>> gregg: brand-new information on the american soldier suspected of killing 16 afghan civilians last weekend including women and children. u.s. military ending the public blackout of his name identifying the suspect as army staff sergeant robert bales. welcome to a brand-new hour. glad you are with us. >> i'm heather childers. it is fast and fluid. right now sergeant bales is in custody at the military prison at fort levin worth, kansas. he is being held in solitary confinement. he hasn't been formally be charged. they are demanding that he be tried back in afghanistan. meantime, we are learning more about the man accused of the heinous crimes. casey stegall has more. >> reporter: he was highly

decorated. top military officials say he had received 21 various medals and awards with the u.s. army. he had do three tours of duty in iraq and 38-year-old staff sergeant arrived in afghanistan a fourth deployment a mission he was not happy about. the lawyer who has been hired to represent him said that his client was under the impression that his days of serving on the battlefield were over. >> he was told that he was not going to be redeployed. the family was counting on him not being redeployed. so he and the family were told that his tours were over and literally overnight that changed. >> reporter: now bales grew up in ohio but was stationed out of the joint base lewis-mccord.

the small neighborhood where he lived with his wife and two children have been overrun with the media this week. those that knew him can't believe the man they want saw playing with the kids on the front lawn is accused of carrying out this mass kerr and sparking international outrage. >> i just feel so sorry for him and his family. he is a victim of terrible war. when something happens like that it is related to ptsd. >> 11 of the 16 afghan civilians that he allegedly killed last weekend is said to be part of the same family. nine of the victims are chin. ironically last month he was assigned to a force that was paired with local villagers to provide security to the locals. by the way, a senior u.s. defense official said yesterday the soldier had been drinking in the hours prior to the attack.

something that vie lathe u.s. military rules banning clock inside the base. >> heather: hamid karzai lashing out the u.s. accusing investigators to failing to cooperate in the shooting rampage and criticizing na for causing the deaths and he was at quote the end of his rope. we'll talk more about the growing strains there. >> gregg: new fears of deadly bombings rocked the capital there. no one claiming the responsibility but the bombings raising deep fierce that they may al-qaeda may be getting involved in that conflict. explosions hitting in damascus killing 27 people, wounding at least 100 more. the blast blast just the latest in a large scale attacks

targeting the regime's security facilities. >> heather: on the campaign trail, the political focus on missouri where republicans are caucusing today. rick santorum is the only g.o.p. candidate campaigning in the state. mitt romney is in puerto rico ahead of tomorrow's primary there. ron paul and gingrich are not on the trail. the latest fox news poll shows romney is leading the g.o.p. pack with 38%. santorum close behind at 32%. gingrich and paul trailing further behind. >> gregg: newt gingrich is trailing both romney and santorum and national polls and delegate count but he is showing no signs of quitting. with only two wins, some of his rivals are asking why he is staying in the race. jamie good to see you.

his competitors have derided him as grandiose and gingrich embraces calling himself as a transformational figure but is it increasingly evidence that voters don't share that view of gingrich and if so, why? >> we learned last week after mississippi and alabama that there be no colonize go the moon. if gingrich can't win in his own backyard, southern alabama and mississippi, it's hard to see where he can win. he does see himself in historic terms, almost a winston churchill figure but history has rendered his verdict. he will not be president of united states and time to give republican voters a choice between the two candidates that earned the finals, santorum and romney. >> gregg: more and more conservatives are applying

gingrich to drop out. tony perkins, president of family research council says voters are not enthused about him. eric eric son conservative blogger called him to quit and national review says that gingrich needs to go. but does any of that carry any influence whatsoever with gingrich or is that just water off the back of the duck? >> he tends to blame the media for the ones trying to push him out. at this point anyone who disagrees with him is labeled part of the elite media. the fact of the matter is with three people in the race gingrich is drawing more voters from santorum than romney. if gingrich was out of the race earlier, santorum possibly could have won michigan, probably would have won ohio. he would be more competitive coming up in illinois. the fact of the matter is, he needs to get out to not just help santorum but to give what

republican voters deserve, a choice between the two candidates that have come to the finals which is santorum and romney. >> in fairness, governor mike huckabee was on the air a short time ago, and he said all these calls for gingrich to step aside are really unfair to newt gingrich. why should anybody leave the race argues huckabee as long as nobody has the necessary delegates. in politics anything can happen. romney could implode. santorum could implode. what about that argument? >> i don't see any inconceivable path to nomination. let's suppose for a moment he does what he hopes to do is go to a contested convention. gingrich would be coming in a distant third in the delegate count. he would be coming in without winning many states. so.... >> gregg: but anything can happen in a convention.

you get on the third, fourth, fifth, tenth ballot and the dynamics totally changes? >> i guess in theory ron paul could be the nominee, as well. the odds are had if he came in without winning the states, i don't see how gingrich would transform staying in the race to a nominee. previously there might have been a case a few weeks ago but at this point i just think his campaign is done. he is not even a message candidate because there is not many debates to spread his message. >> gregg: just when we thought we knew how things work but it's proven otherwise. >> atlantic journal constitution posted this analysis, that gingrich may be realistic to the point of delusional but he is going to continue with the race because he loves the attention. and i quote larry sabato. he has ready made audiences not

just of people not only cameras all day long. this is heaven. >> i don't know is there something to that? >> it might be true but presidential campaigns aren't the correct forum for crises. this is serious matter. if he just doing it for the ego it's not fair to the american electorate. >> gregg: he is still upset about negative attacks that really did great damage and may have killed his campaign, attack ads by romney? >> i would argue if it is malice he is missing his target completely. by staying in he is befg mitt romney who is presumably his nemesis. >> gregg: as long as sheldon adelson is funding the super pacs he can go on forever. >> good to see you.

