hey, everybody. good morning. i'm thomas roberts. it is friday, september the 26th. t.g.i.f. welcome to "way too early." the show that went to bed in the sixth inning at 2-2. yanks and os, woke up to the derek jeter movie ending. what an amazing night for derek jeter. and yankee stadium and everybody out there, gang what did you think? yeah, yeah, yeah. all right. so they beat the orioles 6-5. derek jeter goes out as a true, true baseball legend. i mean, how incredible for him? congratulations for a wonderful career there in the bronx, but we will see him again, away game in fenway over the weekend. i want to begin this morning in london will british prime minister david cameron is expected to speak at any minute before parliament requesting approval to join air strikes on isis militants in iraq. last year members rejected cameron the request for british forces to strike in syria, were ut it appears they will back him this time around and we'll bring you that speech live as it

happens. again, that's going to happen any moment. we'll take you straight to london here on "way too early." letted news, allied forces continue to take the fight to syria and iraq. new reports this morning of threats against the homeland. iraqi officials is credible information the islamic state plans to attack the new york city subway system. the country's prime minister says they obtained the information from isis militants captured in iraq. the paris subway system also believed to be a target of the terror group. u.s. officials cannot confirm any specific threat at this point. meanwhile, new pressure on turkey to join the u.s.-led coalition. turkey's president has spoken to both president obama and vice president biden yesterday about expanding its country's role in the fight. turkish officials have become more open to injoing the military campaign after the release of 46 hostages this past weekend. and another major player in the reach sn criticizing the u.s.

for its role in creating extremist militants. iranian president hassan rouhani told the u.n. assembly, put blades in the hands of madman who spare no one. all of those who played a role in founding and supporting these terror groups must acknowledge their errors. big news from yesterday. eric holder announces he will resign as attorney general. leaving behind a mixed legacy and a white house scrambling to find a replacement. rumored for months, president obama made it official yesterday with an emotional holder standing by his side. >> as younger men, eric and i both studied law, and i chose him to serve as attorney general because he believes as i do that justice is not just an abstract theory. it's a living and breathing principle. that's why i made him america's lawyer. the people's lawyer. >> i want to thank you, mr.

president, for the opportunity that you gave me to serve and for giving me the greatest honor of my professional life. we have been great colleagues, but the bonds between us are much deeper than that. in good times and in bad, in things personal and things professional, you have been there for me. i'm proud to call you my friend. i have loved the department of justice ever since, as a young boy. i watched robert kennedy prove during the civil rights movement how the department can and must always be a force for that which is right. i hope that i have done honor to the faith that you have placed in me, mr. president and to the legacy of all those who have served before me. >> holder, the first african-american attorney general heralded for a warrer intai warrior taking on civil rights and one of the longest ins

nation's history likely remembered for "fast and furious," the irs and ben gauzy scandals and the president reliesen on executive action. the white house has not decide hood will take eric holder's place. he has promised to stay on until a successor is confirmed. no decision is expected until after the med term election. holder's resignation leaves the administration with just two originals. arne dunken and tom vilsack. when will the nfl see the video of ray rice punching his fiancee from inside the casino elevate jer the big question, and the nfl vehemently denied seeing the violent video until tmz released it. however a new report is refuting their claims saying the video was sent to nfl pedquarters to the attention of league security jeffrey mill perp although it is

unknown if the package was ever opened. that's five months before tmz posted the video online. miller denies ever receiving the video. the nfl is currently investigating their handling of the ray rice case and that investigation is led by former fbi director robert mueller, considered an independent inv t investigati investigation. the police chief of ferguson, missouri offered an on-camera apology to the family of michael brown. chief tom jackson release add 2.5 minute video thursday with aapology to brown's family after the 18-year-old was shot to death by a ferguson police officer august 9th. >> i want to say this to the brown family. no one who has not experienced the loss of a child can understand what you're feeling. i am truly sorry for the loss of your son. i'm also sorry that it took so long to remove michael from the street. the time that it took involved very important work on the part of investigate eors trying to

