breaking tonight, new amateur video from syria. in an air campaign, one u.s. official describes to the "wall street journal" as shock without the awe. 12 day tots hour after president obama promised to degrade and destroy isis, america unloaded with a series of airstrikes on targets in syria for the first time. the question now, what comes next? good evening and welcome to a special live midnight broadcast of the kelly file. at 9:26 eastern time on "the kelly file" fox news was the

first to report that airstrikes were underway in syria. we are told the offensive began with tomahawk missiles launched from the destroyer in the red sea. and the navy crews in the gulf. if includes f-18's taking off from the george h.w. bush targeting command and control centers and weapons depots. also in on the action, b-1 stealth bombers tasked to some of the 20 targets identified inside syria for this round of strikes. plus for the first time ever the navy rolled out the f-22 rap for. the first time this stealth fighter has been used in combat. while the u.s. was in the lead we had significant help. not from our european allies, but from arab countries. the united arab of em rats, bahrain, saudi arabia and bahrain and qatar. president obama is due for meetings tomorrow and we are told he is being briefed by

military officials on the action in syria, but we are not expecting any statement tonight. earlier he consulted with speaker boehner and minority leader nancy pelosi in the house. before that, we are told he met with the top brass at centcom where the decision was made by the commander general lloyd austin to strike tonight. joining me now, form star general, vice chief of staff. general, very good of you to come in, very late and offer your expertise on this. give us your spur tech tiff on what we -- your perspective on what we have done so far and if this initial burst of action will take days, weeks, months or longer. >> this is a significant night. as you know we discussed this before when the president made his speech, but put that in the pa. we are now attacking. it is significant that we have four arab muslim countries,

all sunni-based countries attacking a sunni-braced -- sunni-based terrorist organization. it did not come easy. many were urged to do something about assad before, but now this is isis. it is significant in my judgment. qatar is not attacking. i think qatar has problems because they were aiding isis financially from the beginning and they aided hamas. maybe this is an indication that they are willing to change their stripes. i doubt it. we'll see what happens. i also believe it is tied to what is taking place as you just identified that the president is coming to the u.n general assembly with all of the other presidents and what a jump start he is going to have as a result of this action to get other coalition partners to participate in this war against isis. >> but the goal of course is to degrade and ultimately destroy isis. the question is -- [no

audio].

we don't have those kind of targets to begin with. even if they were all exposed. >> and so speak to the issue of turkey. they are not involved in this and given the border with syria they are potentially important participants here. this is a big issue. i am delighted you brought it up. they had 43 hostages return. what they were telling the united states government is the reason we have not helped you. we wanted to get the hostages released. they are released. what is turkey's issues here? the fact of the matter is most of the fighters come through

turkey. they come into syria to be trained. much of that still hasn't been turned off. another issue, isis uses oil on the black market and it flows through turkey. they have to shut this down. an ally of the united states will get involved with military. >> what are the rules there? they are part of nato. this is the guy. they are supposed to step forward and help. >> they are in the region. they are the only nato countries in the region. so we are going to find out whether that was rhetoric because if they are hostages or not. john allen representative of the united states can put it on the table and see where it is. >> the campaign is officially underway. the question however now is what is next? they say saudi arabia will offer areas for us to train

some of these free syrian army opposition rebels or whatever you want to call them. it will take a year. send them out of syria and they have to go to saudi arabia and they will train a year and it woil come back. it doesn't seem the most helpful. who will be on the ground? they are not going to get it done. >> nothing has changed on the ground. we have the weak hand. the free syrian army we will train 5,000 of the leadership that come out of controls and it will take a year to do that. i think that's absolutely outrageous it will take that long. we should put maury sources in there. the sunni tribes have never worked together and some of those units have collapsed. we have to strengthen that hand. that's what all of the discussions have been about with the generals and trying to influence the administration. they are strengthening the hand. it remains to be seen. it is still a big question mark. look.

