The biggest story this week is the situation in Hong Kong. Thousands of protestors took to the streets this week, angry that the Chinese government appears to be reneging on its promise of autonomy for the people of Hong Kong. How will the situation play out, and should the U.S. get involved at all?
This week, the U.S. launched air strikes in Syria in the ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. President Obama addressed the United Nations, calling on other nations to assist in anti-terrorism operations. This followed the announcement that five Middle Eastern nations have joined the U.S. in the effort.
Watch the show.
This week there appeared to be some daylight between President Obama and the Pentagon on the question of ground troops in Iraq. The president reiterated that he would not put American boots on the ground again in Iraq, but both Joint Chiefs chairman Martin Dempsey and Army chief of staff Ray Odierno left open the possibility of doing exactly that if air strikes alone are insufficient to defeat the Islamic State. Now, it’s clear that President Obama’s political considerations are in conflict with the strategic planning of the operation, but which one will eventually win out?
Watch the show. Continue reading
This week, President Obama addressed the nation to make his case for a military offensive 
against the terrorist group calling itself the Islamic State. The president claimed that the Islamic State presents a threat to national security, while at the same time trying to reassure the American people that this offensive would not become another quagmire. Was the President’s case persuasive?
Watch the show. Continue reading
This week, The Square Circle takes on the Islamic State, Ukraine, Ferguson, and the minimum wage.
Watch the show at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Submit a question to our guests. Continue reading
As the Islamic State gains territory and momentum in Iraq and Syria, the West seems confused. Even after weeks of U.S. air strikes against the group, President Obama admitted that he has no strategy for dealing with it. This comes after two separate remarks from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey that had decidedly different tones about the level of the threat. So is the Islamic State enough of a threat to the U.S. that we should send ground troops back into the region? Continue reading
In our first Bookmarks presentation, author Frank Miniter discusses his new book on guns in America, The Future of the Gun, with reviewer James Hedrick.
First up is the tension that arose this week between Israel and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Kerry tried to broker a cease-fire, but the Israeli security cabinet rejected his plan unanimously. Israeli columnist Nahum Barnea wrote that Kerry is “a friend of Israel, but with friends like these, sometimes it’s better to negotiate with your enemies.” The State Department later shot back with criticism of its own. Is Israeli criticism of Kerry warranted, and what does this episode portend for future U.S.-Israeli relations? Continue reading
Lots of big stories this week. The first one we’ll tackle is the Obamacare roller coaster in court. On Tuesday, the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the language of Obamacare forbids subsidies in states that did not set up their own exchanges. Within hours, the Fourth Circuit ruled in the opposite direction. What are the chances that the Supreme Court will take up this issue, and is it a serious threat to Obamacare itself? Continue reading
A Malaysian jetliner crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border, killing all 298 people on board. If this was a deliberate act, how does it affect the conflict between Ukraine and Russia? Is it a game-changer? Continue reading
