All Decoder
Why is Jeb Bush giving Hillary Clinton an award?Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a possible GOP 2016 White House contender, has agreed to honor Hillary Clinton with an award from the National Constitution Center, for which Mr. Bush is chairman of the board of trustees.
Are Edward Snowden NSA leaks messing up US foreign relations?The US ambassador gets a tongue-lashing from Brazilian officials angry about NSA eavesdropping on their president, and Obama is likely to get an earful from spied-upon Europeans later this week at the G20 summit. One problem for the US: It doesn't know how much more will be leaked.
Syria strike delay: Does it make Obama a 'weak president'?Congress appears split about a Syria strike, making matters difficult for President Obama. But even if Congress approves, Obama has taken an unusual step that could weaken the presidency.
Is Syria the new Iraq?Critics say President Obama may be making the same mistakes in Syria that the Bush administration did in Iraq: acting on weak intelligence, personalizing the enemy, not adequately accounting for unintended blowback.
Military strike: Syria decision must include us, Congress saysMilitary strike, Syria as the target, should be reviewed first by members of Congress, they argue. More than 100 members of the House – both Democrats and Republicans – sent President Obama a letter to this effect.
Why Syria's chemical weapons would be difficult target for US strikeThe US has said it wants to deter Syria – or anyone else – from using chemical weapons. But hitting the chemical weapons themselves could be dangerous for several reasons.
Does Obama need Congress to approve Syria strike?Recent presidents have gotten permission from Congress or the UN Security Council before launching attacks. But on Syria, neither of those options looks feasible for President Obama.
March on Washington anniversary to bring together three US presidentsTo observe the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, President Obama will deliver a speech that's expected to be tinged with personal feeling. Joining him will be Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.
US strike on Syria? How far Obama might go.If President Obama’s past approach to intervention is any guide, the possible Syria action is likely to be a middle ground between doing nothing and action so forceful it would topple the Assad regime.
Trayvon Martin case: Will it be 'forgotten,' as Colin Powell says?Trayvon Martin was a rallying point for a new surge in African-American activism. But former Secretary of State Colin Powell suggests the case won't likely have a lasting impact.
GOP senator says Obama 'close' to impeachment. True?The potential impeachment of President Obama has been a topic at a number of home-state meetings held by GOP lawmakers this month. Sen. Tom Coburn is the latest to discuss the possibility.
NSA review panel: Insiders or 'outside experts'?The White House has reportedly picked the members of a panel that will review US intelligence and communications technologies. President Obama has asked the panel to issue a final report by year's end.
Bradley Manning wants to live as 'Chelsea.' Will prison go along?The announcement by Pfc. Bradley Manning comes one day after a military judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison for leaking more than 700,000 classified files. The sex change he would like to undergo can take a long time.
New White House pup Sunny: Why not a rescue dog?The first family wanted new pup Sunny Obama to be a pal for Bo. But not everyone was 100 percent happy with the choice of the new dog, with some citing millions of shelter dogs that need homes.
New little girl arrives at White House. Meet Sunny Obama.Sunny, a one-year-old Portuguese Water Dog, has joined the Obama family. She's originally from Michigan, and she no doubt will help first dog Bo run off some of his energy.
Scott Brown 2016? Why testing the Iowa waters is a smart moveFormer Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown (R) showed up in Iowa over the weekend – bait for political media. But 2016 aside, Brown and the GOP still win from the maneuver.
UFO sightings at Area 51: Government flying saucer test?UFO sightings were reported near Area 51, the cold war-era test site in Nevada that was publicly acknowledged for the first time recently. Could they be related to a US flying saucer project?
Has GOP reined in the 2016 debates?On Friday, RNC members approved a resolution banning cooperation with CNN and NBC on 2016 debates if the networks air special programs on Hillary Clinton. But that's only partly what the RNC action was about.
NSA broke privacy rules. Are latest revelations big, or same-old?The number of NSA privacy violations tied to surveillance programs – 2,776 in one year – seems big, but there's no context for judging. The revelations, however, appear to contradict Obama's assurances that the NSA acts with care and propriety.
Rep. Steve Stockman invites Obama rodeo clown to Texas. Why?Obama rodeo clown is already banned for life from the Missouri State Fair. Now the NAACP wants an investigation into whether his actions were 'inciting violence' against the president. Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas says 'liberals want to bronco bust dissent.'
