what we're seeing is a division of the isil group. a lot of the people fighting under that banner aren't isil proper. we have a number of sunni groups that are fighting under that banner and they're the ones in mows sell. they said they want to bring the fight to baghdad for regime change here in baghdad. >> let's go to northern iraq. i believe there's been fighting there between the kurds and members of the isil. what happened? >> not exactly where i am, but in two towns, that fighting happened yesterday evening and lasted for several hours. what has happened prior to that is that the iraqi army when it evacuated those areas in mosul had also evacuated those bases in those towns, which are along the so-called disputed areas between the kurds and the arabs of iraq. the forces which are kurdish forces moved in to make sure none of the military hardware would fall to the who understands of the isil and those and its allies. according to one of the sources we talked to, they seem to understand that the isil did not understand there were

isil failed to retake the town of fallujah, which is largely controlled by isil fighters as well as otherribal fighters. when you see the spread of isil fighters they seem to be operating at will, and they have the powers. i think the forces under estimated the power of isil fighters along with armed groups fighting. i think tomorrow is a big day for this country. >> they lack the funds to support themselves. many gave their accounts of what they witnessed. >> they destroyed the application. i'll do my best to save my family and protect my children. >> first of all i would like to thank the government and i thank god that these two girls are still alive. but unfortunately their father was killed. they didn't have any place to go or anything to eat or drink. now i'm taking care of these two children. >> 500,000 have fled of violence. >> we're here at the main checkpoint before entering the kurdish region. now there is a cue of motorists, for curb dish authorities this is a logistical and security challenge. every car is thoroughly checked by the kurdish forces. at the moment there is autho

it's a city ripe for taking over for somebody like the leader of the isil. goes in toy city toy like, which isth nikolai missed and the curds will have to get involved in it. the kurdish military forces are on stand by to come in and they are negotiating with the iraqis, it's one of those -- you've got it say it's one of those flash points really of what -- in iraq what could turn a conflict from this low-level intense conflict in to all-out sectarian war it just needs a spark. is. il hat not only been going after so mull, they are done it in a smaller city of 600,000 people, but it's where one of the most venerated shia shrines is, in 2006 that shrine was hit by al qaeda in iraq and that sparked the sectarian war which nearly brought this country to its knees, just last week isil tried do that again now here we are in mosul where they have taken over nearly 75% of the city and it's key buildings in the city, the govern buildings, provincial buildings, banks, two tv stations rights now the situation is mosul is unprecedented we have not seen this in iraq sin

the focus was on isil in syria.o a certain extent because many actors in the region wanted to see the fall of the asad regime, isil was given some sort of a prominence. when it came to iraq, isil did not just parachute in within the past two weeks. they started there. they started before syria. >> for such a young movement, isil is remarkably well armed, well resource would. news reports suggest the group has financed itself by looting an tick twitties from and controlling oilfields in eastern syria. on its military offensive, it has captured ground and weapon refrom the army and the co-opting doesn't end with armour. it has co-opted, stolen more like, a slogan, "we are coming to baghdad" and turned it into its own twitter handle. >> essentially, isil is the hijacked slogan. these are the groups. they are completely unfamiliar with these kinds of inflation strategies that isil uses. >> and which turned out to be very effective. >> they have been brilliant in a way. they just don't have the picture out there randomly

he branded isil fighters as a threat. the government has launched airstrikes against targets in mosul, which it was driven out of two weeks ago. hundreds of thousands of people have fled the violence since the crisis began. sunni rebels have taken two towns on the road to baghdad. this follows the capture of the syrian border on saturday. opening up a major highway for those fighters to cross into isil strongholds in syria. a convoy of at least 50 iraqi army tanks has been sentence to reinforce haditha which has been surrounded by sunny fighters. the strategic objective appears to be ramadi. in a moment, we will get more on those comments from the u.s. secretary of state in washington dvments d.c. first live in baghdad, it's been a very busy and confusing day. it's exactly what's happening on the ground when it comes to isil fighters. what do we actually know? >> well, we know the isil fighters took the border with syria and that is the development because it will allow the isil fighters to move freely from syria into wes

