as a, you know, wolf because you and i have covered this in the last few days because of cnn polling. the american people support strikes. they also support president obama's pledge for no combat troops, no u.s. combat troops and the greater involvement of foreign countries. the question is, the details on the strategy that we didn't hear, specifically. what are the allies contributing. who specifically, what specifically. as jay said, that's evolving. >> still a work in progress. >> work in progress, a polite term for it. >> let's take a step back. this is a speech the president never intended to give, didn't want to give, has been ambivalent about what he ought to do. this is a president whose

narrative was killing osama bin laden, ending two wars. what he did to night when he stepped up to the microphone, he essentially said "i am going to get involved in large air strikes over two countries, he said no boots on the ground, but over two countries, in a conflict that could well outlast his administration." that he would be handing it over to the next administration effectively. there is no end point to this. there can't possibly be an end point as anderson pointed out. i think for the president tonight. this was a very difficult speech for him to give. he has inserted us into the middle of a syrian civil war. that is also a very difficult position for, for us to be in. >> let me bring in the general. general, as you know the military when they hear the commander-in-chief give them an order they want clarity, in the

mission, they also want an exit strategy. did the u.s. military, the men and women who will be sent over there, did they get clarity on those points? >> that its a great question, wolf. i was just listening to gloria. the way i listen to the president's speech. i put myself in the position of my friend, general lloyd austin. combat commander central command. i said what is he hearing right now? i think what general austin heard was let me get this straight. you want me to, expanned operations into a country that is having a civil war. where we don't like the leader of the country. we're expanding operations in a country that is still having a religious war and has a little bit of turmoil with their government. you are asking me to train more forces. bring potentially a 40 member co-lalition together. conduct air strikes where i don't hurt innocents. i continue to train people to do this operation. i think general us aten wouausty i have the clarity.

the end state is to defeat and destroy isis. he has been given expansion of his mission. he also has the, constraints. restraints. we continue to focus on this phrase that i, that i abhor, which is this boots on the ground. we have got to get to the mission set what is he being asked to do and how is he expected to do it. when we continue to just focus on the number of individuals he is given as the commander wecht have wecht -- is given as the commander. we have to give him a clear mission. general austin knows what he has to do with conventional trainer, with special operations forces, and with links to not only our own government but the governments of iraq, as well as the co-legislatialition. >> general, want-up you to sta by. the man who left his job, jay carney, senior political commentator. jay, welcome to cnn. let me play a little clip. of the exchange you had in the

last hour with senator john mccain. i want-up to respond. listen to this. i want you to respond. listen to this. >> leindsay graham and i, and je lieberman were in baghdad. they wanted a resejabidual forc. the president never made a statement he wanted a reledgeable force left behind. iraqis were ready to go. chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, that the number cascaded down to 3,500. that was not sufficient to do anything but to defend themselves. you in your role as the spokesperson, bragged about the fact that the last american comb battle troop had left iraq. if we had left a residual force, the situation would not be what it is today, they would not, there would be a lot. >> senator, senator, i can posit with great respect for you that we disagree on that. >> you can't. you can't. you don't have the facts. mr. carney. that's the problem. >> senator, i understand you

present the facts you believe are true based on the arguments that you made. >> not that i believe are true. are true. >> we should leave troops in iraq in perpetuity. >> quite an exchange you had, jay, with senator mccain. go ahead. you were there, you were the was press secretary. make the case why the president decided to remove all u.s. troops from iraq and not leave the residual force. >> wolf, we spoke about this. i spoke about it from the podium. the president made clear he was open to maintaining and pursuing an agreement with the iraqi government to maintain a so-called residual force in iraq of u.s. forces. after the end of the combat mission. you remember that the agreement to withdrawal troops that he was fulfilling was an agreement signed by president bush. but he pursued and was open to maintaining u.s. forces there in a residual force. but only under the condition of a status of forces agreement that would have provided protections to our men and women in uniform that are essential.

