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.

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 …

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 …

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.

'Hezbollah aren't suckers, they know how to fight.  You're scared all the time'  —  Israeli soldiers recount stories of a terrifying week facing the snipers and missiles of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon  —  AT FIRST light they filtered from the undergrowth, camouflaged …

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 …

Bush Starts 10-Day Texas Vacation  —  Shorter Summer Break Reflects Post-Katrina Criticism  —  President Bush arrived here Thursday evening to begin a 10-day stretch at his Prairie Chapel ranch, his longest planned period away from Washington during this summer vacation season.

Suicide Bomber Kills 21 Civilians in Afghanistan  —  A suicide bomber detonated his car in the market of a southern Afghan town Thursday, killing 21 civilians and wounding 13, officials said.  It was the deadliest attack to date in a wave of violence accompanying the NATO alliance's takeover …