to he goes and bashar assad easily determine the president of syria is too so it is quite. so we actually heard some opposition factions saying that they are now ready but i've been to syria many times including held rebel held territories and i've seen that the opposition is very much divided and sometimes fractions that are fighting president bashar assad in syria are not doing connected to each other they don't even know about the child it's so it's like even if we're hearing from one fraction but. now ready it doesn't necessarily mean unfortunately that all their position all the forces are now ready for dialogue and this is why it's quite difficult at this time to talk about any peace between the warring sides. they held key positions in the world's biggest military and they want one ton m a president closed thirty eight of the united states most respected retired generals and admirals admirals want the senate to take immediate steps despite pressure and promises the jail stills reached its twelfth anniversary punctuated by torture and hunger strikes along the way an a

we've seen president assad given many interviews to various international media but this is for the first time since the conflict in syria started more than two years ago that we see bashar al assad talking to the leader of one of the u.n. security council member countries and that means a lot this is very significant in terms of of course from. the inside of russia and from the u.n. security council to show support for all they knew that the syrian authorities are now undertaking to end the crisis in the country and mostly focused on the chemical arsenal the demolition of the chemical weapons of syria and to express his satisfaction with how things are progressing on the ground would hold so another important topic was the geneva two peace talks that despite some skepticism is considered by many as important a crucial step in resolving peacefully the tract of crisis in syria so in your opinion what are the main obstacles to the continuation of the peace talks at this point well as they say it takes two to tango and this is where the main obstacle in solving the syrian crisis lies and has been lined since the beginning since the conflict started because syrian opposition

bashar assad of the determent president off serious too so it is quite. bad luck right now so we actually heard some opposition factions saying that they are now ready but i've been to syria many times including how rebel held territories and i've seen that the opposition is very much divided and sometimes fractions that are fighting president bashar assad in syria are not doing connected to each other they don't even know bout that child is so it's like even if we're hearing from one fraction but. now ready it doesn't necessarily mean unfortunately that all their position all the forces are now ready for dialogue and this is why it's quite difficult at this time to talk about any peace between the warring sides. there has been no development in iran's nuclear facilities in the last three months and that's according to a new report by the un's atomic watchdog their conclusion comes ahead of a fresh round of talks between two iran and six world powers and just as the u.s. congress considers further sanctions against iran ortiz more important joins me live

is a stronghold of the militant hizbullah group that has strong ties with the syrian president bashar assad and it's unclear at this stage whether or not the blasts are linked in any way to the syrian civil war but it's important to note that this area has been hit by similar such explosions in the past and at that time the blame was put on rebels who were believed to have targeted this area because of iran's support for. in syria now the lebanese government has condemned the attacks it has called for an emergency meeting at the same time tehran's envoy to lebanon has said that he believes that israel and the same comments are being made by the syrian information minister. to discuss this further i'm now joined live by sharmeen no one issues a senior associate since antony's college of oxford university showing the lebanese brigades they have said they are all behind this attack why would they have done this. brigades is an offshoot of it's named after a founder of. its goals are they stablish benefits state it is very sectarian organization and threatened hezbollah and shia community and l

with two opposition and rebel fighters who have been backing it out with the syrian president bashar assad at the same time there's been a second incident of violence in the southern city of psuedo now there we're hearing that a suicide bomber drove a car into a building belonging to the syrian military intelligence and then in another incident in hama province they we're hearing that a gang has attacked a military outpost again no word there of casualties but this has been a bloody few hours of violence in syria and the attacks come in the wake of no movement on the diplomatic front there had been hope that geneva two would bring together the syrian government and the opposition before the end of the year but the latest word now is that on november the twenty fifth if the russian as well as the american delegates and the umbrella of the united nations arab league envoy lakhdar brahimi will meet and only even perhaps will they agree on a date by when to have this next round of negotiations the problem is the sticking points which first and foremost is the division within the opposition and