>> heather: newly released 911 calls catching the aftermath of a massive tornado of dexter, michigan, cutting a ten-mile path of destruction. no reports of serious injuries but the storm damaged about hundred homes, completely destroying 13 of them. survivors could not believe their eyes. >> it also looked like it touched down in the neighborhood of alice hills. >> inside your house is everybody okay? >> yes, we're okay. >> heather: the storm sirens sounded about 20 minutes before the tornado hit. authorities credit that is keeping residents safe. >> gregg: new round of flooding blamed for at least one death in the state of california. rising water threatening the boardwalk in santa cruz. the wild weather is also bringing snow to parts of southern california believe it or not.

just a week before the beginning of spring. maria is live in the fox news extreme weather center. that is rare, snow in southern california. >> we have the winter weather out west and extremely mild temperatures that almost 40 degrees what is average for this time of the year. two different areas that we are among. we are looking at that storm system, southern california, bringing areas of heavy rain. there are a couple flood advisories out in southern california, in addition to one to two inches can fall on top of what we've already received. please be careful if you are doing any driving, on interstate 5. you can see more popping up north of the mountains in fresno. we're going to be see additional snowfall picking up as we head tonight where some spots could be up to four feet of snow. quite significant and not the rain and snow.

we can see wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour as we head into sunday. that storm system is going to keep heading eastward. it will be picking up to a foot of snow in the higher elevations on sunday and it keeps pushing eastward and pull that cooler air with it. dakotas will see mild temperatures will start to see temperatures that are a little bit more seasonable and we're going to pick up heavy rain across central portions of the u.s. oklahoma, kansas, totals that could be over three inches of rain. that could cause some flooding. some of that precipitation unfortunately is also going to come in the form am of severe thunderstorms. we have a risk of severe thunderstorms in parts of southern illinois, southeast missouri and isolated tornadoes possible. and tomorrow we're looking at a more widespread severe weather where we will get much of the needed rainfall, southern

nebraska down to central portions of texas. once again, large hail, strong wind gusts and isolated tornadoes possible. as it heads eastbound, cooler air from the west move eastward. as we head through sunday, warmer air pushing east with once again another warm day, but cooler air is going to head east. >> gregg: thanks very much. >> heather: beautiful day today. >> gregg: it truly is. >> heather: at least in new york it is. julian assange may be under arrest but he is setting his sights his future on politics. where he plans for running for office. >> gregg: politics and the pump. they are playing the blame game over the soaring gasoline prices live report coming up. >> heather: crank up the volume and get ready for fireworks. a massive street party is taking place. we'll tell you about all this celebration.

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>> gregg: time for a quick check of the headlines, wikileaks founder, julian assange says he

is running for office in his native australia. he is facing possible extradition to sweden. george clooney a free man today. police releasing him after his arrest during a protest outside the sudanese embassy. he will be chris wallace's guest tomorrow on fox news sunday. >> judith: today is, of course, st. patrick's day. a city in spain they are celebrating the life of another saint and much more explosive tradition. >> winter going out with a bang at the spanish fire festival in valencia. amy kellogg takes a look at the celebration. >> reporter: nice thing about welcoming springtime here you get the feeling it's really here to stay and there won't be back to the winter.

the fiesta are centered around the figures called ninos and they are called las fallas and there are hundreds of them all over the town displayed over the four-day festival which is about lights and sound best demonstrated, it's a 500-pound force of gun powder extravaganza that goes off in eardrum bursts and little children cheering wildly. its lunchtime ritual that goes on from the start of march through the 19th of march. st. joseph's day. the city is filled with people. at one point at the center you could barely put couldn't put a piece of paper between people it was so crowded. it costs $350,000 to make

surreal and satirical scenes. they tip up with valencian garb to create the las fallas along with street light displays and fallas and they get rid of the bad they say, looking forward to the good bus but these are not considered bad here by the people of valencia. they are quite beloved and they have gotten bigger and bigger with time. it used to be they would mysteriously appear at the start of the fiesta. they are made in so many pieces and have to be assembled with help the cranes, it's rite quite a process. >> heather: quite a sight. amy keg 80 reporting from valencia, spain. >> gregg: aren't they beautiful?

that is equivalent of the rose parade with all the beautiful floats. it's incredible what they can do. from spain to ireland, nearly half a million people are packing the streets of dublin in honor of the patron saint. the parade is many all over the country part of a four-day festival. back here in the united states dressed in all shades of green flooding streets with hundreds of irish dancers, bagpipers and new york city mayor joining the parade. >> heather: we have our green on today. >> gregg: i had to get some over the studios. elbow my way through. >> the luck of the irish. >> i was offered many drinks on the way. >> heather: but you didn't mix it. >> gregg: no, no. >> heather: new concerns about american afghan relations as the u.s. nears a fast approaching

withdrawal date and now the murder of 16 afghan citizens that is strange ties even more. how will it impact the situation. >> gregg: another debate over contraception. this time on college campuses, the white house is weighing in. is this another hot button issue ready to explode. we'll ask our power panel coming up. ant to fix up old houses. ♪ [ woman ] when i grow up, i want to take him on his first flight. i want to run a marathon. i'm going to own my own restaurant. when i grow up, i'm going to start a band. [ female announcer ] at aarp we believe you're ner done growing. thanks, mom. i just want to get my car back. [ female announcer ] discover what's next in your life. get this free travel bag when you join at aarp.org/jointoday. diarrhea, gas or bloating? get ahead of it! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap a day helps defend against digestive issues

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>> heather: welcome back. new reaction from president obama on rising gas prices. national average for a gallon of regular $3.83. more than a 30 cent jump than last month. that is only expected to go up as we near the summer. republican candidates say that president obama's policies are to blame and the white house firing back as expected. doug mckelway is live in washington with the very latest.

>> reporter: good afternoon. with gas prices rising 31 cents standing at 3.83 a gallon. rhetoric over who and what to blame is also on the rise. the president is on mission to tout his fuel economy standards for the next decade and to defend all of the above energy policies against attacks from political rivals. combined these steps have put us on a path for greater energy independence. dependence has gone down every single year since i took office. less than half the oil we used came from foreign counties last year. >> one rival fought back? >> people in my district and around the country are fed up with the way the president is handling this issue and rightfully so. the most forceful thing he has done about gas prices is explain he is against them.

>> reporter: the president accused his rivals approaching energy policy from flat earth perspective depending on fossil fuel technology, a losing approach saying that u.s. produces only 2% of the world's oil production. but they say we have more oil than saudi arabia but extract go probable reserves. its debate that will heat up if fuel prices continue to rise and we get closer to election day. >> heather: no doubt it will heat up as prices continue to rise. thank you very much. >> gregg: tensions are growing between the united states and afghanistan and new details of u.s. soldier suspected of killing 16 afghan civilians.

