WASHINGTON (Reuters) – They are screened so carefully that their families are interviewed before they are hired. They hold top-secret security clearances, are trained to use lethal force and stand inches from the leader of the world’s most powerful nation.

U.S. Secret Service agents are also drilled almost from Day One on the need for probity, discretion and solid morals.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former White House adviser Lawrence Summers, diplomat Susan Rice and PepsiCo Inc CEO Indra Nooyi are on a “short list” of possible U.S. candidates to head the World Bank, a person with knowledge of the Obama administration’s thinking said on Wednesday.

The source and a second person familiar with the administration’s thinking said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry was also on the list, although a Kerry spokeswoman said he had not been contacted and was not interested.

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Reuters) – Former White House
adviser Lawrence Summers, diplomat Susan Rice and PepsiCo Inc
CEO Indra Nooyi are on a “short list” of possible U.S.
candidates to head the World Bank, a person with knowledge of
the Obama administration’s thinking said on Wednesday.

The source and a second person familiar with the
administration’s thinking said Senate Foreign Relations
Committee Chairman John Kerry was also on the list, although a
Kerry spokeswoman said he had not been contacted and was not
interested.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is seeking to accelerate fragile talks with the Taliban so it can announce serious peace negotiations at a NATO summit in May, officials say, in what would be a welcome bright spot in Western efforts to end the war in Afghanistan.

The Obama administration is hoping it can declare a start to authentic political negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban at the May 20-21 summit in Chicago, after a year of initial, uncertain contacts with militant representatives.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House received a letter last year purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, asking the United States to deliver militant prisoners whose transfer is now at the heart of the Obama administration’s bid to broker peace in Afghanistan.

The unusual message kicked off a debate within the administration about whether it was truly authored by the mysterious one-eyed preacher believed to be directing the Taliban from hiding in Pakistan — and its meaning for U.S. efforts to forge a negotiated end to America’s longest war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House received a letter last year purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, asking the United States to deliver militant prisoners whose transfer is now at the heart of the Obama administration’s bid to broker peace in Afghanistan.

The unusual message kicked off a debate within the administration about whether it was truly authored by the mysterious one-eyed preacher believed to be directing the Taliban from hiding in Pakistan — and its meaning for U.S. efforts to forge a negotiated end to America’s longest war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House received a letter last year purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, asking the United States to deliver militant prisoners whose transfer is now at the heart of the Obama administration’s bid to broker peace in Afghanistan.

The unusual message kicked off a debate within the administration about whether it was truly authored by the mysterious one-eyed preacher believed to be directing the Taliban from hiding in Pakistan — and its meaning for U.S. efforts to forge a negotiated end to 10 years of war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House received a letter last year purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, asking the United States to deliver militant prisoners whose transfer is now at the heart of the Obama administration’s bid to broker peace in Afghanistan.

The unusual message kicked off a debate within the administration about whether it was truly authored by the mysterious one-eyed preacher believed to be directing the Taliban from hiding in Pakistan — and its meaning for U.S. efforts to forge a negotiated end to 10 years of war.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The possible release of detained Taliban leaders is likely to join Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the top of a busy agenda when the top seven American intelligence chiefs testify before the Congress this week.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper — as well as the heads of the CIA, FBI, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Counterterrorism Center and State and Homeland Security department intelligence units — will be grilled on “worldwide threats” at a pair of open hearings.