ill only get more prevalent but not to worry. for those concerned about overexcited little button pushers in the house, amazon limits customers to one order at a time. of course industry insiders say there's a down side to amazon dash besides finger cramps. they worry consumers will be less likely to seek out new or even better brands. that's it for "the lead." i'm jake tapper. turning you over to wolf blitzer in "the situation room" right now. happening now, pushback. iraq says isis has been driven out of the key city. is this bloody battle a u.s. victory or is iran gaining greater influence? a cnn correspondent takes us into the city of tikrit. nuclear overtime. the u.s. and iran work through the night trying to reach a nuclear deal. can progress set off a middle east race for the bomb? and dangerous search. new video shows pieces of the flight flight 9525 on the slopes of the alps as angry

families say not enough is being done. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." we are following two major stories tonight. investigators make a new discovery in the crash of flight 9525 as extraordinary new images reveal just what the recovery teams are facing in the crash site in the french alps. the closest look we have gotten so far shows crews struggling to move large pieces of wreckage and perch precariously on the mountainside. the other big story, iraq. it's now declaring a major victory over isis saying it's driven the terror group out of the strategically important city of tikrit. isis captured the city last june amid reports of horrific massacres. while isis left behind snipers and traps and explosions can still be heard. the iraqi prime minister today visited tikrit to put the exclamation point on its

liberation. the battle took a month. government troops were aided by iranian backed shiite militias and u.s. air strikes and now if religious tensions don't tear the iraqi forces apart, tikrit may be the jumping-off point for the next iraqi military offensive. i'll speak live this hour with senator tom cotton of the intelligence and armed services committee. he's standing by. also our correspondents and analysts they're standing by with full coverage. we'll take you inside tikrit in just a few moments. but let's begin with our pentagon correspondent barbara starr. she has the very latest. >> reporter: wolf when iraqi prime minister abadi showed up in tikrit today, it was a message to the world he was trying to send that iraqi forces have their victory, that they have entered tikrit and driven isis out. but many people here at the pentagon say not so fast. clearly, there are several hundred isis fighters still scattered throughout the city. the iraqis still working to

clear the city of them and a lot of questions, because the iraqis not able really to do this all on their own. in the last weeks, the u.s. started air strikes that pounded those isis targets that were very well dug in. isis defenses were very strong in the city. they were able to push them back and of course the iraqis had considerable help from those iranian backed shia militias. right now a victory for the iraqi forces but it is just the beginning of what they are going to have to deal with if they hope to hold on to this city and move ahead. wolf? >> lots of complications there. barbara, why is this victory in tikrit so important in the overall war against isis? >> reporter: well tikrit literally is on that highway to mosul. the city in the north that is the big prize, the u.s. wants the iraqis to get their fighting force in shape to move north and take mosul, the second largest city in iraq that isis has held on to for some time. both tikrit and mosul, though

very problematic. you have to be able to hold on to the city. you have to provide security. you have to provide services to the people there. you have to drive isis out long enough and far enough away that you can really credibly say you have taken control of that city. there's a long way to go in tikrit and mosul, it could be months before iraqi forces get there. >> barbara, thanks very much. barbara starr at the pentagon. isis may have pulled most of its fighters out of tikrit but it's still a very very dangerous place. our senior international correspondent arwa damon made it into the city with shots still being fired and explosions still echoing. >> reporter: this is the main road leading through tikrit. this is the center of the city. that building we were told had a suicide bomber and a sniper on the roof. there are still various gun shots that you do hear pockets of resistance still exist. that the governor's compound.

when the iraqi forces went inside one of the majors was telling us it was boobytrapped. the stairway had explosives in it and when one of their officers stepped, it detonated. two officers were killed another three soldiers wounded inside there. if we swing around a bit more you still see smoke rising and you see plumes of smoke throughout the entire city. there were widespread concerns that when this force came through tikrit a sunni area it would be carrying out acts of revenge, retaliation, but that smoke we are being told is not because homes were deliberately burnt. we have not been down there to see it. but because, and you hear explosions there in the distance because they are trying to defuse all of these ieds. it's not just ieds that have been placed in the streets. it's ieds, boobytrapped buildings. there have been a few occasions when the force moving into a building has opened the door and the entire building has exploded and collapsed on top of them. now, the iraqi government is saying that it has won in

tikrit. it is declaring victory at this stage. but what is just as important perhaps as the military aspect of this even though there are still pockets of isis resistance is going to be what happens next. this is a very sensitive situation. everyone very concerned about the potential for sectarian tensions to re-emerge here and so the iraqi federal police units that we're with are trying their best they say, to clear it out, secure it so that the families can return eventually but the city that they're returning to is nothing like the one that they left. arwa damon, cnn, tikrit iraq. >> after a deadline came and went diplomats gave it another day to reach a framework deal on iran's nuclear program. now that day has also gone and some partners in the talks, they have actually gone home. the united states and iran they are still talking but the u.s. is warning it too will walk away if necessary. while there's talk of progress

the finger pointing has already escalated. our chief national security correspondent jim sciutto is tracking all of this for us. jim, is the deal dead or alive? >> reporter: we have just learned the french foreign minister is on his way home he left yesterday, possibly a sign of progress that they are moving towards some sort of agreement but it's not the first time we have seen ministers come and go and then come again. but as you say, there is also a testier back and forth now between the two sides. each side blaming the other for the obstacles in the talks. listen to how the white house and iranian foreign minister traded comments today. >> this is a unique opportunity that will not be repeated and they need to take advantage of this opportunity. >> if we are in a situation where we sense that the talks have stalled, then yes the united states and the international community is prepared to walk away. >> reporter: this could be last minute posturing, it could be a sign of real trouble in the talks but keep this in mind as well. the best that can be expected to

come out of luzon this week whether tonight or tomorrow or in the coming days is not really anything signed on paper but a general statement of goals going forward. apparently the iranian side doesn't want to sign anything. they are firmly focused on that june 30th deadline. you know this early deadline was originally intended by the west to be a sign of iran's seriousness about these negotiations that they are willing to make the big concessions. that question's still open based on what we are seeing now. >> certainly is. jim sciutto, thanks very much. let's get some analysis of what's going on. republican senator tom cotton of arkansas is joining us. he serves on both the intelligence and armed services committee. before that he served in the u.s. military in both iraq and afghanistan. he was a u.s. army officer, also went into the army after graduating from harvard law school. thanks very much, senator, for joining us. let's say you were in charge of these negotiations with javad zarif, the iranian foreign minister knowing what you know. what would you say to him today? >> i wouldn't say anything to him today because i would have

left yesterday at the deadline. i wouldn't have started these negotiations to begin with not on the terms we started them in 2013 sanctions had driven iran down to its knees. i voted in the house of representatives 18 months ago to impose new sanctions on iran with 400 other members of the congress. so we could negotiate from a position of strength not of weakness. >> isn't it better to have a negotiated peaceful diplomatic deal that eliminates iran's potential for having a nuclear bomb than doing it militarily launching air strikes, for example, trying to destroy their nuclear facilities? >> yes. of course, wolf. i like most americans support a negotiated deal. but the key word that you said there was eliminated. we have to stop iran from getting a nuclear weapon not just today and tomorrow but 10 and 15 years from now as well. remember it only took north korea 12 years in from the time we reached the agreed framework to the time they detonated their first nuclear weapon in 2006. i don't want the world to live with those consequences in 10 or 15 years because we reached a bad deal today, negotiating from a position of weakness.

