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Mark Mazzetti / New York 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.
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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.
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.
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 …
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Jerusalem Post
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 …
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Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
12 Passengers Detained After Plane Turns Back
12 Passengers Detained After Plane Turns Back
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Reuters, BBC, Say Anything, Liberty and Justice, A Blog For All, The Strata-Sphere and The Jawa Report
Christopher Isham Reports / The Blotter:
Al Qaeda Comes to Gaza? — Christopher Isham Reports: — Terrorism analysts say al Qaeda may have conducted their first operation in Gaza. This after a video was released today of the two Fox News journalists held hostage since August 14 along with an accompanying written statement issued …
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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.
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 …
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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 …
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 …
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The Moderate Voice
Victor Davis Hanson / Real Clear Politics:
Relearning Lessons in the War on Terror — From the recent Israel-Hezbollah war in southern Lebanon to the jihadists in Iraq's Sunni Triangle to the repeated efforts by Islamists across the globe to trump Sept. 11, what old lessons about terrorism are we in the West finding ourselves having to relearn?
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 …
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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 …
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Say Anything
Hotline On Call:
Exclusive: McCain's Web Team. And Nicco Mele. — Over the past several months, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has quietly recruited for his presidential campaign some of the most influential online strategists in the country, including one of the main architects of Howard Dean's pioneering website.
Matt Taibbi / Rolling Stone:
THE LOW POST: Off With Their Heads — The Democrats walk themselves to the gallows — >>Talk back to Taibbi — and see a complete archive of The Low Post. — Q: Are bloggers too powerful? — A: Do I think they're important? Yes. Do I think the [bloggers] and Al Sharpton alone are the future of the Democratic Party?
New York Times:
A Matter of Appearances — When Judge Anna Diggs Taylor was given the job of deciding whether the Bush administration's wiretapping program was unconstitutional, she certainly understood that she would be ruling on one of the most politically charged cases in recent history.
Discussion:
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