if they're able to overrun baqubah and bring it under its control, it's symbolically important because it's the capital of the diyala province and a short drive into the capital baghdad. they can then use baqubah as a staging ground for trying to launch the type of attacks they would need to if they wanted to create havoc in the capital or perms some point try to overrun the city or parts of the city. but for the time being, the iraqi army says they have been capable of repelling any isis attempts to overtake baqubah but that's the scene of intense fighting and an incident at police station that left 44 detainees killed and been trade of accusations of both sides who's responsible for this. >> nbc's ayman, thank you so much for that report. >>> one day after secretary of state john kerry opened the door with responsible engagement with iran, some members of congress are pushing back. here with bob menendez earlier. >> we have to both think about whether or not there's targeted and limited in duration strikes that may be able to change the tide and also i hope the administration is not

as you reported, the fight for baqubah continues from all reports. if the -- if isis fighters are able to take baqubah, that will put them within 37 miles of baghdad. that's the closest they have gotten thus far. and it's basically a straight shot from baqubah to the gates of baghdad, wolf. >> anderson, a top priority of course is protecting, what, about 5,000 americans in baghdad. some of the surrounding areas. most of them in the so-called green zone at that huge u.s. embassy complex. what's the latest on how the u.s. is preparing for whatever may come next, including the possibility of massive evacuations? >> well, as you know, 275 military personnel have been brought to the region. more than 100 sent already to the embassy, since the weekend. said to be about 100 more in the region. that's about all the u.s. military is saying. capable of dealing with airlifts, helicopter transport and the like. all of that really to protect the enormous u.s. embassy, which is really kind of a city within the city itself, inside the green zone. as you said, some

iraqi forces are putting up a fierce fight near baqubah.city is still in iraqi control. this is all happening as the obama administration considers its options for getting involved. hundreds of troops are on standby. ships are standing ready in the persian gulf. and there are conflicting reports, conflicting reports this morning, over whether the president might opt for air strikes. today, he'll talk this over with congressional leaders. cnn international correspondent nic robertson is live in baghdad. nic, we understand the fighters are trying to push forward again right now, tell us what's happening. >> reporter: yeah. there's two battling going on that we're aware of, one is in baiji. it's very hard to get accurate information. government-state run tv channel here, was saying that the government forces were in control of a number of suburbs of that town. they also blamed isis, the al qaeda splintser group you for killing 44 prisoners in a jail by either artillery shells or throwing hand grenades in there. but later -- later information w

and now baqubah, that's a 40-minute ride away.rps major general james william. adam, i want to start with you as a man who has truly been on the ground and explain something to people. when you talk about the iraqi army cutting and running basically, we're talking about an army that is sunni and shia, but when the enemy is an enemy that is not only not afraid of death but embraces it. >> i don't think that played so much a role in them cutting and running, as you said. i think a lot of them generally had issues at home. al qaeda and iraq that we were dealing with was killing family members, threatening family members, kidnapping family members and beheading family members. i almost didn't blame them for leaving to go home and try to protect their families. >> general, what about when it comes to u.s. acting. let's say there were air strikes being contemplated. explain to the uninitiated the difficulties of that when you don't have people on the ground targeting and the like. >> well, first of all, you really don't want to do air s

they briefly to be the city of baqubah before being pushed back. the special report is from bbc's paul wood who were caught up in the fighting in the town of jalula. >> reporter: east of baghdad, a strategically vital battle is being fought. these are kurdish forces, they're trying to help the iraqi army stop isis from marching on the capital. this is jalula, the next town is in the hands of isis. the kurds believe there are a small number of foreign jihadis backed by sunni tribal fighters. off the kurdish base, the general begs the sunni sheikh to switch sides. he asks them to abandon isis to avoid the bloodshed that is surely coming. it doesn't work. the kurds know they have to stop isis here or jihadis will go into the nearby town of baqubah. the iraqi army is making a desperate stand there. the last big town before the capital. the kurds send reinforcements to the front line. we stay behind in jalula. the town is secure, they say. they spot movement. three or four gunmen. >> down here, down here, down here! >> reporter: bullets seem to come in

