the iraqis resist paying, as you know, the debts of saddam hussein because the new iraqi government considers them also a victim of saddam hussein which is true. >> but they haven't renounced those debts. we haven't urged them -- >> we have. we urged over the last decade all the debt holders from the saddam era to renounce those debts. >> wait. you asked the debt holders -- but you haven't urged iraq to refuse to pay. it's one thing to ask the creditor, oh, please tear up the note. it's another thing to stand behind the debtor saying in effect we don't owe the money, we're not going to pay. >> we're doing anything we can to help the iraqis preserve their fiscal resources right now. that's why we're working -- >> except stand up to saudi arabia and kuwait and void this debt, money they lent saddam hussein to carry on a war against iran. >> it's a slightly different issue. with kuwait, we're in very good discussions with them. secretary of defense just saw the amir about relieving those payments. so we are -- >> you're talking about completely different payments, sir. i'm talking about the debt

most importantly for working with the iraqis they got a new iraqi government up.t's a strategic foundation we have that we did not have back in june or really the past year. >> i'm not going to second guess you and sit here and question the decisions on getting the information that we needed before you could go in and do what you decided to do. i mean, i would just would not do that. but should we increase air strikes and can we increase air strikes? i do take particular notice and agree with you on your urban combat situation. so, could we increase air strikes and pound isis even more? >> i think in going to the point of how careful we are being, there's -- i think you'll see air strikes increase as iraqi offensive operations increase because when there are on going -- ongoing operations, we're able to strike targets in support of those operations and our limitations are not as narrow as when we strike targets simply by our intelligence picture. so, when iraqis are moving in the field and then when isil begins to show itself, our air strikes increase. so you migh

most importantly for working with the iraqis they got a new iraqi government up. it's a strategic foundation we have that we did not have back in june or really the past year. >> i'm not going to second guess you and sit here and question the decisions on getting the information that we needed before you could go in and do what you decided to do. i mean, i would just would not do that. but should we increase air strikes and can we increase air strikes? i do take particular notice and agree with you on your urban combat situation. so, could we increase air strikes and pound isis even more? >> i think in going to the point of how careful we are being, there's -- i think you'll see air strikes increase as iraqi offensive operations increase because when there are on going op rags, we're able to strike targets in support of those operations and our limitations are not as narrow as when we strike targets simply by our intelligence picture. so, when iraqis are moving in the field and then when isil begins to show itself, our air strikes increase. so you might see an inc

iraq's integrity and therefore, it is what the iraqi government wants that is the key and the iraqivernment, they do not want large offers of western troops on their territory. >> of course that's the case right now. my question was simply one possible military strategy would be you know, significant ground war. significant troops on the ground. to which you said you don't think that's very likely. there are no -- in the future that you can consider the possibility of a ground war occurring. but you said you don't think it's very likely. well, afraid to say it's -- ahead of policy says ground war in iraq not very likely. >> is it impossible? a bad thing to do? is it a rule for -- or not. now or in the future? >> as i said earlier, the prime minister, defense secretary as i've said we will not deploy. >> i know perfectly well. the question is whether or not -- for the motion. the question is whether or not we're going to do it. the question is whether or not it would be a military role or a reason for doing it. can you conceal reasons why that would be a good idea? >> the moment, i c

but they're advising iraqi force who is are on the ground led by iraqi special forces. they say that they fended off an assault as eyeing got closer to that base an indication of how intense the fighting is across the entire province. in ramadi the provincial capitol more clashes not far from the government headquarters which has been a major focus of fighting. across the province the western province which is iraq's biggest governor, u.s. and iraqi officials are trying to persuade sunni tribes to come on board. that's a work in progress. a lot of the tribes are suspicious of the iraqi government, reluctant to fight with the americans and not entirely sure where it leaves them given that isil has amassed hundreds of tribal members. it's undisputable that the sunni tribes are essential to this fight in anbar and other places in parts of the north where the peshmerga kurdish fighters have made gains, and areas south of the baghdad where shia militias have been holding off isil with the iraqi military. anbar itself as in the past ten years remains a special case. >> and at