>> hamid karzai accusing the united states of stonewalling an investigation into deaths and blasting our troops on the ground demanding that the u.s. troops be confined to major bases in afghanistan by next year. how strained is the relationship? here is steven yates former deputy assistant to national security affairs. it's a pleasure to speak you. do you i it's understandable that american support for this war is hitting a new low? >> i do. thank you, gregg. i think it's important topic. i think it's very reasonable that people would be frustrated. this is longest foreign war. there is a profound lack of gratitude seemingly on the ground in afghanistan for what troops are doing and what karzai is saying is insulting at times. >> gregg: you believe that the policies of this president, president obama, has in some way

aggravated the conditions in afghanistan, how so? >> i do. i think there has been a profound lack of leadership on the president's part for starting off in 2009 took a long time where he wanted to go on strategy. in the meantime, publicly insulting president karzai for him is the elected leader of afghanistan, someone whom we have to work. he launched a strategy as surge and emphasizing time tables for withdrawal which leads other in the field including president karzai to live ways post troop environment. i think we are still paying a price for those decisions going on. >> gregg: you would admit i would think, the president was dealt a pretty difficult hand when he assumed office. it was a war that largely had been overshadowed by iraq and personnel and military strategy.

so it was difficult for him to step into that position. >> i would admit it was difficult situation. it was long war. it was, however, the war he spoke for two years of being the one that was justified, the one that was necessary. i think what is really lost in the talk today president has not done very much to explain to americans why we are there. even if we have choices of how many troops are there and how they are used, there is an ongoing mission there. there is a hole in actions that originated. need to keep the taliban from power and al-qaeda like groups from reconstituting a base there remains, regardless of what our favor for hamid karzai may be or troop levels. we also have a dangerous neighbor in pakistan and not least of which a dangerous neighbor in iran. what is the way forward with

lower troops in dealing with those threats. >> gregg: i wonder if recent incidents that some have put forth that the troops are creating more problems than solutions? >> in the absence of any real education of the public of why we're there, i think it's going to be very difficult to sustain a troop presence and they do become sitting targets. a poll in southern afghanistan suggested only 8% of men afghanistan knew that 9/11 happened. if people don't have a war that was declared on us what the pre-administration looked like and the shear ugliness and brutality of life at that time how could they possibly support our presence. >> gregg: karzai is claiming an early withdrawal of troops.

he says they are ready to handle it. would a u.s. withdrawal allow the taliban to reconstitute itself and thus permit terrorists to establish safe havens in which to operate? >> i think there is a significant risk to that. we have to look seriously at the options how we can recalibrate our troop presence. this has been a long war and troops are fatigued and we need to find ways to have a lighter footprint. but the security imperative that brought us there was a mission we were forced to have to face and that will remain. >> if we do what karzai is asking, does that mean afghanistan could revert to prewar conditions, that precious american lives not to mention billions were wasted and lives were lost in vain? >> ultimately i think that is what we absolutely have to avoid. there is risk of fall-back.

should we let the chips fall where they may. i think we owe to the thousands of americans who fought and sacrificed for a mission that was just, that made a meaningful difference and we are grateful for what they have done. >> gregg: karzai says his forces can handle the security of his nation, is he mistaken? >> we have invested a decade to increase those capabilities. i would like to believe they are improving. president karzai is betting his own very life on the capabilities of those forces. i think we can't afford to leave our own interests in the hands of any foreign power including that of afghanistan, but president karzai's own livelihood we can entrust to his own forces. >> gregg: steven, many thanks for being with us. >> heather: we are now confirming according to a state

department official, u.s. citizen has been released from detention in iraq. u.s. embassy in baghdad is providing assistance to the citizen and u.n. official, according to him, he is an american contractor held for nine months. we'll bring you updates on this developing story as we get them. once again we do know, we can confirm for you a u.s. citizen has been released from detention in iraq. >> gregg: new details on a scare for u.s. defense secretary leon pinetta has he lands in afghanistan but now some say security measures following that incident went way too far. should u.s. troops be forced to give up their weapons on an american base? we'll explain what happened and the fallout. >> heather: plus president obama says that he feels your pain at the pump, but there more he should be doing to bring gas

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and indigestion. i've worked hard to get to where i am... and i've got better aces to go than always going to the bathroom. so take charge of your symptoms by talking to your doctor and go to vesicare.com for a free trial offer. zbleedz welcome back. american marines ordered to disarm in the middle of a war zone. it happened at camp leatherneck. a visit by leon pinetta. move a security measure of the shooting of 16 civilians that happened last weekend. but it doesn't reveal a trust issue between u.s. commanders and troops. we're going to talk about that. our power panel, mercedes, angela mcglowan and eleanor

ratner is a fox news contributor. thanks for joining us. happy st. patrick's day to you. >> do you think this is showing some sort of rift between our troops? >> actually i think was political move by the panetta's office. it was very smart. they had afghan soldiers and american soldiers. they didn't want to take chances they disarmed everybody. i don't think it's a big deal. >> heather: but afghan troops didn't have to disarm because they were told to begin with to come unarmed. >> the policies they've had in the past is the afghan troops would go in without their arms. it's the mental health issue. they are concerned about it. the recent soldier, recent incident had no signs, visible signs of any mental health issue and suddenly snapped.

