prosecution, so this was a bombshell game changer. and you could see by the defense's looks on their faces, as well as the fact that several jurors were taking notes -- not 1, not 2, but 4 jurors taking notes, about how important this testimony was for casey anthony today. >> lieu i said, it may that premedicated murder off the table. >> right off the table. "the situation room" starts right now. president obama promises he has their backs, but as top commanders are openly acknowledging, they were overruled on the pace of the pullout. they're hinting at problems ahead. stand by. an accused mob boss, a mob boss heads to court. this hour the false naming true crime story of whitey bulger's

capture. and a man behind a suspicious package is charged with a series of shootings at military sites. did federal authorities misserious warnings signs that this u.s. marine reservist was on the attack? i'm wolf blitzer, you're in "the situation room." we begin with new reassurances from president obama that military gains won't be kwanered. visiting soldiers at ft. drum, a day after the final decision, some 33,000 by the end of next summer. barbara starr is here. two top gems were testifies.

gen petraeus. >> absolutely, wolf. now it's becoming increasingly clear, president obama's decision on troop withdrawals had political and economic considerations, military considerations were far from the only factor. less than 24 hours after the announcement -- >> our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace. >> so the most senior advisers openingly acknowledging the president overruled their advice about the withdrawal of 33,000 surge troops from afghanistan by next summer. >> what i can tell you is the president's decisions are more aggressive and incur more risk than i was originally prepared to accept. >> the ultimate decision was a more aggressive formulation, if you will, in terms of the time line than what we had

recommended. petraeus made clear he told the president what could happen if the troops were not there. is it a military problem? he suggests perhaps yes. >> there is always a process of assessing risk, and it's typically, in a case like this, as the charm put it today, risk at the margin. we're talking about small differences here albeit significant from a military commander point of view. >> reporter: kriismt aft director petraeus will have to develop a new relationship with the president. >> the fact is there's never been a military official that's had all the time, money and authorities and nowadays with all the bandwidth as well. >> and questions from a democrat who wanted steeper withdrawals. >> you do feel comfortable implementing it and supporting

it. is that an accurate reading? >> i would be a business more qualified, mr. chairman. >> to see if the one-time commander in iraq and afghanistan can really leave behind a nearly 40-year army career. >> i wanted this job. this is something that was not a -- you know, a month or two or three n making. secretary gates and i discussed this all the way back last year. i'm taking off the uniform that i have worn proudly for 37 years to do this job, i think, in the right way. >> now, petraeus will become a civilian cia director, but make no mistake, the joint cia/military raid you saw on osama bin laden's compound is just one of the latest examples of the growing cia involvement with military operations around the world, ranging from pakistan to yemen, to somalia. this would be the new way of doing business. >> you had a bit of exchange.

i guess the bottom line is does general petraeus fully support the president's decisions? >> well, he was asked that repeatedly at this hearing, and he kept saying a qualified yes. he says there is more risk than what he had proposed, and senator levin, one of the most influential democrats on capitol hill on military affairs asked petraeus if he would have even considered resigning over all of this. even that that question is asked, petraeus said essentially no, you know, the troopers can't take off their uniforms in protest, neither would he. he said it would have to be extraordinary dire circumstances, but it's been a long time since we've even heard that kind of question raised. >> in this decision he clearly sided with vice president biden, not necessarily gen be petraeus. >> that seems to be the case. >> thanks very much, barbara. more on this story coming up. meanwhile, a top republican

in congress is throwing a curveball at vice president biden and the obama administration today. that would be the house majority lead sister congressman eric cantor. it's a new setback for talks aimed at raising the debt ceiling. let's go to capitol hill, our senior congressional correspondent dana bash has the latest. this was quite a bombshell out of today, out of the blue a collapse of biden's talks. >> reporter: that's right, these talks are now on hold, officially coming from the white house. vice president biden was supposed to be here this afternoon for a meeting. he didn't even show up after eric cant owe said he's pulling out. >> to the surprise of democratic negotiators republican house majority leader eric cantor pulled out of the bipartisan debt ceiling talks after what several sources tell cnn was a contentious meeting the day earlier. in a statement announcing he's

abandoning negotiations, kantor said, quote, democrats continue to insist that any deal must include tax increases. house speaker boehner backed him up. >> i know the frustration he feels when democrat members continue to want to bring tax hikes into this consideration and insist we have to raise taxes. >> reporter: democrats say it is in part about taxes, behind closed doors, republicans insist on cutting medicare, but won't budge on eliminating tax loop holes. >> yes, we want to remove tax subsidies for big oil. we want to remove tax breaks for corporations that send jobs overseas. that list goes on. i don't know that that's a reason to walk away from the table when we're trying to find a balanced approach. >> reporter: bipartisan negotiate ore led by vice president biden have been working for nearly two months on how to reduce the deficit, a gop condition on raising the debt ceiling. if that's not done by august 2nd, the treasury department

says america will default on its loans. >> i think we have to act like adults here. we have to do something, as senator durbin said, by august 2nd, and we're going to do something, but the republicans should stop playing chicken and pushing is too close to that line. it's not good for our country or the world. >> reporter: democrats claim kantor, one of only two republicans in the talks, did not want to take the heat for negotiating a deal rank-and-file republicans may not like. >> kantor clearly got spooked on how this final deal has to come together. >> reporter: in fact if a quickly security nated message p. kantor and other republicans said it's now time for the president to do the negotiating. >> if we're going to meet the president's timetable to come to an agreement by the end of this month, he needs to engage. >> reporter: we've been told

these talks will only go so far before the president and the leaders in the house and the senate actually take over, but the fact this happened so abruptly, the fact that eric cantor did this, especially when you're talking about an issue that could scare the markets is surprising, causing a lot of intrigue and drama. >> and we'll see what the white house does. the president of the united states specifically to try to revive these negotiations. dana, thank you. let's get to one of the america's most wanted fugitives. that fugitive captured. james whitey bulger. bulger was wanted on 19 counts of murder. the notorious 81-year-old fugitive was the inspiration for the film "the departed." we're total they did not put up a fight when the fbi closed in. the feds were acting on a tip

