islamic state is strong because of the civil war in syria. they have gained control of large parts of the country in the east towards the iraqi and the turkish border so it's a huge problem. it's a mixture of various influences of wrong policy making and government in iraq because the maliki government has miserably failed in integrating groups and tribes within iraq. >> how much support is there in the region for the u.s. and its military intervention? >> well, i think most countries are very happy. i think even iran will be very satisfied by this american strike against the islamic state and definitely the gulf states are also very happy because jordan and saudi arabia in particular are very worried that the onslaught of the islamic state movement might even push towards jordan and saudi arabia. there's quite a contradiction. the governments in those two mentioned countries are very much against the islamic state but very rich people in the gulf, they like to fund this organization because it's fighting the shiites because it's weakening ir

these are bodies of islamic state fighters, and islamic state propaganda shows them kicking heads of soldiers and pictures too gruesome to air. they have a level of uncertainty but surely a much bloody future and calling for the assad regime are between the forces of the islamic state group, al jazeera. >> we will join northern lebanon and for the region it's incredibly important and also significant about what's going on in syria because it can impact in any direction, that is a real worry for any of the authorities and governments in the region. >> reporter: yes, there is a sinking realization, realization thinking that the world cannot actually fight the is group in iraq if they don't fight them in syria. the presence are connected and it's going to be a factor if the group is not attacked inside syria as well. the trick is how do you fight inside syria. for a while the west and many regional countries were supporting the opposition groups inside syria to defeat president assad and now the government will hoping it will change and the world will have to operate in order to defeat

state, formerly known as the islamic state of iraq and the levant. now another outpost of the islamic state, the kurdish flag replaced by those of its own. when it fell to the i.s.i.l. in june two days ago he left the camp. >> we heard that the islamic state might come and storm the camp. it was in complete chaos with the peshmerga forces so i picked up my family and left. >> reporter: this was the only roof over their heads they could find. safest and most prosperous part of iraq, in this part of iraq apartments cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each but in the last couple of weeks, buildings like this have become the last refuge for those with nowhere else to go and an indication of how quickly things can fall apart. for some iraqis, things have been falling poord for apart fa while. he hasn't received proper medical care. >> translator: we went to the hospital. the doctor said i need to have my legs amputated. i said how will i survive afterwards? they just said, we need to cut them off. >> reporter: his family is shia, from iraq's ancient she

assessing a threat from the islamic state group. the obamacare white house reacts to the pentagon's take that it's worse than al qaeda before 9/11. >>> russia moves convoy trucks into eastern ukraine without permission. moscow insists the trucks are carrying aid, kyiv is not so sure and calls it an invasion. >>> in ferguson trying to get back to life as usual. >>> plus app developers want to help drivers find parking but there's a catch. prompting cities to put on the break. >>> and the fate of wild horses in wyoming. there are new allegations the federal government is now causing more harm than good. we begin this hour in washington where leaders weighing the threat of the islamic state group and how far the u.s. military should go to stop it. the group is responsible for the grizzly murder of american journalist james foley. in less than a year fighters have taken huge chunks of iraq and syria by force, trying to establish their own country. and warnings by the pentagon, over the strength of the islamic state, and the president's

a picture shows the flack of the he's lacki islamic state. his family was notified by the state department that he died over the weekend in syria. >> when i see him and here him speak, i didn't think that was really my cousin. that's why i said i felt like he mut must have lost his identify because all of this is not him. >> reporter: dozens have been recruited to fight for the islamic state. >> this is one of the greatest point we have at this time is they could return back to the united states and pose a threat. >> living in the west, i know the depression. >> he is not the first american killed in syria. in may the white house confirmed the death of an american who joined the al nusra front. president obama spoke about the growing threat that the islamic state poses saying that america doesn't federal court. it's reach is long and patient. >> it won't be easy and it won't be quick. but tyrants and murderers before him should recognize that that hateful vision is no match for the strings and hopes of people who stand together. it's the birt

hit islamic state militants. the u.s. is going to arm the iraqi kurds. but this is still a targeted mission says the pentagon. by there gripped immediacy of the crisis. we want to provide immediate relief for those that are suffering. >> the militants are well organized and well equipped. some of it is ironically american. which is why the kurds now say that they need u.s. military aid to defend themselves. this will help us to match that. ,f this had been done in syria it would not be what we are seeing in iraq. controlic fighters now rod swaths of northern iraq. then they move south to towns and are advancing east towards kurdish areas. today, islamic fighters reportedly seized the town. destroy then to iraqi christians and the ancient communities stranded on the barren slopes. but the biggest risk is the path that would flood the whole regions. and taking the kurdish capital, a key ally in u.s. security operations and the biggest danger of all is that they could claim control of the country's capital. but at t