as you know, there was fighting in baqubah, a city about 37 or so miles from baghdad.th. militants said to have taken western parts of baqubah, again, the status of that is unclear right now. there's a lot of rumor and a lot of couldn't debutry statement. very hard to actually get on the ground in a lot of these places. one interesting thing that occurred in baqubah, the iraqi government had said militants had stormed the police station. that seems to be true and it taken weapons. apparently though they wanted to recapture about 34 sunni prisoners who had been held in that police station. the iraqi government claims that the militants shelled the police station and killed those prisoners, but cnn has been able to confirm from a health official in that town, those prisoners were actually shot at very close range which also then confirms the "new york times" report that those prisoners were actually shot by iraqi police officers prior to evacuating that facility so that those prisoners would not be released and returned to the fight on the side of isis, so a sign perhaps

now, those battles are quite fierce, centering around the strategically located city of baqubah. difficult to determine at this stage exactly what's happening there. it doesn't seem as if the iraqi security forces have managed to gained significant territory. when it companies to the country's largest oil refinery, there, the government says it has the situation under control, but cnn spoke to two employees that used to work at the refinery. based in the city not too far away. and they say the battle is ongoing. that it is isis that actually controls the refinery. if isis somehow gets oil flowing once again, that's what's going to add even more money to what is considered to be the world's richest terrorist organization. what the prime minister really needs to do at this stage is stop making these types of inflammatory statements and really try to reach out not just to the population, but especially to the sunni opposition. this is a problem that has plagued him throughout both of his positions as the country's prime minister. his inability to reach out to the sunni population. v

we know there are some 35 to 40 miles, the closest city they're in and fighting for baqubah still. that battle has been going on for more than a day now. that's about as close as we know that they are in large numbers on the outskirts. obviously there are insurgents. there are terrorist groups operating inside baghdad itself. we've seen a number of suicide blasts, robeses, of car bombs and the like over the last several days. dozens of wounlded. more than a dozen killed just yesterday alone. so, you know, it's a big question about whether or not they can actually come to the gates of the city. these are more shia-dominated areas, the shia fighters here that make up the iraqi military. a lot of these volunteers who have signed up to fight as well. they are highly motivated to protect shia areas necessary to protect sunni areas which an area like mosul, we all know what happened there. but don, the fight that is going on up in baiji, up north, the oil refinery, the largest oil refinery in iraq, one of three oil refineries in this country. that battle is said to be still raging. isis

it is certainly the iraqi army is managing to push back in baqubah. the town of tal afar taken monday was heavily shelled by the iraqi army today it still seems to be under control of the militants but the army is pushing back. yeah, so, it seems to be staying more or less the same, i would say. >> thank you. >> thank you. and there is news tonight that president obama has now sent f-18s to iraq to do surveillance missions. should the president be doing more or even less? ive in iraq war >>> this is an iraqi civil war. and it's time the iraqis to resolve it themselves. >> we'll be monitoring the situation in iraq very carefully over the next several days. >> i think delay actually favors the enemy here and it's been going on for days. >> i am looking for the overall strategy that will help secure the gains that we have made. >> i think we need a decision. >> what should the u.s. be doing or not doing about this growing and disturbing chaos in iraq. representative adam sensinger served in iraq is he also a pilot. good to see you. >> good to be here. >>

baqubah is in danger of falling today. just moments ago in brazil, vice president joe biden said "urgent assistance is clearly required for iraq." what more information does president obama need before a decision is made? >> well, jake, obviously, the president doesn't make decisions lightly. we've been increasing our assistance. he's considering a range of options. no decision has been made. but what we're looking at is the need for a comprehensive approach. what it involves first and foremost, the iraqi government, not the united states, not any country can make this situation better for them. we'll weigh a range you have factors and give the president room to make his decision. >> secretary of state kerry, your boss, it was an open secret that he wanted more aggressive, more air strikes i guess is the correct term against isis -- i'm sorry, against the syrian government in last year's debate. but would that not have potentially helped isis which is now gaining ground? isn't this also confusing that any air strike might

