U.N.: Israeli airstrike hits U.N. observer post  —  Sources: Condoleezza Rice floats plan to end conflict  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) — An Israeli airstrike hit a United Nations post in southern Lebanon late Tuesday, killing at least two of the agency's observers, according to the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.

Hezbollah Says Israeli Response a Surprise  —  A senior Hezbollah official said Tuesday the guerrilla group did not expect Israel to react so strongly to its capture of two Israeli soldiers.  —  Mahmoud Komati, deputy chief of Hezbollah's political arm, also told The Associated Press …

50 percent of U.S. says Iraq had WMDs  —  Half of Americans now say Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the United States invaded the country in 2003 — up from 36 percent last year, a Harris poll finds.  Pollsters deemed the increase both "substantial" and "surprising" …

Palestinian groups agree deal for return of Israeli  —  Hamas leaders in Damascus are last obstacle to Gaza ceasefire  —  Conal Urquhart in Ramallah  —  Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have agreed to stop firing rockets at Israel and to free a captured Israeli soldier …

Spazeboy and Me Get Chucked By Holy Joe, Bush-Style  —  I drove all the way up to Waterbury yesterday excited about the prospect of seeing Bill Clinton speak.  Whatever one may think of Bill, his politics and his legacy, his defiance in the face of the right-wing hate machine onslaught are inspirational.

Clinton Releases Proposals to Help the Middle Class  —  DENVER, July 24 — With divisions in the Democratic Party on full display nationwide, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to stake out the center here on Monday, issuing a broad policy platform geared toward helping middle-class voters …

Greenwald's sock puppets: The worst blog scandal ever?  —  I have friends involved in this so let me choose my words carefully.  I'm not saying it wasn't worth doing.  I'm not saying it's a bad thing; as with pizza, there's no such thing as a "bad" blog scandal.  Alls I'm saying is, how does it compare?

Another Trip to the Curt Weldon Employment Agency  —  As I have previously noted here, being a friend or relative of Congressman Curt Weldon, a Pennsylvania Republican, appears to be a surer path to gainful employment than a Harvard MBA.  To review: one of the congressman's daughters got …

WAKING NIGHTMARES:  —  A week ago, I entertained a nightmare scenario whereby Moqtada Sadr sends his Mahdi Army militia to fight alongside Hezbollah.  The nightmare would be Israel attacking Sadr in retaliation for his attacks on the IDF or Israeli civilians, thereby prompting the inevitable …

Steele Slams Party  —  WASHINGTON — A Republican in a competitive Senate race called his party affiliation "an impediment," said he'd "probably not" want President Bush to campaign for him and the GOP-controlled Congress should "just shut up and get something done."

50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill  —  #1 Michelle Persaud, 27  —  Staff counsel  —  Michelle Persaud's delicate features burst into a smile as she describes the mistake many men make with her.  —  Seeing her dark eyes and mocha skin, her flowing black tresses and expansive lashes …