ISIS Claims Responsibility for Today's Double Bombings; U.S. Military Targets Jihadi John as Kurds Push ISIS Out of Sinjar.
BLITZER: Let's return to the developments we're following in the war against ISIS. The masked man who became the face of ISIS may now be dead. The Pentagon is still trying to determine if a drone strike took Jihadi John out. They're reasonably certain, they say, it did. In Iraq, a victory for Kurdish forces backed by U.S. air power. They say they forced militants out of Sinjar. Joining us to discuss this is our military analyst, retired Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona; and former California Democratic Congresswoman and president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Jane Harman. The killing of Jihadi John, assuming he's dead, Jane, the victory in Sinjar, those are significant developments, but I don't think we have to go overboard and say it's turning the tide.</s>JANE HARMAN, PRESIDENT, WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS & FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN: I agree, it's too early to put the banner that says mission accomplished on top of the aircraft carrier. And in Sinjar they have to hold it. They represent the dominant fighters. It was the Peshmerga that won the battle with our air cover.</s>BLITZER: They're the Peshmerga fighters.</s>HARMAN: Yeah. I don't know where this goes. We still have to get Raqqa, Ramadi, and continue the raids, to quote Ash Carter.</s>BLITZER: There's a lot of other stuff going on. Colonel, Sinjar is important because it's on that road from Raqqa, the so-called capital of the Islamic State. Which they still control the second largest city in Iraq. They have now controlled it for a couple years. No indications of the Iraqi military stepping up to the plate to retake that city. There's still a long battle ahead, right?</s>LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: I think so. This would probably be one of the first steps. It's very important. And I think this was important that they cut the supply line. Now as the Congresswoman says, is will probably try to retake Sinjar because that route 47 that runs all the way from Raqqa into Mosul is their key supply line. Replicating that is going to be difficult. We're going to see more fighting there. The city is not clear yet. Although ISIS has pulled back, there's still a lot of clearing they will have to do. The city suffered tremendous damage from the allied air bombing.</s>BLITZER: We'll see if they can hold on to Sinjar. They are getting no support from the Iraqi military at all. They got other issues with them as well. How significant, Jane, is the current killing of Jihadi John seen in the videos beheading Americans and hostages?</s>HARMAN: Big deal. It's not confirmed. I think the CIA wants to make sure we don't know what the sources and methods were of finding him, so they are reluctant to put out proof. But I don't think they would be advertising this if it weren't fairly certain.</s>HARMAN: It's a big deal because he killed Americans and could kill more. So stopping him personally matters, but it sends a signal we're out looking for these guys. It was probably the worst, as a Westerner.</s>BLITZER: There were plenty of others out there, Rick Francona, beyond Mohammed Emwazi, Jihadi John. He spoke English well and had a flare, but there are a lot of others who could come in and fill that gap.</s>FRANCONA: Absolutely. He wasn't really in the power structure of ISIS. He was the face of ISIS. He was that brutal face we saw in the videos. He wasn't that important. So taking him out won't really change the battle on the ground, but it sure sends a message. It brings justice to the families and does put a lot of the ISIS leaders on notice that we will not only have the capability to come get you, but we have the willingness to do so.</s>BLITZER: Do you see a more assertive U.S. military posture, Jane, unfolding now, including more boots on the ground?</s>HARMAN: You bet, and I love it. But we're not going to win this militarily. We're going to win it diplomatically. What I like even better is the meeting in Vienna of the relevant parties, including the Iranians, Egyptians, Saudis and others, will continue this weekend. There has to be a diplomatic solution. And I'm betting even though there are some arguments against it that Russia and Egypt will redouble efforts after their huge embarrassment in Sinai.</s>BLITZER: 224 people were aboard that plane as well.</s>HARMAN: Yeah.</s>BLITZER: Jane Harman, thank you very much. Rick Francona, thanks to you as well. That's it for me. I'll be back at 5:00 p.m. Eastern in "The Situation Room." The news will continue on CNN, right after this quick break.