root cause of the problem in syria, the assad regime. the assad regime. the isis predecessor. assad allowed al qaeda in iraq to use syria as a platform for jumping into iraq. hundred of young terrorists took flights to damascus. and you know, sneaked across the border into iraq through syria. following the start of the protest movement in syria. emptied islamists, in 2011. that prison was emptied. so that assad could resurrect the terrorist bogeyman. unless, the assad regime surviv survives, i believe isis, or terrorist group would regenerate itself while assad would observe. unless you deal with the root cause. you well not be able to defeat these terrorists once and for all. five, ten years down the road take action against the assad regime. isis, flourish against, under the regime. >> our correspondent, richard roth, talked to the syrian ambassador to the u.n. who basically denigrated the coalition that the u.s. has helped lead in these air strikes. i want to get your reaction. listen to this. >> the partners of combatting terrorism are syrian and iraq

do you wish the west were taking a more active role in entering the war against the assad regime ? >> for sure. we know that the assad regime has been the incubator of creating a terrorist organization and extremist group . they used it in lebanon for more than 30 years. used in an iraq -- used it in a rack -- used it in iraq. now it is using the same card inside syria. to defeat terrorism, we have to deal with the main cause of it, which is the assad regime, but that does not mean that we will not write -- fight isil. it is a main symptom of this illness, so we have to finish its threat on syria, the region, and the international community at large. >> do you hope as the situation develops that the united states might cut -- might start taking a more active role within syria and start trying to open a new front against the assad regime? >> regrettably, as i said before, the international community always acts after a long time. we have declared our intention against isil since september 2013. weaves in fighting them since the first -- we have been fighting them since the first qua

a little over a year ago we were in this same room talking about air strikes on the assad regime and arming rebels to fight it it and due to assad's use of chemical weapon ones. today assad's weapons are gone, and thank you, secretary kerry for your diplomatic efforts there and we are debating air strikes on isis and that's in a way a quiet turnaround. the american people deserve a full debate and explanation about this new plan that you've presented and we've heard today a number of senators. isis is a talk about this, isis is a brutal, terrorist organization and must be stopped and that's a subject i think we can all agree on, and i would associate myself with all of the comments, the previous comments about their brutality and their murderous ways. i don't think there's any doubt about that. we have a clear responsibility to continue to work with local groups, with our allies in the region and for as long as it takes. we must use strategic force, i believe, to stop isis and end its murderous path. but let me be clear here. i don't want to lose sight of the forest from the trees. th

assad regime is culpable in all this as well.ey used divide and rule tactics against the opposition. they have kind of allowed kurds in the north to have their own space, you don't touch me, i don't touch you kind of arrangement. and kurds focused on protecting their own territory. and the regime is culpable in also allowing isis to have space for itself. i'm not going to dwell on this too much. but the dynamics on the ground maybe two years ago, a year and a half ago, you could still talk about the regime versus opposition dynamic. but today, that's not there. and because the international community hasn't been able to take care of this, not that the u.s. and allies could possibly put everything back to normal, that's not possible. that wasn't probably going to be possible. but we've missed many opportunities to prevent the events that have unfolded over the past year, year and a half. the vacuum created in the syrian civil war is yeclipsed by anothr vacuum next door in iraq. the alienation and disenchantment of the sunni popula

and have said as much that the only real way to eliminate terrorism in syria is to topple the assad regime that assad is a magnet for terrorists. they believe it's foolish to go after isis only and not the assad regime. the obama administration does not want to go after the assad regime. their plan does not include that, and they believe that would be a political diplomatic and legal quagmire. and they might be right about that. so we just have to go in knowing that whoever we choose to arm, they're going to fight with groups that we don't like. they are going to fight whoever is killing them. and we can't predict exactly what's going to happen. it's a risky endeavor. the problem is doing nothing has not worked so far. >> is the plan too shortsighteded, colonel? >> i think so. i don't think that the free syrian army -- i don't think training 5,000 of the free syrian army in saudi arabia taking a year is going to work, unless we're hoping we set up this initial cadre and they go back to syria and train their own fighters. but the numbers just aren't there. and as josh says, they have been f

