U.S. Says Russia Propping Up Assad, Not Fighting ISIS
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, Syrian officials say they have launched a wide-scale offensive in that country. They claim they're targeting ISIS and other terror groups after days of heavy bombing by Russia, though, there are serious doubts in the U.S. that Russia is doing anything other than prop up Bashar al Assad, and ISIS is a mere afterthought. Defense Secretary Ash Carter expressed his deep concern this morning.</s>ASH CARTER, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Now, the Russians originally said they were going in to fight ISIL and al Nusra and other terrorist organizations. However, within days of deploying their forces, the Russians began striking targets that are not any of these groups.</s>KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And in another development, for the first time, the Pentagon says it had to divert two U.S. military aircraft from their missions over Syria because Russian fighter jets were also in the area. The two countries have not agreed yet on flight safety protocol over Syrian air space. For more on this, let's get to CNN senior international correspondent, Arwa Damon, from Istanbul, Turkey. Arwa, what is the real target? What are you hearing?</s>ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, it's quite -- the Syrian forces to advance especially in some key areas where they have been clashing quite fiercely with rebel fighters for quite some time now and in speaking to activists on the ground, they will say not only are the Russians not necessarily just targeting is. According to Turkey, NATO and the U.S., only 10 percent of Russia's strikes are against ISIS positions. People on the ground say these strikes are very indiscriminate and hitting civilian targets. The Syrian civil definition forces also known as the white helmets, they're an independent medical volunteer team, they said they have documented since these Russian strikes began 180 civilian deaths, including two of their own, over 500 wounded. These are casualties, they say, a direct cause of Russian strikes. We cannot independently verify this, of course, but the Kremlin, on the other hand, is boasting of its accuracy, saying at this stage it is not targeting civilian areas or casualties, civilian casualties. When you look at visuals coming out, YouTube video, children covered in dust and blood. One particular image of a child being treated, crying out in pain, screaming for his mother. The doctors could barely keep his calm. It doesn't matter at this stage who is to blame. The most despicable thing of all is this is actually happening. So, while the U.S., Russia, NATO, the Syrian regime, all the other key players talk about strategic moves and military gains on the ground, the reality, what it looks like for the civilians suffering the brunt of this, is told in the images of the dead and the wounded.</s>BERMAN: We know, Arwa, you've been covering this for the last few years and you've seen that pain firsthand. Thanks for being with us, Arwa. Happening now, secret vote. Republicans heading behind closed doors to pick the next speaker of the House. Does anyone have enough votes to win?</s>BOLDUAN: Plus, Ann Romney is here. Her candid new book about her long-fought battle with M.S. and her candid take on the 2016 race.