SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 9:01 P.M. ET:

IMMIGRATION REFORM DELAY – From The Hill:  "President Obama may not move on executive actions for immigration reform this summer, the White House conceded on Tuesday.  'It's hard for me to at least at this point draw any clear conclusions about what the president's timing will be,' White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. 'There is the chance that it could be before the end of the summer. There is the chance that it could be after the summer.'  The White House is thought to be considering a delay of the executive actions because of concerns from vulnerable Senate Democrats, many of whom have asked the president not to act before November’s midterms."  Yeah, get those Dems elected, then do something the American people oppose.  Truth in government.  Transparency.  Hope 'n' change.

ONE MORE CONCERN – From the Washington Free Beacon:  "Islamist militias in Libya took control of nearly a dozen commercial jetliners last month, and western intelligence agencies recently issued a warning that the jets could be used in terrorist attacks across North Africa.  Intelligence reports of the stolen jetliners were distributed within the U.S. government over the past two weeks and included a warning that one or more of the aircraft could be used in an attack later this month on the date marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against New York and Washington, said U.S. officials familiar with the reports."  September 11th is a week from Thursday. 

THE HORROR – From AP AND OTHERS:  "An internet video released Tuesday night purports to show the beheading of US reporter Steven Sotloff by the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria.  The radical Islamist group threatened to execute British national David Cawthorne Haines next unless its demands were met, Site Intel Group, reported. It was not immediately clear who Haines was. Officials with the British Foreign Office declined to immediately comment."  British Prime Minister Cameron has been especially tough on the Islamic State in public comments.  Retaliation was to be expected.  The issue will be whether Britain has the stomach to stand firm.  This story is still developing.

AND NOW PAKISTAN – From WaPo:  "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was clinging to power Monday as protesters stepped up their assault on government buildings while the capital was gripped with fear and confusion about whether the country’s powerful military will step in to defuse the tension.  As the demonstrations calling for the prime minister’s resignation enter their third week, Sharif is trying to navigate Pakistan’s worst political crisis in more than a decade. With the violence increasing, what started as a routine demonstration has morphed into concerns that the government of a nuclear-armed country could collapse."  And it's those nukes we worry about.  The Islamic State would love to borrow some.  We've been assured that Pakistan's nuclear stockpile is well secured.  We were also assured that the Japanese couldn't reach Pearl Harbor.

September 2, 2014