Not Wanted: An Exit Strategy  —  The mostly bad news from Iraq this summer left a lot of people in Washington, including a few in the Bush administration, feeling confused, anxious and doubtful about whether the Iraqi government can deliver on its promise to stabilize the country.

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin dead  —  THE Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is dead.  —  He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said today.  —  It is understood he was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest and reportedly into his heart .

G.O.P. Seen to Be in Peril of Losing House  —  After a year of political turmoil, Republicans enter the fall campaign with their control of the House in serious jeopardy, the possibility of major losses in the Senate, and a national mood so unsettled that districts once considered safely Republican …

THE TWO T'S....The New York Time reports today on Karl Rove's strategy for the midterm elections.  Unsurprisingly, it's the same as his strategy in 2002 and 2004: … This is why I think it's curious to hear Brad DeLong say this about the Republican Party: "I do think that there is hope …

Annan gets little satisfaction in Iran  —  TEHRAN, Iran - The U.N. chief got little satisfaction Sunday at the close of his trip to Tehran, snubbed by Iran's leader over international demands to stop enriching uranium and ignored in warnings not to incite hatred by questioning the Holocaust.

Transcript for Sept. 3  —  MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday: Only 65 days until the midterm elections.  The Democrats must gain six seats to take control of the U.S. Senate.  This fall we will once again present debates between the candidates in some of the hottest Senate races across the country …

GOP's Hold on House Shakier  —  As Labor Day gets the campaign in full swing, Democrats are counting on voters unhappy with one-party rule and Bush's leadership.  —  WASHINGTON — Raye Haug, a retired librarian in northern Virginia, for years happily voted to reelect her longtime congressman, Republican Frank R. Wolf.

Palestinian teachers' strike hurts boy  —  NABLUS, West Bank - Masked militants trying to keep students away from school during a politically charged Palestinian teachers' strike on Sunday shot and wounded a 12-year-old boy.  —  Palestinian teachers began striking Saturday …

Klan holds rally at Gettysburg  —  GETTYSBURG, Pa. - About 30 Ku Klux Klan members proclaimed hatred for blacks, Jews, gays and Latinos as they stood behind barricades at the Civil War battlefield where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.  —  Gordon Young of the World Knights …

FDL Book Salon — Conservatives Without Conscience, Week 2  —  John Dean's book is one of the most important books of the year.  It has obviously resonated across the country, as it has remained on The New York Times Best-Seller list since the first week it was released …

200 Taliban Killed In Fighting  —  4 Canadian Troops Also Killed In Major Operation By NATO, Afghan Forces  —  (CBS/AP) Warplanes and artillery pounded Taliban fighters hiding in orchards Sunday during a big Afghan-NATO offensive that the alliance said killed more than 200 militants in its first two days.

US policies fuel terrorism: Khatami  —  His remarks came as Teheran and the UN Security Council head for a showdown over Iran's nuclear energy program, which is suspected of masking an effort to develop atomic weapons.  —  Khatami is the most senior Iranian to visit the United States since …

Ambulance attack evidence stands the test  —  AHMED Fawaz sits in a wheelchair in a sweat-stained hospital gown, smoking a cigarette in sweltering heat.  —  He was discharged from a Beirut hospital this week after losing his leg when a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance he was in with his family came under …