Baghdad saying in part, quote, iran is orchestrating an attack on the u. S. Embassy in iraq. They will be held fully responsible. We have Team Coverage of these violent protests. Cnn International Correspondent arwa damon is in istanbul, and Jeremy Diamond in west palm beach. Lets start with you. What more are you learning about these protests . Reporter well, ryan, based on live images that were seeing broadcast, it seems like on the one hand the crowd has gotten smaller, but they appear to have managed to have set fire to this enclosed area that is where you would go to get your i. D. Badge and go through the security scanners before actually setting foot into the compound itself. Over the last few hours, we saw this crowd throw stones, attempt to scale the walls, set fires, chant antiamerican slogans, demand america leave iraq, and theres a couple of important points to make about who these protesters are because, ryan, these arent just ordinary protesters. The vast majority of them are members of whats known as the pms, the Popular Mobilization force. This is a Paramilitary Force ostensibly part of the Iraqi Security forces, but mostly made up of former shia militiamen from a number of different very powerful groups, many of whom have very close ties to iran, and that is exactly what a Kataib Hezbollah is. That is the militia that americans struck in those five strikes that took place on sunday. From the perspective of the Iraqi Government, those strikes were as if the americans had struck at the Iraqi Security forces themselves. We have heard from the Prime Minister who was trying to calm down the situation, trying to get the protesters to express their grief, express their anger but without causing a threat to the u. S. Embassy compound itself. We do understand that the ambassador is not in iraq. He is on a preplanned vacation. Hes been out of the country for about the last week. As far as we are aware at this stage, u. S. Embassy staff have not evacuated, but they are on lockdown. As for Kataib Hezbollah itself, again, that militia that was targeted by the u. S. Ha that is part of this iraqi Paramilitary Force, they put out a statement saying that this protest was to voice their anger but also to show the americans that they could basically literally go right up to their doorstep and attempt, they were saying, to try to damage this image of america being this almighty force to paraphrase what their statement was saying. Everyone is watching this incredibly closely right now, ryan, because if this escalates even further, the consequences could be very damaging. Arwa damon with the latest happening in iraq. Thank you for that. Lets go to Jeremy Diamond who is traveling with the president. Jeremy, how is the Trump Administration responding . Reporter well, ryan, were hearing from the president himself via twitter, and the president clearly is trying to hold iran directly responsible for the protests that we are seeing now happening outside and in parts of the u. S. Embassy in baghdad. The president tweeting that iran is orchestrating an attack on the u. S. Embassy in iraq, and he says that they will be held fully responsible, so we see also there a warning from the president. Now, as for whether there will be any u. S. Action as a result of this, the White House Press secretary stephanie grisham, she told me in a statement this is an escalation from iran and also saying it will be the president s choice how and when we respond to their escalation. But beyond the president s words and the words of his press secretary, we are also seeing some action from other elements of the Trump Administration. The secretary of state mike pompeo, he has been on the phone with the Prime Minister of iraq as well as the president of iraq, and we are also seeing action from the pentagon, sending two apache helicopters to fly over the embassy in baghdad in a show of force as well as sending additional marines, a small number of additional marines. That is according to a u. S. Official. Now, this is all, of course, part of a broader proxy fight between the United States and iran, and the president clearly is not shying away from that. Were seeing in another tweet from the president sent out just moments ago where he is saying to those many millions of people in iraq who want freedom and who dont want to be dominated and controlled by iran, this is your time. So the president there as he is seeing these attacks on the u. S. Embassy in iraq, these protests, he is saying, look, i would also like to see counter iranian protests as we are seeing these counter american protests happening in baghdad. All right, Jeremy Diamond with the latest on the white house response to this volatile situation in iraq, thank you very much. Lets talk more about this with cnn Global Affairs analysts and contributor for Time Magazine kim dozier. How precarious is the security situation for american personnel at the embassy and what does it mean for the u. S. Troops that are stationed there . Well, the number of Embassy Personnel has drawn down drastically, so they have a plan for this including, if necessary, an evacuation plan. And the protesters didnt get beyond as arwa was saying, the main entry gate. They were fired on with tear gas by marines inside, but also their own organizers called them back. This was a show of force by the Iraqi Government saying, you know, we told you not to do these strikes, and so they allowed this protest to happen. In the protest crowd, and it was only a few hundred