Airstrikes are not getting the job done. A poll released today shows people think our military strategy is failing. Well dig deeper into the numbers coming up. Meantime this afternoon, arab states are stepping up their attacks against isis. Egypt now wants the u. N. To step in and not iraq and syria but in libya where the 21 christians were beheaded by an isisinspired group and additional christians were kidnapped overnight. The 2011 nato mission that helped remove qadhafi is not finished and alouped the allowed the militants to gain footing. They said the arab nations need to do more to fight the extremists as the isis atrocities continue to astound us. We were surprised by the jordanian pooilt set on fire. And it is said to believe they burned 45 people alive in iraq. From the council on foreign relations, steven thank you for being with us and the big question is should aaron nations take the lead on this . They need to step up and it is clear the jordanians and the egyptians are doing so. They dont have the military capacity to do so completely. But the jordanians and the egypt reasons are wellequipped and are undertaking airstrikes respectively. But what the arab nations and the muslim nation at large needs to confront the isis nation. You can put war heads on foreheads as they say at the pentagon, but this is a political problem. This is an issue that needs to be solved within the islamic world. The United States really doesnt have that central role in combatting a deeply dark and twisted interpretation of islam. That is up to arabs and muslims to do . What is the United States role here. Do we take a step back . I dont think we take a step back. The United States is a backbone of the fight in iraq and syria. There is no indication that the Obama Administration is going to undertake strikes in libya. But nevertheless without the United States, which has accounted for more than 80 of the airstrikes, this would not be as effective as it has been. Why does isis want to aning to onnize the west but so many arab states . You have to understand the way in which isis views the arab world. First they want to intimidate washingtons partners in the fight against isis. And then there is a deep belief amongst the leadership al baghdadi, the primary figure there, despite these being arab and muslim countries that these are not muslim societies and not correctly muslim societies and an aspect of purifying these societies so in a sense they dont care. The acts of violence that we recoil are from their perspective a way of purifying their society to make them more muslim. And we here the adage of the enemy of my enemy is my friend and there are different states getting involved in this fight. But there seems to be a very fractured advance here. Weve got the egyptians doing some stuff and jordan moving in and iran taking some steps. Do we need more cohesion in the coalition trying to fight isis now . That is exactly the type of thing the United States can do. The egyptians are undertaking airstrikes in libya without the coordination of the United States. The jordanians have taken the lead among the arab states in iraq. But there needs to be a mow cohesive a more cohesive fight to be more effective in going after these guys. Isis is spreading throughout the region. Extremist groups that pledged allegiance to al qaeda are now pledging alisance to isis and allegiance to isis and we need a Cohesive Strategy that is overseen and by the United States in which the United States is a primary participant. Steven in this country we thought the end of dictators in the middle east would mean democracy in the middle east and instead weve seen two power vacuums that lead to massive fights that are a problem for us. Do you think we should look back and say that were we are actually better off when we have dictators in the middle east . It is hard to say that were better off with dictators in the middle east. But if you look objectively at the situation in the middle east, we are looking at instability, violence resurgent authoritarian authoritarianism that will plague the region for many years to come. If you look back at the gauzy days of the winter and spring of 20 1erks everybody thought that democracy was breaking out. There was no real expectation that we would run into these kinds of problems. Of course everybody understood there were different outcomes. But this is really unprecedented. You have fires burn in iraq in yemen, in libya, and in the signi peninsula and these places are overwhelmed. And if you could give us a comparison on the propaganda front which we think about watching these videos. Osama bin laden used videos but they were videos that put him forward on par with World Leaders and on par with president bush and turned him into a huge force throughout the world, a force of evil but a force. And wellknown face of evil. The isis strategy seems not to put forward al baghdadi rarely captured on film or anyone else a positive in their view representative, but only putting forward the lethal attacks. What the strategy behind that and is there any comparison to bin laden strategy . There is something to point out. But the fact that bagdadi hasnt been futured only adds to the mystique about him and the videos released are intended to intimidate the arab world or to intimidate the west. What they are trying to do is to create a passive acceptance of isis presence in the heart of the middle east particularly in the places where they already are. If you