that was from baqubah in 2005 when we were there.oday between iraqi security force and isis forces. former british prime minister tony blair has taken a lot of heat for his comments about the current situation here in iraq. critics suggesting he is trying to rewrite history. over the weekend blair said that the allied invasion of iraq in 2003 was in no way responsible for what is happening now, that there would still be a major problem in iraq even if saddam hussein hadn't been toppled, and it's a mix of world religion and politics. in the telegraph, boris johnson calls that argument, quote, bonkers and writes that blair should, quote, put a sock in it. or accept the reality of the disaster he helped engineer. i spoke with former prime minister tony blair today. >> mr. prime minister, you have come under enormous criticism just in the past day for a comment laying blame for the current crisis here in iraq on the war in syria and the west response to it or failure to respond to it, and also by the failure of the maliki government in i

it's the city of baqubah, 3p miles from the capital. city is under isis control. that's the brutal group known as the islamic state in iraq and syria. for the first time we're seeing the aftermath of these extremist surges. new video from mosul, these are cars and trucks, as you can see, burned, trashed abandoned. and new disturbing video showing what appears to be a young child armed in the midst of the militants. nick robertson begins our coverage out front live in baghdad today. isis militants just 37 miles away from where you're standing. how concerned are people about whether isis is going to try to take baghdad? >> i think the security forces here have been put on high alert. this is their sort of -- they've got rings of defense around the city. the reality is isis are not going to be able to take baghdad. we've seen them move down from the north pretty quickly. why are they able to do that? they're sunni fighters moving through sunni areas. it's not just isis. it's sunni tribesmen in iraq that have risen up against the government

they atacked baqubah and fallujah, 70 kilometers from the capital. and they also control iraq's second largest city, mosul. government forces have staged air strikes in mosul. and they are carrying out raids on other key rebel strongholds. military officials say they have driven militants back from the country's largest oil refinery in the northern city of baoji. foreign minister baradei said the iraqi government asked u.s. leaders to carry out air strikes. but, the u.s. defense chief says any targets must be clarified. >> options like air strikes as the president said has not ruled in or out, but there has to be a reason for those. there has to be an objective. >> reporter: the insurgents' exact location is hard to pinpoint. they are mixed in with civilians. and they don't have a key base for their operations. u.s. leaders fear that air strikes could kill innocent people. hagel also criticized iraqi prime minister nuri al maliki for not sharing power with different factions. he says that's what sparked the violence. >> this current government in ira

it is certainly the iraqi army is managing to push back in baqubah.he town of tal afar taken monday was heavily shelled by the iraqi army today it still seems to be under control of the militants but the army is pushing back. yeah, so, it seems to be staying more or less the same, i would say. >> thank you. >> thank you. and there is news tonight that president obama has now sent f-18s to iraq to do surveillance missions. should the president be doing more or even less? ive in iraq war veteran adam constituencyinger goes on the record next. ou purchase. not just "everything at the hardware store." not "everything, until you hit your cash back limit." quicksilver can earn you unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you could possibly imagine. say it with me -- everything. one more time, everything! and with that in mind... what's in your wallet? feel like a knot. how can i ease this pain? (man) when i can't go, it's like bricks piling up. i wish i could find some relief. (announcer) ask your doctor about linzess-- a once-daily capsule for adults with ib

