A ship with 33 crew members aboard, including 28 americans, disappears in the middle of a hurricane. Searchers find a massive debris field. Can they find any survivors . Im wolf blitzer. Youre in the situation room. Already, facing a bloody upsurge by the taliban, the u. S. Is accused of a car crime after a Deadly Strike on a hospital. Addressing concerns about the way the wars going, general John Campbell says the air strike was a mistake, and hes ordered new training to prevent future incidents. But he also hints the u. S. May need to keep more troops in afghanistan for a longer period of time. Russia stepping up its air war in syria. And there are new signs that may be preparing for action on the ground, not against isis, but prop up the syrian regime. As Tensions Mount between moscow and the west. President obamas now under greater pressure to come up with new options. Ill speak with senator Corey Gardner, Foreign Relations committee, and correspondents, analysts and guests will have full coverage of the top stories. The fallout from the deadly u. S. Air strike from a hospital in afghanistan. Pentagon correspondent barbara starr. A short time ago, defense secretary ash carter issued a statement expressing deep regret for the attack against the hospital but not yet a full blown apology. General campbell, the top u. S. Commander on capitol hill today, saying it was a mistake. But there have been conflicting reports about what happened at the hospital. Listen to a bit more of what general campbell had to say. On saturday morning our forces provided Close Air Support to afghanistan at their request. The decision to provide aerial fires was a u. S. Decision made within the u. S. Chain of command. A hospital was mistakenly struck. We would never intentionally target a protected medical facility. But, Doctors Without Borders and you talked to them earlier, you know this, Doctors Without Borders who runs that hospital says they do not buy it, that they had warned the u. S. Of their exact location for months when the attack started, it lasted 30 minutes. They called up, they tried to get the strike called off. But it went on for some time. All of this coming, campbell facing questions about the u. S. Troop presence in afghanistan. Most of the 10,000 troops scheduled to come home at the end of next year. General campbell now raising the very real possibility because of the overall security situation, the taliban, al qaeda, and isis are on the rise in afghanistan. That some u. S. Troops will be staying longer. Do they believe over there at the pentagon if the u. S. Were to keep 5,000 troops in afghanistan in the long run that would make a difference given the less than Perfect Performance of the Afghan Military and police . The hope is that at least that would give them the capability to continue with some of the training advising and assisting. There is also some very quiet discussion, could they get more nato countries to offer up some troops . That politically may be very difficult for those allies to do that. Not ideal. But well aware that certainly president obama, congress, not likely to authorize a substantial increase in the u. S. Presence. Barbara, thank you. Russia stepping up its air campaign in syria. Isis doesnt seem to be the main target than comes amid concern that Russian Troops had heavy weapons, used to pretech the regime of ba sar al assad. Are russia headed over a showdown over syria. The white house is left with few options as russia is escalating military campaign inside syria. The administration is warning moscow that its making a big mistake in its intervention in syria. But the president appears to be untable to stop it. Both the u. S. And nato pointing 0 mountaining evidence that russia is all in in syria. Top officials say, moscows deployed Ground Forces into syria and has violated airspace of a nato partner, turkey to carry out air strikes. Im also concerned that russia is not targeting isil but instead attacking the Syrian Opposition and civilians. Reporter the war of words is ramping up as well. U. S. Officials are furious that russian bombers appear to be hitting Syrian Opposition groups backed by the cia. Moscow, emphatically claims its targeting isis. The white house is accusing russia of trying to shift the balance of power in syria, striking outside isis and syrian governmentcontrolled areas and into rebel territory. I dont think president putin is playing chess. Hes playing checkers. What point does the president say to putin, cut it out . The president has made quite clear russia should not be interfering with the 65member International Coalition that is seeking to degrade and ultimately destroy isil. Reporter moscow agreed for another round of militarytoto military talks with the u. S. But it will be tough for both sides to come off hardening positions. This approach is tant amount to pouring gasoline on the fire of the syrian civil war. Reporter president obama, who has told his team he will continue to support