Hezbollah Said to Help Shiite Army in Iraq  —  A senior American intelligence official said Monday that the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah had been training members of the Mahdi Army, the Iraqi Shiite militia led by Moktada al-Sadr.  —  The official said that 1,000 to 2,000 fighters …

Anbar Picture Grows Clearer, and Bleaker  —  The U.S. military is no longer able to defeat a bloody insurgency in western Iraq or counter al-Qaeda's rising popularity there, according to newly disclosed details from a classified Marine Corps intelligence report that set off debate in recent months …

How the imams terrorized an airliner  —  Muslim religious leaders removed from a Minneapolis flight last week exhibited behavior associated with a security probe by terrorists and were not merely engaged in prayers, according to witnesses, police reports and aviation security officials.

FBI To Lead Johnston Investigation  —  Officials say the FBI will lead an investigation into the fatal shooting of an elderly Atlanta woman during a drug raid last week.  —  The announcement was made by Police Chief Richard Pennington at a news conference Monday afternoon …

Close Adviser to Rice Plans to Resign  —  The Sometimes Controversial Zelikow Leaving at a Challenging Time for Secretary  —  One of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's closest advisers said yesterday that he will resign at the end of the year, depriving her of a key sounding board …

STATES, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARGUE FOR PRIMACY IN GLOBAL WARMING FIGHT  —  WASHINGTON — The debate over whether humans are to blame for Earth's rising temperatures isn't decided yet, but it is quickly being eclipsed by a new argument over who should manage global warming policy in the United States.

Update: One Bush Twin Leaves Argentina, One Twin Stays Behind  —  Joe Goldman and Rhonda Schwartz Report:  —  As one of the Bush daughters left Argentina, a U.S. embassy spokesman denied reports they suggested the twins leave in an official statement issued this evening.

From Beirut to Baghdad  —  THE GHASTLY PREDICTABILITY OF NIHILIST VIOLENCE.  —  The fate of those who criticize the Syrian presence in Lebanon is rather like the fate of those who oppose Vladimir Putin.  The former are shot or blown up, and the latter are victims of exotic poisons.

Likability poll bad news for Kerry  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. John Kerry, mulling a second bid for the U.S. presidency, finished dead last in a poll released on Monday on the likability of 20 top American political figures.  —  Among those placing ahead of Kerry …

Drugs are Bad...  Apparently, even nominal quantities of over-the-counter cold medications can cause you to see the most interesting things.  —  I know this, because this Reuters picture has all the earmarks of a crudely-edited PhotoShop, from the rather odd smudges and apparent artifacts around …

Justice Dept. to Examine Its Use of NSA Wiretaps  —  Review Won't Address Program's Legality  —  The Justice Department's inspector general yesterday announced an investigation into the department's connections to the government's controversial warrantless surveillance program …

Dems won over Latino voters, study says  —  Latino voters leaned heavily Democratic in the recent midterm elections, indicating the heated debate over immigration reform may have cost Republicans support in some key races, an analysis released Monday indicates.

American Legion to Congressman Rangel: Apologize Now  —  The National Commander of The American Legion called on Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) to apologize for suggesting that American troops would not choose to fight in Iraq if they had other employment options.

CQ Analyst Suggests 'Rumsfeld's Leaving Is Just The Beginning,' Cheney Might Be Next  —  Appearing on MSNBC this afternoon, Congressional Quarterly political analyst Craig Crawford speculated that, as "neocons are heading for the hills," Dick Cheney may be the next to leave the administration.

Women talk three times as much as men, says study  —  It is something one half of the population has long suspected - and the other half always vocally denied.  Women really do talk more than men.  —  In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking …

CENTRISM....Yes, centrism can be a tic.  Yes, it's often favored by DC pundits who automatically assume that bipartisanship is an inherent good regardless of its outcome.  Yes, it can sometimes be a substitute for real thought.  —  That said, I hope the liberal blogosphere doesn't get into the habit …