MUST-READS

• U.S. Public Opinion
  Poll: Public supports strikes in Iraq, Syria; Obama’s ratings hover near his all-time lows – The Washington Post

  Americans overwhelmingly view Islamic State terrorists as a serious threat to vital U.S. interests and, in a significant shift, widely support airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The nation’s increasingly hawkish mood will form part of the backdrop for a speech by President Obama on Wednesday, when he will outline his thinking on how to confront the threat from the Islamic State. Obama’s remarks will come a day after he confers with congressional leaders at the White House about the administration’s planning.

  • Stratfor - Opinion: The Virtue of Subtlety: A U.S. Strategy Against the Islamic State
  • Defense One - Islamic State Dominates the Post-Recess Conversation in Congress
  • CBS News - Obama to outline plan to fight ISIS
  • Military Times - Obama, Congress in legal gray area over powers to fight Islamic State
  • CFR - How the Lessons of Iraq Are Shaping the Fight Against the Islamic State
  • ME Briefing - Opinion: ISIL May Represent a Turning Point for the US Role in the Middle East
• Asian Games
  Women sidelined as Saudi Arabia selects all-male team

  Saudi Arabia has failed to include a single female athlete in its 199-strong team for the upcoming Asian Games in South Korea, saying its women are not sufficiently competitive. The Saudi stance sparked criticism from Human Rights Watch, which condemned its all-male line-up, saying the ultra-conservative state was shutting the door on female athletes, having previously shown signs of wanting to break down barriers.

• Syria's Kurds
  West widens contacts with Syria’s Kurds but suspicion remains

  In Iraq, Kurds are one of the main Western allies against Islamic State. But in Syria, where Kurdish militia have carved out a swathe of northern territory and repeatedly battled against Islamic State during a three-and-a-half year civil war, Kurds have yet to win the West's acceptance as partners. The main Kurdish political party in Syria, the PYD, and its armed wing, the YPG, say they are obvious allies for Western states as the only force with a proven track record of combating Islamic State there. The Kurds are dismissive of the moderate Syrian opposition that has been backed by the West but outgunned by Islamist groups.

  • Aljazeera - Syrian air raids on IS stronghold kill dozens
  • Washington Post - Report: Islamic State has anti-tank weapons taken from Syrian rebels
• Reuters
  Tunisia’s main Islamist party to stay out of presidential election

  Tunisia’s main Islamist party, Ennahda, said on Sunday it would not contest a presidential election in November, in the interest of ensuring an inclusive government for all Tunisians.

• Capital Markets
  Saudi, UAE IPOs whet investor appetite

  Emaar Properties’ unveiling of plans to divest 15 percent or more in a public equity issue in its mall subsidiary has increased investor appetite for UAE stocks while Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank, the kingdom’s largest lender, will in October likely announce an even larger IPO, according to the CIO office at Emirates NBD Wealth Management.

• Solar Energy
  Saudi Arabia Solar Jumps On Diesel-Killer Bandwagon

  The country faces a multiplicity of problems stemming from its reliance on diesel generators for air conditioning among other uses. According to SASIA, almost 25 percent of the Saudi grid is powered by diesel and the Kingdom spends $1 billion and up on imported diesel. Many of those generators are located in remote areas, so transporting diesel generator fuel also adds to the country’s fossil load. On top of that, the country’s grid operators are way behind when it comes to connecting remote areas (distributed solar, much?), which is gumming up local economies.

  • Solar GCC Alliance - Solar-diesel hybrids: the perfect fit for Saudi Arabia’s energy dilemma
• Oil Production
  Saudi oil exports hit nearly $200bn in 2014

  Saudi Arabia's oil exports totalled 1.84bn barrels generating nearly US $200bn in the first eight months of 2014, Al-Riyadh daily has reported. Of the total oil output 23% is accounted for by domestic consumption reaching nearly 553mn barrels, says expert Fahad bin Jumaa for Al-Riyadh daily.

• Mecca
  Saudi newspaper accuses The Independent of theft and mistranslation

  Omar al-Mudhwahi is offering to provide the British newspaper with the correct translation of the study.

• Iran Policy
  Iran dramatically shifts Iraq policy to confront Islamic State

  But even more surprising than the thaw in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia is Iran’s tacit acceptance of American bombing in Iraq nearly three years after the last U.S. troops left the country. Here, again, Iran reversed its traditional foreign policy stance in the face of a mutual threat.

  • NYT - Tehran Unfetters Cellphones and Pictures begin to Flow
• Oil Exports
  Saudis sending less oil to U.S.

  “Their strategy has always been to develop markets in different places. They're a very disciplined, long-term player,” Auers said. “They're not having to discount very much today. Going forward they'll have to discount. I think $5 is something they can live with.” A series of partnerships and long-term contracts will help insulate Saudi Arabia's market share somewhat if oil prices fall. For example, Saudi Aramco owns half of Houston-based refining company Motiva Enterprises and will likely keep sending its crude oil to refineries equipped to handle the range of crude that comes from Saudi fields.

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