In Syria, The U.S. Weighs A Range Of Unpalatable Options

A memorial sits at the site of Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Mo. Any investigation into his shooting by a police officer is likely to take months. Larry W. Smith/EPA/Landov hide caption

Mark Pierce enlisted in the military in 1970, served in Vietnam and retired in 2010. Years later, his two sons also joined the armed forces. Courtesy of Mark Pierce hide caption

A soldier hits a protestor with a baton during unrest in West Point after the area was quarantined in a bid to prevent the spread of Ebola. Tommy Trenchard for NPR hide caption

Elephants, unlike humans or civets, are herbivores. The fermentation happening in their gut as they break down cellulose helps remove the bitterness in the coffee beans. Here, an elephant receives medical treatment from the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. Michael Sullivan/NPR hide caption

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on July 23. While the two countries are close allies, they have exchanged criticism during the recent Israel-Hamas fighting in Gaza. Pool/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Assad walk along a street in Mleiha, near the Damascus airport, during a tour organized by the Syrian government on Aug. 15. Omar Sanadiki/Reuters/Landov hide caption

Author Junot Diaz says the publishing industry must have uncomfortable conversations about diversity. The alternative, he believes, is "utter, agonizing silence." Rick Reinhard/Flickr hide caption

Rabin bread on a rock at the farmers market in Plainfield prior to setting up the table. Jon Kalish for NPR hide caption