shortly avalanching a publicity campaign aimed at finding bulger and greig. let's go to los angeles. kara finnstrom is over at bulger's first court appearance. when is that actually supposed to start taking place, kara? >> wolf, any minute now, bulger and his 60-year-old girlfriend catherine greig are expected to make that court appearance. it could be pushed into later in the day. we're told to stands by. we have a reporter inside the courthouse, who is continuing to update. what we understand is the judge will consider whether to grand bond. most don't believe he'll do so because of the flight risk here. bulger could ask for a hearing to try to block his extradition back to boston. if he doesn't request it, he would in most cases by extradited. now, the big question everyone is asking today is how did this

notorious crime boss on the run for 16 years ultimately get caught? what fbi agents are telling us is that it all came down to his girlfriend. they tell us, when their efforts to track him down weren't meeting with any success, they decided to create a 30-second psa that focused on her and unusual traits, such as the fact she likes to get her teeth cleaned once a month. also the fact she loves animals and she's had numerous plastic surgeries and frequents beauty salons. they hoped some of these things would touch off a bell with different folks who watch different audience -- different audiences of shows, where they felt there were large groups of women watching. what we're told by agents is that that strategy worked, and on tuesday, a tipster called them within 24 hours they had made that arrest in santa

monica. we did speak with two men from the boston area who had moved across the country about the surprise they felt when they found hi had been arrested. inch he's definitely a legend back there. i mean, you've heard the stories, things he's done, corruption, but a lot of people said he's dead, maybe they don't want to see him get caught, maybe he'll take down the whole fbi if he starts talking. ref we have started leafing through the 100-page or so indictment against bulger and some of the other alleged members of his crime organizati organization. it reads like a crime novel, with lists of different illegal weapons traced back to that crime organization. everything from racketeering to 19 different alleged murders, even details about bodies buried in basements. this is going to be a long court proceeding.

what we're seeing today is just the start. >> we just got the booking photo. courtesies of our affiliate. there it is, the exclusive of the two of them. this is what they call booking photos. do we know which show the tipster was watching that gave the information that led to the police of going into the place in santa monica? >> reporter: no. we did check with some of or fbi contacts. at this point they're not releasing information, just saying it's very clear this tip is related to that psa, which was seen actually in 14 different cities, including here in los angeles. they're not even clarifying that it was here in l.a. that that tip was passed along to them. that will be interesting to see exactly what bit of information let them to him. >> and some kara says a psa, she

means a public service announcement. he was the number two most wanted right after bin laden. now he's in jail. we'll have more on the story later. kara, thank you. also a new and rare look inside syria, damascus right now, the assad government trying to show the world a different view of the country than the deadly unrest we have been seeing for months. gangs are hope to business and allegedly branding prostitutes as their personal property. stand by for an exclusive. a very disturbing report on sex trafficking right here in the united states. 8% every 10 years. wow. wow. but you can help fight muscle loss with exercise and ensure muscle health. i've got revigor. what's revigor? it's the amino acid metabolite, hmb to help rebuild muscle and strength naturally lost over time. [ female announcer ] ensure muscle health has revigor and protein to help protect, preserve, and promote muscle health. keeps you from getting soft. [ major nutrition ] ensure. nutrition in charge!

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hard too believe, but in california police say gangs are selling teenage girls to make money. modern-dade slavery. the cnn freedom project is exposing the horrid owes of human trafficking here and around the world. thelma gutierrez has a report on how police are cracking down and the people who allegedly sell women for sex. >> reporter: each day this young woman spent hours on the internet posting provocative

photos of herself and fishing for clients. people who would pay her to have sex. >> mine used to say barely 18 years old. >> reporter: she worked as a prostitute, but she didn't work for herself. she had a pimp who said a quota of $1,000 a day. jessica told me she was afraid of her pimp if he didn't work, they didn't eat. she once went five days. >> i thought i was going to die of starvation. >> you had to work to get fed. >> to get fed. >> reporter: she's afraid to be identified, because her mimp is a gang member. twoiers when she was a runaway, she became the physical property of a california gang, where prostitutes, are often branded with tattoos bearing the gang's insignias.

the lieutenant says they're focusing -- >> we're focusing on the women, the reason they're here. >> reporter: three warring gang factions laid down their weapons to form what investigators say is a profitable business enterprise to traffic women and prostitutes throughout california. >> this is one of the biggest investigations we've had. >> reporter: detectives led the 18-month investigation into the cribs' enterprise and found the about is was moving away from selling drugs and selling women. the internet was the most powerful tool. >> this is new territory? >> yes. >> profitable? >> yes. here you have a girl that you're prostituting out, you don't have to find another girl. >> reporter: the investigation as a resulted in the federal indictment of 38 people, including suspected gang members, their associates, even hotel owners where the alleged

prostitution was taking place. suspects were indicted on multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking. as for jessica, the turns point came after she is witnessed another prostitution, who was her friend, being beaten. she had she watched in horror as he sprayed mace in her mouth hand forced her to swallow it. then she knew she had to escape. >> now people call prostitutes names. they don't know what we're going through, if we were fed last night, if we're being raped. >> reporter: jessica says she was abused as a child and never would have resorted to this life if she had had a family who protected her. >> i don't have a dad. i've never had one. i think i waited like 18 years or 19 years for him to call me on one of my birthdays, and he never did.

offense painful. >> reporter: jessica says she is worries about the vulnerable women and girls who get trapped in a life they cannot escape. thelma gutierrez, cnn, oceanside, california. tune in this sunday for a documentary on young women and girls bought and sold for sex in nepal, the actress and activist demi moore joins the freedom project to present "nepal's stolen children." it's at 8:00 p.m. eastern on cnn. could possible relief at the gas pump be on the way? just ahead. dramatic new steps the federal government is taking. plus potential president yeah hopeful sarah palin is cancelling a trip. on brakes. tell us what you want to pay. we do our best to make that work. deal! my money. my choice. my meineke.