there are many former officials from iraqi that said dasch is iraqi 6.0. so if this critical opportunity in my opinion is facing iraq today at taking another attempt at national reconciliation is not taken up by the iraqis as well as by the region, i think that i'm afraid even if we defeat isis in a year or so, in five years from now, we're going to have, who knows, a new group under different terminology. more importantly, i think there is the realization today in iraqi, that this is it. this is the opportunity to make this country work and if we fail at this this time, there will not be a second chance. so as few people know in the field, in conflict resolution there are critical junctures in a country's live or a trajectory where intervention can really move that conflict from one state to another. i think iraq today it's at this critical juncture where a serious effort can have a long lasting impact on the future of the country and its people to make it work. now i think it's important to also, to address region national efforts, why they have failed a

most importantly for working with the iraqis they got a new iraqi government up. it's a strategic foundation we have that we did not have back in june or really the past year. >> i'm not going to second guess you and sit here and question the decisions on getting the information that we needed before you could go in and do what you decided to do. i mean, i would just would not do that. but should we increase air strikes and can we increase air strikes? i do take particular notice and agree with you on your urban combat situation. so, could we increase air strikes and pound isis even more? >> i think in going to the point of how careful we are being, there's -- i think you'll see air strikes increase as iraqi offensive operations increase because when there are on going op rags, we're able to strike targets in support of those operations and our limitations are not as narrow as when we strike targets simply by our intelligence picture. so, when iraqis are moving in the field and then when isil begins to show itself, our air strikes increase. so you might see an inc

iraqi officials may make clear with weakened iraqi security forces, they couldn't take on isil or secure baghdad without them. it's left the iraqi government treading a fine line between relying on iran for help and maintaining its independence. jane arraf, al jazeera, baghdad. >> saudi arabia's interior m ministry says 135 people have been detained on what it's calling terror charges. the government says 17 of those arrested were also responsible for riots and violent acts in a village in the eastern katif region. 109 of the suspects are saudis. 46 are foreigners including nationals from syria, yemen and egypt. less than people including a woman and a 10-year-old boy were killed during a failed raid to free two western hostages in yemen sar. u.s. photo journalist luke somers on the right and pierre corkie were killed in shabba province. kor kuchlt ie's body will be flown to south africa to of on monday. south africa says they do not blame the u.s. for carrying out the attempt. >> 344 days, three al jazeera journalists have been jailed over false allegations that they helped the outlawed

the iraqi army has lost -- it is easy to point out the mistakes the iraqi army or iraqi allies the stories against isis have been heartbreaking, without food and water and ammunition. most importantly without their commanders. in most cases commanders who have been appointed by prime minister maliki directly, they were in the wrong sector, he was more afraid of a coup than he was of a hostile invasion and he is paying the price for that. for all the failings of the iraqi army i have seen enormous courage from them. they have been fighting for an enormously long time. i believe with american advisers and american support, more focused american air power they could achieve great things. >> somebody on this side of the room, the one with the two fingers. that gentleman is also fine. >> quick two part question. do you see parallels between what is happening in iraq now and the spanish-american war which started with a splendid little war in the last decade of the century and ended up with this country called the philippines which we didn't expect and what we do with it and we end up with the t

there are many former officials from iraqi that said dasch is iraqi 6.0. so if this critical opportunity in my opinion is facing iraq today at taking another attempt reconciliation is not taken up by the iraqis as well as by the region, i think that i'm afraid even if we defeat isis in a year or so, in five years from now, we're going to have, who knows, a new group under different terminology. more importantly, i think there is the realization today in iraqi, that this is it. this is the opportunity to make this country work and if we fail at this this time, there will not be a second chance. as few people know in the field, in conflict resolution there are critical junctures in a country's live or a trajectory where intervention can really move that conflict from one state to another. i think iraq today it's at this critical juncture where a serious effort can have a long lasting impact on the future of the country and its people to make it work. now i think it's important to also, to address region national efforts, why they have failed and use them as

they get a new iraqi government. they have for the past year. >> i am not going to second-guess you on the questions on the information that we needed before you could go one to do what we decided to do. i just would not do that. should we increase airstrikes and can we increase airstrikes? i do take prolix purely notice and agree with you on your urban combat situation. could we increase airstrikes and pound isis even more? >> going to the point of how careful we are being, i think you will see airstrikes increase as iraqi offensive operations increase. he does when their ongoing operations were able to strike targets in support of those operations, and our limitations are not as narrow as when we strike targets simply by our intelligence picture. so when iraqis are moving in the field and when isil begins to show itself, airstrikes increase. you may see an increase in the numbers. the numbers i just gave her pretty significant. i got a report when i was coming here in the car. we've gone over the past couple of day