until he goes and sings bashar assad easily determine the president of syria still so it is quite . bad luck right now this is why it's quite difficult at this time to talk about any peace between the warring sides. the latest footage from the syrian battlefields go to war in motion section at our web site. because if party in the u.k. is purged its official website apparently hoping to clean up its online image it's removed a whole section of pledges made before the party came to power the opposition has labeled the move in the brush broken promise is under the carpet artie's. has this report. out of the way she could care about him time in simply saying back something you said or a promise was made. i certainly have this is here and i'm going you take the federal government's apparently after it was revealed that the results for you when decide that says maizie you raised all of this is beach is made before the conservative party was elected into power back in two thousand and ten it's racist specials that in the run. up to the next general election for someone simply trying to ge

refer to opposition and rebel fighters who have been battling it out with the syrian president bashar assad at the same time there's been a second incident of violence in the southern city of suede and now there we are hearing that a suicide bomber drove a car into a building belonging to the syrian military intelligence that car exploded and they too there have been quite extensive casualties at the moment there's been no confirmation however from the damascus government so we're relying on reports from live in these television what is interesting and perhaps particularly concerning is that sway to is considered a very secure area so the fact that someone was actually able to enter a building belonging to military intelligence is going to be of great concern to the damascus government and then in another incident in hama province they we're hearing that a gang has attacked a military outpost again no word there of casualties but this has been a bloody few hours of violence in syria. about the much anticipated geneva two talks are once again full bag why is that. well as you correctly say t

too he goes and sings bashar assad is a legitimate president of syria still so it is quite. sad places why it's quite difficult at this time to talk about any peace between the warring sides. and to see the latest footage from syria's conflict zones a visit in motion section of our website. the conservative party in the u.k. has purged its official website apparently hoping to clean up its online image it's removed a whole section of pledges made before the party came to power the opposition has labeled the move an attempt to brush broken promise is under the carpet artie's party boyko has this report. out of the way she could very well become time in simply saying something you said or a promise was made. i certainly have this is here and i'm going you take the little one separately after it was revealed that me when i decide that since leaving the raised all of this week has made for the best for the conservative party was elected into power back in two thousand and ten it's racist specials that in the run up to the next general election. someone simply trying to get this

something which is out pentagon because look it started by the syrian people they didn't want bashar assad the alawite will ated by the sunnis the sunnis are rated by the alawite i mean i'm simplifying something which may be too complicated but that's the true story of the said story is that there was and still is a very serious story in syria. it started. it started as a limited but it started as a limited but genuine people's uprising and it was appropriated very early on by outside powers turkey saudi arabia and qatar qatar as a back step so turkey turkey is almost regretting its role because it's now it now has to deal with militants on its borders saudi arabia is funding them continuing to arm them it things it has a free it has a license to destroy syria and it's it's it's it's conduct is truly deplorable and it's astonishing that no one in the west has said that saudi arabia should get out of the syrian conflict ok michael in new york how do you feel about that became completely you know we don't air it i must take up a result we don't have a big debate here because the only debate

the bashar al-assad government has access to oil. there are working pipelines elsewhere in the county and a willing provider in iran. >> many of syria's oil fields line the north and east. most have been taken over by kurdish militia that sell small quantities of crude. >>> europe's tallest volcano erupted sending a plume of ash more than a mile into the sky. no evacuations were necessary on the east coast of sicily in italy. a highway was closed out of precaution. etna's last eruption was in 1992. >>> a very slow-moving area of low pressure tracking through the south-west. it's swinging up so much mountain snow into colorado, utah and mexico. there's a lot of powder. it's bringing colder air. we have a situation that's been developing. moist air riding up on top of cold air on the ground. what that has created an a situation from new mexico into morth texas where we are not only getting snow, but freezing rain. freezing rain is when the rain falls, but the ground is below freezing. when it hits the ground it creates a layer of ice.