>> let's say the sek starecretary of state, the other members of the u.n. security council announce tomorrow a framework agreement but they also say we have to finish the details by the end of june. that's when the deadline is june 30th. and they say don't impose additional sanctions during this interim period. what will be your reaction? >> well any kind of agreement based on the reports we have seen out of switzerland is going to kick the can down the road on all the major details. unfortunately, the administration's already made very dangerous concessions. if you look just in the last week what they have conceded iran had agreed to ship all of its uranium outside of the country to russia so that wouldn't be a risk. they reneged on that agreement. secondly we are apparently willing to allow iran to continue to enrich uranium in underground fortified military bunker. they have no reason to do so. the president has said so himself. there's no reason that we should be continuing to grant these concessions and kicking the can down the road on these technical details. >> it's important to hear what the details are. we don't know all the details

yet. say they announce a framework detail agreement tomorrow but say the remaining technical details still have to be worked out. what are you going to do because i know a lot of your colleagues are already saying they want to move forward with additional sanctions during this interim period. the administration the obama administration says that could kill a deal. >> well what i have supported in the united states senate and what many democrats as well as republicans have supported is future perspective sanctions. not immediate sanctions but sanctions that would go into effect if iran walked away from the table. i also supported legislation that would require congressional review period so congress has a chance to weigh in as the american people a clear majority of the american people think they should. but i'm not sure they are going to get to anything that's worth calling an agreement right now and deadline vss have to mean something. you have to show that you're serious and willing to walk away from the table and then come back in a position of strength not a position of weakness. >> they say the real deadline is june 30th. this end of march deadline was self-imposed by the u.s. that's why they are going another day or two or three,

whatever it takes. i just want to be precise on this. what you are saying is in april or may or june before the final deadline you are willing to go ahead and impose new sanctions but they would only be implemented after, if there's a failure, say, by june 30th you wouldn't begin implementing them over the next -- >> that's what the legislation that i voted for in the banking committee and my republican senate colleague from illinois proposed. sanctions take effect in early july if there's not a deal by june 30th. i don't think we should have gone down this path to begin with. we should have imposed new sanctions in 2013 and maintained the strength of our negotiating position which is what brought iran to the table in the first place. but we certainly should not be continuing to kick the can down the road and letting iran get nuclear weapons in slow motion as opposed to all at once. >> a lot of our viewers remember you organized that letter you and 46 of your republican colleagues wrote a letter to the iranian leadership explaining your understanding of what this deal might mean. did you ever get a response from iran to that letter? >> well javad zarif, the

foreign minister negotiated with them responded promptly and in public saying that international law would trump the united states constitution which just goes to show we needed to make the statement to iran's leaders in the first place. they don't understand our constitutional system of government. they don't appreciate that while the president negotiates congress has to approve any final deal. their response indicated that we needed to communicate to them directly in the first place and that they needed to get the message straight from us because they are not getting it in switzerland. >> but no one wrote you back dear senator cotton i understand we received you got no response? >> in the same way -- >> who was your letter specifically addressed to? >> it was an open letter to the leaders of iran. >> wasn't addressed to the ayatollah? >> no, sir. it was released publicly. he made a statement publicly that demonstrated the need for our letter in the first place. >> you didn't get an actual response in writing? >> no postmark. >> we have a lot more to talk about, including what's going on in iraq right now. much more coming up.

big day? ah, the usual. moved some new cars. hauled a bunch of steel. kept the supermarket shelves stocked. made sure everyone got their latest gadgets. what's up for the next shift?

ah, nothing much. just keeping the lights on. (laugh) nice. doing the big things that move an economy. see you tomorrow, mac. see you tomorrow, sam. just another day at norfolk southern. hey, girl. is it crazy that your soccer trophy is talking to you right now? it kinda is. it's as crazy as you not rolling over your old 401k. cue the horns... just harness the confidence it took you to win me and call td ameritrade's rollover consultants. they'll help with the hassle by guiding you through the whole process step by step. and they'll even call your old provider. it's easy. even she could do it. whatever, janet. for all the confidence you need td ameritrade. you got this. your eyes depend on a unique set of

nutrients. that's why there's ocuvite. ocuvite helps replenish key eye nutrients. ocuvite has a unique formula that's just not found in any leading multivitamin. help protect your eye health with ocuvite. which car company is the first and only to offer built-in 4g lte wi-fi in cars, trucks and crossovers? ranking from top to bottom. i'm gonna say mercedes is the innovator. bmw just because they're pricey. the final answer? wow! [cheers] chevy. this model has the wi-fi in it? yes. that's the dream to have wi-fi in the car. get cash back for 15% of the msrp on select 2015 models. that's over $4,000 on the chevy equinox. find new roads at your local chevy dealer.

i have great credit. how do you know? duh. try credit karma. it's free and you can see what your score is right now . i just got my free credit score! credit karma. really free. boy: once upon a time, there was a nice house that lived with a family. one day, it started to rain and rain. water got inside and ruined everybody's everythings. the house thought she let the family down.

but the family just didn't think a flood could ever happen. the reality is floods do happen. protect what matters. get flood insurance. call the number on your screen to learn more. we're back with the republican senator tom cotton of arkansas who serves on both the intelligence and armed services committees. josh earnest, the white house press secretary today, said the military option against iran and its nuclear programs he says that option is sitting on the table. his words, sitting on the table, if there's no deal and the u.s. concludes that iran is moving forward and developing a nuclear bomb. do you support a preemptive

strike to simply destroy iran's nuclear capabilities? >> i would like to see a negotiated outcome that stops iran on all paths to getting a nuclear bomb. >> is that conceivable, you think? >> i think it would be conceivable if we would negotiate from a position of strength. unfortunately, i don't think iran or many of our adversaries in the region take that threat of force very seriously. i have spoken personally with ambassadors from the region who just say it's not believed anymore, particularly after the president walked back his so-called red line in syria after bashar al assad used chemical weapons. what we need to do is reinvigorate the threat of use of force to drive our diplomacy. diplomacy is always stronger when backed by credible threat of use of force. >> you don't believe the iranians take the president's, josh earnest, ash carter the defense secretary, said yesterday the military option potentially is on the table. you don't think they take that seriously? >> actions have consequences. the president drew a red line in syria, then erased it. so no i don't think iran or most other countries in the region believe the united states

is willing to take military action to stop iran from getting a nuclear weapon. that's one reason why we are negotiating from a position of weakness. >> you think they take an israeli threat seriously? >> i think they take it more seriously than they take the u.s. threat. that's also why it's so dangerous to show any daylight with the government of israel. the u.s./israel alliance is a core part of our strategic position in the middle east. to the extent that we are undermining prime minister netanyahu as he forms a new government and tries to address their security concerns we are further weakening our negotiating position. >> because we all know the israelis destroyed an iraqi nuclear reactor, a syrian nuclear reactor. do they have the capability militarily the u.s. probably does they have huge bombs, but do the israeli air force, israeli military, have that capability? >> wolf that's a question for the israelis. obviously the united states military can destroy any of iran's nuclear infrastructure. i will simply quote something that a former israeli defense force general said to me when i asked him this question many months ago.

it can be done. >> how worried are you that if these negotiations fail and iran moves forward with its nuclear capability other countries in the region like saudi arabia for example, may say you know what, we need a nuclear bomb as well? >> it's very worrisome. let's take stock of what would happen if iran got a nuclear weapon. they are already the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, they are already supporting bashar al assad in syria and the houthi militant group in yemen. they do that without a nuclear weapon. and without tens of billions of dollars in access to hard cash. imagine what they would do if they got a nuclear weapon. second, they might use it. they continually threaten to eliminate israel. third, countries like saudi arabia probably would feel compelled to develop a commensurate nuclear infrastructure to counteract their enemies and fourth throughout the region governments that might be pursuing nuclear weapons have been shown over the last four years to not always be the most stable government. that means a nuclear material would fall in the hands of sunni terrorist groups like the islamic state or al qaeda. we would be ringing the most volatile region in the world with nuclear trip wires if we

let iran get nuclear weapons capabilities. >> if the president of the united states assures the american people assures friends in the region whether the israelis or arabs, the saudis and others the united states will not allow iran to have a nuclear bomb and all options are on the table, that means they won't have a nuclear bomb right? that the u.s. would take military action and destroy that capability before they develop a nuclear bomb, right? >> well unfortunately, wolf the president's assurances don't reassure many people in the middle east right now. he reassured the world he wouldn't allow bashar al assad these chemical weapons with impugnity and walked back that promise. right now those assurances do not reassure saudi arabia or for that matter many of the other sunni countries. look what's happening in yemen. last week at the armed services committee, commanders in the region testified that saudi arabia only gave the united states government a few hours' notice before they began air strikes against yemen. that's inconceivable with presidents of both parties throughout the cold war period and the post cold war period

because they knew they could count on american security guarantees. >> you served in iraq. you were in baghdad. you were a u.s. military officer there. when you see what's going on in tikrit for example, right now, you heard our report arwa damon is there, iraqi military has gone in they got extensive backing from iranian supported shiite militias and from the u.s. air power, if you will. you see what's going on. your reaction? >> i see what happens throughout iraq is just heartbreaking because as you say, thousands of americans died many thousands more were wounded or maimed fighting to protect our national security interests in iraq. the islamic state rose to power in part because we made a decision to withdraw our troops in 2011 but also a continuing factor in iraq is iran's influence. you mentioned iranian backed shiite militias are fighting in tikrit. they were led by the commander of the qods force. that's the rough equivalent of iran's special operations forces and their cia. a man who has the blood of hundreds of american soldiers on his hands. i would note that he and those