assad regime is culpable in all this as well. they've used divide and rule tactics against the opposition. they have kind of allowed kurds in the north to have their own space. you don't touch me, i don't touch you kind of arrangement. and kurds focused on protecting their own territory. and the regime is culpable in also allowing isis to have space for itself. but the dynamics on the ground may be two years ago, a year and a half ago, you could still talk about the regime versus opposition dynamic. but today, that's not there. and because the international community hasn't been able to take care of this, not that the u.s. and allies could possibly put everything back to normal. that's not possible. that wasn't probably going to be possible. but we've missed many opportunities to prevent the events that have unfolded over the past year, year and a half. the vacuum created in the syrian civil war is eclipsed by another vacuum next door in iraq. the alienation and disenchantment of the sunni populations and the maliki governments e

and they won't stop fighting the assad regime. but you're saying isil first. we're going to train and equip the syrian army, and they're going to be fighting assad, who they view as their number one enemy. i agree with ambassador ford's assessment. with you we're saying isil first. if we tell a syrian today, join the free syrian army, you have to fight isil first, but by the way these barrel bombs and attacks from the air that have massacred so many syrians, we're not going to do anything about that. i think at least we owe the free syrian army to m negate the air attacks as they go into the fight. why is it that we won't neutralize bashar al-assad's air activity, whic which has slaughtered thousands and thousands and 192,000 dead, 3 million refugees, and we're not going to do anything about assad's air capabilities, and finally isil first, that's what you're telling these young men who really view assad as the one who has slaughtered their family members, not isil as bad as isil is. so how do you square that circle, mr. secretary

. >> have we heard from the assad regime, president assad of syria since this happened?> we've been, from the military perspective, greta, we've not been in any communication with the assad regime, before, during or after. >> do you know of others within the government that has been in contact with the assad regime before, during or after? >> through, through our u.n. ambassador the assad regime was notified of our intent to conduct air strikes in syria, but there was no deep-level coordination or communication about that, and certainly, again, from a military perspective, we have not and have no plans to coordinate our activities with the assad regime. >> we have been told that this is going to be a long, sustained effort to get isis. how do you define lock and sustained? is that a day? week? years? can you give me a little more of a time frame? >> sure, i think to put it simply, we need to steel ourselves for an effort that could take years, greta. everybody's here at the pentagon about the scope of this challenge and how significant it is to our interest, to our peopl

the assad regime, it is a hard fight.it is going to be messy as we tried to channel our assistance to that one front but not to the other. a sod is going to everything he can to make that messy. >> we are coming to the end of our time. two things. get a report online. supporting the syrian opposition. we put a lot of work into this. respect and value their work. it is a team effort. please join me in thanking our esteemed panel what has been a great discussion. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] >> this morning, new york times correspondent nate cohn looks at the campaigns. later, we talk about the president's plan for defeating isis in iraq and syria. as always, we'll take your calls, and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. "washington journal" is next. host: good morning. it's the "washington journal" for september 13. the u.s. has expanded sanctions against russia. this goes directly to five companies that deal i

the assad regime, it is a hard fight. is going to be messy as we tried to channel our assistance to that one front but not to the other. a sod is going to everything he can to make that messy. >> we are coming to the end of our time. two things. get a report online. supporting the syrian opposition. we put a lot of work into this. respect and value their work. it is a team effort. please join me in thanking our esteemed panel what has been a great discussion. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] >> the u.s. strategy to deal with the terror group isis is expected to be one of the items on the congressional agenda next week. more on what is ahead for both the house and senate. with a law on their plate the house says added monday to their scheduled for look at the week ahead. david druckerwith on capitol hill. the ended the week on the request for how to deal with the islamic militant group isis. the headline in the examiner, republicans