but this is something which is out because look it started by the syrian people they didn't want bashar assad the alawite with eight by the sunnis this truly sorry to buy the alibi i mean i'm simplifying something which may be too complicated but that's the true story of this said story is that there was and still is just this is not in syria. it started copying is that it started a limited but it started as a limited bid genuine people's uprising and it was appropriated very early on by outside powers turkey saudi arabia and qatar qatar as a back step so turkey turkey is almost regretting its role because it's now it now has to deal with militants on its borders saudi arabia is funding them continuing to arm them it thinks it has a free it has a license to destroy syria and it's it's it's it's conduct is truly deplorable and it's astonishing that no one in the west has said that saudi arabia should get out of the syrian conflict. ok michael in new york how do you feel about that because you know we don't daily i must say compared with the good i think we don't get the big debate good because

is attacking sunnis, criticizing him for allowing iran to overflying iraqi territory to supply bashar al-assadn syria. and there is not much that the united states can do directly, since he would not allow u.s. troops back in 2011. so a very complicated issue and high steaks today in the oval office, dell. >> is there any sense that he wants troops back on the ground in iraq? >> we're not hearing that, and that is not going to happen obviously. we talked about the hangover with the american people and the president making it a political campaign point that he ended the war in iraq, absolutely no way in the world would u.s. troops be sent into syria. and so now the principle ask here by the iraqis and malaki. the white house acknowledges their concern, they are working with congress, there is the question what congress do to stop the sale of arms. the way it works is the united states can sell or transfer those arms. the congress would essentially have to proactively stop it through the power of the purse or some other means. it looks like, judging by the public comments by jay carney yesterday

>> rain iran is a backer of bashar al-assad and hezbollah. the attack appears to be the latest spillover from the syrian war. it was not the first of its kind. a car bombing killed scores of civilians in the southern suburbs of beirut. those who carried out attacks said it was in retaliation for hezbollah's participation in the syrian war. >> it will not change the political conditions of iraq. for both the fight in syria is their fight. >> this message is useless and our deployment is not only strategic but political. iran's position cannot be changed by such a message. iran and hezbollah will remain allies to syria and hezbollah will fight to safeguard strategic enterprises. sunni and shiite factions support opposing sides.

in syria a blow to the bashar al-assad regime as rebels seize a large oil field. the loss of the field means almost all of bashar al-assad's access to crude reserves has been cut off. >> no word on the deal in geneva, world powers have been meeting since wednesday. iran says it cannot accept an agreement that does not recognise its right to enrich uranium. that's a demand the u.s. allies rejected. >> it is 2:30am in geneva, as the talks continue. we go to hillary leverett, a former u.s. diplomat and the co-author of the "going to tehran." she joins us from washington. thank you for being with us. >> first question is the big question - how hopeful are you that they'll strike a deal? >> i'm not overly optimistic. even though they've come a long way the fundamental issue about iran's right to enrich uranium is fundamental that divides the broad - a broad swath of the international community from the four states that reject that - the u.s., france, britain and israel. they are the four states. it's a tough issue to get over. >> why is iran digging in their heels. why

it would not be in bashar al-assad's interest to be seen to be hiding something at this point.ertheless, these things will have to be investigated. the tough investigations probably are still down the road. and when i say "tough" i mean going to sites which perhaps syria hasn't declared investigating and interviewing people who were perhapsed involved to really verify that they've gotten all the nooks and crannies of the c.w. capacity. but those details shouldn't take away of the significance of what had been done today. seen from the outside, i should point out, if you're a syrian, you probably don't care that much about this because, you know, from the syrians' perspectives, it looks like the international community prefers they kill themselves with conventional weapons as opposed to chemical musicians. so there's two ways of looking at this. >> ifill: because, in fact, chemical weapons have been used but they were a small percentage of the weapons being used to kill, as we just heard, more than 120,000 people. >> jeffrey brown's report is quite graphic in that. the problem i

the other hand if they show up and across the table from them are representatives of the assad regime, indeed, bashar al-assad himself, they risk losing what little credibility they have list with syrians inside the country who have sacrificed so much no the revolution as they see it to get to this point. >> and it is a source of hope for millions of americans struggling with mental illness and addiction. coming up, new rules for those trying to heal. >>> plus forced out the streets of san francisco transformed by the tech boom. >> start with one issue education... gun control... the gap between rich and poor... job creation... climate change... tax cuts... the economy... iran... healthcare... it goes on and on... ad guests on all sides of the debate. and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get... the inside story theses are strait forward conversations, no agenda, just hard hitting debate on the issues that matter to you ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern only on al jazeera america >> 20million american women and 10 million american men will struggle with eating dis

