Lets get right to the breaking news on this 9 11. America finds itself in a new war against terrorists. This time its the brutal Islamist Group isis which slaughtered thousands across the middle east and brutally beheaded two americans. President obama laid out the strategy for destroying isis with expanding air strikes in syria. Officials say u. S. Planes are carrying out surveillance there and targets have been spotting. Arming and training rebels now the Obama Administration is selling that strategy to congress and American Allies even getting ready to carry out the new battle plan. Correspondents, analysts, guests standing by for full coverage and begin with the White House Correspondent michelle kosinski. Reporter the white house says its reviewing targets inside syria. That doesnt necessarily mean that air strikes are imminent and trying to get congress on board. Looking somewhat promising with some wavering there. Trying to Gain International partners on this. On this september 11th, the president and first lady remember the victims of terror from the time that launched americas war on it. Now a new chapter has opened. I will not hesitate to take action against isil in syria and iraq. Reporter today, the white house says based on the recent expansion of intel gathering, multiple new targets have been identified. Are you talking about targets in syria at this point . The president has gotten guidance of targets available and would be critical to denying isil safe haven both in iraq and syria. Many in syria . I wouldnt characterize the guidance. Reporter the targets for now under review with the pentagon and National Security team. Today secretary of state kerry in the middle east secured the support of arab leaders taking a key question from cnns elise abbo abbott. Is the United States at war with isis . Sounds like from the speech we are. I think thats the wrong terminology. What we are doing is engaging in a very significant counterterrorism operation. And its going to go on for some period of time. Reporter but plenty of questions persist. Weeks ago president obama said this about arming and training the Syrian Rebels. Its always been a fantasy. An opposition made up of former doctors, farmers, pharmacists and so forth. Reporter now thats part of the plan. The white house says after more than a year of u. S. Assistance, theyre far more organized and strong. Critics like senator john mccain not convinced sparring with former press secretary jay carney. Im astounded that mr. Carney should say that the Free Syrian Army is now stronger. In fact, theyve been thats not what i said, senator. I said, if i could, sir, i said that we know a great deal more about come on. You knew about it. Come on, jay. We knew about them then. You didnt choose to know. Your boss is the one that went the entire National Security team wanted to arm and train them, he turned them down. Reporter its interesting hearing from the uk. The u. S. s closest ally. The foreign minister said let me be clear. There will be no british air strikes in syria and then the Prime Ministers Office said, wait a minute. Not anything is off the table yet. Everything is being considered but the white house says that it is encouraged by what it calls Robust International support for the president s plan including it says in the middle east. Wolf . Michelle, at the white house, thank you. Did the president convince congress of the merits of his new isis strategy . Does he need a goahead from congress to carry out the battle plan . Lets turn to chief Congressional Correspondent dana bash. Will me get what he wants to train u. N. Syrian forces . Reporter House Republican leaders were pushing the rank and file to give the president that authority he needs. But that is just one small part of a larger new military mission that congress so far is not weighing in on. Taking Ground Troops against isis off the table is a mistake says House Speaker john boehner. F16 is not a strategy. An air strikes alone will not accomplish what were trying to accomplish. Reporter despite that tough talk about the president s strategy, congress is punting on its own role. Why not be much more active and have a vote to give the president authority, to have a congressional marker on this if this is an incredible threat . I do believe it would be in the nations interest. Reporter boehner often blasts the president for going it alone and argues here its the president s prerogative to ask for congressional approval and the white house says it has all the power to battle isis with a 13yearold authorization to confront al qaeda. 24 years that i have been here, the president of the United States would request that support and would supply the wording of a resolution to authorize this force. And at this point in time, we have not gotten that request. Reporter but some in both parties arent buying this. We are the legislative branch. If youre saying the president ought to ask for it, do it. We represent 700,000 americans and its important that we have rather than just 1 person making all the calls, thats not the way this our government was designed. Reporter even some democrats facing tough reelection battles in just seven weeks want to weigh in. I didnt come here to take the easy votes. Reporter now, others still would rather not take a dicey vote like this on military action, particularly. Some vulnerable democrats in the senate where it could flip to republican control in november. Not to say, wolf, Senate Democrats wont do this but probably not until after novembers election. Thanks very much. Joining us from the white house, the president s National Security adviser, ambassador susan rice. Thank you very much for joining us. Ill start with a simple question. Is the United States at war right now