and against the assad regime, he was detained at one point by the assad regime and by i.s.i.s. viewed as an enemy by both. what he said is today we are fighting i.s.i.s, we are fighting the regime and now nusra. >> the al qaeda affiliate? >> yes. who i know personally is a true syrian patriot and a friend to the international community, these guys are vulnerable. the assad regime is trying to assassinate them. i.s.i.s. is trying to assassinate them. >> and trying to train the moderate syrians has that begun to happen? >> that process is ongoing. the free syrian army has asked the u.s. and the arab allies to equip the free syrian army. that is a request that has been made on multiple occasions, 48 hours to new york and the world opposition leaders. >> some have said it could take months before things get to where they need to be. >> it's going to take a long time no doubt. i.s.i.s. is a vicious enemy but we have to remember that i.s.i.s. has suffered defeats. i.s.i.s. has been pushed out of two provinces. >> when will you be armed the same way they are armed? as we know they have

i'm not going to shed any tears if and when the assad regime falls. it's an absolutely brutal dictator she eorshi dictatorship. i think the best we allowed them to do is de-conflict. we made sure that our flight paths didn't cross over their integrated air defense system and i think the assad regime is probably going to portray this as them helping the united states to a much greater extent than they actually did. >> christopher, your analysis is insightful. we thank you very much for joining us live this evening out of the states. are you live with me in the gulf, in the uae. the c the capital, abu dhabi as we learn about the air strikes over syria to destroy the command-and-control of isis. the first pictures coming in to us now. this photo has been tweeted out claiming to show a communications tower damaged by the strikes. u.s. strikes in raqqah. right. we're live. as i say, in the uae. we're going to take a very short break at this point before i do. some breaking news banner on the official agency which reads the american side informed the syrian

later ambassador ford will testify the bashar al assad regime has stepped up its targeting of non-isis rebel forces in the hopes of wiping them out so that the assad reng e regime will be the only ones left. -- >> isil first is our policy. >> but, ambassador ford will testify that the biggest enemy is the assad regime bombing there and there are credible reports today that assad has stepped up his campaign. they may not be there for us to arm. >> that's not our judgment but we recognize there are serious challenges with the assad regime and our policy has not changed in helping the moderate opposition. and in classified forum, i think we will have a better opportunity to discuss what we're doing additionally in order to do that. >> next. >> thank you mr. secretary for being here and all of your tireless efforts to address the isis threat. that is a threat that i believe was really brought home to the american people by the basharian and hanous murders of james sully and steven sotloff, they both have ties to my state. i think people in new hampshire and across the country really felt v

nationwide protests against the government of al-assad began with the so-called arab spring and quickly turned violent. the violence between the regimerebels reduced cities like aleppo to rubble. assad's fighters even launched chemical attacks against incentivize syrians. investigators say more tan a thousand men, women and children died in syrian chemical attacks there last summer. and analysts say several militant groups including the islamist state have taken advantage to take over huge parts of syria. this is along the syria/turkey border. now an enormous refugee crisis. more than 190,000 people died in the first three years of fighting there. and millions of syrians have left their homes. in fact, listen to this. turkish officials say more than 150,000 syrian refugees have come to turkey in how long? the past four days. some breaking news out of the vatican on a completely different subject. vatican's former ambassador to the dominican republic is now under house arrest at the vatican. and could face criminal charges after accusations he sexually abused young boys in that caribbean nation. this is reportedly the most senior vati

this he want to target the assad regime.resident obama really not indicated that is part of the strategy. so there is still that disconnect there. heather: i want to ask you about this. foreign terrorist facilitators. u.s. department of treasury naming 12 of these people. at least two of them are turks. one of them was known as the amir of suicide bombers. translated that means the ruler of suicide bombers. these guys would help basically get people to cross the border, train them not just in light weapons training to be suicide bombers. the country of turkey had to have known about these people. what do you think? >> there have been issues of terrorism within turkey. certainly on of these facilitators are on turkish territory. i wouldn't want to jump to that conclusion to say we know turkey knew about the individuals. heather: they have training am camps they were providing light arms military training according to our treasury department. >> on this specific case i just don't know. i wouldn't want to jump to any conclusion

