memeorandum: The Three Types of People Who Fight for ISIS (Graeme Wood/The New Republic)

1:00 PM ET, September 11, 2014

Top Items:

Struggling to Gauge ISIS Threat, Even as U.S. Prepares to Act — WASHINGTON — The violent ambitions of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have been condemned across the world: in Europe and the Middle East, by Sunni nations and Shiite ones, and by sworn enemies like Israel and Iran.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Hinterland Gazette, Prairie Weather, The Huffington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hot Air, The Mahablog, Mediaite, American Enterprise Institute and The Week

Zeke J Miller / TIME:

Full Text of Obama's Address on ISIS — Full text of President Barack Obama's address to the nation on ISIS — President Barack Obama addressed the nation Wednesday on his strategy to confront the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). — Below are his remarks as delivered:

Discussion: Informed Comment, CNN, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Politico, White House.gov Blog, Power Line, FishbowlDC, Democracy in America and Daily Signal

Matthew Duss / American Prospect:

In Fight Against ISIL, Obama Finds Himself Facing Michael Corleone's Dilemma — If you think that American power and leadership is best demonstrated by our ability to blow things up, this probably wasn't the speech for you. While President Barack Obama laid out a number of steps …

Discussion: AEIdeas, Hullabaloo, Washington Post and Guardian

Rajiv Chandrasekaran / Washington Post:

Countering Islamic State will be hard in Iraq and harder in Syria, officials say — President Obama's strategy to beat back Islamic State militants spread across Iraq and Syria will depend on far more than U.S. bombs and missiles hitting their intended targets.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Weekly Standard, The Intercept and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Sarah Palin / Facebook:

War is hell. So go big or go home, Mr. President. Big means bold, confident, wise assurance from a trustworthy Commander-in-Chief that it shall all be worth it. Charge in, strike hard, get out. Win. — Obama famously claims to despise the “theater” and “optics” of the presidency.

Discussion: Politico and Hit & Run

Vali R. Nasr / New York Times:

The Grand Strategy Obama Needs — Washington — The twin crises in Ukraine and the Middle East are perhaps the most serious President Obama has faced. He has been spurred into action, but still hopes to balance his show of leadership with his own inclination to protect America from foreign engagements.

Discussion: VodkaPundit

Kimberly Kagan / Weekly Standard:
Obama's ‘Strategy’ Has No Chance of Success

Discussion: AEIdeas and The Hugh Hewitt Show

Mark Landler / New York Times:
Obama, in Speech on ISIS, Promises Sustained Effort to Rout Militants

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Reuters, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos and Gawker

Washington Post:
Transcript: President Obama's speech outlining strategy to defeat Islamic State

Discussion: Firedoglake, Guardian, Hot Air, CANNONFIRE, National Review, The Long War Journal, New York Times, Associated Press, Fox News, Hullabaloo and Weekly Standard

New York Times:
In President Obama's Speech, a Military Plan to Root Out ISIS

Discussion: al.com, Politico and The Huffington Post

RealClearPolitics Video Log:
Full Obama Address on ISIS: “America, Our Endless Blessings Bestow An Enduring Burden”

Discussion: National Review

Fox News:
ISIS speech: Obama has long history of downplaying threat from Islamic terrorists

Discussion: Betsy's Page, Ace of Spades HQ and Weekly Standard

Tristyn Bloom / The Daily Caller:

Ted Cruz Booed Off Stage At Middle East Christian Conference [VIDEO] — Sen. Ted Cruz was booed offstage at a conference for Middle Eastern Christians Wednesday night after saying that “Christians have no greater ally than Israel.” — Cruz, the keynote speaker at the sold-out D.C. dinner gala …

Discussion: Politico, Americans Against the …, The Raw Story, Mediaite, Washington Free Beacon, Israel Matzav, Washington Post and RedState

Matthew Boyle / BREITBART.COM:

TED CRUZ: HATRED, BIGOTRY, OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL LED TO ME LEAVING EVENT — Reports surfaced Wednesday night that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was “booed off the stage” at an event hosted by a purportedly Christian organization. — Cruz, the keynote speaker at the new “In Defense Of Christians” …

Discussion: Vox Popoli and National Review

New York Times:

Oscar Pistorius Not Guilty of Murder; Still Faces Lesser Homicide Charge — PRETORIA, South Africa — The judge presiding over the trial of Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympic athlete, cleared him of the two most serious murder charges against him on Thursday, almost certainly sparing him a long prison sentence.