the iraqi government refused. and, you know, no amount of saying that he was there and he knew otherwise. makes that any less true when senator mccain says it. another thing. go back to 2008. he talked about maintaining troops. he could imagine. maintaining a u.s. troop presence in iraq for 100 years. there is no question that is not only the wrong strategy. but that that is a strategy and an approach that the american people profoundly rejected. it is one that then senator and president obama completely owe posed. >> because the are ggument they make, mccain lindsay graham, joe lieberman. look at the years after the korean war. the united states has 30,000 u.s. troops in south korea. >> well i think that the comparison of south korea to iraq is -- is a weak analogy at best. again, remember that we, there

was -- absolute chaos and war in iraq when there were tens of thousand, 160,000 u.s. troops in iraq. both in 2004. again, 20007. and the idea that any number of u.s. troops in, in iraq, would -- would solve the iraqi problems that existed in terms of the, the divisions between sunis and shiites. failures of the maliki government, u.s. troop presence was help sag part ing support t divisions between suni and shiaa in iraq. some how the troop presence was sole answer to that ongoing prob lechlt problem. i know senator mccain disagreed with senator obama on these policies. i don't find it look he thikely change his mind. what he is talking about now, senator mccain, what we need how to do, tracks closely with what the president announced tonight. >> just hypothetical. if the, nuri al maliki

government agreed to status of forces agreement giving its troops immune fity from iraqi prosecution would it have made a difference, right now. would the situation in iraq be different. >> it is hard to know. the situation with isis arose out of syria and civil war in and the con flflict there. before migrating to iraq. i don't think the residual force that senator mccain is talking about or ween the oba ein the o administration were talking about would be the size and effectiveness to talk about what isis did when it moved into iraq. hard to know. all die naej dynamics changed. important to remember, the al maliki government that needed to be removed by the iraqi people as it was was a huge obstacle and part of the problem that led to the crisis. >> not only that, but the behavior of the nuri al maliki

government was such that as soon as the isis troops came in and they emerged in the north from syria. they went into the second largest city, mosul in the north. the iraqi military trained by the united states, financed by the united states. armed by the united states. they simply threw down their weapons. and they ran away. they didn't want to have anything to do with that. that's why isis now is in control of mosul and took all that u.s. weaponry, all that money in the banks, in, mosul, turned out to be the disaster that it is right now. so the question, let me repeat it. if the u.s. had 5,000 or 10,000 troops, that would have been left behind would that have made a difference? >> it would have made a difference. a profound difference is hard to know. what it wouldn't have changed necessarily the failures of the maliki government. it wouldn't have been enough. in a residual noncombat capacity

to take a battle to isis. the actions that we are taking now. building a co-lgs egislatio coa. the force as envisioned by all those who were talking about it would have been focussed on further training and supporting iraqi security forces and providing intelligence. they would not have been front line fighting in comb battlkom . >> jay carney, thank you for joining us. >> a lot more to get to, reaction in iraq to the president's strategy, and we'll go live off to the iraqi city of irbil. stay with us. get 4 lines for just a hundred bucks a month. with unlimited talk, text and now up to ten gigabytes of 4g lte data. no overages no contracts we'll even buy you out of yours. so make the switch today.

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>> it's early thursday morning in the middle east. president obama's strategy to defeat isis will play out. our correspondent is joining us live from the iraqi city of erbil in the north. and joining us, jim my guests, traveling with the secretary of state in amman, jordan right now. what's been the reaction so far to what we have heard from the president? >> it's coming up to 5:30 a.m. yet to get official reaction here. from senior official we have spoken to in erbil and baghdad the they would be happy with some parts of president obama's speech. the systematic air strikes. the united states expanding

their air campaign here in iraq. that is welcome news. we have seen the results. and how effective they are. so obviously that is, is welcome news. as is going into syria. taking the fight into syria. that is something the people we have been speaking to in kurdistan have said from the get-go must happen to fight isis. and then thirdly, wolf, these 475 additional u.s. troops that will work as advisers and will assist in the campaign. to coordinate and bring together the kurds and iraqi military forces the to date they have been working separately. what's important to know. what there will be questions over, president obama talking about the new iraqi government as beg an inclusive government. the jury is still out. it is days old. and two key ministries have yet to be filled. the positions of defense and interior. very divisive. very important roles.

