Top Items:
New York Times:
U.S. Is Detaining Iranians Caught in Raids in Iraq — The American military is holding at least four Iranians in Iraq, including men the Bush administration called senior military officials, who were seized in a pair of raids late last week aimed at people suspected of conducting attacks …
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Hindrocket / Power Line:
IT MAY BE CHRISTMAS, BUT... ...our soldiers are still fighting in Iraq and around the world. And tonight, what could be an important development, high-ranking Iranians have been detained in raids in Iraq: … The story is complicated, and I'd suggest reading it all. Much is not yet known.
Discussion:
Tammy Bruce
Robert Novak / Chicago Sun Times:
DeLay bound for D.C. to lobby for conservatives, but some say no thanks — Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is about to return to the Washington political scene as a high-profile operative for the American Conservative Union if his negotiations with group Chairman David Keene are successfully completed.
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Sarah Liebowitz / Concord Monitor:
Obama strong in new poll — Illinois senator would beat both McCain and Giuliani — wo weeks after speaking to a sell-out Manchester crowd of more than 1,600, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is reaping the benefits of his visit. If the Democratic primary were held today …
Bob Geiger / BobGeiger.com:
Have Clinton and Obama Really Cleared The 2008 Field? — Though I disagree with his central thesis, Dan Balz has an excellent piece that's well worth reading in today's Washington Post in which he implies that, between Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) money and name recognition and Barack Obama's …
Discussion:
The Agonist
Hugh Hewitt / Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog:
How The MSM Helps Us Read The Political Tea Leaves
How The MSM Helps Us Read The Political Tea Leaves
Discussion:
Doug Ross
Jeffrey Gettleman / New York Times:
Ethiopian Warplanes Attack Somalia — Ethiopia sent its warplanes to bomb Somalia today, openly escalating its conflict with Islamist fighters into a dreaded regional war. — According to witnesses, the warplanes bombarded several towns while Ethiopian tanks pushed aggressively into territory …
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Mohamed Olad Hassan / Associated Press:
Ethiopia attacks Somalia Islamic council — MOGADISHU, Somalia - Ethiopia launched an attack Sunday on Somalia's powerful Islamic movement, sending fighter jets across the border and bombarding several towns in a major escalation of the violence that threatens to engulf the Horn of Africa.
Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Pre-Emption, Ethiopia-Style — Ethiopia decided to join the war …
Pre-Emption, Ethiopia-Style — Ethiopia decided to join the war …
Discussion:
jules crittenden
Peggy Orenstein / New York Times:
What's Wrong With Cinderella? — I finally came unhinged in the dentist's office — one of those ritzy pediatric practices tricked out with comic books, DVDs and arcade games — where I'd taken my 3-year-old daughter for her first exam. Until then, I'd held my tongue.
Deborah Solo / New York Times:
The Freshman — Q: As a 60-year-old novelist, screenwriter and military man who served in the Reagan administration but had never run for elected office, you beat the incumbent, George Allen, for a Senate seat from Virginia this year. Have you seen him since the election?
Sam Harris / Los Angeles Times:
10 myths — and 10 truths — about atheism — SEVERAL POLLS indicate that the term "atheism" has acquired such an extraordinary stigma in the United States that being an atheist is now a perfect impediment to a career in politics (in a way that being black, Muslim or homosexual is not).
Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:
Joyeux (Belated) Festivus! — Sorry I wasn't home to celebrate Festivus with everyone yesterday evening, but I was at a family food and Christmas fest that went a bit longer than expected. But frankly, who can get enough? The fact that a comedy bit from a Seinfeld show (episode #166) …
Agence France Presse:
Most Britons believe religion does more harm than good: poll — An overwhelming number of Britons believe religion does more harm than good while non-believers outnumber believers by nearly two to one, an ICM poll suggested. — Eighty-two percent of the 1,006 adults questioned …
Deborah Howell / Washington Post:
Looking Back, One Year Later — After my first year as The Post's ombudsman, readers deserve a report on my job as their representative. — The Post stylebook says that "Ombudsmen provide . . . newsroom managers with another set of skeptical eyes to search out human error and incompetence …
John / AMERICAblog:
Top US military commander in Iraq succumbs to Bush's pressure, at the expense of our troops — I remember a day when our generals actually had balls. Now they're simply pathetic. They objected to sending more troops to Iraq, but because Bush wants it, now they're in favor.
Sonni Efron / Los Angeles Times:
Wolfowitz owes us an explanation — ACCOUNTABILITY is one of those ideals, like justice or the triumph of right over might, that are wonderful in principle but usually disappointing in practice. — This is nowhere more true than in Washington, where one of the most powerful men …