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major supreme court ruling today. lisa, tell us about it form. >> a big win in the supreme court for the manufacturers of generic pharmaceuticals, the justices ruling 5-4 that generic drug companies are not required to update their warnings labels to the same extent as the makers of their brand-name equivalents. the decision essentially ends two separate lawsuits alleges severe complications from generic drug use. and new hope for relief at the gas pump. 30 million barrels of oil will be tapped from the reserve. it's to help make up supply disruptions from war-torn libya. analysts say it could reduce prices of gas by 50 cents by the

end of summer. we'll have much more in the next hour of "the situation room." and sarah palin has canceled plans to travel to sudan next month, citing scheduling problems, this according to a cnn source with knowledge of the trip. palin, who's currently mulling a run for president, was supposed to make the trip with frankly graham. on her facebook page, she writing she has jury duty, apparently. >> that's a scheduling problem. >> yes, it is. >> couldn't get out of the jury duty. a reservest now charged in a series of shootings at military sites. the information and evidence against him that finally put the fbi on his trail. and a bold new plan to surrender a major battle. should the federal government simply stop enforcing marijuana laws? with honey nut cheerios cereal. kissed with real honey.

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we heard president obama today at ft. drum in new york promise u.s. troops their commander in chief has their back, but there's a huge debate over whether the exit plan he announced last night goes too far or not far enough. joining us from capitol hill, the chairman of the house intelligence committee, republican congressman mike rogers of michigan. thanks for coming in. >> wolf, thanks for having me. >> you support what the president announced last night? >> i don't. i have a lot of concerns about how he's laid out his plan. you know, the last of the troops of the surge got here january of this year, so this was the first full fighting season. remember, it's about late april through october is the fighting season for the taliban in afghanistan. so this was the first full fighting season that we've had with all of those troop surge -- all of the troops from the surge

on the ground. i supported the president in this. i thought it was port that we break the momentum of the taliban, that we try to break their back. you never will eliminate them, but i want them so week that the afghan services, the army and the police, can defend afghanistan itself when we leave. i think this puts at risk all the gains that we've made and the possibility for the afghans to take over and fight back against what would be a weakened taliban if we had done the mission correctly. >> here's what i don't understand. you know this better than i do, officials saying there are really only 50, 75, maybe at tops 100 members of al qaeda left in all of afghanistan. is that right? >> well, i mean, i think the number fluctuates. they may be talking about leadership types. that would probably be accurate. here's the problem al qaeda is

one of the main problems of the taliban being in charge of afghanistan. i support the reason the president sent troops there. it was not about al qaeda alone, but it was to break the momentum of the taliban that allows al qaeda to be in afghanistan. that's really important. it also is the problem on the pakistani side of the border. so the one leverage we had about keeping some touch talk with the pakistanis about stepping up to the plate is we had 100,000 troops will putting the hurt on the taliban on the afghan side. that was important leverage, and i just think it's a horrible message for our resolve about fixing the problem. >> the other number that's been thrown out, as far as taliban fighter in all of afghanistan, there may only be maybe 25,000 in all of afghanistan. i don't know if you know a more accurate number. some say it's only 5, 10, 15,000, i've heard as high as

25,000. 300,000 afghan troops trained. isn't it time for the afghan troops to deal with these 25,000 taliban fighters? and let the u.s. and nato pull out? >> well, we do want to pull out. yes, there will come a time when the military is ready. here is the interesting thing, wolf. the military said, don't do this right now. there were lots of folks say don't do this, commanders on the ground, reports that petraeus said this is not what i want to do, if you do it we'll have to go into risk assessment and m t mitigation of risks. here's the problem. tame they're talking about pulling out, they're also talking about negotiation with the taliban, which i think is a terrible idea, by the way. they have never lived up to one of their agreements. these are the same people made it illegal for women to be taught how to read.

this is a pretty brutal bunch. that allowed al qaeda safe haven. what we have just done to the enemy is saying, hey, great, we've lost our resolve, i'm coming home. you've got an election, that's important. finishing the fight is not. if you're an afghan village leader in a small town down around kandahar somewhere, and you notice the footprint is getting smaller for your security and the taliban saying don't forget, i'm going to be back real soon, who is your loyalty going to go through? >> can the u.s. -- and you want to cut the spending, reduce the national national debt, between now and 2014 spend another half a trillion, almost $500 billion to maintain this military operation in afghanistan? >> i don't know if you want to go to 2014, but the problem is i know that leaving today won't do it.

the military wanted two fighting seasons, this and next season the by the time you start the second tier of this drawdown it's right in the middle of the fighting season, which i don't understand. militarily it makes no sense. what we have to do with the economy is not place it at the foot of afghanistan. we need to work on our domestic agenda, a pro-growth agenda, where we make it so we can create jobs and grow the economy, while we're cutting in other areas, but the one thing i do know is that it costs this country almost a trillion just for one day's terrorist attack that happened on 9/11. we still pay a price for that. what i do know is if you leave it early and don't do this job right, we put ourselves at risk again by allows a saving haven to reestablish itself in afghanistan. i think this is more -- this was a product development from his political shop, not the pentagon. really we need this the other way around. >> congressman thanks for

joining us. >> hey, thanks, wolf. appreciate talking to you. you can read more of my thoughts at our new blocks at cnn.com/situationroom. go there, see what i have to say. meanwhile, new arrests in an alleged terror plot in seattle. new information is coming in. we'll get a side of the syria that the government wants you to see action a side much syria that the government wants you to see in the midst of all the bloody unrest. arwa damon will join us live from damascus. ♪

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the magistrate in los

angeles has just denied bail for the captured mobster james whitey bulger. he was on the run for 16 years. captured overnight in santa monica. that's the exclusive photo we're getting from our affiliate, wcvb. that's from our boston affiliate, excuse me. all right. so no bond. much more at the top of the hour on this story. meanwhile, two men have just been charged in an alleged ploy to attack a military facility? seattle. let's bring in jeanne meserve with the latest details. >> they allegedly wanted to attack a recruiting station. they're abu khalid abdul latif, and wali mujahidh.

as they tried to recruit a third person, that informant went to the police. law enforcement had rendered the guns inoperable. court documents say the men were unhappy about the u.s. military presence in the middle east. they wanted to kill and inspire others to attack by, among other things, getting on cnn. wolf? >> new information about a separate indication that's unfolded here in washington? >> that's right. also involving the military facility. the arrest of a marine reservest last week has led to charges related to earlier crimes. before he was arrested last friday in arlington national cemetery y:nathan malaku was not on the fbi's radar. a key piece of evidence, a video

recovered from his bedroom, apparently shot by himself, allegedly shows him firing a gun from inside a vehicle at what looks like the marine corps museum. according to an affidavit, he says that's my target, the military building, it's going to be attacked. when the shooting is done, he yells allah akbar. >> anyone who would shoot a weapon at four military installations is very serious. these were not junior high or shooting bebe guns at a local school. >> reporter: last fall ballistic testing links the shootings. shell casings found in his neapsack when he was arrested allegedly are the same make. the fbi says it has covered a weapon and is doing forensic testing. he was also purportedly

interested in making bombs. to pounds of nigh was allegedly in his back page, and a list of other ied components was at his home. since nadal hassan was charged with killing 13 people, the military has been on the lookout. a marine spokesman says malaku showed no signs. >> there were no indications. he was serving as a reservist, you know, that was attending drills and other functions. >> reporter: but a military official says one month before the shooting, he failed a combat fitness test, later doing poorly on a fitness test. and listed as nondeployable. officials are still investigating whether he has ties now, since notebooks reference al qaeda, bid laden

and jihadists, allegedly. >> any evidence he was inspired by some of these radical muslim clerics? as we know other american gee hattists were. >> we've asked that question, look. we're told they are looking intently. no word yet on whether that's the case or not. >> jeanne, thanks very much. in orlando, there's been dramatic testimony in the casey anthony trial. her mother telling the court that she, not her daughter, conducted that controversial internet search on chloroform david, what is the latest? >> well, wolf, this was a big moment for the defense, because up until now the prosecution had been telling us that it was casey anthony who used the family's computer to search for information about chloroform. they say she used it to sedate her daughter and suffocated her

with duct tape. her mother gets on the stand and contradicts information she gave during deposition. now listen to some of the fireworks that followed. >> i take it that you did not tell them that you made those searches. correct? >> i did -- i did tell law enforcement. in fact i told you during mire deposition in 2009 that i made those searches, you told me that you searched for chlorophyll, correct? >> yes. >> and you spelled chlorophyll for me. do you recall that? >> yes. >> do you recall denying you made any searches for how to make chloroform? >> i didn't look up how to make chloroform. i looked up chloroform, and i believe we talked about that. >> did you input into a google search engine. >> yes, i looked up chlorofo chloroform -- when you look up

chloroform, you don't have to look up how to make it on there. it tells you what the chains are. >> reporter: this is an important point. the prosecution says someone used that computer to look specifically for how to make chloroform. if it wasn't the mother, then who was it? wolf? >> all right. thanks very much. we'll stay on top of this story as well. david joining us. a stark contrast to the bitter bloodshed that's already displaced thousands of people. just hailed the first report from inside damascus, syria since the brutal government crackdown began.

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right now, new york city state may be on the brink of a

historic stand, a vote on legalizing same-sex marriage could happen sometimes tonight as president obama is in new york city, and questions remain on his stance on gay marriage. mary snow has the latest. >> reporter: well, wolf, still intense negotiations still going on, unclear if the bill will come up for a vote later today. the timing of 9 president's trip is being noted by gay rights activists here, and they want to listen closely to hear if the many is going to acknowledge their fight. as gay rights activists fight for same-sex marriage in albany, new york, brett peterson for one is closely watching what comes from president obama's lgbt fund-raiser in new york city. >> i understand politics, and i understand you just can't walk into office and change

everything, but we supported him, and it's time. the time is running out. >> reporter: and the president's views on same-sex marriage are being scrutinized. a 1996 questionnaire published by a local paper recently resurfaced. mr. obama, then running for state senate had responded. fav legalizing same-sex marriages. asked about it at the white house, the spokesman said it was his understanding the president filled out the questionnaire at the time and when asked if the president did in fact support same-sex marriage, he said this. >> once again what i know is what his position was during the campaign and what it is now. he has been very clear about it. >> during the campaign in 2008, he made it clear he was against same-sex marriage. >> i am not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage, but i do believe in civil union. >> now in office, he said his views on same-sex marriage are constantly evolving. that is welcome news to daniel

o'donnell, the new york lawmaker who introduced the same-sex marriage bill. >> the country is moving in a direction that said i should be treated equally by my government. i am confident my government will get there soon >> they are not sold on the lgbt fund-raiser. >> this will be difficult for the president and the white house and for the reelection campaign to deal with a president standing up and collecting checks and not taking a stand on legislation in the very state where he is fund-raisi fund-raising. >> many wonder how the president will deal with the elephant in the room. >> it's a big elephant with a tutu and a tiara. >> a colorful way of saying what many believe, wolf, that one way or another the president will have to take a stand and address it. >> we will see what they do in the coming hours. thanks very much.

the fbi nabs one of the most wanted fugitives after more than 16 years on the run. we are going to go to the hometown of this notorious mobster to get reaction. stand by for that. plus, was osama bin laden afraid al qaeda was losing the war on terror against the united states? letters found in his compound. ♪ ♪

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the first national spelling bee champion in mississippi. a new salt water fishing record was broken when this tuna was caught. pictures coming in from around the world. into a brutal crack down here's and makes it into damascus for the first time. the scene is different from the one at the border. let's go to damascus right now. joining us with more, you have been trying and trying and trying to get into damascus for a long time. you are fanlly there. tell our viewers what you are seeing. >> well, wolf, this particular part of the capital is in the center of this city itself, bearing in mind that the demonstration when they take place in damascus tend to happen on the outlying area. the part that we went to has seen little if anything by way of significant demonstrations. take a look at what we saw today.

