Justifications for attacking Iran on shaky ground  —  WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is escalating its confrontation with Iran, sending an additional aircraft carrier and minesweepers into the Persian Gulf as it accuses the Islamic regime in Tehran of arming Shiite Muslim militias in Iraq for attacks on American troops.

Republicans Plan to Block Iraq Debate  —  Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, said Friday that his party would unite to block Senate debate next week on a bipartisan resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq unless the Democrats allowed votes on at least two Republican alternatives.

Rudy and the Republican Nomination  —  To:  —  Team Rudy  —  Brent Seaborn, Strategy Director  —  Re:  —  Rudy and the Republican Nomination  —  Over the last month or two there has been a good deal of public opinion polling on the 2008 Republican primary race.

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:

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 …

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 —

Best of the Web  —  Best of the Tube This Weekend: A twofer!  James Taranto joins the panel on "The Journal Editorial Report," discussing the Scooter Libby trial and the economy with Paul Gigot, Dorothy Rabinowitz and Brian Carney.  Fox News Channel, Saturday 11 p.m. EST and Sunday 6 a.m. EST.

washingtonpost.com > Live Discussions  —  washingtonpost.com's Daily Politics Discussion  —  Don't want to miss out on the latest in politics?  Start each day with The Post Politics Hour.  Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team of White House …

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 …

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.

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.