Top Items:
David E. Kaplan / US News:
EXCLUSIVE: Nuclear Monitoring of Muslims Done Without Search Warrants — In search of a terrorist nuclear bomb, the federal government since 9/11 has run a far-reaching, top secret program to monitor radiation levels at over a hundred Muslim sites in the Washington, D.C., area, including mosques …
Discussion:
Rantingprofs, The Corner on National …, Think Progress, Mark in Mexico, Gateway Pundit, The RCP Blog, Shakespeare's Sister, Radio Blogger, THE ASTUTE BLOGGER, Liberty Street, Hugh Hewitt, Confederate Yankee, AMERICAN FUTURE, Daily Kos, Centerfield, Froggy Ruminations, Varifrank, Macsmind, damnum absque injuria, The Volokh Conspiracy, Mathew Gross, Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler and RedState.org
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Reuters:
Mosques monitored for radiation: report — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials have secretly monitored radiation levels at Muslim sites, including mosques and private homes, since September 11, 2001 as part of a top secret program searching for nuclear bombs, U.S. News and World Report said on Friday.
New York Times:
Spy Agency Mined Vast Data Trove, Officials Report — WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 - The National Security Agency has traced and analyzed large volumes of telephone and Internet communications flowing into and out of the United States as part of the eavesdropping program that President Bush approved …
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Charlie Savage / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Spy net may pull in all U.S. calls overseas — Many Americans' privacy is at risk, some say — WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency, in carrying out President Bush's order to intercept the international phone calls and e-mails of Americans suspected of links to al-Qaida …
Discussion:
The All Spin Zone
Donna Cassata / Associated Press:
Alito Defended Officials From Wiretap Suits — WASHINGTON - Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito defended the right of government officials to order domestic wiretaps when he worked for the Reagan Justice Department, documents released Friday show. — He advocated a step by step approach …
Discussion:
MyDD, The Strata-Sphere, The Heretik, Shakespeare's Sister, Blogs for Bush and Democrat Taylor Marsh …
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Mohammed / IRAQ THE MODEL:
Dispute continues over election results... Yesterday was an eventful day for the parties that rejected the results of the elections. Those parties and coalitions-more than 30 in total-signed a "charter of honor" and formed a new movement under the name "Maram".
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Robert Mayer / Publius Pundit:
35 IRAQI PARTIES UNITE TO CONTEST ELECTION; LIST OF VIOLATIONS; PROTESTS BEGIN — The Sunni lists, along with ex-PM Iyad Allawi's multi-confessional secular list and others, have joined together to contest the results of the December 15 election in order, at the least, to have the results reviewed and their complaints addressed.
Discussion:
Associated Press
The Big Trunk / Power Line:
MORE ON THE LEGALITY OF THE NSA PROGRAM — Yesterday we received a message responding to John's analysis of the legality of the NSA program. Our correspondent has asked us to withhold identifying information and we have agreed to do so. He is a gentleman who has had occasion to focus …
Discussion:
THE ASTUTE BLOGGER
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Washington Post:
Newly Emboldened Congress Has Dogged Bush This Year — After four years in which Congress repeatedly lay down while President Bush dictated his priorities, 2005 will go down as the year legislators stood up. — This week's uprising against a four-year extension of the USA Patriot Act …
Discussion:
danieldrezner.com
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Associated Press:
Daschle: Congress Didn't OK Spying Authority — WASHINGTON - The use of warrantless wiretaps on American citizens was never discussed when Congress authorized the White House to use force against al-Qaida after the Sept. 11 attacks, says former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
Discussion:
WTF Is It Now??
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Steven Greenhouse / New York Times:
Transit Strike Reflects Nationwide Pension Woes — Fast-rising pension costs for government employees - the issue that helped set off this week's transit strike in New York City - are a problem confronting cities, counties and states nationwide, causing many budgetary experts to predict …
Leon H / RedState.org:
The Birth of a Known Fact™ — Folks, we are witnessing a very special moment in history: the birth of a Known Fact™. — Known Facts™, as you may well know, are things which are not really facts at all, but are clung to by the left with all the force and tenacity of runaway religious fervor.
Discussion:
Cold Fury
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Sinan Salaheddin / Associated Press:
Iraqis March, Say Elections Were Rigged — BAGHDAD, Iraq - Large demonstrations broke out across the country Friday to denounce parliamentary elections that protesters say were rigged in favor of the main religious Shiite coalition. Also, the U.S. military said two soldiers were killed …
Associated Press:
Santorum Breaks With Christian-Rights Law Center — PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 22 — Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) withdrew on Thursday his affiliation from the Christian-rights law center that defended a school district's policy requiring the teaching of "intelligent design."
Reuters:
Saddam denounces White House 'liars' — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein denounced American leaders as liars at a turbulent court hearing on Thursday and his once feared intelligence chief abused prosecutors before threatening to walk out. — The former Iraqi president, on trial for his life …
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volokh.com:
Abstract … Klein & Stern find that 79% of those surveyed self-report as Democratic and 9% self-report as Republican. Moreover, Klein & Stern find that party self-identification turns out to be correlated with views on a range of political issues, such as attitudes toward gun control …
James Gordon Meek / NY Daily News:
Al Qaeda fiend targeted Bush — WASHINGTON - Before he was captured last spring, Osama Bin Laden's top operational commander was solely focused on killing President Bush and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharaff, the Daily News has learned. — The capture last May of Al Qaeda's No. 3 leader …
John Cole / Balloon Juice:
The Holiday for the Rest of Us — Partially inspired by this, and wholly inspired by Seinfeld, it is time for the First Annual Airing of Grievances at Balloon Juice: — (Thanks to whoever made this screen capture originally) — The Airing of Grievances is the traditional time of the year …
James Wolcott:
NIPS AHOY! — Sometimes the most satisfying instigations are inadvertent. Without meaning to, I seem to have incited the most promising catfight since Krystle and Alexis went after each other's wigs in Dynasty. I recognize "catfight" is a word charged with sexism, and apologize to those it may offend …
Washington Post:
Mike McCurry's 'Munich' Tour of Duty — Every movie needs buzz. But Steven Spielberg didn't want any old red-carpet, klieg-light buzz for "Munich" — he wanted Washington wonk buzz. — Enter Mike McCurry, the former State Department and White House press secretary who was tapped …
Mark Blumenthal / Mystery Pollster:
MP IN POQ — Finally (for today) I have a surprise and something of a holiday gift from the editors of Public Opinion Quarterly. — As a personal venture, this blog has paid some truly gratifying and utterly unexpected dividends. Topping the list during 2005 was an invitation I received …
