on our broadcast tonight, the front lines, richard engel goes inside the fight for iraq. embedded with the forces protecting the city of baghdad as more americans now arrive. the insider. going public with what she calls an evil scheme. stunning new allegations of a cover-up in the growing scandal at the v.a. the clinton's money, bill clinton jumps to his wife's defense in an interview with david gregory, with their post white house wealth now suddenly an issue. and without warning. the summer threat that has even some meteorologists worried. tonight separating fact from fiction, where the danger is concerned. "nightly news" begins now. good evening, you're about

to see an up close look at the effort to defend the city of baghdad from heavily armed militants going by the name isis who have been grabbing up a lot of real estate while approaching the capital city. richard engel embedded with an iraqi military unit. part of this effort to tighten down the defenses around baghdad as more u.s. military advisers arrived just today. and as so much of that nation has already crumbled. richard is back inside baghdad to start us off. richard, good evening. >> good evening, brian. secretary kerry was here today at an emergency mission to try to hold this country together. iraq is increasingly breaking into three distinct pieces. as we saw today, the iraqi armed forces are mostly just trying to hang on to what they still control. >> iraqi troops today retook a village from islamic extremists

in western iraq. but capturing one small town won't change the tide here. isis now moves in whole convoys of u.s. based humvees, flying their black flags, carrying weapons abandoned by the iraqi army, and gaining recruits along the way. some of them just children. if there's anyone who can stand up to the isis advance, it's the commander of iraq's 17th army division. we rode with him to an area u.s. troops once called the triangle of death. the militants consider this a strategic place, he said. they want to take these roads to cut baghdad off from the rest of the country. this is the iraqi army's front lines south of baghdad. we are now 20 miles south of the city. the militants control positions in the palm groves. they arrived right on baghdad's

doorstep. >> at 41, he's iraq's youngest two-star general. his father is shiite, his mother, snoo sunni. he does not want a religious war. he does want american air strikes to confront the terrorists, he says. most of his 15,000 troops are u.s. trained, but they don't have u.s. grade firepower. no tanks, no air support. in his ornate office, he says u.s. troops should have stayed to finish equipping us to make us 100% ready. now, the general and his men are all that stand between a violent insurgency and the iraqi capital. off camera, brian, some of the soldiers -- the privates and the sergeants -- complained about corruption. they said they even have to kickback some of their pay to junior officers. they didn't seem to share the general's enthusiasm for this fight or to defend baghdad. brian? >> richard engel starting us off

from baghdad tonight. richard, thanks. in our new nbc news, "wall street journal" poll out just today, fully 71% of the respondents say the war in iraq just wasn't worth it. as we've been reporting, john kerry just left there. he had to travel secretly to baghdad and put on body army for his own protection. it was described as a diplomatic mission impossible and it pretty much lived up to that billing. andrea mitchell is traveling with kerry, and asked him about those u.s. military advisers. some of whom arrived just today. >> opposition leaders here today said they don't want american intervention. even as our special forces are beginning to end in small groups with the iraqi command. >> well, that's not intervention. what we're trying to do is help the -- and i understand what they don't want, and president obama and the american people don't want that either, but we are not here in combat role, we are not here to fight. the president has no intention, none whatsoever of returning american combat troops to iraq,

to go back to where we were. that's not in the cards. >> andrea mitchell with john kerry in baghdad. in this country tonight for the first time, one of the insiders in the growing scandal involving the va hospitals is breaking her silence. she's a scheduling clerk at the v.a. in phoenix who says she went to the inspector general after being told to keep a secret list of more than 1,000 veterans waiting for medical care. and she claims someone at the v.a. in phoenix altered patient records to hide at least half a dozen different deaths. our report tonight from tom costello. >> reporter: at the epicenter of the growing v.a. scandal in phoenix, pauline dewinter was one of the first to go to federal investigators. now she's going public talking to the arizona republic. >> i feel horrible for what i've done. i cannot erase my role in this evil scheme. >> reporter: she claims she was ordered by v.a. managers to keep a secret list of veterans who

