September 13, 2013

Poll: New low for government trust

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/government-trust-poll-96773.html?hp=r4

Less than half of Americans trust the government to handle problems, a all-time low, according to a new poll.

Just 49 percent of Americans said they had a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the federal government to handle international problems, according to a Gallup poll released Friday. The previous low was 51 percent in 2007.

The public’s trust is even lower when it comes to domestic issues. Just 42 percent of Americans answered with a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the government to handle issues at home, one point below the previous low from 2011.

September 12, 2013

Assad: We'll give up chemical weapons once U.S. stops arming rebels

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.546710

Syria will fulfill an initiative to hand over its chemical weapons only when the United States stops threatening to strike Syria, the Russian RIA news agency quoted President Bashar Assad as saying in a television interview.

Assad also said that Damascus will begin handing over information on its chemical weapons stockpiles one month after it joins a anti-chemical weapons convention.

"When we see the United States really wants stability in our region and stops threatening, striving to attack, and also ceases arms deliveries to terrorists, then we will believe that the necessary processes can be finalized," he was quoted as saying in an interview with Russian state television.