people unlike the millions who have demonstrated across the river in baghdads freedom square, but it represents the key members of the iranian backed armed groups that also have a block in parliament. One of the leaders in the crowd has been sanctioned by the u. S. Government just this month for taking support from iran, so this was a demonstration of their political power and also by the Iraqi GovernmentSecurity Forces allowing the protesters through, it was a sort of a relief valve to express their displeasure. The u. S. Military compound, which is within an iraqi base is just across the street, so this was sort of a controlled display of violence, but everybody drew back when it could have gone too far. The problem is, this is fueling this whole back and forth is fueling iraqi politicians who have been pushing for a long time to reduce or eliminate the u. S. Presence in iraq, and it is unfortunately weakening those politicians who would like to try to strengthen u. S. Political ties. So to expand upon that, obviously as this conflict grows, this air strike in particular, the backlash from it, how damaging is that to the relationship with iraq and trying to build those coalitions that youre talking about . Well, this tension has been building for a while in that over the past year or so, there have been Iranian Military missiles smuggled across iraq, and the u. S. Has warned iraqi officials youve got to stop this, youve seen two of those munition sites hit by israeli attacks, officials have confirmed to me those were israeli strikes, but in the last two months, u. S. Troops based on Iraqi Military bases have been hit 11 times, so after multiple warnings the u. S. Felt that it had to take action. The problem is this is happening across this against this larger backdrop of how the maximum Pressure Campaign by the u. S. Against iran is playing out in iraq. Basically, the irans external militia arm was supporting a number of iraqi armed groups. The ones you saw protesting outside the embassy. As iran has run out of cash, its had to cut off a lot of those groups. Those groups in turn have become more predatory, taking money from their own people, setting up everything from impromptu check points to stealing Iraqi Government contracts, and theyre not actually improving anything, just pocketing the cash, and that has created the tension on the streets where the iraqis have risen up against this kind of corruption. The problem is those iraqis arent very organized. They havent been able to choose who they want to stand up against these highly organized iranian backed political groups, so you see the u. S. Position weakening and unfortunately you see u. S. Enemies strengthening. Which is a little bit of time, but i have to ask you, does this set the stage for the growing possibility of the u. S. Perhaps doing some sort of military intervention within iran . Are we getting to that stage where that becomes a realistic possibility with each passing day . I think what u. S. Officials have done is very carefully calibrated their response to mirror what iran is doing. Iran has been using proxies, now the u. S. Is hitting those proxies. I think the last thing it wants to do is hit iran directly, so this is a careful ratcheting up of the conflict, so the next thing to watch for is whether those iraqi militant groups going to do . Are they going to try to attack u. S. Forces again, which would require response. Kimberly dozier breaking it down for us on the situation in iraq and iran. Thank you so much. Coming up, a renewed call to testify, Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer says new information about Mick Mulvaney and john bolton are a game changer when it comes to the hold up of aid to ukraine. Can democrats and republicans reach a compromise . Plus, chilling new details about the man accused of stabbing five jews at a hanukkah celebration. The latest on the investigation when we come back. Whatd we decide on the flyers again . Uh, fifteen minutes could save you 15 or more on car insurance. I think were gonna swap over to over seventyfive years of savings and service. What, were just gonna swap over . Yep. Pump the breaks on this, swap it over to that. Pump the breaks, and, uh, swap over . Thats right. Instead of all this that ive already . Yeah. What are we gonna do with these . Keep it at your desk, and save it for next time. Geico. Over 75 years of savings and service. Plant based material thats not thisonly extremely durable, but also quite flexible. Making it ideal for warby parker glasses. Which by the way, start at 95, including prescription lenses. Try 5 pairs for free at warbyparker. Com oh yeah, about those prescription lenses. Warby parker glasses come standard with custom cut Polycarbonate Lenses that have been treated with scratch resistant and antireflective coatings, nice. Try 5 pairs for free at warbyparker. Com simply put, in our fight to have key documents and witnesses in the Senate Impeachment trial, these new revelations are a game changer. That of course Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer renewing calls for key Trump Administration officials to testify at the Senate Impeachment trial. This following a New York Times report detailing steps taken by several trump advisers after the president ordered a freeze on military aid in ukraine. Senator schumer wants to hear from four witnesses including acting white house chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former National Security adviser john