Top Items:
New York Times:
Younger Clerics Showing Power in Iraq's Unrest — BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb. 25 — American officials have been repeatedly stunned and frequently thwarted in the past three years by the extraordinary power of Muslim clerics over Iraqi society. But in the sectarian violence of the past few days …
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Bill Roggio / The Fourth Rail:
Iraq "Civil War" Sitrep — A status report on the violence in Iraq and prospects for civil war; Sadr's role — Four days after the destruction of the dome of the Golden Mosque, the threat of an all out civil war in Iraq seems to have abated. Saturday's violence resulted in over sixty deaths …
The Australian:
Sunnis and Sadr's Shiites make peace — THE movement of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, alleged to have played a role in the anti-Sunni violence over the last few days, publicly made peace with political and religious Sunni leaders overnight. — Four sheikhs from the Sadr movement made a …
Jeremiah Marquez / Associated Press:
Don Knotts, TV's Barney Fife, Dies at 81 — LOS ANGELES - Don Knotts, who kept generations of TV audiences laughing as bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show" and would-be swinger landlord Ralph Furley on "Three's Company," has died. He was 81.
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Los Angeles Times
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Louie Estrada / Washington Post:
Don Knotts, TV's Barney Fife, Dies — Don Knotts, the rail-thin comic actor who was perhaps best known to millions of television viewers as the bungling Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife in "The Andy Griffith Show" and the squirrelly landlord in "Three's Company," died of lung cancer Feb. 24 at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Charles R. Babcock / Washington Post:
Contractor Pleads Guilty to Corruption — Probe Extends Beyond Bribes to Congressman — Washington defense contractor Mitchell J. Wade admitted yesterday in federal court that he attempted to illegally influence Defense Department contracting officials and tried to curry favor with two House members …
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Judd / Think Progress:
Katherine Harris Plays Dumb — Defense contractor Mitchell J. Wade pled guilty yesterday to election law fraud, among other charges for making illegal campaign contributions, including $32,000 in illegal contribution to Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL). — Katherine Harris claims she had no idea …
Discussion:
The Sideshow
New York Times:
Gaps in Security Stretch From Model Port in Dubai to U.S. — DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 25 — To some American officials, the sprawling port along the Persian Gulf here, where steel shipping containers are stacked row after row as far as the eye can see, is a model for the post-9/11 world.
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The Moderate Voice
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Liz Austin / Associated Press:
More Tests Needed in Texas Ricin Scare — U. of Texas Student Finds Substance in Dorm That Tests Positive for Ricin, but More Tests Needed — AUSTIN Feb 25, 2006 (AP)— A University of Texas student found a substance in a roll of quarters that tested positive for ricin, a potentially deadly poison …
Discussion:
The Dread Pundit Bluto
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Andrew Davies / Telegraph:
Judge rules that doctors must let ill baby die — The parents of Charlotte Wyatt have been told that doctors are to be allowed to let their profoundly ill baby daughter die if they feel it is in her best interests. — A High Court judge yesterday lifted a previous ruling that she should always …
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Stop The ACLU
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Time:
A Face-saving Dubai Deal in the Works? — GOP officials are apparently mulling over a deal that would allow for a new review of the Dubai Ports World contentious acquisition — Moving toward a deal that could allow President Bush and congressional GOP leaders to save face and avert …
Sydney Morning Herald:
Power to the people: now everyone can make a difference — Democracy, the internet and NGOs are fuelling a global empowerment of ordinary citizens, writes Bill Clinton. — THREE things have happened since the end of the Cold War to give private citizens an unprecedented capacity to do public good.
Kevin Drum / The Washington Monthly:
TRAINING REPORT....Four months ago the Pentagon reported that the number of "level one" Iraqi battalions had dropped from three to one. On Friday they reported that although that number has now dropped to zero, 53 battalions are at level two, up from 36 in October. There's reason to be skeptical that this is good news, though.
Discussion:
Big Lizards, Obsidian Wings, IntoxiNation-News …, Democrat Taylor Marsh … and battlepanda.blogspot.com
Catherine Seipp / Los Angeles Times:
The fascists of free speech — A FRIEND OF MINE took his young daughter to visit the famous City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, explaining to her that the place is important because years ago it sold books no other store would — even, perhaps especially, books whose ideas many people found offensive.
Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Sitzpinklers At NYT Discover Truth, Do Nothing — The New York Times's editorial board has finally recognized what its readers have known for at least two weeks — that the violent protests, riots, arsons and murders committed in response to the publication of editorial cartoons criticizing Islam …
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USS Neverdock
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Alexandra von Maltzan / All Things Beautiful:In The Line Of Fire — Many of us have bitterly complained …
Justin Webb / BBC:
Democrats fail to find a message — President Bush's popularity ratings have plummeted, but why, asks Justin Webb, is it that the opposition, the Democrats, are not surfing the opinion polls, capitalising on the Republicans' misfortunes and preparing to take over Congress when the election comes in the autumn?
Discussion:
USS Neverdock
