A Plausible Plan B  —  If we were allied with an Iraqi government that, however weak, was truly national — cross-confessional and dedicated to fighting a two-front war against Baathist insurgents and Shiite militias — a surge of American troops, together with a change of counterinsurgency strategy …

WHCA Chief Says He Did Not Tell Comedian to Back Off Bush and Iraq  —  NEW YORK Earlier this week word emerged that impersonator Rich Little would be the star performer at this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington in April.  Organizers admitted they wanted a somewhat more …

Flexing Muscle, China Destroys Satellite in Test  —  China successfully carried out its first test of an antisatellite weapon last week, signaling its resolve to play a major role in military space activities and bringing expressions of concern from Washington and other capitals, the Bush administration said yesterday.

White House Shifting Tactics in Surveillance Cases  —  In a four-paragraph letter on Wednesday announcing that the Bush administration had reversed its position and would submit its domestic surveillance program to judicial supervision, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales used one phrase three times.

Senate Passes Ethics Package  —  Parties Reach Hard-Fought Deal On Lobbying and Other Reforms  —  Senate Democrats and Republicans broke a difficult stalemate last night and approved 96 to 2 expansive legislation to curtail the influence of lobbyists, tighten congressional ethics rules …

Hillary Sees Bill's Allies Fall Away  —  One of the biggest advantages Senator Clinton enjoys as she launches her presidential bid is the vast web of politically active Democrats who worked in the federal government under her husband, President Clinton.  But not everyone who served during the Clinton years is promoting a reprise.

Buchwald's Farewell Column, Written to Be Released at Death  —  NEW YORK Art Buchwald wrote a final column that he asked not be distributed until after he died.  The piece was penned on Feb. 8, 2006, after Buchwald decided to check into a hospice.  He eventually left the hospice, of course, and resumed his syndicated column.

The Most Depressing Poll Ever  —  In the latest Fox News poll, just out today, the pollsters asked the following question: … Here are the results: … Friends, I'll allow you a minute to wrap your minds around this, for we are truly through the looking class.

House Repeals Tax Break for Big Oil  —  Pelosi Plan for New Panel Sparks Criticism  —  House Democrats capped their "100 hours" agenda with the passage of an energy bill yesterday, the sixth piece of legislation approved in two weeks, and Democratic leaders said the package marked "a beginning …

Road Home seldom leading out of state  —  Most plan to use grants to rebuild, not to relocate  —  Unlike most Arabi homeowners displaced by the 2005 hurricanes, John and Diane Johnson don't face the stress of rebuilding their destroyed property during an interminable wait for state aid.

Press Briefing by Tony Snow  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  MR. SNOW: All right, before we get started, let me just show you a tiny bit of leg on the State of the Union address, but — well, maybe it's just upper ankle, I'm not sure.  It's not going to be a typical State …

Ministers launch petition to stop Bush library  —  DALLAS, Texas (AP) — A group of Methodist ministers from across the nation launched an online petition drive Thursday urging Southern Methodist University to stop trying to land George W. Bush's presidential library.

Gonzales Questions Habeas Corpus  —  In one of the most chilling public statements ever made by a U.S. Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales questioned whether the U.S. Constitution grants habeas corpus rights of a fair trial to every American.  —  Responding to questions from Sen. Arlen Specter …

Reuters Investigation Leads To Dismissal Of Editor  —  Reuters fired a top photo editor for the Middle East during an internal investigation of two doctored photos from the Israel-Lebanon war that were published last summer.  —  The editor was the second casualty of the photo manipulation …

Pentagon Revises Its Rules on Prosecution of Terrorists  —  The Pentagon on Thursday unveiled its new courtroom rules for prosecuting prisoners held as terrorists, allowing military tribunals to consider hearsay evidence and testimony obtained through coercion, but not torture.

Abdullah to Haaretz: Jordan will develop nuclear power  —  Jordan aspires to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes and believes that unless all sides move quickly toward a peace settlement in the region, the recent confrontation in Lebanon is only a hint of disasters to come.