they had struck at isil inside syr syria. so al al-malaki made clear he approved of those strikes and that he and basharassad are fighting the same fight. >> director in iraq for the world food program with us from erbil. appreciate your being with us. can you give us a flavor for what you are seeing, what you and other aid agencies are seeing on the ground in erbil now? >> thank you very much. what we are seeing are enormous numbers of people who are in need of humanitarian assistance. some of them are in transit camps and in other camps. other people are sheltering in host communities and in other public areas. in the government of ninevah, we are hearing reports of people who are in mosques and who are in schools and in other public buildings in need of assistance. >> are you finding support in that? is this an international level of support that you are seeing so far? >> this is a very big operation here we have all of the major u.n. agencies here we have a lot of international charities such as asted and oxfam on the gro

the isil forces showed up. they've adopted the model of being fundamentalists but also trying to provide soup kitchens and services. so they have gotten some suppo support. >> as this army of isel and it's affiliates get closer to baghdad, are we diagnose to see finally what we haven't seen earlier which is push back from shiite-armed forces? >> i think we will. there is likely to be a real normalization on the part of the shiites. so far since maliki has come to power the country's shiites have taken it for granted that they would be ruling the country, and it was hung on a silver platter by the united states. so the shiites rebuilt the state around their own pow, and they have ignored the sunnies largely and discriminated against them. now with this new jihadly organization breathing down their necks, very bigoted, looking at shiites as non-muslim at all, any moderates are going to be swept away. we've seen this happen in syria, and--this is an echo effect in iraq they are all going to consolidate their grip

clearly isil are in control of parts of the country.earth is the government planning to try to restore some sense of order and stability? >> yes, the government is facing tough criticism by many people, even by members of the cabinet and the government itself. now the prime minister, nouri al-maliki came out and said, well, we didn't -- we didn't lose the war, we only lost one round and he called on iraqi security forces to stay firm and he reiterated the government's plans to back and support the iraqi security forces think he also called on what he described as volunteers, he said he with will form an army of volunteers from other areas to cleanse iraq from what he described as terrorists. iraq is in a state of crisis, nobody knows what is going to happen next. i think what you see in terms of isil fighters, they seem to act with freedom because the crisis didn't start in the last two days, felicity it lasted last week when the isil fighters launch an attack on samarra and then in the last few days it waged an attack on mosul and, of

that could change as the country continues to crumble over the threat of isil. iraq's military is being overrun by the al-qaeda inspired fighters. president obama said they will need support in the crisis but there's no word on what that support would look like. the group is threatening to move on baghdad. joining us to discuss the military operation is a general. we heard from president obama publicly about what he is considering and options on the table. >> iraq's going to need more help from us and from the international community. i don't rule out anything, because we do have a stake in making sure that these jihadists are not getting a permanent foot hold in either iraq or syria. >> general, what are the options? what would it take to stop isil in their traction and would any intervention really be more than just a temporary solution? >> well, that's a good question. i think there are two aspects of this, the near term which is military and long term which is negotiating. there's been proposal of providing air power, such as drone strikes and some bombing r

parts remain under isil since january. think the isil was trying to reinforce their positions against the government forces. they are further east to the east earn province. they managed to take the village north of tikrit. we understand there is fighting on the outskirts of that area. now, very interesting development in mosul. isil fighters have destroyed a statute for virgin mary outside the church. they didn't harm the church. however, they knocked that statue down. the last 48 hours or so, they knocked down a few statues for poets and artists. i think in terms of life, electricity and fuel there, people are suffering and saying that there is -- they are very short and they desperately need it. >> meanwhile, the leader of neighboring iran is speaking out against the united states. he says we strongly oppose the intervention of the united states and others in the domestic affairs of iraq. he went on to say iraq's government and people would be able to end this crisis themselves. the iranian government said it would whic

