The U.S and Russia's short term relationship is very tense. The Syrian civil war is going on right now and Russia (Putin) is selling al-Assad billions of dollars worth of weapons to fight the rebels. But, Obama wants to take military action against Syria because of a recent chemical weapons attack by al-Assad on innocent men,children, and women in a Damascus suburb, killing 1,400 people. Obama hasn't and did not make an air strike on Syria and al-Assad, but instead offered that Syria gives up the rest of its chemical weapons. Putin has agreed to this and al-Assad also has agreed to this deal. Obama is very mad at Putin for continuing to sell these weapons because Obama, obviously wants Syria to become a democracy.

Also, In August Russia offered Edward Snowden  political asylum, meaning Russia well protect Snowden from being sent to the U.S. Edward Snowden is a former N.S.A (National Security Agency) contractor who "blew the whistle" and leaked confidential information about American survelliance programs, America spying on U.S citizens phone calls and texts and emails and using cameras all around the country to spy on everyday citizens.












Source: Upfront Magazine, Oct. 28 issue.

A New Cold War? by Patrica Smith.

With reporting by Peter Baker, Thomas Friedman, and Steven Lee Myers

The Year of the Hangman by Gary Blackwood. Summer Reading Blogpost Charlie Muller 707

“The Year of the Hangman”  is a novel by Gary Blackwood. It’s about what might have happened if the Americans had lost the revolutionary war. The main character Creighton Brown is a mischievous boy from England. He is shipped off to America to his uncle who is in the military. His mother, thinks that he will learn discipline and respect while he is there. In America he switches sides to the americans and learns to follow what he believes is right. Creighton sees that his uncle lied to him about the death of his father and that his father really was helping the Americans. Creighton finds his father and discovers whose side he really is on.

He learns to follow his beliefs because his father believed that he was helping a good cause. Creighton wanted to honor his father because his father was a role model to him, Creighton wanted to be like his father.

Also, In America Creighton met Ben Franklin and learned that Americans aren’t cruel, ruthless people like he learned in England, they’re very kind. Creighton actually cared about Sophie and Ben Franklin. Creighton was very attached to some of these Americans and that’s why he was so eager to help them. When Ben Franklin died Creighton was very sad. Doing what you believe is right.