Drones: Myths And Reality In Pakistan from The International Crisis Group
President Obama’s drone policy has been one of the most controversial parts of his foreign policy. This executive summary, and full report, discusses America’s drone policy in the 21st century and discusses ways to make the American drone policy more transparent.
Who’s to blame for murky regulation in IRS scandal: Agency or lawmakers? from The Christian Science Monitor
Evaluating the tax exempt status of various groups lies at the heart of the recent IRS scandal, especially since conservative groups seem to have received the most vetting. However, was this scandal generated by IRS confusion or Congress not making regulations clear enough? This article lays out that debate, which may come in handy when talking about th
e IRS scandal at this week’s national tournament.
Rob Ford faces more calls to address crack allegations from CBC News
In one of the more interesting international stories of the week, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford faces allegations of smoking crack cocaine. The incident has been a hot topic throughout Canada, where Ford generates mixed reactions. He is quite a character and extempers might find it useful to discuss him in an AGD this weekend at NCFL Nationals.
Senate panel approves sweeping immigration bill from Reuters
The Senate is moving forward with immigration reform as the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would put an estimated eleven million illegal immigrants on the path to citizenship.
Senate Advances Call to Arm Syrians from The Wall Street Journal
By a 15-3 vote the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voiced its support for arming moderate Syrian rebel groups. This might be a sign that the U.S. is ready to step up support for the Syrian opposition, but doing so may place the U.S. in a quasi-proxy war with Russia, who has consistenly backed President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
South Africa’s Economic Fault Lines from The Council on Foreign Relations
It has been nearly two decades since apartheid collapsed in South Africa, but economic problems, notably widespread poverty among its black population, continue to plague the country. This helpful “backgrounder” from the Council on Foreign Relations discusses South Africa’s economic problems.
This is not the President Obama we voted for from The Guardian
This article from the Guardian argues that the Obama administration is turning into the Bush 43 administration. It is a notable piece not because it criticizes the President, but because it shows some European disappointment in President Obama’s second term.
Here’s why the ‘scandals’ aren’t affecting Obama’s poll numbers from The Washington Post
The last two weeks have not been good for the Obama administration. However, polling data seems to point out that the President has not suffered a massive reduction in popularity. Why is this the case? Ezra Klein of the Washington Post explains it for you here.