iraq won't accept the isil.t's not to our advantage to fight them now. it will come later. the prior to project site is to fight maliki. the world should help us in our cause, and we will deal with isil. as long as iran is in iraq, isil will remain and as long as sunnis are being oppressed, the fight will continue. >> human rights groups say government forces are also carrying out mass killings. this is a road between sumara and baghdad. there appears to have been a pattern of extra judicial killin killings. every day that passes brings its share of death and destruction. the risk for iraq is that as the conflict widens, the voices of moderation will be drowned out. al jazeera, erbil. >> members of somalia security forces were shot and killed in mooi mogadishu. they have vowed to stage attacks during ramadan at a suicide attack that killed two african union peacekeepers and a somali officer. >> a second time overnight, after another round of rockets launched from the gaza strip. one hit a building in southern is

how did isil grow so powerful so quickly? i'm following the money. >>> also three letters that could spell strong returns for your portfolio. e.t.f. and drama at a theater near you. what theaters are doing to get you off the couch and out total movies. this is "real money." >> this is real money. you are the most important part of the show. tell me what is on your mind by tweeting me on ali velshi. iraqi forces loyal to the shia dominated government fought pitch battles today with sunni insurgents throughout northern iraq. the islamic state in iraq and the levant, isil, has now amassed an estimated $2 billion war chest after seizing territory in both iraq and syria, which is engulfed in its own syria war. isil started out as an an al-qaeda-inspired terrorist group. since american troops left in in 2011 isil has morphed into an insurgent force that threatens to take baghdad. if they accumulate more money. they accumulate more ammunition, more military capability, larger numbers, that poses great dangerous not just to allies of

who is the man leading the isil fighters? we have more now on the group's mysterious leader. >> he certainly made himself a force to be reckoned with. time magazine called him the world's most dangerous man and the state department agrees. they put a $10 million bounty on his head. other observers tagged him as the true successor to osama bin laden on the world stage. he differs from bin lad inin two fundamental ways. he keeps an even lower profile to the point where some call him the invisible sheik. this picture is from his state democratic wanted postedder, his name is one of his many aliases. this most recent photo became public last february. he is said to famouslyion photographs, cover his face with a scarf even talking to those in his inner circle and prefer addressing his followers via audio recordings. the second major difference is that he and his organization are not part of al-qaeda. in fact, he's openly defied an al-qaeda leadership that has since made it clear they consider him and his group too radical. that's

we're talking about a strategic disruption of isil. roomwill give breathing for a political reconciliation to happen in baghdad. i do not think you will ever get political reconciliation until you give breathing room. we don't have leverage the way we're operating currently. even the very thought that we're going to have a conversation with iran about this solution, you can imagine all the calls we get from our arab league partners about what an awful idea that is. some of these things they need to stop talking at that level and start applying strategic solution to this so we can show disruption, stop their momentum, hurt their command in control, hurt their logistics base, make them have to reconsider what aggressive offensive operations that they take. >> let me go to the gentleman in the green tie. i am waking on a name. i apologize. into catherine, then to francine. >> sorry. now further known as the gentleman with the green tie. >> senior moments are terrible. let me tell you. >> you have a few things on the plate. i didn't know w

several options are said to be the on table on how to deal with isil.the president is urging the iraqi government to take steps to mend the sectarian fighting and have a more inclusive government. iraq's prime minister is saying his forces are getting control of the situation pushing back against the militants from isil. he insists there's no sectarian divide. militants did advance today briefly taking control of iraq's largest oil refineries. >>> gm's ceo is taking questions on capitol hill right now. >>> we want to return now to our breaking news story. the u.s. patent office canceling the washington redskins trademark registration. the patent office calling the football team's name disparaging to native-americans. john terret joins us with more. >> this story won't go away. powerful people want the redskins name changed and it's happening slowly. we saw the president speak up against it and harry reid. we've seen 100 senators or 50 senators, whatever it was, writing to say, you got to change the name. now the u.s. patent and trademark office cancelin

