Murtha: Iraq killings may hurt war effort  —  WASHINGTON - The deaths of as many as two dozen Iraqi civilians and an ensuing cover-up threaten to do more harm to U.S. efforts in Iraq than even the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, a prominent congressman and war critic says.

Frist Backs Search of Congressman's Office  —  WASHINGTON — In a break with his counterparts in the House, the Senate's leader said Sunday the FBI was within its right to search the office of a congressman under investigation in a bribery case.  —  "No House member, no senator …

A Few Years, and Then Another Bush?  —  WASHINGTON — Bush III?  Or has the dynasty run its course?  —  Those are the questions some Republicans are asking themselves as political talk bubbles up yet again about President Bush's brother Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and his interest in the White House.

Babies aborted for not being perfect  —  The ethical storm over abortions has been renewed as it emerged that terminations are being carried out for minor, treatable birth defects.  —  Late terminations have been performed in recent years because the babies had club feet, official figures show.

The Troops Have Moved On  —  N EITHER party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained.  Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease.  So said Abraham Lincoln in his second inaugural address …

Iran Erupts  —  MORE (12:30AM Pacific, Monday) Iranian Resistance claims "Iran: 580 demonstrations, strikes and protests in May," says that number is 3 times that of April.  —  MORE (9:30PM Pacific, Sunday): The National Council of Resistance of Iran is now claiming 10,000 Azeris are on their way to Tehran to protest.

MI5 at full stretch as 20 Islamist terror plots revealed  —  TWENTY "major conspiracies" by Islamist terrorists in Britain have been uncovered by the security services, John Reid, the home secretary, has disclosed.  —  Reid said that the existence of so many plots means that the police …

Egypt democracy activist blogs from cell  —  CAIRO, Egypt - Even from his cell in an Egyptian prison, Alaa Abdel-Fattah is blogging — scribbling messages on slips of paper that make their way to the Internet and spread around the world.  —  The 24-year-old Abdel-Fattah's blog …

If Power Shifts In 2008  —  A Democrat Might Not Be as Different as You Would Think  —  Could the United States be better off with a Democrat in the White House in 2009?  Here are a couple of reasons the answer might be yes, even if you're not a Democrat.

Another Stumble for Ralph Reed's Beleaguered Campaign  —  In August 1999, political organizer Ralph Reed's firm sent out a mailer to Alabama conservative Christians asking them to call then-Rep. Bob Riley (R-Ala.) and tell him to vote against legislation that would have made the U.S. commonwealth …

Elizabeth Vargas, Exiting Stage Center  —  Elizabeth Vargas says she's at peace with her decision to walk away from one of the highest-profile jobs in America.  But not everyone is so thrilled about it, especially some women.  —  Vargas, 43, stepped down as the co-anchor of ABC's …