jamie mcintyre is joining us now from home. jamie what are you finding out?> adam it's not unexpected the pentagon has been waiting for this to happen. but a senior defense official confirms to al jazeera that this morning four russian su27 flanker fighter planes have arrived in western syria, they joined four helicopters that were already there, and then four more helicopters showed up as the russian military buildup continues. this arrival has made it more urgent that moscow and washington coordinate what is going on in syria, and today moscow reached out to washington and said we need to talk about what is going on. we heard a little bit about this earlier today from secretary of state john kerry who talked about the need for cooperation with russia. >> the president believes that mill to mill conversation is important next step and i think hopefully will take place very shortly, and it will help to define some of the different options that are available to us, as we consider next steps in syria. >> reporter: so when he said it would take place shortly. it

national security correspondent jamie mcintyre joins us now by phone. jamie, what can you tell us?reporter: a short time ago a senior defense spokesman said that four fighter planes have now rived in western syria where the u.s. has been observing the buildup. they also spotted four additional helicopters this morning. that brings the number to eight. they are a mix of transport and some helicopter gun ships. the addition of these strike aircraft, and flanker, which is the nato name for it, that deployment comes as moscow asked the united states for military to military coordination, and this morning ash carter spoke by phone with his russian counter part. we're told by a senior pentagon official that he assured secretary carter that the russian military deployment was defensive in nature and was designed to fulfill commitments to they had already made to the regime of bashar al-assad. that seems to show it's really more about shoring up the assad regime, rather than targeting isil. although they said that russia and the u.s. do have a common purpose in defeating isil. >> all right

jamie mcintyre is live for us in washington. e, what details did secretary kerry give about why passing the deal is so crucial? >> well, secretary kerry did not advance any new arguments in this very detailed defense of the iran nuclear agreement. he basically restated the arguments he has made ever since the deal was reached both in speeches and in extensive testimony before congress but basically tried to marshall all of the arguments and logic he could to try to make this case that this was not only the best deal that the united states and its negotiating partners could get, but really the only deal, and that it's a deal that will be effective in keeping iran from getting a nucle nuclear -- obtaining a nuclear weapon, and he called on congress to approve it. he said to do otherwise would simply issue a big blow to u.s. credibility, not just with its negotiating partners, but with other countries in the world. >> if we suddenly switch course and reject the very outcome we had worked so hard to obtain, and not by offering some n

let's go to the national security correspondent jamie mcintyre recollects -- jamie mcintyre, at the pentagon for us. >> the united states has been watching as russian forces are building up military presence in syria, specifically at an airfield in latakia, on the north-western coast of syria, an area that is a strong hold for syrian president bashar al-assad, and also the heartland of his alawite sect. specifically the united states reports on social media and open news reporting indicating that large shipments ever hardware have been coming into the port, including a modular housing for russian troops as welling a milt -- as well as a military team with the potential to increase syria's air came abilities. frankly the united states admits it does not know what russia is up to. united states is concerned by reports that aircraft from russia may have been deployed to syria. it's difficult to know their intentions. that said, is that steps detected and reported could further escalate the conflict. >> moscow issued a statement saying "no surprise, we have been supporting the government of bash

. >> let's go back to jamie mcintyre.t the pentagon, you tell me, what is the point of view of those who have america's military infrastructure in their hands? what do they think about iran and whether it will cheat and what the u.s. should do? >> reporter: well, the pentagon's job is to prepare military options for the president, and it has said all along that it does have military options if it comes to that. but it's not a very desirable option. the idea that iran -- that there could be a strike against iranian facilities and then -- you know, like the kinds of strikes that took place in iraq where the united states could bomb facilities and then just walk away and watch what happens. a strike against iranian nuclear facilities would result in a pretty widespread war in the middle east, something the united states feels it could handle, but it would be a very, very dire situation. these are options of last resort. nevertheless it's the pentagon's job to provide the president with those kinds of options, and the u.s. sa

