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 …

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 …

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 …

Pull Up A Chair...  I don't know about everyone else, but I have quite had it with the kerfuffles that keep threatening to take our eye off the real work going into November.  —  Contrary to some people's ignorant rantings, women have always had titties, so get over your nasty …

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".

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

Neo-Nazis join quiet march to poll victory  —  THERE was not a skinhead to be seen in this Baltic town at the heart of Germany's neoNazi revival.  No thugs with steel-tipped paratroop boots, no ranting xenophobes.  —  Yet the signs are clear: the far Right is on the march in Eastern Germany.

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 …