Bananas from a devastating disease. But first, to the turmoil in iraq, and leaders in the region are reacting to baghdads request for an air strike against sunni fighters. Turkeys Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warns that it could cause a high number of civilian casualties. No decision op air strikes has been made. On the ground in iraq, one of the major battles is waged for control of a large oil refinery. There was a truce in order to allow hundreds of workers to get out. Hundreds of volunteers are signing up to fight. On the rebel side the barth party issued a statement calling the iraqi Prime Minister treacherous, promising that it would protect the rights of iraqis. That follows a chorus echoing that Nouri Almaliki should resign. The government in saudi arabia denies this its funding the sunni rebels. Hoda abdelhamid has the latest. We heard about the fighting of bargee. Is that the focus the government, militarily anyway . Well, there are several focuses of the government at
Democratic republic of congo. It is still unclear how washington will respond to iraqs request for air strikes against sunni rebels. There is increasing pressure on Prime Minister Nouri Almaliki to resign to help unify the country. Meanwhile, the iraqi army has taken back control of the countrys Biggest Oil Refinery a report with the latest. Reporter fighters from the Islamic State in iraq and the levant are heading towards baghdad. Other sunni groups link today the former leader Sadam Hussein are also taking part in this rebellions against the government. Iraqi authorities are asking the United States to help push them back. What the United States is doing is about iraq. It is not about maliki. And nothing that the president decides to do is going to be focused specifically on Prime Minister maliki. It is focused on the people of iraq. Reporter washington hasnt ruled out air strikes, but so far, it has been reluctant. It is not just because of domestic politics or the lack of intellig
President obama met with congressional leaders to discuss the crisis in iraq hours after iraq asked for assistance. Iraqi has officially asked for the help of the United States. According to the strategic Framework Agreement between iraq and the United States to help in the air raids against the strategic targets for such groups in order to break the psychological situation that exists and to help the Iraqi Military forces to eliminate the danger of these groups positioning themselves and hunkering down and start defeating them. This comes as the islamic stathes Islamic State in iraq and the levant attacked iraqs refinery today. Al jazeeras omar osa la with more on todays refinery attack. I spoke with one person who works at the refinery, and basically at noon this day the staff was at the refinery and were asked to leave. The fighters of Islamic State in iraq and the levant as well as other fighters are controlling the refinery. Officials around the refinery said 75 of the refinery, i
First round and impressing everybody. So president obama, layed out today how the u. Will respond to the crisis in iraq. The troops will not return to combat, but he did not rule out air strikes against the Islamic State of iraq. Going forward we will be prepared to take targeted and precise military action, if and when we determine that the situation on the ground requires it. If we do, i will consult with congress, and in iraq, and in the region. Joins us live from the white house, the president says he intends to support Iraqi Security forces but he is drawing a very clear line here. If you look at what happened last friday, potential air strikes over the skies of iraq, and against those forces and today and see how far he has come, it is clear, tony that the president is further away now from a decision to launch those air strikes than he was when this first began unfolding just last week. A Senior Administration official on a background call with reporters not long ago, said we ar
President obama will meet with lawmakers to discuss the crisis in iraq, but already lawmakers are a at a difference how to respond. This syria, iraq area larger than the state of indiana are able to train, equip, export terror not only throughout the region but throughout the world, it would pose a direct threat to the security of this nation. A. What has been taking place in iraq is a civil war. Do the republicans and their leader believe that people from our great nation be inserted in the middle of their civil war. Isil fighters are battling Government Forces 40 miles were baghdad. Randall pinkston is in washington for us. Randall, the president is meeting with congressional leaders right now about this. We can tell you as they were going into the oval office the cameras were there to see the republicans. There harry reid and nancy pelosi. They made no comments while the cameras were there. It was they were there to respond closely to president s response to iraq. Theyre blaming the