memeorandum: Hamas leader accepts the 'reality' of Israel (Richard Beeston/Times of London)

11:05 AM ET, January 11, 2007

Top Items:

EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY: ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION — Good evening. Tonight in Iraq, the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged in a struggle that will determine the direction of the global war on terror - and our safety here at home.

New York Times:

Promising Troops Where They Aren't Really Wanted — As President Bush challenges public opinion at home by committing more American troops, he is confronted by a paradox: an Iraqi government that does not really want them. — The Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Defense Tech, The News Blog, Brilliant at Breakfast, Wonkette, The Heretik, TPMmuckraker, Daily Kos and Matthew Yglesias

White House:

The President's New Iraq Strategy Is Rooted In Six Fundamental Elements: — Create space for political progress; — Diversify political and economic efforts; and — Iraq Could Not Be Graver - The War On Terror Cannot Be Won If We Fail In Iraq. Our enemies throughout the Middle East are trying to defeat us in Iraq.

David E. Sanger / New York Times:

Bush Adds Troops in Bid to Secure Iraq — President Bush embraced a major tactical shift on Wednesday evening in the war in Iraq when he declared that the only way to quell sectarian violence there was to send more than 20,000 additional American troops into combat.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, FP Passport, Washington Post, Balkinization, Outside The Beltway and Jon Swift

Associated Press:

Iraq PM cracks down in Shiite militiamen — BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's prime minister has told Shiite militiamen to surrender their weapons or face an all-out assault, part of a commitment U.S. President George W. Bush outlined to bring violence under control with a more aggressive Iraqi Army and 21,500 additional American troops.

Discussion: New York Post, Captain's Quarters, Michelle Malkin, TPMCafe blogs, Right Wing Nut House, Riehl World View, A Blog For All and The Jawa Report

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:

Bush's Strategy for Iraq Risks Confrontations — By stepping up the American military presence in Iraq, President Bush is not only inviting an epic clash with the Democrats who run Capitol Hill. He is ignoring the results of the November elections, rejecting the central thrust …

Discussion: Althouse, USA Today, QandO, PoliPundit.com and BAGnewsNotes

Washington Post:

Intensified Combat on Streets Likely — President Bush's plan to send tens of thousands of U.S. and Iraqi reinforcements to Baghdad to jointly confront Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias is likely to touch off a more dangerous phase of the war, featuring months of fighting in the streets …

Discussion: The Belgravia Dispatch and The Heretik

Howard Fineman / Newsweek:

A Crisis of Confidence — Bush's way forward may be sensible. But his face showed fear—and that's no way to rally a war-weary nation. — George W. Bush spoke with all the confidence of a perp in a police lineup. I first interviewed the guy in 1987 and began covering his political rise in 1993 …

Discussion: PSoTD, CorrenteWire, Blue Crab Boulevard, Tennessee Guerilla Women and The RBC

Juan / Informed Comment:
Bush Sends GIs to his Private Fantasyland

Discussion: FP Passport and American Footprints

Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:
Troop Surge Already Under Way

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Taylor Marsh, Redstate, Hardblogger, Wake up America, The Democratic Daily, Sirotablog, Outside The Beltway, TalkLeft and Firedoglake

William M. Arkin / Early Warning:
War With Syria and Iran = Peace With Iraq?

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Unqualified Offerings, Brilliant at Breakfast, LiberalOasis and Attytood

Terence Hunt / Associated Press:
Bush takes blame in Iraq, adds troops

Discussion: Shakespeare's Sister

John Amato / Crooks and Liars:
Olbermann: A Look Backward at the Commander's Credibility

Discussion: The Sideshow and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES

CNN:
Bush blames failure to secure Baghdad on lack of troops

Discussion: Dean's World, Hullabaloo, Big Brass Blog, Blogs of War, Harry's Place, the talking dog, Unclaimed Territory and The Reaction

Washington Post:
Bush to Add 20,000 Troops In an Effort to Stabilize Iraq

Discussion: Slate, The Glittering Eye, Peaktalk, Newsweek, PBD and The Heretik

Associated Press: Al-Maliki gives Mahdi Army blunt choice: disarm or face American onslaught

Michelle Malkin:

In the slums of Baghdad — My Hot Air colleague Bryan Preston and I have been in Iraq, embedded with an incredibly dedicated Army unit in Baghdad tasked with training Iraqi security forces (both Shia and Sunni) conducting counterinsurgency operations, and carrying out civil affairs work.