fighting breaking out in a new town, city of baqubah less than 40 miles north of baghdad.olonel rick francona, let me bring you in. welcome. >> good afternoon. >> do we know what these 275 u.s. troops will be doing? any idea? >> yeah. they're there to beef up the security embassy. that's a huge embassy, the largest in the world, at one time 5500 people working there. so their security force is not equipped to take on a battle so they are in there to plan an evacuation if that needs to happen and provide security in the case of that. some of the other ones, it's kind of phrased a little differently. 100 others will be doing other things. hopefully, they will be training and advising the iraqis. we trained these iraqis. unfortunately, the leadership has failed. maybe we can get in there and get some advice into this leadership and turn this around. >> okay. so maybe that can happen. but as far as options for the u.s., we knew from the white house that they're telling cnn one very real option could be air strikes. but according to previous reporting, air strikes aren't necess

while i was on a combat patrol my c in baqubah, iraq,nned out. rocket-propelled grenade took my arm off at the shoulder. when i came home, i felt alone. my family was around me, but i couldn't talk to them about what i'd seen and what i'd done. i remember just thinking, man, the way i am right now, i don't want to live. i was discharged from the army, and i've been working with the wounded warrior project since 2007. warriors don't have to be severely wounded to be with the wounded warrior project. we do have a lot of guys that have post-traumatic stress disorder. being able to share your story, i guess it kind of helps you wrap your mind around what did happen over there. just because you've left the military doesn't mean your life is over, because when these guys are coming home, i'm kind of leading and training them, instead of for combat, i'm leading and training them to heal. and if i come away with anything from the wounded warrior project, it's them giving my life back. my name is norbie, and yes, i do suffer from post-traumatic stress dis

that and he is back with the 49 you ares -- back with the while i was on a combat patrol my c in baqubahe took my arm off at the shoulder. when i came home, i felt alone. my family was around me, but i couldn't talk to them about what i'd seen and what i'd done. i remember just thinking, man, the way i am right now, i don't want to live. i was discharged from the army, and i've been working with the wounded warrior project since 2007. warriors don't have to be severely wounded to be with the wounded warrior project. we do have a lot of guys that have post-traumatic stress disorder. being able to share your story, i guess it kind of helps you wrap your mind around what did happen over there. just because you've left the military doesn't mean your life is over, because when these guys are coming home, i'm kind of leading and training them, instead of for combat, i'm leading and training them to heal. and if i come away with anything from the wounded warrior project, it's them giving my life back. my name is norbie, and yes, i do suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, but i'm okay. ♪ e

thousands of people are fleeing baqubah north-east of baghdad. 1,000 families sheltering in a camp. the u.n. says 600,000 have been forced out of their homes in the last two weeks. iran's president hassan rouhani is calling for a ceasefire in iraq. speaking at a religious conference he called on both sides to lay down the weapons during the holy month of ramadan. iran is watching the situation. in the past it offered help to the ricky government. >>> a former major general helping the sunni rebels d told al jazeera they will not put their arms down until demands are met. >>> as we broke to you earlier, the u.s. secretary of state john kerry is having - these are not live pictures, but he's arrived a few minutes ago in egypt for the first top-level talks with general abdul fatah al-sisi - former general abdul fatah al-sisi, since he was elected president. >>> james denslow is the director of the new democracy platform and middle east security analyst who i will talk about iraq more than egypt to be honest. i.s.i.s. has taken control over the syrian iraqi border, according to what i'm

many coming from baqubah, north-east of baghdad, where there has been fighting. many have taken refuge in a camp outside of mosul. a city that is under i.s.i.l. control. let's get the latest from javier solana in baghdad. >> reporter: as sunni rebels made gapes, i.s.i.l. fighters struck in the north. this is where planes struck targets in mosul, which remains under rebel control for two weeks. on the ground iraqi army units killed a number of rebels in the town in dhuluiya. the aftermath suggests there were battles. witnesses say fighting in different areas forced more than 400 families to flee. >> army personnel are brave. it's great to have them here. >> meanwhile sunni rebels are making gains in the west of the country. the town fell in rebel hands, the iraqi army is said to have wraup. the town mel, and so -- the town fell, and so too the border post, giving i.s.i.l. free movement in and out of syria. further east the video shows the aftermath of an attack on an army convoy, between the towns north of baghdad. the attack left several soldiers killed and wound

