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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.
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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 …
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Russia says it's compiled 100-page report blaming Syrian rebels for a chemical weapons attack — BERLIN — Russia says it has compiled a 100-page report detailing what it says is evidence that Syrian rebels, not forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, were behind a deadly sarin gas attack in an Aleppo suburb earlier this year.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Right Scoop, Hot Air, Real Clear Politics, Jihad Watch, Atlas Shrugs and emptywheel
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US and UK spy agencies defeat privacy and security on the internet — • NSA and GCHQ unlock encryption used to protect emails, banking and medical records — • $250m-a-year US program works covertly with tech companies to insert weaknesses into products
Discussion:
Hillicon Valley, Little Green Footballs, The Week, io9, Discourse.net, Daily Dot, RT, The Huffington Post, The Verge, Samizdata, Making Light and emptywheel, more at Mediagazer »
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N.S.A. Foils Much Internet Encryption — The National Security Agency is winning its long-running secret war on encryption, using supercomputers, technical trickery, court orders and behind-the-scenes persuasion to undermine the major tools protecting the privacy of everyday communications …
Discussion:
Yahoo! News, Guardian, ProPublica, Business Insider, Hot Air, National Review, Boing Boing, NPR, Gawker and Prairie Weather, more at Mediagazer »
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Obama cancels LA trip as ‘no’ votes on Syria resolution pile up (Video) — President Obama has scrapped a planned two-day trip to Los Angeles early next week ahead of a congressional vote on a military strike against Syria. — The cancellation of the trip suggests the urgency …
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Politico and Jammie Wearing Fools
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The “no's” keep piling up on Syria resolution in the House
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The PJ Tatler, ABC News, New York Times, The Plum Line, Wall Street Journal, National Review, FP Passport, No More Mister Nice Blog, Post Politics, CNN, Taylor Marsh, The World's Greatest …, Weekly Standard, Outside the Beltway, Capitol Report, First Read, Taegan Goddard's …, The Hill, Conservative Intelligence …, Hot Air and Washington Post
Ian Swanson / The Hill:
Obama needs game-changer to win House vote on Syria
Obama needs game-changer to win House vote on Syria
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, naked capitalism, Daily Kos and Wonkblog
First Read / NBCNews:
First Thoughts: Wooing the left
First Thoughts: Wooing the left
Discussion:
NPR, The Daily Caller, The Fix and Hullabaloo
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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 …
Discussion:
The Impolitic and Balloon Juice
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No Rate Shock? Obamacare Premiums Lower Than Expected
Discussion:
New York Times, The Huffington Post, National Review and Forbes
Alex Wayne / Bloomberg:
Obamacare Insurance Costs Affordable, Kaiser Survey Finds
Obamacare Insurance Costs Affordable, Kaiser Survey Finds
Discussion:
kff.org, The Hill, Washington Wire, Politico, The Plum Line, Daily Kos, Liberal Values and Prairie Weather
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Kerry Blows Up At GOP Rep For Harping On Benghazi At Syria Hearing (VIDEO) — Secretary of State John Kerry erupted at Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) after the congressman charged that the Obama administration cannot be trusted to carry out an attack on Syria due to mistakes made in Benghazi …
Discussion:
FIRST DRAFT
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It's Official: Alec Baldwin to Host Talk Show on MSNBC — The actor and will anchor a 10 p.m. program on Fridays beginning in October. — Alec Baldwin — Alec Baldwin has finalized a deal to host a weekly night-time talk show on MSNBC. The program - Up Late with Alec Baldwin will bow …
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Justin Sink / The Hill:
Obama, Putin chat — for 15 seconds — President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin shared a brief, 15-second greeting Thursday at the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg. It was the first face-to-face interaction between the leaders after a summer of high-profile spats over Syria, Edward Snowden, and gay rights.
Discussion:
Politico
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Putin calls Kerry a liar on Syria
Discussion:
CNN, Weasel Zippers, BBC, Reuters, The Week, neo-neocon, Firedoglake, The PJ Tatler and Politico
Tal Kopan / Politico:
Reports: G-20 seating chart altered
Reports: G-20 seating chart altered
Discussion:
CNN, Voice of America, NPR, The Moderate Voice, BBC and Guardian
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SUSPENDED: Michigan State removes prof who went on anti-Republican tirade — Michigan State administrators have suspended Prof. William Penn for the remainder of the semester, after he was caught on video going on an anti-Republican tirade on the very first day of his literature class.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, The Right Scoop and The Gateway Pundit
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Was Mitt Romney Right About Everything? — From Russia to Mali to Detroit, Romney's biggest fans say they've been vindicated. “Obviously, it would have been nice if any of these incidents would have occurred during the campaign.” — Romney pauses as he addresses supporters during his election night rally.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Gawker, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos and Taegan Goddard's …
Caroline Baum / Bloomberg:
Can We Pay a Minimum Wage That Makes Everyone Rich? — Last week, fast-food workers staged a one-day strike in 60 U.S. cities to demand a minimum wage of $15 an hour, more than double the current federal minimum of $7.25. The nationwide effort, “Fight for 15,” was organized by the Service Employees International Union.
Discussion:
National Review
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Karen McVeigh / Guardian:
Walmart workers protest over minimum wage in 15 US cities
Walmart workers protest over minimum wage in 15 US cities
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Vox Popoli and Colorlines
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:
Daily Kos, JustOneMinute, CNN, emptywheel and Duck of Minerva
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Tim Arango / New York Times:
Across a Border, Iraqis See Replays of Past and Fears for Future
Across a Border, Iraqis See Replays of Past and Fears for Future
Discussion:
Pressing Issues
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On Syria, Words Have Consequences — Striking at Assad won't end the conflict. But it may drag the U.S. into a complex civil war. — From the start of the Syrian conflict, President Obama has wanted to take two very different approaches to it. On the one hand, he has been disciplined …
Discussion:
The Dish
Charles M. Blow / New York Times:
The Era of Disbelief — This is a particularly bad time to sell the American people a war, and make no mistake: we are being sold, and this “military action,” in another time and place — and in some quarters, here and now — would be called an act of war. — Americans are not only weary of war …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress and The Huffington Post
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Keep your shoes, jackets on: TSA to expand pre-screening program — Washington (CNN) — More airports around the United States will soon allow passengers to go through security without removing their shoes, light jackets, and belts. — The Transportation Security Administration is expanding …
Discussion:
American Prospect and Boing Boing
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Saving Obama From Himself — The next couple of weeks will be full of surprises, twists and turns, as this country debates in its Congress and media and living rooms whether to launch another war in the Middle East. But I think it's fair to offer a preliminary assessment of where the wind is blowing.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
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Top House Republican Rewrites History, Claims Reagan Stood Up To Chemical Weapons Use — A top Republican lawmaker on Thursday invoked Ronald Reagan to say that Obama was weak for not acting more directly in response to Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons, ignoring the fact …
Discussion:
The Raw Story and ThinkProgress
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Rand Paul's Syria Bible Thumping — Why does he only seem to care about the country's Christians? — “I have nothing good to say about Assad,” Kentucky Senator Rand Paul made sure to stipulate on a hurried conference call after the marathon Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on Syria yesterday.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Washington Monthly and The Dish
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:
Connecting.the.Dots, Taylor Marsh, Jammie Wearing Fools, Weekly Standard and First Read
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Rich Lowry / Politico:
War by euphemism — When she left the White House the other day …
War by euphemism — When she left the White House the other day …
Discussion:
National Review and Hot Air
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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.