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Niall Ferguson / Telegraph:
The origins of the Great War of 2007 - and how it could have been prevented — Are we living through the origins of the next world war? Certainly, it is easy to imagine how a future historian might deal with the next phase of events in the Middle East: — With every passing year …
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Anne Penketh / Independent:
Iran: The nuclear nightmare — Tehran's defiance sparks fears of a regional showdown — The confrontation between Iran and the West deepened yesterday as both sides hardened their positions over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme. — The foreign ministers of Britain …
Robert Tait / Observer:
West is in dark ages, says Iran's President — Leader threatens retaliation if the US and EU continue to try to block nuclear programme — Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the hardline President of Iran, launched an angry tirade against the West yesterday, accusing it of a 'dark ages' mentality …
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BrothersJudd Blog
Kristen Mack / Houston Chronicle:
Only half those who voted for him in '04 would do so again, poll finds — A criminal indictment and continuing investigations have severely eroded support for U.S. Rep Tom DeLay in his district, most notably among Republicans who have voted for him before, according to a Houston Chronicle poll.
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MyDD, Swing State Project, Off the Kuff, whatever already!, Prairie Weather and TalkLeft
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Observer:
The drone, the CIA and a botched attempt to kill bin Laden's deputy — In the hunt for al-Qaeda, a missile attack on a mountain village killed women and children. The attack was precise, the intelligence was flawed, and the strained relation between Pakistan and the US has been pushed to breaking point
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Washington Post:
U.S. Strike On Al Qaeda Top Deputy Said to Fail — Thousands Protest After Attack In Pakistan Leaves 17 Dead — KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 14 — Pakistani officials said Saturday that a U.S. missile strike intended to kill al Qaeda deputy Ayman Zawahiri had missed its target but had killed 17 people …
New York Times:
The Imperial Presidency at Work — You would think that Senators Carl Levin and John McCain would have learned by now that you cannot deal in good faith with a White House that does not act in good faith. Yet both men struck bargains intended to restore the rule of law to American prison camps.
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The Sideshow, Booman Tribune, Bark Bark Woof Woof, The Peking Duck, The Heretik, Dohiyi Mir and TalkLeft
Mark Steyn / Chicago Sun Times:
Ham-handed Dems didn't lay a glove on Alito — I find it, as grave somber Senate Democrats like to say, "troubling." Indeed, I find it not just "troubling" but sad that a party once so good at "the politics of personal destruction" has got so bad at it. The last time they had a Supreme Court nominee …
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How Appealing
Nick Cohen / Observer:
'Galloway can no longer count on the indulgence of polite society' — The first series of Big Brother in 2000 drew a long howl of disgust from the British intelligentsia. Martin Amis said it proved that meritocracy was dead - because 'now you can become famous without having any talent by abasing yourself on a TV nerdothon'.
John / AMERICAblog:
Just fire the Democrats, please. All of them — From tomorrow's NYT: … Ok, let's get a few things straight: — 1. Yes, Virginia, the country won't just spontaneously rise up in opposition to President Bush. You need to actually LEAD the country, you need to actually CONVINCE Americans that Bush is wrong and you are right.
Francis Elliott / Independent:
MI5 will get new powers to bug MPs — Furious cabinet revolt as Blair gives green light for security services to spy on elected representatives — Tony Blair is preparing to scrap a 40-year ban on tapping MPs' telephones, despite fierce Cabinet opposition, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.
Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:
In Shadegg's Race, a Nod to the '94 Revolution — He grew up around Barry Goldwater, arrived in Washington with the "Contract With America" crowd, boycotted one of President Bill Clinton's State of the Union speeches and is more conservative on some issues than President Bush.
Los Angeles Times:
'Marshall Plan' for Iraq Fades — Once the $18.6 billion for reconstruction is spent, the nation might have to rely on private investment. 'No pain, no gain,' a U.S. official says. — BAGHDAD — After more than 2 1/2 years of sputtering reconstruction work, the United States' "Marshall Plan" …
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Just a Bump in the Beltway
Renwick McLean / New York Times:
U.S. Bars Spain's Sale of Planes to 'Antidemocratic' Venezuela — MADRID, Jan. 13 -The United States will not allow Spain to sell military aircraft with American technology to Venezuela, saying the sale would aid the increasingly "antidemocratic" government of President Hugo Chávez …
BBC:
Saddam judge 'resigns from trial' — Iraqi government officials are considering the resignation submitted by the chief judge at the trial of the former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein. — Before the judge, Rizgar Amin, can step down, his departure has to be approved by the offices of both the president and the prime minister.
Discussion:
Flopping Aces
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Jane Hamsher / firedoglake:
This Is How It's Done — Pt. 4 — Murray Waas has more on the GOP/Brent Bozell-financed Murtha smear: … Don't forget the little tidbit about Fox that Cybercast buried in the bottom of the article: … Fox made those comments about Murtha in a 1996 article. And now he can't be questioned about it either.
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