Iraq / Syria Regional War Updates ( December 10 , 2014 ) Political state of play ( US domestic politics and international items of note ) , State of play on battlefield , CIA torture update , Lebanon and Israel intrigue , ISIS chemical weapon threat - real or not ?

Links......

Obama Wants Options for Ground Troops in Iraq

French 'Khorasan Bomb Maker' Survived November US Strike

Hagel: US Firepower Won't Solve Iraq's Problems

Sen. Paul Slams Kerry's Limitless ISIS War Authorization Call

Iraq PM Pushes Hagel for More Arms, More Airstrikes Justice Dept Spurns Calls to Prosecute Torturers Obama Administration Still Operates Under Bush Torture Memos CIA 'Torture' Practices Started Long Before 9/11

CIA Tortured Many, Lied Often, Gained Little Intel

CIA Interrogation Report: The 20 Key Findings

17 Disgraceful Facts Buried in the Senate's 600-Page Torture Report

Tweets.....

Syria Deeply ‏@SyriaDeeply  1m

1 minute ago

Prominent Syrian human rights defenders – the Douma Four – remain missing a year after their abduction http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/12/09/syria-no-word-4-abducted-activists … @hrw #Syria

 Human Rights Watch

Syria: No Word on 4 Abducted Activists

By Human Rights Watch @hrw

The prominent Syrian human rights defenders Razan Zaitouneh, Samira al-Khalil, Wael Hamada, and Nazem Hammadi – the Douma Four – remain missing a year after their abduction, 54 organizations said...

View on web

Al-Monitor @AlMonitor · 31m31 minutes ago

Syrian military sources tell @TheSyriaPulse that the Israeli strikes hit Iranian weapons destined for #Hezbollah - http://almon.co/2b4g 

 Al-Monitor

Israeli strikes on Syria hit Iranian weapons destined for Hezbollah

By Al-Monitor @AlMonitor

Syrian military sources tell Al-Monitor that Israeli warplanes struck storage depots with Iranian weapons that were to be sent to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

View on web

Al-Monitor @AlMonitor · 5h5 hours ago

#Israel is anticipating a response from #Hezbollah after strikes hit its convoy in #Syria - @bencaspit http://almon.co/2b6b 

 Al-Monitor

Israel-Hezbollah deterrence game continues

By Al-Monitor @AlMonitor

The reported airstrike against a convoy on its way from Lebanon to Syria has not yet sparked a strong reaction by Hezbollah against Israel, probably because its patron Iran is still negotiating a...

View on web

Iraq Live Update @IraqLiveUpdate · 7m7 minutes ago

ISF source: defeating ISIS in Tikrit and Mosul could be much earlier than anticipated #Iraq

Iraq Live Update @IraqLiveUpdate · 28m28 minutes ago

Kurdish Region Masoud Barzani attacks 'Sunni Arabs' around Kurdistan region bitterly as 200'000 of them helped ISIS, he said #Iraq

The Daily Star @DailyStarLeb · 2h2 hours ago

#Lebanon postpones presidential vote to Jan. 7 http://shar.es/137R2c  via @DailyStarLeb

The Daily Star @DailyStarLeb · 4h4 hours ago

ISIS commander urges fight against Hezbollah inside Lebanon http://bit.ly/1GikjLs 

The Daily Star @DailyStarLeb · 4h4 hours ago

More than 700 Iraqi Kurd fighters killed since June ISIS offensive http://bit.ly/1zNH1cm 

The Daily Star @DailyStarLeb · 5h5 hours ago

Iraqi Kurd urges regional rule for Iraqi Sunnis http://bit.ly/1zteHO6 

 Arash Azizi retweeted

Hannah Allam @HannahAllam · 11h11 hours ago

Syrian rebels say US just pulled the plug on their salaries, citing Nusra gains. Story by my colleague @RoyGutmanMcC http://tinyurl.com/mpnrzro 

 Tore retweeted

James Asher @jimasher · 11h11 hours ago

McClatchy Exclusive: Rebels in northern Syria say U.S. has stopped paying them http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/12/09/249556/rebels-in-northern-syria-say-us.html …

Middle East Briefing @MEBriefing · 20h20 hours ago

#ISIL is able to fit #chemical #warheads to target #Damascus. #Syria #War #Terrorism http://buff.ly/1uf0JZQ