collect evidence and obtain a true picture of what happened that day, but it was just too long and i am truly sorry for that's please, know that the investigating officers meant no disrespect to the brown family, to the african-american community or the people of canfield, they were simply trying to do their jobs. >> apology comes at a time confidence reached an irreversible low. weeks after ferguson police made national news, jackson apologized to citizens who protested peacefully. as promised, take you straight overseas to westminster now for prime minister david cameron's remarks whether england will sgloin in the air strikes over syria and iraq. >> do she have a clear idea what a successful outcome will look like and are we convinced that

our strategy can take us there? i want to address eep of these questions head-on. first, our national interest. is there a threat to the british people? the answer is, yes. isil has already murdered one british hostage and is threatening the lives of two more. the first isil-inspired terrorist acts in europe have already taken place with, for instance, the attack on the jewish museum in brussels. security services have disrupted six other known plots in europe as well as foiling a terrorist attack in australia aimed at civilians including british and american tourists. isil is a terrorist organization unlike those we have dealt with before. the brutality is staggering. beheadings, crucifixions, the gouging out of eyes, the use of rape as a weapon, slaughter of children. all of these things belong to the dark ages, but it not just the brutality. it is backed by billions of

dollars and has captured an arsenal of the most modern weapons. ins space of a few months isil has taken control of territory which is greater than the size of britain, and is making millions selling oil to the assad regime. it has already attacked lebanon and boasts of its designs right up to the turkish border. this is not a threat on the far side of the world. left unchecked, we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the mediterranean and bordering a nato member with a declared and proven determination to attack our country and our people. this is not the stuff of fantasy. it is happening in front of us, and we need to face up to it. next, is there a clear, comprehensive plan? yes. it starts at home with tough, uncompromising action to prevent attacks and hunt down those plans them as the hoss knows we are introducing new powers. these include strengthening our ability to seize passports and

stop suspects traveling, includes stripping british nationalities and ensures airlines comply with no fly lists. in all of this we're clear about the cause of the terrorist threat we face. as i've said before, that means defeating the poisonous ideology of islam imextremism by tackling all forms of extremism, not just t the violent extremists. bans incidents of hate, and stopping people from inciting hatred in our schools, universities and prisons. now, vo, some will say that any action you take will further radicalize young people. i have to say, this is a council of despair. the threat is already here. young people have left our country to go and fight with these extremists. we must take action at home and also have a kpree hecomprehensi

home. >> two questions put to himself, how long will this war last and when will "mission creep" start? >> let me answer that directly. this is going to be a mission that will take not just months but years, but i believe we have to be prepared for that commitment, and the ruse e reas that i think quite rightly, american, britain and others are not contemplating putting troops on the ground. there will be troops on the ground but iraqi troop, kurdish troops and we should be supporting them in all the ways i shall describe. terms of "mission creep" i would address very direct lly later i my speech discussing what is happening in iraq and only that and that is -- let me give way to the honorable lady and then to my honorable friend.

>> i'm grateful to the prime minister for giving way. said on a number of occasion in the ho us we face a long-term generational struggle and the priority is to fight this poison ois ideology. will he commit now to, would go with the mainstream modern muslim community in this country who see these atrocities that are carried out in the name of their religion and utterly reject them and have a practical program to make this happen? >> i absolutely commit to doing that, and we have to do that not just in britain but around the world. we should be very clear the cause of the pro be is the poisonous narrative of islam imextremism. there will are broken states, conflicts civil wars we see this problem arise. whether boko has rahm in nigeria, al qaeda or isil in iraq and syria. we need muslims to reclaim their religion from these extremists and that is happening in our country and happening around the world. it was notable president obama in his speech to the united

