Lebanon's 'real' soldiers are put in their place  —  TODAY was supposed to be the day when the muchmaligned army of Lebanon took control of its borders and policed the UN ceasefire.  —  Instead, its military commanders were left humiliated and its troops stranded as Hezbollah told them not to try to disarm its fighters.

Chertoff: No U.S. Terror Link Seen  —  As DHS Lowers Threat Level, Chief Calls for Continued Vigilance  —  There is no evidence that terrorists were working within the United States as part of a plot to detonate explosives on airliners, but U.S. officials remain on guard after last week's arrests …

For GOP, Bad Gets Worse in Northeast  —  Incumbents Shy From Party and President  —  PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. — When it comes to President Bush and the Republican Congress, Rep. Jim Gerlach says voters in his suburban Philadelphia district are in a "sour mood."  —  That's why when it comes …

Bottle and baby used as bomb  —  Font size:  —  A HUSBAND and wife arrested in the British terror raids allegedly planned to take their six-month-old baby on a mid-air suicide mission.  —  Scotland Yard police are quizzing Abdula Ahmed Ali, 25, and his 23-year-old wife Cossor over suspicions …

The View From the Top  —  A former Bush adviser on 9/11, Iraq and the lessons of five tumultuous years-for the president and the public.  —  Five Washington Augusts ago, for me, is not just a different time; it is a distant country.  At the White House, we debated the nuances of stem-cell research.

Lamont Decries Lieberman Terror Remarks  —  WASHINGTON — Democratic Senate nominee Ned Lamont, the anti-war candidate who toppled Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut primary, says he was surprised by Lieberman and Vice President Dick Cheney's claims that his victory could embolden terrorists.

"Not dead, just dying" says Castro  —  *** scroll down for updates *** The Adidas jacket found!  *** Fidel is not holding a newspaper, he is holding a proof copy.  —  On this 80th birthday of Fidel Castro, Juventud Rebelde, the Cuban periodical for communist youth, published four new photos of the dictator.

Official's Tax Break: on Firm Ground?  —  Rep. Miller has avoided paying millions on real estate profits.  He says the sales were forced; cities' officials dispute that.  —  When U.S. Rep. Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar) sold 165 acres to the city of Monrovia in 2002, he made a profit of more than $10 million …

Passport photograph of girl's bare shoulders rejected 'as it may offend'  —  A five-year-old girl's passport application was rejected because her photograph showed her bare shoulders.  —  Hannah Edwards's mother, Jane, was told that the exposed skin might be considered offensive in a Muslim country.

ATLAS INTERVIEWS JOHN BOLTON  —  **TOP THREAD** SCROLL FOR UPDATES AND NEW POSTS**  —  I had the enormous priviledge to sit down with John Bolton today and discuss at length the UNSC ceasefire, Israel, Hezb'Allah, the War on Islamofascism, Iran, August 22nd, the puppet government of Lebanon …

Part 1: The kidnapping  —  An interview with an Iraqi politician turns deadly.  —  My chief captor had an idea about how to prod the US government into action: another video.  —  He said this one would be different, and left.  —  I turned to the two guards sitting on cushions a few feet away and started to panic.

Video: Ahmadinejad on 60 Minutes  —  It killed me to cut the part where Mike Wallace told him how good he looked.  Fair use, as I've often said, is a stern mistress.  —  I also deliberately cut the part that's available in the sidebar at CBS (see update below).

The Region: Syria and Iran get off scot-free  —  What is the impact of the Lebanon war on the Arab world?  A good way to analyze this incredibly important question is to focus on Israeli deterrence - Jerusalem's ability to prevent a war by persuading the enemy that an attack is too costly.

IF YOU'RE A MUSLIM - IT'S YOUR PROBLEM  —  WHEN will the Muslims of Britain stand up to be counted?  —  When will they declare, loud and clear, with no qualifications or quibbles about Britain's foreign policy, that Islamic terrorism is WRONG?  —  Most of all, when will the Muslim community …

Son of novelist, activist David Grossman killed in Lebanon  —  Staff Sgt. Uri Grossman, 20, the son of renowned novelist and peace activist David Grossman was killed Saturday in Lebanon, just days after his father made a public call for the government to halt its military operation and enter negotiations.

Stupidity got us into this mess, and stupidity will get us out*  —  Welcome to Irrelevancyville.  Population: you*  —  Jeff Jarvis, the John Naisbitt of smalltown dullards writes: … First off, his analogy of Ned Lamont as Bill McKay is fairly off the mark, although I did personally enjoy thinking …