memeorandum: Marines to reactivate thousands in reserves (Julian E. Barnes/Los Angeles Times)

Some in G.O.P. Say Iran Threat Is Played Down — Some senior Bush administration officials and top Republican lawmakers are voicing anger that American spy agencies have not issued more ominous warnings about the threats that they say Iran presents to the United States.

Discussion: Democrats.com, AMERICAblog, american footprints and Ms Underestimated

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Jerusalem Post:

Report: Iran planning nuclear 'surprise' — A senior official in Teheran said Wednesday that in the next few days, a "surprise" was expected regarding Iran's nuclear program, Al-Jazeera reported. — Teheran's apparent refusal to suspend uranium enrichment set the stage for a showdown at the UN Security Council later this month.

Discussion: Riehl World View, Liberty and Justice, Wizbang and Blue Crab Boulevard

Richard Cowan / Reuters:

Congress report faults U.S. intelligence on Iran — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. intelligence community is ill-prepared to assess Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities and its intentions for developing weapons of mass destruction, a congressional report said on Wednesday.

Discussion: NewsHog, A Blog For All and Political Animal

Michael Theodoulou / Scotsman:

Israel buys nuclear subs — WITH Iran confidently defying pressure to curb its nuclear programme, Israel has signed a contract with Germany to buy two more submarines capable of firing nuclear missiles, it emerged yesterday. — Israeli security sources said the submarines are needed …

Discussion: Jerusalem Post

Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:

Dueling Nuclear Surprises — The Jerusalem Post hints that Iran will unveil a nuclear "surprise" in the next few weeks, but the Israelis may have beaten them to it. This comes as the fragile consensus at the UN Security Council on Iranian defiance appears to have unraveled:

Discussion: The Asylum

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Iran promises a "surprise" …

Discussion: All Things Beautiful, AMERICAN FUTURE, QandO and LiberalOasis

Minneapolis Star Tribune:

NWA flight disrupted; 12 arrested — A passenger on the India-bound plane — the man who first alerted the FBI to Zacarias Moussaoui five years ago — said the tense situation was handled well. — WASHINGTON - A Northwest Airlines plane flying from the Netherlands to India was escorted …

Discussion: Power Line and Captain's Quarters

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Scott Winship / Strategist:

The Uninformed Bloc — I know what you're thinking. I've failed to keep the faith. I've made a mockery of the "daily" in "Daily Strategist". I've been out lollygagging, making the rounds of the D.C. cocktail circuit. But lemme explain. There was a much needed trip to Boston …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Attytood, Seeing the Forest, Talking Points Memo and unfutz

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Digby / Hullabaloo:
Remedial Democracy — Scott Winship has an interesting article …

Discussion: Eschaton

Julian E. Barnes / Los Angeles Times:

Marines to reactivate thousands in reserves — WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps said Tuesday that it would begin calling thousands of Marines back to active-duty service on an involuntary basis to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan — the latest sign that U.S. armed forces are under strain …

Discussion: Christian Science Monitor, The Moderate Voice and The Blotter

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Julian E. Barnes / Los Angeles Times:
Marines Who Served Will Be Ordered Back

Discussion: Center for American Progress, Reuters and Crooks and Liars

Peter Baker / Washington Post:

Bush's New Iraq Argument: It Could Be Worse — Of all the words that President Bush used at his news conference this week to defend his policies in Iraq, the one that did not pass his lips was "progress." — For three years, the president tried to reassure Americans that more progress was being made in Iraq than they realized.

Discussion: MyDD and The Peking Duck

Michael M. Bates / canadafreepress.com:

Hillary may have to hide her brothers — Billy Carter, registered foreign agent of the Libyan government and brother of President Jimmy, urinated in public at the Atlanta airport. Sam Houston Johnson, alcoholic and brother of President Lyndon, claimed he was virtually a hostage in the White House …

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Arianna Huffington / The Huffington Post:
When Hillary Meets Ned

Discussion: The News Blog, New Haven Independent and Decision '08

Charles Q. Choi / LiveScience:

Study: Polar Bear Genitals are Shrinking — The icecap may not be the only thing shrinking in the Arctic. The genitals of polar bears in east Greenland are apparently dwindling in size due to industrial pollutants. — Scientists report this shrinkage could, in the worst case scenario …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Gateway Pundit:

An Honest Look at the Security Situation in Iraq — Last week the New York Times wrote that "the insurgency in Iraq has gotten worse by almost all measures": … But, Back Talk took at a look at 7 month trends and found a very different picture of Iraq. — US military fatalities …

Discussion: Say Anything

Simon Caldwell / Daily Mail:

Pope sacks astronomer over evolution debate — Pope Benedict XVI has sacked his chief astronomer after a series of public clashes over the theory of evolution. — He has removed Father George Coyne from his position as director of the Vatican Observatory after the American Jesuit priest …

zombietime.com:

+ Introduction — On the night of July 23, 2006, an Israeli aircraft intentionally fired missiles at and struck two Lebanese Red Cross ambulances performing rescue operations, causing huge explosions that injured everyone inside the vehicles. Or so says the global media, including Time magazine …

Discussion: Say Anything

Reuters:

Lieberman's lead on anti-war rival narrows —Text+HARTFORD, Connecticut (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman's lead over anti-war challenger Ned Lamont has narrowed to a razor-thin margin, two polls showed on Wednesday. — The 2000 vice presidential candidate lost the Democratic primary vote …

Discussion: The Irish Trojan's Blog

Associated Press:

Bush: Katrina recovery will take time — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush on Wednesday cautioned against placing too much importance on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's Gulf Coast strike, saying it will take a long, sustained effort to rebuild the area.

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister, DownWithTyranny!, Wonkette, Andrew Sullivan, The Carpetbagger Report and The Rude Pundit