Kerry rewrites U.S. foreign policy to fix Iraq wisecrack  —  Some people seem to have an unerring instinct for the wrong side of history.  You can rely on them, at critical moments, to abandon friends and accommodate evil, in the name of good.  —  Neville Chamberlain famously chose to talk …

Shots Fired at Palestinian Leader's Home  —  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Fighting between Hamas and Fatah escalated Sunday, as the foreign minister's convoy and the president's Gaza residence came under attack.  Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Hamas will boycott an early election called by the president.

US accused of using aid to sway votes in UN security council  —  The US uses its aid budget to bribe those countries which have a vote in the United Nations security council, giving them 59 per cent more cash in years when they have a seat, according to research by economists.

Gingrich: Imams should have been arrested  —  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told an audience in New Hampshire Muslim clerics pulled off a plane for praying should have been charged criminally.  —  Gingrich made the remark Friday night, as he delivered the keynote speech …

The Capital Awaits a Masterstroke on Iraq  —  SOMEONE in Vice President Dick Cheney's office has gotten everybody on this city's holiday party circuit talking, simply by floating an unlikely Iraq proposal that is worthy of a certain mid-19th century British naturalist with a fascination for natural selection.

Stubborn or Stalwart, Bush Is Loath to Budge  —  In the late 19th century, the queen of England sent the president of the United States a desk made from the timbers of a decommissioned ship, the HMS Resolute.  Almost every occupant of the White House since then has made the Resolute his desk.

The President In the Room  —  Hillary Clinton's Biggest Issue?  A Certain Someone in Her Background.  —  NEW YORK He stood far behind, hiding in plain sight, though his glowing white hair and ruddy complexion rendered him as inconspicuous as a face on Mount Rushmore.  —  The spotlight was not Bill Clinton's.

Person of the Year  —  Time copped out again, but the liberal blogosphere made a real difference this year, and though no one person deserves all the credit, I choose Atrios,* who has an uncanny sense of what's important and can dissect it down to its basic atoms.

Jews far more likely to be victims of faith hatred than Muslims  —  Jewish people are four times more likely to be attacked because of their religion than Muslims, according to figures compiled by the police.  —  One in 400 Jews compared to one in 1,700 Muslims are likely to be victims of "faith hate" attacks every year.

Russia defies West and goes ahead with nuclear fuel sale to Iran  —  RUSSIA is to begin supplying Iran with nuclear fuel early next year despite mounting concern in the West that this could accelerate Tehran's plans to build a nuclear bomb.  —  Sergei Shmatko, head of Atomstroyexport …

Things are coming to a head  —  Surging Troops?  —  If we add another 30,000 or so troops to Iraq, in a final effort to win the war, then we must change (widen) the rules of engagement.  Only that way can America ensure that it simply does not create more targets for the insurgents …

Jamil Hussein, Disputed AP Source, Finally Located?  —  NEW YORK Has the mysterious and much-disputed Associated Press source in Iraq, a police captain named Jamil Hussein — finally been found?  His existence has been challenged in the past three weeks from the U.S. military, some Iraqi officials and conservative bloggers in the U.S.

And Justice Wept...  The NYTimes has an in-depth examination of the criminal justice system in Iraq.  It is a very painful read.  No matter which side of the criminal system you stand on — defense or prosecution — the ultimate goal on all sides is some attainment of justice.  Or at least, it ought to be, anyway.

Episcopalians Are Reaching Point of Revolt  —  For about 30 years, the Episcopal Church has been one big unhappy family.  Under one roof there were female bishops and male bishops who would not ordain women.  There were parishes that celebrated gay weddings and parishes that denounced them …

Lamer than anything that has ever been deemed lame  —  Seriously.  Congratulations to Time for actually thinking of something even stupider than Rudy Giuliani in 2001.  —  ...Adding in: I'd like to apologize in advance for this, because I'm sure it will offend some.

New manual at odds with key Iraq tactics  —  The counterinsurgency doctrine warns about practices still in use, such as big bases that may signal occupation.  —  WASHINGTON — The U.S. military's new counterinsurgency doctrine takes issue with some key strategies that American commanders …