Before and After Abu Ghraib, a U.S. Unit Abused Detainees  —  As the Iraqi insurgency intensified in early 2004, an elite Special Operations forces unit converted one of Saddam Hussein's former military bases near Baghdad into a top-secret detention center.  There, American soldiers …

Democrats' Dilemma  —  The Dems must satisfy their base without alienating the rest of the country.  Russ Feingold's censure bid isn't the smartest way to do that.  —  March 17, 2006 - Republicans finally had something to celebrate this week when Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold called for censuring George W. Bush.

Bush Using Straw-Man Arguments in Speeches  —  WASHINGTON - "Some look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude that the war is lost and not worth another dime or another day," President Bush said recently.  —  Another time he said, "Some say that if you're Muslim you can't be free."

Bush: 'Fighting and Sacrifice' Needed  —  On the eve of the third anniversary of the Iraq invasion, President Bush today promised to "finish the mission" with total victory, urging the American public to remain steadfast but offering no indication when victory might be achieved.

Political offensive targets Bush  —  Senate Democrats have mapped a political battle plan for the March congressional recess that calls on lawmakers to stage press events with active duty military personnel, veterans and emergency responders to bash President Bush on virtually every one of his national security policies.

Change the Subject  —  POLITICS IS PRETTY SIMPLE.  If the debate in an upcoming election puts your party at a disadvantage, it makes sense to try to change the debate.  At the moment, the 2006 midterm election is framed as a referendum on the Bush administration and congressional Republicans …

The Letter of the Law  —  The White House says spying on terror suspects without court approval is ok.  What about physical searches?  —  In the dark days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a small group of lawyers from the White House and the Justice Department began meeting …

In pictures: Global anti-war protests  —  Thousands of demonstrators gathered in cities around the world to protest against the war in Iraq, on the third anniversary of the US-led invasion.  —  Across time zones and cultures, their anti-war sentiments and their opposition to the US-led action in Iraq was the same.

Why Iran Wants to Talk  —  IT'S EASY to see the potential advantage to Iran of opening negotiations with the United States on Iraq.  The sudden announcement by Iran's national security chief Thursday that Tehran would accept an offer of dialogue made months ago by the U.S. ambassador …

22 bodies found in Baghdad  —  Operation Swarmer offensive yields scores of detentions  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Iraqi police and soldiers found the bodies of 22 people in Baghdad on Saturday who were shot in the head and showed signs of torture, security forces said.

Huge protests against French job law, some violence  —  PARIS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of students, workers and left-wing politicians took to the streets across France on Saturday to press the conservative government to scrap a new law they fear will erode job security.

Cooking 101: Add 1 Cup of Simplicity  —  As Kitchen Skills Dwindle, Recipes Become Easy as Pie  —  At Kraft Foods, recipes never include words like "dredge" and "sauté."  Betty Crocker recipes avoid "braise" and "truss."  Land O' Lakes has all but banned "fold" and "cream" from its cooking instructions.

Taliban kill 15 in Afghanistan  —  KANDAHAR: At least nine policemen, a former governor, his four companions and a security guard were killed in separate attacks in Afghanistan blamed on the Taliban, Afghan officials said on Saturday.  —  A bomb blast on Friday killed nine policemen …

Iraq Progress Report  —  Advocates for liberty weigh in after three years  —  As the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq approaches, Reason asked a wide range of libertarian, conservative, and freedom-minded journalists and academics to assess the war, the occupation, and how their views have or have not changed.

ANTI-WAR, PRO-MERCEDES?  —  How do you draw a peace symbol?  —  Wrong:  —  Right:  —  Moonbat blooper flashbacks - thanks to Zombie:  —  San Francisco March 2004...  San Francisco Sept. 2005...  One more oopsy: