Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• US officials: US considers training Syria rebels
• SEVEN LITTLE WORDS; LET'S GO TO WAR AGAIN
• 'SAVING SYRIA' IS NOT IN THE CARDS
• Why Senate resolution on Syria doesn't rule out ground troops
• "Hands off Syria, Don't Bomb Syria" National March on DC
• Obama, Syria, and the decline of the imperial presidency
• Iran's foreign ministry to lead nuclear talks with world powers
• Absent Assange looms over debut of WikiLeaks drama
• Obama's plan on Syria hinges on 'undecideds' in Congress
• US: Chemical attacks make Syria top security risk
• Rumsfeld defends his war legacy in Venice Festival film
• An Antiwar Activist Searches for a Way to Support a Strike on Syria
• Obama lobbying lawmakers on Syria from overseas
• The Fun-House Mirror That Is the Syria Decision
• President Obama Considers Address to Nation on Syria
• Donald Rumsfeld lambastes Obama on Syria: 'Take responsibility'
• Syria-Iran: more than 30 years of close ties
• Miami Arrest of Bolivian Anti-Corruption Head Vindicates Former Aerosur Owner, Says Attorney Michael Diaz, Jr
• Al-Qaeda’s Proxies Among Syria’s Rebels Scared by Threat of U.S. Strikes
• Obama may use “bully pulpit” to address Syria situation
• The Edge: Stepping Into the Unknown
• The isolationists' dilemma
• Divided vote foreshadows Obama challenge on Syria
• EU urges diplomacy on Syria, condemns 'abhorrent' chemical attack
• US must wait for UN chemical weapons report before acting on Syria
• Column: Syrian intervention invokes Europe's history
• Scorecard: Where 16 public figures stand on the Syria debate
• Insight: Syria's economy goes underground as black market thrives
• Iran ex-president in row over Syria chemical arms quote
• Middle East Christians Hosts Rally on Sept 7, Against US Intervention In Syria
• EU urges diplomatic efforts on Syria, 'no military solution'
• Surrender monkeys no more: How France turned into a global cop
• Chemical weapons claim 'pretext' to hit Syria: Iran leader
• U.S. Senators Voice Unease that Limited Syria Strikes May Embolden Assad
• 10 things you need to know today: September 5, 2013
• 'Baghdad Night' keeps alive folk tales of the dead
• Kerry portrait of Syria rebels at odds with intelligence reports
• Rising tide of US isolationism on display in House hearing on Syria
• Radiation fears, Syria hang over 2020 Olympic bids

US officials: US considers training Syria rebels Posted: 05 Sep 2013 04:10 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is considering a plan to use U.S. military trainers to help increase the capabilities of the Syrian rebels, in a move that would greatly expand the current CIA training being done quietly in Jordan, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

SEVEN LITTLE WORDS; LET'S GO TO WAR AGAIN Posted: 05 Sep 2013 03:30 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- Syria: We're damned if we do, damned if we don't.Barack Obama may be too thoughtful to be president. Certainly he has overthought what to do about President Bashar Assad, a monster killing his own people and making a mockery of the idea that there is an "international community" ready or willing to bring crazed tyrants to justice.The presidency is essentially a reactive office. Campaign promises and deep thinking are not the essence of the power of a president, nor is the fact that we are the most powerful of nations. ...

'SAVING SYRIA' IS NOT IN THE CARDS Posted: 05 Sep 2013 03:01 PM PDT WASHINGTON -- Whenever you put "Save" before the name of a country or city of the world, Washington seems to enter a carnival of intellectual madness. It was that way this week when nobody could talk about anything except saving Syria, a country that few people here know at all. ...

Why Senate resolution on Syria doesn't rule out ground troops Posted: 05 Sep 2013 03:01 PM PDT With a Senate committee voting this week to authorize limited military intervention in Syria, concern remains about whether the conflict could escalate into one that involves American "boots on the ground."

"Hands off Syria, Don't Bomb Syria" National March on DC Posted: 05 Sep 2013 02:38 PM PDT WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Syrian American Forum (SAF) calls upon President Obama and Congress to use restraint and balanced approach and not interfere militarily in Syria. Any use of force will result in further loss of innocent Syrian lives. We urge the president and Congress to heed the overwhelming polls and demonstrations rejecting war against Syria, domestically as well as across the globe.SAF called for a national march on Washington on 9/9 calling on the Congress to reject the administration's call for war. ...

