in september alone, there were 21 attacks in northern pakistan. that's at least double the usual number. in 2010, there was 76 in total and that's compared to 2009 when there were just 53 drone attacks in pakistan. now, although we have no specific intelligence, we do have indications that there may have been a mumbai-style attack rather than a suicide attack. >> all right. thank you very much for the latest out of our london bureau. >>> former president jimmy carter will spend a second night in a cleveland hospital. he's canceling some scheduled events. a spokesperson said that the former president is feeling normal today, but doctors are recommending he undergo additional observations. joining us now is nbc's bob bizel. good to see you. haven't seen you in a while. president carter is 86. he's got a really tough schedule promoting this book. why do you think the doctors have decided to keep him in for observation? >> tamron, we just don't know. they're not saying anything more than you just said. we have here an 86-year-old. he'll be 86 on frida

you strike, you strike, particularly at headquarters and that's where the northern pakistan, the border is the headquarters. >> bret: and mara, the left has been fairly silent. >> we haven't heard anything about this. i think that the left is against the escalation of the war. i don't knowi i don't think they're going to focus on drone attacks, they've never made that a kind of specific issue, but i think that come december, especially next summer, you are going to see some demands for probably a greater pulldown than there will be, but if it's successful and it looks like the war is working, i think a lot of that, those complaints go away. >> bret: last word, bill. >> okay, spoke president obama said something leakike i can't afford to lose the democratic party. i hope he decides he can't afford to lose the war. >> you can check out the show notes portion of the page and keep up-to-date on the situation on pakistan and afghanistan, up next, the president's chief of staff. will he stay or will he go? and who is in line to replace him? . it's our honeymoon. but we've parted wa with our o

by the united states with approximately 20 drone attacks on suspected terrorists targets in northern pakistannbc has learned the pakistanis arrested this month gave up information about the attacks, that there was never concern about the united states, but there were sort of these developing plans based on different targets in the united states. why mumbai-style attacks? why is that the plan of action terrorists would go to now? >> i think terrorists have learned now that rather than the big spectacular-style attack, it will create more attacks in a greater number. ten terrorists were able to tie the city up for days killing 166 people and seriously injuring over 300 more. >> and that was a soft target as we recall. steve purl, nice to talk to you. thank you. >> and charter schools getting a big boost. today the charter school growth fund announced a fund-raising campaign, the largest ever aimed at nontraditional schools. they wanted to create 135,000 more opportunities for students to attend charters schools over the next decade. we are devoting special coverage to education nation. we are l

this video claims to show german-born terrorist recruits training in northern pakistan. according to u.s. sources, a german suspect arrested in kabul has been the source for much of the intelligence about the threat. 20 drone attacks aimed at al qaeda commanders in the north of pakistan so far this month have been aimed at killing those behind the plot. if europe, there have been frequent recent security alerts. the eiffel tower evacuated twice in two weeks and here plans have been drawn up to deal with specifically a mumbai-style attack. >> brown: ray suarez takes the story from there. >> suarez: siobhan gorman joins us. she has been covering this story for the "wall street journal." in your reporting, what have you found out about what kind of attacks were contemplated and how far along they were in the planning. >> well, what i've been told is that the leading theory is that we would be looking at these mumbai-style attacks where you'd have armed gunmen going at perhaps multiple targets, so-called soft targets, hotels or subways or things like that. and i was told they

has actually stepped up their number of drone attacks in northern pakistan. in the last month alone, they pretty much doubled their usual number of attacks so there have been 21 attacks in total. if you compare that to the whole of the year so far for 2010, 76 in total and if you compare that to 2009, they were just 53. so, there really has been a huge response to this. and the plots they were attempting to foil was stalled on the indian/mumbai style massacre that went on in mumbai when 174 people were killed. that's what they were attempting to avert. they do believe that they have caught this plan and it's very early, if not embryonic stages and that is perhaps why we haven't moved up to a critical level of threats which would mean that an attack is imminent. at the moment, just highly likely. >> jenny, thank you very much. now, let's bring in andy hayman and also former assistant commissioner at scotland yard. andy, thanks for joining us. first, let me get your insight on this alleged mumbai-style attack not using suicide bombers, but heavy arsenal and a l

