US senators are holding a hearing on ISIS this morning, asking any uncomfortable question of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and top General Martin Dempsey they like. The biggest thing to emerge so far? Troop combat suddenly doesn’t seem so out of the question. You can read the Guardian‘s running liveblog here.
Other ISIS news: The US is already becoming more aggressive against the hardline insurgents, as shown by a pair of airstrikes on Sunday and Monday.
And the NYT takes a look at the fertile recruiting ground ISIS has found in Turkey, where a lax government policy toward the group seems to have backfired. In these neighborhoods, drug addicts are snared by the promise of good money, and children savor the idea of murdering any/all infidels. That’s what the NYT says, anyway. (ISIS’ sleek, violent recruitment magazine probably doesn’t hurt, either.)
We’re so used to this mayhem in Iraq and Syria right now, that this morning’s Taliban suicide attack on American and Polish troops in Kabul seems somehow out of step.
What else? Ebola, of course. The US is ready to put major resources into stopping the West African scourge: up to 3,000 personnel, 17 medical centers and more. It’s a strong start, experts say, but only that.
Ukraine has slackened the leash, a bit, on the eastern regions controlled by pro-Russian rebels, as the two sides attempt to forge peace. At the same time, the country is strengthening its economic relations with the European Union, which is what set all this off in the first place.
Ignore the wounds he opened on his son with a tree branch (and a past allegation he struck another son)—it’s important for the nation that Adrian Peterson plays football this weekend.
The Washington Post‘s editorial board tells voters to spurn a pot legalization measure up for a vote this November. It’s more restrictive than Measure 91, which Oregonians will decide this year, but the Post—echoing a persistent refrain from pot critics—says there are too many questions up in the air.
The 36 Pit wildfire near Estacada is growing more worrying every day.
Beginning today, California drivers must give cyclists at least three feet when passing. If only that applied to Californians driving outside of their home state.
I see you, Thursday:
That first, heady rush after the Nintendo Entertainment System was released—has America known a finer hour?
Expert camerawork at 1:50