and again, this is iraqis. we -- we participate with the iraqi security forces in training them on how to train, you know, this initial tranche of capability there. that's important because for this program to be successful, i've firmly assessed that it has to be done by the government of iraq. now, over time, then, there are several versions of legislation, as i understand it. i talked to ambassador jones last -- the 14th, before departing. there are several versions of that language that have to go before their council of representatives to be approved. but i am -- i'm optimistic that it is going to go through. there are many that see this as a way to not only bring those tribes back in, the national guard piece, but also to bring some of those ungovernable militias back in also. >> general, thanks for your time this morning. i was hoping you could clarify how airstrikes are being conducted without any jtacs on the ground in most cases. and also how you assess civilian casualties in those cases, if at all. >>

we have been pushed around by this iraqi government. we state offed it, you've pointed out, i believe that they may have taken baghdad, or might well have taken baghdad if it hadn't been for us. they are terrorizing the folks at camp liberty in clear violation of not only u.s. preferences but international law. they have allied themselveses with iran, with the iranian air force carrying out operations over iraq and iranian ground forces operating on the ground in conjunction with iraqi forces. and sometimes folks at to the upper levels of the state department don't focus that much on the money of the u.s. taxpayers. we're giving all this a tremendous amount of aid to iraq. whereas it's my understanding that iraq is still paying and still acknowledges it's debt to saudi arabia and kuwait for tens of billions of dollars borrowed by saddam hussein. >> does that, there have, put them in a position so instead of paying where we have to give it to them, we have to give it to them for free? >> no, the iraqis resist paying the debts of sadham h

the peshmerga are working closely with iraqi forces.the iraqi government service was working side-by-side to take back the dam and the operation there be a border crossing was done in coordination with sunni arab tribes in that area. so it is a significant development. given where we were six months ago when given where we were after isil moved into the region, the kurds have pushed back effectively. you have to remember that. we are working to help plan and conduct operations and would not be operations, we provide them with air cover and our support. >> i want to join with colleagues in queens. a native of south carolina and point out how pleased i am that there has been an agreement in regard to oil between iraq and the kurdish regional government. i yield the balance of my time. >> we go now to obvious theory of new jersey. >> thank you for holding this hearing and thank you for being with us and always in straightforward with us. as i sit here, we talk about retraining in training and i just read i just rhetoric poured about two or

iraqi officials make clear that with weakened iraqi security forces they couldn't take on i.s.i.l. or secure baghdad without them. it's left the iraqi government treading a fine line between relying on iran for help and maintaining its independence. jane arraf, al jazeera, baghdad. >>> let's take a look at islamic state of iraq and the levant. kurdish peshmerga forces, as dominic kane explains, could mark a turning point in the conflict. >> peshmerga fighters in the hills, from these position they can look down on the village that is controlled by sie i.s.i. more than 40,000 people have left to escape the violence. now the peshmerga want to take it back. their plan is based on a combination of air strikes and grund attacks. on friday -- ground attacks. on friday dozens were killed in bombing raids. on saturday, coalition forces came back and carried out a second operation. >> translator: the recent coalition raids were very effective. more than 40 i.s.i.l. fighters were killed. the raids forced i.s.i.l. to leave more than 17 of their locations on the mountain we control better now.