so, we know that the kurds they haven't had their demand met. they're saying we will give it three months. after that we can pull out of the government. we have yet to get across that important soony uni reaction. there its the disconnect between lawmakers and tribal leaders. the other concern of course, wolf, is the reliable partners in the region. u.s. secretary of state, john kerry, was here in iraq. obviously, showing his support. but now he is going arun tound region trying to rally support. are they going to be reliable partners, or lip service. have to wait and see. >> i have spoken with a lot of iraqi experts, kurds, and sunnis over the past few days. they're pretty skeptical about the new iraqi government. hope for the best. anna, stand by. jim is with me here in the studio. the president did outline a new strategy. he sooeemed to expand the u.s. military component of it dramatically. >> first of all, air strikes,

not just isis in iraq. not just to pre teotect, americ personn personnel. anywhere isis is, inside iraq and syria. a massive expansion of the air campaign. 475 u.s. troops going there. that brings the total to 1,700 troops on the ground in iraq. training, advise, not going to be in combat role. still 1700 american forces now in a war zone. whatever you want to call it. that's a big change. remember that early on, when the president first announced air strikes in iraq against isis, administration officials constant leap repely repeated h it would be. to protect american personnel to. protect minorities under threat. they repeated that constantly. that is tln ohrown out the wind. isis has no safe haven. the u.s. will go after them. not own from the air. training, equipment. friendly forces on the ground. saudi arabia offering a base to

train and equip them. this is a lot of money. this is u.s. arms. this its as advisers on the gro training them to go take the fight to isis on the ground. you know, this is a big change. we talked about mission creep. when this first started a month ago. this is mission creep. >> sound like it. stand by. traveling with the secretary of state in amman, jordan, ready to head to saudi arabia where you are on this day. how its the president's speech likely to by received by so many of the potential coalition partners? >> well, wolf, in talking to arab diplomats i think they were looking for a bit more specificity than what they got in terms of what the strategy is and huh thow they could help. secretary kerry has a huge shopping list.

he goes and works with geulf leader, meeting king abdull la, turkey, egypt, lebanon, all the countries in the region that feel threat by isis. some of them are going to be obviously contributing to the military campaign. overflight rights as you said, jim mentioned the saudis are offering to train and equip on their soil. but a lot of them will be doing other things, drying up the financing of isis. that's really how they get their cash is not just stealing money but also the oil exports that are coming from turkey. the u.s. is looking for them to turn off the spigot there. looking to stop the flow of foreign fighters from a lot of gulf states. as we have been talking about. kind of demystifying and delegitimizing the ideology of isis and that's particularly where the regional partners i think are going to have an important role. secretary kerry looking for them to use religious clerics, hearing from officials, and arab

satellite networks looking for a concerted campaign for the international community to send the message to sunni arabs isis is the enemy. >> we'll see what saudi arabia does. we know it has a huge air force, f-15s, f-16s, they could be used if the saudis authorize air strikes against isis targets in iraq and syria. that would be a huge, huge development. see what the secretary of state can do in saudi arabia. thank you very much. safe travels to you and the secretary. up next, was the president successful getting his message across. can he keep u.s. troops from getting involved on the ground against isis. expert analysis coming up. ♪ ♪

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>> welcome back. i am wolf blitzer in washington.

let's talk about the effort to build a coalition against isis. joining us, newt gingrich, co-host of "crossfire." our cnn political commentator and the anchor of the saturday morning show on cnn. michael, what did you think? >> i thought he delivered a great set of remarks. i think he has been aided frankly by the god awful beheadings. frankly i don't think he needed all that large of a lift. "the wall street journal" survey, 2/3 of country was on board for this, a third supportive of the notion of ground troops. so there wasn't a very high bar set this evening. i think whatever it was, he met it. >> did the president, newt gingrich, meet the expectations, did he do what you wanted him to do? >> i thought it was a pretty good speech. he has very fundamental questions about using somalia and yemen as examples of

success. he has a challenge in realizing the kind of radicalism is worldwide. but everall -- this was a much better speech than any republican would have expected obama to give. i think it really was a national speech. and i suspect it will be -- responded to positive lly by mo members of congress. >> listening to the speech. i can imagine if this was a speech, a republican president were delivering. let's say jrnlg bugeorge bush. how would liberal democrats reacting to the tough word from commander-in-chief president of the united states. a lot of liberal democrats want to support the president. although they might feel queasy about recommendations he put forward. give me your an am silalysis. >> after the united states comes under attack. liberals and conservatives come together. pearl harbor. 9/11. the beheadings. part of an american pattern for liberals, conservatives to come

together. i am glad that is happening. my concern is that this wouldn't bring us together. it has brought us together. you are now going to start seeing liberals raising concerns. the air strikes in syria. not exciting for liberals. one thing to clear out isis from iraq we have commitments to open a front. you might start seeing concern. another thing that hasn't been talked about today. there is a military part of this. there is also a human part of this. why are these young muslims rushing to this despicable group. we have a billion young people. young people need something to believe in. they need something to do. america should be a beacon for young people. young idealists who want to make their country better, be part of technological revolution. not reaching out to young muslims saying we need you to be part of see if yens aa science .

