Top Items:
Yaakov Katz / Associated Press:
IDF commandos capture Hizbullah members after battle — After several hours of intense fighting in and around the in the eastern Lebanon town of Baalbek, which was built by Iran for the express purpose of treating Hizbullah operatives, IDF commando forces on Wednesday morning took a number of Hizbullah operatives captive.
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Associated Press:
Fighting rages in Lebanon border village — BOURJ AL-MULOUK, Lebanon - Heavy ground fighting raged Tuesday near a Lebanese border village, and Israel resumed frequent airstrikes after it decided, in a major expansion of its offensive, to send thousands more troops deeper into Lebanon.
CNN:
Israel strikes deep into Lebanon — Peres estimates end of fighting in a matter of weeks — BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) — Israeli troops landed Tuesday near the eastern Lebanese town of Baalbeck, Lebanese security sources said, and the Israeli military engaged in fierce fighting with Hezbollah forces just across the border with Lebanon.
The Sandmonkey / Rantings of a Sandmonkey:
Some slightly uncomfortable questions — I had an interesting conversation yesterday with a co-worker, on the concept of the disporportinate Israeli attacks on Lebanon compared to Hezbollah attacks. He pointed to me his dismay at Hezbollah's rockets ineffeciency at hitting targets.
Discussion:
Israellycool, Mere Rhetoric, Liberty and Justice, Little Green Footballs, Israel Matzav and Blue Crab Boulevard
Rick Moran / Right Wing Nut House:
IDF HITS THE BEKAA! — This could be the best news of the war. — The IDF is carrying out some kind of ground operation with heavy air support in the Bekaa Valley, more than 60 miles north and east of the Litani River (almost 75 miles from the Israeli-Lebanon border).
Discussion:
Haaretz
Haaretz:
Report: Fierce fighting as IDF commandos launch raid deep in Lebanon — Israel Defense Forces commandos reportedly landed by helicopter late Tuesday night near the Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek in what Lebanese security sources described as a major operation against suspected Hezbollah positions.
Hussein Dakroub / Associated Press:
Israel seizes guerrillas in Lebanon raid — BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israel poured up to 10,000 armored troops into south Lebanon Tuesday, and separately sent commandos deep into the eastern Bekaa Valley where they raided a Hezbollah-run hospital and captured guerrillas during pitched battles, a major escalation of the three-week-old war.
David Bauder / Associated Press:
News agencies stand by Lebanon photos
News agencies stand by Lebanon photos
Discussion:
The Volokh Conspiracy, Little Green Footballs, Roger Ailes, Blue Crab Boulevard and Israel Matzav
Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Republicans Sponsor Green Candidate in Santorum Campaign — It's worse than we knew. Is the Green Party candidacy in the race for Rick Santorum's seat a wholly Republican sponsored affair? — As reported today by the AP and the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Green Party managed …
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Carrie Budoff / Philadelphia Inquirer:
Santorum donors give to Green Party — They helped fund a drive to get Carl Romanelli on the ballot, which some say may hurt Bob Casey Jr. — When Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.) encouraged everyone in state politics to help the Green Party earn a spot on the November ballot, at least one group answered the call: Santorum donors.
Peter Jackson / Associated Press:
GOP aids Green candidate Carl Romanelli — HARRISBURG, Pa. - Thanks to the generosity of GOP donors, a Green Party candidate is expected to make it onto the ballot in Pennsylvania's Senate race and siphon votes from Democratic front-runner Bob Casey in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record).
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, Bring it On!, MyDD, All Spin Zone, Lawyers, Guns and Money and Slog
Associated Press:
Mel Gibson's Statement — Statement From Mel Gibson Asking for Help From Jewish Community — Aug 1, 2006 (AP)— Mel Gibson's statement, released to the news media early Tuesday, five days after his drunken driving arrest in Malibu: — There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance …
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Jim VandeHei / Washington Post:
Democrats Scrambling To Organize Voter Turnout — Top Democrats are increasingly concerned that they lack an effective plan to turn out voters this fall, creating tension among party leaders and prompting House Democrats to launch a fundraising effort aimed exclusively at mobilizing Democratic partisans.
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Adam Liptak / New York Times:
U.S. Wins Access to Reporter Phone Records — A federal prosecutor may inspect the telephone records of two New York Times reporters in an effort to identify their confidential sources, a federal appeals court in New York ruled yesterday. — The 2-to-1 decision, from a court historically sympathetic …
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Anita Snow / Associated Press:
Castro's Condition Unknown After Surgery — HAVANA (AP) - Fidel Castro, who has wielded absolute power in Cuba for nearly half a century, remained out of sight Tuesday after undergoing intestinal surgery and temporarily turning over power to his brother Raul.
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Andrew E. Busch / Opinion Journal:
After Compassionate Conservatism — Republicans need not fear the hard edges of their ideas. — On the surface, the Republican Party appears to be better poised now than at any time since Calvin Coolidge. Republicans have controlled both houses of Congress for more than a decade …
Josh White / Washington Post:
Marine Names Murtha in Defamation Suit — Congressman Discussed Killings Involving Serviceman's Squad in Haditha, Iraq — A Marine Corps staff sergeant who led the squad accused of killing two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, will file a lawsuit today in federal court in Washington claiming …
Dan Froomkin / Washington Post:
'A Moment of Opportunity' — President Bush's "moment of opportunity" in the Middle East is increasingly looking like an opportunity for disaster. — Bush's official position is that some blood-spilling in the Middle East is worth it in pursuit of the region's positive transformation.
John Hawkins / Right Wing News:
Rightroots: The Republican Answer To The Lefty Blogosphere's Netroots Endorsed Candidates — (This post will be on top of the page all day long. Scroll down for updates, Click here to see the slate of candidates and here to see their bios.) — As you all probably know …