iranian backed militias weren't able to take tikrit. the commanders in iraq and the middle east when they testified before the armed services committee last week assured us that iranian backed shiite militias had pulled out of tikrit and it was led by the operation that we supported with air strikes -- >> you have any confidence in the iraqi military at all right now? as you know mosul, the second largest city in iraq a city of nearly two million people when these isis guys came in they just ran away left their u.s. equipment behind and abandoned their posts. >> i do have confidence in the iraqi army but they need the support of americans. that's why i think the question -- >> you don't want u.s. ground troops there. >> the question about u.s. ground troops is largely overtaken by events. we have thousands of americans on the ground right now. we may need to put soldiers in with different skill sets maybe special operations forces or joint forward air controllers to make our air strikes more effective but we already have thousands of troops -- >> 3,000. >> yeah. on the ground. >> they are supposedly advisors and trainers intelligence. they are not really combat ground troops. >> well there's a large, long

range between having zero troops in a country and having 150,000 troops in a country as we did at the height of the surge. the president when he talks about no boots on the ground first off, i think it minimizes the sacrifice that those 3,000 roughly troops are already performing in iraq but also it's setting up what he always likes to call a false choice. you have to have nothing or 150,000 troops and heavy mechanized vehicles. there is lots of range of options that our military can provide the commander in chief to execute that policy. but the point i would say about tikrit is it was largely an iraqi army operation if you listen to what our commanders in the region testified to the armed services committee last week supported by american forces. but iran continues to be the worst threat we face in the region in part because of their drive for regional dominance. >> before i let you go i have to get your quick reaction to what's going on in your home state of arkansas. very different subject. the governor asa hutchinson decided he wasn't going to sign into law this religious freedom bill in part based on what's going on in indiana right now.

your reaction? >> well wolf in arkansas we believe in religious freedom. that's one reason why -- >> everybody believes in religious freedom. the question is the discrimination potential discrimination against gay americans. >> the religious freedom restoration act was signed by former arkansas governor bill clinton in his first year in office. these laws are modeled on that. a lot of the concerns about discrimination haven't been brought -- borne to bear over the last 20 years. i also think it's important we have a sense of perspective about our priorities. in iran they hang you for the crime of being gay. they are currently imprisoning an american preacher for spreading the gospel of jesus christ in iran. we should focus on the most important priorities our country faces right now. i would say a nuclear armed iran given the threat that it poses to the region and to our interests in the region and american citizens is the most important thing that we would be focused on. >> did governor hutchinson do the right thing? >> i think he and the slegt legislature is trying to strike the right balance from protecting individuals from discrimination in say a restaurant but again, those kind

of concerns have not been borne out over the last 20 years we have had the federal religious freedom act. at the same time it's a legitimate question to ask whether a woman who teaches piano and on her free time makes extra money by playing piano at weddings if she strongly believes that gay marriage is not consistent with her personal conscious beliefs should be compelled by law to perform at a gay marriage. i think that's a reasonable question to ask. i don't think that we should call that woman bigoted or hateful or that we should impose criminal or civil fines on her. >> you certainly don't want in your home state of arkansas a boycott, economic punishment if you will similar to what's going on in indiana right now. i assume that's why the governor decided to back off today. >> of course not. i would say anybody who thinks that these laws are empowering that kind of discrimination are either misinformed or misrepresenting the facts. that simply hasn't been the case in the 22 years since bill clinton signed the religious freedom restoration act. >> senator, we will leave on it that note. senator tom cotton republican of arkansas. appreciate it very much. >> thank you. coming up an isis recruiting magazine now claiming

that at some point, the west will have to consider calling a truce. is that just isis propaganda? could it be a white flag from isis? it's happening. today, more and more people with type 2 diabetes are learning about long-acting levemir® an injectable insulin that can give you blood sugar control for up to 24 hours. and levemir® helps lower your a1c. levemir® comes in flextouch® the only prefilled insulin pen with no push-button extension.

levemir® lasts 42 days without refrigeration. that's 50% longer than lantus® which lasts 28 days. today i'm asking about levemir® flextouch®. levemir® is a long-acting insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes and is not recommended to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. do not use levemir® if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. the most common side effect is low blood sugar, which may cause symptoms such as sweating, shakiness, confusion and headache. severe low blood sugar can be serious and life-threatening. ask your doctor about alcohol use, operating machinery, or driving. other possible side effects include injection site reactions. tell your doctor about all medicines you take and all of your medical conditions. check your blood sugar levels. your insulin dose should not be changed without asking your doctor. get medical help right away if you have trouble breathing swelling of your face, tongue or throat sweating, extreme drowsiness dizziness, or confusion. today's the day to ask your doctor

about levemir® flextouch®. covered by nearly all health insurance and medicare plans. ♪ ♪ live a full life. the lexus ct hybrid

with an epa estimated 42 mpg. the further you go the more interesting it gets. this is the pursuit of perfection.

let's get back to our top story. iraqi forces declare a victory over isis recapturing the city of tikrit which fell to the terror group last year. but in the latest edition of its online so-called magazine isis vows to continue its spread through the middle east and africa and beyond. our counter terrorism analyst phil mudd is with us in "the situation room." he's a former cia counter terrorism official. walk us through some of the

fertile ground i know you have a map here that you can show us where isis is beginning to penetrate and get some -- gain some strength. >> contrast this with al qaeda. look how quickly just in the course of a year or so isis has spread. let's start with the heartland here. you are talking about the headquarters of isis up here in syria and iraq. you keep going geographically you look at a place like yemen in the south, heartland also for al qaeda a place you would expect isis to expand to. also geographically you are looking at sinai peninsula but then you start moving. geographically you are going into libya where we saw the attempt on the hotel, murder of a few people a few months ago. keep going into africa. tunisia, where we saw the attack relatively recently just a few weeks ago and further algeria, a place where we had a civil war back in the '90s, also a lot of foreign fighters going into iraq. finally we have isis talking about moving further afield in addition over here into nigeria and west africa generally. again, a contrast to years when

al qaeda had to spend time building this kind of network, isis is kick oging on an open door places where al qaeda already had success and people are saying new game in town let's join the new group. >> how does this compare to classic al qaeda various factions? >> i know they look fundamentally different and through my eyes, they are really a different ball game here. they look different because you had al qaeda very slowly saying who represents the brand well. we are not going to allow you to join. sometimes after years of negotiation, until we can affirm that your leadership thinks as we do. opposite for isis. very different. isis saying look as long as you're close to believing what we think, you are welcome to join. they have sacrificed if you will quality for speed. something al qaeda would not have done. >> groups like boko haram, they are claiming allegiance now to isis and that could be a pattern down the road right? >> it's a pattern, i think it's a risky pattern for isis. short term it's a great gain.

that spread would have taken years for al qaeda to accomplish. the flipside of this is groups like boko haram, you remember abducting hundreds of girls. the risk is they are going to do things that violate not only some of the views of local people they want to recruit, but they are also going to violate some of the fundamentals of what isis wants to accomplish. so again, they are going to get groups like boko haram to sign up very quickly, but these groups might alienate the local population over time and in effect undercut isis. >> stand by, because we have much more to talk about. i also want to bring in retired lieutenant general mark hertling our cnn military analyst and "washington post" columnist david ignatious. guys, stand by for a moment. much more after this. big day? ah, the usual. moved some new cars. hauled a bunch of steel.

kept the supermarket shelves stocked. made sure everyone got their latest gadgets. what's up for the next shift? ah, nothing much. just keeping the lights on. (laugh) nice. doing the big things that move an economy. see you tomorrow, mac. see you tomorrow, sam. just another day at norfolk southern. let's take a look at your credit. >>i know i have a 786 fico score, thanks to all the tools and help on experian.com. so how are we going to sweeten this deal? floor mats... clear coats... >>you're getting warmer... leather seats... >>and this... my wife bought me that. get your credit swagger on. become a member of experian credit tracker and find out your fico score powered by experian. fico scores are used in 90% of credit decisions.