war flames have recently attacked islamic state fighters in islamic iraq. syria says all efforts must be coordinated by the syrian government. >> translator: syria is ready to couldn't and coordinate on regional and international levels to fight terrorism to implement the resolution of the u.n. security council. in the framework of respecting the sovereignty and the independence of syria. taken in to consideration that the syrian government is representing syrian is off at this. any effort to combat terrorism should be coordinated with the syrian government. >> the islamic state group has been fighting not only syrian government force buzz rebel groupings who are opposed to president assad. the islamic state controls parts of syria, including the cities of raqqa and it says it controls the whole of raqqa province. the director of the center for middle east studies at the university of oklahoma. he says the u.s. felt en tight toll get involved partly because of the recent killing of the journalist james foalism but he adds the president must be clear about w

american-made vehicles commandeered by the islamic state. the road lined by twisted metal and charred fields. the air strikes cleared the way for kurdish force and iraqish troops to retake the dam. it was a small number of special forces fighting under kurdish command. unprecedented cooperation. leaving the mosul dam. these men ignored the 5,000 troops said they alone were the reason it was retaken. >> translation: we liberated it all. nobody else came with us. >> on the dam weary kurdish fighters had not stepped for days. this is like no conflict they have ever seen. >> translation: when we entered this we expected conflict and war. this is completely different. in a conventional war you go the frontline and fight accordingly. this is different. they have to respect for families, homes or children. they fight like terrorists, booby trapping houses and roads without caring for civilian life. >> reporter: iraqi explosive experts diffused more than 150 bombs. although the dam is taken, the fighting is not over. fighting continues west of mere.

is the islamic state? >> it's hard to say. there has been rhetoric that they may be in the united states already. i don't know if it's true tore not. we know that one of the things that abu bakr al-baghdadi said when he was released from u.s. detention in iraq, he said to his american captors, see you guys in new york. they had been clear they want to bring the fight to the west, home to our home. so, yes, it is a danger, and that is something, especially with american citizens that are over there in an undetermined number, the ability of those individuals to come back further radicalized with a desire to do damage to the homeland is something that the u.s. intelligence community and the law enforcement community takes seriously. >> there's a rivalry, if you will, with al qaeda, almost saying we are going to do what you haven't since 9/11. >> again. al qaeda kicked these guys out. they were a little too brutal for even al qaeda. there has been a little one-up-manship. i.s.i.s. has the upper hand. they are

these are the bodies of islamic state fighters. men were shape kicking heads of shoulders, pictures too gruesome to air. syria entered another level of uncertainty, but surely a bloodier future. syrian rebels calling for international support against the bashar al-assad regime are squeezed between government forces and the islamic state group. >> the u.s. says an rick yoi government if it is to succeed needs to unite all sanctions. they have welcomed haider al-abadi, who is reaching out to sunnis as he forms a new government. let's get more from the kurdish north of the country, looking ahead, we are expecting the prime minister designate to address the press core and his interview, or his statement live on iraqi television. he has a lot to discussion beside forming a government. >> well, he does, but what we are looking for is some sign as to how close he is to form the government. we have spoken to political leaders. they believe whilst he is under pressure to come up with the new government in less than two weeks, they are not t

and islamic state is considered a primaries thread by the u.s. and apparently dangerous enough for washington to join sides with former anime's according to media reports america has been giving intelligence to syria bob dylan cation of islamic state militants that are operating in a war torn country and that's despite the west publicly dismissing the possibility of joining forces with damascus political analyst mark macaulay thinks eventually the west will have to talk to syria's president assad. iraq is one game. and should. later they'll have to take on the us in syria so therefore what is there and do do they actually unite with assad a gauge the us in syria or do they fight against assad and the i.o.c. and syria sooner or later they'll have to come to some agreement because assad is really on their side he's opposed to islamic state. america is opposed to islamic state brittany's posed with the state so therefore it seems sooner or later they'll be some kind of agreement that assad is in fact not or anyway it's our he's our friend because th

