Valerie Plame Wilson and Ambassador Joseph Wilson Initiate a Civil Action Against Vice President Cheney, Karl Rove, and Scooter Libby for Violations of their Constitutional and Other Legal Rights  —  WASHINGTON—(BUSINESS WIRE)—July 13, 2006—Former CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband …

U.S. vetoes U.N. condemnation of Israel  —  UNITED NATIONS - The United States blocked an Arab-backed resolution Thursday that would have demanded Israel halt its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the first U.N. Security Council veto in nearly two years.

Bush Would Let Secret Court Sift Wiretap Process  —  WASHINGTON, July 13 — After months of resistance, the White House agreed Thursday to allow a secret intelligence court to review the legality of the National Security Agency's program to conduct wiretaps without warrants on Americans suspected of having ties to terrorists.

DEBKAfile reports: Iran's national security adviser Ali Larijani flies to Damascus aboard special military plane Wednesday night as war tension builds up around Hizballah kidnap of 2 Israeli soldiers  —  Larijani is also Iran's senior nuclear negotiator.  He will remain in Damascus …

House Rejects Changes to Voting Rights Act  —  WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act, rejecting efforts by Southern conservatives to relax federal oversight of their states in a debate haunted by the ghosts of the civil rights movement.

The Chutzpah & Lies of Joe Lieberman  —  "Desperate politicians do desperate things" should be written on the political gravestone of Sen. Joe Lieberman (D) come this election season when he finally loses his job.  Lieberman is so desperate, he's now dispatching his top political consultant to create a blog …

07/13/06 FOX News Poll: Democrats Favored On Most Issues; Bush Approval Down  —  NEW YORK — Less than four months before Election Day, the latest FOX News Poll finds that voters strongly favor the Democrats on key issues such as the economy and gas prices, and give the minority party …

Rumor: Israel Tells Condi Rice to "Back Off"  —  Headlines throughout the American media read:  —  MAJOR ESCALATION  —  as Israel has intensified its bombing campaign of the Beirut Airport and highways.  —  45 Lebanese civilians are reported dead.  —  Although I do not have independent …

Pak's ISI masterminded 11/7, says intelligence  —  Forty-eight hours after bombs ripped through Mumbai, the needle pointed to Pakistan.  Intelligence agencies on Thursday confirmed that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was the "mastermind" of the blasts that killed about 200 people.

President Bush and German Chancellor Merkel Participate in Press Availability  —  President's Trip to Germany and Russia  —  CHANCELLOR MERKEL: (As translated.)  Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to be able to welcome the President of the United States here to Stralsund yet again.