so far the assad regime has stayed put. now, turkey is involved in a civil war because it supports one of the warring parties. the turks are fearful if the assad regime is not ousted, the war will spill across their borders and create a huge amount of instability. that is a foreign policy priority, more than degrading and defeating i.s.i.s. not that turkey doesn't see i.s.i.s. as a threat, but the top objective is going after assad. >> which is interesting, there's what 800 miles of border between turkey and iraq and turkey and syria. one might argue that syria is not as failed a state as iraq is but turkey's line is to make a failed state out of that as well. >> well i think turkey is seeing that it has two destabilized states south of its border. turkey has physically lost contact with the middle east, ironically as it is trying to become a middle east power, no contact with the middle east, both of its borders are closed so the turks are finding out it is not so easy to become a middle east power. they don't have the pro

but turkey supported the free syrian army, groups that fought the assad regime. those groups have not been able to bring down the groups, and they've been weakened by the al-qaeda-related groups. >> if you put together an alliance that includes saudi arabia, jordan, the unite the emirates, bahrain, is turkey much less inclined to join a broad based coalition? >> turkey has no hesitation in joining u.s.-led counter terrorism campaign. but the root causes here are larger than just terrorist organizations. we have to address those objectives. turkey cooperates with many countries against terrorism and it has suffered from terrorism for so long. it's not like al-qaeda has not targeted turkey, it has and continues to do so. >> joshua, when the president laid out his plan in earlier weeks of how isil was going to be confronted, the saudis were give the job of training up this new army of vetted insurgents to fight against isil. that sounded like something that will take a long time. you have to keep this alliance together until that army is ready to take the field trai

the united states will not coordinate or cooperate with the assad regime. we will also continue to counter assad through diplomatic and economic pressure. the third element of the president's strategy is all inclusive approach to protect our homeland. in concert with our international partners, the united states will draw on intelligence, law enforcement, diplomatic, and economic tools to cut off isil's funding, improve our intelligence, strengthen home land defense, and stem the flow of foreign fighters in and out of the region. the department of justice and homeland security launched an initiative to partner with local communities to counter extremist recruiting and the department of treasury's office of terrorism and financial intelligence is working to disrupt isil's financing and expose their activities. the final element of the president's strategy is to continue providing humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians displaced or threatened by isil. alongside the government of iraq, the united kingdom, canada, australia, and france. u.s. troops have a

it is in the assad regime interest to make this a fight between the regime and isis because it tells groups like syrian christians, you're going to be with us or be slaughtered. in fact a striking isis creates the position for the free syrian army -- >> that means training rebels is crucial here. the moderate rebels and nonradical and jihadists but we haven't done that for three years and don't know if that's going to work. >> a chance for him to do what he should have done a long time if bash ar assad air field. go back and complete that job. that's what will degrade assad in iraq. >> and assad remains our enemy, gassed people to death. iran's best friend, shouldn't let him survive. >> still gassing them. >> the president's speech is getting mixed reviews on capitol hill. does he really need congress to move forward with his isis strategy? >> an f-16 is not a strategy. and air strikes alone will not accomplish what we're trying to accomplish. welllllllll, not when your travel rewards card makes it so hard to get a seat using your miles. that's their game. the flights you want are bl

the assad regime is part of that problem. enabled isis to grow and that it is time for the u.s. to seriously take a look at military intervention and military power in syria against isis and in support of the free syrian army. >> i want you to take a look at some video that we have. this is video of bashar al assad and his forces bombing civilians. should president obama pursue airstrikes against isis, should he also pursue them against the assad regime? >> well, interestingly enough, we saw the u.s. ambassador to the u.n. samantha powers state that assad regime is dropping 260 barrel bombs a month on civilians. this is an assad regime that's dropping barrel bombs on civilians and not fighting isis. i think that any military action against isis needs to take into consideration the assad regime is doing this type of thing and these type of attacks, these attacks against civilians, against apartment buildings, bakeries, schools only fuel the chaos and will only enable isis to grow in power so any military action really needs to