bolton. Joining me now to talk about this, jameel jafer who has served on the Senate Foreign relations committee, he was also a senior counsel for House Intelligence Committee and associate counsel to george w. Bush. And shan woo, a defense attorney and former federal prosecutor. You both have great credentials. Were fortunate to have you here for this conversation. You know, Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell has made it pretty clear he doesnt really want to call any new witnesses. He also hasnt ruled it out. Do you think that hell view this New York Times report in the same light that Chuck Schumer is . Is it going to be a game changer for Mitch Mcconnell . I dont think so, and the reason why is that mcconnells view is generally, look, the house had the chance under democratic leadership to conduct whatever investigation it wanted to conduct. It could have waited to get the testimony of bolton or mulvaney. It chose not to and to get the impeachment articles out by christmas. The house can still continue its investigation if it wants to. Its choosing not to do that. His view will be in the clinton impeachment we didnt call witnesses everybo everybody tho Andrew Johnson impeachment there were 40 witnesses called. Is it really about what mcconnell wants but more about what this small group of moderate republicans want . Could they be the ones that compel him to call these witnesses . Could it perhaps be a game changer for someone like lisa murkowski, cory gardner or Susan Collins . I think thats right. He wants to protect his own majority. He wants to protect the senate itself, so if information began to come out where those more moderate folks might change their minds, i think that could influence him, but i probably respectfully disagree. I dont think thats mcconnells real motivation. The historical precedent, i think he wants to stay as far away as possible from live witnesses. I think they left their best argument in the locker room, which i think they should have leaned into the idea that this is really a Foreign Policy issue, which goes to the core of the president s powers, but they havent done that. They seem genuinely pretty shy of more witnesses coming forward. So to shans point, i think its probably across the board expected that Mitch Mcconnell would do everything he could to avoid live witnesses. Could you see some sort of a compromise reached with Chuck Schumer where they do taped depositions or something along those lines to get the witnesses on the record but not create somewhat of a circus atmosphere surrounding their testimony . Thats exactly what happened, ryan, during the clinton impeachment. They had three witnesses who had depositions. The depositions were not read on the floor. They were just part of the permanent record of the proceeding, and they immediately went from arguments to closing arguments and did that. So that certainly is one potential outcome. I think Mitch Mcconnell does not want witnesses although the democrats should be careful what they want if they get witnesses. If they do get witnesses i think youll expect to see hunter bide and joe biden called and thats not something thats going to help democrats in the upcoming election. A lawyer for Rudy Giulianis associate, lev par in the canas the courts permission to share documents and iphone data with house investigators. How could that material help their case against President Trump . It could help it in a number of ways because giulianis information would elucidate exactly what perhaps his instructions were, how much he was briefing the president. Its interesting that hes asking to disclose that because obviously theres Attorney Client privilege issues. We see from the New York Times reporting that mulvaney fled the room to are protect that privilege but rudy seems cavalier about that. If i was trumps team i would not be happy about that request. Well have to leave it there. Happy new year to both of you. Before we go to break, take a look at this. Cities around the world already ringing in the new year moments ago the clock struck midnight in singapore. And this is what it looked like in auckland, new zealand. Fire works lighting up the sky there, and check out these celebrations in australia, a spectacular site near the sydney opera house. Well be right back. [farmers bell] burke a rock and wreck. Seen it. Covered it. At farmers insurance, we know a thing or two because weve seen a thing or two. We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum in auckland, new zealand. We are learning more about the man accused of stabbing five people during a hanukkah celebration at a rabbis home in new york. Police say they found handwritten journals which refer to adolf hitler and nazi culture, and they say the suspects internet history included searches for nearby jewish temple ls and Prominent Companies founded by jews in america. Hes now facing federal hate crime charges along with five counts of attempted murder. Cnn national correspondent. Grafton thomas, the man accused of stabbing five hasidic jews at a hanukkah celebration charged with federal hate crimes. The suspect remains in custody after being charged with obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill. Thomas already pleaded not guilty to state charges sunday of five counts of attempted murder and one count of first degree burglary. According to a criminal complaint, prosecutors say thomass internet history on his cell phone included searches of why did hitler hate the jews and