Obama, Syria, and the decline of the imperial presidency Posted: 05 Sep 2013 02:30 PM PDT By Zachary Karabell (Reuters) - In 1973, Arthur Schlesinger wrote about the tendency in American history for the president to assume sweeping powers in times of war and crisis. The balance of power established by the Constitution gets upended; Congress and the courts take a back seat; and the executive makes decisions about life and death largely unchecked. He called this "the imperial presidency." Today, with President Obama turning to Congress to endorse a military strike on Syria, the imperial presidency is beginning to wane. It's about time. ...

Iran's foreign ministry to lead nuclear talks with world powers Posted: 05 Sep 2013 02:28 PM PDT By Marcus George DUBAI (Reuters) - President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday the foreign ministry would take over talks with world powers on Iran's contested nuclear program, an apparent move to smooth the diplomatic process after years of control by conservative hardliners. Since 2007, sporadic negotiations have been conducted by Saeed Jalili, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war who was seen by Western interlocutors as an uncompromising ideologue. ...

Absent Assange looms over debut of WikiLeaks drama Posted: 05 Sep 2013 02:12 PM PDT TORONTO (AP) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may be holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, but he's very present at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Obama's plan on Syria hinges on 'undecideds' in Congress Posted: 05 Sep 2013 01:09 PM PDT By Thomas Ferraro and Rachelle Younglai WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The fate of a U.S. congressional resolution to authorize a military strike against Syria is in the hands of scores of lawmakers from both parties who have not made up their minds and say they are not getting the information they need to do so. ...

US: Chemical attacks make Syria top security risk Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:57 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in more than two years of a bloody civil war, President Barack Obama has declared Syria a national security threat that must be answered with a military strike — and in doing so he is warning Americans as much about the leaders of Iran and North Korea as about Bashar Assad.

Rumsfeld defends his war legacy in Venice Festival film Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:56 PM PDT By Michael Roddy VENICE (Reuters) - Errol Morris is not at all certain why former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld agreed to let him make a documentary portrait of the man who oversaw the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, but he is convinced of at least one thing. Rumsfeld, he said, has no regrets about the campaigns. "Rumsfeld never came even close to calling these wars a mistake, an error of judgment, let alone saying 'I am sorry'," Morris told Reuters on Thursday after the screening of his film "The Unknown Known" at the Venice Film Festival. ...

An Antiwar Activist Searches for a Way to Support a Strike on Syria Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:54 PM PDT It was 1968. His heroes Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were dead. The Vietnam War raged on. Gerald Connolly, a native of Boston, now a House member from Virginia, walked to Fenway Park to listen to folk and blues music from Pete Seeger and B.B. King, and to listen as presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy pledged to end the war if elected. A self-described "avid active opponent of the Vietnam War," Connolly counseled conscientious objectors on their rights and options. Hearing McCarthy speak gave him just a glimmer of hope. Then, he never made it out of the primary.

Obama lobbying lawmakers on Syria from overseas Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:53 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama pressed skeptical lawmakers to give him the authority to use U.S. military force against Syria during his overseas trip while the administration struggled to rally international support for intervention in an intractable civil war.

The Fun-House Mirror That Is the Syria Decision Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:52 PM PDT Alan Lowenthal has a headache.

President Obama Considers Address to Nation on Syria Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:37 PM PDT President Obama is considering a high-profile address to the nation on the need for military intervention in Syria — a speech that could come as early as this week — according to top lawmakers and administration officials. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said today...

Donald Rumsfeld lambastes Obama on Syria: 'Take responsibility' Posted: 05 Sep 2013 11:42 AM PDT Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has chosen a perilous time in President Obama's presidency, and in world affairs, for that matter, to comment so pointedly about the president's performance.

Syria-Iran: more than 30 years of close ties Posted: 05 Sep 2013 11:19 AM PDT Key dates in the relationship between Damascus and Tehran since Iran's Islamic revolution of 1979. Syria, with a Sunni majority but led by an Alawite minority, a branch of Shiite Islam, is Shiite Iran's main regional ally.