. >> what about the report that they were halting the training, and then jamie mcintyre said they are re-examining it, but nothing has been stopped. >> yeah, remember this was a much-trumpeteds a sect of the obama plan. lloyd austin testified that there are four, maybe on the outside five of the 5,000 individuals that the administration, the goal they had set forth to be trained within saudi arabia, turkey, and elsewhere to take the fight against isil within syria. this obviously a program that has fallen by the wayside, and regardless of whether it is if i recally alive or dead, it is obviously no longer a central part of the u.s. policy. >> not to mention that some of those trainees have turned over equipment to the enemy. >> right. >>> for more on the training program. jamie mcintyre reports from the pentagon. >> reporter: pentagon sources concede that russia's deployment to syria under the justification of battling isil out flanked the u.s. and caught it flat footed. the russian president hasn't exactly made a secret that he is backing long time, ally, bashar al-assad. >> translat

jamie mcintyre is live at the pentagon with all these new developments. jamie? >> well, adam, the pentagon has been watching closely over recent weeks as russia has been pouring troops and equipment. >> syria. and moscow has offered crucial support to the syrian regime since the beginning of the syrian civil war. the pentagon has been trying to figure out where it's all headed. >> with fighter jets deployed like these, they have little choice but to have military-to-military talks with moscow. secretary of state john kerry tried to put the best face on it. >> it will help to define some of the different options that are available to us as we consider next steps in serie-a. >> u.s. defense secretary ash carter has not spoken to his russian counterpart since he took office. in fact, all so-called mill to mill talks from put on hold until march of last year in reaction to russia's actions in ukraine. but in a 50-minute phone call just hours after moscow ai moss moscow air landed in syria. it includes four planes comparable to f-15s. some versions are not only ai ai

jamie mcintyre joins us live from the pentagon. jamie >> reporter: well, erika, the u.s. military has three weeks to show cause why women should still be barred from any job in the military, no matter how dangerous or arduous. from the defense on october 1st, it's increasingly likely that the qualifications will be based on standards, and not gender. if there was a tipping point in the debate over women can be commandos, the performance of two trail blazing women at the army's ranger school this summer may have been it. one student, michael jenowski, was sceptical about whether women could cut it, until one night when a woman turned out to be his savior. >> i was struggling, and i stopped and asked at the halfway point, hey, can anyone take some of this weight? i got a lot of deer in the headlight looks, and shay was the only one to carry the weight. and she literally saved me, i probably wouldn't be sitting here right now if it wasn't for shea. >> the first two family soldiers, standards don't have to be lowered for women to do even the toughest jobs. >> equal standards

national securities correspondent jamie mcintyre is at the pentagon with more. do tell us more about this development. >> richelle the pentagon has been hesitant to characterize what actually russia has been up to in syria, but today it came out and said, yes, it does appear it is putting together a forward-operating base along the western coastal area of syria. the u.s. has been watching for a while now, as a steady stream of russian cargo planes and cargo ships have been bringing in military equipment. they of course have a lot of aerial surveillance over syria, but the way they really know what is going on, is frankly moscow is not hiding it. the russian media has quoted russian foreign minister saying the troop buildup is bringing in equipment and troops to help train the syrians to use that equipment. and today at the state department they seem to be perfectly willing to take lavrov at his word. >> we have no reason to doubt the veracity of what he is saying, in terms of the acknowledgment that they will continuing to provide military support and equipment,

let's get to -- let's get to jamie mcintyre on this. he has more live from the pentagon. >> well, the issue for the pentagon is what is called it's law of war manual, creating quite a bit of controversy, and the pentagon insists that some passages of the manual have been misinterpreted and said that it has a long-standing respect for the role of journalists covering armed conflict. but the critics say that this document is ill conceived and it gives the wrong message to authoritarian regimes around the world, already suppressing press freedom. last week, sentencing three aljazeera journalists to three years in prison. the idea that journalists, just doing their job, can be convicted of aiding terrorists, is what makes the pentagon's new law of war manual so alarming. one section seems to support that notion. while journalists are regarded as civilians, they may be deemed unprecedented belligerence. >> this means that they can hold them for any period of time. and if they accuse the journalists of providing any proof of acting in a manne