and again this is iraqis.rtant because, for this program to be successful, i firmly assess that it has to be done by the government of iraq. now, over time there are several versions of legislation as i understand, and i talked to general west the 14th before departing, there are several versions of that language that have to go before the counsel of representatives to be approved. but i'm optimistic that it is going to go through. there are many that see this as a way to not only bring those tribes back in the national guard piece, but also to bring some of those government

then you have the iraqi army. will try to slaughter, you know, different arabs and try to secure baghdad. the center of iraq showed that its really difficult for the iraqi army to progress itself and they have to go through different militia which is a really bad sign for the arabs. and the last point, i spoke -- i was in iraq two weeks ago and i spoke with a lot of arab people who are still living in mosul. and for them, they have more fear that the iraqi army come back to the city than isis stay. i mean, they know that if the iraqi army come back, it will be slaughtering to the people. it will be a lot of mass killing. really for the moment they are not really for that, of course. so right now, to take back mosul will take time and i think the solution is a political solution. we have to negotiate. >> thank you. gilles, you wanted to intervene? >> no, that's okay. >>> all right, we have time for one last question and then i'll give two minutes to the panelists to conclude. yes, madame, please. >> thank you. i ha

but i believe it's best for iraqi whether they be iraqi southern iraqi or indeed pesh murgy forces toctually liberate the country and provide that security. >> and i think the only then i would add is that the iraqi government made it very clear that they don't want foreign forces of any kind on their soil and that they think it's better and we agree with them for iraqi troops to liberate their country from isil, and we all saw the curious way in which the southern army came sort of on mobile phones, sort of as a folk hero in iran before stopping the flow, the advance of isil. but i think we're pretty clear here that while britain and iran might, if you like, share a common interest, a common challenge in confronting isil, that -- and iraq too, that that common challenge stops about there and the sort of iraq that iran would want to see is very different from the sort of inclusive iraq that its government would want to see, that the krg would want to see and that we would want to see. >> and presumably, if you look at the track record from syria, which you end up with a sort of a sort

it's like i was brought back to involvinging rooms iraqis, many of whom how are in iraqi positions in government. it's the same issue over and again. and that should be telling us why national recognize reconcils needed. i was meeting with a group of senior iraqi figures, experts officials, and quoting one of the participants in that meeting said, while we can now, but without reconciliation, we are not sure we can prevent it from returning again. there are many people, many former u.s. officials who have served in that that is al iraq 6.0. so if this critical opportunity facing my opinion is iraq today, as talking another nationalt reconciliation, is not taken up by theiraqis as well as region. i think i'm afraid that even if defeat isis in a year or so, that in five years from now we are going to have, who knows, maybe different terminology. importantly there is the realization today in iraq that this is it. is the opportunity to make this country work. it this time, at there will not be a second chance. there is, as many of you know, in conflict resolution there's always critical c

government, the iraqi army and the volunteer forces. we should only be surprised if iran doesn't do that. >> just very briefly anbar, you keep referring to indirect involvement with the united states. can you clarify what exactly that means? >> well as i just said, iranian forces are -- iranian military commanders are there and they don't want to be a sitting duck. they have to let the others know that they are there and present on the ground. so they don't want to become a target. they want to make sure that you know there is no such a thing as collateral damage so they will let them know they are there. they are there. americans know that and they don't want to confront each other but they are helping each other indirectly to fight i.s.i.l. so i mean no doubt about it. >> as anbar nazari thank you very much for joining us from iran. >> thank you. >> israel is beginning the process of dissolving parliament. that after the prime minister benjamin netanyahu sacked two key ministers and announced a plan for key election two years ahead of

but they're advising iraqi forces on the ground led by iraqi special forces. they say they fended off an assault as isil got closer to that base, an indication of how intense the fighting is across the entire province. in ramadi more clashes not very far from the government headquarters, which has been a major focus of fighting. across the province the western province, which is iraq's biggest governor, u.s. and iraqi officials are trying to persuade sunni tribes to come on board to fight with the iraqi army. that's a work in progress. a lot of tribes are suspicious of the iraqi government, reluctant to fight with the americans. and not entirely sure where it leaves them given that isil has in their words they will make gains. south of baghdad shia militias have been holding off isil with the iraqi military. >> well, the iraqi capitol has been hit by a series of bombings. the outskirts of baghdad where 26 other people have been injured. to north korea where state media is denying the hack against sony pictures. it led to a controversial film from being release

on september 8th, one month later, the iraqi parliament inaugurated a new iraqi government with a new prime minister and new and very different leader ace cross nearly every key cabinet position, including oil, finance, and defense. this new government, led by prime minister abaddi, represents a bulwark against isil and a significant break from the past in three key respects. first, its governing philosophy is decentralization or a functioning federalism with authorities and resources delegated to provinces and regions within the structure of iraq. last week's historic oil accord with the kurdistan region is an outgrowth of this new policy. second, the new government has committed to significant security preforms including a smaller, more agile army, strengthened security forces at the local level including tribal forces and ultimately provincial-based national guards. third, the new government is committed to a policy of restoring relations with regional capitals and maintaining iraq's strategic independence and regional balance. even in its first hundred days the new government has

. >> a strategic threat to both countries, the threat is the presence of isil on the iraqi territoriesand this necessary he istates the importance of promoting our relations to the maximum and to have the maximum coordination in order to face isil. >> jane arafat has more now on how the two countries are working together to battle isil. >> these iraqis walking to karbula have faced attack every year in post-war iraq. this will be the first commemoration since isil seized large parts of the country. the ceremony marking the 40th day of killing for imam hussein. shiias and their commenrations have been isil's biggest target. the iraqi government is doing everything it can to protect those making the journey. >> there is a clear-cut military deployment to protect pilgrims from any pos illtable. i saw the officers and soldiers deployed along the road leading to karbola. >> iraqi government forces have been backed by shia malishas. iran has even launched airstrikes in iraq. after initial denials, the government said it launched the attacks. it's so sensitive, the iraqi ministry of defense c

a suicide bomber killed 14 k iraqi soldiers.omber blew up a house the army had been using as a base. the area has seen intense fighting recently. meanwhile eight people were killed at an attack at a shia mosque. three mortar shells struck the mosque. while in the northern city, iraqi war planes have carried out strikes on isil fighters, killing 15 suspected fighters. the attack as thousands gat for rituals. >>> iraq's finance minister has said the fight against iraq is draining the iraqi economy. jane reports from bagdad. >> reporter: when isil swept in june it captured territory and seized over half a billion dollars from several cities. isil is believed to be the richest-such organization in the world. a lot of that wealth comes from iraqi oil fields. it smuggles oil to turkey or sends it to refineries it has taken over in syria. >> air campaign target those those facilitiesing to deprive them of this revenue, but they have enormous financial resources. they are paying recruits or their soldiers, or their fighters good salarie

we have now managed to retake it for the iraqi people.qis we are ready to fight back. >> this is an area praise to god we have managed to liberate it. by the help of god, we are the victors. we are the imamidi brigade. >> they are important because they are left in a 100 kilometers from the strong hold, the city of dtikrit. they were controlled by isil and the group launched attacks on samara city. by pushing isilout, security forces consider it a military gain in the battle to retake other parts of saladin prove incident. the u.s.-led coalition fighting isil in iraq and syria has carried out more than a dozen airstrikes in recent days. iraq's defense backed by the shia popular forces and under air cover provided by iraqi and international forces isil fighters have continued their attacks and say they are anti- -- their anti air tack capabilities have forced opposition jets to leave. up north, the situation is tension as kurdish peshmerga forces advance deeper into the sinjar mountains. fighting has intensified southwest of kir. back in s

so i think these attacks are to ease the pressure on the iraqi forces elsewhere. iraqi army could be constructed by providing the armed forces with real armaments, by training, by recalling the old members of the iraqi armies who fought for many many years, many wars, and they have the experience. as you can see and hear that most of the staff officers of isis are members of the old iraqi army, and they are the ones who are putting these plans and strategies, and they have been successful up to now, and this was the fault of the iraqi army and the american occupying forces by losing these people to the other side. >> the syrian opposition says it has discovered bodies in a village in the northwestern countryside. fighting has been going on for weeks, but government forces are fighting hard to prevent the advance on damascus. the state has lost control of large parts of the country and it doesn't have the soldiers to win it back. zana hoda reports. >> reporter: more often than not this is how the government fights back. it attacks rebel-held areas from the skies. i

but they're advising iraqi forces on the ground led by iraqi special forces. they say that they fend it of off assault, an indication of how intense the fight something across the province. in ramadi, more clashes not far from the government headquarters, which has been a major focus of fighting. across the province, iraq's biggest, they try to persuade sunni fighters to come on board, to fight with the iraqi. many are suspicious to fight with the iraqi government and fight with the americans. they are not sure where that will leave them. and areas south of baghdad where shia militias have been holding off isil with the iraqi military. anbar itself as with the last ten years remains a special case. >> the u.n. special envoy to syria has been trying to negotiate freedom fighting in the city of aleppo, but there are concerns about the plan and can't come to an agreement. >> the united nations has a plan to stop the fighting in aleppo city. so far there has been no agreement. it hasn't given much details on how it can be implemented on the ground, but it's specia