Discussion: Sister Toldjah and Mensa Barbie Welcomes You

Bryan / Hot Air:

On Patrol in Baghdad; Update: Photos posted at Michelle's site — Michelle and I are embedded with a unit in Baghdad that's responsible for the "standing up" part of the US plan to get Iraq ready to become master of its own destiny. This unit trains Iraqi army and police …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Right Wing Nut House, Blogs of War, Patterico's Pontifications and Gateway Pundit

Washington Post:

Democrats Aim to Block Funds for Plan — Senior House Democrats said yesterday that they will attempt to derail funding for President Bush's proposal to send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq, setting up what could become the most significant confrontation between the White House and Congress …

Discussion: NY Daily News, MyDD, The Strata-Sphere, Think Progress, AMERICAblog, Sirotablog, Swampland, DownWithTyranny! and Political Satire Fake News

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Bush's surge speech; Update: Hillary opposes surge; Update …

Discussion: huffingtonpost.com and Blogs of War

Washington Post:

Report: U.S. Troops Raid Iranian Consulate in Iraq — U.S. troops raided an Iranian consulate in northern Iraq late Wednesday night and detained several people, Iran's main news agency reported today, prompting protests from Tehran just hours after President Bush pledged to crack down on the Islamic Republic's role in Iraqi violence.

Discussion: Riehl World View and The Belmont Club

Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
The President's intentions towards Iran need much more attention

Discussion: toohotfortnr, CorrenteWire, TigerHawk, It Shines For All, The Reaction and Unfogged

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit.com:

The Glenn and Helen Show: Mitt Romney on the War, the Campaign and the Future — Mitt Romney has officially declared his interest in the 2008 Presidential election. In this interview, he responds to a controversial YouTube video about his positions on abortion and other social issues …

Discussion: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Hot Air, ElephantBiz, Power Line, BuzzMachine and Ace of Spades HQ

Rick Klein / Boston Globe: Old Romney debate clip is now a hit on the Web

RADAR:

DLC TAPS HAROLD FORD AS NEXT CHAIR — Young, black, and good-looking, Harold Ford is the kind of comer that the Democratic Party latches onto. But last November, after losing the closest Senate race in Tennessee history to Republican Bob Corker, the 10-year congressman suddenly found himself out of a job.

Discussion: Booker Rising and Daily Kos

Telegraph:

3,000 British troops to pull out of Iraq by May — By Thomas Harding in Basra and Toby Harnden in Washington — Thousands of British troops will return home from Iraq by the end of May, The Daily Telegraph can reveal today. — Tony Blair will announce within the next fortnight …

Reuters:
UK to cut 3,000 troops from Iraq by May-paper

Discussion: TAPPED and Lawyers, Guns and Money

Alan Sipress / Washington Post:

Too Casual To Sit on Press Row? — Bloggers' Credentials Boosted With Seats at the Libby Trial — When the trial of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice opens next week, scores of journalists are expected to throng the federal courtroom …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Outside The Beltway, Blue Crab Boulevard and Wonkette

Richard Beeston / Times of London:

Hamas leader accepts the 'reality' of Israel — The hardline leader of Hamas, the militant Palestinian group, accepted the existence of Israel yesterday and acknowledged that the Jewish state was likely to remain a reality. In a clear softening of his position, Khaled Meshaal …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters and Tammy Bruce

MSNBC:

Israel field-tests effective anti-RPG weapon — So why isn't the U.S. Army doing the same? NBC News investigates — WASHINGTON - In September, NBC News first reported on a fierce debate within the Pentagon over an Israeli-made system that shoots rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) out of the sky.

Discussion: Norwegianity and Silent Running

S.A. Miller / Washington Times:

A sweet deal for 'official' felons — James A. Traficant Jr., the former Democratic congressman convicted of racketeering and taking bribes, is wiling away prison time painting colorful pictures but also able to collect a congressional pension of nearly $40,000 a year.

Discussion: TPMmuckraker and The Caucus