[ laughter ] and our thanks to jeff zeleny for that report. isis may soon buckle to iraqi forces after just over a week of fighting in and around tikrit. iraqi commanders say the key city could be liberated in just days. now ben wedeman saw the battle close up and filed this report near the front lines. we ve got to give a warning here some of his material you may find graphic. reporter: the leader has arrived at the front. he doesn t wear a uniform or hold an official rank but is perhaps the most powerful military leader in iraq. he heads the budid oregon and a predominantly shia paramilitary force that appears to be doing the lion s share of the fighting for tikrit. and he s confident his men can crush isis in iraq without the help of the u.s.-led coalition.