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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Provocative questions about Georgia sentencing injustice  —  Thanks to How Appealing, I see that both the New York Times here and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution here are discussing Genarlow Wilson (pictured here), the young Georgia man who was "sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole …

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 …

'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.

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 …

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 …

'The Real America,' Redefined  —  When a nation alters its philosophical direction and changes its assumptions, there is no press release to announce the shift, no news conference where The People declare that they have decided to move down a different path.

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 …

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.

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.

From AJR, December 2006/January 2007  —  Santa Barbara Smackdown  —  A behind-the-scenes look at the turmoil that engulfed the Santa Barbara News-Press after owner Wendy McCaw and her top lieutenants flattened the wall separating the executive suite from the newsroom.  —  Related reading:

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 …

House impeaches Clinton  —  President will face Senate trial on perjury, obstruction of justice charges  —  A deeply divided House of Representatives impeached President Bill Clinton Saturday on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair.