memeorandum: Sidestepping the 'Surge' — They've got the power of the purse … (Howard Fineman/Newsweek)

Plan Sets Series of Goals for Iraq Leaders — President Bush's new Iraq policy will establish a series of goals that the Iraqi government will be expected to meet to try to ease sectarian tensions and stabilize the country politically and economically, senior administration officials said Sunday.

Discussion: PoliBlog (TM), Riehl World View, The Political Pit Bull, Daily Pundit and PoliPundit.com

John F. Burns / New York Times:

War Could Last Years, Commander Says — The new American operational commander in Iraq said Sunday that even with the additional American troops likely to be deployed in Baghdad under President Bush's new war strategy it might take another "two or three years" for American and Iraqi forces to gain the upper hand in the war.

Discussion: MyDD

MSNBC:

Sen. Biden announces intent to seek presidency — Democrat from Delaware tells 'Meet the Press' he'll file paperwork in Jan. — Sen. Joe Biden on Sunday told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he will seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. — "I am running for president," he told "Meet the Press" anchor Tim Russert.

Discussion: The American Street, The Democratic Daily, Iowa Voice and Decision '08

MSNBC:

MTP Transcript for Jan. 7, 2007 — MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday: Is the president on the verge of sending tens of thousands of more American troops to Iraq? How would this so-called surge change the situation on the ground? With us, for the Democrats, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware …

Discussion: LiberalOasis, Balkinization, Redstate, The American Mind, Talking Points Memo and Althouse

Brian Knowlton / New York Times:

Democrats Step Up Criticism of Iraq Plan — As the contours emerge of President Bush's expected plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, Congressional Democrats, who now hold the power to restrain military spending for the war, sharpened their opposition today — and revealed their internal divisions.

Discussion: The American Street and Decision '08

Howard Fineman / Newsweek: Sidestepping the 'Surge' — They've got the power of the purse …

Matt Stoller / MyDD:
I Just Don't Get It

Discussion: KOTV-TV, Taylor Marsh and Wake up America

Hope Yen / Associated Press: Pelosi Hints at Denying Bush Iraq Funds

Rick Weiss / Washington Post:

Scientists See Potential In Amniotic Stem Cells — They Are Highly Versatile And Readily Available — A type of cell that floats freely in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women has been found to have many of the same traits as embryonic stem cells, including an ability to grow into brain …

Discussion: Obsidian Wings, Mark My Words and Don Surber

Mary Carmichael / Newsweek:
A New Era Begins — Stem cells derived from amniotic fluid …

Discussion: Iowa Voice

Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
A New Source For Stem Cells?

Discussion: BBC and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

Sudarsan Raghavan / Washington Post:

War's Toll on Iraqis Put at 22,950 in '06 — Statistics From Health Ministry Official Show Tripling of Civilian, Police Deaths — More than 17,000 Iraqi civilians and police officers died violently in the latter half of 2006, according to Iraqi Health Ministry statistics …

Karen Robinson-Jacobs / Dallas Morning News:

Dallas-based food chain to accept Mexican pesos — Starting Monday, patrons of the Dallas-based Pizza Patrón chain, which caters heavily to Latinos, will be able to purchase American pizzas with Mexican pesos. — Restaurant experts and economists said they knew of no other food chain …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog

Terry Jones / Guardian:

They have made a killing — The US has spent a million dollars for every dead Iraqi - is that what they mean by value for money? — Early this year the Bush administration is to ask Congress to approve an additional $100bn for the onerous task of making life intolerable for the Iraqis.

Discussion: CANNONFIRE and Brilliant at Breakfast

Times of London:

'We are on a knife edge - we have to engage Bush' — Bronwen Maddox, David Charter in Brussels and Tom Baldwin in Washington — Peter Mandelson says that a global trade deal is doomed unless the American President backs it today — Global trade talks that are intended to improve the lives …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Tim Worstall

Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:

Intel: A Writer's Blocked — A CIA panel has told former officer Valerie Plame she can't write about her undercover work for the agency, a position that may threaten a lucrative book project with her publisher. Plame's outing as a CIA officer in July 2003 triggered a criminal probe …

Discussion: The Next Hurrah

Telegraph:

If the eco-snobs had their way, none of us would go anywhere — Is your journey really necessary? Who would have thought that, in the absence of world war and in the midst of unprecedented prosperity, the state would be telling us not to travel? — Just as ordinary working people had begun …

Discussion: bRight & Early and Don Surber

Teresa Watanabe / Los Angeles Times:

Case tests officers' right to dissent — 1st Lt. Ehren Watada's lawyer likens his client's comments against the war and the administration to those of retired military officials. — Do military officers have the right to publicly voice dissent about their commander in chief and U.S. war policy?

Discussion: TalkLeft

Deacon / Power Line:

THE BREATHTAKING SUPERFICIALITY OF JOE BIDEN'S THINKING — was on display again today when he opined on Meet the Press that the hanging of Saddam Hussein was "Abu Ghraib all over again." At Abu Ghraib, Iraqi prisoners who may or may not have been been minor criminals were tortured.