tonight is a good night. i don't want to take away from that. but at the end of the day, to defeat them, to destroy them would push them out of iraq so that territory can be reclaimed and push them out of syria. that will take the combination of ground forces and an air campaign to do. >> how important is it that not only do we have these sunni's who joined the fight to fight other sunni's, but the most extreme sunni you can have is isis, but if the iraqi army is participating in this, and you have shiite. it is sunni and shiite fighting the crazy sunni isis fighters. how significant is that? >> isis doesn't look at it that way. they will take advantage of the conflict between sunnies and shiites. >> and so will we. >> this has always been about dominating arab muslim lands whether they are shiite

governed or sunni governed. most are sunni governed. isis has become a common enemy as you just pointed out for shiite and for sunnies. and that is a good thing that they are able to work together toward that common enemy, whether the ground force is successful or not, supported by air power remains to be seen. we said that is a big question mark and. >> speak about what the troops are going through. what is happening with the commanders and those who follow the orders? >> look, people who wear a uniform for this country, when they feel this country is in danger they want to do something about it. i can tell you from primary sources when the president was making the speech down at central command the other day and telling them i will not send you into combat, they want to go. they believe america is in danger. when they are able to use their skills and apply their

courage to help secure america and protect america they are at their best. the pilots that are striking tonight and knowing they are protecting america and protecting their families and protecting what the country stands for, there is no better feeling and they have the skill set to do that. not only that they know they can do it without hurting other people that should not be hurt unintentionally. and they have extraordinary skill and extraordinary courage in doing it. they will feel good about it. >> the best and the bravest. thank you so much. >> good talking to you. >> very lucky to have you. >> well, as the bombing campaign continues in syria how can we expect isis to retaliate in the coming days ? we are hearing new chatter about that and buck sexton is next.r win for the obama administration. what about those who are not taking part? why that matters just ahead.

more now+pt syria. out around 8:30 eastern time, the u.s. and five arab countries launching an aerial offensive ix syria against isis. bahrain, qatar, united arab emirates, and jordan assisting neshg america in the fight against the violent terror group. we're hearing reports isis is extending messages about a great victory over crusader's alicense buttrkd after false bragging h will the group retaliate? we're hearing reason to believe they will retaliate and have, already. >> yes has pledged loyalty to the islamic

state has seized a french national the french government confirmed this the group said they have done it because of the call by the isis spokesman who smoke that this needs to be done. >> france bombed one target in iraq. they're getting retaliated against? >> from jihadist perspective they figure france is probably the weak link and we saw a strike could shake their resolve so they're putting pressure on the french. so there is a call to action by jihadists and some groups have acted on it. >> what are we likelywxk to do here? do you imagine they're trying to

protect the american people now? >> i know they are. there are several levels here. one is external plotting frin side syria from places that are now controlled by the islamic state. that gives them lee way for training fund raising and deployment of operatives this is considered extensive bombings and they can target places allied with us. then, you have home grown phenomenon. it's hardest to stop this, is someone see what's is going on and says i'm going to wage my own personal jihad here at home. >> is that kind of person moved by the fact there is a muslim coalition going to war against isis, too. are they so

radicalized? >> for radical jihadi these arab states are puppets of the west, and so they're taking part in this just adds fuel to the power >> geg imam says we support this this, is good for us. that will have no affect on them? >> no affect on them. all jihadist groups recognized saudi arabia as a apostate regime. one of the reasons the saudis joined this coalition with us. countries that are are enthusiastic about helping us have an arab spring in theird?l midst. be next to fall and have their own concerns and recognize the proxy wars being waged and this is

true in iraq and syria as well. it's not necessarily from our perspective, but helpful. >> is there a chance people believe that bin had laden wanted to trap us into acting? is there any reason to believe isis is doing the same thing ask that we are taking the bait? >> it depends on the next steps. what we've done is necessary, but not sufficient on its own. the general just saying ground troops >> i mean in this world view they win by getting americans to move lives of 4500 soldiers in iraq? spending $1.5 trillion? >> it's important to remind audience that al qaeda in iraq what came before the islamic

