Jill Carroll Statement  —  RAMSTEIN AIRBASE, GERMANY — I'm so happy to be free and am looking forward to spending a lot of time with my family.  I want to express my deep appreciation to all the people who worked so long and hard for my release.  I am humbled by the sympathy and support expressed …

Government in secret talks about strike against Iran  —  The Government is to hold secret talks with defence chiefs tomorrow to discuss possible military strikes against Iran.  —  A high-level meeting will take place in the Ministry of Defence at which senior defence chiefs and government officials …

Rice Says Era of U.S. Supporting Non-Democratic Regimes Is Over  —  April 1 (Bloomberg) — U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. will no longer give explicit support to governments that are not elected, suggesting that spreading democracy now takes priority over maintaining political stability.

The Volokh Conspiracy  —  HURRAY FOR JIM AND SARAH BRADY: In a Friday interview with the Washington Post, Jim and Sarah Brady state: "In the first place, lets make it clear we don't want restrictions on law abiding citizens beyond making sure that all gun purchasers undergo a complete and comprehensive background check."

What's up with AmericaBlog's attacks on so many progressives?  —  Lately, I'm finding AmericaBlog filled with an elitism that knows no bounds.  —  In addition to the recitation of stereotypes about his critical commenters (they must be poor, they envy me), he's promulgating what sure strikes …

NYT's Adam Nagourney editorializes in news story, calls Joe Lieberman a "moderate Democrat," attacks blog  —  If Joe Lieberman is a moderate Democrat, then who exactly is a conservative Democrat in Adam Nagourney's view?  —  Joe Lieberman is a conservative Democrat and is widely known as one.

Harris' Senate campaign 'imploding'  —  With more key workers set to flee, it could be the final lap for the troubled race.  New hires are expected.  —  The last of U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris' key staffers appear ready to abandon her campaign for the U.S. Senate in a wave of resignations expected to start this weekend.

"High Noon" at the Borders (repeatedly updated)  —  Readers of my long previous post know by now that Borders Books has managed to engineer for itself a costly public relations debacle.  How?  By banishing copies of Free Inquiry magazine from their shelves, allegedly in order to pre-emptively ward off …

The Next Iraqi Occupation … We learned this week that in January 2003, George W. Bush was set on preemptive war.  WMDs didn't have anything to do with it.  —  Yet in early March 2003, Bush went on national TV and said it was up to Saddam as to whether there would be war.

Civilians in Iraq Flee Mixed Areas as Killings Rise  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 1 — The war in Iraq has entered a bloodier phase, with American casualties steadily declining over the past five months while the killings of Iraqi civilians have risen tremendously in sectarian violence …

On Labor Markets: What, Exactly, Am I Talking About  —  Several readers have responded to my recent posts on labor markets by suggesting that I am — I'm paraphrasing — (a) a toady for the Man; or (b) certifiably insane.  At issue is my assertion — and those of some of my colleagues …

Buckley Says Bush Will Be Judged on Iraq War, Now a `Failure'  —  March 31 (Bloomberg) — William F. Buckley Jr., the longtime conservative writer and leader, said George W. Bush's presidency will be judged entirely by the outcome of a war in Iraq that is now a failure.

The Passion of the Pope  —  [Republished without revision from March 7, 2005]  —  MORE FEARFUL NOW THAN DEATH, to those fortunate enough to live in the First World, is a long decay before death.  We fear mortality but we fear a long morbidity before mortality more.  —  Living wills.