isil is not as it claims fighting on behalf of sunnies. isil is not fighting for a stronger iraq. quite the contrary. isil is fighting to divide iraq and to destroy iraq. so this is a critical moment for iraq's future. it is a moment of decision for iraq's leaders, and it is a moment of great urgency. >> okay, we can talk a little bit more about the secretary of state's visit to iraq. some tough words there, roz for isil fighters, and he's keeping the pressure on the al maliki government as well. >> that's right, martine. the u.s. government has been very critical of the way nouri al-maliki has led his two previous terms as prime minister, now as he begins his third term as prime minister they essentially say that they have cut out iraqry citizens from the governing process. they have been quite distressed by this to understand score the point. so the u.s.' view is that it is no surprise that isil fighters and other sunni rebels have been able to reap the kind of havoc they've been able to reap in northern and western iraq. the pressure is on the al maliki government which is in t

we must remember isil not only threatens iraq but every country in the region which is opposed to it and europe and the united states. succeeding in this fight is going to require iraqis to come together, finally, in order to form an inclusive government. and in every meeting with leaders of each of iraq's main communities, i stress the importance, the urgency of them coming together to do just that. president obama has also asked me to travel to saudi arabia on friday in order to meet with his majesty king abdullah and to discuss regional issues, including the situation in iraq. and how we can counter the shared threat that is posed by isil, as well as to discuss our support for the moderate opposition in syria. none of us need to be reminded that a far away threat can have tragic consequences at home. in the most unexpected way at the most unexpected moment. just a few months ago right here in brussels, a man who had recently returned from fighting in syria shot three people at a local museum. nato allies and the entire international community must remain focused on combating the g

they say they want to fight isil and its associated forces.h such chaos across northern iraq, decisions have to be made. decision that his may well see young men like these fight. imran kahn, al jazerra, baghdad. >>> the united nations security council is due to discuss in a closed session the unfolding turmoil in iraq. our diplomatic editor james bays is at the u.n. headquarters in new york, joins me now. what can we expect, james? >> reporter: that meeting has started, jane, going on behind closed doors. start of the meeting is a briefing by the u.n.'s man in iraq nikolai, he's given the ambassadors via video link the latest information on the ground from inside iraq. i have spoken to a anybody of diplomats about the current situation, some of the information we are getting here in new york, and i know this is conflicted some of it by what we are hearing from the ground. but diplomats telling me that the iraqi government now seems to be saying that it believes that the oil refinery, the largest oil refinery in iraq has been secured. i know t

what do we know about the situation and the operations of isil for the moment?porter: what we do know is the isil operations are changing one from a military to now a civil duty. what they are doing is they are setting up a provisional council to run the city on the areas in the province they control and they are starting to pay civil servant salaries and have not been paid in a number of months and they are paying salaries and asking people to come back to work, to jobs, to start to live their lives like they have not before. that is one of the statements they have issued. so they are moving from this idea of taking over the city to actually running the city. there also seems to be an ideological divide between what isil fighters actually want and some of the fighters who joined the group under their banner want and iraq and syria was part of that. however the group that is actually controlling this right now has said, and this is not an official statement but what we have been hearing from people in the city, said they want to march on baghdad and regime chang

and you have a group like isil that is doing everything he can to send the country back into chaos.the messages we have two primemr. maliki -- to minister maliki, but also the speaker of the house and the other leadership in iraq is, get going on this government formation. it will make it a lot easier for them to shape a military strategy. it will also make it possible for us to partner more effectively than we can currently. but given the prime minister's track record, -- >> given the prime minister's track record, is he a unifier? can he play that role? i think the test is before him, and other iraqi leaders as we speak. right now, they can make a series of decisions. regardless of what has happened in the past, right now is a rockt where the fate of a hangs in the back -- of iraq hangs in the balance. and the test for all of them is going to be whether they can overcome the mistrust, the deep sectarian divisions, and in some cases just political opportunism , and say this is bigger than anyone of us and we've got to make sure we do what is right for the iraqi people. that is a ch

and groups like isil. so why does he need a state of emergency? so they are not backing it, so this meeting, may will get that state of emergency. >> what about the other political players within the country? some are saying he wants to get involved, that must be pretty nerve racking for him wondering who else is going to step up to the plate now? >> well, he has been criticized so much over the last 12 months. he ran his election campaign, on the idea that he was the only man able to secure iraq, and many sunni politicians many shiite politicians even those loyal to him, are looking to those words and saying they sound a bit hollow now that we have seen a city of 2 million people taken over by 1300 isil fighters. look, we do agree with the idea that we need these forces, but we don't want them in an offensive capacity. we want them in a defensive capacity, to protect shrines, to protect shiite mosques and the like. what we don't want to do is get in a situation where we raise up these situation, and we ha