a pluralistic free syria, free of isil and all violent extremist groups, but also free of assad and his regime backers. this fighting force should be prepared to support a post assad political structure whenever the circumstances under which he ultimately leaves syria by negotiated settlement or other means much the president laid to you the a comprehensive holistic strategy that purports to provide the tools to defeat isil. what i expect to hear today is some specifics. the timeline for this mission, the scope, the resources in both personnel, funds, intelligence, military assets an assistance as well as roam our coalition partners in play. we must be clear-eyed about the risks before providing our enduring support for this operation. the fact is, we are living in 2014, not 2003. we must not repeat the mistakes of the past give inthe nature of the threat we face. this means clearly defining the objectives, the political end state that we seek through this anti-isil campaign. i want to hear what success looks like in iraq and syria across the region and what conditions will indicate when it's

it's not really being touched by the assad regime until you deal with it's base. you're not going to be able to solve the iraq problem. you can push them back and push them out of cities that they've been holding but eventually they'll come back. they're good and flexible force that is able to melt away into

this is not about toppling the assad regime. i have never thought we could topple the assad regime. this is about getting to a negotiation. >> charlie: and you think assad is willing to negotiate? >> no, i don't, but i think people who support him may come to a conclusion that a negotiation will be the best way in this messy war of attrition in which the community only 12% of the population, don't bet on them in a war of attrition. >> charlie: and people who might be of that view are still in syria and an influence? >> they can't raise their heads high out of a foxhole or the regime will chop them off. the regime earlier this week was arresting a number of young people especially who had been considered supporters of the assad regime and are now voicing descent and were immediately arrested. so the trick of this with the syrian opposition and free syrian army is for them to put forward a proposal that can be looked at in public or private and get a sense that there is a third way out that the choice is not limited to assad or islamic state but there is a third way. >> charlie: you m

the services he provided were important, because at the time, the assad regime were not going to renewanyone opposed to him. >> what did he do? >> he provided travel documents for those that wanted to escape from the regime and to dissidents, as well. there's no other way to receive them. there's a big problem that many syrians today have, because they cannot go back to syria. they're wanted by the regime. so they have very little recourse. what he did invokes the image of diplomats in europe during world war ii in europe who would go to great lengths to provide visas and passports that wanted to escape nazi germany. >> where is he right now? >> he's in washington, d.c. actively working against the regime. so the diplomats that used to work for the assad regime here in washington are not only opposing it but helping the opposition make the case on why the united states -- >> his family is okay and his relatives haven't been killed or arrested? >> so far his immediate family is safe. that's why the story was delayed until recently. he revealed the inner workings of the regime. >> andrew

they'll be able to convince the united states to take an aggressive stance against the bashar al-assad regime. it is a gamble for them. they are weakening a portion of the rebellion in the short term against the bashar al-assad in order to gape the upper -- gain the upper hand in the long term. >> what role does money play in this? >> what do you meaning. money plays an enormous role in terms of the support for the rebellion, for the coalition's response. >> i mean often we say that we are going these for moral reasons. when you get down to it it's unseemly to that sometimes. >> i think the nation states engaged for national security reasons. power includes many things, economic concerns are part of hard power, and is part of the calculation. i don't think we are talking about a short-sited economic game here. we'll spend a lot of blood and treasure over the next several years because this presents a genuine threat to the region and the united states. >> what are the long term risks to some of these alliances? >> well, the alliances will not last long. the calculations will shift by the day a

we've vetted and we're working to train and arm, they are fighting not just isis but also the assad regimeso long term we know assad cannot have a place in syria. that's why we're working with -- >> there's no intention to bomb bashar al assad's positions, his military positions, as these free syrian army types, the ones who are protesting on the streets over the weekend, are calling for the u.s. to do? >> no, because what we're focused on with this air campaign in syria is degrading and ultimately destroying isil's capabilities. isil, the khorasan group, the president's first responsibility is protecting america, american citizens. those groups pose a threat to us. that's why in terms of what he actually has to do, going after them is our focus right now. >> why should the u.s. arm and train elements in syria whose supporters are shouting "death to america" on the streets there? >> the people we are working with in the free syrian army and the syrian opposition coalition, these are vetted members of the opposition that we work with. they are supportive of our actions. we're constantly tal

