Army, Marine Corps To Ask for More Troops  —  The Army and Marine Corps are planning to ask incoming Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Congress to approve permanent increases in personnel, as senior officials in both services assert that the nation's global military strategy has outstripped their resources.

Holocaust Denial Is No Joke  —  THE IRANIAN HOLOCAUST CONFERENCE IS SORDID AND CYNICAL, BUT WE MUST TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.  —  Listen to the MP3 audio version of this story here, or sign up for Slate's free daily podcast on iTunes.  —  On Monday, the Iranian foreign ministry held an international conference.

Senator Tim Johnson reportedly suffers stroke; Senate power seen in the balance  —  Print page sponsored by Velvet Revolution.  —  MSNBC is currently reporting that Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) has suffered a stroke.  —  There is no word, currently, on the Senator's condition.

Rodriguez's Upset Win in Texas 23 Yields Another Seat for Dems  —  Democratic former Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez upset Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla in a House runoff election Tuesday in southwestern Texas' 23rd District, pushing the Democrats' net gain to 30 House seats and concluding Campaign 2006 …

Oregon senator prepares universal health coverage plan  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A dozen years after Congress rejected a Clinton administration plan for universal health care, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is readying a proposal to provide health care coverage to all Americans through a pool of private insurance plans.

Democrat Bill Nelson Meets with Syrian Dictator  —  Hamas has been claiming that they've held meetings with top US Democrat leaders; I've been skeptical.  —  But this outrage makes their claims easier to believe.  (Hat tip: Snapped Shot.) … UPDATE at 12/13/06 9:39:35 am:  —  It isn't just Bill Nelson.

Saudis Give a Grim What If Should U.S. Opt to Leave Iraq  —  Saudi Arabia has told the Bush administration that it might provide financial backing to Iraqi Sunnis in any war against Iraq's Shiites if the United States pulls its troops out of Iraq, according to American and Arab diplomats.

How Academe Shortchanges Conservative Thinking  —  Notwithstanding the outcome of the recent election, in one respect, the last few decades mark a breakthrough era for conservative intellectuals.  Their visibility has soared.  Thirty years ago, the only place to find conservatives on television …

Beyond Baker-Hamilton  —  One Approach to a Last Try at Stability in Iraq  —  A collapse of the Iraqi state would be catastrophic — for the people of Iraq, for the Middle East and for America's strategic interests.  We need a new political and military approach to head off this impending disaster …

Point of personal privilege  —  (CNN) — "Humor is the nitroglycerin of politics," a political analyst wrote long ago.  "Very powerful, but if it's not handled carefully, it can explode in your face."  —  Actually, I wrote those words in a widely un-read book.

Majority say history won't be kind to Bush  —  WASHINGTON — History's view of George W. Bush will be harsh, Americans predict.  —  In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday, a 54% majority says Bush will be judged as a below-average or poor president, more than double …

'Convert or die' game divides Christians  —  Some ask Wal-Mart to drop Left Behind  —  Liberal and progressive Christian groups say a new computer game in which players must either convert or kill non-Christians is the wrong gift to give this holiday season and that Wal-Mart …

Muslim Ellison should not sit in Congress  —  Last month Keith (Hakim Mohammad) Ellison of Minnesota became the first Muslim elected to serve in the United States Congress and shocked many Americans by declaring that he would take his oath of office by placing his hand on the Quran rather than the Bible.

Lawyers: DNA Not Linked to Duke Athletes  —  RALEIGH, N.C.  —  DNA testing in the Duke lacrosse rape case found genetic material from several males in the accuser's body and her underwear _ but none from any team member, defense attorneys said in court papers Wednesday.

Just Call Him Tony 'I Don't Know' Snow  —  To paraphrase Howard Baker's immortal question: What didn't Tony Snow know, and when didn't he know it?  —  The answer: A lot, and frequently.  —  When will President Bush roll out his new Iraq policy?  "We do not know," Snow said at yesterday's White House briefing.

What's Really Happening in the Economy?  —  How often have you heard that the vast majority of families' incomes in the United States are rising little or not at all, that the middle class is shrinking, that real wages are stagnating, that the top 20%, or 5%, or 1% are getting the lion's share …