That country. But over the border in syria its a different story. The government in syria does not welcome and is certainly not asking for u. S. Air strikes inside their country. Syria has said it would see any air strikes by anyone on its territory as an act of aggression. But those air strikes have in fact, started tonight. The u. S. Military announcing these aircraft, f22s, f16s, fa18s and b1 bombers are taking part in the official bombing attack on syria tonight or inside syria tonight. I should maengs this may be the first time that f22 raptors are being used in this kind of a combat mission. That may be significant as a matter of military history and capability. But all those aircraft reportedly used in the initial attack which started at 8 30 p. M. Eastern with a target list of about 20 sites. About 20 isis targets in and around raqqa which is in eastern syria. The pentagon describing these as isis command and control facilities, headquarters facilities, logistics sites, fuel depots, weapons depots, training sites and troop encampments. Following those attacks from manned aircraft, the pentagon said the first wave of bombings from manned aircraft would be followed by further bombing by drones and also by missile strikes from tomahawk missiles fired from u. S. Navy ships nearby. These air strikes are not being done in conjunction with any on the Ground Troops in syria. In iraq, the u. S. Military has said they are hoping iraqi forces would be able to capitalize on the ground following those u. S. Bombs from above. Its not like that in syria. There are no plans for that in syria. No western Ground Troops in syria, certainly. Theres no friendly government Ground Troops in syria. Theres a raging multisided civil war in syria. So somebody will capitalize on these u. S. Air strikes against isis targets but we doint know who will capitalize anthem and cant control who will capitalize anthem. Heres a few things to consider. Will it work . Is this new air war likely to succeed at its objectives . To that end, look at this. From the front page of the New York Times earlier tonight. Can we drop the breaking news bug for a second so we can see the screen . The bottom story was their lead all day at the New York Times. Air strikes fail to dislodge isis in iraq. That was first. Then they had to run the new big headline. U. S. And allies strike isis targets in syria. So one and then the other. This is a rorschach test. One way to see this sequence is, well, it didnt work in iraq so why are we doing more of this thing that didnt work . The other way to see it is, yes, of course, it wouldnt work just to target isis in iraq without hitting them in syria. Youd never get anywhere. Now that youre hitting in syria, now theyll start to work everywhere. So what kind of person are you . Glass half full . Glass half empty . Worried about this more than youre excited about it . Question one, can isis be hurt or beaten this way . Open question. Also, question two, who is involved in this . Initial statement from the pentagon said the u. S. Undertook military action along with partner nation forces. Nbc news has been told tonight that the nations involved operationally in tonights actions include saudi arabia, bahrain, united arab emirates, jordan and qatar. Now if they are, in fact, operationally involved in these air strikes, that may be hugely important in terms of how the world sees this military action and reacts to these air strikes. Thats an acute consideration at the outset any of war. What is particularly acute right now is because theres Something Like 140 world lead eshs, including president obama, who are convening right now at the United Nations in new york for the general assembly. When president obama speaks at the United Nations over the next couple of days, hes going to be getting direct personal reaction from World Leaders into what hes doing. Who is involved with the u. S. In these strikes will make a very big difference in terms of how the world reacts. Number one, will it work . Number two, who is involved . And how will the world react . Number three, is how will syria react . Because the Syrian Government has substantial air defense system. A very substantial air defense system. They have their own considerable air force as well. When syria said they would see air strikes by us or anybody else as an act of aggression against them as a nation, did they mean that they would shoot at our planes . Is this now a war with syria in addition to being a war inside syria . And beyond those questions, ive got two more. Because the u. S. Telegraphed in advance this attack would be coming, has isis integrated itself into civilian areas so attacks on them will also harm syrian civilians . How isolatable are they, and did that problem get worse over the last two weeks after the u. S. Directly telegraphed wed be doing this but before we started it . While im on a, roll, heres more. Is this legal . The Administration Says its basis for waging this new air war against isis is the authorization for using military force. That the u. S. Congress pass inside the immediate aftermath of 9 11. That authorization for the use of military force, authorized force against the perpetrators of the 9 11 attacks, which were 13 years ago, long before isis or anything like isis was a twinkling in any terrorists eye. In terms of this fight against isis, the u. S. Congress has not authorized anything in syria, let alone in iraq. Is it legal for the u. S. Military to be doing this right now . Is it legal for the president to have ordered this . And is Congress Really going to sit an its hands and stay on vacation for the next two months now that the u. S. Started a new air war in the middle east . Well speak with a member of congress about that last point in a moment. First lets bring in ayman mohyeldin. Thanks for staying up until the dead of night with us and being here. I really appreciate