nations singled out muslims in britain who were saying this is not being done in my name and we should praise those people, too. let me give way to my honorable friend. >> the prime minister places his trust in the iraqi army. the problem is, having caused this mess in iraq, we armed the iraqi army's they ran away and isil has their arms. is it seriously contended by air strikes alone we can roll back isil or just your politics? >> to be absolutely direct, i am not claiming that by air strikes alone we can roll back this problem. what this problem require asks comprehensive strategy those in the end will have to defeat this on the ground, the iraqis, and where i disagree with my honorable friend in the cause of how this came about i would say that the two most principle causes of this problem, as i said, there's the background of

islamism extremist, but the two principle causes are the fact that in syria assad has been butchering his own people and acting as a recruiting sergeant to the extremists, and secondly, in iraq with the maliki government, we have a government that did not represent all the people of iraq. isil in one of the most powerful, ban ki-moon got it spot on missiles kill but we vo in that front and center. >> does he agree a political strat yi to win ober sunis an kurds and satisfied they know how to do it and will get full diplomatic support? >> in answer of the first part of the question, yes, absolutely essential. i think there's a lot more that needs to be done. i met with prime minister, president abadi in new york and discussed this directly with him.

we need to make sure the government in iraq is not just supporting the shia community but it bringing together shia, suni and kurd in a united country, with armed forces that are, that are respected by every part of that community. that hasn't -- that hasn't happened yet. it is happening, and i think that president obama was absolutely right to delay this action until we had an iraqi government with whom we can work as a good partner. what i'm groing to do make a little progress with my speech and then take several more interventions. as i've said, we have to take action at home and abroad and as we take action abroad it must involve using all resources at our disposal. that means humanitarian efforts, brit sn already leading to help lead those diz placed. it means diplomatic efforts to include the wide evidence in the region at thissest. at the united nations leading the process of condemning isil, disrupting the flows of finance to isil and forging global

consensus about preventing the movement of foreign fighters. vitally, as i've been saying, this strategy supports new and genuinely inclusive government in iraq and bring about a transition of power in syria that can lead to a new representative and accountable government in damascus that it, too, can take the fight to isil. but, yes, as one part of this comprehensive strategy, i do believe our military have an indispensable role to play and in a moment or two i will turn to why. let me take an intervention from the honorable gentleman first. >> very much for giving way, could you say more about this vital area of trying to change the nature of government in syria and iran's potential role in doing that? >> to be frank, what syria needs is what iraq needs. inclusive democratic government

that represents all of its people. she have hl our strat yi in terms of that, backing the modern syrian council and working with oh but, yes, i do think iran has a role to play. i met with president rouhani in new york to discuss this and other issues and iran can play a role in helping to bring about better government in both syria and in iraq, but, you know, the jury is still out as to whether they will play that role but we should be encouraging them to do that. i will give way to my right honorable friend and then my honorable friend and then make progress. >> i'm grateful and also grateful for the recall and opportunity to discuss this in this manner today. and my friend has mentioned syria and also mentioned that on the ground fighting isil as the kurdish peshmerga and iraqi army, also fighting on the ground is the free syrian army. given that last week the united states congress voted to support

the syrian army overtly with weapons, given that they are conducting a ground war, which we are not prepared to do, would the prime minister -- would my right honorable say whether or not we are looking again as whether we can give military hardware to the free, syrian army because they have the people they just don't have the weaponry to take on either assad and isil together, because they have been doing it for the past year and need our help? >> well, as my honorable friend knows, what we have sdun isdones support the free syrian army with advice, training and non-lethal equipment. i'm not proposing a change to that today. let me address directly this issue of isil in syria. i'm very clear, isil needs to be destroyed in syria and well as iraq and we support the action that the united states and five arab states have taken in syria and i do believe there's a strong case for us to do more in syria, but i did not want to bring a motion to the house

today which there wasn't consensus for. i think it is better if our country can proceed on the basis of consensus. of course, in this house and i'm sure we'll hear this in the debate today there are many concerns about doing more in syria and i understand that. i don't believe there is a legal barrier, because i think the legal advice is clear that were we to act or others to act there is a legal basis, but it is true to say that the syrian situation is more complicated than the iraqi situation. it's more complicated, because of the presence of the brutal dictator assad, more complicated because of the state of the civil war. but we should be clear. we have a clear strategy for dealing with syria, backing the official opposition, building it up as a counterpoint to assad and working for a transition, because as i've said, in the end, what syria needs is what iraq needs. which is a government that can represent all of its people. let me give way to the honorable gentleman. >> does he accept that, without the iraqi army being able to

