Topic: Iraq
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Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
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CSMonitor editors share their favorite people to follow on Twitter
Twitter turned 7 this week. In celebration of the social network's birthday, The Christian Science Monitor compiled a list of favorite Twitter accounts. Each is informative and useful in its own way. Find out what each section recommends for you.
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When dictators fall, so do their banknotes
The following now defunct or possibly soon-to-be defunct banknotes are imbued with the symbols and iconography of their leaders, past and present.
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5 big losers in press freedom: Mali and ... Japan?
The annual World Press Freedom Index released today shows gains for Myanmar and others. Japan tumbled due to an informal ban placed on independent coverage of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Here are five of the notable winners and losers on this year’s list.
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Inauguration 2013: 10 highlights from previous second-term addresses
Barack Obama will be the 17th American president to deliver two inaugural addresses. Here are 10 highlights from such speeches by previous two-term presidents, including the shortest one ever.
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Poll shows how US Muslims are like Protestants – and how they're not
A worldwide Pew poll of Muslims charts opinions on issues from women's rights to which religion is the one true faith, and details how US Muslims fit into the American matrix.
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Obama 'red line' on Syrian chemical weapons gets a bit grayer
President Obama has said Syria's use of chemical weapons would be a 'red line.' Evidence is mounting, but Obama's desire for an international response throws prospects for action into doubt.
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Iraqi government takes 10 TV stations off the air for 'incitement'
Iraqi authorities accused the stations of stoking conflict with their coverage of a violent Army crackdown on an antigovernment sit-in. Some see a worrying crackdown on free speech.
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Opinion: Obamacare faces new legal challenge: Its 'tax' still violates the Constitution
The Supreme Court saved Obamacare by deeming the law's individual mandate a 'tax.' But in that case, the law violates the Constitution's Origination Clause, which says all tax bills must originate in the House, not the Senate. Letting the law stand sets a dangerous precedent.
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Terrorism & Security Car bombs cap week of violence that underscores Iraq's fragility
Monday's car bombs came after a week of attacks on both Sunni and Shiite targets that killed more than 200 – and only days after Iraq's 'most democratic' elections.
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Editor's Blog After the Marathon bombings: a new resolve
The globalization of ideas via the Internet, air travel, and migration is profoundly affecting the world. In once-isolated communities, exposure to the new and different can prompt a reaction of anger, fear, even terrorism. But the tide of freedom and human dignity is immensely more powerful -- and ultimately unstoppable.
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Did Boston Marathon bombing suspects’ mother push them toward jihad? (+video)
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva says her sons were framed by US authorities in the Boston Marathon bombing. But in recorded conversations, she discusses jihad with her son Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
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Obama’s 'red line' on Syria: An Iraq-like 'slam dunk' moment? (+video)
President Obama said a 'red line' would be crossed if the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against rebels. Might that propel the US into war, as those elusive 'weapons of mass destruction' did in Iraq?
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Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
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The Monitor's View: Of one mind about chemical weapons and protecting the innocent
Probable evidence of chemical-gas use in Syria may soon force world leaders to intervene. Their decision should be based on a principle enshrined in a global ban of such weapons – a respect for the innocence of civilians in not being harmed by this indiscriminate tool of war.
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Global News Blog Don't blame Canada: Former ambassador to Iran on Argo, America, and nukes
Canada's envoy to Tehran at the time of the Islamic revolution and the US hostage crisis, says Argo disappointed him and that he's worried about where Iran's nuclear program might lead.
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Syria chemical weapons: Where did they come from? (+video)
The roots of Syria's chemical weapons program lie decades in the past, perhaps back to the 1970s. Other countries were early suppliers. What's uncertain now is if Syria can make its own chemical weapons.
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Can a blimp curb drug trafficking in Latin America? The US hopes so.
After sweeping US budget cuts, the Pentagon is testing new tools to stop drug trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean: a blimp tethered to the back of a boat and a hand-launched drone.
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Backchannels Should use of chemical weapons in Syria be a 'game changer?'
Last month President Obama called chemical weapons use by Syria a 'game changer,' but why do US interests change if chemical weapons are used?
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White House all but sure Syria used chemical weapons – but needs to be sure
Since August, President Obama has laid down use or transfer of Syria’s chemicals weapons as a 'red line.' The White House letter puts the US closer to acknowledging such a line has been crossed.
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Decoder Wire George W. Bush on the rebound? Nothing like a presidential library to help. (+video)
George W. Bush, his approval rating already on the rebound, opens his new presidential library to good reviews, and with all four other living presidents in attendance.
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Chorus grows against Obama administration's sanctions-heavy Iran policy
The Obama administration's effort to end Iran's nuclear program has focused on punitive measures, with little diplomatic outreach. Critics say this jeopardizes negotiations.
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Putin says opportunity for better US-Russian ties in Boston aftermath (+video)
Speaking in his annual town-hall meeting, which this year ran nearly five hours, the Russian president called for greater US-Russian cooperation on terrorism after the Boston bombing.
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Opinion: Boston bombings and a Muslim identity crisis
The Tsarnaev brothers had a jumbled identity. I know, because I also had one as a Muslim immigrant to the United States. The challenge of the Boston bombings is for Muslim communities and law enforcement to help create a generation of Muslims with an American identity.
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Terrorism & Security Anti-government protests in Iraq devolve into sectarian fighting
Reports indicate that 128 people have been killed since clashes erupted between security forces and mostly Sunni protesters calling for the resignation of Shiite Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki.
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Chemical weapons in Syria? What Obama's high bar for proof could mean.
Three key US allies – Britain, France, and Israel – have said Syria has used chemical weapons in its civil war, but the US, wary of intervening in the conflict, is calling the evidence 'inconclusive.'
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Outside the camps, Syrian refugees face further hardship
With 74 percent of Syrian refugees living outside camps, life is a daily struggle to find affordable housing, jobs with living wages, and schooling for their children.
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Opinion: Death penalty: A pragmatic case for repeal
Momentum in the states is shifting toward the repeal of the death penalty. There are practical reasons for this: The death penalty is expensive, it does not work, and it is administered with a clear racial bias. Repealing it is a matter of justice, public safety, and effective governance.
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Boston bombings: Who's the mysterious 'Misha'?
Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev fell under the influence of a Muslim named 'Misha,' who steered the religiously apathetic young man toward a strict strain of Islam, family members said. Who is 'Misha'?
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Decoder Wire George W. Bush poll numbers up. Does America miss him yet?
George W. Bush left office with a 23 percent approval rating, but now, as his presidential library is about to open in Dallas, he's back up to 47 percent. But he's got a way to catch Bill Clinton.
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