however this spokesperson said we have differences with isil. though there could be joint coordination together. however he denied any coordination in that tribe. he said that they rose up against the injustice prime minister nouri al-maliki and his policies. they said this is to have a new iraq united with all factions and all sects united. the u.s. occupation abroad, and they want to topple that. >> panic scenes at pe petrol stations. >> reporter: early morning on the way out, angry people block the road. they have been waiting for hours. tempers were so high that even warning shots fired by security forces could have discolleged them. >> the governor said he would solve this problem and provide fuel by 7:00 a.m. my car parked here last night and until now i have not been able to get fuel, and they tell me that there hasn't been any. >> there have been long lines across the city. those who finally made it to the pump only got 30 liters. the current limit imposed by the government. providing oil for 11 iraqi provinces an. it has had an impact o

isil is getting stronger. we have seen images of what could be mass killings, they're pushing closer to baghdad. heading into the meeting today are two major questions, can the u.s. afford to wait and should the u.s. get involved. >> the white house is billing this meeting 3:00 in the west wing, the top four congressional leaders not billing it as a decision-making meeting where the president is going to have proposals or any notification of congress. this is more an ongoing consultation. the pentagon said the defenses around baghdad are stiffening because of that call to arms from shia clerics. many shias are taking up arms bringing it back to an imminent assault. we have a response this morning from national security council spokes wham, basically she says the president has not made a decision. at this stage, the only thing that remains ruled out is more u.s. troops in a combat role. the solution that is needed is an iraqi one. any u.s. military options are in support of that strategy. among the options bein

the government saying i was isil fighters.ever, other sources saying that it was the shia militia. >> also more diplomat and i can political moves in the capital baghdad. they have in a key general to ahead vice them on options they have militarily. lots going on but little from the iraq military. so far no big military push in to the territory that his the sunni rebels control. >>> joining us now is jim walsh a research associate at m.i.t. security studies program, in boston, mass manslaughter this mink, before we talk about iraqu want to ask about the arrest in the benghazi incidents. >> it improves u.s. credibility it says if all tack the u.s. you will be held accountable and have to pay for your sins. i think it's goods that he is being brought back to the u.s. to face a trial with due process and that's a process we'll learn more about the details. you know, we have investigation after investigation, my sense is when this gets before a federal judge and people have to testify under oath we really will see what happened an

and over the last week, isil launched daring attacks in two cities. the group control territory in three iraqi pro provinces bordering syria and that secures the free movement. weapons and fighters between the two countries. isil sources are funding and power remains unclear. >> most probably i it funds its own activity buys relying on criminacriminality. by relying on local donations. a great deal of private citizens in the gulf. basically in saudi arabia and kuwait and qatar and other places send funds, but obviously it has its own sources inside iraq itself and syria. >> reporter: other critics claim the group is implementing an agenda of the syrian, iraqi and iranian a regimes. their real goals and backers remain unknown, but their attacks have now caught everyone's attention. >>> well, u.n. secretary general says he's gravely concerned about the situation in mosul and your honors all political leaders to so unity against the threats facing iraq. and the u.s. state department has also condemned the attacks, roslyn jordan liver for us in washington

they have been the main target of the isil so far.re is fear among people here, this man will not give us his name or show his face. >> translator: the armed men are controlling the city. the ones who are there now from mosul. but those who defeated the army were from elsewhere and they left. what can malik do he didn't manage to do anything in fallujah, a how can he make a difference now? >> reporter: it's a common feeling among most of the refugees here, many fear that baghdad will unleash its air power over the city like it did in other parts of iraq where the fight against isil is ongoing. with such level of uncertainty, the kurdish regional government has put fits a force on his high alert. bracing itself for a bigger influx of people in the days to come. al jazerra, in northern iraq. ♪ ♪ >> meteorologist: i am meteorologist dave warren the national forecast we'll start in the mid-atlantic, a lot of moisture in the air, very warm and move i had the temperatures making it as far as north as philadelphia. problem is late they are a

isil turned their leaders. in the absence of leaders of a military formation, the soldiers are not going to stick around and wait to see what whap happe isil was able to coopt the leaders. >> when ways building the iraqi security forces from 2005 to 2007. several things were clear to me. we could train them to fight. we could eyquip them to fight. it would be harder to give them the logistical and significant gnat architectures. but we do. the hardest thing of all is to build leaders and then to have those leaders supported by a central government that is working on behalf of all the people. that's why those units in the north collapsed. to your question about -- by the way there are still -- many of the iraqi security forces, multiconfessional not just one sect or another that are standing or fighting. but the entire enterprise is at risk as long as this political situation is in such flux. let me answer your question about afghanistan. much different place. i think a much better prospect for a unit government

so is there anything to stop isil taking over more of iraq?> i would agree they are on the offensive in a number of the provinces and most the offenses are coordinated so we see that the forces that took mosul are pushing to the south along the hie towards baghdad and fighting for the cities, and yes, in curcook and how can the iraqi people and security forces go against the al qaedas's further advance that is headed to baghdad. >> could there bea three way split in the country, the kurds and shiite and isil? >> isil is trying to bring that out and they want to establish their own emirat in parts of iraq and syria. >> they have taken over al qaeda in many ways, the group's leader is believed to have eclipsed the al qaeda leader. isil is controlling this large area in iraq and that goes all the way through syria to the mediterranean and including syria's largest city, they have control of the oil fields in syria, how powerful is this group and how significant is it in shaping the future of even the broader middle east? >> i think we need to tak

the government saying it was isil fighters.ever, other sources are saying that it was the shia militias. also more diplomatic and political moves here in the capital baghdad. the iranians have they want a kesent in a keygeneral to advisn what options they may have militarily. lots going on but very little from the iraqi military. so far no big military push in to the territories. the sunni rebels control. >> imran kahn for us in baghdad. there is also the thorny issue of cost. the last time the u.s. got involved in iraq it was costly, both in terms of human life and the u.s. economy. al jazerra's mary snow takes a bottom look at the line of battle. >> reporter: when the u.s. first sent troops for afghanistan in 2001, declared a war on terrorism and invaded iraq in 2003, it expected its mission and cost of the iraqi war to be limited. the prediction was way off. the bush administration projected in 2003 that the iraq war would cost between 50 and $60 billion. more than a decade later, congress has appropriated $1.5 trillion for

finding isil and -- [indiscernible] and this is why we have seen isil controlling and actually defeating the iraqi arm and the security forces in mosul and the province. >> you are talking about why they have become so successful, how successful they are at the moment, what and who is out there to stop them? it is call to arms going to make a difference? >> the only way for the establishment of a unity government in iraq, and relying on that, and the iraqi armies calling for the establishment of a new militia. and that will increase the globalization in iraq. we are going to have a civil war in iraq in this case. you have to establish malaki to resign. and for the unity government includes and bring into this government the suni leaders, actually when the americans tried to include them in the process and so this is the only way in my opinion to stop this and prevent isil from this. >> what with u.s. military involvement, will that make a difference? there is a call to use drones. >> i don't see a major u.s. involvement in iraq. the thing we are seeing the afghanistan and pakistan, it di

the iraqi people have nothing to do with isil. they did that five or six, seven years ago. we should deal with the environment that generated isil. >> that's the same question, the same answer. but are you seeing a redrawing now, do you think, of the geographical borders that were established 50 or 60 years ago that would included an isil state? >> not necessarily. that's what the americans want. >> no, that's not what the americans want. >> you never know. >> well, they say something in public, but in reality they support something else. iraq could be redivided again, it's possible. it may be possible three or four. but this kind of policy is going to continue. >> well, we have to unfortunately leave it there. thank you for joining us. >> you're welcome. >> stay there for a moment. >> a car bomb attack in southwest syria has killed two people and wounded several more. activists say it was targeting a market. >> in the were vince there has been renewed clashes between isil and the al-qaedaa al-qaeda al nusra front. they had pledged their allegiance to isil. >>> secretary of