for the islamic state. and they have the reports, some still need to be verified. the higher level of brutality than exercised in the minority areas in the past few weeks. at the beginning they went and they controlled these areas, then they pushed the christians out who were given three choices either convert to islam, pay tax or be killed. in the case of the yzaidis they were even more brutal. they were not given the options of paying taxes. they identify and they killed a number of them. >> president obama's humanitarian campaign a welcome development for the yzaidis. >>> afghanistan's rifle presidential candidate agreed to an initial unity government deal. auditors are rechecking votes from june's run off to see who will be president. they accuse each other of committing fraud. the united states needs the issue resolved so the security deal can be signed by the end of the year. >>> after a week of fighting with syrian levels the battle for the border town is the worst spill over from syria's three-year

the islamic state is not making the task easy. we see explosions from within the towns they controlled. they have been leaving besides bombs. an objective of the military operation is to recapture the mosul dam, the largest in iraq from the islamic state group. it is a strategic installation providing water and electricity for surrounding areas. there's many front lines in the war. >> the peshmerga advanced on more than one front. we are just 30km from the city center of mosul. the strong hold of the islamic state group. >> in this region, east of mosul, the peshmerga recaptured three towns. one of them is here. this is evidence of the fight. peshmerga fighters managed to shoot one of the vehicles belonging to the islamic state group. but we were not able to enter the area, because the peshmerga are conducting clearing operations. it is one of three christian towns they regain control of since the operation on sunday. commanders are confident, but it may be too early to declare victory. they are hoping the people of the towns will

state of iraq and the levant and then the islamic state. and new islamic nation. some say baghdadi is more feared and more powerful than osama bashar al-assad ever was. >> he found his moment i think when syria opened up. he rebuilt and regrouped and he obviously is extremely calculating, i think, he has both the -- not only the vision, but the political leadership. >> reporter: and he has the money. reportedly raking in $12 million a month funding his organization through extortion and robbery. morgan radford. al jazeera, new york. >> the former ambassador to iraq, christopher hill talked about the kind of threat these fighters formed to the entire region. >> what we have found is that i.s.i.s. continues the confound the experts in that it's proven to be a very effective fighting force and even there are signs it was able to push back the peshmerga a few days. that seems to be changing, u.s. air forces have been decisive in that regard but peshmerga are very well trained highly disciplined and well led force and i think as they begin to ge

fighters for the islamic state. they have the reports of the yazidi, some still need to be verified, a higher level of brutality than exercised in the minority areas in the past few weeks. in the beginning they went and controlled these areas, then they started to push those who were given free choices to convert to islam or be killed. and in the case of the yazidi it has gotten more brutal. they have killed quite a number of them. >> what is the long-term solution. let's assume that united states and british aircraft were able to bring supplies and they were able to break the siege at mount sinjar. do you see it going in any direction? >> obviously the situation we see today is the symptom of a larger problem, which is struggle about the power sharing in iraq and the government not able to provide security and the political division paralyzing the institutions of the state and basically alienating communities and reducing almost lack of cooperation between us and the kurds and the iraqi government because they feel

lamb uk state group -- islamic state group. the kurdish forces are not fighting alone. the u.s. air force is covering the advance from the skies much the islamic state is not making the ask ease si. we can see explosions from within the towns they control. they have been leaving behind bombs on the side of the road when they retreat. an objective is to recapture the missual dam, the large rs in iraq, from the islamic state group. it is a strategic installation that provide water and electricity to surrounding areas. there are many front lines in the war. >> the peshmerga has advanced on more than one front. we are just 30km from the city center of the mosul, the strong hold of the islamic state group. in this region east of mosul, the peshmerga recaptured three town. this is one of them, and this is evidence of the fight. peshmerga fighters managed to shoot one of the vehicles belonging to the islamic state group. we were not able to enter the area because the peshmerga are conducting clearing operations. it is one of three christian towns that they regained control of since the

we care about the islamic state. and he's right, it is an extension threat, this is why the united states is involved and it will continue to be involved regardless of what happens. >> thanks so much. that's all the time we have today. that's the end of "inside story." i'm libby casey inside washington. iraq's prime minister orders the counts security forces to stay out of the political crisis, following international backing for his challenger. hello again from doha, i'm kimal santa maria. this is the world news from al jazeera. human rights watch criticized egypt post-morsi crack down. >>> accessing direct damage, but peace talks

they are not an islamic state. they are an unjust state in iraq and syria. >> the islamic state group already controls large areas in the east of syria all the way to the iraqi border. they have been moving freely between the two countries. syrian rebels from the islamic front are struggling to hold on to the aleppo countryside. losing this region means losing a main supply line from turkey. for years, the syrian opposition has appealed for military assistance from the international community. on saturday, they renewed that appeal and called for direct military action. >> i urge the u.n. and everyone in the international community who truly believe in freedom, especially the united states of america, to deal with the sir in syria in the same way they have handled the situation in ku kurdistan and iraq. the roots are the same in syria. the enemy is the same. the world should not have double standards. >> in iraq, the u.s. is carrying out airstrikes against the islam staikt grew. the pentagon says its mission is limi