at one of the main entrances to the old city in damascus, there is now a massive speaker who is blairing pro government music. we just heard lyrics saying we are your men and you are the one who is protecting syria. we spoke to the restaurant manager, the ones who set up the speaker and the manager was telling us that the restaurant decided to do it as a symbol of nationalism. we are escorted a a government minder as we wander through the streets at the heart of the capital. the image is everywhere. in this part of damascus, he seems to enjoy public support. there is party hats here and even key chains. t-shirts that have been printed up. he was telling us he began selling these products about three months ago when the up rising began. he said he is doing a very solid

amount of business and he chose to sell these types of products as a symbol of patriotism. sometimes there is an almost surreal contrast with the images of violence and suffering that emerge from syria since march. he has thrown that confetti into the air and saying it is a symbol of his happiness because there no problems syria is a solid country and there is nothing to be upset about. nab not here, but people who fled to the border with turkey, 400 kilometers to the north have plenty to be upset about. with just the clothes on their backs, they tell stories of abuse and threats by the security fores. they vow they won't return home until they are gone. officials tell us the military was simply targeted armed gangs

and they asked, why is the world so focused on 10,000 refugees from syria when there over a million iraqis displaced by the u.s.-led war in 2003? there was anger. spontaneous or otherwise among the people we met in the capital. the filming stirred up the debate with a woman coming up to us and telling us they wanted all americans and all westerners out of their country and the u.s. and shall nations had no business meddling in syria. it's as if syria were two countries in two different realities. >> as we know, friday, tomorrow tends to be a dave widespread protest throughout syria. what we have done is asked government official fist they will grant us permission to go into the damascus neighborhood where is the demonstrations have traditionally been taking place

we will wait and see if the request is fulfilled tomorrow. >> sounds like in libya, two different syrias and two different libyas. we will stay in close touch with you. be careful over there and thanks for the great reporting. to our viewers here, happening now, one of the fbi's most wanted fugitives a mobster captured after 16 years on the run thanks in part to a very unusual tactic. he was teaming up on a bill that would change the laws in the united states. will it lead to legalization. we want to welcome the viewers in the united states and around the world.

he was up there with no less than osama bin laden on the list of the fbi's most wanted fugitives. the boston mobster and spent 16 years on the run and wanted for murder along with racketeering, extortion and a host of other charges the fbi found a new tactic. focusing on his long time girlfriend. hoping she would lead investigators to him. they ran this announcement on local tv station across the country. >> have you seen this woman? the fbi is offering $100,000 for tips leading to her whereabouts. she had plastic surgeries. these pictures are from the 90s. she is wanted for housing a

fugitive on the fbi's 10 most wanted list >> the fbi was led to an apartment in santa monica where they were captured without incident. >> i do want to note though that from the fbi in finding bolger that despite numerous media campaigns throughout the years and collaboration with america's most wanted and other efforts, despite and pursuing tripping all over the world and leads all over the world, they never gave up. seeking information as to catherine's whereabouts, hopeing it would lead to bolger paid off. >> just within the past few moments, bolger appeared in court in los angeles. here is the booking photo. we just received it a moment ago. outside the courthouse in los

angeles, update our viewers on what's going on right now. >> today's court hearing lasted about six or seven minutes. no cameras were allowed in the courtroom. a limited number of rve observers were giving us a glimpse of what took place. the mug shot has been released. that gives the first look at them since they have been on the run 16 years ago both of them denied having bail set. no bail has been set for them. they will be held without bail they didn't want to challenge that. no extradition hearing has been requested. we are being told they will be sent back for boston for trial as quickly as possible. possibly tonight they both walked in in white cover being that appeared to be a jump suit and bolger is now bald. he was also wearing glasses. he was polite in the courtroom. very orderly.

we also did get a comment that was passed along to us. the magistrate asked if he was aware of the dimes given to him. handed down to him. we are told he seemed jovial and said i know them. i know them all. thank you. he was also described as cle clean-shaven. we can also tell you that earlier today, what we were told by the fbi is that all of this as a result of his girlfriend being featured in a public service announcement. details about her that were particular to her, highlighted in the public service announcement and someone came forward and said they recognized her and that led police to bolger who again had been on the run for 16 years >> she 81 and she is 60 years old. did you say he is clean-shaven?

it looks like he has a beard. >> for did. that's the description we handed down moments ago. the information coming out fast and furious. i haven't been able to see that shot on the air, but we were told he appeared clean arshavin and polite. >> thanks. bolger is as legendary as notorious in his hometown of boston. he is said to be the inspiration for the in the martin scorcese film, the departed. >> i'm curious to see you in this neighborhood. explain. if i can slam my own environment, it makes me sad, this regression. >> more now with the reaction in boston to bolger's arrest. what are people there saying?

>> wolf, whitey bolger has been this larger than life character. he controlled the streets of south boston and he was known for brutality and at times for acts of kindness he went away to prison and he was 14 years old. later served time in federal prisons like alcatraz. pra perhaps that factored into the reason he ran rather than be captured. on the streets of south boston in a largely irish-american neighborhood, word of james bolger, aka whiteyicologier spre spread fast. >> i never thought they would. >> he ran the notorious mob known as the winter hill gang and paid off police and politicians and disappeared christmas 1994 after a tip from a corrupt fbi agent alerting him agents were closing in.

>> the state policeman the fbi was in his pocket. >> he was in boston running the dreg enforcement agency to get bolger. >> there was a saying in boston that whitey walked down the street, the sidewalk shook. that's how bad he was and how tough he was and also how mean, crazy and nasty he was >> bolger is said to have modelled himself after gangstered immortalized by jimmy kag me in. his blulthsity was legendary and like john gotti, he killed people from the gang and pulled out someone's tongue. >> he can kill you for no reason. that was his reputation >> it included extortion and gun running for the ira and drugs, changing as much as $1 million to bring marijuana and cotan through boston harbor.

