does not pose an existential threat to the united states. i think the president is very focused on the issue, syria is a problem that he needs authorization of use of force in syria if he intends to put troops on the ground. i have not supported some of his past strategies of arming opposition, arming the rebels, because i was highly concerned those weapons would get in the hands of isis. so the president is having this conversation tonight, and i think it s a very important conversation he s having. he needs to engage congress, he needs to engage the american people and telling them what he has done, because there s a lot going on throughout the middle east, and here in america, to keep america safer. i think the more he shares some of his approach. obviously without undermining the nature of these operations and undermining the nature of these tragedies, i think the more he talks to the american
you know, various meetings that are going to be taking place with the international community and opposition. we consider them a legitimate representative of the aspirations of the syrian people. we re not yet prepared to recognize them as some sort of government in exile. but we do think that it is a broad-based representative group. one of the questions that we re going to continue to press is making sure that that opposition is committed to a democratic syria, an inclusive syria, a moderate syria. we have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves in to the opposition. and, you know, one of the things that we have to be on guard about, particularly when we start talking about arming opposition figures that we re not indirectly putting arms in the hands of folks who would do americans harm or do israelis
both inside of syria and outside of syria. we are constantly consulting with the opposition on how they can get organized so that they re not splintered and divided in the face of the onslaught from the assad regime. we are in very close contact with countries like turkey and jordan that immediately border syria and have an impact. obviously, israel which is having already a grave concerns as we do about, for example, movements of chemical weapons that might occur in such a chaotic atmosphere and that could have an impact not just within syria but on the region as a whole. i m encouraging to see that the syrian opposition created an umbrella group that may have more cohesion than they have had in the past. we re going to be talking to them. my enjoys will be traveling to,
all right. last question. mark feltsenthal. where s mark? thank you. mr. president, the assad regime engaged in a brutal crackdown on its people. france have recognized the opposition coalition. what would it take for the united states to do the same? is there a point the united states would consider arming the rebels? i was one of the first leaders i think around the world to say assad had to go in response to the incredible brutality that his government displayed in the face of what were initially peaceful protests. obviously, the situation in syria s deteriorated since then. we have been extensively engaged with the international community, as well as regional powers, to help the opposition. we have committed to hundreds of millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to help folks
we begin this hour with tensions ratcheting up between israel and iran. a bomb went off just as israeli tourists boarded a bus in the bulgarian resort city. six people are confirmed dead. some 30 others are wounded. president obama s strongly condemning the attack calling it in his word barbaric. cnn s elise labott is joining us live with the very latest. bulgarians are of course investigating. i m sure the israelis are as well. first of all, what are the bulgarians saying? reporter: well, wolf, forensic investigators on the scene. it s all very preliminary at this point, but they re saying that this was caused by a bus bomb already placed inside the bus. that s really all they know, but they re not ruling anything out. they say it s possibly a terrorist attack. obviously the israelis saying they re sure of it. but bulgarians not ruling anything in, not ruling anything out at this point, wolf. didn t take very long for the prime minister of israel, benjamin netanyahu to d