on their side he's opposed to islamic state. america is opposed to islamic state britains posed with the state so therefore it seems sooner or later they'll be some kind of agreement that assad is in fact not or anyway it's our he's our friend because the enemy of our enemy is our friend. islamic state militants are planning to expand their domain far beyond iraq and syria into the asian police have been put on alert after the jihad has threatened to strike the world's largest buddhist temple our website has a full story. and. tens of thousands of new jobs fully renewable energy and free higher education this is the ambitious platform of a new party in new zealand founded by came dot com and a tourist activist dubbed by supporters as the country's newest superhero had to r.t. dot com for more details. now the u.s. has invited a british security company g four asked to run the tour is going tobe a prison in cuba striking a deal worth more than one hundred million dollars but critics say the reputation of the world's largest secur

airstrikes against the islamic state in erbil in iraq. shooting at artillery targets. the group wants to start an islamic state in the middle east. and they have already taken over large parts of iraq and syria. u.s. secretary of state, john kerry, said that they are showing all of the warning signs of genocide. >> now with a gut-wrenching humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes and the roles of the starving and the sick growing daily. and the potential for further executions, cold-blooded executions taking place, because people are in the minority, suffering for safety, because of that, the united states, with president obama's decision, has made its decision that it must save these lives, and the world needs to join us in the condemnation o of isil's action. >> we have a conversation in washington d.c., and speaking to her in a moment. but first, let's go to northern iraq and speak with jane. can you give us an update of what's happening in erbil? >> reporter: well, we're told by kurdish officials that those airstrikes, confirmed

the new name islamic state. it's new name reflects to include all muslims and t and caliphate of islam. >> these recruiting videos are intended for those from the west. >> the group remains primarily composed of iraqis and syrians. the islamic state has roots with al-qaeda and iraq and it's original leader. nicknamed the sheik of the slaughters. he has reportedly beheaded it's western captives. it has turned into a region all too familiar with violence. has released videos of mass execution as well as the beheading video of james foley. >> i expect that the foley beheading will be an effect of it recruiting tool. >> it's a group that wants to show that it is paying attention to what is said about them. ollivant was featured. >> they're extremely sophisticated. with a isis did was to take our words and use it to their potential followers and say look, these western analysts take us very seriously. >> reporter: it's an effort described by some world leaders as a direct threat to the west. al jazeera. >> take a dee

military helps kurdish forces retake areas captured by islamic state fighters. almost two months after the murder of three settler teenage e the israeli -- teenagersers the israeli military demollishes the homes of the suspected killers. >>> and brazil pays its respect to a presidential candidate killed in a plane crash. >>> hello. police are trying to clear protesters from the streets of ferguson, a town that has become a flashpoint of racial tension in america. a curfew has cop into effect -- come into effect following violence scenes and a crackdown in the last few hours. protests were sparked after a white police officer shot and killed a black teenager. michael brown was shot six times. rob reynolds is in ferguson. >> there's a whiff of tear gas. police helicopters are overhead. behind me is the lights of a detachment of police. a short while ago protesters marched on the street towards a group of police in this direction behind me. what happened then is not clear. the st louis city police put out the word that a molotov cocktail was thrown to the police li

>> you mean unislamic state state. nothing about the islamic state state is islamic. it is not something i believe in personally, very concerning to us. but the question is, i don't have the solution. what do we do with a group like i.s.i.s? people are talking military intervention. how do we target this group, how do we eradicate them? we watched what we've done, in the middle east, i think i.s.i.s. is a product of some of the you know unfortunate maybe mistakes or mishaps of what military intervention can do is sometimes breed worst groups than the groups we went in to target same place. >> linda sarsur, good to have you on the program. >> thank you very much. >> this is another peaceful night in ferguson, missouri, there is hope the calm will prevail. preparations are made for michael brown's funeral, being held on monday. sparking a week of protests and unrest. the contradictory accounts of what happened when michael brown was shot, have prompted police to aware cameras. randall pinkston has the report. >> reporter: this video shows the scene of the shooting after

