Salman Rushdie, Ayaan Hirsi Ali et al Slam Islamic Totalitarianism  —  This just in, stay tuned as the story develops.  I think we'll be seeing people die in the coming days.  You know, from "reactions"....  Update: This will be brought in the French weekly Charlie Hebdo tomorrow, Wednesday.

President Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Afghanistan  —  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — President Bush made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday, flying here secretly to support its fledging government in the face of rising violence from al-Qaida and Taliban militants.

Shiites Told: Leave Home Or Be Killed  —  Sunnis Force Evictions As Iraq Tensions Grow  —  BAGHDAD, Feb. 28 — Salim Rashid, 34, a Shiite laborer in an overwhelmingly Sunni Arab village 20 miles north of Baghdad, received his eviction notice Friday from a man at the door with a rocket launcher.

Gonzales Seeks to Clarify Testimony on Spying  —  Extent of Eavesdropping May Go Beyond NSA Work  —  Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales appeared to suggest yesterday that the Bush administration's warrantless domestic surveillance operations may extend beyond the outlines that the president acknowledged in mid-December.

How reliable is Zogby poll of military in Iraq?  —  The latest Zogby "poll" purports to show heavy unclarity of mission and support for leaving Iraq during the next year or sooner among our servicepeople in Iraq.  —  However, Zogby's poll purposely leaves open too many questions …

Prosecutors in Hussein Case Tie Him to Order to Kill 148  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 1 — As Saddam Hussein watched quietly from the dock, prosecutors on Tuesday displayed what they said was his signature on orders of execution for 148 men and boys, some as young as 11, in what appeared …

At War With Ourselves  —  We're winning in Iraq.  Let's not lose at home.  —  Last week the golden dome of the Askariya shrine in Samarra was blown apart.  Sectarian riots followed, and reprisals and deaths ensued.  Thugs and criminals came out of the woodwork to foment further violence.

GOP Unease Spreads to Security Issues  —  Port Deal Among Challenges to What Has Been Bush's Strength  —  The first heading on the issues page of Rep. Mark Foley's Web site brags that he is "one of President Bush's strongest supporters in Congress."  The Florida Republican voted …

Poland Introduces "Martyrs of Our Time" Ad Campaign  —  The Polish Foundation of St. Benedictus introduces its "Martyrs of our Time" ad campaign this week.  —  Poland is no France...  No rationalizing or mollifying barbaric behavior in Krakow!  —  Here are a few of the moving posters …

Intelligence agencies warned about growing local insurgency in late 2003  —  WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence agencies repeatedly warned the White House beginning more than two years ago that the insurgency in Iraq had deep local roots, was likely to worsen and could lead to civil war …

al-Qaeda's Foreign Fighters in Iraq  —  The pros & cons of al-Qaeda funneling both novice and experienced jihadis into Iraq  —  In the wake of the destruction of the dome of the Golden Mosque and the ensuing unrest, al-Qaeda in Iraq is hard at work with a suicide bombing campaign designed to increase the sectarian divide within Iraq.

The End of Fukuyama  —  Why his latest pronouncements miss the mark.  —  I have a feeling that last week was a disappointing one for Francis Fukuyama, whose essay "After Neoconservatism" (adapted from his upcoming book America at the Crossroads) was awarded seven pages in the Feb. 19 New York Times Magazine.

Veterans Report Mental Distress  —  About a Third Returning From Iraq Seek Help  —  More than one in three soldiers and Marines who have served in Iraq later sought help for mental health problems, according to a comprehensive snapshot by Army experts of the psyches of men and women returning …

Senate Draft on Lobbying Clamps Down on Earmarks  —  Rules Panel Would Target Narrow Spending and Require Prompt Disclosure of Meals Received  —  The Senate Rules Committee plans today to draft legislation that would make it harder for lawmakers to win narrowly focused appropriations …

Rivals Try to Tie G.O.P. Senator to Lobby Furor  —  GREAT FALLS, Mont., Feb. 27 — At a meeting with Senator Conrad Burns here last weekend, the Little Shell Chippewa tribe presented him with ropes of woven sweetgrass, a ceremonial tobacco pouch and a traditional drum dance.

What the P.L.O. Has to Offer  —  MANY have argued that Hamas's winning of a decisive majority in the Palestinian Parliament provides yet another setback for peace and democracy in the Middle East.  Some have even suggested that it vindicates Israeli unilateralism.

Vermont Campaign Limits Get Cool Reception at Court  —  WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 — The Supreme Court displayed little appetite on Tuesday for making basic changes in its approach to campaign finance law, under which the government may place limits on political contributions but not on a candidate's spending.

Rack and Ruin  —  The Supreme Court considers Anna Nicole's surprisingly real claims.  —  Listen to this story on NPR's Day to Day.  —  It's difficult to imagine two more different pieces of circuitry: The Supreme Court is hard-wired to suck out the drama from even the most emotionally charged conflicts.