the Syrian Opposition, is coming uncriticism from all sides including 2008 rivals, Hillary Clinton we should be putting together a coalition to support a nofly zone because i look, i think its complicated and the russians would have to be part of it. Reporter and john mccain. I think we should have more boots on the ground, not a lot but we better do something. Reporter as the president ial veteran group seen here in this white house video, hes atment hes not launching new wars. Right now, if i was taking sadder advice of members of congress, wed be in seven wars at a time. Im not exaggerating. Just last week, president putin said he was ruling out use of Ground Troops in syria. Now the kremlins saying a volunteer force may be fighting. As for Hillary Clintons call for nofly zone, the white house has repeatedly said the president does not favor that. Joining us now, Corey Gardner of colorado a member of the senate Foreign Relations committee. Thanks for coming in. Lets talk about afghanistan, bombing of the Doctors Without Border hospital in kunduz city killing a lot of people, medical personnel, patients, children. The executive director of the doctor without Borders Organization tell me they consider this to be a war crime. We have three concurrent, separate investigations taking place. An investigation by the department of defense and this is a tragedy. It is a tragic accident as secretary of defense stated today. It will be investigated by the United States. Its going to be investigated by Afghanistan Government and investigated by nato. All three concurrent investigations are taking place and we should wait and see before we do anything else to have results of the investigations. Doctors without borders, thats not enough. You need outside independent investigation and International Investigation as well. Should the u. S. Cooperate . U. S. Is cooperating. Outside of nato. Natos directly involved. We need to complete the department of defense investigation. What if theres a United Nations investigation . Would that be appropriate for the u. S. To coop raitt International Investigation outside those who already inside. Id be interested to see the results. Lets complete the investigations. We will be fully transparent and which we will hold people accountable as appropriate like the secretary of defense said today. This is truly tragic. We have to find the result of the investigation. Doctors without borders repeatedly provided to nato, u. S. , coordinates and the hospital, the only hospital, was located within a day or two before this attack. Who whoever was responsible should they be held accountable and punished . Secretary of defense said people will be held accountable for this. That can only happen after a complete investigation to find out what happened. General campbell testified before the Armed Services committee. Talked about retraining that will take place on rule of engagement and thats critical. A number of things have happened, whether its somebody created an incident accidentally, a car accident, proper accident, involving property, retraining occurs regularly. This is whats shocking to me, correct me if im wrong, retraining occurs routinely, for 14 years, this is the longest war in u. S. History, 14 years since october 7, tomorrow, 2001, u. S. Has been engaged in combat and afghanistan and all of a sudden u. S. Needs to retrain troops about appropriate engagement rules, rules of engagement . Its shocking the u. S. Has to do this at this late stage. Retraining has occurred over the past several year. The first year our program has been in place, leaving it to the Afghan Security forces. This is a new year in terms of what the role of the Afghan Forces is going to be and how the United States is going to work. Well have this investigation, find out what happened. Bottom line, this highlights even more the decision by the white house on what they are going to do with troop levels, as the taliban become more and more emboldened to take action against Afghan Security forces that may or may not be up to the pace that they have to be in order to defend, protect the country. It is going to be be more of a challenge for us and thats why im concerned about the troop levels. The president wants almost all u. S. Troops out by next year. Now reports 5,000 should remain. I dont think we can decide a withdrawal on a political time frame. Thats what we saw in iraq. This march i was in iraq. But the question is, we have to not adhere to a political time frame do you want troops to remain in afghanistan . I think we have to have troops in afghanistan to make sure we dont have the implosion that we saw in iraq. When we had a political withdrawal, to meet a political prom sis on a political time frame in iraq we saw what happened. We cannot allow the same thing to happen in afghanistan im have spoken to general campbell in kabul who expressed concern, today before the Armed Services committee and afghanistan we do not create a critical withdrawal