(Reuters) – Light arms supplied by the United States are flowing to “moderate” Syrian rebel factions in the south of the country and U.S. funding for months of further deliveries has been approved by Congress, according U.S. and European security officials.
Read MoreGENEVA — The Syrian government on Monday failed to authorize an international aid convoy to enter blockaded areas in the city of Homs, as the opposition’s Western backers declared that if the delivery was not allowed by next week they would be likely to challenge the government in the United Nations Security Council.
Read MoreGENEVA — The Syrian government said on Sunday at peace talks here that it was willing to allow women and children to leave a blockaded area of the city of Homs at any time, suggesting a small step forward in confidence-building measures that the sponsors of the talks hope will build toward a political resolution…
Read MoreIn the wake of all the “leaks” by Edward Snowden of the National Security Agency’s collection programs and the resulting debate over those programs, one constantly hears from elected officials and the commentariat about the need to strike the right balance between privacy and security. More often than not, this is followed by a suggestion…
Read More(Reuters) – Syria’s first peace talks were on the verge of collapsing on Friday before they began, with the opposition refusing to meet President Bashar al-Assad’s delegation and the government threatening to bring its team home.
Read MoreMONTREUX, Switzerland — From its early moments on Wednesday, the long-delayed peace conference on Syria was marked by acrimony when Syria’s foreign minister described Syrian rebels as “evil” and ignored appeals by Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, to avoid invective or even to yield the floor.
Read MoreWASHINGTON — US Senate defense hawks for the second time in four weeks — after years of warning about Pentagon budget instability — last week entered the ornate chamber and voted against legislation to give the military just that.
Read MoreMONTREUX, Switzerland — Friction and acrimony broke out almost immediately on Wednesday with the start of a long-delayed peace conference on Syria, punctuated by a testy exchange between the Syrian foreign minister and the leader of the United Nations, casting doubt on the prospects for easing hostilities or even opening up emergency aid corridors to…
Read MoreCAIRO — One is setting a standard for dialogue and democracy that is the envy of the Arab world. The other has become a study in the risks of revolution, on a violent path that seems to lead only in circles.
Read MoreWASHINGTON — A massive US government spending bill introduced Monday evening would ramp up war spending for the first time in four years, and it includes billions for new weapon systems.
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