jamie mcintyre is here, and what is the pentagon saying about the announcingment of slow and it steady progress. >> while the military emphasizes patience, the congress is losing patience with the line, saying that isil is losing ground and it's going to take time, and any u.s. robust presence on the ground, in that's what the pentagon is selling, congress is not buying. >> i've been a member of this committee for nearly 30 years, and i've never heard testimony like this, never. >> the armed services committee hearing began on a contention note and went down from there. in the hot seat, general and christine warman with policy. among the questions, what is the u.s. doing to stop the flood of refugees leaving syria and europe? why not a safe zone in northern syria? >> it's always in our best interest to help protect civilians. but again, i would not recommend a buffer zone at this point in time. >> so everything is really going well? >> no, sir, that's not -- >> the general's overall argument that progress is being made in iraq and syria, despite what he called slow mob. at the contact

national security correspondent jamie mcintyre has more from the pentagon. >> unlike in iraq, where the u.s. is providing close air support, afghan security forces are on their own. when fighters overran kund use on monday, there was no u.s. air power to beat back the assault. nevertheless, the pentagon insist that it is working closely with afghanistan to make sure it has what it needs to defeat the taliban. >> this is a set back for the security forces. we have seen them respond in weeks and months to the challenges they faced, and they are doing the same thing right now. >> in an echo of what happened, where troops were routed by a force. initial reports show a few over went troops reported to be in the thousands. one local official told the "new york times" there was a lack of leadership. in an address, the inability to hold conduce was linked. >> the government is responsible and cannot and will not bomb. ashraf ghani ordered government troops to prepare a counter offensive. they are assisting with the plan, scribing it as deliberate. >> the u.s. military support is limited to seve

jamie mcintyre has more from washington. >> secretary kerry did not advance any more new arguments in this detailed defense of the iranian agreement and basically restated the arguments he has made ever since the deal was made in speeches and in testimony before congress, but basically tried to marshall all the facts he could, all the arguments and logic he could to try to make the case that this was not only the best deal that the united states and it's negotiating partners could get, but really the only deal he call on congress to approve it. he said to do otherwise would simply issue a big blow to the u.s. credibility not just with its negotiating partners, but with other countries in the world. >> if we suddenly switch course and project the very outcome we have worked so hard to obtain, and not by offering some new and viable alternative, but by offering no alternative at all. it is hard to conceive of a quicker or more self-destructive blow to our nation's credibility and leadership. >> that was essentially his argument. that the idea of going back to the bargaining table may so

jamie mcintyre has more. >> after a week of humming and harring, the united states koim out saying yes, it appears russia is building a forward-operating air base in western syria, near latakia. how does the u.s. know this, it has a lot of surveillance and other equipment put in place to protect the base, and the nonstop flow of cargo planes flying over iraq and iran to get to syria, the main way the u.s. nose is that russia is not denying it. russian newsagencies quoted foreign minister sergey lavrov saying the build-up not only include weapons and supplies, but russian specialists to teach the syrians to use the weapons. at the state department they seem willing to take sergey lavrov at his word. >> we have no reason to doubt sergey lavrov about what he says, in terms of supplying military support and equipment. so that i think we are taking on face value their claims about what they are doing. the ultimate intent in goal, i think, still, is a little uncertain. >> on capitol hill, senate armed services committee john mccain said that russian vladimir putin is capitalizing on u.s. ina