our reporter is in northern punjab. >> pakistan is cannot help but have a close connection to their greater source of water. for all it has given this country over the years, it has recently taken away so much. this is the river that flows the length of pakistan whose path we are following this week. it looks peaceful and tranquil now. it is a beautiful sight. but this was the cause of so much misery and destruction just a few weeks ago. then, the river was much higher than this. you can possibly see some of the destruction it caused on the banks here. but all the way along its length, even as far as we have travelled over the last few days, we have seen communities and villages that have been devastated. standing on this embankment used to be people's homes, until there were smashed to pieces by the water. our own boat man lost his house close to where we stopped. he told me how suddenly the waters came one night, and how the only material things he has been able to salvage since are some of the bricks that made up his home. but i am lucky, he says. at least i was able to save my children.

not only flying at -- combat afghanistan, but also relief operations in northern pakistan all the way up. and then they take one of their ships to take down the magellan star. they rescued the crew from the somali pirates. we just want the 26 marine expeditionary unit, one of years from north carolina, they left a month early to say all and get off the coast to pakistan. they should be there by the end of this month. there's a further testimony to the fact that the utilitarian value of these ships. not only in these marine expeditionary unit are they the label, but they can pull off and operate all of africa with what we call the security and cooperation mission. they can bring medical, it is a one-stop shopping operation. i think the value of the ship is absolutely paramount. the secretary of navy believes in them. you're absolutely correct. we have agreed to deep fiscal constraint of 33 ships. everything we do now is informed by the budget and and and you appreciate that. we're sitting at 31 ships. we're going to go down over the next couple of years. but as we look at the fiscal de

one counterterrorism official says recent missile strikes in northern pakistan were aimed at the suspectedlanners of the plotsz. threat levels in the targeted countries have not been raised. >>> that development comes as france's eiffel tower was briefly evacuated yesterday after officials received a bomb threat. despite the call which police said came from a nearby phone booth no serious or suspicious object was found. >>> "the new york times" reports that the pakistani military is pushing for a shakeup of the country's government, including the removal of president as receive al zardari. top lieutenants are angry over the handling of the country's devastating floods which have left more than 20 million people homeless and alarmed by a collapse of the economy. still officials say the military is preoccupied by a war against militants and not eager to take over the government as it has done many times before. >> jeffrey sachs, a bad situation in pakistan getting worse? >> it's interesting and dangerous. a nuclear power, these devastating floods and, you know, it's the kind of upheaval we'r

not only flying at -- combat afghanistan, but also relief operations in northern pakistan all the wayup. and then they take one of their ships to take down the magellan star. they rescued the crew from the somali pirates. we just want the 26 marine expeditionary unit, one of years from north carolina, they left a month early to say all and get off the coast to pakistan. they should be there by the end of this month. there's a further testimony to the fact that the utilitarian value of these ships. not only in these marine expeditionary unit are they the label, but they can pull off and operate all of africa with what we call the security and cooperation mission. they can bring medical, it is a one-stop shopping operation. i think the value of the ship is absolutely paramount. the secretary of navy believes in them. you're absolutely correct. we have agreed to deep fiscal constraint of 33 ships. everything we do now is informed by the budget and and and you appreciate that. we're sitting at 31 ships. we're going to go down over the next couple of years. but as we look at the fiscal def

not only flying at -- combat afghanistan, but also relief operations in northern pakistan all the way up. and then they take one of their ships to take down the magellan star. they rescued the crew from the somali pirates. we just want the 26 marine expeditionary unit, one of years from north carolina, they left a month early to say all and get off the coast to pakistan. they should be there by the end of this month. there's a further testimony to the fact that the utilitarian value of these ships. not only in these marine expeditionary unit are they the label, but they can pull off and operate all of africa with what we call the security and cooperation mission. they can bring medical, it is a one-stop shopping operation. i think the value of the ship is absolutely paramount. the secretary of navy believes in them. you're absolutely correct. we have agreed to deep fiscal constraint of 33 ships. everything we do now is informed by the budget and and and you appreciate that. we're sitting at 31 ships. we're going to go down over the next couple of years. but as we look at the fiscal de