when you give young people no jobs and nothing to believe in. they go the wrong way. not just the military thing. we need world class leadership to attract a generation of young muslims to our side. >> michael smercomish, the president's strategy with syria and iraq, will be similar the successful strategy the u.s. pursued in yemen and somalia for years. do you agree with the president that the strategy in yemen and somalia has been successful? >> no, i don't think we crossed the threshold in either of the countries. what i heard him say, first word out of his mouth tonight. he said something to the effect of here is what we are going to do with our friend and allies. i thought this was as much a speech senate w speech that was geared to win support to an in the national audience where he was serving notice of a nixonan doctrine. we'll supply funding, know-how, technology, expertise, you need to supply the troops.

reminded me, wolf, he delivered the commencement at west point in the spring. he invoked jfk, and invoked ike, really thinking richard nixon. he would never use the name. similar to what nixon said in the height of the vietnam conflict. i think this was as much a speech about serving notice to the arab world. saying, hey, uae, saudis, turks, you need new be on board. >> quickly, newt gingrich, when the president makes the comparison to somalia, al qaeda, yemen, arabian peninsula. it seems like isis is so much more powerful than al-shabbab and al qaeda in yemen. >> those two countries are failures. the fact that you kill one leader of them, they have off to find leaders. a huge al qaeda yemen group tonight. i cannot. generally i like the speech. i cannot figure out why they had

that in there. if that is really their goal, they're headed toward a disaster. >> of the model he want to pursue. yemen/somalia model. against iraq/syria. >> hold on, guys. newt gingrich. you have to run. van, michael, stay with us. the american public is worried about terror, but wary of war. did president obama make an effective sales pitch tonight. we'll discuss that and more. when we come back. income expers work with equity experts who work with regional experts that's when expertise happens. mfs. because there is no expertise without collaboration. this is holly. her long day of outdoor adventure starts with knee pain. and a choice. take 6 tylenol in a day or just 2 aleve for all day relief. onward!

>> i made it clear we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country wherever they are. that means i will not his the

tea to take a tea -- hesitate to take acttion against isil in syria as well as iraq. this is a core principle of my presidency. if you threaten america, you will find no safe haven. >> strong word from the president. now he has to deliver. let's continue our conversation, david gergen, joining us, senior political analyst, former adviser to presidents nixon, ford, reagan, clinton. van jones, once again still with us, as well as michael smercomish. intriguing to me, david, the way the president phrased the sentence about launchng air strikes against isis targets not only in iraq in syria. when he said, i will not hesitate to take action against isil in syria. why couldn't he say the united states is going to launch air strikes in syria. why does he have to say i will not hesitate that kind of tentative phrasing? >> well i think, wolf, probably he need to get more intelligence where he need to go. need new got his partnerships in

shape. there will not beimmediate air strikes in syria. he certainly opened the dar to thto -- door do that. clear there will be air strikes against isis forces, and target the leaders as he has done in yemen. >> a lot of criticism, michael, that the president, again, again, again, keeps telling isis there will be no u.s. combat boots on the ground no u.s. combat forces. nobody wants to send u.s. combat forces over there. the criticism, why does the president have to keep saying that, what do you think? >> i think he is not saying it for their benefit. he is saying it so he can build support at home for that which he is about to undertake. look, i think he was benefitted to night by the timing of the speech. david would probably know better than i. it's no accident it is the anniversary of the 13th of the 9/11. that with the beheadings gives the president a strong hand. a strong hand that is perhaps

causing some to overlook what is a necessary debate as to whether there is a vital u.s. interest at stake. what he said tonight as he said sunday on sunday morning program. there is no intel that suggests we are directly threat tuned day. but rather our friend and allies are. i think that is a moment worthy of pause and discussion that really hasn't happened yet in our conversation. >> what do you think about that? he makes a fair point, mike cam smercomish, van jones, what do you think? >> i agree. if the's important that we go to congress and debate this through. he should go to the united nations. he says he is going in two weeks. see how that works out. all that stuff is good. there has been so much focus on the military part of this. that is a key element. but, you know there is smart stuff he should be talking about doing. why is this terror group so strong. they have of a ton of money. we should be talking about if you buy oil, oil from these butchers you are on the wrong side of the united states in

this fight and begun to put economic pressure. economic strategy here we haven't talked about tonight. the president didn't talk about it. there is a humanitarian crisis going on for people, syrian refugees are suffering, there is other things besides bombing syria that we should be talking about if we really want to resolve the crisis. the president got off off to a good start. a long discussion in the country before we can have a unified intelligent approach. >> isis doesn't only have money as a result of oil. it has money because it went inn mosul, second largest city in iraq. 2 million people. a lot of banks there, they stood, $500 million or $600 million. making it the richest terrorist organization by far in the world. guys, thank you very much. coming on the eve of the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. president obama plans to take acttion against isis. will the plan work militarily speaking? that's next. i'm type e.