remains understanding isil since january. so, i think the isil was trying to reinforce their positions against the government forces there. now, further east to at a time had hadin prove incident, they took the area north of takrit. there is fighting on the outskirts of that area. interesting development in mosul. isil fighters are destroying -- have destroyed, rather, a statue for virgin mary outside the church. they didn't harm the church. however, they knocked that statue down. in the last 48 hours or so, they knocked down few statues for poets and artits. their their electricity and fuel, their people there are suffering and saying that they are very short and they desperately need it. >> the leader of neighboring iran, komeni is speaking out against the united states. he says we strongly oppose the intervention of the united states and others in the domestic affairs of iraq. the ayotollah sedrak and the people would be able to end the crisis themselves. the iranian government did say it would consider lending military ai

isil seems to have gained most power during the civil war in syria. again, at this point, who is the worst of the devils, isil who dominates parts of iraq and syria or assad who's fighting them? it seems the whole situation is confused. iran could be an ally and assad, too? >> there are not a lot of white hats in this situation. i'm not sure of the utility of the comparison between assad who is committing human rights atrocities on a grand scale every day and isil, which does the exact same thing as it rolls across iraq. both are truly repugnant groups, repugnant forces doing horrible things. i can understand if there is any utility in working with iran in terms of putting a stop to isil and its activities, that there may be value there and certainly they are posing a threat to the unitarian nature of iraq that we haven't seen before. the militia is capable of stopping the sunni groups before they get to baghdad and we may not need to do so. i understand the desire to take as many of these gentlemen had defighters off the battlefield as soon as possib

but both crossings are under the control of isil fighters. it follows another border crossing earlier in the day with syria. this gives isil fighters free movement in and out of syria to iraq. this could be the route for their supplies and fighters. this is a big blow for the iraqi government. >> iraq, as isil fighters continue to consolidate their gains in anbar, we hear of a double-bombing taking place in ramadi. >> reporter: yes, that's true. there was a funeral for an iraqi army officer who was killed two days ago there. today there was a funeral southeast of ramadi. a car bomb exploded at the side, and then a suicide bomber walked in and detonated the charge. 10 people killed and 22 injured. we think the number of casualties will rise. >> omar in baghdad. >>> well, 1,000 families have taken shelter in a refugee camp in the eastern city after fleeing fighting between iraqi forces and sunni fighters. many headed there from northeast of baghdad, which has seen fierce fighting in recent days. many more people have taken refuge in the refugee

as i said last week, isil poses a threat to the iraqi people, to the region, and to u.s. interests. so today i want to provide you an update on how we're responding to the situation. first, we are working to secure our embassy and personnel operating inside of iraq. as president, i have no greater priority than the safety of our men and women serving overseas. so i've taken some steps to relocate some of our embassy personnel, and we've sent reinforcements to better secure our facilities. second, at my direction, we have significantly increased our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets so that we've got a better picture of what's taking place in the side iraq, giving us a greater understanding of what isil is doing, where it's located and how we might counter the threat. third, the united states will continue to increase our support to iraqi security forces. we're prepared to create joint operations centers in baghdad and northern iraq to share intelligence and coordinate planning to confront the terrorist threat of isil. through our new counterterrorism partnership f

we have talked a little bit about isil.nd their impact of the this is a small but fierce force. >> they really are. they are well-trained from their battlefield experience inside of syria and they are presenting quite a bit of difficulty to the iraqi military. >> and the iraqi military is, as we have been talking about, cutting and running. what's going on here? this is a force. an army stud up with a lot of help from the united states and yet in the face of the small force, running away? >> yeah. i think that really goes to the essence of leadership. it's not that they are not sufficiently trained nor sufficiently equipped but if they don't have it in their heart, if the leaders don't have it in their heart to keep it in headache heart, they will cut and run from the battlefield. >> that's what we are seeing here? >> yeah. >> what is the next move? we understand that the united states has been asked for additional assistance. the iraqi government has asked for help with trying to fight off isil. how much can we give them a