with isis . Well, wolf, as the president said clearly last night, well do whats necessary to degrade and destroy isil. And so, thats going to entail a comprehensive approach. On the one hand, as the president made clear, well be involved in sustained air strikes against isil targets in iraq and to the extent necessary in syria. Well also be building up the capacity of partners on the ground. And also, with the support of congress we hope the moderate Syrian Opposition, so well combine that with a political strategy in support of inclusive and representative governance in iraq. Well also support the sunni elements inside of iraq to take the fight to isil since theyre the ones most directly affected by the isil terrorism. And so, this will be a political, diplomatic as well as military strategy. It will involve partners in a Broad Coalition from the countries in the region who met today in saudi arabia, with secretary kerry and pledged to support the effort, to partners in europe and australia and others in the west. It will be a Broad Coalition to deal with the threat that isil poses. Sounds like a war to me. Is it fair to call it a war . Wolf, i dont know whether you want to call it a war or sustained counterterrorism campaign. I think, frankly, this is a counterterrorism operation that will take time. It will be sustained. Well not have american combat forces on the Ground Fighting as we did in iraq and afghanistan which is what i think the American People think of when they think of a war. So i think this is very different from that. But nonetheless, well be dealing with the significant threat to this region, to american personnel in the region and potentially also to europe and the United States. And well be doing it with partners. Well not be fighting ourselves on the ground but using american air power as we have been over the last several weeks as necessary. You point out to the extent necessary those were your words referring to u. S. Air strikes against isis targets inside syria. Is there any doubt that would be necessary gibb the enormous amount of land that they control not only in iraq but in syria . Thats the base, the refuge. I think in all likelihood, wolf, that will be the case. But what the president said is well take the fight to isil where we need to. And there wont be any safe haven. He is very clear. Were not so concerned about borders but concerned about degrading and destroying isil. I think that suggests that in all likelihood that will be necessary. Not 100 . Is that what youre saying . Wolf, i think the point is well act in iraq and syria as is necessary with the advice and guidance of the commanders on the ground. Ultimately, the decisions to be taken by the president. But well do whats necessary in that theater to deal with the isil threat and i anticipate since it is a threat that evolves and moves across this now very porous border as the president said yesterday it will require action in syria, as well. And in any event, as you know, were also seeking greater resources and authority from congress to increase the support for the Syrian Opposition. You know theres criticism and the president s reference of the comparison to the operation thats now going to expand against isis to the longstanding u. S. Counterterrorism operation in yemen and a lot of folks saying thats a comparison of apples and oranges. Those are a bunch of terrorists down there and dont control a major army with sophisticated equipment largely u. S. Captured equipment or a military officer corps with experience. Is that a fair comparison . Basis of the comparison is as follows. The nature of our strategic approach. In yemen as well as in somalia, the United States has engaged in air strikes to attack al qaeda targets whether al qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and yemen or shabal shabaab and we have work with partners and the Yemeni Military and advised and worked to equip and with somalia and the forces and as well as with the African Union force now 20,000 that the United States has funded and helped train and support. So, we will be working with partners on the ground and we will be striking from the air just as we have done in yemen and somalia. Now, the tempo of our strikes, the intensity in all likelihood will be greater in iraq and syria. But the fact of the matter is this is different from the previous wars in iraq and from afghanistan in that there not be american combat forces on the Ground Fighting on the ground. This will be with partners and u. S. Air power and indeed a coalition that is unprecedented. Building support from countries in the region as we discussed. Those who met with secretary kerry today in jetta as well as European Partners and others and involved a multifaceted effort for partner capacity on the ground and to strike as appropriate from the air. I know our time is limited but i just got this in. Anderson cooper completed an interview with mother of james foley, diane foley and not blaming the Obama Administration but telling anderson maybe more could have been done. Let me play a little calypso you have a chance to respond to the very distraught mother. As an american, i was embarrassed and appalled. I think our efforts to get jim freed were an annoyance. You know . To the government . Yes. And they yeah. And it wasnt didnt seem to be in our strategic interest, if you will. I was appalled as an american. Jim would have been saddened. Jim believed until the end that his country would come to their aid. I pray that our government would be willing to learn from the mistakes that were made and to acknowledge that there are better ways for american citizens to be treated. All right, ambassador rice. I want to give you a chance to respond to this mother. Well, wolf, ive gotten to know