In the heat of an election campaign, Congress cleared the way for the U.S. military to train and equ...

1. Strong Senate Vote for Obama on Syria Rebel Aid
In the heat of an election campaign, Congress cleared the way for the U.S. military to train and
equip Syrian rebels for a war against Islamic State militants Thursday night, reluctant ratification of
a new strategy that President Barack Obama outlined scarcely a week ago.
The 78-22 Senate vote sent Obama legislation that also provides funding for the government after
the end of the budget year on Sept. 30, eliminating any threat of a shutdown. The House approved
the bill on Wednesday.
In an appearance at the White House soon after the vote, Obama said he was pleased that a majority
of both Republicans and Democrats had supported the legislation. "I believe we're strongest as a
nation when the president and Congress work together," he said. Noting the killing of two
Americans by the Islamic State group, he said that "as Americans we do not give in to fear" and
would not be put off by such brutal tactics.
In the Senate, 44 Democrats, 33 Republicans and one independent voted for the bill, while nine
Democrats, 12 Republicans and one independent opposed it.
The issue created new fault lines for this fall's elections for control of the Senate as well as the 2016
race for the White House.
"Intervention that destabilizes the Middle East is a mistake. And yet, here we are again, wading into
a civil war," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. laying down a marker for Republican presidential primaries
still more than a year distant.
Sen. Mark Begich, in a difficult re-election campaign, said, "I disagree with my president" on the
wisdom of having the U.S. military become involved. "It is time for the Arab countries to step up and
get over their regional differences" and be more aggressive in the fight against terrorists, the Alaska
Democrat said, drawing a quick rebuttal from Republican rival Dan Sullivan.
For a second straight day, the administration dispatched top-ranking officials to reassure lawmakers
-- and the public -- that no U.S. ground combat operation was in the offing. Obama made the same
promise in an address to the nation eight days ago laying out his new policy -- and repeated it
Thursday night. His new strategy includes increased airstrikes in Iraq and the possibility of strikes in
Syria.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told one House committee that Obama "is not going to order
American combat ground forces into that area."
Appearing before a different panel, Secretary of State John Kerry said the administration
understands the danger of a "slippery slope." The term was widely used a half-century ago as the
United States slid ever deeper into a Vietnam war that eventually left more than 50,000 U.S. troops
dead.
Obama's general plan is to have U.S. troops train Syrian rebels at camps in Saudi Arabia, a process
that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, said could take a year.

2. The president already has said he will use existing authority to have the Pentagon deploy airstrikes
against Islamic fighters in Syria as well as in Iraq.
From halfway around the world came a chilling reminder from militants who already have overrun
parts of Syria and Iraq and beheaded three Westerners. This time, the Islamic State group released
a video showing a British journalist who said he was their prisoner.
In Washington, leaders in both political parties supported the Senate legislation, draining the debate
of all suspense.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/senate-house-backs-obama-rebel-aid-25586410