number one being assad regime. two being local black markets.ome oil to fuel its own war effort. it refines the oil and turns it into useful fuel like diesel, that way it can run owl the equipment. david: talk about the first. irony of isis selling its oil at deep discount to its bitter enemy the assad government is bizarre. >> well it is bizarre on its face but the fact is that the assad regime has pulled its punches with isis from the beginning so it could discredit moderate opposition in syria. the fact that some close to the assad regime now would make a buck off of this black market makes perfect sense. that's what it boils down to for them is just money, but isn't assad concerned, isis, which after all to a large degree in syria will make further encroachments and eventually be a problem for the stability of assad's regime? >> he doesn't seem to be worried about it. if you, see some of these statements coming out of the government in damascus, they are thrilled that the pentagon is tarting to hammer the more extreme groups. so that way it

assad regime. but the threat is there is a growing the should be an immediate action to hold the advances on both sides of the border of iraq on iran syria. ok ray you know it seems to me this is exactly what isis wants they want to take on the big western military giant plane they want to take though and they're just waiting for it because this is what feeds it tracks a lot of people to their following i mean the f.b.i. and we have other western intelligence agencies having a difficult time estimating how many westerners are actually joining isis right now i mean this is really quite interesting here this is what isis wants it's in the spotlight it's all about they're the purest the baddest the meanest all of the above would it be better not to play their game and to back off and see where it's going to go i don't think it's best to back off i mean i think you do that at your own risk i mean clearly this is on stable group with has a very apocalyptic worldview and to let them do whatever they want

>> we communicated drekly to the assad regime to let them know of our intentions. ue. our position on assad has not changed. he is not the answer for the future of the syrian people. the president said that this week. >> you have the prime minister of iraq saying -- and other statements saying he -- what strikes me as interesting here is part of the strategy involves the roiraqi army. you have him saying he is okay with actions in syria as long as it is not designed to get rid of assad. listening to what you are saying about how you don't think assad should be around longer. >> we have always said there is not a military option to remove assad from power. that is not how this political situation ends in syria. we always said there needs to be a political organization. that in no way has changed. a key part of our strategy in syria to fight isil is arming and training moderate opposition there. that is a key part of what we are doing. they are the answer to the question in syria here but we know they are fighting on a number of fronts. >> and just the final question.

a little over a year ago we were in this same room talking about air strikes on the assad regime and ming rebels to fight it. and due to assad's use of chemical weapons. today, assad's weapons are gone. and thank you, secretary kerry, i think, for your diplomatic efforts there. and we are debating now air strikes on isis and arming rebels to fight that. that's really in a way quite a turnaround. the american people deserve a full debate and explanation about this new plan that you've presented. and we've heard today a number of senators. isis, they talk about this isis is a brutal terrorist organization and must be stopped, and that's a subject i think we can all agree on. and i would associate myself with all of the comments, the previous comments, about their brutality and their murderous ways. i don't think there's any doubt about that. we have a clear responsibility to continue to work with local groups, with our allies in the region, and for as long as it takes. we must use strategic force, i believe, to stop isis and end its murderous path. but let me be clear here. i don't want

assad regime. but the threat is there is a chloe the should be an immediate action to hold the advances on both sides of the border of iraq on syria. ok ray you know it seems to me this is exactly what isis wants they want to take on the big western military giant plane they want to take though and they're just waiting for it because this is what feeds up that make you know it tracks a lot of people to their followings i mean the f.b.i. and we have other western intelligence agencies having a difficult time estimating how many westerners are actually joining isis right now i mean this is really quite interesting here this is what isis wants it's in the spotlight it's all about they're the purest the baddest the meanest all of the above when it be better not to play their game and to back off and see where it's going to go i don't think it's best to back off i mean i think you do that at your own risk i mean clearly this is on stable group with has a very apocalyptic worldview and to let them do wha

