U.S. General in Iraq Outlines Troop Cuts  —  WASHINGTON, June 24 — The top American commander in Iraq has drafted a plan that projects sharp reductions in the United States military presence there by the end of 2007, with the first cuts coming this September, American officials say.

The War's Left Front  —  The Daily Kos thinks the politics of Iraq will help him shape the Democratic Party.  —  July 3-10, 2006 issue - Markos Moulitsas Zuniga is sitting on his back porch in Berkeley, Calif., listening to the hummingbirds and explaining his plans to seize control of the Democratic Party.

FBI: Suspects Sought Help From al - Qaida  —  MIAMI (AP) — A plan hatched by seven men to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower and other buildings was ''more aspirational than operational,'' FBI officials said.  —  The group of men, who were arrested Thursday when authorities busted their alleged hide …

A close-knit circle of money, power  —  Contractor adds layer to Rep. Lewis' sphere  —  WASHINGTON - When defense contractor Nicholas Karangelen launched a political action committee directed by the stepdaughter of the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, he added another dimension …

Aaron Spelling, 83; Prolific TV Hitmaker  —  Aaron Spelling, 83, who produced a staggering number of commercial television hits over four decades and whose hallmarks were glamour, violence and sexy escapism, died Friday in Los Angeles.  —  He died at home after suffering a stroke June 18, his publicist said.

Iraq PM unveils unity proposals  —  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has presented a national reconciliation plan to parliament aimed at stemming sectarian tensions and violence.  —  The 24-point plan offers an amnesty to some insurgents, but not those from groups who have targeted Iraqi civilians, such as al-Qaeda.

Warnings on WMD 'Fabricator' Were Ignored, Ex-CIA Aide Says  —  In late January 2003, as Secretary of State Colin Powell prepared to argue the Bush administration's case against Iraq at the United Nations, veteran CIA officer Tyler Drumheller sat down with a classified draft of Powell's speech to look for errors.

Khobar Towers  —  The Clinton administration left many stones unturnd.  —  Ten years ago today, acting under direct orders from senior Iranian government leaders, the Saudi Hezbollah detonated a 25,000-pound TNT bomb that killed 19 U.S. airmen in their dormitory at Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Troubles Linger in Regulation of Medicare Customer Service  —  WASHINGTON, June 24 — After enthusiastically promoting Medicare drug plans for three years, the Bush administration is having difficulty regulating these same plans to ensure they comply with federal standards for marketing, customer service and consumer protection.

War's Iraqi Death Toll Tops 50,000  —  Higher than the U.S. estimate but thought to be undercounted, the tally is equivalent to 570,000 Americans killed in three years.  —  BAGHDAD — At least 50,000 Iraqis have died violently since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, according to statistics …

Bush's Immigration Plan Stalled as House G.O.P. Grew More Anxious  —  WASHINGTON, June 24 — For the White House, the Congressional picnic last week seemed like the perfect setting to mend strained relations with Republican allies on Capitol Hill: President Bush and his advisers eating taquitos …

Who's This 'We,' Non-Soldier Boy?  —  REPRESENTATIVE Patrick McHenry, a 30-year-old Republican from North Carolina, rose during the recent debate over Iraq in Congress and declared that the struggle against "Islamic extremists" was his generation's great challenge.

Another Kennedy Living Dangerously  —  ONE of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s family mementos is a boyhood photo of himself in the Oval Office with his uncle President John F. Kennedy.  Then 9, Mr. Kennedy — who is still known as Bobby — had just given the president a spotted salamander in a small vase.

GOP Candidate's Call for Labor Camp Rebuked  —  Republican Candidate's Call for Forced Labor Camp for Immigrants Angers Two GOP Lawmakers  —  WASHINGTON Jun 23, 2006 (AP)— A Republican gubernatorial candidate's call for creation of a forced labor camp for illegal immigrants drew rebukes Friday …

The Questions Never Asked  —  According to the New York Times, global warming — excuse me, global climate change; I keep forgetting — has raised world temperatures to the warmest it's been in at least 1,000 years, maybe more.  —  But this immediately raises a number of questions that …

'Brights'  —  Since it was brought up in the comments, I thought I'd bring back my statement on the "Brights."  —  There's a lot of noise on the net right now about The Brights, the idea that we can invent a pleasant new name for godless atheists and thereby improve our image.

Issues & Insights  —  And This Guy Was Almost President?  —  Politics: Sen. John Kerry has spent a career taking the side of America's enemies.  His call last week for a pullout from Iraq was the latest evidence he is unfit to serve in the Senate — never mind the White House.