Resettlement for Syrians displaced by the civil war in their country isn't on the agenda as the top U.S. official for migration issues visits Turkey this week, the State Department said Monday. 

Anne Richard, the assistant secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration, is scheduled to visit an Istanbul refugee processing center that mostly handles Iraqis during her week-long visit to Turkey. She won't be announcing any agreement to resettle Syrians, an agency spokeswoman told The Hill. 

Deborah Sisbarro said resettling the displaced Syrians to the United States would be “more of a last resort,” and the administration is not there “yet.”

“Right now everything is kind of based on the hope that the [Bashar] Assad regime will fall,” she said, adding that Syrian refugees would then be able to return home.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) wants Uganda's ambassador to the United States to answer questions about the slaughter earlier this year of 22 elephants at Garamba National Park.

The congressman's letter follows a Sept. 3 New York Times report suggesting the U.S.-funded Ugandan military could have been behind the March 15 slaughter, which is estimated to have netted more than $1 million in ivory. The Obama administration has awarded tens of millions of dollars in military aid to Uganda over the past four years and sent 100 military advisers to the region to hunt for Joseph Kony, whose Lord's Resistance Army is a main player in the ivory poaching epidemic now threatening Africa's elephants, fueled by Asia's growing middle class.

“It is imperative that we do all that we can to protect the lives and future populations of the elephant,” Kucinich wrote to Perezi Kamunanwire. “The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is conducting an investigation into this mass elephant killing. I ask that you fully cooperate with this investigation and work to protect the endangered elephant population.

“I look forward to hearing from you regarding any information you may have regarding this incident.”

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Your morning global affairs speed-read

The United States officially transferred its military prison at Bagram to control of Afghanistan's government on Monday. [The Washington Post]

The vice president of Iraq has been sentenced to death in absentia on terrorism charges. [The New York Times]

In an interview McCain urged the administration to “get them arms and weapons so it is a fair fight.” 

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Opposition leaders said they made the case to both parties that military intervention in Syria is in America’s national interest.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton designated the Haqqani Network a terrorist organization Friday after Congress passed resolution urging the Obama administration to do so.

Clinton sent a report to Congress Friday that said the Pakistani-based Haqqani Network is a Foreign Terrorist Organization, which enables the United States to freeze its assets in the United States and go after those who aid the Haqqanis.

But the decision could have broader complications, as it could further strain relations with Pakistan, one reason that the Obama administration was hesitant to make the terrorist designation.

Democrats repeatedly invoked Obama's decision to order the raid against bin Laden during the high-profile speeches

Sen. John Kerry fired up delegates with a rapid-fire speech praising Obama as commander in chief.