. >> jamie mcintyre. >> senate democrats along with republicans have tweeted a measure to cut federal funding to planned parenthood. the nonprofit happens been under fire since july after an anti-abortion group released videos raising questions about how planned parenthood handles feet pal tissue. it was tied to a bill keeping the government funded into december. to avoid a shut down, senate majority leader filed a new bill today to fund federal agencies without the divisive planned parenthood division. >> the environmental protection agency accidentally released millions of toxic waste into a river in colorado two months ago. last month the e.p.a. declared the waterways were safe. a report commissioned by a native american tribe shows the water is still contaminated. >> well, this is barely got a little. look. >> this was the scene last week. carla suarez navarro formers earl and cheryl and their withering crops. >> i had a hay field over here. i had to plough that up. no water. i lost all the hay on the site. that's bare dirt now. >> it was the same story with the corn can'ta lop an

. >>> jamie mcintyre reporting from the pentagon. >>> senate republicans say they will try again todayadvance a resolution rejecting the iran nuclear deal, but democrats are confident they have enough votes to prevent the measure from reaching president obama's desk. mitch mcconnell has scheduled another vote this evening which could end debate on the proposed resolution. >>> walking 100 miles for a cause, why these women are hitting the streets with a message for pope francis. ♪ >> there's a line of police advancing toward the crowd here. >> ferguson: city under siege. >> it isn't easy to talk openly on this base. >> and america's war workers. >> it's human trafficking. >> watch these and other episodes online now at aljazeera.com/faultlines. >>> welcome back to al jazeera america. it is 10:49 eastern. some three dozen fraternity members are facing charges today including murder in the death of a new york college freshman. he died nearly three years ago during a hazing ritual in pennsylvania. investigators say his brothers at the fraternity failed to take him to the hospital after he

the military civilian leadership is trying to remove all barriers by january 1st, but as jamie mcintyrets the marine corps is pushing back. >> reporter: just last month its seemed two intrepid female soldiers who aced the army ranger training, gave women a fair shot. but the u.s. marine corps says not so fast. it argues it is not just how quickly an individual marine can clear a wall or carry a 95-pound howitzer around, it's how the whole squad performs as a team. earlier this year, at 29 palms, california, the marine corps conducted an experiment. it was a blowout. the mens teams were faster, stronger, more lethal than the co-ed teams, scoring higher on 69% of all measured tasks. according to a summary, men outsht shot women with a hit rate of 44% to 28%, men were faster at combat maneuvers including clearing walls and evacuating casualties. and women suffered twice the rate of musculoskeletal injuries. now the debate is raging over what it all means, and whether the $36 million experience was designed as advertised or aimed more at finding a rationale to keep them out. >> it looks lik

national security correspondent jamie mcintyre reports from the pentagon. >> reporter: pentagon sources concede that russia's surprise deployment. troops and craft to syria under the justification of fighting i.s.i.l. outstripped the u.s. and called it flat-footed. to be sure of the motives, the russian president has not made a secret that he's backing long-time ag lie bashar al-assad, the man -- ally, bashar al-assad, the man president obama insists must go. >> there's no other solution to the syrian crisis than strengthening government structures, and rendering them help in fighting terrorism. >> reporter: with russian support, president bashar al-assad is going nowhere any time soon. as in ukraine, the u.s. is powerless to stop the military moves. to pursue the defeat of i.s.i.l. without, at the same time pursuing a political transition is to fuel the very kind of extremism that underlies i.s.i.l. if that's the russian view, that's a logical contradiction. >> according to some observers, russia is in the driver's seat because it's willing to do whether the u.s. is not. namely put for

and jamie mcintyre reports. >> reporter: last week an egyptian court sentenced three al jazeera journalistsars in prison. the idea that journalists who are just doing their job can be convicted of aiding terrorists is what makes the pentagon's new law a war manual so alarming to u.s. news organizations. one secotion seems to support i saying journalists are generally regarded as civilians they may in some instances be deemed not so. >> without bringing charges withhold a journalist for an indefinite period of time even in communacado if they accuse them without providing proof of acting in a manner they believe fits the category of a beligerant which is not defined in the law of war manual. >> reporter: pentagon says two pages from a 1200 page manual are being mischaracterized and the language in question does not apply to legitimate journalists. >> what we are talking about is unprivileged beligerant, any civilian and not just adjou journalist who is takes action and grabs a gun or fires a weapon and take a side and actively in combat. >> reporter: it doesn't just refer to that it also war

