The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second.  —  (CBS/AP) A U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports exclusively.  —  The targets included …

Most say no to Iraq buildup  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush will outline his "new way forward" in Iraq on Wednesday to a nation that overwhelmingly opposes sending more U.S. troops and is increasingly skeptical that the war can be won.  —  A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday shows …

Democrats may deny funds for Iraq surge  —  WASHINGTON - In a blunt challenge to President Bush, the leader of the Senate's new Democratic majority said Monday he will "look at everything" within his power to wind down the war in Iraq, short of cutting off funding for troops already deployed.

Gov. seeks sweeping health system reforms  —  SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today proposed upending just about every portion of the healthcare industry in one of the country's most elaborate efforts at holding down medical costs and expanding insurance to those who don't have it.

RED STAR OVER VENEZUELA  —  Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez has signalled his true intentions with more clarity than ever today, announcing that he would expropriate:  —  1. All the phone lines  —  2. All the electricity  —  As this happened, a provincial governor from Bolivar state …

The Anti-War Soldier Who Wasn't  —  A few days ago Rusty from The Jawa Report came across a website that is owned and operated by the Islamic Army of Iraq that purported to have a video of a US Marine telling the viewer how wrong the Iraq war was: … The video here:

Now that I have your attention  —  I love it!  First day of Swampitude and the left-wing blogosphere—which is overpopulated by illiberal leftists and reactionary progressives—is already attacking me: 24 mostly mingy comments about my Left Behind post, many of which seem to be steaming off …

Romney's $6.5M Day  —  BOSTON — Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) said he was "blown away" by the $6.5 million his friends and family raised and pledged toward a presidential campaign today, a figure that may shoot a bright flare in the direction of Romney's potential 2008 rivals, most notably Sen. John McCain and Ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The Human Failure of the Afghanistan Mission  —  A recurring theme in the situation in Afghanistan is the desperate manpower situation: there are so few troops to do the job that European countries like Germany had been criticized (by me, but also policy makers) for not allowing their troops enough leeway in joining combat operations.

Blair refuses to match US troop 'surge' in Iraq  —  Tony Blair will make clear this week that Britain is not going to send more troops to Iraq even if the US pushes ahead with a "surge" of 20,000 extra soldiers.  —  The Prime Minister will insist that the UK will stick to its own strategy …

The holy blitz rolls on  —  The Christian right is a "deeply anti-democratic movement" that gains force by exploiting Americans' fears, argues Chris Hedges.  Salon talks with the former New York Times reporter about his fearless new book, "American Fascists."  —  Pastor Rod Parsley of the World Harvest Church

Hussein's Voice Speaks in Court in Praise of Chemical Atrocities  —  The courtroom he dominated for 15 months seemed much smaller on Monday without him there to mock the judges and assert his menacing place in history.  —  But the thick, high-register voice of Saddam Hussein was unmistakable.