america considers expanding operations against islamic state militants. is it time to take them on in syria? >> they're beyond just a terrorist group. they marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowl es. this is beyond anything we've seen. >>> after the kremlin called intolerable delays on the boarder in ukraine. >>> five weeks after the downs of mh 17, malaysia brings home its victims. >>> and the vacuum with too much suction power. why authorities are pulling the plu plug. >>> hello. thanks for joining us. the united states warned the threat from islamic state militants is the most dangerous it's seen in years. efforts to defeat them will need to extend to syria, the heart of the base. chuck hagueel has described it imminent and beyond anything we've seen. the u.s. army has said efforts to defeat the group would have to extend into syria describing the border between the two as essentially non existent. >> how should america and allies tack ale the islamic state? during recent months, militants have been gaining ground in s

united states struck to protect 198 that thehe islamic state had taken in mosul . the islamic state turned around and went back towards trucker. -- towardsthe car drew car -- drukar. if you're going to defeat the state, it is going to have to come on the ground. -- that ise to come not something people are talking about. there is a belief in the silver bullet of aerial strikes. sounds like the americans are doing something, but it is not strategically useful in the long run. john mccain appeared on fox news and criticized president isis for not responding to more forcefully. >> they have obliterated the boundary between iraq and syria. are going to need more boots on the ground. that does not mean combat troops. rather than the incrementalism needwe are practicing, we a comprehensive strategy that can be explained to the american people, which is designed to defeat isis wherever they are. it is interesting that he talked about boots on the ground. going to wear those boots? american troops have tried to defeat the ancestors of the islamic state, which was al qaeda

against islamic state. but i.s. won't be beaten without much more fire power. political as well as military. it won't be hurt badly while it still has a power base in northern syria. and that is why there's talk of doing a deal with president assad. >> i think on practical grounds, we have to possibly consider taking a deep breath and holding our nose and saying that it would seem to us now that the extremely vicious and evil nature of islamic state and its objectives are actually worse than what assad has been doing. and it may be one of those situations in history where my enemy's enemy becomes my friend. >> but the west's main so far failed strategy for ending the syrian war includes the departure of president assad. britain says it won't change its mind about him. >> i've said very often that one of the first things you learn in the middle east is that my enemy's enemy is not necessarily my friend. we may very well find that we're aligned against a common enemy, but that doesn't make us friends with som

. >> reporter: putting the islamic state group on notice as reports surface the united states is now preparing to send spy flights over syria. ♪ we begin with breaking news coming out of gaza where there are celebrations in the streets. after 50 days and more than 2000 deaths on both sides there is now hope for peace in the region. both hamas and israel say they have agreed to a long-term ceasefire, andrew similar monday is in gaza. >> the sky behind me has been certainly moved in essence by the iron dome weapon, the israelis use to counter rockets, at least three rockets have been fired and used to intercept them. we have had a lot of military activity intensifying over tuesday. at least half a dozen palestinian deaths. there has been a lot of mortar fire across the border into israel from the palestinian factions, at least 100 rockets fired. now whether this is just part of the patent there has been ten ceasefires so far. there is, in fact, more hope here or not, it would appear there is more hope because it would see that this time there is an agreement to stick to the script. t

state fighters, what happens to the islamic state group, do they retreat? if so, where? >> reporter: it would mean that the islamic state group would have lost territory in the east of mosul pro since but not the city. that's their stronghold. we're in the far. we're 30 kilometers from the city center. this area is in the hands of the peshmerga. hwe understand from the commander that they want to retake christian towns. the christians abandoned their homes when there was advancingment of the islamic state group. they said we can't do this alone. we need the cooperation of the iraqi government. what is happen something these airstrikes, and the advance on the ground is just weakening the group. it is not defeating the group. they control urban major centers in the sunni heartland, and unless there is a broad based government where all of iraqi's political parties and communities feel they are represented then it will be very hard to see how there will be an coordinated attacks to defeat the islamic state group. >> dana thank you. now israeli and palestinian

slavery." >> the islamic state has now killed an american. does this take the battle against the islamic state to an entirely new level? >> at the very least, it certainly does add a new quality to the debate about the islamic state. until now, there has been discussion in the u.s. about whether the islamic state is a direct threat to the united states, or only an indirect one to the kind of chaos that can stoke in the middle east. now there is a dramatic verification of that threat. just another -- for critics of barack obama, is just another reason why he should ramp up airstrikes. john mccain repeating that today. but it should be added that john mccain was making the same arguments yesterday, before the incident. >> you mentioned air strikes, but that is the problem. how can the i.s. be defeated if the u.s. is unwilling to go through with ground troops? what can it really accomplish? >> the point is that barack obama has never said that it is his objective to destroy the islamic state. rather, he repeatedly says that the united states can

defeatat will it take to the islamic state now? we're on front lines with iraqi forces who are in the thick of battle. and calling it a miraculous day. his colleagueand infected with ebola are released from hospital and declared free virus. welcome to our viewers on public television in america and around the globe. the u.s. defense secretary the threat posed by the islamic state as beyond anything we have seen. he was speaking as details emerge about the murder of american journalist james foley by militants. we begin with this report from the bbc's international correspondent. hunt is on for the man who murdered james foley. every detail of the gruesome of his killing will be scoured for clues, with the mi-5 and others leading the search. james foley was an experienced front-line reporter. this is some of the footage he shot. he'd worked in libya, iraq and syria. he captured wasn't just the heat of battle, but those humanity as often run through the most hostile of environments. children anden and makeshift bomb shelters. james f

they are not an islamic state. they are an unjust state in iraq and syria. >> the islamic state group already controls large areas in the east of syria, all the way to the iraqi border. they have been moving freely between the two countries. syrian rebels from the islamic front are struggling to hold on to the aleppo country side, losing this region means losing a main supply line from turkey. for years, the syrian opposition has appealed for military assistance from the international community. on saturday, they renewed that appeal and called for direct military, calling for targeted airstrikes, backed up by intensive train and equip programs. in iraq, the u.s. is already caring out airstrikes against the itslamic straight group but the pent pe penned gone says at this mission is limited to defending the kurdish region. a third of iraq is ubldz the control of the islamic state group. the international community has expressed alarm about the growing strengths. but so far, there is no plan to defeat that group. the

now fallen to islamic state fighters. at risk are also oil fields which had been protected by iraqi security forces and then the peshmerga. now within territory held by the radical group. mosul a center of power for islamic state fighters is just 60 kilometers from here. the city of erbil is the kurdish capitol, an economic hub. propping up kurdish security forces will be a much longer mission. jane arath, al jazeera, erbil. >> huge population movements in iraq much of it driven by internal sectarian violence. as the group called islamic state moved into iraq this year the situation became suddenly and dramatically worse. over the last two months, the group's fighters have consolidated their gains in iraq's north and pushed into kurdish territory sending christians and other minorities fleeing. close to 200,000 people have been displaced in areas around mosul erbil and kirkuk. former news editor for the baghdad bureau of the new york times. good to see you. >> thank you, good to see you. >> how would you describe the chan

lou: for the folks joining the islamic state of iraq or the islamic states of iraq and syria, but they are coming from 80 nations by the account of our intelligent saugh:dash intelligence sources. looking at the fighters so this is becoming just does secretary hazel said the likes of which we have not seen before? >> is a manifestation it would be wrapped here in the middle east but it has already not only drawn people from all over theworld ba affiliate's have announced their allegiance to what the administration finally calls for al qaeda and the estimates keep changing and i know the part number but i heard 2,000 or more of the fighters that the islamic states now has as legitimate passport so they have their own passports they can come back without much year of being detected since they have legitimate travel documents to be a real terrorist threat very quickly i know the can has metastasized but it is still growing and so is the threats. lou: the you had the administration that says so are they align to this is reaching when the president calls isis the jayvee team the fact of the

saiislamic state of iraq and the levant anding islamic state. some say baghdadi is more fearful and more tough than osama bin laden ever was. >> he is extremely calculating. i think he has both not only the vision but the political leadership. >> reporter: and he has the money. reportedly raking in $12 million a monday fund -- a month funding his organization through extortion and robbery. morgan radford, al jazeera, new york. >>> christopher hill talked about the kind of threat these fighters have posed to the entire region. >> what we have seen is i.s.i.s. continues to confound the experts in that it has proved to be a very effective fighting force and even signs that it was able to push back the peshmerga for a few days. that seems to be changing and u.s. air rates are decisive but the peshmerga is a highly dmind welhighlydisciplined force, andy get more weapons, there will be a difference. whether these sunni arabs are able to push out this i.s.i.s. extreme sunni organization. i think in the long run what you have to see long run, few weeks,

can they do more to stop the islamic state? that could mean anything from more air strikes to more intelligence and special forces and what to do about syria? >> so chuck hagel's concern certainly got a lot of people's attention yesterday. we seem to be hearing a lot of syria from the obama administration. what are they saying about u.s. military involvement there? >> officials say the border between iraq and syria is really just a line on a map at this point. however, president obama has authorized air strikes in iraq, not in syria, and that is a distinction. the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff talked yesterday about what could or may not come next. >> it requires a variety of instruments, only one small part of which is air strikes. i'm not predicting those will occur in syria, at least not by the united states. but it requires all of the tools of national power. diplomatic, economic, information, military. >> you hear the top general in the u.s., the chairman of the joints chiefs of staff laying out what it may take to