intimidate enough people it makes it easier to control the territory you are in. Isis has been compared or has been referred to as an outgrowth of al qaeda. But actually these are two organizations that have very different world views in terms of what is the problem in the middle east and what is the solution. To Osama Bin Laden and to the leader of al qaeda, it was undermining governments that they saw as unislamic and that was to go after the governments primary sponsored the United States. And here what al baghdadi is doing, is to do it through violence. The differences are becoming more apparent. Steve cook joining us from washington. Thank you so much. My pleasure. So besides steve, d. C. Is a ghost town today, shut down by nearly a half foot of snow. That is leaving plenty of time for members of congress and the white house to digest interesting new poll numbers regarding isis. Well have those up next. And then raffi will be here to tell us about the next winter storm coming our way. Really really, guys more snow. 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The most common side effects. Are headache, diarrhea and dizziness. Wvo all my life hes protected me. Now i am giving back. Ask their doctor about adding. Oncedaily namenda xr. Know your Financial Plan wont keep you up at night. Know you have insights from Top Investment strategists to help set your mind at ease. Know that planning for retirement can be the least of your worries. With the guidance of a pnc investments Financial Advisor, know you can get help staying on track for the future youve always wanted. As isis continues to spread terror across the region americans are growing weary about the u. S. s approach. A new poll Shows Americans disapprove of how the white house is approving, 57 disapprove, after we learned two americans had been beheaded and before the president made his formal war powers request. Members of congress are in their districts this holiday week avoiding a snowy d. C. But if the poll numbers are any indication, they are getting an avalanches of anxiety from constituents. Three quarters of those poll ss want authority for the u. S. And big marker at the huffington post. Mr. Howard fineman. Welcome back to the cycle. Happy fat tuesday. Well played. So in the polling, 57 of americans favor sending troops and 50 oppose. And given the margin given that we are a war weary nation and that isis is not a proven direct threat to the homeland and why are they comfortable sending troops to deal with isis. I dont know they are comfortable but i think what is influencing them is video. What is influenceing them is the media defining our world today and that is what isis is playing to. They are baiting us into it and slowly but surely doing it with the theatrical brutality that they are visiting upon the world. That is what is going on. And howard usually in times of war and anxiety and uneasiness, the American People want to come together and support the president. But yet when you look at the latest poll that tori was reading, 57 of americans disaproof of disapprove of how america is handling the war of isis, and this is a steady number and people cannot come around and support him on Foreign Policy . Partly because the president like the American People is more ambivalent than he might appear at first glance. Yes, he asked for that authorization to use military force, but the document itself is as am am biff lent as the American People and it shows the brutality of isis and given the actions in his own words in his own resolution amount to what george w. Bush used to call evil that it would be a limitless war to the end. But instead expressing the caution that Many Americans feel, he says yeah but were not going to have sustained ground contact or a sustained military operation and enduring is the word he used and the limit is three years. So what should he do differently now . What should he do differently . Well i think he has to he has to choose more than he has. One way or the other hes got to either say, look this is a battle of drones and airstrikes and propaganda and were going to wage it to the utmost in a way the world has never seen. Or he has to say, were in this and were going to destroy them on the ground minute by minute. And you cant have it both ways in this kind of situation at a time when isis every day is putting out a piece of video or a picture designed only for black and white thinking. And howard, you mentioned that ambivalence. It is a point youve been making very well at a time when there is sincere confusion about what we are exactly trying to get into. I wanted to play what you said briefly on hard ball. This lays out the horrors Richard Engel was described in graphic detail but says were going there only for three years and not having enduring offensive Ground Combat operations and we dont think that largescale military involvement is the right way to do it so the president is expressing the ambivalence the American People have. So the next logical question is isnt that a problem, understandable how the public feels ambivalence and torn but sunt the president stand up and tell us were going to war, and going to the American Congress and making the case in primetime and hitting this with the full force or if that is not the solution to Something Else then not ask for new war powers if we are not going to war. I agree with you ari and that is the problem. Often it is good for the president , for the leader of the nation like ours to reflect