>> heather: then he killed nine children. >> i think mercedes has hit on something, there is some mental issues but the bottom line is this. whole afghan strategy has been dysfunctional and disarray. i think the bottom line is this. we need to get out of there altogether. >> why would you send somebody with a traumatic brain injury back into the front? it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. >> they have to shore up all the help for the troops. >> and having constant communication, mental health professionals on the ground evaluating these soldiers. their needs are even worse there. >> i think a special mental health care for the soldiers. >> heather: between afghan troops and troops serving it side by side with them, they are calling it green on blue attacks. this was very interesting.

according to the pentagon there have been more than 45 such attacks on coalition forces since 2007, 75% within the past two years. >> we are there to help them but they don't want our help. we need to let it go and bring our boys and girls home. >> that is not the usual stance but i agree with you hundred percent. >> when i see commercials with the wounded yeah warriors and injuries they have and they are killing us over there? >> an article with three wounded warriors. it was amazing they have adjusted but they have had a lot to go through. >> heather: then the other side of the coin, what were we doing to begin with. if we pull out too quickly. what about the service people that lost their lives that did become wounded warriors. what were they fighting for. >> resurgence of the taliban. at some point you have to make

sure the country is stable and hand it back over there. >> in iraq it was a totally different story and people that helped us. the people that we were helping is our enemy. is it afghan soldiers? >> heather: it's the volatile situation to say the least. next topic, gas prices continue to be volatile. continuing to rise very sharply. now up for eighth straight day and levels not seen record high back in 2008, when president obama said he feels america's pain at the pump. they can't do a lot to control prices. will this impact voters come november? i have to say this has been argued before. previous administrations. it really isn't a lot that he can do, is there? >> certainly. no doubt, if those gas prices hit $5 and continue through november, watch out.

>> what can president obama or any administration do. he would talk about strategic reserves or roll back on federal gas taxes but republicans are going to have go along with this. >> there is no shortage of gas. who is rising the prices? speculaters, if we had a strong president like ronald reagan, strong -- >> a what president. >> i called milk toast president. >> bottom line is weak. >> got it. never heard that before. >> he could be that strong president. >> let the market know this would not stand, there is nothing he can do right now. but what he could have done was let other policies move forth and more drilling.

>> wait a minute. even if they were to drill it would be ten-year thing. >> if he did it four years ago when he was president looking at it prospectively what could happen. >> and looking into the fears it's about speculation that is why the price of gas goes up. >> i don't disagree with you, but if the republicans would allow him to do that. >> makes a statement that he wants gas prices the same levels at europe. number two, when he was questioned, he said the administration is not worried about increase in gas prices. that is a problem. >> heather: more than $4 a gallon in seven states. so people definitely are concerned about it. whether or not it affects them when go to polls we'll find out. >> we have a long time until

november. >> heather: we have to go to a commercial break and we'll be back and talk about spankings in school. it is still allowed and how many states still allow this controversial punishment for students that misbehave. should it be banned? our power panel weighs in next. [ male announcer ] for fastidious librarian emily skinner, each day was fueled

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>> heather: new controversy over contraception coverage in healthcare insurance, obama administration says most universities should cover birth control in their health plans without a co-pay. our power panel is back. i'm going to begin with you because you are shaking your head. you do not agree. >> i don't agree. i think the universities what they should do, what their responsibility is education. not contraception. with planned parenthood being out there, i don't know what the perception is, dealing with the fact, ellen, you are shaking your head -- but i'm in shock it costs money for birth control pills, not at planned parenthood. >> wait a minute if a university is education, isn't that contraception?

>> no. >> it's not. >> you pay for someone else's reproductive rights. >> the university is supposed to educate our children. >> it's a health insurance. >> you want a bunch -- >> it's a health issue and there are allows that talk about accommodation. if they have a medical issue there are federal laws and local laws to accommodate that individual. but it's no longer a health issue and because you one wa than the to have recreational sex. that is a bit different. people in the universities that are religious universities -- >> it's interesting how those needs are being blended into one. the need for contraception because of, say, fibroids versus having it in terms of your sex life. >> i wonder in terms of contraception for sex life, when

that d that become part of the necessary health care coverage. >> when way was teenager, many years ago, i went to doctor to get contra accept i have care. of course they need contraceptive care. >> the reason this is an issue because liberals wants to say that conservatives are having committing a war on women. they don't have anything else to stand on. >> i mean it is a war on women. >> some of these universities are going to increase their premiums. it's a lot of money, believe me. i am an employer 1200 people, one of 26 people that own this firm. >> about contraception or health care or about religious. >> that is where federal assistance. >> what about unwanted pregnancies?

when we get into that, first i don't want anyone to pay for having abortion. >> if it's for recreation, if it's a health issue, the federal and legal mandate. >> yes, that is a health issue. because you want to have sex, i don't want to pay for it. >> last i looked colleges and universities tried to get kids to take precautions to use contraception, to use condoms. >> educate these folks -- >> go to planned parenthood and you can get free contraception. taxpayers don't have to pay for it. i'm not talking about recreational sex. >> a college student who pays a lot of tuition, goes to health service they can't get contraceptive services? >> here is the compromise the

administration. say the universities gives them the same policy the same health coverage you have with your employees so you don't have this back in forth. employers don't have the co-pays students shouldn't have them, as well. >> four different options as they go through the details of it. >> and high school girls can go to planned parenthood, but college students can't? >> why not run it three university health services so girls do go. >> they are encouraged to get an exam and given information about condoms. >> that is issue. we're talking about this particular issue at hand. sex versus health issues. >> take the money out of your own wallet to do it. >> you have everybody pays college tuition, even if you get student loans. >> let it be a tax deduction, if

you want to give money at contraception let it be a tax deduction. >> you know something is free -- abstinence. >> heather: on that note. >> gregg: new information on the american soldier suspected of killing afghan civilians. he is in prison in the united states. some afghans want him to stand trial in their country. what is the next step in the investigation. do you have anything for a headache...like excedr... bayer aspirin... ohh, no no no. i'm not having a heart attack, it's my head. this is made for pain. [ male announcer ] bayer advanced aspirin enters the bloodstream fast, and rushes extra strength relief to the sight of your pain. feel better? yeah...thanks for the tip!