and then i saw him slowly coming down the aisle. one of those guys who just can't stop talking. i was downloading a movie. i was trying to download a movie. i have verizon. i don't. i get that little spinning wheel. download didn't finish. i finished the download. headphones on. and i'm safe. i didn't finish in time. so. many. stories. vo: join us and save without settling. verizon. ♪ music plays love you by the free design ♪ ♪ attendant: welcome back. man: thank you. it's not home. but with every well considered detail . . . it becomes one step closer.

no wonder more people. . . choose delta than any other airline.

when it comes to good nutrition...i'm no expert. that would be my daughter -- hi dad. she's a dietitian. and back when i wasn't eating right, she got me drinking boost. it's got a great taste and it helps give me the nutrition i was missing. helping me stay more like me. [ female announcer ] boost complete nutritional drink has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. all with a delicious taste. grandpa! [ female announcer ] stay strong, stay active with boost. [ male announcer ] how do you make cancer a thing of the past? well...you use the past. huntsman cancer institute

has combined 300 years of family histories with health records to discover inherited genes for melanoma, breast colon and ovarian cancers. so we can predict and treat cancer. and sometimes even prevent it from happening in the first place. to learn more or support the cause go to huntsmancancer.org. we are back with our middle east and terrorist experts. is the fight over tikrit in iraq over? >> it doesn't look to be over yet. the iraqi government hoisted the flag and the prime minister announced that tikrit had been taken, but it still appears doubtful. isis is dug in. part of the problem is that apparently the city is so boobytrapped that advancing forces have to be very careful as they enter parts of it but clearly, most of the isis fighters have fled. >> general hertling the secretary of state john kerry,

he told katie couric in a yahoo!.com interview he would be open to coordinating with iran in this war against isis in iraq. you believe that coordination should go forward? is it necessary? >> wolf as a military guy, i'm saying that's a political decision. what i will tell you from a military perspective, there are going to be a lot of commanders that are going to have difficulty cooperating with iran. now, coordinating is a different story. we have seen that over this last week where there was some coordination with the iraqi government to pull iranian forces out but directly with iran probably not any time soon in my view. >> phil mudd today nine british nationals including women and children they were prevented from crossing from turkey into syria to join forces with isis but presumably a lot of others are successfully crossing that border right? >> you've got to believe that isis not only has its own people in places like turkey but they have coopted border guards in jordan and turkey i'm sure of

it. for the ones we see, what are you guessing 10%, 20% more 50% more 100% more that are getting across. there's got to be hundreds, maybe thousands we don't see. >> david ignatius the isis recruitment magazine propaganda magazine features an article written by the british hostage presumably under great duress. the article calls for an end to the western strikes saying at some stage, i'm quoting now, at some stage you are going to have to face the islamic state as a country and even consider a truce. is this just propaganda? is it a white flag? what's your assessment? >> it is propaganda. everything that appears in their magazine is that. i think even mentioning an eventual truce is not a white flag but it's holding out that idea that at some point, they are prepared to negotiate. right now, that sounds like an impossibility to the u.s. and the u.s. coalition. you know the terms for a truce

we made clear in the case of the taliban, you have to renounce violence you have to renounce terrorist attacks. if they began to make statements like that that would be a sign that they really are on the run and are interested in some kind of negotiation. whether the u.s. would do that hard to say at this point. >> general hertling the saudi ambassador to the united states last week told me that saudi arabia would take in his words whatever measures are necessary in order to protect its security. does that mean that saudi arabia if it doesn't like the deal that the u.s. and the others are trying to achieve with iran saudi arabia might go forward and develop its own nuclear bomb? >> i don't know about that wolf. but i do know that the government in saudi arabia is a little bit offended about what has occurred recently in terms of our negotiation with iran. that's certainly obvious to everyone. so i think a lot of this is bluster. currently, what they're talking about is just the security to their south in yemen and they

have asked to become involved in other places and have been rebuffed in that regard. so i just think a lot of this is posturing on the part of the saudi arabians but they are a little upset with the united states to be sure. >> let me wrap it up with david ignatius. the saudis are as worried if not more so than the israelis about this nuclear deal right? >> they are very much worried about the nuclear deal and the expansionist iran. what they have done in yemen, using saudi military force to push back what they see as an iranian proxy force, is very significant. what it says is that the saudis are prepared to act without the united states directly supporting them to defend their security. that's a big move in the middle east. >> all right, guys, thanks very much. i appreciate it very much. up next we are getting word of a new discovery by investigators looking into the crash of germanwings flight 9525. stay with us. we have the closest look yet at the actual crash site.

♪ ♪ (ee-e-e-oh-mum-oh-weh) (hush my darling...) (don't fear my darling...) (the lion sleeps tonight.) (hush my darling...) man snoring (don't fear my darling...) (the lion sleeps tonight.) woman snoring take the roar out of snore. yet another innovation only at a sleep number store.

getting new information about the deadly crash of germanwings flight 9525. we are also getting our closest look yet at the crash site. let's go to our justice reporter pamela brown, joining us from germany with more. what's the latest there, pamela? >> reporter: well a source close to this investigation says investigators here in dusseldorf have made a new discovery in that investigation very recently. however, they are not sharing publicly yet what that new finding is. meantime in france investigators there are still

searching for that flight data recorder. enger remains and personal belongings in the french alps. sorting through the wreckage is a daunting task amidst the debris. the teams lifted this broken piece of fuselage. for the first time lufthansa ceo visited. he added a wreath at a stone memorial. >> we are learning more every day about the cause of the accident. but i think it will take a long long time for everybody, all of us to understand how this could happen. there's in questions and answers. >> reporter: he refused to answer questions about the co-pilot lubitz who is accused of crashing the plane, killing all 150 people on board.

>> translator: he was 100% fit to fly without restrictions. >> reporter: initially, lufthansa insisted it was unaware of any medical issues associated with lubitz. but the airline dropped a bombshell tuesday, revealing the 27-year-old, in fact himself reported five years ago that he had suffered an episode of severe depression. lufthansa says it put him in the cockpit after putting lubitz through psychological testing. jim phillips of the german pilots union says germany has a strong support system for pilots. >> our pilots don't fall through the cracks and are unemployed and have no money if they get sick. their goal is, one, to keep everybody safe no question. but, two, to keep the pilot flying. >> reporter: the question remains tonight how lubitz could have fallen through the cracks. authorities say a primary motive in their investigation centers around a fear by lubitz that his

medical issues would cost him his job as a pilot. tonight, that source close to the investigation tells us that investigators have been pouring through his electronics, his computer files. they say the only relevant findings is information about his 2009 depression episode. as i mentioned, investigators have come across a new finding. the hope is that it could explain a motive. wolf? >> thank you. joining us in "the situation room," miles o'brien, a private pilot, and tom fuentes, a former assistant director of the fbi. miles, we heard the editor of "bild" say that he has seen the video purporting to show the final seconds of the plane's flight. we heard from french authorities who say they don't know about this video and if anyone has it they would certainly be grateful this they were to share it with them. what do you believe is going on here? do you think there is such video that it's authentic?

>> well i think it's a little unusual that we haven't seen it if "bild" and others did, in fact get this scoop, you would think they would -- and presumably because they're known to pay for stories, they would have been able to deliver the goods. so i'm slightly skep lyly lyly skeptical because we haven't seen anything. i know there's a tremendous amount of persuasive capability when you break out the checkbook and offer to pay for these things. i don't doubt that somebody on the ground there might have seen something, quietly put it in their pocket and sold it to -- i'm putting quotes around it journalist. and they might have watched it. you know it's a possibility, put it that way. >> do you think, tom, somebody could have found a memory card for example, that was part of the -- from the crash scene, actually given it to a journalist or for whatever

downloaded it without the authorities knowing about that? >> sure. i think the fact that they shouldn't do it doesn't mean they couldn't. we're talking about the object the size of a thumbnail that they could stick in the pocket or backpack back to the hotel. meet with a journalist let them look at what's on there, sticking it in another phone and keep it or -- we don't know who is in possession of it right now. very easily that could be done. it should not be done. >> you think miles, given the devastation at the crash site a chip like that could have survived and been found? >> well wolf i'm a history major, but i do know force equals mass times acceleration. and i harkin back to the columbia disaster in 2003. a hard drive survived that. a videocassette with a video recorder and a canister filled with living worms that were used in experiments. that vehicle was going 19 times

the speed of sound. so you know there's strange arrow dynamics and force equations that occur in the situations. these cards and phones are light. >> thanks very much. coming up iraq declares a victory saying it has driven isis out of a key city but with explosions and gun shot still ex echoing, tikrit is still a very dangerous place. we're going there live.

at mfs, we believe in the power of active management. our teams collaborate around the world, which leads to better decisions for our clients. put our global active management expertise to work for you. mfs. there is no expertise without collaboration. two weeks later. look, credit karma-- are you talking to websites again? this website says "free credit scores." oh, credit karma! yeah it's actually free. look, you don't have to put in your credit card information. whew! credit karma. really. free.

hey mom, you want to live by the lake, right? yeah. there's here. ♪ did you just share a listing with me? look at this one. it's got a great view of the lake. it's really nice mom. ♪ your dad would've loved this place. you're not just looking for a house. you're looking for a place for your life to happen. zillow now? can i at least put my shoes on? if your bladder is calling the shots ... you may have a medical condition called overactive bladder ... ...or oab you've got to be kidding me. i've had enough! it's time to talk to the doctor. ask your doctor how myrbetriq may help treat... ...oab symptoms of urgency frequency, and leakage. which may mean fewer trips to the bathroom. myrbetriq (mirabegron) may increase your blood pressure. myrbetriq may increase your chances...