>> well, i think the assad regime cannot be looked at as part of the solution. it is part of the problem. i think it is very difficult for the assad regime to jeeventuall remain in power with all the atrocities, with all the killing that has taken place, so on the other hand, you know, you are not going to be able to defeat isis if you don't strike them in syria, and if you leave their logistically and territory base in syria intact. so i think the president is right in saying that he has to go after isis not just in iraq but in syria as well, but that in no means -- in no way means that this is also providing support for the assad regime. i believe that would be a mistake. >> and finally, saudi arabia. do you believe that saudi arabia will take a lead role and be an active partner in this struggle? >> yes, i think the saudis are, you know, as afraid as anybody else now and understand this poses a security threat to the whole region, and so i do believe that they would take part, and if the arab uprisings did not result in any serious wake-up call for government

>> i try not to make predictions about how the assad regime is internalizing anything. the fight against isis and that's why you heard the strategy outline his strategy and that's why we're putting the coalition together to fight back against. you heard my boss say this today about the assad regime's brutality and that's why the situation in syria is so imperative for us to focus on. >> as we focus on the complexities of syria, the situation in iraq is equally as complex. and this administration has uponed with reason to believe things are different with the new iraqi govern am, but in a lot of ways things are as complicated as they always have been, specifically with the shiite militias which many folks say are stronger than the iraqi military. how much of a problem is that for us? >> as you've seen with this inclusive iraqi government is for the iraqis to have a different path forward. secretary kerry will chair a security council with a number of countries to show support for the new iraqi government and we all need to get behind the government and recognize that the

the blunted air defenses that have prevented us for the past three years from targeting the assad regimen the first place. >> get the air defenses of assad and will go after isis in iraq. who's left -- in syria. who's left in syria to at that point to stand up for what is left of the country? >> well, the president has been promising $500 million to arm the moderate, vetted syrian opposition. there are, believe it or not -- >> vetted? >> moderate -- >> i keep hearing about the vetted opposition. and they do exist in your mind? these are real people? we heard about the iraqi security forces, they were going to be trained and be able to fight. turns out they weren't that capable. >> the iraqis have their problems centered around the vicious sectarianism. the opposition is committed. they have the free syrian army and a group that has been effective. don't espouse a militant islamic ideology. we have been providing them with anti-tank weapons. we're not showing any sense of urgency. it's about time. >> are we going to have to have boots on the ground to defeat them, not just to push them pa

islamic state on one side, assad regime on the other. but as the resources from the entire coalition of countries that secretary and the administration is assembling, as their total resources increase, they will have more resources to devote against the islamic state there but i doubt that all of their new resources them all of the countries are going to be used only against the islamic state. i think we have to understand that going in. mr. chairman, i will be happy to take questions later, and thank you again for your invitation. >> thank you. mr. connable? >> chairman mendez, ranking member corker, thank you for my me to testify. i've been engaging with sunni iraqis and 2031 as a marine intelligence officer and then as an attachÉ. iraqis. most recently, in support of my research on sunni iraqi perceptions also. my remarks are based on relationships and on my research. i will outline options the u.s. and allies can take in order to help free northern and western iraq from islamic state dominant. the thrust of my proposition is that the

it's not to replace the regime in syria, president assad. right now with the airstrikes they have been effective, but i think what the public has to understand there is not the end-all to the campaign. >> i think everyone is getting that message. pretty much everyone is saying that, aren't they? it's not stopped isil in its paces. isil is getting ever closer to kobane. the center of population. >> they are, both in syria and iraq they're moving forward. iraq after seven weeks of airstrikes. airstrikes have to be combined with an effective ground campaign. the most effective ground campaign right now in that theater is in iraq with the iraqi security forces and the kurds. remember that the iraqi security forces were initially overwhelmed by isil. the air power has allowed them to start to regroup, but still after all these weeks isil was still firmly in place. they're still on the offensive. contrast that with what you have in syria. there is no ground force available right now, and it could be months before enough trained and armed moderate