Myths of Iraq  —  During a recent visit to Baghdad, I saw an enormous failure.  On the part of our media.  The reality in the streets, day after day, bore little resemblance to the sensational claims of civil war and disaster in the headlines.  —  No one with first-hand experience of Iraq …

Democrats Beat Quick Retreat on Call to Censure President  —  WASHINGTON, March 13 — Senate Democrats on Monday blocked an immediate vote on a call by one of their own to censure President Bush for his eavesdropping program.  —  They acted after Republicans said they were eager to pass judgment …

Bush delegates most issues, focuses only on Iraq, '06 campaign  —  President Bush has decided to stay out of the lion's share of decisions made by his administration.  —  Sources close to the administration said that over the last year, Mr. Bush has chosen to focus on two issues …

On Religion and Politics  —  Since I'm now getting angry emails about things I've never even said let's clear a few things up.  —  I'm not hostile to religion.  I don't much care about religion.  I'm not much interested in it.  This isn't strange.  Most people aren't much interested in religion other than their own, if that.

Straw Poll Strategy  —  John McCain is changing his tactics for 2008.  Inside a maverick's campaign.  —  March 13, 2006 - In a sense, Sen. John McCain's campaign for the presidency in 2008 began with a personal, private phone call he made last week-to President George W. Bush.

Mike Wallace Retiring From '60 Minutes'  —  When asked in an interview last April if he would ever consider retiring from "60 Minutes," Mike Wallace said that he planned to do so only "when my toes turn up."  —  "Well," Mr. Wallace said, amending that statement in an interview today, "they're just beginning to curl a trifle."

Web Magazine Raises Doubts Over a Symbol of Abu Ghraib  —  The online magazine Salon is challenging the identity of a man profiled by The New York Times in a front-page article on Saturday who says he is the iconic hooded figure in a published photograph who was abused by Americans at Abu Ghraib prison in 2003 and 2004.

Study Links Ambien Use to Unconscious Food Forays  —  The sleeping pill Ambien seems to unlock a primitive desire to eat in some patients, according to emerging medical case studies that describe how the drug's users sometimes sleepwalk into their kitchens, claw through their refrigerators …

Recruiting "top drawer blacks" for the GOP  —  Adele Fergusen  —  Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal  —  Dear Mrs. Fergusen,  —  I think you answered your own question about why black people aren't flocking to the Republican Party.  If, as you point out, slavery was a godsend to them …

Bush's Approval Ratings Slip In the Latest Harris Poll  —  President Bush's job-approval ratings continue to slip, according to a recent Harris Interactive poll, while job-approval ratings for most of his key cabinet members also remain low.  —  Mr. Bush's current job-approval ratings stand at 36% in March …

Tehran elite turning on extremist presidency  —  TEHRAN — Iran's clerical and business establishments, deeply concerned by what they see as reckless spending and needlessly aggressive foreign policies, are increasingly turning against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Federal aid programs expand at record rate  —  A sweeping expansion of social programs since 2000 has sparked a record increase in the number of Americans receiving federal government benefits such as college aid, food stamps and health care.  —  A USA TODAY analysis of 25 major government programs found …

Informant: Zawahiri Attended Lodi Mosque  —  SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An FBI informant testified Monday that a top Al Qaeda official lived in California's Central Valley in the years before the 2001 terrorist attacks, but the statements were attacked immediately as unreliable.

News Release: U.S. International Transactions  —  Available for this release: Full Release: PDF (85 kb), Tables: XLS (55 kb), Quarterly Highlights (42 kb), Annual Highlights (53 kb)  —  In order to view the PDF files on this page, the free Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed.  —  Note:

Judge Calls Halt to Penalty Phase of Terror Trial  —  ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 13 — An angry federal judge delayed the sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui on Monday and said she was considering ending the prosecution's bid to have him executed after the disclosure that a government lawyer had improperly coached some witnesses.

CREW FILES IRS COMPLAINT AGAINST GROVER NORQUIST'S AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM  —  Washington, DC - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today filed an Internal Revenue Services (IRS) complaint against Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), and American for Tax Reform Foundation …