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>> gregg: hello glad you're with us i'm gregg jarrett. >> heather: i'll heather childers. won't get enough delegates to wrap up the nomination. but they have a new plan to make him the nominee. is it a winning strategy? bizarre story involving the man behind that video on warlord joseph kony that went viral. by police and hospitalized. >> heather: this mom goes to great lengths to keep a suspected drug dealer from her son. now she faces charges. >> gregg: we are beginning to learn more about the suspect

at the center of that deadly shooting rampage in afghanistan. military officials identifying him as army staff sergeant robert bales he's back in the u.s. in kwan sass. friends and neighbors struggling to square the details with the man they know. >> he had such a big heart he was a financial adviser. he couldn't take that, losing people's money when the market went down -- he felt that he needed something bigger in his heart, mind and soul that's why he went in the military to help people. >> gregg: sergeant bales suspected of gunning down 16 afghan civilians last weekend. he has not been formally charged. casey stegall is tracking this story. >> reporter: the 38-year-old was stationed out of washington state. why is he in kansas? that is home to a detention

that silly for the u.s. military. -- detention facility for u.s. military. he was on his fourth deployment. he arrived in the united states last night. an hour from fort leavenworth. much of what we know has come from his lawyer a high profile defense attorney from seattle named john henry brown. who says bales married with two young children. he says his client witnessed a fellow soldier's leg being blown off one day before he allegedly carried out this massacre. he says bales was upset over having been reemployed having done three tours in iraq where he lost part of his foot from an injury on the battlefield. those who knew him say they were under the impression he was streamly proud to serve his country. he had been in the army for 11 years. >> my reaction is that i'm

shocked. i can't believe that it was him. there were no signs. it is really sad. like i said the only reason i wanted everyone to know so we could get more prayers out there for him and his family. i don't want to believe that he did it. >> reporter: top military offs say last weekend robert bales walked off base in southern afghanistan around 3 a.m. in a nato forces uniform and executed 16 innocent afghan civilians, as they were sleeping, in nearby villages. most of the victims were women and children. this incident has forced president obama to defend our country's role and course in the war torn region. afghan president hamid karzai said he's at the end of his rope and suggested that bale did not act alone. we should reiterate the soldier has not been formally

charged. we do not know when that is going to happen. defense secretary panetta says, he could face the death penalty here. >> gregg: casey stegall, thank you. mounting tensions in afghanistan over the u.s. military's move to fly the shooting suspect out of the country. hundreds of protesters taking to the streets in jalalabad, chanting anti-american slogans, demanding that army staff sergeant robert bales be placed on trial in afghanistan under islamic law. the protest is the second in afghanistan since the killings last sunday. >> gregg: major developments in iraq. fox news confirming a prrp if the u.s. state department an american citizen has just been released from a detention center there the u.s. embassy in baghdad providing assistance to the citizen. according to a united nations official this man is a u.s. contractor held by an iraqi militia for nine months.

we'll bring updates as we get them. >> new deadly violence rocking syria's capital. state run media reporting that twin suicide car bombings hitting intelligence and security buildings in damascus. at least 27 have been killed, more than 100 injured. the government blaming opposition forces for it. anti-government rebels are denying any role at all. u.s. intelligence officials pointing to al-qaeda in iraq as a likely culprit. taking advantage of syria's year long uprising. >> heather: now to politics. hot topic on the campaign trail, soaring gas prices. take a look at how they are taking a bigger bite out of your wallet. current national average is $3.83. up over 30 cents from last month. republicans and the white house now pointing

fingers over the increase. doug mcelway is live with more. >> reporter: good afternoon it is clear the president's energy policy and rising fuel prices are shaping up as a major campaign theme. for the second time this week the president take together airways to defend his policy and tougher standards slated the next decade. >> the president: combined, these steps have put us on a path to greater energy energy independence. since i took office american dependence on foreign oil has gone down every year. less than half the oil we used came from foreign countries. >> reporter: republican rival as wear of how past presidents have fairly or not, been -- been blamed for high gas prices taking aim at the president's energy policy. >> people in my district and around the country are fed up with the way the president is

handling this issue, rightfully soap the most forceful thing the president has done is try to plain that he's against high gas prices. >> reporter: the president reminded american as during a campaign stop this week, gasline prices are higher by circumstances beyond our control. including uncertainty in the mideast and increasing thirst for oil and cars and heavily populated countries like china and india. critics counter the domestic supply could be massively increased if more drilling permits were granted and abundant domestic resources of oil, sands and shale were tapped. >> heather: thank you doug, live from washington. >> gregg: another busy saturday in america's election headquarters. republicans in missouri holding their caucuses up for grabs 52 presidential delegates many santorum is the

only candidate who has been campaigning in the show-me state here's there today. you recall he won the nonbinding primary. newt gingrich and ron paul have no events planned. mitt romney stumping in puerto rico and illinois, just ahead of that state's primary. >> heather: as the republican candidates fight to secure their party's if nation -- party's nomination president obama has been building up his campaign war chest. yesterday he attend five fundraisers in two states with tickets to some events costing more than $10,000 a piece. peter doocy has that story from washington. >> reporter: the president attended two fundraisers in chicago friday, three in atlanta for a total of five and 5 1/2 million dollars was the expected haul some of the events were small round table discussions. some big for several hundred supporters at a time. some attend by major celebrities like oprah, tyler

perry and gayle king. the president told one -- >> the president: their philosophy is simple if those in power could make their on rules then it is going to trickle down to you. >> reporter: the campaign had a burn rate of 158% in january that means they spent 17.7 million dollars which is a lot more than the 11.9 million they raised when president george w. bush was running for reelection his january burn rate was 60%. former governor romney's in january 289%. he is still dealing with primary challengers in his own party.ñbtqpú3 speaking of parties, days after dozens of campaign bundlers turned up at wednesday's state dinner romney said this: >> the idea that the president takes your money and invests it in the people who helped him in his campaign this is a political pay back of a kind

that really distorts the way the market works. >> reporter: president an obama announced his candidacy 348 days ago and attended 148 fundraisers since. >> thanks peter. >> gregg: cleanup is underway after thursday's devastating tornado in dexter, michigan that storm ripping through more than 100 homes and even tore one of the homes foundation off wall the -- while the family was inside. >> from the edge of the cement this way was my bedroom we ran in the basement. as soon as we got to that couch we weren't on that couch five seconds, and then the next thing you know, i mean it just started coming apart. >> i was seeing if i could possibly find her -- that's one thing she cared about. there's always hope.

