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Saturday

Obama To Seek Congressional Approval For Action Against Syria

At the White House Saturday, President Obama said he would seek congressional approval before taking action in Syria. Charles Dharapak/AP hide caption

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Charles Dharapak/AP

The Two-Way

Obama To Seek Congressional Approval For Action Against Syria

President Obama, speaking from the Rose Garden, said he'd decided to use military force against Syria, but was also seeking congressional authorization for the action.

President Obama's Full Speech

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How A Reluctant Obama Ended Up Preparing For A Strike

President Obama discusses the situation in Syria on Friday from the White House Cabinet Room. Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images

The U.S. Response To Syria

How A Reluctant Obama Ended Up Preparing For A Strike

Despite more than two years of fighting that has left 100,000 people dead, President Obama has resisted intervening in Syria. But he appears to have concluded that the use of chemical weapons demands a response, even if it risks drawing the U.S. deeper into the conflict.

Friday

6 Things To Keep In Mind As Obama Confronts Syria

President Obama pauses after answering questions from the news media during his meeting with Baltic leaders at the White House on Friday. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP hide caption

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Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

It's All Politics

6 Things To Keep In Mind As Obama Confronts Syria

As President Obama tries to make good on threats to punish Syrian officials for crossing a "red line" with their suspected use of chemical weapons, he's being buffeted by political crosscurrents.

Thursday

Why Syria Is More Complicated Than Libya

Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a speech at an iftar dinner with political and religious figures in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 4. In Syria, many different religious groups live in an often uneasy mix. While the country is primarily Sunni Arab, the government is run by minority Alawites like Assad — adherents of an offshoot of Shiite Islam. AP/SANA hide caption

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AP/SANA

The U.S. Response To Syria

Why Syria Is More Complicated Than Libya

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.

Why Syria Is More Complicated Than Libya

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Report: Spy Agencies' 'Black Budget' Reveals Intelligence Gaps

Pakistani Army soldiers guard nuclear-capable missiles at the International Defence Exhibition in Karachi in 2008. The Washington Post reports that concern over their security is a "blind spot" in U.S. intelligence efforts. Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Report: Spy Agencies' 'Black Budget' Reveals Intelligence Gaps

The Washington Post reports on documents sourced to former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden that indicate critical shortfalls in information.

The Drums Of War, Poolside Edition

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, center, chains his hands with his counterparts from Vietnam, right, and Thailand before the ASEAN meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on Thursday. The trip's message: The U.S. is committed to its "rebalance" toward the Asia-Pacific region. Vincent Thian/AP hide caption

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Vincent Thian/AP

Parallels

The Drums Of War, Poolside Edition

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will help direct an attack on Syria, if and when it happens. But for now he's in Brunei for the ASEAN Plus meeting, far from the drums of war. It's an opportunity to build military-to-military ties — and sell weapons. But the prospect of action in Syria is never far away.

Wednesday

Limited U.S. Strikes ... Followed By Major Attacks On U.S.

A month after U.S. naval ships shelled Lebanon, Muslim extremists blew up the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. military personnel on Oct. 23, 1983. Over the past three decades, limited U.S. military strikes have been followed on several occasions by major attacks against U.S. targets. Bill Foley/AP hide caption

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Bill Foley/AP

Parallels

Limited U.S. Strikes ... Followed By Major Attacks On U.S.

When U.S. presidents opt for limited military action, the aim is to prevent drawing the U.S. into a larger conflict. But on several occasions in recent decades, such strikes have been followed by devastating attacks against U.S. targets.

Tuesday

Outage Summer: What To Know About The Syrian Electronic Army

The New York Times headquarters building in New York City. Ramin Talaie/Getty Images hide caption

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Ramin Talaie/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

Outage Summer: What To Know About The Syrian Electronic Army

The New York Times website reportedly was under attack by hackers on Tuesday. Here's a primer on the Syrian Electronic Army, the activist hacker group that's responsible for taking down or taking control of the sites of major news organizations.

Outage Summer: What To Know About The Syrian Electronic Army

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Snowden's Flight To Russia May Not Have Been Such A Shock

Edward Snowden, seen during a video interview with The Guardian. Glenn Greenwald/Laura Poitras/EPA/LANDOV hide caption

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Glenn Greenwald/Laura Poitras/EPA/LANDOV

The Two-Way

Snowden's Flight To Russia May Not Have Been Such A Shock

According to a Russian newspaper, the NSA leaker lived for a couple days at the Russian consulate in Hong Kong before his late June flight to Moscow. That raises questions about Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement that Snowden's arrival was a "complete surprise."

Monday

'I'd Tap That' And Other NSA Pickup Lines Are All The Rage

An anti-NSA protester in Washington, DC. Steve Rhodes/Flickr hide caption

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Steve Rhodes/Flickr

All Tech Considered

'I'd Tap That' And Other NSA Pickup Lines Are All The Rage

Revelations that national security officials have used their agency's eavesdropping power to spy on love interests has sparked a new meme: #NSAPickupLines

'I'd Tap That' And Other NSA Pickup Lines Are All The Rage

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Saturday

U.S. Weighs Options On Syria After Reported Chemical Attack

Female rebel fighters gather in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on Saturday to protest what they claim was a chemical attack by pro-government forces in a suburb of Damascus. AFP/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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AFP/AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

U.S. Weighs Options On Syria After Reported Chemical Attack

President Obama is meeting with his national security team to discuss reports of Syria's use of chemical weapons, as the U.S. "repositions" warships armed with cruise missiles in the Mediterranean.

Friday

Gunman Found Guilty On All Counts In Fort Hood Murder Rampage

Army Maj. Nidal Hasan is seen in a booking photo after being moved to the Bell County Jail on April 9, 2010, in Belton, Texas. Bell County Sheriff's Office handout/Getty Images hide caption

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Bell County Sheriff's Office handout/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Gunman Found Guilty On All Counts In Fort Hood Murder Rampage

During the court martial, Maj. Nidal Hasan acted as his own attorney and seemed intent on seeking the death penalty. The military jurors begin the sentencing phase on Monday.

Tech Week That Was: National Security, Privacy And Ballmer

Glenn Greenwald is the blogger and journalist who broke the story about widespread surveillance by the National Security Agency. His partner, David Miranda, was detained at London's Heathrow Airport earlier this week. Sergio Moraes/Reuters/Landov hide caption

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Sergio Moraes/Reuters/Landov

All Tech Considered

Tech Week That Was: National Security, Privacy And Ballmer

Further fallout from the National Security Agency leaks dominated the news as the partner of a Guardian reporter was detained in the U.K. and word emerged that hard drives at the newspaper had been destroyed. And Steve Ballmer's departure announcement raised speculation about who will succeed him as Microsoft's CEO.