Top Items:
David Stout / New York Times:
At Senate Briefing on Port Deal, Bush Aides Stand Firm — WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 — Bush administration officials insisted today, in the face of deep skepticism and resentment from Democratic senators, that the deal to turn over American port operations to a Dubai company was closely studied beforehand …
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Clark Kent Ervin / New York Times:
Strangers at the Door — WHO could have imagined that, in the post-9/11 world, the United States government would approve a deal giving control over six major American ports to a country with ties to terrorism? But this is exactly what the secretive Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has done.
CNN:
Ports company will delay takeover — Firm says it will work with White House, Congress on issues — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Dubai Ports World has agreed to postpone its plans to take over management of six U.S. ports after the proposal ignited harsh bipartisan criticism on Capitol Hill.
Alan Elsner / Reuters:
U.S. terror fears, stoked by Bush, now bite him — WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - For almost five years U.S. President George W. Bush has warned Americans to fear terrorism, but now those words may come back to bite him. — The president, who has cast himself as America's protector …
Michelle Malkin:
PORTGATE AND THE RUBBER-STAMPERS — After a rather rude (and criminal) disruption, I'm back. Let's return to the ports, shall we? — Lesson One of Portgate: Scream "Islamophobia/xenophobia" often enough, and people will start to back down. — Lesson Two of Portgate …
Media Blog on National Review Online:"There Are So Many Misstatements It's Breathtaking"
Discussion:
NewDonkey.com, Thoughts from Kansas, Democrat Taylor Marsh …, Say Anything and Outside The Beltway
National Review:The Politically Correct vs. the Politically Ridiculous
Discussion:
IMAO, The Counterterrorism Blog, Debbie Schlussel, Hyscience and California Conservative
Robert Mayer / Publius Pundit:
THE POLITICS OF IRAQ'S SHRINE ATTACK — The blogosphere has been abuzz about the bombing of the al-Askari shrine in Iraq, one of holiest shrines in Shia Islam. Of course, news reports always labels shrines as one of the holiest shrines, but it's definitely true this time. This one is at the top.
Discussion:
Dean's World, Big Lizards, The Belmont Club, Confederate Yankee, Daily Pundit and The Volokh Conspiracy
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Emilio Morenatti / Associated Press:
Israeli Army Kills Top Militant — BALATA REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank - Israeli troops on Thursday killed five Palestinians, including a top militant who said just a day earlier that he would never be caught, in the largest West Bank military operation since Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip last summer.
strategypage.com:
Signs That the United States is About to Bomb Iran — Before any major military operation, there are always tell tale signs. With all the talk about Israel or the United States bombing Iran's nuclear weapons program, it would be wise to check for the signs before taking the pundit prattle too seriously.
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Murray Waas / whatever already!:
Did the Bush administration "authorize" the leak of classified information to Bob Woodward? And did those leaks damage national security? — The vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) made exactly that charge tonight in a letter to John Negroponte, the Director of National Intelligence.
Associated Press:
South Dakota Senate passes abortion ban — PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota moved closer to imposing some of the strictest limits on abortion in the nation as the state Senate approved legislation that would ban the procedure except when the woman's life is in danger.
Discussion:
Donklephant
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James Traub / Slate:
School of Hard Knocks — What President Summers never learned about Harvard. — I have a soft spot for Larry Summers, who resigned yesterday as president of Harvard rather than face the humiliation of being fired. I admit that I develop a soft spot for almost everyone I spend 25 …
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Ralph Z. Hallow / Washington Times:
Democrat voters low on enthusiasm — Democrats, after 11 years as the minority party in Congress, still can't get it right with their own voters, a poll shows. — By objecting to virtually every initiative and proposal of the Bush administration and congressional Republican majority …
Tom Heneghan / Reuters:
Vatican to Muslims: practice what you preach — PARIS (Reuters) - After backing calls by Muslims for respect for their religion in the Mohammad cartoons row, the Vatican is now urging Islamic countries to reciprocate by showing more tolerance toward their Christian minorities.
Nancy Benac / ABCNEWS:
Lobbyist Target of Several Investigations — Lobbyist Jack Abramoff Finds Himself Subject of Tangled Criminal, Congressional Investigations — WASHINGTON Apr 23, 2005 (AP)— Jack Abramoff is a man with a million connections and not many friends. The uberlobbyist's dealings are the subject …
Discussion:
Think Progress
Shane Harris / nationaljournal.com:
TIA Lives On — A controversial counter-terrorism program, which lawmakers halted more than two years ago amid outcries from privacy advocates, was stopped in name only and has quietly continued within the intelligence agency now fending off charges that it has violated the privacy of U.S. citizens.
BBC:
Emergency declared in Philippines — Philippines President Gloria Arroyo has declared a state of emergency, after the army said it had prevented a coup. — She said was taking the action "because of the clear threat to the nation". — A top general is being held, suspected of planning …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters
Jeff Goldstein / protein wisdom:
Fifth Calumny? — From "A Failure of the Press," today's WaPo oped from Bill Bennett and Alan Dershowitz: … [my emphases] — Note again the initial bolded passage, which was first brought to my attention by Allah, who sent along the link: … Quips Allah:
Broc / TheCorporateCounsel.net Blog:
The Roots of Sarbanes-Oxley — Lynn Turner of Glass Lewis gives us a history lesson: "Often one reads that SOX was hastily created by Congress without much thought. However, that position is usually espoused by people who had - or have - no knowledge of the legislative history, or quite frankly oppose the regulation.
Sun-Sentinel:
Man's shirt erupts in flames after he is shot with Taser — DAYTONA BEACH — Dennis Crouch had already slashed himself. And when he refused to drop his knife, Daytona Beach police Officer Betsy Cassidy decided she had no choice. — "Taser! Taser!" Cassidy shouted as she sent a two-pronged wire …