...of not being able to empty your bladder. tell your doctor right away if you have... ...trouble emptying your bladder or have a weak urine stream. myrbetriq may affect... ...or be affected by other medications... ...so tell your doctor about all the medicines you take. before taking myrbetriq, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. common side effects include increased blood pressure, common cold symptoms, urinary tract infection, and headache. take charge by talking to your doctor about your oab symptoms and myrbetriq. find out if you can get your first prescription at no cost by visiting myrbetriq.com

happening now, on the battlefield, cnn is inside iraq

reporting on hidden dangers after a significant defeat for isis. what will the terrorists do next? nuclear all nighter. the u.s. says it's not giving up on critical talks with iran. will progress be made in the next several hours amid new fears of a middle east arms race? new discovery. as the world gets its first look at pieces of flight 9525 we have learned investigators may have found a fresh clue. angry backlash. opponents appear to score a win, but the controversy is explode, threatening to cloud a sporting event. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer. you are in "the situation room." tonight, haunting new images of the flight 9525 crash site from a close-up view we haven't seen before. this is all that's left of the plane after the co-pilot turned it into a deadly weapon.

stand by for new information on the investigation. we're getting a firsthand look at widespread destruction in iraq. the work of isis terrorists. they have been driven out of the key city of tikrit in a significant victory for iraqi forces and the u.s.-led coalition. tonight, there are now new fears of deadly new revenge attacks and another even bigger battle is in the works. a top member of the house intelligence committee is here. he is standing by along with our correspondents and analysts covering all the news breaking right now. let's get the latest from barbara starr. barbara? >> reporter: wolf good evening. iraqi forces are inside tikrit. the question can they hold on to it? iraqi police chiefing their victory, with the help of u.s. air strikes and shia maliilitiamilitiamen they entered tikrit, largely

taking the city back from isis. if they can hold on to it, it's a crucial victory. >> they need tikrit badly because the highway runs right through the middle of the town. >> reporter: troops still face clearing some 200 miles of territory on the way to mosul, iraq's second largest city. months of fighting may be ahead. in tikrit, isis fighters still remain. in a show of confidence iraqi prime minister came to support his troops. not mentioned the shia militias that he needed to help win on the ground. udz u.s. warplanes striking isis targets to support the ground troops. u.s. officials are adamant that the american air strikes were never aimed at supporting iranian backed fighters long opposed by u.s. commanders. >> just a highlight that three tours in iraq commands troops

brutalized by some of the shia militia, i will not -- i hope we never coordinate or cooperate with shia militias. >> reporter: the pentagon insists the ground offensive stahled when they proved unreliable. u.s. officials say air strikes were not started until baghdad took full control on the ground. but the reality may be different. >> you don't have an iraqi force that has complete control of all the forces that have been fighting. they have had some command of elements of that. it has been a hodgepodge of actors all contributing. >> reporter: the bottom line is the iraqi forces simply can't fully function on their own yet. they needed u.s. air strikes and those shia militias to get into tikrit. wolf? >> barbara starr at the pentagon thank you. cnn got a look inside tikrit at the destruction and danger isis left behind. we want to warn you, the images are graphic. our senior international

correspondent traveled there. she's back in baghdad. tell us what you saw. >> reporter: well wolf, it may be called aid eded a victory, but what is left behind is disturbing to say the least. we should once again warn our viewers they might find some of the images in this report very upsetting. the smoke hangs thick over parts of the city we drive through. it's the smoldering of buildings, some people's homes. rigged with ieds we're told iraqi forces couldn't disable. so they say they had to detonate. the city a web of potential threats left behind. in the building there, they had put explosives into the staircase that deadtonated. >> he were trying to take down the isis flag and raise the iraqi one. he was killed along with one other. elsewhere roads still need to be

cleared. that vehicle had a machine gun on it that was being used by isis. we're not able to advance beyond it in this particular direction because even though they say there's no threat up there opposed by isis fighters there's still the possibility of the road the buildings being filled with various different times of bombs. one they diffused nearby. this is some of the ieds that they found lying around. this was a bulldozer lying on its side that they found filled with barrels that were all packed with explosives. hussein's presidential compound a charred body. we're told of one of their fighters. the palaces today, more damaged than during the u.s.-led invasion. somewhere within the complex lie some of the graves of shia recruits.

hundreds possibly more than 1,000 executed when isis first took over tikrit last june. under this bridge one of the killing sites. there aren't many left here says the colonel. this is how they are spying on isis fighters? they have set the radio to their frequency. next to us a building hit in a recent coalition air strike. the police force has been asked to return to work he says. there will be a temporary force to support the local police. the force that moved into this predominantly sunni city a combination of iraqi security forces and the popular mobilization units. the pmus, mostly made up of iranian backed shia militias and volunteers. gunfire still reverberates. some from pockets where isis is still holding out. much of it celebratory. severed head in hand one

fighter cries out, this is one of the isis rats. these are not muslims. let them see what we did to them. we are coming to get them in mosul. the hands are bound on the headless body on the pavement. the man had been detained and shot and decapitated. the crowd breaks out into a celebratory dance. iraqi security forced tell us the pmu fighters cannot all be controlled. something the city's population fears when they return to the lives they left behind. the u.s. may not want to collaborate directly with iran or with the shia militias that it does support, but when it comes to defeating iraq its interests are aligning with that of its former enemies. >> it looks like this is potentially a huge win for not only the iraqi military which played an important role but for iran and its allies there. right? >> reporter: that's right.

without the shia militias the iraqi security forces could not have come this far. but their existence does put the government in baghdad in a very tricky position, because on the one hand the government does need to exert control. it has to make sure it is the police and the army that are the ones who are holding the ground. but at the same time it cannot afford to alienate these militias. so far, they have by and large been part of the solution when it comes to defeating isis. it's a very sensitive situation. it could very easily turn into one where these militias once again become a part of the problem. >> arwa risking your life to bring us the news. glad you are in relative safety in baghdad. thanks very much. she's one of the most courageous journalists out there right now. let's go to the nuclear negotiations with iran and the potential impact on the volatile middle east. the united states now saying it's willing to keep talking at least until tomorrow morning,

another extension beyond a deadline that passed 24 hours ago. our chief national security correspondent jim sciutto is joining us here in "the situation room" with more on the latest. >> the british foreign secretary is on his way back to switzerland, the french foreign minister returning as well. possible signs an announcement is nearing. secretary kerry himself set to remain through tomorrow. no hard deadline. to be clear, no expectation of a hard and fast agreement either. with a deal in danger of disappearing secretary of state john kerry and his fellow negotiators still searching for resolution in switzerland. the nuclear talks now stretching not only the definition of deadline but also of a a greement. officials now homeping for a statement of goals rather than hard commitments they intended. the white house placed the blame on iran. >> while the talks have been

productive we have not yet received the specific tangible commitments the international community seeks. >> iran shifted it back to the west. >> i certainly hope that our colleagues will recognize the fact that this is a unique opportunity that will not be repeated. and they need to take advantage of this opportunity. >> fact is extension has been the name of the game in the talks since the sides reached an interim agreement in november 2013. the talks were extended the following july extended again that november and then on tuesday and today, extended yet again, just in 24-hour increments. the biggest sticking point may be trust. the foreign minister leads the iranian dell nationegation but the treatment leader holds the power. the same who presides over a country the u.s. accuses of supporting terrorism and who helped cultivate a history of

