describe her loss to barack obama back in 2008. tonight, clinton is suggesting trump is a bully, her word, but she's refusing to respond directly to his new attacks. we have our correspondent, analysts and newsmakers, they're standing by to cover all the news that's breaking right now including a leading member of the house homeland security committee, the former cia officer, congressman will hurd. first let's go to our pentagon correspondent, barbara starr. barbara, what are you learning about u.s. special operations forces on the ground right now in syria? >> reporter: good evening, wolf. at this hour, we are confirming, we have been told by a u.s. official a small number of u.s. special operations forces on the ground in northern syria. they are there to help anti-isis forces get more experience and to advise them on how to battle isis in that very fraught area. but all of this happening, wolf, as there is a very strategic battle under way across the border in iraq.