Middle East

Obama Considers Training Options For Syrian Rebels

6:42am September 04, 2013

by Tom Bowman

As Congress debates the Obama administration's plans for military action in Syria, the White House is looking at broader options. The president may call on the U.S. military to help build up the Syrian opposition.

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Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., met with President Obama on Sunday at the White House.

World News

McCain Says Right Strikes Can Hurt Assad's Capabilities

1:18pm September 03, 2013

by Mark Memmott

The Republican senator supports military action that makes it harder for Syrian President Bashar Assad to wage war against his people. The Senate on Tuesday starts debating the president's request for authorization to strike Syria in response to its alleged use of chemical weapons.

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World News

Iran Weighs Heavily In Debate Over Syria

10:54am September 03, 2013

A lot of the debate over Syria is actually a debate about Syria's ally Iran. If the U.S. does strike, could Iran retaliate against the U.S. or its ally Israel? For more, Steve Inskeep talks to Scott Peterson, of The Christian Science Monitor, who is in Istanbul, Turkey.

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Syria Resolution Could Be A Hard Sell On Capitol Hill

6:41pm September 02, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

A day after President Obama announced he'll wait for congressional authorization before launching strikes on Syria; members of Congress attended a classified briefing at the Capitol. Even though there's still one week left of summer recess, dozens of lawmakers flew to Washington, D.C. from their home districts just for the meeting.

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World News

Declassified Documents Reveal CIA Role In 1953 Iranian Coup

6:44pm September 01, 2013

by NPR Staff

The CIA's overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was a first for the agency and served as the template for covert operations across the globe.

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World News

Iran Warns Against U.S. Military Strikes On Syria

8:34am September 01, 2013

The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard says an American military strike on Syria would lead to "a second Vietnam for the U.S." and the "imminent destruction of Israel." David Greene talks to analyst Karim Sadjadpour, of the Carnegie Endowment, about Iran's role in the Syria crisis.

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If 'Humanitarian,' Why Not Intervene In Syria Sooner?

11:59am August 31, 2013

Will a limited military strike prevent Syrian President Bashar Assad from launching future chemical attacks? Host Scott Simon speaks with former leader of Canada's Liberal Party Michael Ignatieff about so-called "humanitarian intervention" in Syria.

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At the White House, President Obama and his advisers continue to work to build support in Congress and among allies for striking Syria.

Striking Syria Still Seems A Question Of When, Not Whether

1:54pm August 30, 2013

by Mark Memmott

The White House is expected to soon release more of the evidence it says it has to support the case that the Assad regime used chemical weapons against its own people. Despite the news that Britain won't be joining in any military action, the Obama administration seems determined to go ahead.

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World News

If The U.S. Strikes, What Are The Targets Inside Syria?

9:51am August 30, 2013

David Greene talks to retired U.S. Army General Jack Keane about possible military targets in Syria — should President Obama decide to launch a strike. General Keane says the primary targets should include several airfields. That would eliminate runways and aircraft, and the other infrastructure that supports Syria's air power.

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Why Syria Is More Complicated Than Libya

7:23pm August 29, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

To start with, unlike Moammar Gadhafi's regime when the U.S. intervened in Libya in 2011, the Syrian government still has international allies. As the U.S. considers a strike on Syria, here's a look at some of the key differences between the two situations.

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