Middle East/North Africa

The Pentagon remains "fully cognizant" of the threat posed by Islamic extremist groups inside Syria, despite recent overtures by the White House to arm the country's rebel forces. 

Eyewitnesses to the terrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Libya will testify in the House next week.

The administration on Wednesday strongly denied reports Saudi officials had flagged Tamerlan Tsarnaev as a terror threat.

Obama declined to lay out specific consequences if chemical weapons are used, but said it would be a “game changer.”

GOP lawmakers say reports that employees are being prevented from testifying validate their call for a select committee on Benghazi.

Saudi Arabia’s oil chief said Tuesday that he expects newfound fossil fuel reserves in the United States will further integrate — rather than isolate — the nation into the international market.

“I believe these reserves will lead the United States into a much deeper engagement in world energy markets,” Saudi Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Ali al-Naimi said at a Washington, D.C., event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The recent discovery of a wealth of U.S. fossil fuels has many lawmakers heralding a not-too-distant future free of oil imports from the Middle East, Venezuela and other nations.

President Obama shared his “concern” that Syria may have used chemical weapons during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

Obama has called the use of such weapons a “red line,” and is expected to take some form of action if U.S. intelligence confirms that sarin gas was used by Bashar Assad's regime. Russia remains allied with the Syrian leader and has resisted further sanctions on his regime at the United Nations.

“President Obama and President Putin reviewed the situation in Syria, with President Obama underscoring concern over Syrian chemical weapons,” according to a White House read-out of the call. “The Presidents agreed to stay in close consultation and instructed Secretary [of State John] Kerry and Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov to continue discussions on Syria.”

There is more public support than opposition for U.S. military action in Syria if the reports of chemical weapons are confirmed, according to a new poll from Pew Research.

The survey found 45 percent of respondents supported military action against Syria, while 31 percent were opposed. Nearly a quarter of respondents, 23 percent, did not have an opinion or did not know.

President Obama has warned that the used of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar Assad would be a “game changer,” although Obama has proceeded cautiously after the White House said there was some evidence a chemical attack occurred.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday that the Obama administration was still assessing the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria, echoing the caution President Obama has expressed about a possible U.S. response.

“I think we should wait to get the facts before we get any judgments about what actions, if any, should be taken, and what kind of action,” Hagel said at a joint Pentagon press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera.

The White House’s disclosure last week that it believes Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces have used chemical weapons sparked a flurry of calls for action, including the possibility of a no-fly zone and providing arms to rebel groups.

Last week, administration officials said initial intelligence indicated that the Assad regime had likely used the nerve gas sarin.