anti-americanism at home. like the death to america chant we witnessed on our last visit to iran. that toughness may be reaping dividends at the negotiating table where robert ienhorn says iran is driving the harder bargain. >> the iranians concluded the u.s. team was under so much pressure to get a deal that the u.s. and its partners would make all the remaining concessions. >> this deadline was intended by the u.s. and ithss partners to see if a broader agreement is possible and whether iran is willing to make concessions for the agreement. this could be last-minute posturing but at a minimum they leave that question open. we need a lot of expectation management for what to expect out of an agreement if it happens. that's if it happens. >> we should know soon enough whether there's a deal or no deal. thanks very much jim sciutto

for that report. let's bring in a leading member adam schiff of california. what are you hearing, deal or no deal? >> i'm hearing the same thing you are. really no update. the question is is there going to be enough meat on the bones to justify going until june 30 and enough to hold off congress from enacting sanctions? i think all of us are waiting to see what materializes in the next 24 hours. >> are you open mined about all of this? >> i am. i try to keep my powder dry and wait until we see the agreement. there are a lot of the moving pieces. a lot of interrelated in the sense it's not just the number of center fusesent sent centrifuge or whether inspections are known sites, how long the agreement is there's key variables that will have to measure. >> what happens if they don't announce specific technical

arrangements and they say the deadline is the end of june when all the details will be worked out? there's a framework to continue the discussions. is that going to hold off members of congress like you and others democrats and republicans, from imposing fresh new sanctions against iran? >> i don't think so. i think they will have to produce something very tangible. this is where we have found common ground. this is where we have the outlines of an agreement. and now we need to work out the technical details. today it doesn't sound like they are there. but this may be the final last minute posturing as jim mentioned before they get to a deal or it may fall apart. >> would you vote for those sanctions? >> if we don't have the deal or the outlines i think sanctions is inevitable. i would probably support that. the question is what kind of a bill would that be? would it still hold open the prospect that by june 30th they may achieve what they haven't achieve achieved? >> i spoke to tom cotton the republican senator from

arkansas a member of the intelligence committee and the armed services committee. he said if the sanctions are approved by congress they wouldn't go into affect until after the june 30th deadline. >> you know we could work with the president on even a sanctions bill that reinforces american's position at the nosation. that's what we should be doing instead of working across purposes. i don't know if that will happen. we will see what the administration comes up with when the next 24 hours have come and gone. we will go from there. >> senator cotton says he would walk away right now and tell the iranians we're going back to the sanctions and put the pressure on them that way. they think the u.s. wants a deal more than the iranians want a deal. >> that's an attractive idea except when you realize that that leads us right back to where we were before the agreement, which is iran spins up its centrifuges, it goes beyond 20% enriched iranian, it comes closer to israel's red line or our own. that's not a great scenario

either. i'm not sure there's much of a plausible case to be made that increased sanctions will force iran back to the table ready to capitulate their program. >> that's what they want tighter sanctions. they say the u.s. lost a lot of leverage by easing those over the past 18 months. >> you know actually a lot that has been said about the agreement has not proved to be true. a lot of the people that are making the same argument today against the negotiations were arguing the interim agreement would be a nightmare, that the interim agreement would cause the sanctions regime to collapse. none of that happened. some that are makes this argument don't have a good track record. >> the white house press secretary, he said a military option sitting on the table right now. stand by. i want to pick that up. we will talk a quick break. more right after this. shopping online... ...is as easy as it gets. wouldn't it be great if hiring plumbers carpenters and even piano tuners... were just as simple?

thanks to angie's list now it is. start shopping online... ...from a list of top rated providers. visit angieslist.com today. you get sick you can't breathe through your nose suddenly, you're a mouth breather. a mouth breather! well, put on a breathe right strip and shut your mouth. cold medicines open your nose over time, but add a breathe right strip and pow, it opens your nose up to 38% more. so you can breathe and do the one thing you want to do sleep. add breathe right to your cold medicine shut your mouth and sleep right. breathe right. and look for the calming scent of new breathe right lavender in the sleep aisle.

we're back with the ranking democrat of the house intelligence committee, adam schiff of california. we're talking about the iran nuclear talks. there has been an extension. josh earnest said today basically what ash carter said yesterday. he said the military option as far as the u.s. is concerned is -- this is ernest -- it's sitting on table if the talks don't succeed. would you support a pre-emptive strike by the united states to destroy iran's nuclear facilities? >> i don't like the term pre-emptive. but if iran was moving forward to develop the bomb and that was the only option we had to stop

them then, yes, i would support it. for that reason really it has to be on the table. if this deal falls apart and if the result is that iran goes forward, and they cross that line they make the decision to break out and build the bomb then yes, as a last resolve we would have to use form. >> why wouldn't you call it a pre-emptive strike? >> i guess in the sense that it stops the ultimate stop to get the bomb. but i think it has to be viewed as a last resort and not a first resort. i think too often in the past decade the pre-emptive use of force has been so far ahead of the last step that it has created enormous problems for us. >> would you agree that if the u.s. were to use military force, it would, in fact destroy iran's nuclear capability? >> we have the ability to destroy their nuclear program and set it back for a few years. israel probably has the capability of doing it for a smaller period of time. so the problem is that once you do that iran then begins to break out in ernest.

they throw out whatever inspectors you had. they are in a mad dash for the bomb. you have go back in militarily. we're in a full war with iran. that is not a scenario that we opt to invite as anything other than the last resort. >> a lot of us -- i have been reminded the optimism during bill clinton administration when there was a deal with north korea. we thought the president was making statements that the secretary of state that there's a new korean peninsula, north korea is moving in the right direction, they are walking away from nuclear capability. we know how that turned out. >> very badly. there are a lot of bad examples out there that people look to. you have the bad example of north korea developing the bomb under negotiations. you also have libya giving up its nuclear program. other nations watched these things. it determines how they behave. unfortunately, we have set many of the wrong examples. >> do you think that under the bet of circumstances, this

regime in tehran the ayatollah and all would give up that dream of having a nuclear bomb? >> i don't think the ayatollah made the decision we're going to build the bomb. i think they have made the decision that they want to get close. they want to have a breakout time so if down the road they decide it's in their interest the question is how close are they going to get and can we live with that or do we need to act as you say pre-emptively? i think none of us can tell how close they are willing to get to the bomb. >> let's talk about tikrit. you visited tikrit hussein's hometown. today the iraqi military has gone in with u.s. air power and liberated tikrit. you saw the damage destruction there. is iraq turning out to be a huge

strategic win for iran? >> i wouldn't say that yet. certainly, the past several years have been good for iran in iraq. it has seen its influence only increase. that's a stark contrast to the days when they were at war with iraq under hussein. but in terms of the last few days and what's gone on in tikrit it has been a mixed picture for the iranian militia and tehran. they had to pull back from the fight. they were not suck needed in thele american air strikes were called in. the risk is that these militias abuse, murder decapitate people like we saw in the video you showed. and that just makes the sunnis cling more to isis in places like mosul. they could win the battle in tikrit and lose the war if the iranian backed militias overreach. >> i'm sure they will. congressman, thanks for joining us. >> thanks. just ahead, more on the chilling new video from flight 9525 from the crash site. a new discovery by

investigators. as teenage victims are remembered loved ones vent their anger after learning the airline actually knew about the co-pilot's history of severe depression. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] you wouldn't ignore signs of damage in your home. are you sure you're not ignoring them in your body? even if you're treating your crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis an occasional flare may be a sign of damaging inflammation. and if you ignore the signs, the more debilitating your symptoms could become. learn more about the role damaging inflammation may be playing in your symptoms with the expert advice tool at crohnsandcolitis.com. and then speak with your gastroenterologist. there's nothing more romantic than a spontaneous moment. so why pause to take a pill? and why stop what you're doing to find a bathroom? with cialis for daily use, you don't have to plan around either. it's the only daily tablet approved to treat erectile dysfunction so you can be ready anytime the moment is right.

plus cialis treats the frustrating urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision or any symptoms of an allergic reaction stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. why pause the moment? ask your doctor about cialis for daily use. for a free 30-tablet trial go to cialis.com mouths are watering, and stomachs are growling.