perhaps that's a factor bashar al-assad is banking on when it comes to him staying in power.mran khan, al jazeera. >> and we're joined now from the lebanese capital beirut. the opposition still wants their conditions met? >> well, it really depends on which opposition we're talking about. he just had a press conference here in beirut and he said talks with the opposition inside syria were positive, so now really he is putting the onus on the opposition based in istanbul. it has preconditions and the main one is that the geneva 2 conference needs to be a continuation of the geneva 1, and the geneva 1 conference has called for a transitional government to be formed without bashar al-assad. here in lebanon, bra -- bra heemy said the fate was up to the talks in geneva, but there were two spots on the table for syrians, and that clearly means he wants a united opposition. >> thank you very much, hoda. staying with syria there are reports that israeli jets have attacked a syrian base. stephanie decker has more from jerusalem. >> israel is not confirming or denying these reports. th

to support rebels in their fight against bashar al-assad.ran's influence in syria and the fact that the u.s. is engaged in new diplomatic efforts with iran. joining us now in the studio, director of the syrian center of political studies. he is a spokesperson for the main opposition group. from new york, saudi political affairs analysts, and nancy soderberg, former u.s u.s. ambassador to the united nations. where are things at in syria? you still have family in the country. update us. >> yes, the united nations just said today that more than nine million would equal to 40% of the population, they are in desperate need. add more numbers of catastrophe to the country which means they may lose second hen education of displaced people. this is the humanitarian catastrophe. it is considered as one of the wars in this century. which more important we don't see that in the international community, to put its efforts. we still see actions the international community dealing as a business rather than focusing on finding an end to the conflict in syri

the opposition wants bashar assad to step down. public, according to some, should decide. the underlying document is a geneva communiquÉ that talks about transitions, which most people understand as movement to a new leadership. >> we understand to take it step-by-step in geneva. response is one to in syriaby all parties and then even when you talk or whatever,ition this has to be decided by the syrians. this should be subject to discussion. be found with no foreign or regional interference. the opposition wants to know the president assad will go at some point. is that something the syrian government is willing to offer? like to ask about mutual positions. what about opposition? there are other countries with other oppositions. us to is thefor interest of syria. precondition,o for president assad to go or to stay is the decision of the people. >> some syrians must be insisting that it must be clear that at some point in the transition president assad will go. is this something the government is willing to commit to to get the process and the talk started? >> this has happ

of course it's support for bashar al-assad and the syrian government.posts it's a on one side with hezbollah, and against the united states and other allies who are supporting the rebels in syria. this has wider connotations. this attack happened in lebanon so there are people from iran and lebanon and perhaps other wider countries who are definitely effected by the events there in beirut. >> all right. thank you. >>> well the attack hand as representatives from 71 countries and organizations are meeting in kuwait, taking part in an african arab summit. we know there is a strong delegation there from iran at the summit. has anything been said about the bombings today in the lebanese capitol? >> well, darren we heard strong comments from the lebanese interim foreign minister who condemned the attack as a terrorist attack, and insisted that his country's resolve in combatting what he described as terrorism will continue to be strong. we are expecting statements by the lebanese president earlier than was scheduled. she was scheduled to speak on the second

third term, as a candidate of the supreme leader in iran, president obama in washington and of bashar al-assad in syria, it is an amazing work if you can get it. this war, which i believe it was a noble war that is my belief in it and you were kind enough over the years to give me a kind of a forum for this, but this noble war has got ten a tyrant. >> rose: robin wright? >> well, the prime minister al maliki wants more weapons from the united states, he is very concerned that his government, his military particularly can't control the growing insurgency, more than 7,000 people have already died this year, more than 1,000 last month, and he da -- his theme in washington is al qaeda is back and more dangerous than ever, and that he needs help from the outside world, it is a particular irony given the fact that just two years ago the iraqis really wanted the united states to leave, and even if the united states had been willing to leave a residual force behind to help the iraqis, the iraqis, this particular government wouldable, was dead set on getting the americans out and now he is coming back