it. Thank you, rachel. As the u. S. Targets what they say are 20 isis targets in and around raqqa, is it fair to ask how much isis is actually headquartered in raqqa in this area in syria where the u. S. Is launching strikes tonight . Are they the kind of group you could cut the group off at headquarters and it would make an important difference across the region . Well, the short answer to that is, as you mentioned, the air strikes in iraq have not yet dislodged isis completely. Theres no doubt that there have been over the course of the last several months a solidification of isis positions inside raqqa thats been the operational headquarter. Certainly an area theyve firmly in their control and have been able to use to coordinate attacks, to store weapons, to build up their ammunition supplies and deploy them. And in some cases even train fighters. Its also believed to be an ideological centerpoint for the group to draw recruits and then spread those out across the regions they are trying to fight. Its important that symbolically, raqqa has been struck. I think its going to be not so clear in the coming days whether or not its going to degrade isis just with at least one day of strikes as weve seen tonight, rachel . What do we know about the level of involvement from these other arab nations . The saudis, bahrain, jordan, qatar . Do we know how much they are involved and is that the sort of thing we will hear from them officially or will this always be covert from their perspective . Both. Ive spoken to some arab leaders this evening. Some arab diplomats. And they have spoken to me privately saying that some will make comments following president obamas speech. They want president obama to come out first and set the tone for this International Engagement if you will. Theyll come out and speak about it. They may not necessarily address the operational involvement but theyll certainly lend their diplomatic support to the United States and to the operation. Theres no doubt arab countries in the region are going to spin this into their favor. Every country that is supporting this fight against isis will use this in some ways as justification for something it is doing domestically. Consider the case in egypt where president sisi has been cracking down on dissent. Also waging a war against terrorists inside the northern part of the sinai peninsula. Hes been saying if the u. S. Goes to war against isis inside syria it should not stop there. This should also be an example for what hes trying to do in neighboring libya and in his own territory. So i think you can see countries try to spin this politically and diplomatical for their own consideration. But youll also get some idea of what involvement they may be playing. Theres no doubt the u. S. Is the lead military force an this but there are indications that countries like jordan are providing intelligence on the ground that other countries like bahrain which is home to the naval fleet is providing key Logistical Support for some of the operations. And other countries perhaps like egypt providing the water ways, including the red sea. Access to the red sea for u. S. Naval ships to fire some of those missiles into syria. What should we think about or what should we expect in terms of the Syrian Government response . Obviously, ahead of this, they said you cannot do this without us. You must work through this if you want to fight these groups. Weve been fighting them all this time. The only legitimate force is the Syrian Government. U. S. Officials are telling reporters that syria was not given advance notice these strikes were going to happen. Were also hearing through pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski that u. S. Military officials arent that concerned about syrian air defenses. Not that they arent considerable but that syria wouldnt dare shoot at u. S. Planes who are engaged in sorties this way. What should we expect from the Syrian Government in response . That is certainly going to depend on what happens in terms of the u. S. intensivecation of strikes on the isis targets. If the United States really degrades isis over the course of days or weeks and really allows for Syrian Rebels to regroup to once again have a front line against the assad regime you can bet the regime is going to launch back ferociously. They arent going to object to u. S. Air strikes against isis. The syria conflict is a very complex one. Right now u. S. And syrian interests have aligned, albeit very briefly in this fight against isis. No doubt if the Syrian Government feels that it is once again being threatened by these air strikes, i suspect the United States will have a hard time perhaps not necessarily militarily with trying to penetrate syrian air defenses but youll see the Syrian Government find other ways to lash out against perhaps interests u. S. Interests in the region. Not necessarily militarily but diplomatically and in other ways against Syrian Rebels that the u. S. Is trying to prop up inside that country. To hold the territory that it wins over for by degrading isis. Watching to see Ground Forces of any stripe try to capitalize on u. S. Air power is going to be both chaotic and fascinating in terms of seeing the power ambulance in the region. Nbc news Foreign Correspondent ayman mohyeldin. Its after 5 00 in the morning in london where you are. I appreciate you doing this. My pleasure. Lets bring in congressman adam smith of washington. The ranking democrat on the House Armed Services committee. Thank you for staying up to the wee hours to talk with us. Thanks for the chance, rachel. Let me get your overall reaction to this news the u. S. Has begun bombing isis targets in syria. I know you said you supported the president s efforts to arm and train rebel forces in syria. Do you support these air strikes as well . I think the biggest thing about this is the coalition that has been brought together to