state and ardened veterans fighting under the banner against u.s. coalition in iraq. because of the uprising from sunni arabs they were defeated on home turf. this is possible and there has to be resolve >> p you read some of the left wing they say it's a trap they win just by us fighting. we should let these factions fight it out. we've you know we've opened pandora's box. >> this falls into a fallacy that fighting against terrorism is the cause of it. islamic state would be trying to attack our allies and women and children regardless of what we did from this stage forward the idea we can reach a better

understanding of them if we weren't intervening is false and dangerous and at this point would be a near miracle if we manage to make it to the obama administration without an attack on u.s. soil without an attack at this point. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> white house announced president obama will not be speak together nation tonight wex have new information on the reason behind that for you. and the attack being launch with theed help of five arab countries a major success for obama administration. but what about those not taking part. we'll have that, and why that matters, too.

five countries joining the

united states of america in air strikes on isis in the country of syria tonight. one country is absent. turkey is a nato member, the largest military in the middle east, and large majority of its people are muslim. why isn't the country just north of syria helping us? even when isis has taken over one of turkey's air bases? now and particularly in your region, no? >> the only thing we believe they have to do is nato react says an attack, an armed attack is met by an armed attack against all nobody had an armed attack against turkey at this point. everybody said the reason they

haven't and have been reluctant is because 40 turkish hostages were sitting in mosul, including a counselor again lal ral, and held over the summer. he said we have humanitarian assistance but our hostages just have been released he said turkey will not be afraid to fighterorists and we're talking to the united states i've got to assume they're thinking about it i want to see that happen. >> it would be all countries around isis engaged in an attack against isis it would be a legitimate coalition, perhaps led by the united states. everybody in the neighborhood is against isis. why is this significant? they travel around europe, and

go to turkey. >> it's a red carpet. >> it's a total red carpet. so they go in, they fight and go back. they potentially go back to europe and united states. >> can you believe l is no way you don't put boots on the ground. do you agree? >> i think someone's boots go on the ground. >> that is a the next thing to watch whose boots on the ground? idea there is going to be a syrian free army? >> they're going to go to saudi arabia. >> they're going to train. and then iraqi army says they're only 50% combat ready when they fail, what happens? there is a coalition of arab sandals in the sand. fighting in the region. six months from now we'll have

choices either we leave and just leave it, or we have, i think is if syrians don't stand up is that we turn to iranians. >> united states. we don't do that. and there will be a vacuum. and we welcome mad dogs of isis. >> that is the problem. that is the real key of this. the real danger is iran and a nuclear iran the price would extract. >> how would we agree to that? >> we're agreeing right now. a year ago we're going to let those sanctions raise they're going to join the world

community community. >> this could desolve we can put boots on the ground the price we pay for their help in doing that is hook the other way. >> yes. >> it's great. it's a good day when you have a coalition going after them. understand there are consequences down the road. if they're around, and just clarify that. good day. launching air strikes you know? just explain what that means. >> americans have been beheaded you've got a growing cancer in the middle east of mad dogs just unleashed in the region.

we don't just walk away. by we stand up and do what we've done. a coalition is raised question is what happens next? we don't need another iraq war but on the other hand i don't think just look@uá; other way. >> right. and i think there will be mer terrorist attacks he says be careful. there will be more terrorist attacks >> thank you. >> consider that as we fall asleep in our beds >> thank you. >> either laugh or cry. >> coming up, white house announcing minutes after the bomb started falling president obama will not be speaking to the nation tonight. . we're getting new reaction from lawmakers on capitol hill. so what happens next?

on authorization for this war? or the efforts to arm those rebels? we've got breaking news on that. stay with us.

