Stepping Into Iraq  —  Saudi Arabia Will Protect Sunnis if the U.S. Leaves  —  In February 2003, a month before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, warned President Bush that he would be "solving one problem and creating five more" if he removed Saddam Hussein by force.

Gingrich: Free Speech Should Be Curtailed To Fight Terrorism  —  A former House speaker, Newt Gingrich, is causing a stir by proposing that free speech may have to be curtailed in order to fight terrorism.  —  "We need to get ahead of the curve rather than wait until we actually literally lose a city …

In Following His Own Script, Webb May Test Senate's Limits  —  At a recent White House reception for freshman members of Congress, Virginia's newest senator tried to avoid President Bush.  Democrat James Webb declined to stand in a presidential receiving line or to have his picture taken …

Frist will not seek presidency in 2008  —  WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Wednesday he will not run for president in 2008, a high-profile campaign dropout more than a year before the first convention delegates are chosen.  —  "In the Bible, God tells us for everything there is a season …

Raise a Glass for the Ole Perfesser  —  If someone from another planet came to earth and asked me to find two sentences that summarized the insanity of Glenn Harlan Reynolds, I'd probably choose these two: … Is America in danger of being invaded by the Mole People?

Baker Panel Aide Expects Israel Will Be Pressed  —  WASHINGTON — An expert adviser to the Baker-Hamilton commission expects the 10-person panel to recommend that the Bush administration pressure Israel to make concessions in a gambit to entice Syria and Iran to a regional conference on Iraq.

Ahmadinejad's letter to Americans  —  [Editor's note: This is the full text of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's open letter to "the American People," as supplied to CNN.]  —  (CNN) — In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful  —  O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity …

Pro-Peace Symbol Forces Win Battle in Colorado Town  —  Peace is fighting back in Pagosa Springs.  —  Last week, a couple were threatened with fines of $25 a day by their homeowners' association unless they removed a four-foot wreath shaped like a peace symbol from the front of their house.

Chirac: France, U.S. agree there is no point talking to Syria  —  France and the United States agree there is no point in talking to Syria because the conditions for an honest dialogue do not exist, French President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday.  —  Chirac's comments come …

Washington Post Class Gets Graded  —  Welcome to corporate America, journos!  Reporters at The Washington Post will now be ranked with a multiple-choice job-performance assessment each year.  —  Accompanying an annual written evaluation, each reporter will be described as …

Economics Experts Join Romney's PAC  —  He hasn't even formed his presidential exploratory committee, but Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has already signed up an economic brain trust to advise him, led by two former chairmen of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers.

Controversy over Pentagon's war-spending plan  —  The emergency request of at least $127 billion is criticized as a wish list.  The military cites a big need to buy equipment.  —  WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is preparing an emergency spending proposal that could be larger and broader …

HANK'S NEW LADY  —  GREENBERG PUTS SQUEEZE ON PINCH'S PAPER  —  Billionaire insurance titan Maurice "Hank" Greenberg has begun buying huge blocks of New York Times stock to break the Sulzberger family's stranglehold on the media empire, The Post has learned.