it's iraqi sovereign territory, it's up to the iraqi people and the iraqi government to defend themselves. it will be and it is now. but it will certainly be going forward up to the afghan people to fund, resource, train and lead their own afghan national security forces to defend them from the threat that that state will face. just like any state has that right and responsibility. we're missing the large i point here, that we have reach ee eed period of transition in afghanistan, a period that we have been working for a long time for them to have the able to do this the and we should be focused on and that not the individual specific details under which americans could come under fire and how we would respond? >> there was a point earlier today about u.s. troops and al assad coming in contact with isis forces, is that correct? >> i have seen the press reports, i have no seen no operational reports, we have no report of direct or indirect fire coming into al assad or the troops that are there. >> the personnel that are there are fine? >> everybody's accounted for, no injuries that we're a

we have now managed to retake it for the iraqi people.qis hear us, we are ready to fight back. >> translator: this is in front of us, all praise to god we have managed to liberate it. and d by the help of god, we are the victors, we are the. [ inaudible ] brigade. >> reporter: but battles are continued around the towns, they are important because they are less than 100-kilometers from the northern isil strong hold the city of tikrit. these towns were controlled by isil and the group launched attacks. and by pushing isil out from the outskirts, security forces consider it a military gain in the battle to retake other parts of the province province. >> reporter: the u.s. led coalition fighting iraq in syria has carried out more than a ducks en air strikes in recent days a rack's military launched. but isil fighters have continued their attacks and say their antiaircraft capabilities have forced coalition jets to leave. the mission in sinjar is tense at peshmerga forces advance near to the mountains fighting has also inning tess identified s

this is because the iraqi government and the kurds have come up with some kind of deal.n this deal, the kurds can sell oil to turkey, but the reason why the money was stopped in the first place is because the iraqis didn't want them to sell oil to turkey. so what has changed? >> there is no change -- actually there is no real change in this agreement, or let's say in the talks between the two sides. the main thing is that the need -- the financial crisis now in iraq is very -- is very big, and everybody knows that the -- the prime minister knows that very well if he cannot connect the relations or make the right connections with the kurds, there will be another financial problem, because they are already exporting oil for -- from their territories. that's why reaching such a package will be very useful. the main question is that [ inaudible ] was the head of the financial committee inside of the parliament, so he is the one that -- he made the sanctions by himself at that time. this is first. secondly, even all talks about the corruptions in iraq, 50,000 goes soldiers, a

he claimed to be an iraqi army general. in fact, the police found a kinko's receipt showing he had fabricated the letter from the prime minister appointed him as a general. i thought this was a perfect little -- what did we really know about the war and what don't we know? >> where's the husband today? >> he is in prison and he was convicted of first-degree murder earlier this year. >> james risen, our guest. the book is called "pay any price: greed, power and endless war." thank you very much. >> thank you for having me. ♪ >> for free transcripts or to give us your comments, visit us at q-and-a.org. "q&a" programs are also available as c-span podcasts. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, hich is responsible for its >> comments we received from our viewers. >> i must say "washington jourm" first thing in the morning, absolutely wonderful. appreciate you guys letting guys like myself call in and talk to people who are learning our country and ou

around baghdad isil has been driven back by iraqi security forces. that won't work in anbar where the population is almost all sunni, tribal, and deeply suspicious of the iraqi government. tribal leaders in anbar call for arms and ammunition. some are even calling for help from american troops on the ground. that likely won't happen but it's an indication of how desperate the fight is in iraq's western province. in iraq, baghdad. >> the united kingdom is sending more troops to iraq to help in the fight against isil fighters, but defense secretary said they'll be deployed next month to train iraqi and kurdish forces, a small protection force of combat ready forces are expected to be sent to military training teams. >>> indian police have arrested a 4-year-old man accused of running a popular pro-isil twitter account. they say he could be guilty of inciting war against india's allies. police in india say this is the man whose extreme posts had attracted almost 18,000 twitter followers. they say he was leading a double life, working as a marketing execu

