White House Trains Efforts on Media Leaks  —  The Bush administration, seeking to limit leaks of classified information, has launched initiatives targeting journalists and their possible government sources.  The efforts include several FBI probes, a polygraph investigation inside the CIA …

How we duped the West, by Iran's nuclear negotiator  —  The man who for two years led Iran's nuclear negotiations has laid out in unprecedented detail how the regime took advantage of talks with Britain, France and Germany to forge ahead with its secret atomic programme.

UK, US to withdraw Iraq forces by early '07: papers  —Text+LONDON (Reuters) - The United States and Britain are planning to pull all their troops out of Iraq by the spring of 2007, two British newspapers reported in their Sunday editions, quoting unnamed senior defense ministry sources.

Al Qaeda's Zawahri calls for strikes against West  —  DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri called on Muslims to attack the West in an audio tape posted on the Internet on Saturday, urging similar strikes as those against New York, London and Madrid in recent years.

AP: Thousands of Federal Cases Kept Secret  —  WASHINGTON - Despite the Sixth Amendment's guarantee of public trials, nearly all records are being kept secret for more than 5,000 defendants who completed their journey through the federal courts over the last three years.

U.S. Gives India Applause, Pakistan a Pat on the Back  —  NEW DELHI, March 4 — President Bush leaves this region having declared India and Pakistan strategic partners.  But his declarations spoke just as loudly of the shifting balance of power in the region, and the world.

Massive Muslim Protest in Bahrain Against Terrorism  —  "As tragic as the recent events in Iraq are, the silver lining is that it has brought to the fore the sectarian tensions in Bahrain and the need to resolve them before the situation gets out of hand.  I hope that the civil and political societies …

Washington Whispers  —  The February political footnotes included this little item: Sen. John Kerry in less than 24 hours last week raised $250,000 in an E-mail to his fans for three Democratic Iraq war vets running for Congress.  But Kerry's effort wasn't a fire-and-forget for his comrades.

A Not Entirely Crazy Idea.  —  (Donkelphant has graciously invited me to share their space from time to time.  I'm abusing their hospitality with this overly-long post.  Cross-posted from www.MightyMiddle.com.)  —  Out there somewhere, the avian flu virus is stalking the human race.

And This Year's Oscar Goes to Social Issues  —  LOS ANGELES — The awards season in Hollywood is by its very nature a self-congratulatory affair.  But this year, the filmmakers say their serious, somber movies really do matter — not just as entertainment or art, but politically, socially.

Democratic Leaders Question Whether Dean's Right on the Money  —  Democratic congressional leaders aren't happy with the way Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is spending money.  At a private meeting last month, they let him know.  —  Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid …

Canadian oil sloshes in  —  Rather than moving north from the Gulf, crude is coming south from Alberta's sands  —  Canada has been showered with attention for its oil sands — deposits of thick, sludgy crude in remote parts of northern Alberta — but until now most of that oil has flowed only as far south as Chicago.