Discussion: Liberaland, ABC News, Gawker, SBNation.com, Robert Littal Presents … and Jezebel

Claire Phipps / Guardian:

Oscar Pistorius verdict live: judge says athlete not guilty of murder — Judge Thokozile Masipa says Pistorius ‘clearly negligent’ over death of Reeva Steenkamp and will deliver ruling on culpable homicide on Friday — Sort by: — 3.54pm BST — My colleague David Smith has filed …

Discussion: Deadspin

Liezl Thom / ABC News:
Oscar Pistorius Charges and Possible Sentences

Discussion: abc7.com, Gawker and 7online.com

Agence France-Presse:

Turkey refuses US permission for combat missions against ISIS: official — ANKARA: Turkey will refuse to allow a US-led coalition to attack jihadists in neighbouring Iraq and Syria from its air bases, nor will it take part in combat operations against militants, a government official told AFP Thursday.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Washington Free Beacon

David Corn / Mother Jones:
The ISIS Speech: Obama and the Dogs of War

Discussion: The Federalist, Washington Monthly, Vox, BillMoyers.com, Wall Street Journal, Outside the Beltway, American Power, CNN, Daily Kos, CBS DC, Yahoo! News and Washington Post

Mario Trujillo / The Hill: Cheney points finger at Obama's ‘indifference’ for rise of ISIS

Jack Goldsmith / TIME:

Obama's Breathtaking Expansion of a President's Power To Make War — President Obama hoped to repeal the Bush-era authorization declaring war on al Qaeda—instead he's expanded it without bound — Future historians will ask why George W. Bush sought and received express congressional authorization …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner, Lawfare, Opinio Juris and Guardian

Eli Lake / The Daily Beast:

Obama's New War on ISIS May Be Illegal — In a stunning turnaround, the Obama administration is arguing that a law authorizing a war on al Qaeda be used to justify strikes on al Qaeda's foes. — President Obama's new war against ISIS is off to a shaky legal start.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Lawfare, Hit & Run, Business Insider, The Dish, Washington Post and National Review

Brent Budowsky / The Hill:

War on women is winning — A warning to the women of America: If Republicans win control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections this fall, it will be a powerful victory for the war on women, with consequences that will be severe and long-term. A large majority of women know this.

Alexandra Jaffe / The Hill:
Dems split on Obama's plans for ISIS

Discussion: Daily Kos and Washington Post

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Senate Republicans can taste majority

Discussion: RedState and American Spectator

Hayes Brown / ThinkProgress:

The Most Discouraging Sentence in Obama's Entire ISIS Speech — President Barack Obama pauses while speaking about the situation in Iraq in June — CREDIT: AP Photo / Pablo Martinez Monsivais — President Obama is set to deliver a speech on Wednesday evening laying out his strategy …

Discussion: The United States Department …, Opinio Juris, No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN, The Dish, rubber hose, The Huffington Post and JustOneMinute

Peter Baker / New York Times:
New Military Campaign Extends a Legacy of War

Discussion: Washington Post

David Frum / The Atlantic Online:
Don't Go Back to Iraq, Mr. President

Discussion: New York Times, National Review, Washington Post, Hot Air, Hit & Run and The Daily Beast

Graeme Wood / The New Republic:

The Three Types of People Who Fight for ISIS — A breakdown of the most evil group on the planet — In February 2012, a young, beefy Egyptian named Islam Yaken took a shirtless selfie and posted it on a Facebook competitor called Vik.com. The picture wouldn't have attracted …

ESPN:

Sources: Ray Rice spat at fiancee — ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Ray Rice spat in the face of Janay Palmer the night he punched her in a hotel elevator, one current and one former security staffer at the Revel hotel told “Outside the Lines.” — Three current or former security staffers …

Discussion: abc7.com, SportsGrid, Guardian, Robert Littal Presents …, 7online.com, CNN, Truth Revolt, The BRAD BLOG and Balloon Juice

Rob Maaddi / Associated Press:
AP NEWSBREAK: SOURCE SAYS RICE VIDEO SENT TO NFL

Hadas Gold / Politico:

Jay Carney's rough first night vs. John McCain — Former White House press secretary Jay Carney is used to battling it out with journalists. But on Wednesday evening he had a new adversary: Sen. John McCain. — In an appearance on CNN as its newest contributor, following President Barack Obama's prime …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Taylor Marsh and Washington Free Beacon

RealClearPolitics Video Log: Fireworks: McCain vs. Carney on Iraq: “It's Not A Matter Of Disagreement; It's A Matter Of Facts”

Hollywood Reporter:

Michael Moore Slams Obama: History Will Only Remember You Were a Black President — He also adds, on the 20th anniversary of ‘Roger & Me,’ Detroit would be better off as a Syrian or Iraqi city. — Michael Moore sees President Obama's legacy as set. The progressive documentary filmmaker …

Discussion: Truth Revolt, Hinterland Gazette, National Review and Washington Free Beacon

Scott Wong / The Hill:

GOP's Benghazi committee prepares for media spotlight — The rising threat from Islamic extremists has set the stage for Republicans to make a splash with the launch of their Benghazi investigation next week. — The media glare had largely fallen away from the probe into the terror attack …

Discussion: Daily Kos