of troops that result in a catastrophe. If we had Foreign Relations policy from the president that was about leading instead of following we wouldnt be in the situation in the first place. Talk about syria, nofly zone being proposed. The u. S. , 10,000 troops there, 4,000 nato tripes, not working well in the fifth largest city in afghanistan in condukunduz c. All of the troops run away. The taliban are reading the news as we are. About the president s decision. There are still 10,000 troops. They want to withdraw to 5,000. They know what the president s plan is, that is to leave afghanistan. We cannot create the same vac tomb we created in iraq. Lets make sure we avoid mistakes of the past. I hear what youre saying but its very depressing after 14 years, ten of billions of dollars the u. S. Spent training Afghan Military personnel, police, still not capable of keeping the peace, fighting taliban. Sill need troop theres after 14 years. This is the first time theyve been in the train advice assist mode. I want to talk about syria. Its not a pretty picture either. More with senator Corey Gardner. vo what does the world run on . It runs on optimism. Its what sparks ideas. Moves the world forward. Invest with those who see the world as unstoppable. Who have the curiosity to look beyond the expected and the conviction to be in it for the long term. 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Here with senator Corey Gardner, member of the senate Foreign Relations hitty. Would you support a u. S. Imposed nofly zone in syria. I think thats the direction we will be going to provide protection to the people of syria. What if russians say were not complying . We have our own missions, were going against terrorist targets, whether isis, those fighting regime of assad. I think you brought up a good point. Russia firmly owns actions of the assad regime they have targeted Syrian Rebels that we have trained and the next barrel bomb dropped out of a helicopter will be on the laps of the russians as they prop up the regime. The coalition, allies need to make it clear, this nofly zone, humanitarian zone is an important element going forward. We wont take a backseat to russia in the middle east, in syria as they prop up a murderous regime. What happens in the russians say were not going to comply with the u. S. Imposed or whatever imposed nofly zone . Does that set stage for confrontation between the u. S. And russia . Goes back to whery were here, we have had a policy of leading from behind. That potential conflict is there because we have an administration that has failed to fill in the vacuum in syria, allowing a vacuum the russians are deeply involved, not only air strikes, sending in troops, weapons, tanks. Trying to prop up the regime of al assad. Thats right. They own the actions of the assad regime. And people question whether or not they have whether targeting isis. Be clear what theyve done. 19 of the air strikes that they have done, 17 targeted areas that were held by rebels as well, Syrian Rebels some of which we have trained. 17 of the 19 targeted areas that had rebels also fighting isis. Only two of them targeted isisonly areas. Talk about north korea. A lot of us concerned about what could potentially happen october 10 thr, a few days from now. Give the time change, october 9 h. Here in the United States, 70th anniversary of the founding of the socalled Workers Party in north korea. On a day like that they do something expositive, potentially launch some missile. What are you hearing . Exactly what were hearing. Look at arc of Foreign Policy of administration, the administrations policy of strategic patience has been a strategic fall ire. A few days away from a rocket launch, theyll say theyre launching a satellite, bottom line its the same technology that will be used to launch a ballistic missile, and theyre going to do it despite numerous sanctions. Strategic patience allowed them to develop 20 Nuclear Warheads in five years we anticipate north korean regime to possess 100 Nuclear Warheads. Our policys a failure. Myself and senator rubio introduced sanctions regime that will mandate sanctions, force the president to deal with congress, put in place cyberprotects and protect human rights against the atrocious acts of the regime. Already under enormous sanctions what happen additional sanctions. More passive sanctions. Right now the strategic patience policy allowed the administration to cherry pick sanctions including a couple last week extended against two proliferato proliferators. What our legislation calls for mandatory sanctions unless the administration comes to us securi secure National Security wavers. This puts in place a policy the United States will use to respond to north korean cyberactivity. They believe its an asim mettic tool against the United States. Theyve been developing their program, ingij nized, not relying on outside capabilities. We need something new. Our legislation will do that. Well see what happens friday, oct