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.

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.

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.

Democrats Plan to Fight Expansion of Troops  —  The new Democratic leaders of Congress on Wednesday accused President Bush of ignoring strong American sentiment against the war in Iraq and said they would build a bipartisan campaign against his proposed military expansion.

J-DAMN  —  And so a major Associated Press claim in "Jamilgate" takes an apparently fatal hit.  —  According to Bill Costlow of CPATT (Civilian Police Assistance Training Team) in Baghdad, and as forwarded by Lt. Michael Dean of Multinational Corps-Iraq/Joint Operations Command Public Affairs …

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 …

Breaking: Dean Chooses Denver  —  The labor pains were hard, but the DNC finally has its 2008 convention city locked down: Denver.  —  A Democrat who was briefed said that chairman Howard Dean made the final decision yesterday, weeks later than planned.  DNC comm. dir.  Karen Finney declined to confirm the choice.

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.

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 …

Use the power of the purse  —  Keeping our brave troops in Iraq indefinitely is having a devastating impact on our national security and military readiness.  —  That's why I have consistently advocated that we set a timetable to redeploy our troops from Iraq.

The Mess at State  —  Members of the Senate intelligence committee, Republicans and Democrats alike, were alarmed last week that John Negroponte was leaving as director of national intelligence after less than two years to become deputy secretary of state.  By way of explanation …

Responsibility For Security In An Najaf Province Transferred To Iraqis  —  Third Iraqi Province Handed Over This Year  —  The goal of U.S. security strategy in Iraq is to develop the Iraqis' capacity to secure their country while carrying out a campaign to defeat the terrorists and neutralize the insurgency.