Miami Arrest of Bolivian Anti-Corruption Head Vindicates Former Aerosur Owner, Says Attorney Michael Diaz, Jr Posted: 05 Sep 2013 11:05 AM PDT MIAMI, Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The FBI arrest Saturday, Aug. 31, of Mario Fabrizio Ormachea, the colonel leading Bolivia's Anti-Corruption Unit, for attempting to extort money from former Aerosur Airlines owner Humberto Roca, [United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Case 1:13-mj-03250-BLG] works to help vindicate Roca in his ongoing legal battles with the Bolivian government, says his attorney, Michael Diaz, Jr., of the Miami-headquartered global firm Diaz Reus.According to an FBI affidavit filed in the U.S. ...

Al-Qaeda’s Proxies Among Syria’s Rebels Scared by Threat of U.S. Strikes Posted: 05 Sep 2013 10:10 AM PDT As the U.S. Congress inches closer towards authorizing the use of military force in Syria, rebel groups on the ground are preparing for an offensive that could fundamentally alter the trajectory of what is now a stalemated war well into its third year. Not all of them are happy about it: al-Qaeda affiliated groups that have long sided with the rebels are worried that the U.S. and its allies might use the pretext of strikes against the regime to degrade their own abilities. ...

Obama may use “bully pulpit” to address Syria situation Posted: 05 Sep 2013 09:12 AM PDT There are reports that President Barack Obama may use a national address from the White House to make his case about Syria directly to the American people.

The Edge: Stepping Into the Unknown Posted: 05 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT The Edge is National Journal's daily look at today in Washington -- and what's coming next. The email features analysis from NJ's top correspondents, the biggest stories of the day -- and always a few surprises. To subscribe, click here.

The isolationists' dilemma Posted: 05 Sep 2013 08:39 AM PDT By Nicholas Wapshott There has been a lot of loose talk about the return of isolationism since President Obama asked Congress for permission to degrade Bashar al-Assad's ability to gas his people. Isolationism hasn't been a respectable thread of political thinking in America since the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor made redundant the clamor to keep America out of World War Two. The isolationists grounded their belief that America had no business interfering in other countries' affairs in Washington and Jefferson's warnings not to become entangled in foreign alliances. ...

Divided vote foreshadows Obama challenge on Syria Posted: 05 Sep 2013 08:27 AM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate panel's deep divide over giving President Barack Obama the authority to use U.S. military force against Syria underscores the commander in chief's challenge in persuading skeptical lawmakers and wary allies to back greater intervention in an intractable civil war.

EU urges diplomacy on Syria, condemns 'abhorrent' chemical attack Posted: 05 Sep 2013 08:15 AM PDT By Luke Baker ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Europe's top officials stopped short on Thursday of endorsing a U.S.-led push for a military strike against Syria in response to last month's chemical weapons attack, and warned there could be no military solution to the 2-1/2-year-old conflict. ...

US must wait for UN chemical weapons report before acting on Syria Posted: 05 Sep 2013 08:01 AM PDT Should the United States give up on the United Nations because Russia will veto a Security Council resolution on Syria?

Column: Syrian intervention invokes Europe's history Posted: 05 Sep 2013 07:56 AM PDT By Anatole Kaletsky The prospect of Congressional approval for a U.S. attack on Syria is probably good news for the world economy and financial markets, since the impact on the oil price of an intense but strictly time-limited military action is likely to be a classic case of "buy on the rumor and sell on the news." History suggests that the moment U.S. bombs start raining down on Syria, oil prices will pull back and stock markets around the world will rise. But what about the bigger picture? How will a U.S. ...

Scorecard: Where 16 public figures stand on the Syria debate Posted: 05 Sep 2013 07:55 AM PDT From Putin to Palin, and from Pelosi to Paul, here's a look at what 16 very high-profile people are saying in the public debate about a limited U.S. military strike on Syria.

