Top Items:
C. J. Chivers / New York Times:
Brutality of Syrian Rebels Posing Dilemma in West — The Syrian rebels posed casually, standing over their prisoners with firearms pointed down at the shirtless and terrified men. — The prisoners, seven in all, were captured Syrian soldiers. Five were trussed, their backs marked with red welts.
Discussion:
McClatchy Washington Bureau, American Prospect, Real Clear Politics, The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air and Jihad Watch
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Reuters:
Kerry portrait of Syria rebels at odds with intelligence reports — (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 …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, ABC News, National Review and Jihad Watch
TheBlaze.com:
THE TENSE MOMENT WHEN A GOP CONGRESSMAN CHALLENGED JOHN KERRY WITH BENGHAZI QUESTIONS DURING SYRIA HEARING — Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) during the House Foreign Affairs Committee's hearing on Syria Wednesday got into a tense back and forth with Secretary of State John Kerry after the congressman brought …
Discussion:
Right Wing News and Scared Monkeys
Nicholas D. Kristof / New York Times:
The Right Questions on Syria — Critics of American military action in Syria are right to point out all the risks and uncertainties of missile strikes, and they have American public opinion on their side. — But for those of you who oppose cruise missile strikes, what alternative do you favor?
Discussion:
JustOneMinute and CNN
James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
The Buck Stops Here — Obama goes Galt. — “First of all, I didn't set a red line,” Barack Obama said today at a press conference in Stockholm. “The world set a red line. The world set a red line when governments representing 98% of the world's population said the use of chemical weapons are …
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications, Betsy's Page, Bookworm Room, Viking Pundit, The Spectacle Blog, Washington Post, BBC, Right Turn and Ed Driscoll
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Justin Sink / The Hill:
Obama struggles to convince Congress Syria isn't about him — President Obama is struggling to convince lawmakers, foreign leaders and the public that military action in Syria isn't about him. — Opponents of a military intervention in Syria say the president is trying to save face …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard and Jammie Wearing Fools
Rich Lowry / Politico:
War by euphemism — When she left the White House the other day, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi shared with reporters her conversation with her five-year old grandson. — She recounted how he asked her whether she supported “war” in Syria. Before telling the rest of the story …
Discussion:
Hot Air
Josh Lederman / Associated Press:
SPIN METER: Obama on use of US military might
SPIN METER: Obama on use of US military might
Discussion:
Associated Press and First Read
The Fix:
The “no's” keep piling up on Syria resolution in the House — By Aaron Blake and Sean Sullivan, Published: September 5 at 6:30 am — Congress took the first formal step toward approving military action in Syria on Wednesday, with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's 10-7 vote to send its resolution to the full chamber.
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Politico:
Obama's political capital spreads thin — President Barack Obama faced a heavy lift in Congress this fall when his agenda included only budget issues and immigration reform. — Now with Syria in the mix, the president appears ready to spend a lot of the political capital that he would have kept …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Goppers, New York Times, msnbc.com, Roll Call and The Reaction
Lisa Desjardins / CNN:
FIRST ON CNN: Boehner turns down request to meet with Russian delegation
FIRST ON CNN: Boehner turns down request to meet with Russian delegation
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, NBC Politics, Politico, UK Blog on The Huffington Post and The Hill
kff.org:
An Early Look at Premiums and Insurer Participation in Health Insurance Marketplaces, 2014 — With open enrollment in new insurance marketplaces set to begin Oct. 1, this analysis provides an early look at insurance premiums in 17 states and DC that have publicly released comprehensive data …
Discussion:
Bloomberg and Prairie Weather
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Elise Viebeck / The Hill:
Kaiser study finds ‘lower than expected’ ObamaCare premiums — A leading health policy research organization reported “lower than expected” premiums for ObamaCare's new insurance exchanges in a major study released Thursday. — The nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation compiled premium data …
Sy Mukherjee / ThinkProgress:
Major New Study On Obamacare Premiums Should End The ‘Rate Shock’ Hysteria Once And For All — The most comprehensive study on Obamacare to date finds that Americans' insurance premiums under the health law will be “lower than expected.” Many Americans will pay even less than the top-line rates …
Tal Kopan / Politico:
Reports: G-20 seating chart altered — Those eager for a potentially awkward photo op of President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin sitting next to each other at the G-20 summit might be disappointed: The seating chart is putting more distance between the two leaders than previously expected.
Discussion:
Voice of America, BBC and Guardian
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Darya Korsunskaya / Reuters:
Putin presses US Congress over Syria, says Kerry lied
Putin presses US Congress over Syria, says Kerry lied
Discussion:
NBCNews, The Hinterland Gazette, The Agonist, Jihad Watch, Nice Deb, The Daily Caller, RT, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, CBS Philly, Weasel Zippers, Wonkblog and Politico
Ezra Klein / Bloomberg:
Why Do We Even Care About Syria's Chemical Weapons? — The United Nations estimates that more than 100,000 Syrians have died since the country's civil war began in March 2011. More die every day. But the U.S. is not considering military action to save them.
Discussion:
Wonkblog, Washington Post, Jammie Wearing Fools, The Dish and The Week
Wall Street Journal:
Senate Panel Backs Use of Force Against Syria — Foreign Relations Committee Votes 10-7 to Approve Resolution Authorizing Military Strikes — WASHINGTON—The SenateForeign Relations Committee approved a resolution Wednesday authorizing President Barack Obama to conduct military strikes against Syria.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Outside the Beltway, Guardian, Weasel Zippers and Washington Wire
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Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
White House: Obama weighing Oval Office address on Syria
White House: Obama weighing Oval Office address on Syria
Discussion:
The Plum Line, Daily Kos, Politico and msnbc.com
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
John Boehner May Save America After All — Cops Not Into Video of Daredevil Driving Really Fast Around Manhattan — John Boehner has sworn up and down that he is going to stay in his job as Speaker of the House past the 2014 elections. Jonathan Ward thinks John Boehner is lying.
Discussion:
Zandar Versus The Stupid, BizPac Review, The Huffington Post, Prairie Weather and Hot Air
Matt Wilstein / Mediaite:
Bill Maher Dismisses ‘Insufferable Racist’ Donald Trump on Leno — When Bill Maher wasn't humiliating Jay Leno to his face on last night's Tonight Show he was taking on his other favorite target: Donald Trump. Leno asked Maher about their long standing feud and the Real Time host explained …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
Lauren Zakalik / KOAT Channel 7:
‘Obama’ commode sparks controversy in NM town — Outhouse sign says “Obama's Presidential Library” — Just a stone's-throw away from historic Route 66 in Tucumcari sits a sign that everyone's talking about. — The sign sits atop an outhouse and says “Obama's Presidential Library.”
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, BizPac Review and Weasel Zippers
Bobby Jindal / Washington Post:
Why Obama should drop U.S. suit opposing school choice — Bobby Jindal, a Republican, is governor of Louisiana. — While President Obama was publicly celebrating the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have a Dream” speech last week, his administration took action behind the scenes …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard and Diane Ravitch's blog
Barbara Hollingsworth / CNSNews:
Jeb Bush Giving Hillary Clinton a Medal for Advancing ‘Ideals of Freedom’ — (CNSNews.com) - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will present the National Constitution Center's (NCC) 2013 Liberty Medal to Hillary Clinton during a Sept. 10 ceremony in Philadelphia, one day before the first-year anniversary …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and No More Mister Nice Blog
Lucy McCalmont / Politico:
Donald Rumsfeld: Obama ‘did draw’ red line — Continuing his criticism of President Obama's strategy on Syria and “lack of leadership,” the former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld hit the president on his statement Wednesday that he “didn't set a red line.” — “He did draw it!”
Discussion:
CNN
The Atlantic Online:
The Women of the Afghanistan War — The present war in Afghanistan, now nearly 12 years old, has affected the lives of millions of women. Many have been victimized; others have played the roles of soldiers, insurgents, politicians, caregivers, and much more.