USA more pessimistic on Iraq war  —  WASHINGTON — As President Bush weighs changing course in Iraq, Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the war and want most U.S. troops withdrawn within a year, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday says.

A Dictator's Double Standard  —  Augusto Pinochet tortured and murdered.  His legacy is Latin America's most successful country.  —  AUGUSTO PINOCHET, who died Sunday at the age of 91, has been vilified for three decades in and outside of Chile, the South American country he ruled for 17 years.

Saudi Ambassador Abruptly Resigns, Leaves Washington  —  Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, flew out of Washington yesterday after informing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and his staff that he would be leaving the post after only 15 months on the job …

Christmas trees are going back up at Sea-Tac airport  —  The holiday trees that went away in the middle of the night are back.  —  Tonight, Port of Seattle staff began putting up the trees they had taken down Friday night after a local rabbi requested that a Hanukkah menorah also be displayed.

Bush courts Democrats — but may be 6 years too late  —  (12-12) 04:00 PST Washington — Hoping to avoid a lame-duck final two years in the White House, President Bush is openly wooing moderate and conservative House Democrats as potential allies on a variety of issues as their party prepares to take control of Congress in January.

A Battle Hillary Clinton Should Relish  —  Hillary Rodham Clinton faces a maddening challenge.  Many of the people who like and admire her, who believe she has good values and would make an excellent president, are not sure they are for her because they don't think she can win.

Iraqis Consider Ways to Reduce Power of Cleric  —  After discussions with the Bush administration, several of Iraq's major political parties are in talks to form a coalition whose aim is to break the powerful influence of the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr within the government, senior Iraqi officials say.

Small nuclear war could lead to cooldown  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Some of the scientists who first advanced the controversial "nuclear winter" theory more than two decades ago have come up with another bleak forecast: Even a regional nuclear war would devastate the environment.

Tehran's Holocaust Lesson  —  Yesterday the Iranian Foreign Ministry held an international conference.  Nothing unusual in that: Foreign ministries hold conferences, mostly dull ones, all the time.  But this one was different.  For one, "Review of the Holocaust: Global Vision" dealt with history, not current politics.

It's Not Apartheid  —  JIMMY CARTER'S MORONIC NEW BOOK ABOUT ISRAEL.  —  In the six decades since the founding of Israel, there have been about one and a half new ideas for solving the most intractable problem on the map of the world.  In fact, ever since Britain's Balfour Declaration …

To Stem Iraqi Violence, U.S. Aims to Create Jobs  —  As Iraq descends further into violence and disarray, the Pentagon is turning to a weapon some believe should have been used years ago: jobs.  —  Members of a small Pentagon task force have gone to the most dangerous areas of Iraq …

Why Is It So Important That American Students Learn a Foreign Language?  —  I ask this after reading the summary of the new Time magazine cover story, "How to Build a Student for the 21st Century."  In quoting the chairman of UPS it says that country needs:

Intelligence panel's 'Phase Two' to be completed next year: Rockefeller  —  The three unreleased sections of the Senate Intelligence Committee's controversial "Phase Two" report on the Bush administration's use of prewar intelligence are headed for circulation next year, incoming Chairman Jay Rockefeller …

Poll: 7 Out of 10 Americans Disapprove of Handling of Iraq War  —  Negative assessments of the war in Iraq — the central issue in last month's midterm election — continue to hold down President Bush's job approval ratings and could cast a pall on the final two years of his presidency.

The value of a pro-war blogger's reports from Iraq  —  Bill Roggio's accounts bring home a feel for what US troops are facing in Iraq.  —  WASHINGTON - In recent months, the gruesome images and stories emanating from Iraq have hardened the public's perception about the conflict there.

Gore chases Oscar nod, possible 2008 bid  —  NEW YORK - Al Gore is waging a fierce campaign for recognition and an Oscar statuette for his global warming documentary, while reviving talk that he's pursuing a bigger prize: the presidency.  —  His recent itinerary has been the ultimate in high profile.

Israel Nuke Comment Sparks Controversy  —  JERUSALEM (AP) - A slip of the tongue by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert about Israel's nuclear policy ballooned into a domestic crisis Tuesday for the Israeli leader, who came under criticism from across the political spectrum.