according to security officials, isis fighters are control of several neighborhoods in baqubah.s a key development on a place 40 miles north of baghdad. you see that on the map. the green squares indicate the cities that are partially controlled.united states are positioning armed troops in and around iraq as president obama considers his options. the president has already said he won't send u.s. troops back in combat. now fox news said president obama plans to meet with top leaders tomorrow with ongoing situations in iraq. connor powell is live in the newsroom in jerusalem, conor, what more are you learning about the fighting? >> it pushes across iraq. coming with deadly consequences, file thing breaking out at a prison northeast of baghdad as insurgents lay siege to a prison outside of capital. there are conflicts reports on what exactly was hit and how many people were killed but we're getting reports of dozens of detainees being killed and police officers as well. this is important, this as close to the capital since the sunni fighters launched an offensive last week. we are

an hour's drive from the capital baghdad, the government has regained control of the town baqubah where militant fighters are being pushed back. rebel forces are reported to be within 60 kilometers of baghdad and there has been more heavy fighting in the provinces of diyalah and salahuddin and ramadi to the west. not far from mosul, which was taken by isis forces last week. we have been looking at iraq's prime minister speaking in the last hour. what have you made of his comments? >> reporter: well, as you know, the insurgents have been gaining ground in iraq. and the prime minister nuri al maliki called for national unity. there are growing concerns they could be a rise in sectarian violence, the kind of fighting that we saw between 2006 and 2007. but a few moments ago, as you said, the prime minister addressed the nation. he said he was truly shocked by what had happened in mosul, the takeover of iraq's second largest city by isis insurgents. he said his country thrives on battling sectarianism and he said that he would do what it takes to bring the country back together. let's have a

this comes as sunni militants launch an offensive against the city of baqubah less than 40 miles from baghdad. we will speak to professor juan cole of the university of michigan. he just wrote a piece titled "don't trust the bombers on iraq -- "shock and awe" never works." then 50 years after freedom summer, voting rights are under attack again in the south. >> they have attacked early voting, making it harder to vote with voter id laws. every one of those "reforms" voter repression laws and tactics have the same effect of driving down the black vote. we will speak to former naacp president ben jealous on "true south -- voters of color in the black belt 50 years after after freedom summer." and on the first anniversary of the death of rolling stone reporter michael hastings, his widow publishes the novel she found on his computer after he died in a fiery car crash. it is a scathing critique of the news media today called "the last magazine." all of that and more coming up. this is democracy now, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. president obama has announced

a police station was attacked baqubah north of the iraqi capital. the government says shiite forces repelled the insurgents but this is the closest that the isis insurgents gotten to baghdad since they began the rapid advance. as they continue to seize control across the region, sunni areas, nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel joins me from baghdad. the capital different place now, secured by marines, extra marines have gone into the embassy but the capital itself bracing for action. >> reporter: the capital doesn't feel like it is going to be attacked. what i think we're seeing now in baghdad, what i see today, is a disturbing trend in that a lot of shiite militias, sectarian forces are on the streets. they're also joining the army. as you know, last week, a large section of the iraqi army deserted, dropping the uniforms and deciding not to fight against isis in mosul and western iraq. we came back from a recruitment center and the people we saw joining up for the army were those who were responding not necessarily just to patriotic cal

