nick burns and fran townsend is with us. i want to go to the map, fran and nick.libya. sara sidner making the point, if you see the stripe this is held by the rebels. the opposition, tripoli the capital right here. you see they're beginning to put a bit of a circle around. the question is a couple of government towns here, regime towns here. fran, to you first from folks you talk to in the intelligence community, do they have any confidence that these guys finally have their act together and they really might have a chance to choke off and then maybe even march on tripoli? >> well, john, this is the most strategic success they've seen coming out of the rebels. the question is can they put the internal sort of machinations aside? we've seen indications there's tension among the ranks of the rebels. if they can put that aside and choke off supplies it give them an opportunity. along with nato support, there's a chance that they can actually achieve their objectives of choking off the gadhafi regime but it remains to be seen. this is going to requires a sustained and

. >>> let's get some important context from experts nick burns is the former undersecretary of statend cnn national contributor fran townsend is also with us, she's a member of the external advisory board of the cia and the department of homeland security. i want to go to the map first, let's go to libya, sara sidner making the point i want to show you if you see the stripe, it's held by the rebels and tripoli the capital, they are beginning to put a circle around. but the question is the government towns here and the regime towns. fran from you first, from the folks in the intelligence community do they have confidence that the guys finally have their act together and they really might have a chance to choke off and maybe even march on tripoli? >> well, john, this is the most strategic success they've seen coming out of the rebels. and the question is can they put the internal sort of machinations aside? we've seen some indications that there's tension among the ranks of the rebels. if they can put that aside and actually really choke off supplies, it will weaken the hold inside tri

>> secretary burns, nick knows this.g the bosnia horrors as people were being massacred in srebrenica, the europeans stood by. when they take the lead, they tried to take the lead on libya, it hasn't worked out well. i think we should understand our own privacy in the world. we should honor our own primacy. it's what the people in the region and the middle east really respond to so that will return now to the fact that the president has not yet called on bashar al assad to step down. you call on him to step down in fact you just really alter the landscape psychologically an you encourage the europeans to come out and do what must be done. >> watching for months is whether there would be any cracks in the regime. we watched it play out in egypt. we're watching in libya and we've been asking that question in syria. on the front page of the "new york times" he writes an article in which he's beginning to see some cracks in his source. quote they're starting to be divided and you have people in the government who are getting

and we want to make sure that those voices are coming from around the world. >> nick burns, you've beendebates and conversations while in government. we want to make clear it's not just the american voices. why does the secretary of state think that's important before she or president obama goes out and says assad must go? >> you know, john, i think this argument is really heating up in washington. there are some who believe that if the united states openly calls for the ouster of the assad regime, it will embolden the regime, give them the excuse saying the united states is behind the protests. of course, that's nonsense. everyone knows it's not true. the administration obviously wants to see other countries take this step along with them, but, you know, the voice of the united states is a very strong one. and if the -- if the obama administration can get behind this state unequivocally that assad should leave power, i think it will have a dynamic impact on the european allies. you're already seeing turkey distance itself from the assad regime and you're seeing arab countries, saudi ar

former ambassador nick burns is a professor at harvard's kennedy school of government and joins me nowyou, nick. thanks for being with us. earlier i was talking to mike rogers and he mentioned among the challenges the possibility of chemical weapons that now need to be secured, stockpiles at least. what are the other issues that i think are most pressing as someone who has faced other revolutions in seeing the chaos that can ensue? >> andrea, i think it's clear from what we're seeing on television today that the battle is not quite over in tripoli. gadhafi may have lost his country. the rebel alliance is gaining a spectacular victory. there's still some neighborhoods and perhaps military bases under the control of koernl gadhafi. that has to be taken care of. certainly when the war is finished, this rebel asliens will have to transform itself from a people's army into a government that can begin to represent people for the first time in libyan history. that's going to be a very difficult daunting task for them because it's a divided country in a tribal-based society. it's a heavily fra

. >>> let's continue the important conversation with nick burns, he's the former undersecretary of state syrian human rights activist, mohammed al abdullah. nick, you said it should have happened sooner, and now it has happened. now what now? can the administration get a momentum in addition with the europeans and the saudis to say it's not just a killing machine, but assad has to go? what has to happen next? >> well, john, it's a significant step by the obama administration because it isolated assad. it depreciates his credibility in the region and internationally and hopefully will empower the opposition. syria matters. what happens next hopefully is other countries, turkey, egypt, saudi arabia, will follow suit. if russia and china would cooperate more on the u.n. security council for a hardcore resolution to repudiate the syrian regime, that would be consequential. but this country is a very important country. it's a neighbor to israel and iraq. an ally of iran and hamas and hezbollah, so obviously the administration now is trying to focus international pressure. it's almost always b

