we extend our deepest condolences to those countries. the families of victims they represent and all of the people who lost loved ones on that plane. your presence here today, along with the dozens of other countries whose representatives will speak, gives even greater urgency to our calls for the dignified return of the victims and our pursuit of truth and justice. as we reflect on the immeasurable loss suffered by these families around the world, we are not only outraged at the attack itself, we are horrified and enraged by what has happened since. by the clear intention of some to obstruct an investigation into how the passenger and crew died. even after adopting this resolution, it is worth asking, if there really is consensus that this crime merits an immediate and impartial investigation, why did we still feel the need to meet today in
airline flight 17 had nothing to do with the conflict in eastern ukraine. they were families heading on vacation, students returning home from abroad. researchers trying to eradicate a deadly disease. those who were killed deserved to be treated with dignity and their families are crying out as we have heard, for closure. we condemn the actions of the separatists who control the site. indeed, almost everyone has condemned this grotesque behavior. but there is one party from which we have heard too little condemnation. and that is russia. russia has been outspoken on other matters. russian officials have publicly insinuated that ukraine was behind the crash. on friday, russia blamed ukrainian air traffic controllers for this attack, rather than condemning the criminals who shot down the plane. since then, russia has begun to blame ukraine for the attack itself, though the missile came from separatist territory that russia knows full well ukraine
talking about a much broader attack, much longer than we were just five days ago. and so the question of the attack itself, whatever that might be, and then the day after. are we able to secure the chemical weapons? reporter: i spoke with a prominent ohio lawmaker s office just a few moments ago. i m told feedback from constituents is 98% against, 2% in favor of military action. so that will be a tough sell for the administration in the coming hours ahead, bill. bill: thank you, mike. mike emanuel working the story on the hill for us. right now the numbers are not looking good for the white house. we ll break down in a moment who s a no, who s a yes and who is leaning one way or the other. we ll speak to ohio congressman bill johnson where he stands. remember he was one of the 81 who came back a week ago for a private briefing from the administration. he is back with us today. we ll talk to him about where he is and maybe where the house is and the rest of his colleagues on this, yea
that you re still going through the evidence but that you are planning on voting no. are you convinced that the order came from assad himself? is that something you need to know before you vote? well, that is one of the issues and i m not doubting that the assad administration either high up or even maybe assad himself ordered the attack. but the question really is, what next? we take action, what s that action going to be? and are we really unleashing the dogs of war and are they going to come back and bite us as they have in iraq? i think that there s real serious questions about the day after and in fact the news reports today that woe re talkig about a much broader and tack and longer than we were five days ago. so the question of the attack itself, whatever that might be, and then the day after, are we able to secure the chemical weapons? one should really carefully read general dempsey s letter to the senate of the foreign relations committee in july of this year
it seems to me like if you re looking for trying to connect the this crime to a motive or any sort of larger organization out there in the world, the laptop might be critically important. does it seem like an important break to you? it s not might be critical, it will be critical. the first question i would have as an intelligence professional is not just what these two guys did, one of whom is dead now. the question is, we cannot shut down this investigation until we determine whether these two spiders were in the middle of a spider web, and believe me, that investigation s going to take time. and a critical piece will be who they talked to, and there the laptop will be essential. in terms of the attack itself, as michael just made clear and as the affidavit makes clear today from the fbi, there s no accusation that these three people that were arrested today had any part in the planning of the event. does after the fact assistance to their friend, the suspect, indicate anything