Top Items:
Guardian:
Muslim leaders demand apology for Pope's 'medieval' remarks — John Hooper in Rome and Luke Harding in Berlin — Pope Benedict XVI was last night facing angry demands from Muslims that he apologise for a speech in which he appeared to say the concept of jihad was "unreasonable" …
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BBC:
Pope 'sorry' for offence to Islam — Pope Benedict XVI has said he is sorry that a speech in which he referred to Islam has offended Muslims. — In a statement read out by a senior Vatican official, the Pope said he respected Islam and hoped Muslims would understand the true sense of his words.
Discussion:
OxBlog
New York Times:
The Pope's Words — There is more than enough religious anger in the world. So it is particularly disturbing that Pope Benedict XVI has insulted Muslims, quoting a 14th-century description of Islam as "evil and inhuman." — In the most provocative part of a speech this week on …
Hindrocket / Power Line:
MUSLIMS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST POPE — All around the world, Musliims are taking to the streets to demonstrate against the Pope's quotation of a fictional dialogue between a fourteenth-century Byzantine emperor and a Persian scholar which included a criticism of Islam.
R. Jeffrey Smith / Washington Post:
Behind the Debate, Controversial CIA Techniques — President Bush's push this week for legislation that narrowly defines U.S. obligations under the Geneva Conventions is motivated by his aides' conviction that the CIA must continue using a small number of highly controversial interrogation techniques …
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CNN:
Toobin: Bush 'playing chicken' with senators — (CNN) — President Bush warned on Friday that a CIA interrogation program for terror suspects is in jeopardy unless Congress approves his proposals seeking to reinterpret America's application of the Geneva Conventions.
Digby / Hullabaloo:
"You're Looking Beautiful Today, Dave"
"You're Looking Beautiful Today, Dave"
Discussion:
The Next Hurrah, Townhall, protein wisdom, The Sundries Shack, The Mahablog, Daily Kos, The Heretik, Hoffmania! and Andrew Sullivan
Andrew Kirtzman / WCBS-TV:
Bloomberg Secretly Considers Presidential Campaign — CBS 2 Exclusive: Despite Public Denials, Mayor Has Secret Meeting With National Political Strategist, Wall Street Money Man — (CBS) NEW YORK New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has always denied it, but CBS 2 has learned the details of a secret meeting …
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Jonathan Singer / MyDD:
Excommunicate the DLC — For some time we have known about the DLC's interest in an independent presidential bid by Michael Bloomberg, so it should not come as a major surprise that the organization is helping New York City's Republican mayor plan his potential campaign. Andrew Kirtzman has the scoop for WCBS-News.
Discussion:
The News Blog
Balkinization:
"Final" Version of the Warner-McCain-Graham bill on military commissions — The so-called "final" version of the Warner-Graham bill, now dubbed the Warner-McCain-Graham bill on military commissions, can be found here. It is still a very bad bill, eliminating judicial review and habeas corpus …
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Edward Wong / New York Times:
Iraqis Plan to Ring Baghdad With Trenches — The Iraqi government plans to seal off Baghdad next month by ringing it with a series of trenches and setting up dozens of traffic checkpoints to control movement in and out of the city of seven million people, an Interior Ministry spokesman said today.
TRex / Firedoglake:
Late Nite FDL: Liza, Liza, Liza... Ah, there's nothing like other people's brushes with power to bring out the self-righteous twerp in some folks. I was just waking up and splashing around in Technorati-land this morning when I came across this homesick abortion of a post by hitherto unknown to me blogger "Liza" of "Culture Kitchen".
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Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah, Israeli Foreign Minister Warns — The Lebanese government must fully implement a recent U.N. resolution requiring the disarming of the militant Shiite group Hezbollah or Israel will be less reluctant to attack the Lebanese state if Hezbollah resumes hostilities …
Brian Faler / Bloomberg:
Republican Voters Dismayed by Biggest Spending Rise Since 1990 — Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) — Republican voters are angry, not for the first time, at big-spending politicians in Washington. This year, their wrath is aimed at their own party. — The Republican-controlled Congress heads …
Real Cities:
In a replay of Iraq, a battle is brewing over intelligence on Iran — WASHINGTON - In an echo of the intelligence wars that preceded the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a high-stakes struggle is brewing within the Bush administration and in Congress over Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program and involvement in terrorism.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Kevin Aylward / Wizbang Politics:
SECRET CARDIN STAFFER BLOG EXPOSED! — Just days after Rep. Ben Cardin won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maryland, we've found the secret blog of a female Cardin staffer who has quite a bit to say about race, gender, and creepy old Jewish guys... It's not quite Washingtonienne …
Eric Herman / Chicago Sun Times:
Hynes to Obama: Run for president — Barack Obama's one-time rival for the U.S. Senate wants him to run for president in 2008 — a move that could leave Obama's Senate seat vacant again. — State comptroller Dan Hynes, a fellow Democrat whom Obama trounced in the 2004 primary …