take and hold ground, it was a real risk air strikes alone will not just prove ineffective but could become counterproductive, especially if civilian casualties mount and withstood the might of the west and still held its ground, spins that story, which it has so far managed to do. >> well i would disagree with my honorable friend on this basis. that air action that's already taken place by the americans and to a degree by the french has already made a difference. lives have been saved. christians and other minorities who otherwise would be butchered has been saved by that action. now, if -- if my honorable friend is saying to me do we need a better iraqi army? has is more capable on the ground? yes, of course we do. but the truth is, because we quite rightly are not prepared to put our own combat troops on the ground, we should be working with the iraqis, working with the kurds, so they become more

effective. but we can't wait for that and allow minorities and others to be butcher and for the rick fsk our own country. why i believe military action is necessary before taking further interventions. without it i don't believe there a realistic prospect of degrading and defeating isis. to be frank there is already a military conflict taking place. pies ill isil is butchering people in iraq. we have to decide if we're going support them and i believe that we should. if we are to beat these terrorists it is vital that the international community does more to build the capability of the legitimate authority fighting extremism and along with our european partners as has been discussed in this house we're playing our role, supplying equipment directly to the kurdish forces strengthening resilience of military forces in lebanon and jordan and our

tornado and surveillance aircraft helping with intelligence gathers and logistics to support american attacks on isil and iraq, but to be frank, this is vitally important for the house to understand, the iraqi government wants more direct assistance. earlier this week the iraqi foreign minister wrote to the united nations security council requesting military assistance to support its actions, and when i met the prime minister in new york on wednesday he reiterated that request to me. in iraq, the real work of destroying isil will be for the iraqi security forces but they need our military help and it is in our interests and theirs to give it. give way to the former defense minister. >> there is a problem in iraq, though, that we need to recognize and it's not just political and it's not just capability. there needs to be a will from the iraqi army to defend the suni areas of the country. now, in his talks with the new government, has he seen that

change? actually means that our air strikes will be supporting a country that has the will to defend all of its own people? >> the right honorable gentleman is absolutely right. that is a conversation we're having with the iraqi government. no doubt in my mind this iraqi prime minister is the change from the previous regime they understand this point and frankly we should be tough in our interactions with them. they want our help, they want more training, more expertise, our counterterrorism expertise to help them defend against these appalling car bombs in baghd baghdad. we vo give that help sand as we give them that help in is conditional on you defending and protecting all of your people. and that must include the sunis in iraq as well. let me give way to my honorable friend. >> i thank my right honorable friend for giving way. the kurdish president is on record as saying they do not want british servicemen and

women on the ground fighting the fight for them. what they need is better equipment, training and the air support. did prime minister abadi deliver a similar message to our prime minister and what is the situation vis-a-vis the suni tribes, because they need to play a role and take the fight to isil as well. >> well, my honorable friend is absolutely spot-on. the iraqi prime minister was very frank in his requests from me. he said clearly in new york, we need your help to drive these people out of our country and indeed out of the world. and so he was very, very frank about that. we are supplying equipment to the kurds. we can do more to help the iraqi security forces, as for the suni tribes, yes, of course, we need them to help but they need to see that they can be part of a successful iraq, and that's why the involvement of other arab countries is so importantish and there are particular countries that may be able to encourage the suni tribes to take this

step. let me give way to my honorable friend. >> i'm grateful to the prime minister and glad he seems to accept air strikes cannot be successful unless in close coordination with credible ground forces. the only ground forces mentioned so far are those of the kurds and iraqis. what are the other arab states proposes to do, because surely those ground forces have to be suni muslim ground forces and we need other arab countries to supply them. >> i think my honorable friend makes an important point, were ut we should tread carefully here. we are proposing to act at the request of the legitimate iraqi government. that government is supposed to represent all of its country. shia, suni and kurd. that country should be doing that rather than relying on other countries to provide suni forces in order to deliver that effect. so i think it's very important

