Top Items:
Associated Press:
GIs at Ishaqi Cleared; Haditha Probe Open — BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A military investigation into allegations that U.S. troops intentionally killed Iraqi civilians in a March raid in a village north of Baghdad has cleared the troops of misconduct, two defense officials said Friday, despite dramatic video footage of slain children.
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New York Times:
Initial Response to Marine Raid Draws Scrutiny — WASHINGTON, June 2 — Marine commanders in Iraq learned within two days of the killings in Haditha last November that Iraqi civilians had died from gunfire, not a roadside bomb as initially reported, but the officers involved saw no reason …
Will Dunham / Reuters:
Troops cleared in Iraqi deaths in Ishaqi — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. military probe has exonerated U.S. troops in the deaths of Iraqi civilians in the town of Ishaqi in March, finding American forces followed standard procedures and committed no misconduct, defense officials said on Friday.
Peter Baker / Washington Post:
Bush Re-Enters Gay Marriage Fight — Two Speeches Set Pressing Senate To Vote for a Ban — President Bush plans to wade back into the emotional debate over same-sex marriage for the first time in his second term beginning today with a pair of speeches pressing the Senate to approve …
Discussion:
The Anonymous Liberal
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Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:
Bush to Press for U.S. Ban on Same-Sex Marriage — WASHINGTON, June 2 — President Bush is beginning a major push for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, part of a new campaign to appease cultural conservatives who say he and his party abandoned their issues after the 2004 elections.
Jose Lambiet / Palm Beach Post:
Channel 5 reporter says ex punched her — Rough times for local TV reporter Kathleen Walter. — Walter, 32, a main on-the-scene face for WPTV-Channel 5, says she was a recent victim of domestic violence. — "I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone," she said.
Discussion:
TalkLeft
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Peter Baker / Washington Post:
White House Opens Door To Dissenters — Aversion to Criticism Appears to Be Fading — When retired Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey criticized the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war three years ago, he was lambasted as an armchair general and deemed an adversary by the Pentagon.
Jad Mouawad / New York Times:
Eight Oil Workers Abducted From Rig Off Nigeria — Armed rebels raided an oil drilling rig 40 miles off the Nigerian coast early today and kidnapped eight foreign oil workers, in the latest of a string of violent incidents meant to disrupt oil production in the country's oil-rich Niger Delta region.
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Associated Press:
Cops: Couple ordered hit on grandkids — Wanted to stop testimony at son's rape trial, police say — TAVARES, Florida (AP) — A couple tried to hire a hit man to kill their three grandchildren and daughter-in-law to stop them from testifying against their son in his rape trial, authorities said.
Discussion:
Blue Crab Boulevard
Ashraf Khalil / Los Angeles Times:
Kerry Attacks Bush Over Iraq Policies — The administration's choice of confrontation instead of diplomacy has harmed the U.S., the senator says in a speech in Los Angeles. — Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) harshly criticized the Bush administration for "disdaining diplomacy" …
David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
Rise of Lobbyist Shines a Light on House Ties — WASHINGTON, June 2 — Letitia Hoadley White arrived on Capitol Hill 25 years ago as a 22-year-old receptionist with a bachelor's degree in fashion design, fresh from a job at Women's Wear Daily. — When her boss, Representative Jerry Lewis …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Stephen Taylor:
Joe Volpe strongarms the Internet and erodes freedom of speech in Canada — Yesterday, a Joe Volpe parody site went up called YouthForVolpe.ca which lampooned the Liberal leadership candidate's drug money (ahem pharmaceutical donations) from children of Apotex execs.
The Big Trunk / Power Line:
NO TEACHER FOR TALIBAN MAN — In the category of "today's good news," we can report that Yale's Senior Appointments Committee voted down the appointment of Juan Cole to the faculty yesterday, and it wasn't even close. Cole will not be appointed to the Yale faculty.
Toni Locy / Associated Press:
Libby to get limited classified info — WASHINGTON - A former White House aide facing perjury charges will get only a prosecutor's summary of classified documents assessing the damage to national security from the leak of a CIA officer's identity, a federal judge ruled Friday.