it was seized by the islamic state group this month. iraqi security officials said kurdish fighters began the offensive to reclaim the dam on sunday. the u.s. conducted 14 strikes near the dam this morning. the u.s. began launching air vicks against the islamic state more than a week ago in attempts to stop the vans in the north. we have more from mosul. >> the peshmerga are on the offensive. they are in battle with the islamic state group. the kurdish forces are not nighting alone. the u.s. air force is dovering their vans from the skies. but the islamic state group is not making their ask easy. we can see explosions from within the towns they control. they have been leaving behind bombs on the side of the road as they retreat. one of the objectives of this military operation is to recapture the mosul dam. the largest in iraq, from the islamic state group which controls a third of the country. it is a strategic installation providing water and electricity to surrounding areas. there are many front lines in the war. the peshmerga advanc

the islamic state stronghold instead of erbil. >> the islamic state group allowed them to go inside their territories. >> many people on both sides of the divide still has not returned home and there is growing anti-arab sentiment. >> kurdish troops were shot and killed before the islamic state group advance in town. some arabs inside the town help them. >> reporter: i.s. said other sunni pushed them to take land that they believe is rightfully there. there is animosity between the sunni arabs and kurds that have now resurfaced. >> several hours into a truce, and both israel and palestinians are claiming victory. there is skepticism on both side. >> reporter: a shopping mall near jerusalem. it's the summer holidays, but business is slow. the few tourists we met were either jewish for enemy who like adventure. >> i believe this is a safe part of the world despite what is happening, and we brought our family to show people that we're with them. >> i'm not afraid because i love to travel. >> these visiters bring in vital foreign currency. confidence among tourists and investors is coat

that islamic state fills. what do you make of that, do you believe the united states could have done anything differently? say two years ago in the midst of the civil war to try to keep the state from gaining the ground and support that it now has? >> well, for over the past 2 1/2 years, we have works as i understand it, in syria, to build a government of so called moderates. and that search for the moderate leadership, that can command a significant following has not been a success. could we have done something in terms of military using our military well? it might be that using it in for instance last fall, in retaliation for the use of chemical weapons by the regime, if we had hit the syrian airfields that might have equaled or evened out the regime, and it's rebel opponents. but the search for a moderate leadership has been a very illusive affair, we have not succeeded nor have they as syrians succeeded in pulling together to present an alternative to the regime, in miscues. >> richard murphy, former u.s.

islamic state fighters are far from defeated. they maintain their hold on the country's largest dam and the city of mosul. can curtish fighters stop their advance. we take a closer look. >> reporter: the fathers of these peshmerga forces fought from the mountains for decades to get rid of saddam hussein. former fighters and volunteers are reinforcing the kurdish peshmerga to hold on to the gains they have made. it has not been enough. u.s. air strikes launched after the overwhelmed peshmerga withdraw are meant to stop the advance of the islamic state. and help the kurdish forces stand up against a better known enemy, known by some as i.s.i.s. >> they have acquired huge amounts of modern weapons, munitions, tags. armoured humvees, long-range artillery pieces. you name it. there was no comparison between the fire power of i.s.i.s., and the peshmerga forces. yes, there has been some alreadieses by the pesh -- reverses by the peshmergas. some withdrawal of certain parts. pesh this is not a tactical war. >> reporter: this conflict is

but the islamic state group is not making their task easy. we can see explosions from within the towns they control. they have also been leaving behind bombs on the side of the road as they retreat. one of the objectives of this military operation is to recapture the mosel dam, the largest in iraq from the islamic state group which controls one-third of the country. it's a strategic installation that provides water and electricity to surrounding areas. there are many front lines in this war. they advanced on more than one front. we are just 30 kilometers from the city center of mosel, the stronghold of the islamic state group. in this region east of mosel the kurdish recaptured three towns, one of them is here. this is evident of the fight. kurdish fighters managed to shoot one of the vehicles belonging to the islamic state group but we were not able to enter here because they are conducting clearing operations. it is one of three christian towns they regained control of since the operation began early on sunday and commanders are confident b