breaking tonight moems after reporting on the kelly file u.s. air strikes are under way we learned are the obama administration the president will not make a statement tonight the possible reason behind the move? that is live in washington, d.c. >> we get the sense the president has to do his job the decision to launchjf them me by commander at central command the president gave him that authority this week, or last week, when he visited central command and said the u.s. would lead a broad coalition against

isis we're told he is informed and believes he has authority to launch these strikes and said some senate majority leader is reluctant to force the issue for fear it might cost democrats control of the senate in fall elections you can expect that to go in a lame duck session we'll likely hear from the president tomorrow before he goes to new york to chair a head of state united nations security council meeting where his goal is to push for a un security council resolution on foreign terrorist fighters that compels members of the um to keep them

from crossing borders and recruiting and starves them of their money. and from wealthy sunni donors that brings us turkey's involvement. some considered turkey a part of the problem for letting isis fighters into syria. dozens have been released. officials said the 800 mile board border is a huge part of the problem. >> thank you. >> joining me now with more, bret baier. bret? can't let the hour pass to mark what happened here s a political matter we've been covering sometime the fact this president has been saying i was

elected inwarted, not to start them. here we are bombing syria, a line the president did not want to cross. >> there is a lot of reporting and the president getting to this point. i think a lot of people here in washington will say that those two videos of the beheadings drove this administration to this action. but it's important to give the administration credit tonight from getting this coalition together. for getting these arab nations to sign off the fact united arab emirates, saudi arabia, jordan, bahrain and qatar are flying missions, qatar we're not sure flew strike missions but the rest flying f 15s or f 16s inside seara, bombing sunni terrorists is a huge deal. >> and many of our guests have pointed that out, the question

remains, does isis care? that is sunnis also bombing it. people here in the united states worry that we're getting involved in other war and to group wants to kill us. is this going to make them want to kill us less? it's going to destroy them. but how long? and a president only seems to worry about the retaliation of a group like this. and what sort of stomach we have for that. >> this is a radical ideology that we have never stopped tonight we've taken a pause at times, maybe in public policy, it's always been there it's wanted to have another september 11th. and this is latest extreme so

beyond that point do you think the country has been debating for a long time now whether the best way to protect us is to get out of wars? you know? end wars? another sign says you have to win them n cases you do have to start them in order to keep the country safe. is this a pivotal turning point? in that debate? >> it's a pivotal turning point because listen. there will be this battle i mean you've seen it within the republican party. libertarian streak. and rand paul and those folk who's have a different take about what should be done. he got to the point where the strikes are necessary. because it's a threat to the

united states. i think you're going to see this battle inside both parties about what should be done. the bottom line is that strength and pushing back your enemy plays if you're not there there is a vacuum that is filled by someone. often times, there is someone there. >> good to see you tonight. >> thank you, megyn. >> we're getting reaction from congress, learning house speaker john boehner and nancy pelosi spoke to the president before the air campaign this evening. chris, so the president did keep the two leaders abreast of the situation and spoke with the generals and made the call on timing but what sort of communications have there been? >> i imagine the sentiment tonight is please do not bring

it around here we do not want to vote on it. just got out of town. barely getting through. if recall, the president has been keen, a year ago he was planning to bomb the other side of this civil war he wanted congressional authorization. he democrats in position of having to vote. they're able to get through a minimum kind of deal. so arm rebels in syria. i assume the call tonight those discussions have been ongoing is an urging from boehner, you've got to do something and get in this fight.

i imagine from pelosi they're all neocons now. it's an election year. boy say what you're seeing from congress is keep this away from here, these are bad votes to have that might lose so they don't want them, either. remember, this is framers would never have imagined but they don't want any of this. >> under president bush, you know, into iraq there are questions about whether that was a lawful war, and so on. and now, wonders whether there will be a legal challenge. suggesting the president had done behind the scenes maneuvering to try to lay the foundation to establish we do have the rights to go into syria. and to unleash terrorist attacks

and that might be used by him as an excuse. >> if he doesn't mind there is a war going on maybe since 1982, maybe beyond. that it's a long-running war. there and they're leaning on the same thing, that he campaigned about they campaigned against joe biden in 2012. and that is fantastic. >> how typically does this play? general keane has been somewhat critical of the foreign policy decisions but you know he's said look. on a night like this, time like this, we need to support our

commander in chief. a lot of americans are out there watching and thinking we're bombing seara. men and women in harm's way that we care about tonight. some and do you think they look at him differently? >> he had to adopt a version of the bush administration. >> that is coming together. >> so they grin and bear it. then, he has abandoned his mission. >> yes. well, we'll see what happens this time. just hours into it. chris stirewalt, thanks for

joining us. >> you bet. >> what does he think tonight about the president's decision to launch attacks in syria? colonel oliver north is next. @?