>> iraqi air space.e not coordinating with, nor are we deaconflikting with iranian military. >> we're joined live from west jerusalem. what more do you know? >> reporter: well, know that according to the israeli police this incident involved the shooting of a palestinian man by an israeli security guard according to israeli medical sources who were at the scene, he was moderately injured. he was shot after he reportedly stabbed two israeli customers in the occupied west bank, and specifically in the commercial and industrial zone there, which was hire palestinians inside the settlement. he was moderately injured and the two israeli customers who were inside the supermarket were also moderately injured, we understand. now according to sources at the supermarket, it's a well-known supermarket. this palestinian man is not one of the people they hire at the supermarket, and as well the owner of the supermarket said this could happen anywhere. so these are the details that we have right now, and we know there

>> what happened is that a combination of syrian and iraqi kurdish forces, backed by u.s. and other airpower, opened up a line where yazkis-- these are a minority group who have been stranded on a mountain range for months-- could actually move out along the ground. now, this was important not only because the yazdis for the first time were given a secure ground route to escape, but there are estimates up to 8,000 kurdish troops were involved, that they were able to make effective use of air support, that this is the largest operation so far as an offensive ground-air operation against the islamic state. >> sreenivasan: so strategically it's important because they are able to maintain control of a region? >> well, it's important because they were able to operate a significant ground force with air support. we need to remember that again and again, we've been told it's going to take two to three years to create an effective combination of kurdish, iraqi, and sunni iraqi forces that could actually liberate the parts of iraq occupied by the islamic state. this is not a decisi

and, of course, the united states plans on training iraqi forces.qi army as they prepare for a spring offensive against isil. $5 million in particular. specifically earmarked by the congress for the american military effort against isil. also the congress in the course of this legislation which is being sent to president obama, and will be signed in to law within the next few days. authorizing the so-called moderate vetted opposition the free syrian army within syria authorizing the u.s. to begin the training for another two years. you recall before the american congressional elect elect electn october. that expired on thursday. now the congress is authorizing that training program to go forward for another two years, although there are still significant questions in washington and around the world about the viability of that fighting force and the viability of this program and for that matter the president's strategy to fight isil. >>> evening he fight to go find missing people after a landslide. entire villages being detroit and houses swept away.

>> it means iraqi security forces coming up the anbar province, and the valley.he mow cuss is going to be mosul. >> why mosul? >> million people in that city. it would be a significant win back for the iraq government. the first time, really, they have won back a major operation from losing. >> what about iraqi forces, we talked with mike viqueira about when this might happen. and how long it takes? you would have thought all of these years of the u.s. training wouldn't need to be done. but obviously it does. how long? >> they are saying three years total for isil to be defeated. but right now the initial focus is just gaining small victories as they work their way back up. >> how can we be sure that the iraqi forces really are behind this? that they really want to do this? >> that is going to be measured likely in the situation on the ground. how isis reacts to them losing. there's no question the air strikes have blunted their operations, and if we show them going back inside of syria and consolidating them, then the iraqi security forces and iraqi government c

. >> reporter: these iraqis walking to kabula faced attack every year in post-war iraq. this will be the first commemoration since i.s.i.l. gained strength and seized large parts of the country. the ceremony marking the 40th day of mourning since the killing 14 centuries ago, central to shia identities. shia'as have been the biggest target. the iraqi government is doing everything it can to those making the journey. >> there's a military deployment to protect pilgrims. i saw the district commander, officer and soldiers deployed along the road leading to kabula. >> iraqi forces have been backed by shia militia, many tied to iran. iran launched air strikes in iraq. after initial denials, the iranian government acknowledged that it launched the attacks at the request of the iraqi government. it's so sensitive the iraqi ministry of defense continues to deny iranian air involvement. >> if they are supporting this, there are beneficial effects. iran has clear security interests on its borders, protection of its borders and people. i.s.i.l. is not simply a threat to the people