. >> nick burns said this should be a european-led effort.rites that neither increased spending or raising taxes will fix the problem. fueled by efforts to incite class warfare. why does the president insist on higher taxes? >> we asked you to talk back on one of the big stories of the day -- actually, the big story. we asked you this question. was u.s. involvement in libya worth it it? this from maryann. it's worth it when we see libya liberated. however rs if america is going to continue policing the world they need to be consistent. thousands of people are being massacred by bashar al assad yet the u.s. does not get involved. why? >> this from avery. absolutely not. america should not go seeking monitors abroad and steer clear of these foreign civil wars. what do we know about the rebels and the leaders who will replace gadhafi? from andrew, do the ends justify the means? obama refused to get congressional support like the law requires but a dictator is now gone because of obama's actions. not one american casualty. but it's too early to t

this has been burning since noon yesterday, right, nick? >> reporter: that's right. it started at noon yesterday. it's still burning strong this morning. firefighters say that railcar behind us could explode at any time. it is a very dangerous situation that they are dealing with right now. a team of specialists have been flown in from texas that are experienced in dealing this with sort of thing and what we are told is that overnight the structural integrity of that railcar started to weaken. more propane is escaping as the flames are actually larger now than they were yesterday. so the danger of an explosion is increased since then. the railcar is loaded with 30,000 gallons of propane but it's not just that, that has official concerned. in the railyards surrounding it half million gallons of propane. if there were to be an explosion, firefighters say it would be nothing short of catastrophic. they have evacuation orders in place nearly 5,000 homes evacuated in a one-mile radius surrounding this fire. those have been in place since yesterday. they are making sure tha

. >> glad it all burned-out. nick janes live at placer county, thank you. >>> plenty of cloud cover out there this morning and also seeing some drizzle at the coast. temperatures though pretty mild right now sitting in the 50s and 60s a little bit of fog as well at the bay shores and at the coast. but we will see sun by this afternoon. inland location making their way into the low 90s becoming mostly sunny along the bay shores this afternoon and the coastline. we are going to see lingering clouds throughout the afternoon but a little bit of sunshine, as well. so shallow marine layer out there right now. seeing the clouds stretching in through most of the bay area. some areas are clear but most of you will have clouds this morning. slightly cooler today than yesterday because of the low keeping temperatures cooler but we are near seasonal. highs for today looking like this. 91 livermore, 71 oakland, 82 napa, 62 pacifica, santa rosa at 84. pretty similar conditions for friday. slight warmup as we see some ridging on sat

in new zealand russia to bring back their noble rebel star adam burns for their final warm match against gloucester on friday coach nick i know who shares the lot his maternal grandparents of both russian should be fit for the clash in england and will feature in a team that will be more or less the one that will face the usa world cup in new plymouth on september the fifteenth russian have lost all three of their warm up games in britain so far the latest a hefty forty six nineteen loss to the all sprays. is pleased with the size progress headed their first appearance at all cup. motor sports now and the russian touring car championship has passed its midway point newly refurbished track in the ancient city of cazan with both experience and use grabbing their share the spotlight a racing day gets two sessions at the national championship so there are two chances to rack up points towards the overall standings and the first one saw defending champion because of top everyone else as the fifty three year old bounced back from a less than perfect out into the previously ignition more good old. however he didn't make the p

and russia hopes to bring back their melbourne red all star adam burns for their final warm up match against gloucester on friday coach nick i knew rush said he should be fit for the clash and we're featuring a team that we pretty much the one that will face the usa in the world cup opener on september fifteenth russia have lost all three of their warm up games in britain so far the latest ahead the forty six nineteen loss to be australia but new russia says these plays of this size progress ahead of their first appearance at a world cup. now the new zealand cricket captain andrew strauss says his side will continue to work hard after completing a full on your series whitewash over india after the final test the skipper was all smart as you would expect he just seen his side beating nearby an innings and eight runs during the series in england took the world number one ranking from their opponents and strauss said the feeling was different emotion felt when england won the ashes two years ago. well i think i think in two thousand or maybe as if there was a bit more motion because we went into a game when all in no one knew

burning in a car. firefighters made the discovery yesterday near nick's cove.hey say the car was fully engulfed in flames. it's still unclear how that individual died. investigators are now using dental records and dna to try to identify the person. >>> new this morning, some oakland police officers who were laid off and rehired are back on the street. ktvu had the only news crew there monday as police chief batts greeted the 25 returning officers. starting assignments today after a week of training. the police union says the city was able to rehire the officers in part because current officers agreed to pay 9% into their pensions. >>> richmond hopes to bring communities members together today. the first ever north richmond community block party begins in just a few hours. it's sponsored by chevron and hosted by the north richmond missionary church. the party begins at 10:00 this morning in the church parking lot. >>> dress in layers. that's a safe bet. a live look in san francisco, i'm told the transamerica building back there somewhere, can't really see a lot

