Terrorism

Your morning global affairs speed-read

The sudden resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus last week is forcing the Obama administration to shake up its national team just days after the president won reelection.

The probe into Petraeus's affair with his biographer ensnared the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, following allegations that he had “potentially inappropriate” communications with the woman who sparked the inquiry into Petraeus. And Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is now in the running to become secretary of Defense, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, with chief counterterrorism adviser John Brennan the favorite to take over the CIA.

Back to Benghazi: Kerry's Senate Foreign Relations Committee takes the first post-election shot at finding out what happened at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11. Tuesday's closed briefing with State Department and intelligence officials is the first in a series of briefings and hearings throughout the week.

Trade with Russia: The House Rules Committee votes on how to handle legislation granting permanent normal trade relations to Russia later this afternoon, setting up a floor vote for later this week.

O Canada: Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman leads the U.S. delegation to the second meeting of the U.S.-Canada High Level Policy Review Group in Ottawa today (the first took place in Washington in May).

The surprise resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus could raise more questions about the Obama administration's account of the deadly consulate attack in Libya.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says the White House has not ruled out cooperating with a pending U.N. probe into the Obama administration's use of drone strikes.

“Well, we have questions about the appropriateness of that approach,” Ambassador Susan Rice told reporters on Monday. “But we will look at it on its merits, and as we do with all the work of the rapporteurs, we’ll judge their work on the substance of their products.”

Rice’s comments came after the U.S. won a second three-year term on the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday, beating out Greece and Sweden.

Two U.N. experts announced last month that a panel would likely investigate civilian deaths caused by the drone strikes, which are immensely unpopular in Pakistan and other countries where they're carried out. 

Graham also called on lawmakers to coordinate their separate inquiries into the deadly consulate attack.

No fewer than four House and Senate panels plan to hold closed-door briefings with administration officials about the attack this week.

His resignation comes amid questions from Republicans about an attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya .

Acting CIA director Mike Morell will take outgoing agency chief David Petraeus's place during a key Senate intelligence hearing scheduled for next week, The Hill has learned. 

Islamabad does not need the United Nations' help to crackdown on the infamous Haqqani Network based along the country's border with Afghanistan, telling allies in the region that ongoing efforts have already had an impact on the terror group. 

After the United Nations imposed new sanctions against the Haqqani Network on Monday, the chief spokesman for President Hamid Karzai said that the Afghans will not hold any peace negotiations with the Haqqanis.

Karzai’s spokesman Aimal Faizi said the Afghans welcomed the sanctions against the Haqqani network, which came after the United States labeled the Haqqanis a terror network in September.

While the Afghan government has started reconciliation talks with the Taliban, Faizi told Reuters Tuesday that the Haqqanis would not become part of that dialogue.

Mohamed Salah was designated a terrorist and saw his financial assets frozen in 1995 because of alleged ties to Hamas.