what happens then, laith? then back to michael. >> i don't think shabab has the operational or tactical capability to pull off sufficient an attack at this point. i think they have the communications and capability to try to inspire individuals, especially in the somali in minnesota and other areas or to muslims in general who might adhere to their ideology. i don't think they have a sleeper cell waiting your a signal to attack. >> michael, what do you think of the chances of some kid, someone in their early 20s, that's the normal time you get to be activist as a paramilitary person saying, i wasn't going to do it until i heard this call, i guess i'm going to go blow something up. doesn't make someone move on a dime, a terrorist to be a lone wolf, just to be called to do it. >> we have to be careful not to spin ourselves up into a frenzy. take a step back and look at the realities of what we're seeing. that is most of the people that commit these atrocities as i said before are known to the authorities. "charl

and casey anthonial cory with flash point, and i want to start with you laith, about the question of propaganda and he say this is a lie of the notion that an american was killed in jordanian air-strikes so why would they want to put off the killing of the american on the kingdom of jordanian? >> joy, this is a move that is meant to create a strain on the relationship between the united states and its ally jordan in the region. we know the jordanian government has vowed to eradicate jordan and until they see further. but for now i think isis might be trying to create mistrust between the u.s. government and the jordanian government. >> and steve, i want to put this in the context we just heard from kristin welker at the white house, that the president and the administration is planning to go to congress within potentially a week or weeks or days or weeks to request specifically legislative language using force against isis, isil and the question being what is the length and the scope of the operation and the most important question for americans, will this involve massive amounts of

. >> and laith, you've studied the islam state's methods, especially their public relations methods, their need to get a certain kind of attention. much has been said today about this change in methodology from beheading to now burning to death and the very elaborate video, highly produced video that recorded that horrible burning to death today. what do you make of this change of technique and even the enhanced production values in this video? >> you know indeed i mean the video had high production value but i think the point of burning him alive was this. i mean it was clear message from the video that just as we are caged in syria and iraq being bombarded by your bombs and rockets of fire we are going to do the same with the best of our capabilities. it's a symbolic retaliation against the jordanian involvement targeting the islamic state. beheading will no longer just work. it is not as effective for terror purposes. this is a lot more visual. it is a lot more excruciateing and obviously a very clear message that the islamic state is not backing off and also that it's putting the

thank you, matthew rosenburg and laith, thank you for your expertise. >>> up next a special "saturdayht live" edition of the sideshow with the most memorable skits from the past 40 years. this is "hardball," the place for politics. it's a fact. kind of like mute buttons equal danger. ...that sound good? not being on this phone call sounds good. it's not muted. was that you jason? it was geoffrey! it was jason. it could've been brenda. meet the world's newest energy superpower. surprised? in fact, america is now the world's number one natural gas producer... and we could soon become number one in oil. because hydraulic fracturing technology is safely recovering lots more oil and natural gas. supporting millions of new jobs. billions in tax revenue... and a new century of american energy security. the new energy superpower? it's red, white and blue. log on to learn more. across america, people are taking charge of their type 2 diabetes... ...with non-insulin victoza. for a while, i took a pill to lower my blood sugar but it didn't get me to my goal. so i asked my doctor about victoza. h

. >> and one of the other aspects and you touched it on laith, is they show different aspects of the jordanian military the kind of aircraft and the planes they are using and pushed by the forced words of the hostages of what kind of assets they have. what kind of message is that to send to the people of jordan? >> this is a message of intimidation. this is we know your tactics, where your bases are and we know your locations and ranks of the air force officers whose names have been now distributed and to the public via this vid yo. so this is a message of intimidation who is thinking about being part of this mission targeting over the islamic state and don't do it, back off, your fate is the fate of this jordanian pilot and this is a warning to you to not engage and just stray from targeting us. >> and laith, talk about the production values. as opposed to the al qaeda videos with a simple background. these videos are cut like a movie trailer. very sophisticated graphics and production and what did that tell intelligence officials about the group and about isis? >> indeed the video

we want to bring in laith, from flash point global partners. you have been watching this a seen enit play out today with the latest of jordan executing the two al qaeda members. what do you make of -- what happens next now? now that jordan has promised swift action it's carried out swift action where does this go from here? >> look. i think there are multiple things that the jordanian authorities are carried out going forward and one is gathering as much intel as possible of possible cells in jordan. finding acceptance by jordan or not and the jordanian government has to demonstrate this was not a defeat to the jordanian spirit. this is adding to the international coalition to combat this growing terror problem in the region and hitting home. so they have to be absolutely vigilant about how they're going to go forward on that but also the third point on that is the jordanian government has to absolutely make sure it maintains the street faith in its actions, that it took this swift action to say that we are not weak. it if anything we are a str

. >> we're joined now by phone with laithe.what is your reaction to jordan's swift response to the discovery that their pilot had been burnt to death? as you said it lawrence it was a swift reaction. i think the jordanian government carried out what it promised which is if the jordanian pilot was not returned that others would be executed. it's not only just a response to the killing of the jordanian pilot, but i think the jordanian government needed to make a point to the international community that it is still committed to the war on terror, it is still committed to being an ally of the united states to combat this cancer in the region. >> and the -- you've studied the islamic state's methods, especially their public relations methods, their need to get a certain kind of attention. much has been said today about this change in methodology from be heading to now burning to death and the very elaborate, highly produced video that recorded that horrible burning to death today. what do you make of this change of technique and ev

. >> laith, they say there is probably 20 outstanding hostages that isis has, are they able to in cold strategic terms, to resupply themself to do the murders or do they run out of their strategic capital in killing people. >> we cannot ascertain the number of hostages that isis has but we can say they are relentless in kidnapping and asking for ransom operation so we know a number of european countries have negotiated with isis to release their hostages and they made millions of dollars and they tried to do the same with the japanese hostage. but how much do they have you have journalists on the ground and government that isis will try to capitalize and in territory, get information where they are and kidnap them and continue the process. >> but what is the point -- i have to ask, what is the point of killing this japanese or the jordanian pilot because they were in negotiation to make something work there but what is the point of killing him a month before they are even having the talks? >> i think the point is trying to bring jordan to its knees and humiliate jordan and trying to sa