let's go now to jamie mcintyre. he's at the pentagon tonight. jamie a lot of reports about russia getting involved in syria. >> well, the united states has been watching wearily, antonio, as russia has been in recent weeks slowly building up its military presence in syria. the pentagon is not officially confirming that, but confirmings on social media postings showing an influx on russian military hardware on very heavily loaded cargo ships that are docked in the coastal port of near an airfield near-- >> latakia. a stronghold of president bashar al-assad, and also the heartland of his minority alawite sect. the descriptions include supposedly a bunch of modular housing that might presumably be used for russian troops as well as advance russian military team that has been setting up what appears to be a temporary air traffic control system that could increase the syrian air capability. and today the white house said frankly one of the reasons they're so concerned about this is that they really don't know what russia is up to. in the words of josh

. >> jamie mcintyre joins us from the pentagon with more. >> just within the past hour, the pentagon revealed that there has been a series of additional strikes at the airport just outside kunduz. that's where u.s. troops were on the ground. the strikes were to protect the troops, and they were not combat troops, they are advisors, advising the afghan military on how to retake the city. the pentagon says that the afghan government amassed a force of thousands of troops, and is confident that kund us will return to afghan control. >> reporter: unlike in iraq where the u.s. is providing close air sport, afghan security forces are on their own, and have been for nine months, when the taliban fighters overran the city, there was no u.s. air power to back the assault. the pentagon insists that it is working closely with afghanistan to make sure it has what it needs to defeat the taliban. >> obviously this is a setback for the african security forces. but we have seen them respond in recent weeks, and month, to the challenges they faced, and they are doing the same thing in kund use right

more now from al jazeera america national security correspondent jamie mcintyre, who is at the pentagonjamie? >> reporter: well, richelle for months the pentagon has been urging patience, pointing to small victories, highlighting some mine nor bright spots, but that was all about six months ago. now we're in a virtual stalemate and there are very few bright spots to highlight. sources conceived that russia's surprise deployment to syria, under the justification of battling isil out flanked the u.s. and caught it flat footed. the pentagon processes to be unsure about vladimir putin's exact motives even though the russian president hasn't made a secret that he is backing long-time ally, bashar al-assad, the man president obama keeps insisting must go. >> translator: and there's no other solution to the syrian crisis than strengthening the effective government structures and rendering them help in fighting terrorism. >> reporter: president assad is going nowhere anymore time soon as w russia's backing. and the u.s. is poerless to stop putin's military moves. >> to pursue the defeat of isil

jamie mcintyre reports. >> reporter: in the nation's capital there are monuments world war ii, korea and vietnam. the great war, the war to end all wars is without a national memorial in washington. edward is on a mission to change that. what most don't realise we have american men and women dying in world war i, korea and vietnam. >> how many? >> 1,516. we honour the veterans ever vietnam and korea with memorials on the wall, but heroism and sacrifice of american soldiers in world war i was no less worthy of commemoration and honour than that of the later wars. >>> i met with the vp of the wwi centennial commission in washington's persian park. the legendary general black jack persian. congress decreed no more monuments, but approved this down with the heels park, across from the historic hotel, a block from the white house as a suitable location. the glistening reflecting pool drained and in disrepair. >> in the original design of the park, this area was an ornamental pool. it has not been used that way for several years. >> reporter: for now, it's a blank canvas inspiring more tha

