Smart Reads October 3, 2013

♦ The FT’s Matthew Garrahan looks at the effects of the sequester on a Los Alamos research centre.
♦ Silvio Berlusconi finds himself significantly weakened after making a U-turn and declaring his support for the coalition.
♦ Two Brookings Institute fellows warn that the US needs to change its policy on Egypt.
♦ Many of Egypt’s liberals moved to the right after the coup.
♦ Guadalajara is becoming the Bangalore of the Americas.
♦ A 72-year-old Syrian engineer and Munich resident’s kidnap, and escape, shows just how chaotic and confused the situation is on the ground in Syria.
♦ Ezra Klein at Wonkblog asks Robert Costa, Washington editor at the National Review, why John Boehner doesn’t just ditch the hard right.
♦ The Washington Post also looked at how Boehner came to be the man between a rock and a hard place.