often waited for months for medical care, way beyond the v.a.'s own 14-day rule. >> i put them in my desk drawer. i didn't know what else to do with them. >> reporter: if a patient died, she noted it on their appointment request, but in a disturbing revelation, at least seven times someone at the v.a. removed or altered her note that a vet had died while waiting for care. and she says it's happened within the last few weeks. >> and another employee had gone in and erased my death disposition to entered in error. >> reporter: she decided to act after one particular case involving a vet. sally eliano believes that vet was her father-in-law, thomas breen, who in september complained of blood in his urine. he died on november 30th, having never seen a doctor. pauline called in december to schedule an appointment. >> i cursed at her, screaming, crying that he was dead already. and she got very emotional over the phone, and she said, i

promise you i'm going to help you. >> reporter: multiple agencies are now investigating the v.a., in a letter to president obama, the office of special counsel which protects whistle blowers writes of 50 pending cases, all of which allege threats to patient health or safety, in v.a. facilities from alabama, colorado, new york and puerto rico. >> even substantiated misconduct is denied as being a problem for patient care. until this culture changes, it's going to be very hard for the v.a. to move forward. >> reporter: the allegations made in phoenix are completely unacceptable and must be investigated. the v.a. also tells nbc news, it is taking action to accelerate access to care and reaching out to veterans to get them off waiting lists and into clinics. brian? >> tom costello in our d.c. studios tonight. tom, thanks. big scare late today in and around indianapolis as a tornado made its way through several neighborhoods uncomfortably close to the indianapolis motor speedway, where people were

rushed into a basement of the structure, when the storm hit. several homes were damaged, trees uprooted, piled debris on top of cars. thankfully, no reports of any injuries. the feds are out with their final report on that asiana crash on a san francisco runway last july. they blame mismanagement by the pilots, including confusion over clear flight controls to maintain air speed among other things. ntsb says the pilots overrelied on automated systems they didn't fully understand, partly because of insufficient training. the nose was too high, the tail too low, as it clipped the seawall at the end of the runway. bill clinton jumped to his wife's defense today after comments hillary clinton has made regarding their post white house wealth during a recent book tour. in an interview today with david gregory, bill clinton pushed back on accusations from critics that his wife is somehow out of touch. we get our report tonight from our political director and chief white house correspondent chuck todd. >> reporter: bill clinton tried to do what he does best today,

explain away a thorny political problem. this time, making the case his wife is not out of touch. >> we go to our local grocery store on the weekend. we talk to people in our town, we know what's going on. >> reporter: the trouble for hillary clinton began when she said this. >> we came out of the white house not only dead broke, but in debt. >> it is factually true that we were several million dollars in debt. >> reporter: today david gregory asked the former president about the way hillary clinton has described their finances. >> can you understand as a political matter, that can strike people as being out of touch? >> yeah, but she's not out of touch, and she advocated and worked as a senator for things that were good for ordinary people. and before that all her life, i remember she was working on trying to -- believing in paid leave for pregnant mothers in the 1970s. >> reporter: even before her husband came to her defense, she tried to explain the difference between her newfound wealth and

that of more established rich politicians. telling the british newspaper, the guardian, because we pay ordinary income tax, unlike a lot of people who are truly well off, not to name names, and we've done it through the dint of hard work. post presidency most of the úñ clintons' net worth estimated at over $100 million, has come from three sources. books. she got $8 million for the first memoir, he got $15 million. the government, a senate salary close to $170,000 and $200,000 as secretary of state. and speeches. industry sources say both command well over six figures per appearance. of course for hillary clinton, this isn't about money, it's about perception. >> when she gets caught in explaining away how much money she makes, this helps to feed into this perception that she's really just still part of washington. part of the establishment. >> you know, brian, this issue of being in touch with average americans is more complicated for mrs. clinton. consider this, it's been 22 years since she's been able to walk alone outside without secret service protection.

it's not a bubble she chose. but it adds to her challenge with connecting with every day americans. >> chuck todd in our d.c. newsroom tonight. a reminder, david gregory will have much more on this interview with the former president on sunday on "meet the press." we want to turn once again here tonight to this growing humanitarian crisis on the border between the u.s. and mexico. a huge spike in unaccompanied children making their way into this country illegally. and authorities struggling with where to put them. tonight, nbc's stephanie gosk takes an inside look at what some say could be behind this surge. >> reporter: the immigrant attention facility in brownsville, texas is bursting. 500 unaccompanied undocumented children in a space built for half that. just some of the 52,000 who have crossed the border since last october, hoping to stay. today congress wanted to know what is being done.