but there's groups in yermen, northern africa, pakistan, around the world. if you can bring them together, that's the real concern. >> brian, thank you very much. george? >> robin, thanks. >>> it's time, now, for the latest in politics. a new poll shows the tea party gaining strength. they make up one-third of the most likely voters for control of congress. but president obama is firing back on a cross-country tour, in wisconsin last night. jake tapper is with the president in iowa, where the president has his next event today. right in the backyard where you're standing. >> reporter: that's right. an economic meeting with the iowans. with the club family. they were picked because they have such a big backyard. but the highlight was in madison, wisconsin, where the president tried to reinvigorate the young voters who helped elect him in 2008. all the while, in smaller settings, the president is expressing irritation at democratic voter apathy. >> hello, wisconsin. >> reporter: the president's challenge is to motivate all those obama surge voters from 2008. >

pakistan. nato says an air strike killed a top al qaeda commander in northern afghanistan along its border with pakistan. the u.s. recently increased the number of drone attacks in pakistan, and this may be due in part to information on the terror plot. drone targets in pakistan include taliban and al qaeda forces and militants linked to al qaeda. and the taliban denied claims made by the top u.s. commander in afghanistan, general david petraeus, that the taliban wants, was in contact with afghan government officials about possible peace talks. there's a lot going on, and we've got the story covered on all fronts. ivan watson in kabul, afghanistan. fred plankton in islamabad, pakistan kninic robertson and i tell us what you know about this first. >> reporter: well, an air strike that took place on saturday according to u.s. and nato spokesmen. usually we're hearing about raids that tart taliban commanders, taliban operatives. this time identifying two arab al qaeda operatives. one by the name of abdullah omar karashi a saudi bringing foreign fighters into afghanistan, ard coulding to a spokesma

intelligence officials say two drone attacks today in the northern wasiristan region of pakistan mademonth the most intense period of u.s. strikes in that country since they began six years ago. u.s. officials say the missiles have killed more than 50 people in a dozen strikes targeting fighters in the lawless tribal area. the obama administration is considering filing the first criminal charges against muslim cleric al wa lackey living in yemen. ordered cia to capture or kill him. he's inspired a wave of attacks against the u.s. the media-shy obama girls are in the news. you'll be amazed who put them in the spotlight. another politician's example of do as i say, not as i do. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. lord of the carry-on. sovereign of the security line. you never take an upgrade for granted. and you rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle. and go. you can even take a full-size or above. and still pay th mid-size price. i deserve this. [ male announcer ] you do, business pro. you do. go national. go like a pro. [ male announcer ]

it involved nearly a dozen northern virginians who had gotten training in pakistan. the of assonances for something. it ranged from just a couple of years to maybe 10. the people who went to trial were convicted, some more acquitted. it is not at all uncommon. they can make the case against a more serious one. there is an awful -- an example where they have a high level al qaeda guy who is testified in prevented the witness security program and pled guilty. cracks -- >>'s corporate, do they go into the general population? >> it depends. the often will have a special administrative measure placed on them by the marshal service. they can carry over. i do have people convicted of crimes that will be considered terrorism crime store in the general population at it depends on the individual person. correct. >> this experience was not evident in the federal judiciary. nothing compared to the federal effort structure. this level of expertise makes the dialogue very different products. >> thank you very much. let's give the panel our round of thanks. [applause] [captioning p

but there are tons examples that involved nearly 100 northern virginia who is had gotten training in pakistan. several of those individuals cooperated with the government. they all pled guilty tor something. between their corporation and the lesser charges to which they pled, their seasonses ranged from a couple of years to maybe 10. where as the people who were convicted got more serious sentences. so it's not at all uncommon as in any other criminal activity. you can deal with a m.s. 13 gang. to get their cooperation and make the case. in my experience terrorism cases are no different. there's a wonderful example from the southern district of new york. there was one guy who testified and put into the witness security program. >> [inaudible] >> the question is if those who cooperate, please guilty do they go into the general population? it defense. they will often have a special administrative issued placed by the marshall and that. i also have several who are not. i think it depends on the individual person. >> i just want to make a quick comment on the difference in the

