1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (See paragraph 2 for more details) (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)

2. How did the USS Mason defend itself from Saturday’s attack?

3. What country backs (funds/trains/supplies) Yemen’s Houthi rebels?

4. a) When did the Houthis launch the first two attacks on the USS Mason?
b) How did the Obama administration respond following the first two attacks?

5. What is significant about the U.S. counter-strikes in Yemen?

6. What did the Obama administration stress about the counter-strikes?

7. Following a nuclear deal President Obama brokered between Iran and the U.S., the NY Post wrote in September:

President Obama has said that he expects his nuclear deal to move Iran toward behaving like a “member of the community of nations.” But his own State Department has conceded the reverse may be true.

In early September, Iran had threatened to shoot down two US Navy surveillance planes in international airspace. This was just the latest in a growing list of provocations, including taking 10 US sailors hostage and abusing them in violation of international law.

When asked if they would rule out the chance that the nuke agreement “has served as a cause for this more aggressive posture,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, “I can’t rule that out.” While acknowledging Obama’s hope for change in Iran’s behavior, he admitted, “We’ve not seen that shift to a constructive engagement.”

Of course, after citing incidents that “needlessly escalate tensions” Toner then said it all makes the deal even “more important, because the last thing anyone would want to see in the region is a nuclear-armed Iran.”

Iran has been emboldened by a deal [with the U.S.] that gives it billions in cash now and an easy road to going nuclear in a few years.

a) What do you think the next president should do regarding Iran's aggression toward the U.S.: try to appease the Mullahs or take a diplomatic hard-line? Explain your answer.
b) Ask a parent the same question.

CHALLENGE QUESTION: List at least two h0stile actions the Iranian government has taken against the U.S. since President Obama signed the nuclear agreement with them last year.  [The agreement was opposed by more than 50% of the American people.  As a result of the nuclear agreement, the U.S. and others dropped all economic sanctions against Iran.  The U.S. also sent $400 million in foreign currency on an unmarked plane from Washington in exchange for the release of some of the hostages held by Iran.]