Drawing a Line on Syria, U.S. Keeps Eye on Iran Policy  —  WASHINGTON — As the Obama administration makes a case for punitive airstrikes on the Syrian government, its strongest card in the view of some supporters of a military response may be the need to send a message to another country: Iran.

Syria Prepares for U.S. Attack  —  The Assad regime prepared for a U.S. military attack on the capital, urging civilian evacuations, moving soldiers into vacant apartments and issuing new threats of retaliation.  —  DAMASCUS, Syria—The Assad regime prepared for a U.S. attack on the capital despite …

Jeffrey Bezos, Washington Post's next owner, aims for a new ‘golden era’ at the newspaper  —  Jeffrey P. Bezos, the next owner of The Washington Post, says he doesn't have all the answers for what's ailing the newspaper industry or for the financially challenged news organization he is preparing to buy.

Top-secret U.S. intelligence files show new levels of distrust of Pakistan  —  The $52.6 billion U.S. intelligence arsenal is aimed mainly at unambiguous adversaries, including al-Qaeda, North Korea and Iran.  But top-secret budget documents reveal an equally intense focus on one purported ally: Pakistan.

Obama Must Address Skeptics, Lawmakers About Syria  —  Congress is holding its first public hearing about U.S. plans for military intervention in Syria as President Barack Obama seeks to convince skeptical Americans and their lawmakers about the need to respond to last month's alleged sarin gas attack outside Damascus.

Obama To Meet With LGBT Activists While In Russia  —  After canceling a bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin while there for the G20 summit, Obama may anger the Kremlin further by meeting with Russian activists — including from LGBT groups.  —  Jason Reed / Reuters

DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz: U.S. has ‘dozens’ of allies  —  Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the U.S. would be bolstered with support from “dozens” of international allies if the United States makes military strikes against Syria.

Vote on Syria Sets Up Foreign Policy Clash Between 2 Wings of G.O.P.  —  WASHINGTON — The Congressional vote on whether to strike Syria will offer the best insight yet on which wing of the Republican Party — the traditional hawks, or a growing bloc of noninterventionists …

Rand Paul to campaign for Steve Lonegan  —  Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul will visit his sometime rival Chris Christie's home state of New Jersey next week to campaign for Republican Senate candidate Steve Lonegan, POLITICO has learned.  —  Paul, who sparred sharply with Christie this summer …

Your Labor Day Syria Reader, Part 2: William Polk  —  Many times I've mentioned the foreign-policy assessments of William R. Polk, at right, who first wrote for the Atlantic (about Iraq) during Dwight Eisenhower's administration, back in 1958, and served on the State Department's Policy Planning staff during the Kennedy years.

Syria Statement  —  Assuming the U.S. Congress authorises them, Washington (together with some allies) soon will launch military strikes against Syrian regime targets.  If so, it will have taken such action for reasons largely divorced from the interests of the Syrian people.

Dennis Rodman Returns to North Korea to Visit Kim  —  HONG KONG — The former basketball star Dennis Rodman returned Tuesday to North Korea, where he plans “to see my friend” Kim Jong-un, the dictator whose country until recently was threatening to annihilate the United States with nuclear weapons.

Sweet Cakes closing shop amid same-sex rift  —  GRESHAM, Ore. (KOIN) — A bakery embroiled in controversy after an owner refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple is closing up its Gresham storefront.  —  According to the “Sweet Cakes by Melissa” Facebook page …

MC Anthony Weiner Parades West Indian Style, Sorta: “Anybody Here From Jamaica?”  —  Anthony Weiner may be lagging in the polls, but his West Indian Day Parade float — complete with dancehall-style DJ and Weiner (MC Carlos Danger?) himself on the mic — put his mayoral rivals' productions to shame Monday.

Syrian Electronic Army Hacks Marines Website  —  A collection of pro-Syrian government hackers apparently defaced a Marine Corps recruitment website Monday.  —  The Syrian Electronic Army, which has hacked a series of websites, posted a letter on the Marines.com website arguing the Syrian government is “fighting a vile common enemy.”