>> this is a crisis. the tragic fact is, these children are making a dangerous journey, based on misinformation. >> reporter: under current immigration law, adults are detained and deported. but unaccompanied minors are treated differently. they are passed along to health and human services and then to garden yans in the u.s. while they wait for deportation hearings. in other words, they stay for months or years. that's what happened to ruby. she and her infant are living with her sister in maryland. about a year ago, the 15-year-old who did not want her real name used, says she left honduras, the murder capital the of the world. thousands leave every year. when we asked why, she told us, people are scared of getting murdered, threatened. they want a better life. pregnant, she says she travelled by bus through the mountains, narrowly escaped kidnappers on the mexico/u.s. border. she now faces a complicated legal process. >> our estimate is about 40% to 60% of the children may be granted some form of status to

remain in the united states. >> reporter: some in congress worry allowing unaccompanied minors to stay is creating a misconception. >> if i were a parent in guatemala, wouldn't i see that as being a free pass? >> i don't see it as a free pass, particularly given the danger of migrating over 1,000 miles. >> reporter: on the ground, there is no easy fix, the government struggles with border security and a growing humanitarian problem. stephanie gosk, nbc news, elkridge, maryland. still ahead for us here tonight, in a flash, several close calls captured on video. all of them seem to be at this time of year. and what meteorologists have to the say about the threat and disproving dangerous myths.

we are back now as promised with a look at the threat that starts this time of year every year, the threat from lightning strikes. when storms are always brewing somewhere, and people are outside. that has meteorologists

concerned and also trying to bust some of the dangerous myths surrounding lightning. our report tonight from nbc's katy tur. >> reporter: it comes in a flash, striking at random, anything in its way. stunning, but deadly. just ask sean o'connor. >> i heard a loud crash. >> reporter: the georgia father was doing yard work when a bolt knocked him out of his shoes. >> i see the damage it did to the boot, and the fact that i walked away with just scrapes and bruises and a minor headache. it kind of sinks in how lucky i was. >> reporter: since 2006, there have been 268 deaths from lightning strikes, including 7 this year. and most of the victims were men. according to noaa, the incidents peak when thunderstorms and outside leisure activities peak. the summer months. most of the deaths happen while

the person was fishing, boating, camping or farming. in may, a bolt ripped a camera right out of a storm chaser's hand. and just two weeks ago, a truck in canada was stopped in its tracks. >> lightning could strike at a distance of 10 miles from the storm. if you hear thunder, you should move inside immediately. >> you might think that the rubber tires on a car protect you. that lightning only strikes the tallest objects or if it takes legislation than 30 seconds to hear thunder after a lightning flash, you're close enough to be in danger. all myth. the truth is, your car's metal frame keeps you safe by diverting the electricity, it can hit anything of any height. and if you can hear thunder, you're in striking distance. experts say the best protection this summer is awareness. the only safe place is inside. katy tur, nbc news, new york. we are back in a moment with the scene from today featuring the queen and the iron throne.