a suicide bomber killed 14 iraqi soldiers at a military base in anbar province.blew up a house the army has been using as a base. the area has seen intense fighting recently. meanwhile eight people were killed in an attack at a shia mosque in another province. three mortar shells struck the mosque. in the northern city, iraqi war planes have carried out targeting killing 15 suspected isil fighters. this happens as thousands gather for a holy day on saturday. >>> iraq's finance minister has told al jazeera the fight against isil is draining iraq's economy. and he says the city of mosul is the key to defeating the armed group. >> reporter: when isil swept into nertern iraq in yuan, it didn't just capture territory. it seized assesses, property, gold, and cash, from citizens, business people, and banks. iraq's finance minister says over a half a billion dollars were stolen from banks. isil is believed to be the richest such organization in the world. a lot of that revenue comes from iraq -- iraq eye oil fields. >> air campaign target those facilities in syria and so

they launched scorpion bombs, they are being blasted into iraqi towns. iraqis used it fighting against the roman empire. >>> jeb bush is close to getting into the business so to speak. on tuesday, he said i am excited to announce i will actively explore running for president of the united states. it comes after he agreed to release e-mails from his time as florida's governor. on c-span a pair of political pundit brothers were left to silence, their mom called in to school them for arguing, let's take a listen.

>> i wanted iraqis to be free of saddam hussein. and that tyranny.ted it to see if the middle east could chart a new political course. and there was some reason to think it could go in that direction. but basically my book is a chronicle of how badly we viewed it -- screwed it up from a to z. >> stephen: this is the book, the assassin's gate gate, america's war in aing ra. how did we screw it up and if so how did we screw it up. i'm hearing it is not scscweweup but very complicated, from people like george packer. >> it is a complicated skewup. starting at the top, the president who really doesn't want to know what is going on over there, and know truth can penetrate the bubble of the oval office. there is a vice president who is sort of in the shadows has been making all the wrong decisions. the secretary of defense who really doesn't want to be there and who has pretty much pulled the plug on any chance of military victory by a halfhearted commitment from the start. there was the secretary of state coli pell who had some good ideas and wasn't list

i have the exact number of sorties, but the iraqi air force flying iraqi c-130s has dropped several,r you, tens of times of supplies to those families on the sinjar mountain. we are working very closely with the kurds and kurdish forces to continue to provide support and security. we are come as were able to find them we are attacking daish positions in and around sinjar. without insignificant the fact in several of those attacks with respect to attacking command-and-control sites. so the coalition is helping. i suspect that we will always say that more could be done, but in terms of what iraq has done and what we are continuing to encourage that iraq continued to do, not just providing helicopters but also providing airdrops, providing medical support where they're able to, and encouraging the activities of the kurds were also committed to helping. i think that there is perhaps more being done than necessary has been depicted. we will continue to look at this. it is an area where we are very heavily invested in the numbers of people that were chose to remain on the mound rather than

it's up to them or up to the iraqis to do that, if it indeed took place.e obviously flying our missions over iraq, and we coordinate those missions with the iraqi government. and we rely on the iraqi government to de-conflict whatever control of their air space may in fact need de-conflict shun. so nothing has changed in our fundamental policy of not coordinating our military activity or other activities at this moment with iranians. we're not doing that. and we are not -- not only coordinating militarily right now, but there are no plans at this time to coordinate militarily. i think it's self-evident that if iran is taking on isil in some particular place and it is confined to take on isil and has an impact, it is going to be -- the net effect is positive. but that's not something that we're chord nateding. the iraqis have the overall responsibility for their own ground and air operations, and what they choose to do is up to them. >> we heard from the iraqi prime minister and john kerry said he was very pleased to hear what he had to say. do you get a se

those iraqi brigades have been identified.e training environment on those facilities but not out in the field. does that answer your question? >> it leads you to believe that those iraqi forces are not capable or equipped to conduct combat -- combat operations. >> these forces have to go back and then teach them basic training. >> we train our own troops all the time. thinking through various months of training not just at the beginning of the endless mental tories but all throughout. we constantly -- it is one of the things the us military does well his train and develop and improve the capabilities of our own troops. this does not mean that they are incapable. we have talked about this. some units are more competent and capable than others. the iraqi government will choose those days that they want to focus on for the first implementation of the training program, and, and i suspect that the train is working with them will find that they are at varying degrees of competence and skill. training is something you never stop doin