Recently, the group released videos showing the killing of two American journalists in Syria.

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Marjory Gallagher
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1 Instructions: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS AND MARGIN NOTES using the CLOSE reading strategies practiced in class. This requires reading of the article three times. Step 1: Skim the article using these symbols as you read: (+) agree, (-) disagree, (*) important, (!) surprising, (?) wondering Step 2: Number the paragraphs. Read the article carefully and make notes in the margin. Notes should include: o Comments that show that you understand the article. (A summary or statement of the main idea of important sections may serve this purpose.) o Questions you have that show what you are wondering about as you read. o Notes that identify facts and opinions. o Observations about how the writer s techniques (organization, word choice, perspective, support) and choices affect the article. o Text structure (is it compare/contrast, main ideas and details, chronological order, cause/effect, or problem solution) PICK FROM THESE CHOICES Step 3: A final quick read noting anything you may have missed during the first two reads. Your margin notes are part of your score for this assessment. Answer the questions carefully in complete sentences unless otherwise instructed. Student Class Period WASHINGTON Opening a new battle in the Middle East, President Barack Obama authorized U.S. airstrikes inside Syria for the first time Wednesday night. Strikes in Iraq will be expanded, he announced. Obama called it part of "a steady, relentless effort" to stop the militant group Islamic State (ISIL). Notes on my thoughts, reactions and questions as I read: ISIL was once part of the al-qaida terrorist group, blamed for the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. Later ISIL broke off. It has now has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria. It wants to set up its own country governed by Islamic law. The group calls itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and has also been called the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Levant is the English term for the region stretching from southern Turkey through Syria to Egypt. Recently, the group released videos showing the killing of two American journalists in Syria. "We will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are," Obama declared in a prime-time address to the nation from the White House. "If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven." Obama announced that he was sending nearly 500 more U.S. troops to Iraq to assist Iraqi forces. The additional troops brings the total number of American forces sent there this summer to more than 1,500. He also urged Congress to give money to train and arm Syrian rebels. The rebels are fighting both ISIL militants and Syria's government. Obama's announcement is a major shift for the president. Before becoming president, he opposed the U.S. war in Iraq. While president, he has tried to end American wars in the Middle East and avoid new ones. He's particularly avoided involvement in Syria. The country has been gripped in a continuing civil war. Its The structure of this text is: (pick from the choices listed) Some facts and opinions from this story are (label facts with F and opinions

2 chaos has given ISIL the space to grow. It has moved across the border to Iraq. Most Americans Want Airstrikes Speaking on the eve of the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the U.S., Obama's plans also showed that in the years since, the U.S. has not silenced the terror threats in the Middle East. Notes on my thoughts, reactions and questions as I read: Obama said he was not sending U.S. combat troops back to the Middle East. Even so, he acknowledged that "any time we take military action, there are risks involved, especially to the servicemen and women who carry out these missions." He added, "But I want the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil." White House officials do not know any plans by ISIL to strike the U.S. Still, they say ISIL threatens Americans across the Middle East. Officials are also concerned about Americans who have joined the group. When they return home, they could launch attacks in the U.S. Surveys show that most Americans support airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. A summary of this article is: The U.S. launched some airstrikes against ISIL fighters in Iraq earlier this summer. But Obama wasn't ready to get the U.S. involved any deeper. He first wanted Iraq to form a new government. Obama wanted all religious groups to have a say in Iraq's government. Iraqi leaders took that step Tuesday. No Permission From Congress Obama plans to go ahead with the airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. He'll do so without asking Congress. Instead, he will act under authorization Congress passed after 9/11. It gave former president George W. Bush the ability to immediately go after those responsible for 9/11. The airstrikes "will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist," he said. The U.S. will bomb from the sky, and its partner forces will fight on the ground. Obama wants Congress to give money to train and arm more members of the Syrian opposition. This article relates to me, someone I know, or the world I live in BECAUSE: The White House said Wednesday that it will give $25 million in military help to the Iraqi government. The money will go to fighting ISIL. The U.S. will also try to cut off the group's money supply. The U.S. has been asking allies in Europe and the Middle East to help weaken the terror group. France said Wednesday that it would agree to take part in airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq. Germany has said it will send weapons to fighters battling ISIL.

3 Comprehension questions answers may be in phrases. 1. What does ISIL stand for? 2. Using context clues, what does Levant means as it is used in the text? 3. When was the FIRST time the U.S. launched airstrikes against ISIL? 4. ISIL branched off from which terrorist group? 5. How many US troops TOTAL are in Iraq at this time? 2. Answer each question in one or more complete sentences. How is sending troops to Iraq a major shift for the president? How do the majority of Americans feel about airstrikes in Iraq? Citing from the text, how does Obama say that this war will differ from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

4 3. Part 1: Citing directly from the text, describe how the airstrikes will occur. Part 2: In the text it states that Obama can go ahead with airstrikes without asking Congress. Do you agree with this, or do you think Congress should have a say in a decision that important? 4. In the text, Obama states that "any time we take military action, there are risks involved, especially to the servicemen and women who carry out these missions." In your opinion, is that risk worth it at this point in the battle? SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT. (20 pts)

PRO/CON: How should the U.S. defeat Islamic State?

PRO/CON: How should the U.S. defeat Islamic State? By Tribune News Service, adapted by Newsela staff on 11.30.15 Word Count 1,606 U.S. President Barack Obama (right) shakes hands with French President