Syria objects to U.N. troops on border  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israel is demanding that U.N. troops patrol the Syria-Lebanon border to prevent Hezbollah from receiving arms shipments.  But even if Israel overcomes Syrian objections to the idea, policing the mostly mountainous frontier could prove nearly impossible.

The Perils Of Using 'The Allies'  —  The cowboy has been retired.  Multilateralism is back.  Diplomacy is king.  That's the conventional wisdom about George W. Bush's second term: Under the influence of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the administration has finally embraced "the allies."

Fairfax Native Says Allen's Words Stung  —  S.R. Sidarth had built an impressive record of achievements for such a young man: straight-A student at one of Fairfax County's finest high schools, a tournament chess player, a quiz team captain, a sportswriter at his college newspaper …

Wanted: Scarier Intelligence  —  The last thing this country needs as it heads into this election season is another attempt to push the intelligence agencies to hype their conclusions about the threat from a Middle Eastern state.  —  That's what happened in 2002, when the administration engineered …

Pluto vote 'hijacked' in revolt  —  Pluto (L), pictured with its largest moon, Charon, is now a dwarf planet  —  A fierce backlash has begun against the decision by astronomers to strip Pluto of its status as a planet.  —  On Thursday, experts approved a definition of a planet that demoted Pluto to a lesser category of object.

Hezbollah Didn't Win  —  Arab writers are beginning to lift the veil on what really happened in Lebanon.  —  The way much of the Western media tells the story, Hezbollah won a great victory against Israel and the U.S., healed the Sunni-Shiite rift, and boosted the Iranian mullahs' claim to leadership of the Muslim world.

WHY WAL-MART MATTERS.  I'm of the opinion that how to handle Wal-Mart is among the two or three most important issues facing the country.  The conversation hasn't caught up to it, and the arguments being had mostly miss the mark and collapse in their own short-sightedness …

Shays Urges Iraq Withdrawal  —  A Former War Backer, GOP Congressman Calls for Timetable  —  Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), once an ardent supporter of the war in Iraq, said yesterday that the Bush administration should set a time frame for withdrawing U.S. troops.

Exclusive: Whistleblowers Say State Farm Cheated Katrina Victims  —  Brian Ross and Joseph Rhee Report:  —  State Farm Insurance supervisors systematically demanded that Hurricane Katrina damage reports be buried or replaced or changed so that the company would not have to pay policyholders' claims …

New Yorker Arrested for Providing Hezbollah TV Channel  —  A New York man was arrested yesterday on charges that he conspired to support a terrorist group by providing U.S. residents with access to Hezbollah's satellite channel, al-Manar.  —  Javed Iqbal runs HDTV Corp. …

'NYT' Sunday Preview: Barry Goldwater ... Hero of Democrats?  —  NEW YORK An interview in this Sunday's New York Times Magazine with C.C. Goldwater reveals that her HBO film to be aired Sept. 18 paints her late grandfather, Sen. Barry Goldwater, "as a kind of liberal," with testimonials from Al Franken …

Happy Birthday, Mr. Ex-President  —  WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton has been celebrating his 60th birthday at breakneck speed and he will be continuing to do so for months to come, according to news reports.  Given the many laughs he has afforded me over the years, I hope he will proceed at a more restrained pace.

The persecution of Lina Joy  —  Apostasy.  The last time I visited the subject, an ex-Muslim man's life was at stake in Afghanistan.  Remember Abdul Rahman?  —  Now, meet Lina Joy.  Like Rahman, she was born Muslim, converted to Christianity, and is facing death threats for abandoning Islam.

Twenty-first Century Rome  —  For those of us who believe history holds valuable lessons, there is instruction to be had from the experience of other great powers.  In the particular case of the American Republic it is important to consider the history of other republics.

Bush Administration Opposes Integration Plans  —  The solicitor general urges the Supreme Court to scrap schools' voluntary programs that exclude some students because of their race.  —  WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has urged the Supreme Court to strike down voluntary school …

Steyn Speaks  —  Because I am a great admirer of Mark Steyn I've been following his tour of Australia closely.  Due to the distance involved, though, I've been stuck relying on newspaper and magazine reports of what Steyn has been saying.  —  From the MSM-Aussie Division I learned that he's all for …

Katie Couric: Perky and Cute, But Smart, Informed and Liberal, Too  —  All Three Commercial Evening News Anchors Viewed Positively  —  Summary of Findings  —  Though Katie Couric has yet to take her seat as the new CBS Evening News anchor, the former Today show co-host is already …