Iraq at Risk of Further Strife, Intelligence Report Warns  —  A new National Intelligence Estimate depicts an Iraq involved in a multi-faceted struggle among religious groups and sects and says that without a sharp reversal in the violence and changes among the Shiite, Sunni and Kurd leadership, the situation could further deteriorate.

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS MOST COMFORTABLE WITH RUDY GIULIANI AS PRESIDENT  —  NEW YORK — More voters say they would be comfortable with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as president than other top 2008 contenders, though majorities would also be comfortable with other leaders from both parties …

Hadley Ignores NIE, Says White House Will Still Not Call Iraq A 'Civil War'  —  At a press briefing this morning, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said the White House will continue to avoid using the term "civil war" to describe events in Iraq, despite the findings of the new National Intelligence Estimate.

Video: Imam prays to stop 'oppression and occupation' at DNC meeting Update: Imam ID'd Update: More info on Imam  —  The Democratic National Committee is in the midst of its winter meeting.  Here's the convocation for today's festivities, offered by an imam.  —  Transcript:

Edwards On Iran  —  TAP talks to John Edwards about America's foreign policy challenges in the Middle East. … EK: So, the Iran speech to Herzliya.  That caused me to think a little bit more about what we had spoken about Iraq [in a previous interview].  And so I wanted to talk to you for a minute about —

Bush administration seeks $245B for wars  —  WASHINGTON - The Bush administration will ask for another $100 billion for military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan this year and seek $145 billion for 2008, a senior administration official said Friday.

The Edwards-Marcotte Fiasco  —  An astute observer of this case recommends analyzing events through the prism of what he's termed the "courage-meter."  People in positions of authority have displayed little or no courage to do the right thing throughout this affair.

Chinese Official Publishes Rebuke of Bush  —  A senior Chinese government official issued a rare public rebuke of President Bush on Thursday, accusing him of waging a "unilateral" battle against terrorists that had worsened global tensions.  —  The official, Ye Xiaowen …

Defense Official Resigns Over Detainee Remarks  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Pentagon official resigned Friday over controversial remarks in which he criticized lawyers who represent terrorism suspects, the Defense Department said.  —  Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said Charles ''Cully'' Stimson …

The Hands of God  —  A Village, North of Mosul: Friday 26 January 07  —  He was dressed as a woman as he walked down the alley toward the mosque full of worshippers.  It was Friday, just before Ashura, and the air was chilled.  —  The bomb strapped to his body was studded with ball-bearings …

Perky Economy Starts to Relieve Worker Angst  —  Maybe the U.S. economy added 111,000 jobs last month, but maybe it didn't.  Given that the Labor Department later revised higher its monthly jobs numbers 75 percent of the time last year, there's a good chance the final number for January will be somewhere north of 111,000.

Slacker Friday:  —  "Play it straight, or play it from left field/You got to play it just the way you feel."  —  Aw, dammit all to hell.  —  A year or so ago, we lost a gentle soul named John Ferguson, the first great editor I ever had, who'd cut his professional teeth at The Texas Observer under Kaye Northcott and Molly Ivins.

A Terrible Ignominy  —  How many Republicans will desert the troops?  —  Perhaps the shade of the great Yeats will forgive me: … John Warner of Virginia, Gordon Smith of Oregon, and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine are the four Republican senators (in addition to Nebraska's Chuck Hagel) …

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