>> who are is laughing mou? >> the legendary boston politician who said he knew of his brother's whereabouts? he was captured in santa monica, california after they ran an ad seeking his long time girlfriend, catherine greig. >> bolger is facing 19 counts of murder, but the former dea special agent in charge told me that in fact many agents feel there many more. >> let's get to president obama's plan to withdraw some 33,000 u.s. troops by the end of next summer. the last announcement for the nation and indeed the world he took it to the troops themselves visiting soldiers in upstate new york. the white house correspondent is

here with more on the president's trip, the day after. >> that's right, wolf. these were soldier who is played an important in afghanistan. the president is saluting them for helping to reverse the momentum of the taliban for creating this motor form to go after osama bin laden and also al qaeda the president saying "we have decimated their ranks." even as the drawdown numbers are more clearly defined, the president points out that the mission is not over. somewhere between caution and full speed ahead, president obama drove his troop drawdown time table down the middle. at ft. drum, home to the tenth mountain division, he explained his map to soldiers, some just back from afghanistan. >> we have turned a corper where we can begin to bring back some of the our troops. we are not doing it precipitously. we will do it in a steady way to

make sure that the games that all of you helped to bring about are going to be sustained. >> the president met privately with gold star families whose loved ones died in combat or combat-related duty. here they know the troops by name. army private first class ryan bacchus killed in kandahar province less than a week ago. >> you guys sacrificed. i know we have 11 fallen. they are just out of this group right here. i think about 207 all totalled since 9/11. we will never forget their sacrifice. >> the president's decision ordering 33,000 service members home by next summer drew bipartisan support and bipartisan criticism. nancy pelosi said while she respects the president's time table ending the war will help

reduce the deficit and sharpen the focus on domestic priorities like jobs and the economy. >> the good news is the president is bringing the war to an end in afghanistan. many of us would like to see it go faster than the path that was laid out. >> the house majority leader john boehner said the surge was a big success and warned the withdrawal should not be done on a political deadline. >> we have gained a lot of success, but it's tenuous. i don't think anyone wants to jeopardize the gains we made in afghanistan. >> in addition afghanistan, the president also focusing on his 2012 campaign, attending three fund-raisers in new york and comes to pittsburgh, pennsylvania where tomorrow he talks jobs and the economy, specifically how new technology can help. >> on the scene covering the president's trip. thank you. while the president is promoting

the drawdown plan, the manager secretary is making a controversial decision that could impact gas prices and stopping the u.s. from defalling on loans and negotiations on hold after a big name republican walks out of the talks. what happens next? new fallout from the foul mouthed pilot whose hateful comments were caught on tape.

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>> bipartisan negotiations are set walking away from the talks from joe biten saying they reached an impasse. let's bring gloria. why did he say for now it's over? >> in one sense, they surprised everyone because it came so suddenly. there was a contentious and some said bigger tense session

yesterday on the budget. it was clear that kantor decided he couldn't continue. you know the differences as well as i did. we heard this song before. the democrats don't want to touch medicare. the republicans don't want to raise taxes. when you think about how much money you are talking about, you may have significant change unless you do one of the two things. i talked to democrat who is said it's clear to them that kantor does want to reach a deal. they believe he was negotiating in good faith. he couldn't go back to his caucus with any kind of a deal that had tax increases on the tail. maybe one thing is a freeze in defense spending. we will start hearing a little bit more. >> for days and days, they were

making progress. >> they had made progress. they throw everything on the table and they were trying to say and they got to $2 trillion worth of cuts over the next 10 years. but then you have to stop and say what's doable. it's happened over and over and over again. these budget deals tend to fall apart before they come together. i wouldn't call it dead for good. at some point, they have to get it done. >> let's listen to what john boehner had to say about that. >> for we are to come to an agreement by the end of this month, he needs to engage. if we are going to meet that timeline, the president is going

to have to lead. >> the president and the speaker did meet yesterday on a variety of issues. it's very clear that this now has to move up the food chain as the speaker said. i think july 1 deadline is about gone. kantor's people said taxes are off the table and we'll go back and otherwise we have to take it to the next level. >> some republicans are saying they want a formal commitment from the democrats for a balanced budget and the short of that, they will not support. >> yes. it depends, but that could be a negotiating tool. if they don't do something, they will suffer in the eyes of the american public. there is a new poll out that shows republicans would suffer more and look at independent voters how important they are they

would blame both sides equally. they need a deal we have to figure out how to get there. >> the speaker should play another round of golf. maybe that would help. maybe eric kantor should join that. >> we don't know. i know i don't. >> we will have a check of other top stories up next in "the situation room." new information that bin laden felt al qaeda was losing the public relations war against the united states. es. in here, the planned combination of at&t and t-mobile would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities, giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenever you want them. it's the at&t network... and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. ♪ [ male announcer ] what is the future of fuel?

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i just got a statement from joe biden on the clapgs of the negotiations with the

republicans, pulling out of the negotiations saying the republicans will not accept any increases in taxes in order to raise the debt ceiling. the vice president saying among other things for now that talks are there as weigh await the guidance and we stand ready to meet again he said there has to be significant cuts in spending and i will read to our viewers specifically. we all need to make sacrifices and that includes the most fortunate among us. that means tax increases for the most fortunate among us meaning rich people he is holding firm that there have to be increases into the budget to deal with this budget deficit. we will see what happens next. safeguards have been put in place to protect two nuclear power plants in nebraska from

rising floodwaters. newscast other top stories with a serious situation pa. >> the nuclear regulators say equipment at the two plants is safe from the rising missouri river. parts of plant located south of omaha are under water, but regulateors say a flood wall is protecting the transformers and the switch yard. floodwaters have not reached the second that is located about 60 miles further south. we have a clarification. yesterday in the cafferty file jack said jon huntsman is being raised in her native hindu faith. we have been sent a clarification the candidate is raising his daughter to learn about and a freeshiate her native culture, but not raising her as a hindu.

this was shot by a passinger by after an argument broke out in orlando, florida. according to our a niliate, a man pointed lighted fireworks at people, including a pregnant woman, and put a firecracker in the gas pank tank of a car. there were no reports of jurisdiction. the suspect is facing charges of arson and aggravated battery >> serious stuff. thanks very much. osama bin laden's letters revealed. up next, the al qaeda leader's biggest worry. as gas prices start falling, they are taking a controversial step. what defines a hostile action in libya. obama national adviser has told me. stand by. you are in "the situation room." and also delicious. like nature valley. granola bars made with crunchy oats and pure honey.