>> gregg: maria molina is in the weather center. good to see you. unfortunately today and tomorrow we are spweblging another round of severe weather one of those areas does include portions of southeastern missouri and southern illinois large hail damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes possible from some of these thunderstorms you can see one of those thunderstorms over st. louis producing heavy rain and a flash flood watch has been issued because aside from severe weather, a lot of rain coming down and another round of severe thunderstorms as we head into tonight over the same areas already hit hard by a lot of rainfall. tomorrow another storm system is going to exit out of the rockies pulling in a lot of warm moist air out of the gulf of mexico firing up showers and thunderstorm along tornado alley and we are looking at another round of severe storm western part of texas into the oklahoma panhandle, kansas into southern parts of nebraska. setting the stage for this severe weather is warm air

even record breaking at times across portions of the midwest temperatures here almost 40° above what is typical for this time of the year. extremely warm out there, not just the midwest or the tornado alley, also across portions of the northeast where we've been experiencing unusually warm air in new york city. we have a storm system now that is going to produce severe weather tomorrow. today areas of rain and snow across parts of southern california feels like winter out here, snowing, windy, cold and we are seeing wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour possible. please be careful if you are driving along i-5 or any other local roadways. accumulations in the sierra could exceed a foot. as the system heads east across four corners and rockies accumulation of other a foot or two feet across arizona, snowfall out here and we need the snow so we'll take it. >> gregg: the skiers would love to have that snow. obviously, the water that

results from it thereafter, we need that as well. >> we are in a drought so we will take it. >> gregg: maria moline thanks very much. >> heather: george -- george clooney speaking out about the crisis in sudan choosing fox news sunday as his exclusive forum. take a listen to this exchange with anchor chris wallace. >> would you to see the u.s. get involved in imposing an international coalition, a no fly zone ? >> the truth of the matter is this, and you will understand this, if you are standing there and you see a kid with both his hands missing from some jerk, you know, 10,000 feet in the air just dropping bombs indiscriminately on innocent people would you like to see a nato plane take those guys out of the air that's your gut reaction. in the real world, what we're

talking about, we are not going to see nato in there. >> heather: you can catch the rest of chris wallace's interview with george clooney tomorrow on fox news sunday. also appearing the co-founder of the enough project. check your local listings for the time. bizarre new developments concerning a high profile filmmaker and nonprofit co-founder. 33-year-old jason russell known for in video and african warlord joseph kony making headlines for the wrong reasons. more from our fox affiliate in san diego, including the unbelievable videotape from tmz. this is tmz video of a strange thing. naked man waving his hands, pounding the ground at the corner of ingram and riviera, he saw it all. >> a guy just had a pair of underwear on running and the

corner he looked like he might have been on drugs, running, putting his hands to his head, up and down, another 20, 30 feet he would start doing this. and then he went back and forth. >> reporter: he didn't know who he was. >> thought maybe i should call the police. >> reporter: no one knew who he was not even the four witnesses that did call police. according to the police log. people saw the manet dead and screaming, touching himself in the street, badging his hands-on the ground. >> thought he was off of survivor or something >> reporter: it was jason russell. best known for this. the cone any -- the kony 2012 project designed to raise awareness to the atrocities in you began dat. he was thrust into the spotlight. now this. -- >> the behavior he was exhibiting at the time led us to believe this is more of a medical issue as opposed to a criminal issue. >> reporter: san diego police

detained russell and took him to a mental health facility. invisible children the charity co-founded by russell that released the kony 2012 movie released this statement: the past two weeks have taken a severe emotional toll on all of us, jason especially and that tolman fess heed in an unfor the -- >> was our affiliate in san diego reporting. >> heather: newt gingrich coming up with a new plan he says he can win the republican presidential nomination with it. the former house speaker admits he has no chance of catching mitt romney in the race for delegates but he says there's another way he can come out on top. >> gregg: a mother confronts her son's heroin dealer and lands behind bars, she did,

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>> gregg: parliamentary speaker calling israel a barking dog and saying it won't dare attack iran to stop its nuclear program. israel has threatened to attack, if necessary to stop iran from developing nuclear weapons. house budget committee chairman ryan saying he will unveil his budget in coming tuesday. it means ryan believes he has the necessary vets to move his budget out of committee. the pope of egypt's coptic christian church has died he was 88-years-old. >> heather: as leading republican candidates battle it out add head of tuesday's big contest in illinois, former house speaker newt gingrich's team is rolling out a new strategy saying he can no longer capture the delegates needed to clench the nomination focusing on keeping romney

from sealing the deal by june. here's the latest delegate tally in case you are keeping count: mitt romney out front with 495. sane for rum, 252. -- newt gingrich has 131 and ron paul has 48. what does the gingrich strategy mean? joining me for a fair and balanced debate brad blakeman and former democratic congressman from texas, martin frost, thank you both for joining us. happy st. patrick's day. brad, i'm going to begin with you. is this a good strategy for newt gingrich? >> might be good not for newt gingrich but for mitt romney. the proportional races are over after april 3rd, then it becomes winner take all. it didn't matter if you come in second or third you are not getting delegates unless you win. if gingrich is peeling votes

from santorum that would be a help to romney. the question is, how far does gingrich want to go in sullying his reputation staying in a race where he admits he has no chance of sealing the nomination. >> heather: that is the thing. congressman frost is this strategy possible? we were talking mitt romney, he was won over 50% of the delegates so far. >> it is highly unlikely. newt is al at this point. someone needs to difficult a gold watch and tell him it is time to get out of the scene here. the republican party has a legitimate chance of beating obama. i'm for obama i think obama will win. but they have a shot at this race. the longer newt stays in the messier this gets the farther this pushes romney to the right the more difficult it is for the republicans to win in the fall. let there be a clean decision between romney and santorum, let the party make its decision and then get their act together for the fall. newt's strategy is not going to win for him and it going to

hurt republicans. >> heather: brad, speaking of santorum, gingrich's campaign said gingrich is in this with rick santorum, had strategy. do you that i is true or does santorum want gingrich to get out and have a head to head race with romney? >> santorum would like nothing better than for gingrich to exit that would make it a head to head contest between he and romney. every vote is sigh goned off hurts your ability to win -- siphonned off hurts your ability to win. romney would love to see gingrich stay in a little while longer every state that goes by increasing romney's percentage he takes his fair share of those winner take all states that he will be the nominee. as you pointed out, romney leads in tell gates with all his other competitors -- delegates with all his other

