Missteps by Iraqi Forces in Battle Raise Questions  —  Iraqi forces were surprised and nearly overwhelmed by the ferocity of an obscure renegade militia in a weekend battle near the holy city of Najaf and needed far more help from American forces than previously disclosed, American and Iraqi officials said Monday.

Libby reportedly said 'I didn't do it'  —  WASHINGTON - Amid the furor over the 2003 leak of a CIA operative's identity, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, bluntly told a White House lawyer, "I didn't do it," the lawyer testified Tuesday.

U.S. missile defense maturing, latest test a success  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Within a year, the U.S. missile defense system should be able to guard against enemy attacks, while testing new technologies, the deputy director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Monday.

Equipment For Added Troops Is Lacking  —  New Iraq Forces Must Make Do, Officials Say  —  Boosting U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 would create major logistical hurdles for the Army and Marine Corps, which are short thousands of vehicles, armor kits and other equipment needed to supply the extra forces, U.S. officials said.

Bush Directive Increases Sway on Regulation  —  President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.

We're very proud, bomber's family declares  —  The mother of Muhammad Faisal Saksak, the 21-year-old suicide bomber who carried out Monday's attack in Eilat, said she was aware of her son's plan to blow himself up and that she had wished him "good luck."  —  Dozens of Palestinians …

The 'Democrat majority' is still the talk of the capital  —  WASHINGTON — Will President Bush put the "-ic" back in "Democratic"?  —  That was the hot topic around Washington on Monday after the president was asked why, during his State of the Union address last week, he referred to Congress' new "Democrat majority."

Europe Resists U.S. Push to Curb Iran Ties  —  European governments are resisting Bush administration demands that they curtail support for exports to Iran and that they block transactions and freeze assets of some Iranian companies, officials on both sides say.

Edwards says he may have been too inexperienced for 2004 run  —  WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina: Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards acknowledged that he may have been too inexperienced in national politics for his White House run in 2004.  —  The former North Carolina senator …

Obama blasts Bush adminstration on Katrina recovery  —  NEW ORLEANS — Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama blasted the Bush administration Monday for the slow pace of Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, saying reconstruction no longer seems to be a White House priority.

McCain Flip Flops, Now Says He Would Not Consider Redeployment Under Any Scenario  —  In a recent interview with The Politico, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that if his escalation strategy for Iraq fails, then he would consider redeployment: … It didn't take long for McCain to backtrack from redeployment.

GOP senator challenges Bush on war powers … WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate Republican on Tuesday directly challenged President Bush's declaration that "I am the decision-maker" on issues of war.  —  "I would suggest respectfully to the president that he is not the sole decider," Sen. Arlen Specter …

Unfilled tunnels a weak link at border  —  Key points are plugged in U.S. and Mexico, but smugglers may still try to reuse the passages  —  SAN DIEGO — Seven of the largest tunnels discovered under the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years have yet to be filled in, authorities said …

GOP Right Sees Lemons in White House Race  —  Contemplating the current field of Republican presidential candidates, Rush Limbaugh sounded like a man with malaise.  —  "To be honest with you, there's nobody out there that revs me up," he confessed to his audience of several million conservative sympathizers …

Soldier's Death Strengthens Senators' Antiwar Resolve  —  Kerry, Dodd Demand Stronger Challenge to Bush  —  Just before Christmas, an Army captain named Brian Freeman cornered Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) at a Baghdad helicopter landing zone.

Democrats unveil massive spending bill  —  WASHINGTON - Democrats have unveiled a massive spending bill combining the budgets of 13 Cabinet agencies with increases in aid for lower-income college students, while cutting President Bush's funding requests for foreign aid and closing military bases.