diane foley well as we have met on a number of occasions when i was ambassador to new york and here in washington at the white house. She is an extraordinary woman. She did an amazing job on behalf of her family and with her husband and other children to do Everything Possible, leave no stone unturned, to try to bring jim home safely. Were all heart broken that that was not possible. But i and others in the u. S. Government worked very hard with diane foley and her family to try to be supportive, to try to provide what information we could. As you know, the president ordered a very daring and very well executed rescue operation when on the only occasion we had what we thought was fresh and we hoped actionable intelligence about the whereabouts of jim foley and the other hostages. Unfortunately, they were no longer there. But i think that effort which involved hundreds of american personnel and very sophisticated effort underscores the importance that we attached to doing everything we can to bring americans in captivity back home. I know you tried very, very hard and unfortunately they these isis terrorists, they executed two americans and were all saddened by that. Ambassador rice, thanks very much for joining us. Thank you. James foleys mother diane speaks exclusively to anderson about the horrific nightmare. Ac 360 tonight 8 00 p. M. Eastern right here on cnn. Up next, by targeting isis in syria, would the u. S. End up on the same side as iran . And a new ferguson video revealed. Witnesses say they watched as Michael Brown was shot with his hands in the air. Well get reaction. woman the constipation and belly pain feel tight like a vise. How can i ease this pain . man when i cant go, its like rocks piling up. I wish i could find some relief. announcer ask your doctor about linzess a oncedaily capsule for adults with ibs with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation. Linzess is thought to help calm painsensing nerves and accelerate bowel movements. It helps you proactively manage your symptoms. Do not give linzess to children under 6, and it should not be given to children 6 to 17. It may harm them. Dont take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. Get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain especially with bloody or black stools. The most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. If its severe, stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. Other side effects include, gas, stomacharea pain and swelling. Bottom line, ask your doctor about linzess today. Whenwork with equity experts who work with regional experts thats when expertise happens. Mfs. Because there is no expertise without collaboration. Back to the breaks news. U. S. Surveillance aircraft over syria. The white house saying targets indeed have been identified inside syria. Top Administration Officials, though, seem reluctant to call the new campaign against isis a war. Joining us now are chief political analyst Gloria Borger and robin wright. Ladies, thanks very much for joining us. Theyre refusing, you heard secretary of state kerry refusing to call it a war. Counterterrorism operation. Susan rice, national they dont want to call it a war. Whens wrong with calling this a war on terror or they used to have a war on drugs, war on crime. This is for all practical purposes a war on terror. Right. Look. Theyre trying to distinguish this in every way they can from iraq, from afghanistan, talking about how there are no boots on the ground here. This president s a reluctant warrior as we know from watching him over the last months. The speech he gave last night was not a speech he ever expected to give or wanted to give. He didnt want to leave a legacy of conflict in syria to the next president and in iraq to the next president. He his narrative is ending wars. Killing osama bin laden. Theyre trying to say this is more somalia, like yemen. This is not a war. Its a counterterror operation. Wolf, as you pointed out, its a matter of semantics and spin. This is dangerous. The president said there are risks. So, call it what you will. Its a war. We also heard that a little clip from that interview, the president gave a month or so ago to tom freedman in the New York Times saying arming the moderate Syrian Rebels always has been a fantasy. Whats changed over the past month . Absolutely nothing. Thats the problem. I think the president was specific coming to what the United States is going to do in iraq. But the problem is there was nothing about what happens next. Phase 2 of what is a war and does involve going across the border into syria. Something the United States has been reluctant to do for three yeerps. The problem is, who do you arm . Rebels have not proven effective. Either in fighting whether its the assad regime or isis. They havent been very effective at all in ruling local territory that they have charge of. Theyre predominated by exiles who dont necessarily represent the people inside the country. Theres a real danger that we are getting into whens not only open ended but poorly defined. The president s asking for 500 million to congress to appropriate funding to arm and train the moderate syria rebels. He said a month ago, tom freedman, the idea of light arms or sophisticated arms to what was essentially an opposition made up of former doctors, fa farm farmers, pharmacists and so forth and battle not only a well armed state but a well armed state backed by russia, iran, hezbollah. That was never in the cards. I think what changed, gloria, two videotapes of two american journalists being beheaded. Look, absolutely. That shifted American Public opinion tremendously. Suddenly americans saw these videotapes an they said, wait a minute. This means that my country is in indaenger. I have seen two