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PBC News & Comment: Obama Shows Initial Resistance as Hawks Want US Troops Back in Iraq

Obama pledges support–but rules out ground troops–for Iraq’s Shiite government, aligning us with Iran; attack on Syria considered….Click here for free audiobook download from Audible, and earn $15 for the PBC Podcast!

–Groundhog Day in Iraq, as Maliki government loses control and hawks imagine that the US can stand it back up

–US and Iran are strongest supporters of Maliki; US media portrays ISIS as equivalent to al Qaeda, but ISIS is in dispute with al Qaeda;  I think they use the al Qaeda brand just to tweak Americans

–US may use air strikes in Iraq and Syria….but defeating Sunni insurgents won’t restore the Shiite government’s credibility—partitioning of Iraq is likely

–in nuke talks, Iran releases its own predictions of “breakout time” as Gareth Porter scores interview with Iran’s negotiator

–second US drone strike on Pakistan

–Bergdahl is back in US, hatestorm will likely escalate

–Greece in turmoil as fired workers win lawsuits against government

–WIRED’s story about Stingray cellphone surveillance hits mainstream media, with addition of blame for secrecy pinned on White House

–Methodist pension board votes to divest of Israeli stocks