Sep 24 Slain French hostage was ‘full of enthusiasm’ By News Desk Herve Gourdel, a 55-year-old mountain guide, was abducted on Sunday as he was hiking the remote Djura Djura mountains of northern Algeria. He was killed by extremists in a video released Wednesday that YouTube quickly pulled off the Internet. Continue reading
Sep 24 Watch Obama takes Russia, Syria to task in U.N. General Assembly speech By PBS NewsHour Continue watching
Sep 19 Iran’s Zarif on why Tehran won’t team up with U.S. on Islamic State group By Larisa Epatko U.S. efforts to garner regional support for fighting Islamic State militants, including an all-out effort this week by Secretary of State John Kerry, has hit a roadblock in Iran. It’s partly because the leadership isn’t convinced the U.S. government “was… Continue reading
Sep 18 Senate to vote on package to arm Syrian rebels against Islamic State By Erica Werner, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Facing off in one of the most contested Senate races in the nation, Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall and his Republican challenger, Rep. Cory Gardner, found something to agree on this week — giving President Barack Obama the… Continue reading
Sep 17 Watch Kurdish drive for independence delayed by fight against Islamic State By PBS NewsHour Continue watching
Sep 16 Hagel, Dempsey defend Obama’s plan to target Islamic State extremists By Donna Cassata, Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The nation’s top military leader told Congress on Tuesday that if President Barack Obama’s expanded military campaign to destroy Islamic extremists fails, he would recommend that the United States consider deploying American ground forces to Iraq. Continue reading
Sep 12 Watch Clinton: Islamic state can be destroyed, but only with help from Iraqis By PBS NewsHour Continue watching
Sep 12 Kerry in Turkey to seek support for coalition against Islamic State By Lara Jakes, Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey — The United States on Friday pressed Turkey to harden its borders against fighters and funding flowing to the Islamic State militant group, and sought clarity on how far Ankara is willing to go to help a worldwide… Continue reading
Sep 12 Can Obama wage war on the Islamic State group without congressional approval? By Stephen Braun, Associated Press WASHINGTON — As a U.S. senator from Illinois running for the White House in 2007, Barack Obama sponsored a resolution to prohibit President George W. Bush’s administration from taking military action against Iran unless it was explicitly authorized by Congress. Continue reading
Sep 12 Gwen’s Take: A strategy in four points By Gwen Ifill I found myself chuckling aloud at the otherwise most unremarkable line in President Obama’s Wednesday night address to the nation. “This is our strategy,” he intoned. Then he ticked off four points. It was hard not to believe the leader… Continue reading