these are the bodies of islamic state fighters. it shows men kicking heads of slain soldiers, pictures too gruesome to air. syria has entered near era of uncertainty. those calling for international support against the bashar al-assad are squeezed between government forces and the islamic state group. >>> let's look at what is happening in gaza, israel warned palestinians to leave buildings used by hamas as it steps up air tryings. this video shows a strike that happens overnight. 16 palestinians were killed on sunday. including a hamas official. dozens of rockets have been fired. >> israel's prime minister binyamin netanyahu warned that the intensive will continue until their aims are achieved. there is lit of of a vast central shopping district left. this district is bombarded by the israeli military. the area housed many small shops, dozens of businesses destroyed. >> it's an attack on the palestinian economy. it's an attack on the people relying on this place. this is a civilian area. there's no fighters, no rockets, nothing of

they are not an islamic state. they are an unjust state in iraq and syria. >> the islamic state controls larger areas in the east of syria, all the way to the iraqi border. they have been moving freely between the two countries. syrian rebels are struggling to hold on to the country side. for years the syrian opposition appealed for military opposition. on saturday they renewed the appeal, calling for action. >> i urge the u.n. and everyone in the international community who believes in freedom. to deal with the situation in syria, the same way they handled the situation in kurdistan and iraq. the root of the conflict was in syria. the enemy was the same, and the world does not have double standards. into in iraq the u.s. is carrying out air strikes against the islamic state group. the pentagon says the mission is limited to protecting minorities and protecting the kurdish region. >> a third of iraq is under the islamic state group. the international community expressed alarm about the group. there's no plans to de

one that allowed the islamic state to create its own state. these people are caught in the middle of a conflict. they don't support the shia-led government in baghdad. many say the islamic state group doesn't represent them. it is one of many sunni groups fighting the government. tribal elders say as long as the iraq sunni don't have power, they will remain powerful. >> translation: they sympathise with the islamic state group. we used to have positions in government, now we are in prison. >> reporter: subdivisions are growing, the state is weak. the islamic state group and those linked with the government seem to be the authorities on the ground. >> kurds have long felt immune from the violence in iraq. this bombing is a message that there is no front line. the worst fear is that these bombings occur. it will be difficult, no matter what security measures will be put on the ground. it's hard to stop the explosions. we have seen that. look at the situation in baghdad. the situation deteriorating and the need is more urgent for all of iraq's po

lou: for the folks joining the islamic state of iraq or the islamic states of iraq and syria, but they are coming from 80 nations by the account of our intelligent saugh:dash intelligence sources. looking at the fighters so this is becoming just does secretary hazel said the likes of which we have not seen before? >> is a manifestation it would be wrapped here in the middle east but it has already not only drawn people from all over the world but al qaeda affiliate's have announced their allegiance to what the administration finally calls for al qaeda and the estimates keep changing and i know the part number but i heard 2,000 or more of the fighters that the islamic states now has as legitimate passport so they have their own passports they can come back without much year of being detected since they have legitimate travel documents to be a real terrorist threat very quickly i know the can has metastasized but it is still growing and so is the threats. lou: the you had the administration that says so are they align to this is reaching when the president calls isis the jayvee team the

they are trying to force out islamic state fighters. u.s. air strikes help them take the mosul dam earlier this week and we are on the front line where the kurdish are battling those islamic state fighters. the battle has been intense for both sides. >> reporter: there are many front lines in northern iraq. we have to remember the kurds are at war with the islamic state group. they share a 1,000 kilometer border. and this front is particularly strategic. why? it is one of several gateways to irbil, the capitol of the semi kurdish region in the north. to talk more about the fight we are joined by the commander ali, sir, how difficult has it been holding this territory? >> i don't think it is too difficult to protect our territory, but i think when we are fighting the forces we need some heavy work on this to fighting them because they control it more than a lot of the heavy in iraq and we don't have like them especially like artillery, like armor and mortar and we need these to fight them. >> reporter: what kind of force the islamic state gro

more than 6,000 joined the islamic state. the incentives a salary of 450, money for children and for the wives. >> douglas mccain was an aspiring rapper, active on social media he was hinting about what was to com, including posting an image of the islamic state group. the signs were there. >> now to an expert on middle east erp terrorism and director of human rites research at the university of dayton. and joins us from dayton. what makes a young man want to leave the country and move to iraq and syria and join groups like the islamic state. >> a sense of identity, a sense of purpose in one life. a sense of belonging to a community, fellow believers. the ideological pull is enormous, potent. islam, for people who are searching for a purpose in their life, may not have opportunities. this is a potent psychological motivation for them to go abroad if they believe the rel imon calls them to fight. >> a lot of people would say "join the peace core. why join a group that, let's be realistics, is massacring, beheading people every