or is that just me? it's lobsterfest red lobster's largest variety of lobster dishes all year. double up with dueling lobster tails. or make lobster lover's dream a reality. but here's a reality check: it ends soon. at book club they were asking me what you're doing now, janice. blogging. your blog is just pictures of you in the mirror. it's called a fashion blog todd. well, i've been helping people save money with progressive's discounts. flo, can you get janice a job? [ laughs ] you should've stuck to softball! i was so much better at softball than janice, dad. where's your wife, todd? vacation. discounts like homeowners' multi-policy -- i got a discount on this ham. i've got the meat sweats. this is good ham, diane. paperless discounts -- give it a rest, flo. all: yeah, flo, give it a rest. ♪ where do you get this kind of confidence? at your ford dealer... that's where! our expert trained technicians... state of the art technology and warranty parts keep your vehicle running right. it's no wonder we sold more than 3.5 million tires last year

and durning the big tire event get a $120 mail in rebate on 4 select tires. ♪ don't just visit new york. visit tripadvisor new york. tripadvisor not only has millions of real traveler's reviews and opinions, but checks hundreds of websites, so people can get the best hotel prices. to plan, compare & book the perfect trip, visit tripadvisor.com today.

camera crews can get closer than ever to the flight 9525 crash site thanks to a new access road. we're getting remarkable video like this showing actual pieces of the plane that survived the impact. investigators analyzing all the newest evidence. they may be finding new clues. pamela brown is in dusseldorf working her sources for us. what are you learning? >> reporter: wolf the chief

german investigator just spoke to the media. he said it has been emotionally very difficult being there collecting evidence. but he did say being there has actually brought them closer to an understanding of what happened. we have this brand new video in from the french interior minister. it shows the rescue workers at the site meticulously combing through all the wreckage collecting belongings body parts, airplane -- all the debris from the airplane. in fact the lufthansa ceo also visited the site there today for the first time but said very little about the investigation. take a listen. >> we are learning more every day about the cause of the accident. but i think it will take a long long time for everybody, all of us to understand how this could happen. >> reporter: he dropped that bombshell or the company did

yesterday saying that they actually knew back in 2009 that andreas lubitz had a severe depression episode because lubitz reported it to the company back then. >> are investigators any closer to a motive? >> reporter: wolf we have just learned today from a source close to the investigation that a fresh new clue has surfaced. right now, investigators here in dusseldorf are staying very tight-lipped about what that finding is. the hope is that it brings us closer to an understanding of a motive. i can tell you from another source who has been on the front lines of the investigation looking through the electronics of lubitz and so forth that so far they haven't found a lot of relevance evidence in his electronicics sicic ics other than his depression episode. >> pamela brown, thank you very much. some of the youngest crash

victims were remembered today. a memorial was held in germany honoring the 16 high school exchange students killed along with two of their teachers. it was a new opportunity for loved ones to share their grief and also their anger. many family members are struggling to process the news that the airline actually knew years ago that the co-pilot had a history of severe depression. cnn's will ripley is joining us from dusseldorf right now with more on this part of the story. what are you seeing over there, will? >> reporter: wolf, the heartbreak and the feeling of grief was palpable. 600 people in the church hundreds more outside listening to the memorial crying and holding up umbrellas when it started to rain and sleet. it was remarkable to see the community out there. people that we were talking to say they are grieving and they are angry. these were 16 high school students, 15-year-olds who were coming back from the trip of their lives, a class trip to

spain. they were supposed to share stories about the good times they had. instead, their parents and brothers and sisters are left to wonder how this could have happened. others in the community wondering as well that these 16 students and two teachers were in a plane helpless in the cabin while somebody was allowed in the cockpit who clearly had a history of psychological problems. people on the streets were telling me they don't trust the ceo of lufthansa because they don't believe he told them the truth initially when he said that lubitz was deemed 100% fit to fly only to turn out that they found those documents. people are grieving and outraged. they want answers. >> a very sad part of the story. thanks very much will ripley. with us right now miles o'brien and tom fuentes. miles, the lufthansa ceo carsten spohr apologized today. does he need to step down? >> i don't think he has much of

a choice. i think it's inevitable given his previous statement that he had a pilot in lubitz who was 100% perfectly fit to fly. nothing in life is 100%. that will stick with him and come to haunt him. the larger request,what's to become of germanwings? is this a valuejet where they won't survive? >> valuejet was the airline that the plane crashed into the potomac in washington and that ended that relatively -- >> it was actually -- >> go ahead. >> it was the everglades crash. also an airline that -- similar scenario low-cost airline, difficulties that were linked back to management not keeping an eye on the ball. >> you are right air florida was here in washington. the leaks have been amazing, of

course. now we're told that the head -- the head of the bea, the french investigator arm, like the -- like we have here in the united states that they have actually -- police have been questioning the head of the bea because of all of these leaks, which raises the question where is this investigation going? >> that's true wolf. apparently the police investigation of the leaks started the first day when the confirmation was given that the co-pilot flew the plane into the mountain. that was a leak that that had come out from the cockpit voice recorder. the prosecutor in france had to confirm that that part was true. those leaks and that kind of information that early can affect an investigation. it can affect witnesses who will come forward or won't come forward or maybe don't want to be associated with the co-pilot or have their name come up in public. it does affect an investigation. that's one of the reasons why law enforcement is so secretive while the investigation is in

progress. >> a good point. miles, as you know the two publications the german and french publication, they say the editors, they have seen video of the final seconds of the flight from inside the cabin. the authorities say they can't confirm the existence of any video. what do you believe? >> well i don't doubt that something could survive the crash. i don't doubt that a searcher could put a small sd card in their pocket and take it and potentially sell it to a reporter or share it with a reporter. you find it unusual the reporters would see it and yet not post it. we haven't seen the video itself. you know, this is unfortunate on one level, because these are -- it's an emotional thing being described. we have families' emotions involved in all of this. you know with all great respect

to tom and investigators, they can be so slow that it's too slow. people need to know quickly. it's good to know that the airbus didn't have a decompression event or a mechanical system failure. those things need to come out quickly. there's a press to have more transparency in the investigations. there's always going to be this push pull between the media and public's right to know and investigators. >> what do you think? do you want to react? >> miles it's true. it's a balancing act, especially getting information out if there are other aircraft out there that have a defect that needs immediate correction or just this the policies of who flies, who gets in the cockpit to fly it. miles has a point. law enforcement has to balance that. they do. it's very difficult. >> stand by. just ahead, more live reports on the flight 9525 investigation. our correspondents are digging for new information right now. we have news about a new indictment against the united states senator.

toenail fungus? don't hide it... tackle it with fda-approved jublia! jublia is a prescription medicine proven to treat toenail fungus. use jublia as instructed by your doctor. once applied jublia gets to the site of infection by going under, around and through the nail. most common side effects include ingrown toenail, application-site redness itching, swelling, burning or stinging, blisters, and pain. tackle it!

ask your doctor now if jublia is right for you. bring us your baffling. bring us your audacious. we want your sticky notes, sketchbooks, and scribbles. let's pin 'em to the wall. kick 'em around. kick 'em around, see what happens. because we're in the how-do-i-get-this-startup- off-the-ground business. the taking-your-business- global-business. we're in the problem-solving business. 400,000 people - ready to help you solve problems while they're still called opportunities. from figuring it out to getting it done we're here to help.

i just got charged for my credit score...again. you should check out credit karma...they're like free. yeah? yeah. how? ads. credit karma? yeah. cool! yeah. credit karma. really free credit scores. really. free. word. ...to your mother did you call your mom? i should probably call her... you should probably call her. it's her birthday.

breaking news. a united states senator stands charged with corruption. we're learning that new jersey democrat robert menendez has agreed to step down temporarily as the ranking member of the senate foreign relations committee. he was the chairman when the democrats were in the majority.

evan perez has more on the new federal indictment against senator menendez. evan the fbi and prosecutors, they have been investigating him for a long time. you broke this story a month ago that that he was about to be indicted. >> this is a very rare rare thing. a sitting united states senator that is now facing charges, 14 counts bribery, accepting about a million dollars in gifts from a friend and donor whose name is solomon malagin, an ophthalmologist in florida fighting medicare allegedly for bilking medicare. menendez is charged with using his position in the senate to help his friend. menendez has denied all of this. says he is a friend with the doctor. he addressed the charges when we broke the story last month. here is what he had to say, wolf. >> i fight for these issues and for the people of our country

every single day. that's who i am. and i am not going anywhere. >> wolf you know at this hour we know we have some of his supporters are gathering in newark to support him. he plans to address the media in the next hour. he is not going to go down without a fight. >> has he been formally charged? is he actually under arrest? >> he is under indictment. now since he is -- they don't believe he is going to flee anywhere they will give him time to turn himself in. we expect they are making arrangements right now. he could appear before a judge in newark tomorrow. >> why does he have to resign his position as the ranking democrat of the senate foreigns relations company? he hasn't resigned from the u.s. senate. >> right. he will stand up and fight. this is something that both parties have tried to deal with people who get if legal trouble move them aside from leadership positions, wolf while they fight these charges.

