Iraqi: U.S. Bodies Showed Signs of Torture  —  An Iraqi military official said Tuesday that the bodies of two missing U.S. soldiers showed signs of torture, and that men appeared to have been killed "in a barbaric way."  Also, the umbrella group for Iraqi insurgents claimed responsibility for the soldiers' deaths.

Bodies of G.I.'s Show Signs of Torture, Iraqi General Says  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 20 — The American military said today that it had found the remains of what appears to be the two American soldiers captured by insurgents last week in an ambush south of the capital, and a senior Iraqi military official …

The Shadow War, In a Surprising New Light  —  a Washington Post staff writer who reports on intelligence and national security … Simon & Schuster.  368 pp.  $27  —  This is an important book, filled with the surest sign of great reporting: the unexpected.

US makes missile defense system operational  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has moved its ground-based interceptor missile defense system from test mode to operational amid concerns over an expected North Korean missile launch, a U.S. defense official said on Tuesday.

Safavian Trial: Guilty Verdict Was Expected, But Announcement a Surprise  —  The jury in the Safavian trial woke up this morning and decided to make life hard for us reporters.  And to send David Safavian to jail.  —  After five days of deliberations that seemed to be as stop …

THE SAUDI 9/11 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM  —  This is not a joke: Saudis Offered Scholarships for Aviation Courses in US. … Do they get summer internships with the Air Marshals program, too?  —  Flashback from March 2006...Thank President Bush: … And don't forget The Diversity, The Diversity!

Kerry extends troop withdrawal date  —  Pushes 2007 deadline in proposal to remove US soldiers from Iraq  —  WASHINGTON — Senator John F. Kerry is pushing back by six months the deadline he wants to set for removing combat troops from Iraq, as he seeks to build support in the Senate for his plan for troop withdrawal.

Making Victory Rhyme with Defeat  —  FROM NEWSWEEK to the New York Daily News, nearly every major media outlet has fallen for at least one of the three major myths concerning Abu Musab al-Zarqawi: that he was an "American creation"; that he was not a unique warlord but was easily replaceable …

Bush Raises $27 Million for GOP  —  President Bush suggested last night that Republicans must remain in control of Congress for the country to effectively combat terrorism and keep the economy healthy, speaking at a $27 million fundraiser meant to provide a needed boost to the campaign war chest of congressional Republicans.

Dan Rather Signs Off  —  Veteran Newsman Exits CBS After 44 Years With Tiffany Network  —  (CBS) Dan Rather is leaving CBS after 44 years with the Tiffany Network.  —  Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports, made the announcement.  —  "Of all the famous names associated with CBS News …

High Infidelity  —  What if three admitted adulterers run for president and no one cares?  —  Last month, The New York Times published a 2,000-word, front-page dissection of Bill and Hillary Clinton's marriage.  It contained no real news, few named sources, and plenty of gossip masquerading as political coverage.

Jesus Is Not a Republican  —  In November 2002, 30 years after my previous visit to Wheaton College to hear George McGovern, I approached the podium in Edman Chapel to address the student body.  At evangelical colleges like Wheaton, in Illinois, there are two kinds of required gatherings: chapel and convocation.

Revived Taliban waging 'full-blown insurgency'  —  PANJWAI DISTRICT, Afghanistan — In their biggest show of strength in nearly five years, pro-Taliban fighters are terrorizing southern Afghanistan — ambushing military patrols, assassinating opponents and even enforcing the law in remote villages where they operate with near impunity.

The Way Out of Iraq: A Road Map  —  There has been much talk about a withdrawal of U.S. and coalition troops from Iraq, but no defined timeline has yet been set.  There is, however, an unofficial "road map" to foreign troop reductions that will eventually lead to total withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Remarks by the President at the 2006 President's Dinner  —  Washington, D.C.  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you, please be seated.  Thanks for the warm welcome.  (Applause.)  —  Jim, thanks very much for your introduction.  Thanks for your leadership for this incredibly successful dinner.