have saudi arabia and bahrain and jordan, qatar and uae as part of this is absolutely critical. If this is a u. S. Dominated u. S. Alone effort, it wont be successful. Thats an important step. The next most important step is we have to get the sunnis in iraq and then some in syria hopefully with the Training Mission as part of it to join in this fight. We still have a long way to go in that regard. Getting the sunnis on the ground to be willing to oppose isis. The air strikes the coalition has put together. But theres a long way to go. After the amount of time the United States spent in iraq, in particular trying to build an inclusive and Effective Iraqi army, working an Iraqi Security forces at every level trying to do things like build iraq an air force and all the other things we did and all the tens of billions if not hundreds of billions of dollars the u. S. Spent trying to built capacity in iraq, is there anything left undone that we havent already tried in terms of trying to get iraqi toss do something that we see in their interest that they plainly dont see that way . What else could the u. S. Do in iraq to change saunni tribesmens minds . Thats an excellent point and good cause for skepticism. Look, if you didnt have a threat like isis popping up here thats so clearly a threat to the region. Its a threat not just in syria and iraq but to jordan, surrounding countries. They wish to export terrorist attacks. You can make a strong argument theres really nothing much we can do. But isis is the changing factor. And the only hope we can have is that that threat, the vision in iraq of isis rolling through mosul down into tikrit, out to the outskirts of baghdad will force them to reconsider. Really, its just one issue. They have to be inclusive instead of sectarian. Thats what maliki utterly failed to do. He continued to drive out the sunnis. Well see if abadi does any better. Theres not being enough to include them in the government. The hope is that the very real Terror Threat of isis, you know, right outside of baghdad will hopefully focus their minds on the fact they just cant afford to be a corrupt sectarian government and survive. Its no guarantee, thats for sure. Congressman adam smith, one last question. Do you expect that congress may return to washington to try to vote on whether or not these strikes should continue to vote on authorizing this use of force . The u. S. Military and the president just ordered the start of a new significant u. S. Air war in the middle east. Congress has not weighed in at all on this. And congress isnt due to be back in washington for another two months. Do you expect congress may come back to address this . I think the pressure is building to do that. Ive been working with steny hoyer about ways to pull together a working group. Congress should speak an this issue. This is, without question, war. This is something that congress should authorize. The president has his article 2 authority and can make his argument but congress is always complaining that the president is overtaking our power. Heres an opportunity. So absolutely, congress should pass it. The politics, very difficult in getting that done for a wide variety of reasons. No question we should act. The pressure is building to overcome those political policy objections and actually do what the congress ought to do. Congressman adam smith, thank you for your time tonight, sir. I really appreciate it. Its actually news to hear. From a member of congress in a position to know. Congressman smith is the top democrat an the House Armed Services committee. If hes saying that pressure is building in congress, that they ought to Say Something here, a, i think thats news but, b, i think those political winds may in fact, be shifting in washington. Im not sure a congress can give itself 54 days off in a row and just walk away when a new air war starts and they havent said anything about it. News breaking late tonight that u. S. Air strikes have started in syria. Less than two weeks after president obama announced he intended to attack isis fighters inside syria. Administration sources telling reporters the government of syria was not given advance notice before those strikes but weve got much more ahead as news continues to break in syria. Please stay with us. I got this. [thinking] is it that time . The son picks up the check . [thinking] im still working. Hes retired. I hope hes saving. I hope he saved enough. Who matters most to you says the most about you. At massmutual were owned by our policyowners, and they matter most to us. Whether youre just starting your 401 k or you are ready for retirement, well help you get there. Our coverage of u. S. Air strikes in syria continues. vo you are a business pro. Solver of the slice. Teacher of the unteachable. You lower handicaps. And raise hopes. And you. Rent from national. Because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle. And go. You can even take a fullsize or above, and still pay the midsize price. pro nice drive. vo well played, business pro. Well played. Go national. Go like a pro. From the outside of this crisis, one thing that has been clear is isis wants war. Isis has been taking territory and murdering people over vast swaths of iraq and syria. They say they want to control all the way from iraq to the mediterranean taking all or part not only of iraq and syria but lebanon and jordan and israel and turkey and, and, and. But then theres us. Isis has not yet tried to launch a physical assault in the United States if they ever will. But they have declared them to be at war with the United States. Isis propaganda over and over, like this propaganda video from last week. They cast their situation in the world as a war between isis and the u. S. They desperately want the world to see them as an equal and opposite force fighting the americans. The group has made baseically a art of trying to provoke and te