CNN TO JUMP INTO CROSSFIRE A WEEK EARLY

Just as it was becoming more and more apparent that the United States was being caught in the crossfire of the war in Syria, CNN announced that its political debate program Crossfire will relaunch a week earlier than originally announced so that it could cover the Syrian conflict. On Sunday the cable news network announced that the show will return on Sept. 9 (instead of Sept. 16) after conducting weeks of rehearsals with hosts Newt Gingrich, Stephanie Cutter, S.E. Cupp and Van Jones. A one-time staple at CNN, Crossfire has been absent since 2005. The announcement came one day after it was reported that Syrian insurgents had taken responsibility for the chemical weapons attack and that the casualties in their own ranks were due to mishandling the weapons. Britain’s PressTV said that the terrorists had received the chemical weapons from Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud. The reports conflicted with statements by President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry blaming Syrian President Assad for the chemical-weapons attack.