Bush: 'I'm the decision-maker' in Iraq troops  —  President challenges lawmakers to give 'surge' plan a chance to work  —  President Bush, right, meets with Defense chief Robert Gates, left, and Army Lt. General David Petraeus at the White House.  —  NBC VIDEO  —  Jan. 26: President Bush speaks to reporters on Friday.

Ottawa reaches $10M settlement with Arar  —  Ottawa has reached a $10-million settlement with Maher Arar over Canada's role in a U.S. decision to deport him to Syria, where he was jailed and tortured.  —  Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to make the settlement announcement on Friday afternoon …

Video: Gates says the anti-surge resolution "emboldens the enemy"  —  If you haven't signed the pledge yet, now's your chance.  —  Update: Mitch McConnell: "This is it."  —  Update: CNN's got a copy of the early draft of McCain's resolution.  Bet-hedging with an eye to 2008 or grudging compromise …

Will Rove Testify?  —  The president's political guru—and counselor Dan Bartlett—have been subpoenaed by Scooter Libby's lawyers.  What it means for the most-watched trial in Washington—and who's next on the witness stand.  —  Rove watching President Bush fly off to Camp David last Saturday

House Speaker Pelosi visits Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) and Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), both vocal war critics, were in the Iraqi capital Friday at the head of a delegation of House members on a fact-finding mission …

Back in the Saddle  —  You know things are going well on your blog when everyone is so busy they don't even have room for you to post.  Our site administrator RBG finally gave me the thumbs up to start blogging again today since things are thankfully a bit slower (emptywheel's fingers must …

4 troops abducted, killed in Iraq attack  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - In perhaps the boldest and most sophisticated attack in four years of warfare, gunmen speaking English, wearing U.S. military uniforms and carrying American weapons abducted four U.S. soldiers last week at the provincial headquarters …

Amid Question of Flip-flopping, McCain to Back Reform Bill  —  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will sponsor a bill to strengthen campaign finance laws in this session of Congress despite vehement opposition to campaign finance reform from conservative Republican activists whose support he needs …

Hagel Ponders White House Run As War Criticism Raises His Profile  —  His Republican colleagues regard him warily.  The White House barely speaks to him.  He is reviled by his party's conservative base.  —  Looks as though Sen. Chuck Hagel is on a roll.  —  Both parties have their Iraq war contrarians.

Right to the Top  —  One thing I've learned over the course of my 35 years, is that when you have a customer service issue and the lower level support staff won't help you, it helps to go to their supervisors to get a satisfactory resolution.  So what do you do when the person blocking …

Immigration Raid Draws Protest From Labor Officials  —  An immigration raid at a huge North Carolina pork-packing plant provoked protests yesterday from union officials, who said the company, Smithfield Foods, had collaborated with the authorities searching for illegal immigrants to discourage its workers from organizing.

ABC News Exclusive: Murder in a Teapot  —  Brian Ross and Maddy Sauer Report:  —  British officials say police have cracked the murder-by-poison case of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, including the discovery of a "hot" teapot at London's Millennium Hotel with an off-the-charts reading for Polonium-210 …

Sharp Decline in Union Members in '06  —  Union membership dropped sharply last year in the United States, as the percentage of manufacturing workers in unions fell below the percentage of American workers in unions for the first time in modern history.  —  The Bureau of Labor Statistics …

Capitol idea: Senator Schilling?  Curt's not so sure, but fans think he's just the ticket  —  Curt Schilling seemed surprised yesterday by the sudden groundswell of local supporters hoping to draft him into national politics and a 2008 Senate run against John Kerry.

He's Got Guts  —  In praise of Chuck Hagel.  —  We all complain, and with justice, about the falseness of much that is said in Washington, and the cowardice that leaves a great deal unsaid.  But I found myself impressed and grateful for the words of Chuck Hagel, the Republican senator from Nebraska …

Zogby Poll: Bush Job Approval: 32%  —  President's rating remains low, though his State of the Union speech received solid marks  —  The nation's opinion of the job President Bush is doing in office improved slightly following his nationally-televised State of the Union message to Congress …