>> i remember the last sitting united states senator to be indicted and charged, ted stephens of alaska. you remember that? >> in the end, he was vindicated. he went through hell. the federal government could not prove the case against him. >> well, he was convicted. he was convicted. what happened was, the attorney general came in and reviewed the case and found there was some very serious behavior by the -- by prosecutors. they didn't share evidence they were supposed to with the defense. they ended up tossing the case. >> in effect he was vindicated. he was -- he may have been convicted, but it was thrown out. >> after he lost his seat. >> i'm sure that that -- that's on the mind of senator menendez. >> it's on the mind of senator menendez and on the mind of the justice department prosecutors, the public integrity unit. the same unit that did the stephens case. that's why this has taken so long. they were up against a deadline for the statute of limitations in this case. but they really wanted to bring

this case and they wanted to make sure they had everything before they bring the charges. >> let's see how good their case is against a sitting united states senator. good reporting. thanks very much. the governor of arkansas takes a stand on a religious freedom bill as it is called and feared it would allow anti-gay dis discrimination discrimination. we will tell you what's happening. not to be judgmental, but from where i'm sitting... it's your gas that's out of order in this court. the pressure. the bloating. get gas-x. it relieves all those symptoms in minutes. that's why it's the #1 gas relief brand. e plane and thought... yeah! empty seat next to me. and then i saw him slowly coming down the aisle. one of those guys who just can't stop talking. i was downloading a movie. i was trying to download a movie. i have verizon. i don't. i get that little spinning wheel. download didn't finish. i finished the download. headphones on. and i'm safe. i didn't finish in time. so.

many. stories. vo: join us and save without settling. verizon.

at mfs, we believe in the power of active management. our teams collaborate around the world, which leads to better decisions for our clients. put our global active management expertise to work for you. mfs. there is no expertise without collaboration. the pursuit of healthier. it begins from the second we're born. after all, healthier doesn't happen all by itself. it needs to be earned... every day... using wellness to keep away illness... and believing that a single life can be made better by millions of others. healthier takes somebody who can power modern health care... by connecting every single part of it. for as the world keeps on searching

for healthier... we're here to make healthier happen. optum. healthier is here. well, a mortgage shouldn't be a problem your credit is in pretty good shape. >>pretty good? i know i have a 798 fico score thanks to the tools and help on experian.com. kaboom... well, i just have a few other questions. >>chuck, the only other question you need to ask is, "what else can you do for me?" i'll just take a water... get your credit swagger on. become a member of experian credit tracker and find out your fico score powered by experian. fico scores are used in 90% of credit decisions.

tonight the governor of arkansas is refusing to sign religious freedom bill. a similar bill was signed just daying ago by indiana governor causing an uproar about provisions that might allow anti-gay discrimination. what's the latest. >> >> reporter: the latest is behind those doors right there behind me republican legislatetures have been meeting now going into their fourth hour talking about this today. all of them together about 71 republicans in the state house. whatever they decide behind those doors and they say a deal is close, it will have national implications. >> this is a bill that in ordinary times would not be

controversial. these are not ordinary times. >> i ask that changes be flaedsmade in the legislation. >> reporter: he said he planned to sign it but today he backtracked it. it's a move that could head off protest, concerns the measure would allow companies to refuse service to gay or lesbian patrons. pressure to veto the bill came from all sides. from former arkansas first lady hillary clinton. like indiana law, arkansas bill goes beyond protecting religion would permit unfair discrimination against lgbt americans. i urge governor to veto. it's ceo of walmart whose headquarters are in the state

threatens to undernine the spirit of inclusion present throughout arkansas and does not reflect the values we uphold. >> reporter: the laws sbentsintents but says there was a perception problem. he directed state lawmaker to their fix by the end of the week. it's her right to follow her believes. >> if a gay couple was to come in like say we wanted they wanted us to provide them pizzas for a wedding, we would have to say no. >> reporter: i don't think most

people order pizzas for their wedding so that might not be the biggest in the world but legislatures will continue they say we're in the capitol. things are supposed to be closed but they are still meeting and expect they will be for some time to come and say they are making progress and expect to have a deal tomorrow. whether that's adeal amongst republican s the giant question and it doesn't look like both sides will come together very closely on this. the left, the democrats here and gays and lesbians wanting a non-discrimination clause built into the charter and doesn't look like they'll get that. >> thanks very much. let's bring in our chief political analyst gloria borger. was governor asa hutchenson's decision a economic decision?

>> yes. when walmart in the state of arkansas says we don't think you should do something, i think you have to listen to walmart because you know as a governor, it's going to have huge economic implications on your state and i do think there's obviously politics here. what was interesting to me about what the governor said he said my son signed a petition saying that i ought to veto this legislation. what he was doing was sort of bowing in a sense, to the demographic shifts we see in this country even in the republican party on the question of same question marriage. 61% of young republicans that's 18 to 29 approve of same-sex marriage. overall in the country, it's over half of the country. he was always taking into consideration. >> he also made the point he wanted to legislation to be similar to the legislation that

president bill clinton signed into law in the 1990s. what's the difference. what are we talking about the difference? >> excuse me. i apologize. the federal law is a directive to the federal government. it says the federal government cannot discriminate against religious people in any way. these laws are very very different because they are about the rights of individuals and businesses to reflect their own values in deciding not to do business in this case with gay people. that's a huge people. it's really apple and oranges. >> does the fall out from this law, the law in indiana, for example, does it suggest there's a problem? >> absolutely. they're on the wrong side of all the trend lines. it puts them not only at odds the direction of which the

majority of americans are moving but also with business interests as gloria referenced in the case of walmart or the case of apple, which is part of this drill. every candidate running for president should the baker, should the florist, should the wedding planner have the ability to reject the same-sex couple. they'll have to answer that question. so far they're lock step. i think they're on the wrong side of where the public will come out. it's a great strategy for the iowa caucus. it's not going to play in the suburbs of philadelphia which is where you need to win to control a general election. >> do you agree? >> i do. this pits chamber of commerce republicans against evangelical republicans. over the years of president obama being in the white house, the democratic party has been decimated at the state level.

i mean completely decimated. what you're seeing is increasing republican control of state legislatures. these state legislatures are passing these laws that now republican presidential candidates are having to deal with earlier and they are becoming wedge issues before half of these candidates have been declared their candidacy. >> let me shift gears and get your thoughts on this indictment of senator robert menendez of new jersey. he was eventually vindicated. you did a lot of reporting on that. what are the issues? you see similarities? >> the big issue is is this bribery in the sense i give you money in return for legislative favors or is it a social relationship between friends which these two men are, or are they ordinary campaign

contributions or is this simple constituent service? that's why the case is hard to prove because it is legal service. people who get money get things from legislatures. there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but if it's a quid pro quo, it's illegal. >> what do you think? >> i think there's something in the water in new jersey. it just seems like they have such a problem in terms of corruption of leadership in that state. you go back the last several cycles and there's been any number of individual who is have been drowned out in the process. >> very quickly. >> this will affect whatever happens with sanctions on iran. menendez is a huge player. this isn't going to make him any friendly. >> let's not forget he's innocent until proven guilty. thanks very much. you can also follow us on

twitter. tweet me at wolf blitzer. tweet the show. you can watch us live or dvr the show so you won't miss a moment. i'll see you in one hour. erin burnett outfront starts right now. next a major flip-flop. two republican governors in two days both caving. is this major turning point in the battle for gay rights? access to a major battleground. you'll see the fierce fighting and the graphic images. cell phone video of those last minutes of flight 9525. how could it have survived that devastating crash? we'll show you. let's go outfront. good evening. i'm erin burnett. tonight, caved. the second