competitors combined. he's in terrific shape. >> heather: a comment from mitt romney here's what he said about the possibility of a brokered convention. >> look, we are not going to go to a brokered convention. >> we're not? >> no. one or the other of us the three, four that are running is going to get the delegates necessary to become the nominee as it gets closer towards the end it going to be clear we have someone in the strong lead the states that remain will vote for that person and that person will get the delegates and become our nominee. >> heather: congressman frost he doesn't sound too worried. >> i agree with him on that. from the standpoint of a democrat i want this to drag on as long as possible. i think gingrich is crazy to stay in the race but it helps the democrats if he does. somebody will be the nominee many the sooner there is a nominee decided uh:zgé by the republican party, the sooner that person can start organizing for the fall and getting their message together

this something going to be a very close race this fall. and the republicans may jeopardize their -- the possibility of winning by dragging this out. >> heather: brad have they already jeopardized themselves the republican party? >> exactly not this is what is expected in a primary and caucus season to fight it out and get the best possible candidate vetted by the voters that is what is happening. i agree with the congressman, if it goes on much beyond the end of april, beginning of may it has the possibility of damaging the party. having said that i agree with mitt romney there is not going to be a brokered convention. the republicans will unite behind a nominee. i also agree with the congressman we have a great shot at beating president obama, but we must be united to do it. >> i'm not saying a great shot. i'm saying legitimate shot. i think obama is going to win in a close race. >> heather: how much pressure

is newt gingrich getting now to drop out of race in the coming days? can' ford to stay in? he's had -- can he afford to day in? 175,000 contributed to his campaign will that continue or wane off? think people will continue to put pressure on him, newt is his own guy, always has been. he may not be right, but he's certain in terms of what his path is. newt will only dropout of this race when he finally realizes that he's hurting the team. >> heather: he may not be right, but he is certain, i like that. thank you both of you we appreciate your insight. >> gregg: i remember the con srefrpbgs in '76 gerald ford barely won, beat ronald reagan, reagan delivers this incredible speech and the republican party is saying did we nominate the wrong guy? you could see the same happening here, gingrich could

show up, give a stem winder as he's known to do and all of a sudden the tide begins to shift. >> heather: has been good when he sticks to the topics in the debates. >> gregg: he communicates good at that goldman sachs employee greg smith resigning what he said on this messy split, straight ahead. when i grow up, i want to fix up old houses. ♪ [ woman ] when i grow up, i want to take him on his first flight. i want to run a marathon. i'm going to own my own restaurant. when i grow up, i'm going to start a band. [ female announcer ] at aarp

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>> heather: it is bottom of the hour. we are learning new details about the suspect accused of

killing 16 afghan civilians last weekend. neighbors of staff sergeant robert bales says he rarely spoke about his multiple deployments to iraq and afghanistan and showed little emotion about his experiences. >> pakistan ending hold of three widow of osama bin laden. authorities will keep them in custody for another 10 days perpbgsding trial for living in the country without valid documents. pakistan has detained the widows since bin laden was killed by navy seals last may. >> convicted nazi war criminal john demand has died. he claimed -- he was 91. a junior executive at goldman sachses leaving the company this week but not without ripping -- the bank in an editorial published in "the new york times" this pun lick break up getting a load of attention over the last

several days. here with her take liz trotta a fox news contribute for. good afternoon is this a letter of resignation or book proposal? >> maybe the latter. >> this is the hottest thing to hit the internet in a long time. it was basically a letter of resignation as purported to be from 33-year-old greg smith. these charge of selling equity derivatives for europe, mideast and africa and he's based in london. last week he decided to quit and he must have seen the movie "network" he was mad, he didn't give a damn any more he said i'm going but not without telling you guys what i think. he took on the great skid, i should say the great vampire squid which is what goldman sachs has been called by the media since mike taibbi

of rolling stone dubbed him that. here's an example of the so-called letter of resignation from greg smith. i can say the environment is as toxic and destructive as i have ever seen it. >> of course he's not the first person to go after goldman sachs. they figure prominently in everything that has happened since the crash in 2008. recently they were fined 580 million by the sec. >> gregg: he peddles derivatives for years the market imploded and contributed to the financial crash four years ago. of course the abacus deals

unraveled six years ago and that ruined with goldman's reputation for a while what took this guy so long to quit? >> i don't know maybe he thought he wasn't going to get plotted. you have to note that he only made $500,000 last year. that's nothing in the goldman sachs world. by the way, i love some of the sarcasm in the press this week. somebody wrote a letter of resignation but this was from the empire, why i am leaving the empire by darth vader. that was pretty good. the daily beast came out with, you know it is as though this guy spotted gambling in the casino he's shocked! >> gregg: i read the letter i'm not sure this guy understands what wall street firms really december they wear multiple hats, advise, lend, invest, their customers are devoted and love them and

more and more customers are knocking on goldman's door so they gotta be doing something write. people ought to read the column in the "wall street journal" it is spot on. >> i agree it is about making money. who was -- people were deriding goldman sachs particularly lloyd blankfein the ceo and gary cohen the president while they were doing this fellow billionaires like mayor bloomberg ran over to goldman sachs ahead quarters to show his support. it can't get any funnier. >> gregg: wall street pays for 40% of the tax base in new york city. you know, the mayor has an interest as well. plus, he's a vet of wall street as well. can you explain why the term muppet is a pejorative? >> i'm told it is british slang for idiot. which would make it a

pejorative. >> gregg: because i love muppet. >> it is endearing, absolutely. i have a feeling they had a few other choice words for their customers that we don't know about. >> gregg: you are endearing as well liz trot thanks. she thought she was doing the -- right thing a mother goes toe-to-toe with her son's drug dealer and she is facing charges. judge jeanine pirro weighs in on that, next. >> they came to my house, to my work looking for him, trying to get him to buy again when he was clean. >> somebody that got you started on it won't leave you alone it is always there, your brain goes back to how it was when you were using and thinking i can do it one more time what's it gonna hurt? today, we stand against the tyraeager travelards.

