To deal with the heightening crisis in ukraine . Were bringing you live team coverage. Crisis management on a global scale for the president. Good morning, welcome to early start. Im christine romans. And im john berman. A very busy morning. Pressure mounting for president obama to strike back against isis, Authorities Say it beheaded a second american tuesday. The blackhooded executioner hold, a direct message to the president moments before Steven Sotloff was brutally murdered. With your insistence in continuing in mosul despite our serious warnings, you, obama, for your actions just another american citizen. Meanwhile, the president has authorized the deployment of 350 more u. S. Troops to iraq with the white house insisting they will not be serving in a combat role. Anna coren monitoring developments for us live in erbil, northern iraq. Good morning, anna. Hey, john, obviously, the announcement of 350 more troops coming here to iraq is certain welcomed by the iraqis as well as the
Why he chose albania as his first stop. And welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Im natalie allen. A week after isis fighters threatened to kill alan hen any, people are pleading for his life. He was part of a volunteer Group Delivering relief supplies when he was abducted. The father of two was on his fourth trip to syria. In a message to isis his wife said, and we quote, alan is a peaceful, selfless man who left his family and his job as a taxi driver in the u. K. To drive in a convoy all the way to syria with his muslim colleagues, friends, to help those most in need. When he was taken, he was driving an ambulance full of food and water to be handed out to anyone in need. His purpose for being there was no more and no less. This was an act of sheer compassion. She goes on to say, i cannot see how it could assist any states cause to allow the world to see a man like alan die. I have been trying to communicate with the Islamic State and the People Holding
Deconfliction channel. Of course, the russians are backing those Syrian Regime forces. And they backed up for about two hours, but then those Syrian Forces, pro Regime Forces, came back, started bombing the u. S. Backed forces again, and essentially, the u. S. Shot down the plane. A statement from the Coalition Said the u. S. And the coalition are not looking to get into an escalation with the Syrian Regime, but they have pledged to collective selfdefense, and thats defending and protecting those syrianbacked forces as they go against isis. Their statement says theyre not looking to create an escalation of events, but should this be regarded as an escalation in military action . Reporter well, i certainly dont think the u. S. Is regarding it as an escalation. We havent seen anything since then. We have to wait and see what this Syrian Regime will do. We have to wait and see what the russians will do, whether this will lead to an escalation. I certainly dont think the u. S. Is looking t
Ground there. Two hours later they came back with an aircraft and started bombing the u. S. Backed Coalition Forces and the u. S. Shot down the plane. It said that u. S. Is not looking to get into an escalation, the Coalition Said with, the Syrian Regime. But they pledge to protect those Syrian Democratic forces that are going against isis in the area. So again, were learning that the syrian jet had initially dropped bombs and fighters who were working against the assad regime. Where does the coalitions mission against isis fit with the antiassad movement . Well, the u. S. Says it is not going against assad. It is going against isis and backing those pro Democratic Forces in the area. Of course, those Democratic Forces are against assad. But they are on the ground near raqqah going after isis. And so thats why the u. S. Said it needed to use its collective selfdefense to protect those Syrian Forces on the ground. It definitely does not want to get into an kaes lags with the Syrian Regi