Insight: Syria's economy goes underground as black market thrives Posted: 05 Sep 2013 07:32 AM PDT By Humeyra Pamuk and Jonathan Saul ONCUPINAR, Turkey/LONDON (Reuters) - With his truck fully laden with vegetable oil, driver Mustafa Demir makes his regular trip to the Syrian border from Turkey to sell to rebels desperate for provisions as war closes off normal trade channels. "There is so much demand from the Syrian side. There is demand for everything. Last time I was carrying paper napkins," he said. "I usually deliver to the Syrian rebels on the other side. They bring their own lorry and the transfer is done on the other side. ...

Iran ex-president in row over Syria chemical arms quote Posted: 05 Sep 2013 07:32 AM PDT Conservatives in Iran are demanding that former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani respond to allegations he allegedly said Damascus used chemical weapons against civilians, despite denials that he did so.

Middle East Christians Hosts Rally on Sept 7, Against US Intervention In Syria Posted: 05 Sep 2013 06:53 AM PDT WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Coalition comprising the Coptic Solidarity International, the World Maronite Union, and the Middle East Christian Committee, as well as several Middle East Christian organizations unequivocally oppose a US military intervention in Syria without a strategy to crumble the regime and defeat the Jihadists at the same time. The coalition also opposes aid sent to to Islamist groups claiming to be the opposition in Syria. As shown by polls, the vast majority of Americans support this view. ...

EU urges diplomatic efforts on Syria, 'no military solution' Posted: 05 Sep 2013 06:25 AM PDT By Luke Baker ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Europe's top officials warned against a military response in Syria on Thursday, aligning themselves more closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin than President Barack Obama in how best to respond to the chemical attack in the Syrian civil war. While describing the August 21 attack near Damascus, in which an estimated 1,400 people died, as "abhorrent" and a crime against humanity, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said a military strike would not help resolve the crisis. ...

Surrender monkeys no more: How France turned into a global cop Posted: 05 Sep 2013 05:58 AM PDT The British are out; the French are in.

Chemical weapons claim 'pretext' to hit Syria: Iran leader Posted: 05 Sep 2013 04:03 AM PDT Allegations the Syrian regime used chemical weapons last month are a "pretext" by the West to attack the country, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday.

U.S. Senators Voice Unease that Limited Syria Strikes May Embolden Assad Posted: 05 Sep 2013 03:14 AM PDT WASHINGTON -- Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike voiced concern on Tuesday that the limited military strikes President Obama has proposed taking against Syrian forces could embolden President Bashar Assad, who almost certainly would ride out any such attack.

10 things you need to know today: September 5, 2013 Posted: 05 Sep 2013 01:00 AM PDT 1. A split Senate panel backs a Syria strikeThe Senate on Wednesday took the first step toward approving a military strike to punish Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons. A sharply divided Foreign Relations Committee approved a deal giving President Obama 60 days, with the possibility of a 30-day extension, to use force, but prohibiting him from using ground troops. The full Senate is expected to vote next week. A similar proposal faces stiff opposition in the House. ...

'Baghdad Night' keeps alive folk tales of the dead Posted: 05 Sep 2013 12:52 AM PDT As Iraq rebuilds after decades of brutality, one Baghdad resident is bent on reviving an ancient folk tale that, like much of the country's history, risks being lost in time.

Kerry portrait of Syria rebels at odds with intelligence reports Posted: 04 Sep 2013 10:11 PM PDT By Mark Hosenball and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State John Kerry's public assertions that moderate Syrian opposition groups are growing in influence appear to be at odds with estimates by U.S. and European intelligence sources and nongovernmental experts, who say Islamic extremists remain by far the fiercest and best-organized rebel elements. ...

Rising tide of US isolationism on display in House hearing on Syria Posted: 04 Sep 2013 06:42 PM PDT A lengthy and at times testy House committee hearing Tuesday on President Obama's request for congressional authorization to use force in Syria revealed what pollsters have been noting in the country for several years: a rising isolationism that shuns a role for America as the world's policeman.

Radiation fears, Syria hang over 2020 Olympic bids Posted: 04 Sep 2013 05:28 PM PDT Fears over radiation from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant and fall-out from the bloody civil war in Syria are hanging over Tokyo and Istanbul's attempts to host the 2020 Olympics, amid suggestions that third candidate city Madrid could benefit.

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