Gerald R. Ford, 38th U.S. President, Dies  —  Former President Gerald R. Ford, who was thrust into the presidency in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandal but who lost his own bid for election after pardoning President Richard M. Nixon, has died, according to a statement issued late last night by his wife, Betty Ford.

Saddam Hussein's Baath party threatens to retaliate if their leader is executed  —  AMMAN, Jordan: Saddam Hussein's Baath Party threatened Wednesday to retaliate if the ousted Iraqi leader is executed, warning in an Internet posting it would target U.S. interests anywhere.

The Right Type of 'Surge'  —  Any Troop Increase Must Be Large and Lasting  —  Reports on the Bush administration's efforts to craft a new strategy in Iraq often use the term "surge" but rarely define it.  Estimates of the number of troops to be added in Baghdad range from fewer than 10,000 to more than 30,000.

U.S. Signals Backing for Ethiopian Incursion Into Somalia  —  The United States on Tuesday signaled its support for the Ethiopian offensive in Somalia, calling it a response to "aggression" by Islamists who have since the summer been consolidating power in the country.

Biden Opposes a Troop Increase in Iraq, Foreshadowing a Fight With the Bush Administration  —  Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday rejected a troop increase for Iraq, foreshadowing what could be a contentious fight between …

Tension after US soldier shoots Sadr supporter  —  NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - Tension was mounting in the Iraqi city of Najaf after an American soldier killed a senior ally of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr during a raid on his house.  —  Sadr supporters and local police told AFP Wednesday …

A Dirty Game  —  The Duke "rape" case unravels.  —  It's no secret that hugely disproportionate numbers of the innocent people oppressed by abusive prosecutors and police in this country are African-Americans.  Now one of the most outrageous cases of law-enforcement abuse is unfolding in Durham, N.C., home of the Duke lacrosse case.

With Promises of a Better-Run Congress, Democrats Take on Political Risks  —  Republican rule on Capitol Hill drew to an exhausted end just before dawn on Dec. 9 after lawmakers dispatched a pile of bills that few had read and even fewer had helped write.  Democrats say the era of such chaotic …

Taliban confirm top commander killed in U.S. strike  —  CHAMAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - A Taliban commander confirmed on Wednesday that the rebels' military chief in southern Afghanistan had been killed in a U.S. air strike on December 19, adding his death was a blow for the Islamist movement.

At The Corner, Iraq News That Isn't  —  Reader SB points us to an entry today at The Corner, a blog belonging to National Review magazine, entitled "FROM IRAQ: A MARINE'S NOTES."  —  Among other things, the unnamed Marine tells the National Review that:

Bush's New Look on Iraq: Weary  —  Watching President Bush in recent weeks has become a grim kind of reality TV show.  In almost every news conference, speech and photo opportunity, the topic is the same: what to do about the grinding war in Iraq.  Bush has let the facade crack open …

Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely  —  I linked to this photo of lonely John Kerry spurned by the troops in Iraq last night via Power Line, but the photo is going viral and it's worth re-posting as a stand-alone.  —  Thank radio talk show host Scott Hennen for sharing the image.

U.S. Wants Polar Bears Listed as Threatened  —  The Bush administration has decided to propose listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, putting the U.S. government on record as saying that global warming could drive one of the world's most recognizable animals out of existence.

FBI Says Files In Leak Cases Are 'Missing'  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The FBI is missing nearly a quarter of its files relating to investigations of recent leaks of classified information, according to a court filing the bureau made last week.  —  In response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit …

Strategy, Not Drama, in 'I Intend to Run in '08'  —  On Thursday, John Edwards is planning to announce what has been clear to much of the world since the end of the last presidential election: He is running for president in 2008.  A similar declaration is expected shortly from Gov. Mitt Romney …