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December 20, 2015

Could Syria showdown lead to US-Iran talks on nuclear program?

President Obama is acknowledging having exchanged letters with Iran's new president, raising the possibility that diplomatic talks over Iran's controversial nuclear program could be renewed on the heels of the U.S.-Russia effort to strike a chemical weapons deal with Syria. 

December 20, 2015

Top congressional Democrats, Republicans agree Putin was deal maker on Syria

Top congressional Democrats and Republicans differed Sunday about how the United States' effort to solve the Syria crisis swerved from a threat of military force to a possible diplomatic solution, but they agreed Russian President Vladimir Putin changed the course of action.

December 20, 2015

Obama praises deal with Russia on Syria, but cautions that work remains

President Barack Obama praised an agreement reached Saturday between the U.S. and Russia, saying it offers a chance to destroy Syria's huge stockpile of chemical weapons and promises to end the threat the weapons pose to the region and the world as well as the Syrian people.

December 20, 2015

Embattled Syria analyst vouched for rebel group that depicted burning US Capitol

Elizabeth O’Bagy, a pro-Syrian opposition analyst whose credibility has come under fire, might have even more explaining to do – as court documents show she once vouched for a rebel group whose website displayed extremist and anti-American images.

December 20, 2015

Tag-Team: Assad joins Putin in pressing Obama to drop Syria strike threat

Bashar Assad joined Vladimir Putin on Thursday in pressuring the Obama administration to abandon military threats against Syria, suggesting an emerging plan to have the Assad regime turn over its chemical weapons could only proceed if the U.S. backs down. 

December 20, 2015

CIA director clears Benghazi survivors to talk to lawmakers

CIA Director John Brennan now says his agency will make survivors of the Benghazi attack available to talk to lawmakers, in a possible breakthrough for members of Congress investigating the strike.

December 20, 2015

Pro-Syrian opposition ‘analyst’ fired for lying about credentials

A Washington scholar whose writings on Syria were touted by top U.S. officials in making the case for a military strike has been fired from the Institute for the Study of War for allegedly lying about her education credentials. 

December 20, 2015

Institute: NKorea nuke reactor likely restarting

A recent satellite image appears to show North Korea is restarting a plutonium reactor, in a move that could raise renewed international alarm over its nuclear weapons program, a U.S. research institute said Wednesday.

December 20, 2015

Accidental Diplomacy? Kerry now claims credit for Syria weapons proposal

Secretary of State John Kerry's seemingly casual proposal for the Assad regime to turn over its chemical weapons has within 24 hours become the de facto policy of the Obama administration, and is now being heralded by Kerry as the "ideal way" to defuse the stand-off between the United States and Syria. 

December 20, 2015

Syrian official says Assad accepts proposal to turn over chemical weapons

Syria's foreign minister said Tuesday his government has accepted a Russian proposal to turn over control of its chemical weapons, potentially opening the door to defusing a stand-off with the United States as President Obama indicates he's willing to give the "diplomatic track" a try.