Top Items:
Philip Sherwell / Telegraph:
Iran extends nuclear plant in secret — Iran has secretly extended the uranium enrichment plant at the centre of the international controversy over its resumption of banned nuclear research earlier this month, satellite imagery has revealed. — Seven buildings have been erected around …
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David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Why Not a Strike on Iran? — DIPLOMATS around the world keep repeating the mantra: There is no military option when it comes to slowing, much less stopping, Iran's presumed ambitions to get the Bomb. The Europeans say so. The Chinese, who need Iran's oil, and the Russians …
Fareed Zakaria / Newsweek:
Time to Face Reality on Iran — At best, a military strike would set back Iran's program a few years, inflame public opinion there and unify the nation in its bid to go nuclear. — Jan. 30, 2006 issue - The huffing and puffing in Washington is so strong these days, it could start a gale.
Discussion:
Decision '08
Time:
When George Met Jack — White House aides deny the President knew lobbyist Abramoff, but unpublished photos shown to TIME suggest there's more to the story … As details poured out about the illegal and unseemly activities of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, White House officials sought …
ThreatsWatch.Org:
Faultlines in Iraq's Islamist Insurgency — Groups vow to fight al-Qaeda, and Zarqawi's attempts to unite the insurgency — The location of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda in Iraq's commander, and the state of the Islamist insurgency have been recent topics of conversation.
Discussion:
In the Bullpen
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Mohammed / IRAQ THE MODEL:
Iraq needs months to form the new government, Iraqi militants turn against al-Qaeda. — Reactions to the results announced yesterday varied from one party to another but in general it seems that the results were welcomed outside Iraq more than inside as politicians here re still have the task …
Crooks and Liars:
Russert channels Hannity — Why is Russert asking this question to Obama at all? It's clearly an RNC talking point that the Sean Hannity's of the media thrive on to deflect any negative press away from Bush. As Digby notes: … Nope. Why would Russert ask something like that?
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Peter Daou / The Huffington Post:
Why Did Russert Ask Obama About Harry Belafonte? — In light of the still-burning Chris Matthews scandal, I watched Sunday's political shows with keener interest than usual. — And something very strange happened on Meet The Press. I'm wondering what Huffington Post readers make of it …
Newsweek:
The Other Big Brother — The Pentagon has its own domestic spying program. Even its leaders say the outfit may have gone too far. — Jan. 30, 2006 issue - The demonstration seemed harmless enough. Late on a June afternoon in 2004, a motley group of about 10 peace activists showed …
Discussion:
Power Line, Booman Tribune, Shakespeare's Sister, Brilliant at Breakfast, The Left Coaster and TalkLeft
Steven Erlanger / New York Times:
U.S. Spent $1.9 Million to Bolster Palestinian Faction's Image — JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 - The United States spent about $1.9 million of its yearly $400 million in aid to the Palestinians on dozens of quick projects before this week's elections to bolster the governing Fatah faction's image …
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Los Angeles Times:
States Step Up Fight on Abortion — Anticipating a more conservative Supreme Court, lawmakers are proposing bans in hope of forcing the justices to revisit Roe vs. Wade. — INDIANAPOLIS — Taking direct aim at Roe vs. Wade, lawmakers from several states are proposing broad restrictions on abortion …
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William Baude / New York Times:States of Confusion — IT'S no longer just anti-abortion advocates …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway, A Chequer-Board of Nights …, Ideoblog, Bench Memos …, Running Scared and PrawfsBlawg
George W. Bush / White House:
National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2006 — A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America — Our Nation was founded on the belief that every human being has rights, dignity, and value. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we underscore our commitment to building …
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Steve Bainbridge / ProfessorBainbridge.com:
Does the Academy Police Itself? — The brouhaha last week at UCLA over the Bruin Alumni Association prompted the LA Times' to devote most of its editorial section today to the question of whether universities are biased ideologically. Granted, the BAA's UCLAProfs.com site undermined …
John Cole / Balloon Juice:
Last Thoughts on Haleigh — In a long post/update on the sad case of Haleigh Poutre, Michelle Malkin laments the fact that no talk-show hosts or big media types have taken up the cause, and then dishonestly singles me out: … Some days, Michelle seems to exist only to make Bill O'Reilly look like a straight shooter.
Discussion:
Malkin(s)Watch
Brad DeLong / Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal:
Clown Show Cage Match: Deborah Howell and Jim Brady vs. Susan Schmidt (Yet Another Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps? Washington Post Edition) — I can't resist one more snapshot from the Washington Post clown show: — Susan Schimdt, February 22, 2004:
Discussion:
The Washington Monthly, David E's Fablog, battlepanda.blogspot.com, TalkLeft, PSoTD, driftglass and firedoglake
Bill Petti / The Duck of Minerva:
No Words — The United Nations has cancelled the speaking engagement of Pakistani human rights activist Mukhtaran Mai (a.k.a. Mukhtaran Bibi). For those that don't remember, Ms. Mai was sentenced to be gang-raped by a tribal court as punishment for misconduct by her brother.
Atrios / Eschaton:
Abramoff — I imagine that there are some out there who wonder why a factual error in an ombudsman's column combined with the dismissive attitude about complaints pisses people off so much. It's very simple. Time and time again those of us who pay attention see how right wing narratives grow to dominate ongoing news stories.
Marc Schulman / AMERICAN FUTURE:
Effective Forward Deployment — The Foreign Service has been buzzing this last week in the aftermath of Secretary Rice's recent speech regarding the administration's planned focus on what has been termed "transformational diplomacy" (TD hereafter). The Secretary has offered the following explanation …
Bob Geiger / BobGeiger.com:
The Koufax Awards Are Here — The first round of nominations for Best New Blog in the Koufax Awards was just announced and, thanks to whoever nominated me, I'm there! (I nominated firedoglake, Pensito Review and Taylor Marsh.) — Why not myself? Because the Koufax Awards are the honor coveted …
Ian / The Political Teen:
Reynolds, Huffington, Zuckman Discuss Abramoff, Gore, and Murtha (VIDEO) — Glenn Reynolds, Arianna Huffington, and Jill Zuckman of Chicago Tribune appeared on CNN's Reliable Sources to discuss top political issues of this week. The panel reviewed the Abramoff scandal and if it is a Republican …
RJ Eskow / The Huffington Post:
Found! Al-Zawahiri's Poetry Notebooks — The world learned today that Al-Zawahiri writes poetry, but it was old news at the CIA. They've known ever since a set of spiral notebooks was found on a park bench in Kandahar. You know the kind: black and white speckles on the front, with a white box in the middle that says "My Notes."
Denise Grady / New York Times:
Struggling Back From War's Once-Deadly Wounds — PALO ALTO, Calif. - It has taken hundreds of hours of therapy, but Jason Poole, a 23-year old Marine corporal, has learned all over again to speak and to walk. At times, though, words still elude him. He can read barely 16 words a minute.
Discussion:
Mudville Gazette
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
Saddam copying Bush's talking points? — There are a few Bush-loving sites which are vehemently denying that GOP commentators compared Bush opponents with bin Laden by "pointing out" that bin Laden's latest message "sounds like" Democrats. I am currently have a mini-debate with a couple …
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