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secretary of state hillary clinton is defending talks with the taliban and afghanistan giving new details of what the u.s. hopes to accomplish. she faced serious questions today on capitol hill. joe has more. what is going on? very sensitive subject >> it is. what we heard today is a shift in focus to what she is calling the diplomatic surge ended, winning over the taliban and telling senators with osama bin laden dead, the taliban has to make a choice. be part of the future or face unrelenting pressure. the military surge worked and now it's time for what the administration is calling the diplomatic surge. >> as we strengthen the afghan government and security forces, america will join initiatives

that reconcile the afghan people, including the taliban. >> testifying before the relations committee, secretary of state hillary clinton highlighted the surge claiming that it is paying off. >> we were not in a position, frankly, to pursue that until recently. why? because the taliban were not interested in talking to us because they thought they were going to make a big come back. >> it's not a pleasant business, clinton said, but it's a necessary one. >> i do hope that everybody in the congress and the press and the public understands that you don't end wars by talking only to people with whom you agree or who are good actors. you end wars by unfortunately, but the fact is talking with people whose interests and values are often very much opposite of yours. >> but there red lines clinton

insists. at least at the end of negotiations. >> any potential for peace will be subverted if women or ethnic minorities are marginalized or silenced. >> the taliban must renounce violence. abandon al qaeda and abide by the afghan constitution, including protections for women. >> do you think that there really is the possibility for any kind of an agreement with the taliban? >> i think there is. but i think we are a long way from knowing what the realistic elements of such an agreement would be. >> and secretary clinton herself sounded skeptical and said the power sharing agreements can sometimes just be a way with the warring parties maneuvering before they go back to fighting. it's clear that this administration feels that's the only way the conflict will end

>> even after the drawdown is complete by the end of 2014, a massive international force will remain in afghanistan possibly for years to come. i talked about that much more with the white house deputy national security adviser dennis mcdonald. yesterday an administration official told reporters there were between 50 and 75 al qaeda terrorists left in all of afghanistan right now. why does the united states need humans of thousands of troops, nato allies and 300,000 afghan troops? why does the u.s. and nato and afghan ap eyes need a half million troops to deal with maybe a hundred fighters and maybe 100,000 taliban fighters? >> that's an overstatement. 300,000 afghan troops and 100,000 u.s. troops and that's

more. >> of course the afghan troops are going to carry out a range of security requirements so we and others don't have to. here's what we are doing. we will take the fight wherever they are. yemen and somalia and afghanistan and pakistan. what we have done is part of the reason that you have such smaller numbers of al qaeda is because of the success of our troops the president thanked them and their families last night. what we are also going to do is train the afghans and doing that -- >> for 10 years they have been training the afghans. they have soldiers and police forces that have been trained they are doing an excellent job why can't they take over now? >> increase them the way they are. you heard general petraeus say over the last several days that more and more specially trained afghans are working with our special operators to carry out the targeted rates between senior level operators.

we have over 18 months ensured that 20 of the top 30 taliban and al qaeda leaders met justice. that's the kind of thing the afghans are doing and why the president got us on this to reduce our presence and allow them to take on more of their share of the burden. >> is it realistic to start negotiations with the taliban based on the conditions and the outline because the one condition that jumped out at me is the taliban would have to accept the afghan constitution. is that realistic? >> these are not preconditions. this is what has to happen for a peace condition. those are the base line requirements. >> except article 22 of the afghan constitution that calls for equal rights for girls and women? >> it's one of the reasons we

point out the importance. you heard the president talk about the gains that our troops and afghans ensured for afghan women and girls that's important and an advance in in afghanistan. >> we will find out and if they do, that's great. what they will see it continued pressure from the targeted operations. continued pressure from more and more capable afghans. security forces. we will keep the heat on them. i don't know what will happen at the end of this process, but i know each additional day we buy increases the afghan's capacity to keep the heat on the taliban. that's in afghan's interest and why we are doing it. >> one final question on a related subject. syria. the president was quick to call for mubarak to step down and not so quick to call on syria to step down. why?

>> i think what we have seen is you have seen an indication and they said over the weekend we are not seeing an indication that the president is in a position to reform or to leave. what the period said is if he is not in that position, he should leave. we will leave that up to the syrian opposition and the people to make that determination when you sit where you are, we are not seeing indications that he is making progress. one other thing related, but not specifically. we are seeing some rumblings as it relates to libya. secretary clinton had a good meeting on this. we think at a time when libyan opposition and i saw a piece today whose title was libyan opposition bearing down on controlled towns when we have days like that,

it's confusing as to why certain members want to let the heat off the libyan leadership. we are seeing allies and the libyan opposition with our support, making progress and we don't think it's the right time to be letting our foot off the gas. >> what they want, a lot of members of congress, democrats and republicans is a resolution authorizing military action in libya. they say these are hostilities and this is hostile action that the u.s. engaged in. war powers apply. you disagree. what if the libyans launch bombs or missiles. is that hostile? we are going to do exactly what we have done, to go on these guys down as we have done in al

qaeda and elsewhere. as it melts, i am not engaming in a bay. this is an effort with the allies and arab nations with the libyan opposition to keep the pressure on gadhafi. someone who has american blood on his hands and we will keep that bit of offense and keep it on the offense. as this question of hostilities, this is a game where the lawyers have looked at it and the actions that were taking are within the precedent set by other administrations. the clinton administration and lebanon. clinton administration in kosovo. we are well within the authority and consistent with the efforts to keep congress informed and consulting closely. we are not going to let them indicate to the nato partners

and the allies in the lead on this. they are undertaking the lead efforts that we can't support them. now would be the wrong time for that. >> good luck. >> thanks a lot. always good to be with you. >> letters found in osama bin laden's compound indicate the terrorist leader thought the u.s. might be winning the battle for hearts and minds in the muslim world. with the fourth of july holiday on the horizon, should drivers be concerned that gas prices are going to surge again? what the obama administration is doing to keep the prices trending downwards. [ slap! ]