you know, the regime of syria, the regime of bashar al-assad, the murderous regime is being sustained really only because of the iranian, the really incredible iranian effort that has been going on and that is largely carried on by transport planes that have been flying over iraq and essentially with iraqi permission. it is unclear if the iraqis had an air force and if they were stronger would they say no to the iranians we don't really know but what we do know is they allow those over flights to carry on and certainly against american objections but all of that comes back to, i think, to 2010, you know, the united states doesn't have a lot of influence there now. you know, we were there for nine years, you know, tens of thousands of troops, we fought a war there and lost a lot of people, we have virtually nothing there now and so we just don't have that much leverage. there is not that much we can ask maliki to do. he is coming to us asking for help but we can get a lot from him, but we don't really have -- we don't have -- we haven't had a presence in that country for two years now.

some will not go without any talk of the resignation of bashar al-assad. >> thank you. hoda there in beirut. more on what lakhdar brahimi had to say in the coming hours. meanwhile israeli jets reportedly attacked a military base near syria's port of latakia. the strike thought to have tart russian-made missiles. it's not the first time they are thought to have struck in syria. two other weapon stockpiles have reportedly been attacked. more from stefanie dekker in jerusalem. >> the israeli army is not confirming the reports. there has been reports of air strikes. in january there was reported strikes on a syrian convoy carrying missiles to hezbollah. israel didn't comment on the reports, saying, "we are not saying anything about this." later in the year reports that israel targeted a missile storage facilities close to the province of latakia. again israel not commenting on the reports. we do know israel takes the threat of hezbollah seriously and says if there's a threat to the israeli state they'll take actions. people say it's possible israel could have carried out th

the bashar al-assad government as access to oil. they have a willing provide in iran. >> a vaccination campaign aimed at protecting turkish children from getting polio ended after the disease re-emerged. turkish children under five from targeted amid fears of an outbreak. vaccinations were carried out inside refugee camps. turkey has more than 600,000 refugees. polio was eradicated in the country 15 years ago. . >>> a massive storm system in the western united states left eight dead. it was so powerful winds uprooted a tree that fell on a parked car it and killed a woman. the storm brought freezing rain and snow. the cold snap caused hundreds of traffic accidents and delays. we turn to metrologist. >>> good morning, it's going to be another day to bundle up and stay inside if you don't have critical travel plans. we are dealing with a slow-moving upper level low making its way east across arizona, and that will bring more rain and snow especially into the higher elevations. you can see it now. it's scattered. we'll see showery activ

a presidential fund is up to progress on syria's chemical disarmament lot more putin phones bashar assad to discuss the elimination of his toxic arsenal the ongoing conflict and the prospects to end it. it's very easy to end one ton of it's hard to tell right now exactly how long we'll be down here doing this mission easy to promise but hard to deliver the closure of guantanamo is elusive as.

iran supports the group, and hezbollah is supporting troops loyal to syrian president bashar al assad who have been fighting against rebel forces. the friction between hezbollah and sunni muslims in lebanon has intensified since hezbollah sent combatants to syria earlier this year. the explosions were the latest in a string of bomb attacks in lebanon. >>> now inside syria, president assad's military is continuing its effort to stamp out opposition forces. and as the violence grinds on, more civilians are paying the price. nhk world's sho beppu is reporting this week inside the syrian capital, damascus. >> reporter: it's our fourth day in the capital, damascus, the heart of president bashar al assad's power base. at night streets are empty except for members of the security forces. each day we hear explosions coming from the outskirts of the city where the syrian army is on the offensive against opposition fighters. syrians continue to suffer as the war rages on. this is a shelter for residents displaced by fighting. about 200 people are staying here. more than a dozen members of four