0 >> still hurts. some they cringe, but i say look deeper 689 that's right, look beyond the gounls and crowns. grab a fork and pick through that word salad and you'll always find the croutons of wisdom on the "ridicu-list." thanks for watching. this is cnn breaking news. we want to welcome our cnn viewers in the united states and around the world. tonight, there is breaking news on the showdown with syria. president obama making the case for a possible military strike. he says there's clear proof the regime was behind the use of deadly chemical weapons. . the president has not made a final decision on military options but appears to be moving closer to using force. >> in no event are we considering any military action that would involve boots on the ground, that would involve a long-term campaign. but we are looking at the possibility of a limited, narrow act that would help make sure that not only syria, but others around the world understand that the international community cares about maintaining this chemical weapons ban. >> we'll have the very latest developments this hour, including graphic video of a purported new chemical attack. is the president doing the right thing if he goes it alone? what will it mean for america if he does? i'll talk to hans blix, the former chief united nations weapons inspector. plus, the nfl's land mark concussion settlement. what it means for the sport and the safety of the players. i'll talk exclusively to jim mcmahon who is suffering from dementia. he has a lot to say on the game, the risks and his life right now. >> a lotd to lot to get there on the ehuge enormous story. reacting to the sec stair of state. washington statements are unak e -- to complete their work nortd to get an objective op of what is happening from a u.s. military strike. >> their contention is they have the information in hand that could lead the president to make that decision. what they are waiting for is eeea go ahead and go id. that wouz come here to the pentagon and be september tout to the fleet would be the missiles being launched in the eastern med trarnian. all of this awaits the president's di sigs. they are making the case that they feel they have the int intelligence to back this. >> the rap ready for the united states. the and u.s. clearly dupt doesn't want to wait that wrong. to the troops on the earn mediterraneans. >> certainly not, i wouldn't think within hours or leds. tomahawk missile are programmed to two to a particular target. they hay be updates in the hours of min us in. all of this gepts on how they could go where they want them do to go. et will happen var quickly. >> thajs very much. >> joining me, the former chief weapons of mazz destruction. thanks for joining us. i want to get to your honest asaysmented about what is goij on right now. they made it clear that they are poised to laumplg a tr-- he glibtglib glibtglib glibtglib glibtly. >> i think so. i'm i think that 2003 they seasoned? saw our records and theying r ig noired. i think they should send inspectors. i also think that aatacts would be limited if not very encouraging. it's hit taking the the world that sirrians can go on to fugt. i think the world wants to heard a man on the groif and a drive for a cease nir and for what would you do if you were in a position to deal with it. the secretary of state >> yes, i am as outraged as they are, and i think the whole world is. i think this is the shortcoming of a u.s. present inclination that the u.s. would go ahead alone as the world policeman, when in fact, i think it ought to be possible to get the whole security counsel condemning the use of chemical weapons. they may not be able to point to assad or rebels but russians, iranians, everybody would condemn the use of chemical weapons that would be something. weapons that would be something. only to have the u.s. and a few allies and a lot of security counsel will not be very impressive affair. >> listen to the secretary of state, john kerry. he spoke out about all of this. listen to this. >> with our own eyes, we have seen the thousands of reports from 11 separate sites in the damascus suburbs, all of them show and report victims with breathing difficulties, people twitching with spasms, coughing, rapid heart beats, foaming at the mouth. unconsciousness and death. >> the secretary of state, other u.s. officials say the u.n. secretary general made it clear the weapons inspectors who are now returning to new york from syria, their only mission was to determine whether or not chemical weapons were used. they did not have a mandate to determine who used those chemical weapons as a result the u.s. says they don't need this report, they already know the chemical weapons were used. >> it's a different thing to have a condemnation on behalf of the whole world by the world's highest counsel security counsel rather than having it simply come out of washington. i think it's the secondary matter to point out who used it. accountability can come later. but now we'll have corals if the u.s. goes ahead rather than the united security counsel. i think the ruggens might take the initiative to the u.s. and say come, let's go together and do the condemnation and go on, not just condemnation but seek to press the fighting part to seize fire. after all, the war could not continue unless the fighting part got support from around the region, russia and iran. this would be the aim. i don't think a fight in an isolated attack by the u.s. will accomplish any of that. >> there is more video that emerged today showing children badly burned, very, very graphic video and i want to alert viewers here in the united states and around the world, it's painful to see it. i want to show the viewers the video. it happened in northern syria. the syrian regime of president bashar al-assad using some sort of additional chemical weapons, burns, maybe napom and the u.s. continues to say the president and secretary of state, if they don't get the message, these kinds of attacks will simply continue. >> i agree that it may well be the regime has used it and may also be the rebels used it. i think the world is the right one to accuse the -- those who have used the weapons, and the sense of it, i think, has to do with the credibility of the president. that's the root of the problem. he did say if they used chemical weapons, it will change my calculations. all right. but i think when they are planning or gearing towards an attack, it has much to do with the credibility but perhaps the credibility to attack iran, if iran does not heed the request to stop developing a new clear weapon. >> i think there is no doubt that the president of the united states and the secretary of state, they are very concerned about u.s. credibility, not only as you point out with the syrian government, but also with the iranians because if the u.s. were to back down now, it would send what they fear would be a message to syria and especially to iran, the u.s. really doesn't mean it when they say there is a red line, if you cross that red line, you will pay a price. this is a major, a major source of concern for the u.s. right now. let me get back to the suggest that i think you were suggesting that maybe the opposition the rebels have been using chemical weapons, is there any evidence you've seen that they have? >> i hear allegations of that, and i say i don't exclude that taking place. it may well be the u.s. has better evidence this time than 2003. i don't doubt that. i think the proper place to present the evidence would be in the world court, the security counsel. >> so when they present this evidence publicly today, to the american people, to the international community as far as the -- as far as you're concerned, that's not good enough? >> i'm not sure the american people want to be world police. judging by the opinion polls i seen about 9% of the u.s. population would support an attack and i'm sure the world in general would not want the u.s. or nato or individual states to be the world police. >> well, some of the polls show much greater support, maybe 40 to 50% of the american people would support some sort of limited military strike in the aftermath of chemical weapons attacks. there is new poll numbers coming in all the time a. very small percentage want to get involve in a long range afghanistan style war that would go on for 10 or 15 years. there is no appetite for that in the united states. good to hear from you once again. thanks very much for joining us. so you just heard him say the united states should not go at it alone in syria. what about the u.s. congress? 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