that we keep the pressure, because it's the iraqi government that should be representing al of its people rather than getting proxies to do it for it. let me just specifically -- i will give way, i'll take more interventions, i parolromise bu want to answer this question, whether it is necessary specifically for britain to take part in this international action. should we just leave it to others? i don't believe that is the right answer. the coalition needs our help in particular with the vital work being done in terms of air strikes. britain has unique assets that no other coalition ally can contribute. the brimstone precision missile, minimizing the risk of casualties which even the united states doesn't have. unique intelligence capabilities. highly professional forces well used to working with our u.s. counterparts. some of the reasons why president obama made clear to me america wants brit ton join the air action in iraq now underway for several weeks. i believe, mr. speaker it is also our duty to take part.

this international operation is about protecting our people, too, and protecting the streets of britain should not be a task we are prepared to entirely s l subcontract to other air forces. >> grateful to giving way. will he recognize that killing extremists doesn't kill their ideas, to be contrary often feed their ideas and for that reasons former head of terrorism said that getting saudi arabia and iran around a negotiating table would are far more effective than bombing. why aren't we hearing the solution rather than the military solutions which could undermine them? >> with respect, we are recently returned from saudi arabia to meet with an iranian president. we need all of those political moves and those diplomatic moves to take place that absolutely are vital but in the end there

is a part of this that does require a military solution, isil will have to be defeated on the ground. principally the work of the iraqi xourty forces but we can play a role as well. let me give way to the honorable gentleman. >> i thank the prime minister, many of those who we've heard speak against the action and some of those who contacted me give voice to the fear of the consequences of action, but isn't it the point and the reason we are here today for the consequences of non-action and i believe this house proved last summer, are far, far worse. >> i think my honorable friend is right. what we have to weigh out is, of course, the consequences of action, and that is why i set up a national security council at witch the heads of mi-5, and others, regulate the metropolitan police attend and advise and we have to think of the consequences of inaction if we allow isil to grow and thrive, there's no doubt in my mind that the level of threat to

this country would increase. we've already seen, we've already seen isil murderers butcher innocent people in a museum in brussels. we've already had plots here in britain by isil. how much stronger will they be before we decide we need to take action as well? give way to the honorable gentleman. >> isis indeed, made up of murderous psychopaths. that's not the issue. we know that. the question is, will what the prime minister and the government is proposing, will that be effective in destroying isis? look at what the house of commons agreed to. iraq, afghanistan, in this government, libya, none are suction stories -- success stories. this could last for years. >> i will come on to why this is different to the decision the house made in 2003 about iraq, but fact is, this is about

psychopathic terrorists trying to kill us and we do have to realize that whether we like it or not, they have already declared war on us. there isn't a walk on by option. there isn't an option are just hoping this will go away. i just said, the plots are out. i will give way more. i want to leave plenty of time for other contributions but want to turn directly to the question of legality. mr. speaker, the attorney general has given his advice on the action we proposed to take. there's a clear legal base for uk military action to help iraq defend itself from isil. a summary of this legal position is placed in the house of library. the iraqi government requested our help and given clear consent for uk military action so there will be no question. we have the letter from the iraqi government to the u.n. security council, the public statements from prime minister abadi and president mousoon.

there's no question with have the legal basis for action founded on the request of the iraqi government. let me just briefly address the fact that me briefly address th that we'll be acting in the support of local partners. this has been a major concern of people across house to. we have a substantial international coalition in place including arab nations committed to confronting and defeating isil. 60 countries are acting in some way to confront isil. ten are arab states. favor have taken part in air strikes. as i said our differences with iran remain. iran support for terrorist organizations, its nuclear program, treatment of its people i believe all of that has to change and we'll not back down on these things. if iran's political leaders are to help a more secure, more stable, more inclusive iraq and