the thinking of the American People but there are also times when the American People are i would say they are ambivalent. They are not confused. They are of two minds about this. Not the same as being confused. It is up to the president to lead. And weve said before and the president s own aids have said that barack obama is very shrewd and leads from behind. That was said ironically about libya which is now a failed state. But you cant lead from behind in this situation at a time when isis is daring us to think more aggressively. And howard we have today a new member of our military Leadership Team ash carter just sworn in as defense secretary. Can we expect him to stay the course or will he bring different views . I dont think ash carter is in control of a strategy. I think he is more of a technician and an expert on weaponry and the mechanics of the pentagon. Le try to get he will try to get a handle on the never ending mess of the pentagon but my sense is the Strategic Progress is being made in the corridors of the white house and in a lesser sense in the state department. Dont forget the state department has been given the job of coordinating a global propaganda war against isis. The guy running that is richard stangel, a long time editor of Time Magazine and a friend of mine. And there in drone and airstrikes and those are being coordinated by the cia and by the National Security counsel as they are by the pentagon itself. The pentagon doesnt do a darn thing without direct direction from the white house. I find myself wondering why isnt Howard Fineman running for office. The answer is i would hide under the table first. No you would be a great leader. Howard fine man, thank you so much. And we want to know how you are keeping warm today. Tweet us a picture using the toasty tuesday. I came up with that myself. And up next raffi will tell us how long well have to be cold. Say it isnt so raffi. The storm cycle is straight ahead. Doers they dont worry if somethings possible. They just do it. At sears optical, were committed to bringing them eyewear that works as hard as they do. Right now, buy one pair and get another free. Ring ring . Progresso its ok that your soup tastes like my homemade. Its our slow simmered vegetables and tender white meat chicken. Apology accepted. Im watching you soup people. Make it progresso or make it yourself if youre running a business legalzoom has your back. Over the last 10 years weve helped one million Business Owners get started. Visit legalzoom today for the legal help you need to start and run your business. Legalzoom. Legal help is here. Whats that thing . I moved our old Security System out here to see if it could monitor the front yard. Why dont you switch to xfinity home . I get live video monitoring and 24 7 professional monitoring that i can arm and disarm from anywhere. Hear ye the awkward teenage one has arrived dont be old fashioned. Xfinity customers add xfinity home for 29. 95 a month for 12 months. Plus for a limited time, get a Free Security camera call 1800 xfinity or visit comcast. Com xfinityhome. Welcome back. So i will not bury the lead but there is more snow in the forecast. Raffi will get that in a minute. But first what were dealing with right now n. Boston snow totals pail in comparison to recent storm buzz the damage is already done for somers some commuters. It would be another month before mass transit is online. Even in the summer there is a problem. It is just another cycle. And on the the cycle. And i digress. And hearty new yorkers were taking it all in stride around manhattans columbus circle. And this was courtesy of wcnc and this is in charlotte, a mix of snow sleet and freezing rain. In West Virginia a fiery explosion on tracks derailing in heavy snow and a massive fire burned for hours and no one was seriously hurt. And the Nations Capital was blast sand the national zoo picked up 5 inches of snow and it has been a wild wild winter. Kate parker is in washington for us. And what is happening right now . Reporter folks are enjoying their snow day. Everyone is off of work. Federal government is closed and schools are closed and the roads were cleared so quickly. Right inside of the district. The main thoroughfares cleared this morning because the snow stopped falling this morning. The air is dry. And no moisture on the ground. But we do have snow on the ground behind me here on the mall. About five inches or so. It is nice and powdery. It is not heavy or wet. So shoveling isnt a big problem. But people have been out trying to help neighbors get shovelled and get back to normal because it looks like everything will be back to everything tomorrow. But you have to hold on tight here in d. C. Because had you a snow day and out enjoying it. But guess what happens by the end of the week . You could see the coldest air youve seen in more than 20 years. That is right. 20 years. The last time the Nations Capital was below freezing was back in 94. So there is a real possibility for us here on friday dangerously cold. Windchills and below zero. If you do know anyone homeless call 211 and get transportation for those people to shelters. That is crucial information into the next few days. The white house looks beautiful surrounded by the snow. Case parker in the Nations Capital. Thank you so much. Are you ready for more winter because the cycles Weather Authority says there is more. No. Boo. Dont say it is coming. Okay it is not coming. But unfortunately it is coming. The coldest morn