forces here in the kurdish area have been really critical to helping to draw a line with respect to isil that meeting took place as iraqi soldiers battled with fight presser islamic state in the iraq, levant just west the baghdad. mike, what is the mission for the military 5 advisers now on e ground in iraq. >> reporter: 40 of the threat hundred that the press spoke about when he deployed them last week have now arrived in country. and their mission to is he's the readiness and cohesiveness of the iraqi army i. obviously that cohesiveness is said to be in fairly bad shape. with the iraqi military a bunkings their posts and leaving armorments in the field. james kerby is the spokesman at the pentagon and spoke to what these individuals would be doing inside iraq. >> the seems will begin their assessments immediately and provide their findings through the chain of commands within the next two to three weeks, we continues to fly rue own missions over iraq, to the tune of 30 to 35 flights per day to help us gain better insight about the security situation on the ground. >> reporter: part of

but these recent events including the resurgeance of isil are policy and leadership failures. they provided warning of the declining security situation in rebecca libya but they did rit little to enhance security in benghazi. it wasn't an intelligence failure. it is a policy and leadership failure on the part of the administration. with regard to iraq, intelligence including director clapper's testimony at a january 29, 2014 hearing has been clear that iraq was vulnerable to the threat from isil. i encourage any member to read the intelligence if they are questions regarding the assessment about security in iraq and the rise of isil. it was clear in 2011 as u.s. forces were withdrawing that iraq was vulnerable to resurgeance and we have seen the violence escalate during the administration's failed policy. this was easily predicted but we have stood by and watched as it has occurred. again, this is a policy failure. not an intelligence failure. perhaps the most concerning aspect of the foreign policy is the counter-terrorism strategy. i hear them touting the dissire of them bei

-- system 6 isil. who comprises it?t has veneer of jihadists around the world and has a core of iraqi baathists, ex-army officers who went into the insurgency and went to the army after we debaathifieded iraq and created insurgency in my view and read all about that in my book, surge. they have been gathering strength in sanctuaries in syria aided by the civil war on going there. most recently they have been joined by sunni tribes man from al-anbar province and niniveh and other places in iraq, strikes men who once had very firm alliance with the united states in their battle es against al qaeda and iraq and previous manifestation of isil and now have turned against the iraqi government for its very sectarian and authoritarian policies. so this is an alliance of convenience at the moment between foreign jihadis, iraqi former iraqi army officers and soldiers and local tribesmen and it is an alliance i don't believe will hold together in the long run. the only question is how much will they achieve before that alliance br

those who escaped the isil may have been bribed. many others who may have been sunni felt discriminated against by the government and changed loyalties. >> much of iraqi's misfortune can be laid at a al maliki's door. saddam's for former deputy is now wanted by america who last year posted videos vowing to destroy what he termed the persian government of al maliki. it may only fuel what is rapidly becoming a sectarian war. >> al maliki tried to say there was no sectarian war or conflict between sunnies and shias although the evidence contradicts that. >> prime minister nouri al-maliki has called the conflict, the conspiracy, what is he talking about when he calls it that? >> it's not the first time he has talked conspiracy but he has spoke a number of times. al maliki had a leveraged bitter allegations saying the saudis are responsible for crimes that equate to genocide, destruction of iraqi institutions and holy sites. he believes the saudis have been funding the isil and motivating them not only to carry on the attacks in syria bu

isil has been able to gain a foot hold in syria. that's part of the reason why we have been so concerned about it. that's part of the reason why we have been supporting the syrian opposition there. but it's a challenging problem. in iraq. the iraqi government which was initially resistent to some of our offers of help, has come around now to recognize that cooperation with us on some of the issues would be useful. that's not the case in syria where president assad has no interest in seeing us involved there and where some of the governments that are supporting us on -- have been able to block, for example, u.n. effort, even humanitarian aid. but this is a regional problem and it is going to be a long-term problem. what it is is combine selective actions by our military making sure we go after terrorist that go after our troops overseas and homeland. we have to combine that with a very challenging international effort to try to rebuild countries and communities that have been shattered by sectarian war. and that's not an easy task. >