Why I'll Vote for Bolton  —  As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have had the rare opportunity to witness firsthand how the diplomatic process works and, in some cases, how it fails.  Recently, despite our nation's best efforts, the world — and particularly the Middle East …

Lieberman's Donors Include Many Who Favor Republicans  —  When it comes to supporting candidates for public office, the Associated General Contractors of America gives 90 percent of its campaign contributions to Republicans.  —  And then there is Senator Joseph I. Lieberman.

Leading Saudi Sheik Pronounces Fatwa Against Hezbollah  —  CAIRO, Egypt — One of Saudi Arabia's leading Wahhabi sheiks, Abdullah bin Jabreen has issued a strongly worded religious edict, or fatwa, declaring it unlawful to support, join or pray for Hezbollah, the Shiite militias lobbing missiles into northern Israel.

Yes, I Will Post About Glenn Greenwald  —  Fellow bloggers, readers, commenters: Lend me your eyes.  I have come to praise Glenn Greenwald, not to bury him.  —  This unsavory blog points out something curious — curious, but quite easily explained, as we shall soon see.

First Bush Veto Maintains Limits on Stem Cell Use  —  WASHINGTON, July 19 — President Bush on Wednesday rejected legislation to expand federally supported embryonic stem cell research, exercising his first veto while putting himself at odds with many members of his own party and what polls say is a majority of the public.

Britain fears assault on Hezbollah will backfire  —  BRITAIN fears that Israel's assault on Hezbollah is failing to cripple the guerrilla group and that continued bombardment will bring huge civilian casualties in Lebanon for little military gain.  —  The rising concern that any further …

GOP Lawmakers Edge Away From Optimism on Iraq  —  Faced with almost daily reports of sectarian carnage in Iraq, congressional Republicans are shifting their message on the war from speaking optimistically of progress to acknowledging the difficulty of the mission and pointing up mistakes in planning and execution.

Ralph Reed's Comeuppance  —  Analysis: The former leader of the Christian right suffers a humiliating defeat in his Georgia primary race, thanks to his ties to a disgraced lobbyist  —  As a political operative Ralph Reed had a golden touch.  Four years ago in Georgia, as chair of the Republican Party …

Study Documents 'Ghetto Tax' Being Paid by the Urban Poor  —  WASHINGTON, July 18 — Drivers from low-income neighborhoods of New York, Hartford and Baltimore, insuring identical cars and with the same driving records as those from middle-class neighborhoods, paid $400 more on average for a year's insurance.