. >> reporter: burns, a part-time country singer, is turning his petite public housing abode into a renaissance masterpiece. >> so, this is where it all started, nick reporter: he's keeping their vision alive. >> reporter: are you done yet? >> no, this is the renaissance. we're never done. there is no such thing as over the top. >> reporter: this all started eight years ago when burns stumbled u un this book at a yard sale. a glossy vatican guidebook. >> i did look at it and i just thought, goodness me this is absolutely beautiful. so, i thought, well, i'm a decorator, this has got to be, you know, i should be able to do this. >> reporter: self-taught by trial and error -- >> i like to this is my piece -- >> reporter: and self-educated by tireless research -- >> this is aceiling painting for the gonzaga family. and it's reputed to be the first -- >> reporter: burns is recreating the best of italy in his little house, partly because he's never been able to see it for real. >> would love to go. >> reporter: but he's never had the money to make that trip. so, he's recreating the antique splendors of florence and rome right here at home. i'm nick watt

nick lachey got married here. anyone who can afford $53,000 a night. that fire has burnedand destroyed branson's paradise playground. for "good morning america," nick watt, abc news, london. >> and joining us on the phone is richard branson. so, richard, how are you? how is your family. >> we're all doing finene glad o be well. glad to be alive and glad to have got through it so everybody happy and happy and well and together. >> i know you have so much to be thankful for. tell us about the race to get everybody out of that house safely. >> it was something of a nightmare and i was woken up by my son banging on my window. we stayed about 100 yards away from the great house. looked across the great house and there were 200-foot flames bellowing out of it and we just ran, you know, stark naked towards the house. i went straight into the cacti bush. my son ran on. fortunately people had woken up inside and, you know, our nephews did a good evacuation and kate helped my mother out and everybody was all right. >> talk a little bit more about kate winslet there with her children

burning car last week. using dna and dental records, coroners investigators determined it was 54-year-old nancy berlan. she was found near nick'se which is south of tamales. it was found around 6:00 p.m. earlier this month on august 4th. investigators have not yet determined how she died but they do not suspect it was foul play. >>> the speculation is over and aid to rick perry confirmed today that the texas governor will seek the republican nomination for president. there he is a devout christian and far right wing politician. he plans to make an official announcement saturday at a conservative gathering in south carolina. a new cnn poll shows perry running two percentage points behind mitt romney among republican and democratic voters. >>> mitt romney encountered a heckler. during the speech he was shouted down by the members of iowa community for improvement. >> what are you going to do to strengthen social security, medicare and medicaid without cutting benefits? what's the answer? >> you've had your chance. anything else you have to say? >> i'm going to see what you're going to say. >> reporter: when the heckler told romne

burning, time is wasting. to show you how bad things are, the french, you heard me right, the french are working. nicolas sarkozy cutting short his holiday to avoid this. so if nickk, you congress, can get on the stick. that goes for you too, mr. president. i don't care where you are going, i guess you go to martha's vineyard at the end of the month. that's fine. but order in, because you have to get this debt mess worked out. you have to cut more, go after entitlements more. generally clamp down on spending a lot more. bury your res speculative hatches and hatch something that looks remotely credible. call it a working vacation. i bet you can write it off. but do it now. rooms at martha's vineyard i hear are booking up fast. think of the big picture, guys there will be plenty of time for rest after you are forcibly retired. you could do worse than get out of the sun and into the frying pan right now. take a look around. you already are. and you'll win points for bustling down and not letting a short french dude show you up. so allow me to get the ball rolling, guys. i'm going to come in here live again saturday to help you out. to lead by example and sort the me

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burning planes and blasts from artillery in libya. at the airport near tripoli. plus, this is father's whereabouts remain a mystery, but one son is reaching out to our own nick robertson wants to offer, next. a washington icon shut down in indefinitely. the latest on efforts to repair cracks and the washington monument after that stunning earthquake. nothing helped me beat arthritis pain. until i tried this. it's salonpas. pain relief that works at the site of pain... up to 12 hours. salonpas. [ male announcer ] they'll see you...before you see them. cops are cracking down on drinking and riding. drive sober, or get pulled over. >> groups of muammar gadhafi loyalists are refusing to give up the battle for tripoli and the fighting rebels in several areas of the capital and attacks on the tripoli airport are especially fierce. cnn is the only network having a journalist at the airport. live with details you will only hear on cnn. what's happening? >> reporter: >> this place has been getting pounded nonstop all day and well into the night and artillery are being fire and heavy machine gunfire as well playing on the tarmac and fought fire. there is a small explosion becau