we are live from the nation s capitol, starting right now. we have breaking news from syria. embattled president assad making a rare public appearance today, hours after the last united nations observers were forced to pull out of the war-torn country, as reports surface of more bodies found near the capitol of damascus. steve? reporter: slanon, this is the first time we have seen president osaud in a public appearance in more than a month, his first appearance since four top security aides, including his defense minister and brother-in-law were blown up in damascus. the appearance was in damascus. rebels are saying it is vice-president has defected. the state is denying any defection. the fighting continues in
reporter: none coming from this defector so far although he says essentially i think that president assad has used chemical weapons on his own people in the town of homs he says he s sure president assad will use them in the future. this is a defector. keep in mind, a defector making these kinds of statements gives himself a very large soapbox. the former ambassador gave an interview and his credibility was called into question. the one thing not in question is that the violence is increasing especially in the syrian capitol of damascus. according to the defector president assad is feeling like a quote, wounded wolf after seeing these kind of clashes, just so close to his own presidential palace, in fact the clashes closed the road to the airport from damascus. he feels as the noose tightens
situation. is there any evidence that chemical weapons have already been use ne used in this conflict? reporter: none so far, martha, coming from this defector who is the former syria ambassador toee rab. essentially he s saying i think the regime has used chemical weapons and they will use them in the future. in a current interview he has given to the bbc it certainly calls into question his credibility. it s important to understand that making these kind of accusations give a defect era very large soapbox. the other thing he said which was critical is about the video you re watching now, amateur video coming out of the capitol of damascus. he says the new fighting inside damascus which is the most intense that we have seen so far will make president bashar al-assad act, quote like a wounded wolf, and that they say is when president south dakota will break out his chemical
overall the green card system. jamie: a lot of folks getting to meet senator rubio as well. thank you so much. governor romney saying the president is pan tkerg t panderig to latino. we will have a fox news debate on that. bill: they are demanding the country of jordan return the airplane this a pilot through in from syria. greg palkot is live in damascus where fairly journalists are allowed to enter and report. greg, what is happening today? reporter: bill, we have spent our first few hours on the ground here trying to get a sense what this months long conflict is doing to the country. it is hitting home right here in the capitol of damascus. there was an antigovernment protest not far from where we were standing and small arms fire in a suburb not far from
great shock to the regime of assad coming as it did in the tightly controlled capitol of damascus itself. three gunmen mowed down the big dear general, according to state media and a doctor and the chief of a military hospital. the government limits foreign media access inside the country. comes 24 hours after emergency installations were state media saying that. state guns were used by forces again today in the opposition s focal point, activist there is say as many as 15 people died. the crisis has been felt right here where we are in neighboring lebanon. the city of tripoli, a gun fight on friday broke out between pro opposition supporters and muslims from the same sect of the regime.