able to make are predominantly sunni areas in the north and elsewhere, even in the weren't part of baqubahloser to baghdad, more shia-controlled areas, there are more motivated fighters here certainly in the iraqi military, shia fighters and also now tens of thousands of vol tuunteevolunteers, some training over the last several years fighting for bashar al assad in syria who have returned to fight isis. you don't hear people in baghdad itself worrying about this city falling. nevertheless, the situation is very tense here, jake. >> anderson, the last time i was in baghdad, there was a big debate in the american media whether to call what was going on in iraq a civil war since the sectarian conflicts between shiite and sunni and kurd was so stark, yet there was a real reluctance by the u.s. government to call it that. what are you hearing on the ground there in baghdad? >> reporter: you know, in baghdad, a lot of people giving lip service to the idea that this is not a civil war. people, you know, i was at a military base today where v volunteers were signing up. and two men said we are on

know if the rebels could take baqubah it's like a direct path to baghdad.bout the pr war, take a look at this video that comes out of mosul. i believe this was shot by journalists. this is not handout video. members of the militant group islamic state of iraq are directing traffic on the streets of the city and distributie ini copies of the koran to passersby. we had a couple conversations with a gentleman in mosul who said that the reports of what was going on there were exaggerated. it spoke to this idea that the sunnis who lived in that city were very frustrated with the maliki government, and didn't necessarily see these rebels as the enemy. >> did he bring up climate change? >> i'm sure he did. >> was that the first thing -- >> probably the second but pretty close. >> he's walking a real tough balancing act. we saw it with the iranians, to try to suppress these militants. you obviously antagonize other allies. did you get some sense on the ground as to where the kurds may stand? >> the kurds have had one relationship with iran. certain sectors of the k

>> from what we know, they are still fighting government forces around baqubah which is about 40 milesway from the outskirts of baghdad. now, the ongoing fighting is happening, as well, in the refinery of baiji. that's still a close call between the two forces. of course, you also have a refinery around baghdad. the food refinery in the south. but the key contributor to the iraqi oil refining capacity. baiji has been attacked before 37 we're talking about operational capacity of around $300,000 barrels a day. it's no doubt it will not be easy. the iraqi army has capacity in terms of air power and advantages the other do not have. but what we are watching very closely will be the meetings that u.s. president barack obama hassed to with congressional leaders, as well. and the saudi foreign minister saying the situation is looking like an increased civil war. keep in iend, saudi arabia and iraq have had a very tumultuous relationship. you can see how the saudi government is positioning itself in this standoff. they are blaming the iraqi government. the iraqi cabinet issued a statement bla

this morning, with reports that jihadist fighters have taken control of parts of baqubah just 37 milesrom baghdad young iraqi men lined the street markets scrambling to find discarded u.s. and iraqi military gear so they could join the fight to defend their city. this as president obama has told congress he will send as many as 275 soldiers and marines to iraq and the region to protect u.s. embassy personnel here. more than 100 are already here to help secure the $700 million fortress, the size of 80 football fields built to withstand attacks. the president is also considering sending up to 100 u.s. special forces to help advise iraqi troops. with numerous iraqi cities captured, the president keeping all options open. a u.s. warship now on the move equipped with five osprey, tilt rotor aircraft to be used in any evacuation. but if the u.s. it ises decides attack, more options. an aircraft carrier in the persian gulf capable of launching 40 fighter jets to strike isis militants. there are also two additional u.s. warships nearby able to launch cruise missiles. and the u.s. still conside

the house of the latest reports indicate the fighting is continuing on the front room samarra to baqubah. the oil refinery in tikrit is currently under attack by i still an the peshmerga are fighting isil three there's a large-scale improvement of other young recruits the iraqi armed forces and it's vital that precedes and isil is pushback by the iraqis. the absolutely key thing to recognize here is that when you get this combination of poor governance of ungoverned spaces and support for extremism that provides an opportunity for the terrorists and we have to address this on each of those three fronts supporting the iraqi government. >> ed miliband. >> i grew the prime minister this crisis is not only affecting ike rack that has consequences for the world including u.k.. contemplating including the border agency in the home office to ensure british cannot return here and engage in violent extremism or terrorism waxing can you say what the government is doing to prevent people in this country becoming radicalized and traveling to the region in order to fight? >> i believe this is the cor