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. >> gregg: this is an

interesting story. a missouri mother attacks a drug deal we are a baseball bat, aluminum because he wouldn't stay way from her son. she said she did everything to keep him out of trouble. prosecutors are charging her with assault, not the dealer. but she has no doubt she did the right thing. >> it is the state prosecuting me for trying to protect my son. >> do you have any regrets? >> no. no. my children are my life. and they are wanting to take his life away and i can't let that happen. >> gregg: here now judge jeanine pirro. sherry here on internet, switched schools, sent him to relatives, had him drug tested frequently, threw away his cell phone. nothing worked because this drug dealer allegedly, kept coming to the door. >> not only did she did all

the things that you say she gave the text messages where the heroin supplier is telling her son, i'll meet you here or there. gives it to sheriff says he's a dealer, getting involved with my son, the sheriff does nothing. what is he doing now? prosecuting her. his response is lame half-ass response is, we have to take care of the victims. i would wonder, who really is the victim here? she did everything she could to report this dealer. police did nothing. now they want to prosecute her. >> gregg: the son comes to mom's aid saying this guy kept pestering me, putting it in front of me you don't understand what it is like with a heroin addiction. >> it is more. the mother saw when he was working at the restaurant where she was a manage drug dealer would pull up to the restaurant and that's when the mother said i've had it. drives to his house to speak

to the father, the father won't do anything of the dealer. she thinks he's reaching for a weapon. >> gregg: he said something ominous, he said, "i know who you are." turns, guess to his car to get something. for all she knew, it would have been a weapon. some state as lou the imperfect self-defense, -- a reasonable or sincere but mistaken belief that your life is in imminent danger. can she invoke that here? >> absolutely. it is more critical for her to invoke it if a heroin supplier and she has seen him use heroin with her son, you would believe a supplier would have some kind of a weapon if he has heroin on him it is even more credible on her part. it is amazing this woman is charged with a crime. >> gregg: a creative defense lawyer could say, heroin is a deadly weapon. and she thought he was going to retrieve the heroin and present it to her son.

i don't know creative, but maybe. >> i think it is more logical to say that he had whatever mechanisms he need to protect himself in the base, gun, weapon, some kind of bat, anything. >> gregg: what about jury nullification. you get this in front of a jury and the jury says i don't care what the law says, i'm going to side with the mom. they nullify the law and vote their heart and conscience. >> i've seen it done many times. a jury will clearly nullify if all the facts are put in front of them. maybe the d.a. will make a decision that he or she doesn't want to go forward this is the sheriff who made the arrest it is yet to be prosecuted. they may dispose of it >> gregg: what are they going to do put the alleged drug dealer on the stand and he gets confronted. >> you have to believe our witness who said he wasn't reaching for anything. this mother came at him with a bat, yeah right he's 21. >> gregg: you wouldn't

prosecute this case, would you? you would find a way? >> i wouldn't need to find a way, i would say. >> gregg: tonight justice with judge jeanine pirro tonight. >> heather: republicans battling for every vote in the lead up to primary contest in puerto rico tomorrow and illinois tuesday. how did the gop contenders stack up against president obama? we have new numbers, up next. >> we are in it to the end. we are going to win. the republican party is going to nominate a conservative. puts you at 5 times greater risk of stroke. don't wait. go to afibstroke.com for a free discussion guide to help you talk to your doctor about reducing your risk. that's afibstroke.com.

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>> heather: brand new numbers showing how the ran candidates stack up against president obama in what are considered the four corestates. key swing states that have a combined 75 electoral votes. according to rasmussen reports santorum is leading the president in florida, north carolina, ohio and virginia. 48-44%. >> gregg: mitt romney falling

short trailing the president 46-42%. >> heather: joining us president of rasmussen reports, scott . scott we also have to give you a special shout out, your new book the people's money reaching number 17 on the "new york times" best seller list. >> gregg: which means you are buying green beer and dinner for the whole crew here, right? >> i'm going to buy it because i'm half irish. >> heather: me too, i'm dutch-irish. congratulating you on our book. tell us about the polls. >> santorum does better in southern states we saw that last week. these four states we are going to be tracking because they are critical two traditional tossups, florida and ohio. two are southern states ally republican until barack obama won them in 2008, north carolina and virginia. right now the president's job approval in these four states

at 48% that's tossup territory. republicans need to win all four if they want to win the white house. >> gregg: let's talk about your data on the economy. traditionally economists say recession is two consecutive quarters of negative gdp. we are not there. do most people feel as though we are still in a recession? >> absolutely. 61% now say we are in a recession. while a little less pessimistic than a year ago, the key is we track this every night and every night for more than four years majority of americans have said, yes we are in a recession. they don't care what the economists say it doesn't feel like a recovery yet. 49% of the americans say the economy is still getting worse. that's why this is the most important issue of election 2012. >> jobless recovery equals recession in most minds of americans who have to live it day-by-day. >> heather: kitchen table politics.

who are they blaming? >> right now it is a tossup between president bush's policies and president obama's policies. a month ago more of the blame was on president bush. i think what we are seeing is a little impact of gas prices and the president's energy policy shifting that a little. here's the key number that i like, 63% of voters say, they trust their own judgment, more than the president. gettinging in the jarrod household we have this ongoing debate over that thing called facebook. you polled on whether people think it is good or bad, what find? >> 31% say bad, 28% say good. people who use it tend to think it is better than those who don't. women use facebook more than men and are less likely to say it is good for society. one other key take away in this. we asked people employers are asking for access to facebook page in some job application processes.

69% say that's not really appropriate. only 35% want to make it illegal. they kind of want to let us sort it out first. >> heather: employers are asking for your password. >> gregg: high school and junior high principals are doing the same they have a little under some of the laws in the states, better opportunity to do that, than private employers huge issue. >> heather: i'm more of a twitter girl. scott i follow you on twitter. you need to start using your twitter more. >> gregg: i tried to access my twitter account recently, they won't let me in, they don't believe i'm me. scott rasmussen, thank you. congratulations again on your book, number 17 on the "new york times" best seller list. >> thank you. >> heather: thanks for joining us. >> gregg: do you facebook? >> heather: i facebook and twitter, but i do twitter

more. >> gregg: rick and arthel will be taking over at the top of the hour. we'll be outside trying to fight the st. patrick's day crowds. >> heather: we'll see you tomorrow at 4:00. happy st. patrick's day hope had you a great one. >> gregg: have a great weekend. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ and i had a heart attack right out of the clear blue... i'm on an aspirin regimen... and i take bayer chewables. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. he's my success story. [ laughs ]

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