Top Items:
worldtribune.com:
Ariel Sharon dies — JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the most powerful Israeli leader in 50 years, has died. He was 77. — Sharon was declared dead by physicians at Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital before 1 p.m. Israeli time [6 a.m. EST], Middle East Newsline reported.
RELATED ITEMS:
CNN:
Robertson suggests God smote Sharon — Evangelist links Israeli leader's stroke to 'dividing God's land' — (CNN) — Television evangelist Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which Robertson opposed.
Christopher Hitchens / Slate:
What Sharon Did — The Bulldozer's long, brutal career ended better than anyone expected. — On the day after Ariel Sharon's massive stroke, it's not difficult to remember a time when the news of his demise would have been, not to be too callous about it, something that would have been welcomed …
Discussion:
Austin Bay Blog, Kesher Talk, Boker tov, Boulder!, Yourish.com, Decision '08, Legal Fiction and Air America Radio
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:A Calamity for Israel — The stroke suffered by Israeli Prime …
Discussion:
New York Times, Gates of Vienna, Haaretz, Yourish.com, Vodkapundit, Oliver Kamm, The Political Pit Bull, All Things Beautiful and Betsy's Page
The Big Trunk / Power Line:
THE TIMES AND THE LAW — Since the New York Times published the Risen/Lichtblau NSA story on December 16, we have cited the federal law that makes the disclosures on which the story is based a crime. The federal law is 18 U.S.C. § 798, a law that precisely prohibits leaks of the type …
Discussion:
Unclaimed Territory, THE ASTUTE BLOGGER, The Strata-Sphere, Nitpicker and The American Thinker
RELATED ITEMS:
David Ensor / CNN:
NSA: Amanpour, other CNN reporters not targeted for surveillance — WASHINGTON (CNN) — A senior U.S. intelligence official told CNN on Thursday that the National Security Agency did not target CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour or any other CNN journalist for surveillance.
Scott Shane / New York Times:
Republican Senator Defends Briefings on Domestic Spying — WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 - In a sign of growing partisan division over domestic eavesdropping, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday defended the Bush administration's limited briefings for Congress …
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:Let Me Help With This Non-Denial — Was Christiane Amanpour spied upon?
Discussion:
Elephants in Academia, QandO, Media Blog on National …, CNN, Decision '08 and The American Thinker
Opinion Journal:
Cleaning House — Banish the Abramoff Republicans. — This week's plea agreement by "super-lobbyist" Jack Abramoff has Republicans either rushing to return his campaign contributions in an act of cosmetic distancing, accuse Democrats of being equally corrupt, or embrace some new …
RELATED ITEMS:
Washington Post:After Abramoff, a GOP Scramble
Discussion:
Newsweek, Talking Points Memo, The Heretik, The Democratic Daily Blog, Betsy's Page and Wonkette
Eric Schmitt / New York Times:
Iraq Facing Hurdles, U.S. General Warns — CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Jan. 4 - The top American operational commander in Iraq has offered a sober assessment of the hurdles facing a new Iraqi government, voicing concerns that sectarian rivalries and incompetence could cripple major ministries …
RELATED ITEMS:
Jason Straziuso / Associated Press:
11 U.S. Troops Killed in One Day in Iraq — BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military said Friday that six more American troops died in the recent surge of violence in Iraq, bringing to 11 the number of U.S. troops slain on the same day. — Thousands of Shiites, meanwhile, rallied in Baghdad …
Charles Babington / Washington Post:
Senators to Demand Full Answers From Alito — Democrats Signal Willingness to Delay Final Vote on Supreme Court Confirmation — Senate Democrats warned Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. yesterday to expect pointed questions at next week's hearing, and said they may postpone …
RELATED ITEMS:
David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:At Hearings, Democrats Plan to Call Critics of Alito's Integrity
David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Visited by a Host of Administrations Past, Bush Hears Some Chastening Words — President Bush Thursday with present and former secretaries of state and defense. From left: Harold Brown, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, James A. Baker III, Colin L. Powell, James R. Schlesinger, Donald H. Rumsfeld …
RELATED ITEM:
Jim VandeHei / Washington Post:
Voices From History Echo Anew — Former Cabinet Officers Offer Advice on Iraq to Commander in Chief — President Bush summoned most of the living former secretaries of state and defense to the White House yesterday for what participants described as a cordial but pointed discussion about the future of Iraq.
Discussion:
New York Times, NewsBusters.org, The Heretik, The Huffington Post and Brad DeLong's Semi …
Al Kamen / Washington Post:
Scooter Finds Fellowship at the Hudson Institute — I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , chief of staff and national security adviser to Vice President Cheney until that indictment unpleasantness a few months ago, has found a new perch as he awaits trial. — Libby is joining the Hudson Institute …
Discussion:
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
RELATED ITEM:
New York Times:
Coal Miners' Notes of Goodbye, and Questions on a Blast's Cause — SAGO, W.Va., Jan. 5 - As he huddled with 11 fellow miners trying to shelter from poisonous air in one of the farthest reaches of the Sago Mine, Martin Toler Jr. took an insurance form and a pencil from his pocket.
RELATED ITEM:
thenewstribune.com:
IRS tracked taxpayers' political affiliation — WASHINGTON - As it hunted down tax scofflaws, the Internal Revenue Service collected information on the political party affiliations of taxpayers in 20 states. — Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a member of an appropriations subcommittee …
Sam Dillon / New York Times:
Florida Supreme Court Blocks School Vouchers — In a ruling expected to reverberate through battles over school choice in many states, the Florida Supreme Court struck down a voucher program yesterday for students attending failing schools, saying the State Constitution bars Florida …
Nicholas Wade / New York Times:
DNA Offers New Insight Concerning Cat Evolution — Researchers have gained a major insight into the evolution of cats by showing how they migrated to new continents and developed new species as sea levels rose and fell. — About nine million years ago - two million years after the cat family …
Discussion:
Dohiyi Mir