breaking tonight, the military offensive that began with tomahawk missles and f 18s.

all while receiving significant help from fellow arab countries, including saudi arabia, and qatar to some extent. our next guest has been one of the president's fierceest critics but what does he think tonight about the decision to launch attacks in syria? joining me now by phone is colonel oliver north. >> others have had a lot of praise for the commander in chief. i suppose it's a good thing he's made a decision. i will be a salute to those remarkable americans that are flying missions. they're doing the -- we have hundreds in the air now in harm's way. everyone of the missions is dangerous. there is aircraft up, all kinds of things flying through the

air. these are remarkable young americans once again, rose to the challenge. the crew of a b one, a four, they've got an 8. there are crews have flown around 4,000 miles to make these attacks. that aircraft will tear over 100,000 pounds of munitions you look at f 18s and f 16s tlieing through air space they never flown through before and trained in before. at great risk. if nothing else, everyone of us ought to be thanking god for people like these. they are remarkable. it's a good thing that we made a decision to do this. you'll never be able to defeat or destroy isis this way.

it takes rifles on the ground, but you can did he grade them, disrupt them, distract them, maybe decapitate some of them. but this war is not going to be over with air power alone. >> well said on our troops important to keep them in our thoughts and prayers. and you know i think in today's day and age you think maybe we can conduct this without american casualties. is that possible. if the mission starts to hurt someone? >> well, look. there is no such thing as a military operation. it's without risk. the last deployment i did, we lost 11 marines. so this is combat. and so somewhere, someone right now is thinking dear lord what

happens if we lose an airplane? what if the engine quits? how do they rescue? so think about planning done over the course of the last 13 days, which is what we announced we're going to be able to do this. i don't know why we tipped our hand in it. but we did. normal presidents make these announcements as the attack is occurring rather than within. if things go south they're go having to to put american ground troops on the ground. somewhere if an aircraft goes down, a u.s. air force team of air rescue guys are going to try to rescue them. they're going to put themselves at risk to do so. >> hopefully, we don't want to

face. colonel oliver north, god bless you and your love for our troops. >> thank you. >> see you tomorrow. >> four hours passed since the bombs began falling. we'll have updates on what we

breaking tonight, new details on the air strikes in syria. peter doocy is live in d.c. with the latest for us. >> we are several hours into an air campaign against about 20 targets. in the crosshairs are isis command and control center, isis training camps and isis weapon depots. the very first reports came from a twitter user in raqqah who heard bombings near some government buildings now used as isis headquarters.

the pentagon says a centcom commander decided to strike earlier on monday. and now the munitions rain do you think on isis militants just after dawn are coming from some manned aircraft like f-18 fighters flying off the uss george h.w. bush in the persian gulf as well as some b-1 bombers. and for the very first time in combat stealth raptors unmanned tools are being used as well like predator drones and tomahawk missiles fired from the uss orderly burk the united states not alone in the brand-new effort. four arab nations flying missions over syria. they are united arab emrattles, saudi arabia, jordan, and bahrain. a fifth nation qatar is helping out but they're not flying in the skies this morning. president obama has been receiving regular updates on these air strikes throughout the night from military officials. the president did dial capitol hill to fill in the speaker of the house and house minority

leader nancy pelosi with details about this operation. and officials with syrian president bashar al assad, they also got a heads up about the strikes before they started from someone in washington. that's according to an ap wire in the last few minutes. >> peter doocy, thank you, sir. we'll be right back.

the u.s. is at war again against islamic extremists who want to kill us.

our goal is to degrade and destroy them, and our troops have been given the order. our obligation is to support them no matter what one's feelings are about the perils of the fight. we'll