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Anchored by Jake Tapper, The Lead airs at 4 p.m. ET on CNN.
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national lead
Feds launch probe of Ferguson police department
(CNN) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Thursday a Justice Department investigation into the Ferguson, Missouri, police department, which has come under fire for its past practices in the uproar over the shooting of Michael Brown.
Holder spoke about his recent trip to the area and about conversations he had with its residents.
"People consistently expressed concerns stemming from specific alleged incidents, from general policing practices and from the lack of diversity on the Ferguson police force. These anecdotal accounts underscore the history of mistrust of law enforcement in Ferguson that has received a good deal of attention," Holder told reporters.
"Our investigation will assess the police department's use of force, including deadly force. It will analyze stops, searches and arrests. And it will examine the treatment of individuals detained at Ferguson's city jail," he said.
world lead
Sen. McCain: U.S. weakness provokes Putin
(CNN) – Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, criticized President Obama and his administration for not doing enough to isolate Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and for not providing lethal aid to the Ukrainians.
"It's pretty obvious that what has provoked Vladimir Putin is our total weakness, because he feels he has a free hand. And, again, there are hundreds of Ukrainians that are now dead. There are many hundreds – the hospitals are full of these brave young people. And they deserve our assistance," McCain said in an interview with CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper."
"They're not asking for our boots on the ground," he said.
For more of our interview with Sen. John McCain, check out the video above.
politics lead
Former Virginia governor found guilty in corruption trial
(CNN) - A former rising star in the Republican Party, former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was red-faced and sobbing Thursday after a jury convicted him and his wife on multiple counts related to influence-peddling while he was in office.
After more than a month of sometimes soul-baring testimony, the federal jury issued guilty verdicts on 11 counts against McDonnell, while clearing him on two others. His wife, Maureen, was convicted on nine while cleared on four.
world lead
Lt. Gen.: Airstrikes won't be enough against ISIS
(CNN) – The U.S. cannot take out ISIS with airstrikes alone, says Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero (Ret.), who served three tours in Iraq and now works on oil and gas projects in the country.
"This action will be relatively ineffective in producing the desired effect of seriously degrading the ISIS network ... You cannot airstrike your way out of an insurgency. And no amount of isolated airstrikes will turn the current tactical situation in Iraq and produce decisive effects," Barbero wrote in a June op-ed.
"There's a myth in Washington that air strikes, drone strikes, we can solve anything or any problem. And it requires something to dislodge ISIS from the occupied areas. Airstrikes won't do it," Barbero said in an interview with CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper."
"ISIS is very smart. Their leadership will adapt and they'll move into the cities. They'll hunker down and change the way they move around and go for the targets they think they can get to," he said.
Barbero stopped shorting of saying the U.S. needs to send in ground troops, suggesting instead that the U.S. should enable troops already on the front line, such as Iraqi forces and Kurdish fighters.
"We need to do more to train, equip and mentor them, not take on the fighting for them," he said.
For more of our interview with retired Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero, check out the video above.
world lead
Struggle to define U.S. mission against ISIS
(CNN) – The President has been very frank about not having a comprehensive strategy on ISIS.
For now the U.S. mission is mostly defined by a series of "What if" questions.
CNN's Barbara Starr reports.