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>> president obama laid out his strategy to defeat isis tonight. will it work? joining us, lieutenant colonel rick francona, a former at shea in syria.

our cnn terrorism analyst is here. a co-author of "agent storm my life inside al qaeda and the cia" and back with us lieutenant general, retired mark hurtling. four points. put it on the screen. air strikes in iraq and syria. arming fighters on the ground. counterterrorism efforts. humanitarian aid. realist like ically is it going take to say "mission accomplished." >> the president included syria and iraq in his planning. many of us were concerned we would see an iraqi piece of this and syria piece of this. i hope we continue to do this as isis, as one group. because they don't recognize that border. and neither should we. that said, and i think general hurtling talked about this in great deal earlier. the syria piece will be the real problem. the iraqi piece will be difficult enough. it's the syria piece a real

problem, because getting people on the ground in there is going to be difficult. finding any body willing to fight isis that we can trust. is going to be very, very difficult. >> what about all of the arab neighbors out there? anybody in that part of the world, general hurtling, reamist realistically ready to send combat boots on the ground to defeat isis? >> i think there will be. certainly, jordanians are going to provide capability. several forces which we shouldn't name that are going to sa p supply special operations forces training with americans in many exercises not only from the middle east but also from europe. i think yes, i thinking that is going to be one of the key efforts. as your bullet points pointed out. those are elements of the strategy. but two things we also need to talk about is the will of the co-legislatialition built to se through. the building of the will of the

american people. to support this. not just today but in the the future. >> i have spoken with counter terrorism experts inside the government. outside the government. they make the point. and various reaction. there is a reaction. the united states tonight. the president declared warren effect on isis. they're going to respond, will they respond with terrorism against u.s. interests in the american homeland. that's in syria. the stronghold. hasn't done what it has done yet. train the western recruits up to 1,000. train them for terrorist attacks in the west. i don't think there is a threat this week. or this month. three to six months. this group could mount a terrorist plot against the west. the united states. really frightening capability. it's got training camps on a scale last seen in taliban. afghanistan. experienced bomb makers that can train the western troops.

a lot of concern, going after isis, dealing with this long term threat you are creating a bigger short term threat. >> how do you deal with that? >> most of the camps are going to be in the syria area. isis is not stupid. we're going to focus on iraq first. syria later. syria presents the bigger problem. paul is right. we have got the short term problem that we have to address. i don't know if we do that with air strikes in syria right away. which doesn't look like it is going to happen. i think the president was quite clear on that. i think a window of opportunity, for isis, to get operation mounted. that's our vulnerability right now. >> it might not happen any time soon. air strikes in syria. f-16 fighters. f-18s or whatever.

a lot of sill vili civilians co killed. precision strikes. that was part of the, the president's language as well. that he said, the way he -- he was planning on having the military attack is when there targets come. the stra stategicing targets. key leaders. all driven by intelligence gathering on the ground. he is not going to go in as we some times used to say, plinking targets. small tactical. it has the to be the big ones when we go into syria. continue to fight in iraq against tactical and operational targets. it is strategic targets that are important. >> guys, thank you very much. we'll take a quick break. more after this. here creates something else as well: jobs all over america. engineering and innovation jobs. advanced safety systems & technology.

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for watching. i will see you tomorrow. 5:00 p.m. eastern in "the situation room." up next reaction to the president's speech. plus major new developments on the ray rice scandal. also the michael brown shooting. our special edition of "cnn tonight" continues right now with don lemon and allison. off awe thank you, wolf. appreciate it. it is 11:00 p.m. >> i'm alisyn camerota. did the president's speech rally the american people and congress? how are the people in the middle east responding? we will bring you all that. >> we will bring you breaking news on the ray rice story. conducting an independent investigation. the ap is reporting that somebody in the nfl's executive office was sent the shocking video back in april. who knew what and when? and is this case --