they didn't connect the dots of threats coming out of pakistan, coming out of somalia, coming out of northern africa, coming out of the arabian peninsula, they didn't take seriously the understanding of the -- they didn't clearly understand the changing face of terrorism. they didn't learn the lessons from fort hood. they didn't learn the lessons from christmas day. they didn't learn the lessons from times square. because the people who investigated those said these are the types of things we need to do to keep america safe. and as we close out a fiscal year, congress acted, but it didn't act on the lessons learned. why didn't they act? didn't they really have all the knowledge? didn't they really connect the dots? i think we have the information. we could have connected the dots better. we needed to connect the dots better because each and every day, the threat that we face changed and adapts. the challenge we have as a nation, as an intelligence community is to design an intelligence community, design an intelligence capability that is one step ahead of the challenges that we face, not one

northern alliance, they drove the taliban and its al qaeda allies out of their city strongholds and into mountain caves, where they were pounded by u.s. warplanes. osama bin laden fled across the border into pakistan, and is believed still there to this day. the u.s. response had been effective and proportionate. but terrorism is designed to provoke a disproportionate response. and in time, osama bin laden got everything he had hoped for and more than he could have dreamed of. in justifying the bombing and invasion of iraq in march of 2003, the bush administration connected a series of dots. al qaeda and saddam were said the allies. >> we took down saddam hussein. >> the major general was in charge of training iraqi troops in 2003 and 2004. >> this business of weapons of mass destruction was a complete construct beyonce dom's part, largely to keep -- of saddam hussein's part, largely to keep iranians in the foxholes. >> u.s. troops tied down in iraq and afghanistan. >> i think osama bin laden figures that he has won, because he has made a spends so much when he had to spend so little to the fight. >> back in 2004, bin laden made this video recording. all we have to do, he said, is send two mujahid

has made a resurgence and these people with the northern alliance, these leaders had heard that the united states was indirectly negotiating with pakistan and with karzai as the leader of afghanistan and indirectly with the taliban, basically if you just let us out next summer and not make a fuss, you can have the country. you guys can work it out. that's what the people of the northern alliance were hearing. and what i didn't know until we met with a number of those leaders, these are brave warriors. these are brave fighters. but they were concerned for themselves and more so for their families and for those who looked to them for leadership, because what i didn't know was that after they had defeated the taliban to help us, we demanded that they disarm. and basically, you can count on us, the taliban has been defeated, you can disarm now. it's the only way to peace and don't worry, the taliban won't be back. you defeated them. we'll make sure nothing bad happens. so they disarmed. and they said they really did. they trusted the united states. their ally. and now the taliban making this resurgence because milk crystal didn't get the so

northern ireland. and don't want to exaggerate anything or raising expectations. the cooperation between the government and military of afghanistan and pakistan has improved in recent times. that is the feedback we have had from both sides of the border. i have heard that from the head of the pakistan the armed forces. so there is an improvement taking place in those relations that. >> i want to ask about the overseas territories. you will be aware that the united kingdom has over 16 territory spanning the globe. 16 territories for whom we have responsibility, the people of which have shown tremendous loyalty to the crown over many, many years. i believe in recent years that felt disappointed and let down but the neglect of the government here in london. three points i would like to make. to tell us what the new government's position will be regard to the british overseas territories? will there be in your and more positive approach that will bring the territories closer to britain and make them feel british, because at the moment, many of them wonder why they remain under britain. if there are british overseas territories, why are they under

t there are tons examples that involved nearly 100 northern virginia who is had gotten training in pakistan. several of those individuals cooperated with the government. they all pled guilty tor something. between their corporation and the lesser charges to which they pled, their seanses ranged from a couple of years to maybe 10. where as the people who were convicted got more serious sentences. so it's not at all uncommon as in any other criminal activity. you can deal with a m.s. 13 gang. to get their cooperation and make the case. in my experience terrorism cases are no different. there's a wonderful example from the southern district of new york. there was one guy who testified and put into the witness security program. >> [inaudible] >> the question is if those who cooperate, please guilty do they go into the general population? it defense. they will often have a special administrative issued placed by the marshall and that. i also have several who are not. i think it depends on the individual person. >> i just want to make a quick comment on the difference in the federal judiciary tod