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the information we covered shows al qaeda under enormous strength. al qaeda had been unable to replace senior terrorists that had been kill and al qaeda failed to portray america as a nation at war and draining more widespread support. >> president obama touched on it last night in the speech on the drawdown. now source are telling us, do you wants show the terror leader was increasingly afraid al qaeda was losing the public relations war. our correspondent has more information for us. what do you think you are up to? >> it's odd to think of al qaeda concerned about pr, but that's what it suggests. letters found at the com pound suggest that bin laden was concerned the west had been able to reframe the image. one example is the west had

shortened the game of the group and thought that might prevent muslims from identifying with the group letters between bin laden and the man who now leads al qaeda shows osama bin laden was concerned that they were damaging al qaeda's image in the muslim world. in addition, senior officials were concerned that so many top figures in the organization had been killed and there the seasoned and skilled leaders were not deep enough. the letters were relatively recent, some of them written just earlier this year >> here in the united states, americans have gotten a little bit of relief at the gas pump in weeks. the national average for a gallon dropped around 35 cents. the obama administration is moving to keep prices from jumping back up. lisa sylvester is following this story for us

the oil market is enormous out there. tell us what's going on. >> you know the short answer is the focus is not just on where the prices are, but where prices are headed. predictions were that gas and oil prices in the summer months started to spare the pain at the pump. they decided to tap into the country's oil reservice. to offset the loss of libyan oil, the energy department will release 30 billion barrels of oil from the strategic reserve, a oil stockpile. >> this is not a decision. both the consumer and the producer's side and everyone seems to be in agreement where we need to make sure that they were adequately supplied so the demand can be met. >> the u.s. has 727 million barrels on the reserve and 30 million barrels is only a drop in the bucket. that's about the amount of oil the united states consumes in a couple of days. other member countries of the

international energy agency will add an initial 30 million barrels look at the trend with the price of oil. we have a graphic to show you. $3.60 a gallon. starting to go up in december and peaked in may and then started to go back down. why now? the energy department is starting to tap into the reserve? 130 million barrels have been taken off line at the same time the demand is increasing they hope that opec countries would boost supply, but that hasn't happened yet. another driver is politics. the federal chairman this week offered a gleam economic forecast. high gas prices could keep a damper on the economy. >> how much does politics have to do with this in an election year? >> politics enters into any decision like this.

the president sees potential for high prices. as a threat to economic growth and reelection next year. any president would view oil prices that way. >> the republican congressman calls it a band-aid. >> releasing 30 billion barrels may make the price go down, but will not solve the problem. the house republicans say we have to solve the problem so we don't run into this. >> the answer is more drilling in pursuing energy sources. another analyst said tapping into the reserve sends a message to speculators who have been driving up oil prices the message from the government, we are the ones driving with the administration that they will k and will take action. >> interesting after several weeks saying they weren't going to do it and they did it. prices were going down. >> we reported on it here. >> they say it has to be an emergency. now they are saying it's an

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the controversy over legalizing marijuana in united states is heating up with a bill that would end the federal prohibition on pot and let states decide if they want to continue forcing marijuana laws. democrat barney frank and republican ron paul -- cnn's is working the story. >> we know it's going to be tough for barney frank and ron paul to push the bill through. but frank told me it's worth it to begin the process and attack a prohibition on marijuana that he says has done more harm than good. >> reporter: a bold new plan to end a major battle in the war on drugs. two prominent congressmen say it's time for the fed to stop regulating marijuana. democrat barney frank and republican ron paul are pushing

states to make their own laws on marijuanas. the states could legalize, tax and police the use of pot. is this a legalization? >> we should not have federal laws that make the use of marijuana criminal or the growing of it. it should be criminal if a state wants to maintain its restrictions and the federal government should honor that state's laws. >> reporter: frank says there are two reasons he's behind it, to make sure the government doesn't intrude on federal choice and stop wasting federal resources on enforcement of anti-marijuana law that he says hasn't been effective. the economics also connell into the debate. according to a study published six years ago, cash-strapped california could bring in more than $105 million a year in revenue if marijuana sales were taxed there. look at what new york, florida, texas and ohio could make.

that same study found if marijuana was legalized, states would also save more than $5 billion a year in law enforcement and the federal government could save more than $2 billion on courts and prisons. sue paul cites a regular study which shows illegal drug use, all drugs, cost society nearly $200 billion a year in health care, criminal justice and child welfare. >> do we want more harmful substances available to our youth? i think the answer is no. we have enough societal problems dealing with alcohol and we're doing a poor job dealing with that as it is. >> even if the marijuana bill makes it through congress which is a long shot, it would have to get past president obama. the white house tells cnn it won't comment specifically on this new bill but says legalization is a nonstarter at the white house because research shows it's too commonly

associated with treatment admissions, fatal accidents and emergency room admissions. wolf, the white house doesn't want any part of this. >> recent public opinion poll says the american public largely opposed to legalizing it. >> that's right. a cnn poll in april shows 56% were opposed, 41% in favor. that gap is a lot narrower than a decade ago and much, much narrower than 25 years ago. still enough oppose to make it politically not too feasible. >> barney frank and ron paul teaming up. >> leading the charge. a commercial airline pilot goes on an obscene radio rant about his crew of flight attendants. part two of the story. jeanne moos coming up next. "i r" "i love you." "i will always love you." and sometimes a gift says, "you mean more to me than anything else in the world."

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unlike fish oil, megared softgels are small and easy to swallow with no fishy smell or aftertaste. try megared today. the pilot on southwest airlines flight unleashes a profanity-laced rant. here is jeanne moos. ♪ fly with me >> for the days like in the movies when everyone looked up to the captain and looked at what were then called

stewardesses. >> i should have been a pilot. >> maybe not this pilot. >> eleven [ bleep ] over the top [ bleep ] homosexual ts and a granny. >> caught on the radio complaining about how his flight crew included hardly anyone worth hitting on. take it from a famous former flight attendant. >> i was horrified, absolutely horrified. there was something about this particular incident that struck theic factor. >> but you had to admire all the ill lit ration in that ickiness. >> it was just a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandees. >> gays and grannies and grandees, what a charmer this guy is. >> i never heard the word grandees before. >> reporter: it gets a little confusing because in the language of starbucks, a grande is merely a medium. we're pretty sure he used grande to mean women he considered too large. maybe it's cockpit slang.

had you ever before heard the word grande? >> no, that was a new one for me, only going through the drive through at taco bell. >> reporter: as if grande isn't bad enough, how about grenade? that's what the guys in "jer see shore" call women unattractive. >> good thing i'm trained in the art of dodging a grenade. >> reporter: they even have a grenade warning horn. the pilot sure tooted his own horn by dissing everyone else. >> i mean it's all these [ bleep ] old dudes and maybe a handful of cute chicks. >> if i meet you i'm going to be the granny from hell, honey. >> reporter: when the pilot finished evaluating potential sleeping partners. >> two girls, one was probably doable. >> reporter: others pilots couldn't wait