our national security correspondent jamie mcintyre is live at the pentagon tonight.d evening. >> reporter: good evening, the u.s. has come out and said yes, it does appear that russia is building what looks like an air base in the west of syria. it has a lot of aerial surveillance over syria. not to mention as you did, the non-stop flow of massive cargo planes that have been flying over iraq and iran to get to syria, but the main way that the u.s. knows is russia is not hiding it. they have quoted foreign minister sergei lavrov saying yes, it uncolludes build up of supplies and also soldiers to teach them how to use them. >> we have no reason to doubt the veracity of what he is saying in terms of the acknowledgment that they are continuing to provide military support and equipment, so that i think we're taking on face value their claims about what they are doing. the ultimate intent and goal, i think still is a little uncertain. >> reporter: so far no fighter planes or attack helicopters have arrived at the airport. you can see some russian t-90 tanks, some artillery

if it needs to be clarified so it's not viewed as putting journalists at risk, it will be >>> jamie mcintyre at the pentagon >>> the state department issued a warning to u.s. citizens travelling to or living in turkey. it announced a voluntary evacuation of the u.s. consule due to ongoing military operations due to operations out of the air base. coming after four were killed after a p.k.k. bomb attack in the province, the attack occurred as police officers helped local forces put out fire at a school. officials allege the p.k.k. rebels started the fire >>> accused and arrested. guatemala's president resigns. the latest chapter in the political corruption scandal that rocked the country. >> is disturbing record in el salvador. 30 people are murdered every day in >>> former guatemala president is spending the night in gaol facing corruption charges. he appeared in court, hours after stepping down as president. investigators say he received millions in bribes from companies. daniel schweimler reports from guantanamo city on the unprecedented crisis. >> reporter: unprecedented in guatemala, thr

jamie mcintyre is at the pentagon. >> that airstrike was directed at protecting u.s. troops on the ground. it took out a tank that was heading to the airport where the american and german troops were advising the afghans on on the outskirts of kunduz. under the post combat rules it doesn't have the north to do that. >> unlike in iraq where the u.s. is providing close air support afghan security forces are on their own and have been for nine months. when taliban fighters overran the city of kunduz, there was no fight in the assault. >> alongly this is a set back nor the afghan security forces. we've seen them respond in recent weeks and months in the challenges they face and they're doing the same thing in kunduz right now. >> in ramadi and iraq in airplane, they were routed a much smaller isil force, relatively few taliban fighters overwhelmed afghan government troops reported to be in the thousands. therthey would tell the new york sometimes that there was a lack of leadership. they would link the inability to hold kunduz to civilian deaths. >> the government is resp

democratic senator to support the agreement but may not be the end of the political fight as jamie mcintyreou wouldn't have known it from the full throated defense delivered by secretary of state john kerry in an hour-long speech in philadelphia but the obama administration appears to have won its battle with congress over the iran nuclear deal. the announcement by maryland democrat mccolsky gives enough votes to promise the veto to kill the multi national agreement an assuming nothing happens to make any of the senators reconsider. kerry's main argument it's not just a good deal, it's a done deal because there is no going back to the bargaining table. >> it is clear if we reject this plan the multi lateral sanctions regime will start to unravel and the pressure will lesson and our negotiating leverage will diminish if not disappear. >> getting 34 votes was not easy and they were holding their nose and picking the lesser of two ev evils, nothing is perfect with the iran regime but concluded this is the best option available to block iran for having a nuclear bomb. democrat chris coons of de

. >> let's go back to jamie mcintyre. at the pentagon, you tell me, what is the point of view of those who have america's military infrastructure in their hands? what do they think about iran and whether it will cheat and what the u.s. should do? >> reporter: well, the pentagon's job is to prepare military options for the president, and it has said all along that it does have military options if it comes to that. but it's not a very desirable option. the idea that iran -- that there could be a strike against iranian facilities and then -- you know, like the kinds of strikes that took place in iraq where the united states could bomb facilities and then just walk away and watch what happens. a strike against iranian nuclear facilities would result in a pretty widespread war in the middle east, something the united states feels it could handle, but it would be a very, very dire situation. these are options of last resort. nevertheless it's the pentagon's job to provide the president with those kinds of options, and the u.s.