Iran to supply Hezbollah with surface-to-air missiles  —  LONDON (AFP) - Iran will supply Hezbollah with surface-to-air missile systems in the coming months, boosting the guerrillas' defences against Israeli aircraft, according to a report by specialist magazine Jane's Defence Weekly, citing unnamed Western diplomatic sources.

CT-SEN: Richard Goodstein: "Email Me The Last Good Story You Wrote About Joe Lieberman"  —  So I just reached D.C. lobbyist Richard Goodstein on his cellphone.  Goodstein the lobbyist confirmed that he is indeed the guy on the front-page of today's Record-Journal who appeared to be heckling Lamont in a diner.

Ambassador claims shortly before invasion, Bush didn't know there were two sects of Islam  —  [New to RAW STORY?  Be sure to check out our front page for all the latest-breaking news.  Latest: Raw acquires Republican campaign plan for summer recess...]  —  Former Ambassador …

GOP says it's about choice  —  National committee's strategy keeps Bush at arm's length, focuses on local candidates  —  Republican national leaders want Minnesota voters in the state's U.S. Senate race to focus on the candidates, Republican Mark Kennedy and Democrat Amy Klobuchar, not on President Bush.

Reporters Shut Out Of Cuba At Key Moment  —  CHICAGO At a momentous moment in Cuban history — with long-time strongman Fidel Castro in a sickbed and transferring his power to his brother — foreign journalists are being shut out of the Communist island.  —  Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa reported Thursday …

Hagel: Begin Iraq withdrawal within 6 months  —  The United States needs to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within the next six months, Sen. Chuck Hagel said Thursday, rather than ratcheting up its military commitment now.  —  With Iraq exploding in sectarian violence and …

The Flags of Our Sons  —  WHEN you fly as often as I do you learn to mind your own business as soon as you take your seat.  But that wasn't possible once I saw the military honor guard boarding US Airways' 1:45 p.m. flight from Boston to Washington earlier this week.

The Sound of One Domino Falling  —  It's been obvious for years that Donald Rumsfeld is in denial of reality, but the defense secretary now also seems stuck in a time warp.  You could practically hear the dominoes falling as he told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday that it was dangerous …

. . . and the Democrats' Reply  —  YOU MIGHT THINK that a call from the new Treasury secretary for reform of entitlements would get a respectful hearing from Democrats.  If entitlement programs are not reformed, they will squeeze out other spending programs that Democrats care about …

More on McCain  —  I love me my Shakespeare's Sister.  And I don't love me my John McCain.  So how come her post explaining how "wonderfully easy to disassemble into a collection of putrid little pieces" he is leaves me more convinced of his potential popularity?

Job growth unexpectedly slows  —  Payroll gain of 113,000 misses forecasts for fourth straight month; unemployment rises; wages up.  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Job growth came in weak for the fourth straight month in July while the unemployment rate rose, according to a government report Friday …