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Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on President Obama’s Iraq policy.
Mosul dam in Iraq recaptured from Islamic State militants, President Obama says http://t.co/JvziygR2O0
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) August 18, 2014
Antiwar politicians and activists are sounding alarms over what they see as Obama’s military reengagement in #Iraq: http://t.co/uIvtJNUY2d
— CS Monitor (@csmonitor) August 15, 2014
To defeat ISIS, Obama should send troops to Iraq: http://t.co/i2YN6sG0MR
— Foreign Affairs (@ForeignAffairs) August 14, 2014
Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of August 11th-17th.
Today’s R&D covers Boko Haram, an Islamic militant group in Nigeria. The group, whose name translates roughly as “Western education is forbidden” – it literally translates as “Fake education is forbidden” – is seeking to establish an Islamic state. Their power base is in northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram has been fighting the Nigerian government since 2009 and its activities have led to the deaths of more than 5,000 people. Last November, the U.S. State Department listed Boko Haram as a terrorist organization.
Today’s R&D covers the 2016 presidential prospects of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Although Romney lost the 2012 presidential election to President Barack Obama and has said that he has no interest in running for the presidency again, political observers speculate that he might be the best candidate the Republican Party can field in two years. Romney’s case for the White House has been strengthened over as his arguments on the campaign trail about elements of the Affordable Care Act, Iraq, and Mali have been proven true. Romney appearances are in high demand by Republican candidates seeking office in 2014, which could strengthen his chances of winning endorsements should he decide to run in 2016.
Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany 
Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of August 4th-10th.
Today’s R&D covers the future of CIA Director John Brennan. Brennan’s credibility has been questioned after the CIA was found to have spied on computers used by the staffers of the Senate Intelligence Committee. President Barack Obama has backed Brennan, but there are demands for heads to roll at the agency for spying on the U.S. government.
Today’s R&D provides resources on the Egyptian-Israeli relationship. Egypt and Israel, former enemies in the Middle East, signed the Camp David Accords in 1979 and have been at peace ever since. Egypt is one of only two countries in the Middle East that has an existing peace treaty with the Israelis. Israeli officials view Egyptian cooperation as important to stopping the smuggling of arms into the Gaza Strip. Egypt is viewed as one of the primary negotiators of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany 
Today, Extemp Central kicks off the 2014-2015 season by providing an R&D of top news stories for the week of July 28th-August 3rd. On each Friday of the 2014-2015 season Extemp Central will provide an R&D of links to top stories that extempers may find useful as they head to their next tournament. Unlike topic-centric R&Ds, which will be released on Wednesday and Thursday, the Friday R&Ds will link to a hodgepodge of stories about relevant domestic and international issues.
Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany 
Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany