Top Items:
David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Study Doesn't Share Bush's Optimism on Terror Fight — Three years ago, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld wrote a memo to his colleagues in the Pentagon posing a critical question in the "long war'' against terrorism: Is Washington's strategy successfully killing or capturing terrorists faster than new enemies are being created?
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Washington Post:
Sobering Conclusions On Why Jihad Has Spread — In announcing yesterday that he would release the key judgments of a controversial National Intelligence Estimate, President Bush said he agreed with the document's conclusion "that because of our successes against the leadership of al-Qaeda …
New York Times:
The Fine Art of Declassification — It's hard to think of a president and an administration more devoted to secrecy than President Bush and his team. Except, that is, when it suits Mr. Bush politically to give the public a glimpse of the secrets. And so, yesterday, he ordered …
David Ignatius / Washington Post:
The Big Question Democrats Are Ducking — No matter how you slice it, the National Intelligence Estimate warning that the Iraq war has spawned more terrorism is big trouble for President Bush and his party in this election year. It goes to the heart of Bush's argument for invading Iraq, which was that it would make America safer.
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, The Horse's Mouth, The Bullwinkle Blog, Op For and Blue Crab Boulevard
New York Times:
Deal Is Likely on Detainees but Not on Eavesdropping — Senator John W. Warner, right, Republican of Virginia, after a party caucus meeting Tuesday. Mr. Warner is one of three senators who have resisted the administration on wording of legislation on terrorism suspects.
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Washington Post:
Detainee Bill in Final Stages — White House Appears to Be Winning Wide Legal Latitude — White House national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley met with Republican senators yesterday in an effort to reach final agreement on legislation that would govern the military trials of terrorism suspects …
Richard Miniter / Opinion Journal:
What Clinton Didn't Do . . . . . . .and when he didn't do it. — Bill Clinton's outburst on Fox News was something of a public service, launching a debate about the antiterror policies of his administration. This is important because every George W. Bush policy that arouses the ire of Democrats …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway, Hot Air, Miniter's Notebook, Power Line, Blue Crab Boulevard, PoliBlog, The Raw Story and Macsmind
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New York Times:
Opera Canceled Over a Depiction of Muhammad — A leading German opera house has canceled performances of a Mozart opera because of security fears stirred by a scene that depicts the severed head of the Prophet Muhammad, prompting a storm of protest here about what many see as the surrender of artistic freedom.
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Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Opera Cancelled In Germany For Being Offensive To Muslims — How far have political correctness and political fears gone? This far: … Perhaps you didn't know that Mozart is considered offensive and should be banned. — But the uproar has been over the more modern staging …
Discussion:
The Mahablog
CNN:
Musharraf: Iraq war makes world more dangerous — (CNN) — The war in Iraq has not made the world safer from terror, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has told CNN, saying he stands by statements on the subject he makes in his new book, "In the Line of Fire."
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David B. Caruso / Associated Press:
NYC Mulls Ban on Trans Fats in Eateries — NEW YORK (AP) — Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials are talking about prohibiting something they say is almost as bad: artificial trans fatty acids. — The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday …
Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
New Campaign Ads Have a Theme: Don't Be Nice — Clockwise from top, Connecticut: Representative Rob Simmons, a Republican, points out his challenger's lack of service. New Mexico: A Democratic spot details campaign contributions to Representative Heather A. Wilson.
Harold Meyerson / Washington Post:
The 'Moderate Republican' Scam — Sen. Lincoln Chafee, Republican of Rhode Island, is seeking reelection in his heavily Democratic state by insisting he's not really a Republican, or at least not part of the gang responsible for the decade's debacles. He didn't even vote for George W. Bush in 2004, he protests.
Joshua Rozenberg / Telegraph:
Britain must pay traitor Blake for breaching his human rights — George Blake, who spied for the Soviet Union, won a human rights claim against the British Government yesterday, 40 years after he escaped from prison in London and fled to Moscow. — Britain was ordered by judges in Strasbourg …
Discussion:
Tim Worstall