we want to send our very best to joan lunden who announced she is fighting an aggressive form of breast cancer. it was caught by ultrasound after her annual mammogram came back clear. the former host of gma is 63 years old. her late father was a cancer surgeon. news from the u.k. today where the eight-month telephone hacking trial has ended. andy colson was found guilty of conspiracy. rebekah brooks, a former editor under rupert murdoch was cleared of all charges. prime minister cameron said he's sorry he ever employed coalson. as one of the few people on earth who actually has a throne, it was hard to tell if the queen of everything land was impressed by the throne from "game of thrones" or merely found it to be a gaudy curiosity. the queen met the cast and saw some of the memorabilia from the show, now shooting in belfast. part of the biggest tv

production ever mounted in all of europe. sorry about this during the dinner hour, but it was during the world cup when luis apparently bit his opponent in a match with italy. he's on most people's list of the top five players in the world, and yet he has this problem. the governing body is likely to issue its punishment soon. as for the u.s. team coming off this weekend's tie game, they need only to tie germany in their next game to make the knockout stage. a rare moment in congress today where they took a break from their usual dysfunction, paralysis and fighting over the irs to agree on one thing in the form of a song. ♪ we shall overcome while some soft performances were less than fullsome, the feeling was there during a bipartisan rendition of "we shall overcome." meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights act in 1964. there is another song from that era that goes, once upon a

time you dress so fine you threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you? it was written by a young songwriter, a young guy on his way up who kept asking, how does it feel? the question can be can asked now of bob dylan now that the original lyrics to "like a rolling stone" have sold for $2 milli million. handwritten in pencil with doodles on four pieces of stationery from a washington hotel. when we come back, making a difference. a girl with a bucket list and a motivation to see the world.

our final story here tonight is about an 11-year-old girl who is using her time wisely. because of the things she wants to see and do before she's robbed of the sight she still has left. she isn't letting a rare disorder stop her from living her life, and making a difference for others dealing with challenges like hers. we get this very personal story tonight from our national correspondent peter alexander. ♪ >> reporter: like a lot of 11-year-olds, lily loves music. the trouble is, without enlarging the page, she can't see the notes. >> it's frustrating. my music is blown up and bold. >> reporter: doctors say lily's window is closing. one day she'll lose her vision

completely do to a rare genetic disorder called asher syndrome. which has also left her hearing impaired. >> without your hearing aids, what can you hear? >> nothing. >> reporter: the diagnosis is frightening and confusing. >> you have a baby, you plan this wonderful life for them. and things just don't end up that way sometimes with these obstacles that are put in front of you. you have to work really hard to make it that perfect life. >> reporter: leading the charge, lily herself. she started raising money for an annual vision walk coordinated with the foundation fighting blindness. with help from family and friends here at her rural michigan town, over the last five years, lily's raised nearly $100,000. not only did she form a team, her little sister abby launched one too. >> i don't want her to be blind. i just think it's really special to help her. but not only her, to help everybody.

>> for me, the story hits close to home. my little sister, my best friend rebecca has usher syndrome, too. like her, lily is undeterred by her disability. >> she thinks she's learning something from me, but in reality, i'm the one that's benefiting. >> reporter: lily's family knows she's facing more challenges ahead. >> if you knew your child wasn't going to be able to see by this point, where would you go? what would you see? so she's made a list. >> reporter: they've already checked off the grand canyon, washington, d.c., and disney world, of course. >> i want to see the golden gate bridge, the eiffel tower, the statue of liberty. some people don't get to see that kind of stuff, so i think it would be cool if i got to see it. and then, like, explain to them how it looks and what it's like. >> not just envisioning a bright future, but motivating others to help make it happen. peter alexander, nbc news, manchester, michigan. >> that's our broadcast on a tuesday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams, we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.

-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com nbc bay area news starts now. right now at 6:00 new clues into tragedy. what went wrong with the asiana flight? >> what happened and why nearly a year after that deadly crash hit sfo. the national travel safety board revealed what went on. we learn what the pilots didn't

know. also how seat belts played a key role in the crash and why they were critical in who lived and died as the plane cartwheeled along the runway. and there was new information about the chaos on the runway. we're learning about the one thing two firefighters did not do when they spotted a girl lying on the runway. >> we begin with nbc bay area's stephen stock who was inside that hearing in washington, d.c. steven? >> reporter: jessica, the ntsb today officially determined one of the causes for that crash was what we told you back last august. overreliance by the pilots on automation inside the cockpit. in technical terms, the ntsb used the words flight crew miss management of approach and inadequate monitoring of airspeed. put simply, it simply means that these experienced pilots did not fly the plane a