Cheney to be defense witness in CIA case  —  WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney will be called to testify on behalf of his former chief of staff in the CIA leak case, defense attorneys said Tuesday, ending months of speculation over what would be historic testimony.

Bush to Expand Size of Military  —  President Bush said today that he plans to expand the size of the U.S. military to meet the challenges of a long-term global war against terrorists, a response to warnings that sustained deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the armed forces to near the breaking point.

AP Covering It's Tracks  —  Kind of curious that the AP has taken their response of Nov 28th off their website.  The address that I, along with many other bloggers, linked to is this one.  —  What kind of information was given in that response? … Also they said in that response …

U.S. Weighs Military Buildup to Warn Iran  —  The Pentagon is considering a buildup of Navy forces in the Persian Gulf as a show of force against Iran, a senior defense official said Tuesday.  —  Speaking on condition of anonymity because the idea has not been approved …

French troops had bin Laden in sights: documentary  —  PARIS (Reuters) - A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their U.S. superiors never ordered them to fire.  —  The French military, however, said that the incidents never happened …

The Real Sunni Triangle  —  THERE ARE ONLY THREE OPTIONS IN IRAQ.  —  The ructions on the periphery of the Saudi lobby in Washington—over whether Saudi Arabia would or should become the protector of its Sunni brethren in Iraq—obscures the extent to which what might or could happen has actually been happening already.

Poll: Hillary tops McCain, ties Rudy  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton beats John McCain and ties Rudolph Giuliani in a new Newsweek national poll, a stunning counterpoint to recent surveys showing the former first lady trailing the GOP's dueling presidential frontrunners.

Pelosi seeks input from diverse array of confidants  —  (12-19) 04:00 PST Washington — All eyes in the capital are fixed on Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco as she prepares to be sworn in Jan. 4 as the nation's first female House speaker.  But less notice has been paid to the lawmakers …

Private U.S. team linked to jail escape  —  BAGHDAD — A once-prominent Iraqi American, jailed on corruption charges, was sprung from a Green Zone prison this weekend by U.S. security contractors he had hired, several Iraqi officials said.  —  Ayham Sameraei, a Chicago-area businessman …

The Clock is Ticking, Mr. President  —  Frankly, I don't believe that more troops is the answer for Iraq.  It's a civil war and America should not be policing a Sunni-Shia conflict.  In addition, we don't have the additional forces to put in there.  We obviously want to support what commanders …

Kissinger, Peterson, 57 Major Donors Join Team McCain  —  Ex-Sec/State Henry Kissinger has agreed to become an honorary co-chair for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in New York, McCain aides said.  Along with Kissinger, McCain has won the support of Pete Peterson …

Conservatives fear tax-increase deal  —  The Bush administration has sent signals since last month's elections that the president is prepared to accept some tax increases on upper-income families, worrying congressional Republicans and fiscal conservative watchdogs who say he will compromise …

'Islamophobia' on the rise in Europe, report says  —  Report cites attacks and discrimination  —  VIENNA: "Islamophobia" is on the rise across Europe, where many Muslims are menaced and misunderstood — some on a daily basis — the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia said Monday in a new report.

Barry Arrested, Claims He Was Targeted  —  Barry Considers Suit Against D.C., Park Police  —  WASHINGTON — Marion Barry said that he is talking to his lawyers and thinking about suing the D.C. government and the U.S. Park Police after he was stopped, arrested and then released this past Saturday.

Semper Fly: Marines in Space  —  A proposed suborbital space transport will put boots on the ground anywhere in the world in two hours or less.  But can it overcome huge technological—and political—hurdles?  —  As any battlefield commander will tell you, getting troops to the fight can be as difficult as winning it.

Campaign '08 Begins for U.S. House  —  Less than a month after the '06 elections that saw Democrats take the U.S. House for the first time in 12 years, Republicans are already eyeing districts they can possibly recapture in '08.  —  In New York, for example, three Republican-held House districts went …

News Corp. Describes Fired Editor's Remarks  —  With Judith Regan's authors still reeling from their publisher's abrupt dismissal, the sparring between the headline-making Ms. Regan and her former employer, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, grew more intense, more personal and more specific today over allegations of anti-Semitism.