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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.
Discussion:
The Heretik
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Maura Reynolds / Los Angeles Times:
U.S. can't prove Iran link to Iraq strife — Despite pledges to show evidence, officials have repeatedly put off presenting their case. — WASHINGTON — Bush administration officials acknowledged Friday that they had yet to compile evidence strong enough to back up publicly their claims …
Discussion:
Informed Comment
William Branigin / Washington Post:
U.S. Not Planning for War With Iran, Gates Says — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates denied today that the United States is planning for war with Iran, saying that U.S. military efforts are focused on countering alleged Iranian activities against American troops in Iraq.
Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:
Gates: We're "Not Planning" To Attack Iran
Gates: We're "Not Planning" To Attack Iran
Discussion:
Obsidian Wings
IAN / Hot Air:
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:
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Robert / Jihad Watch:
Imam prays to stop 'oppression and occupation' at Democratic National Committee meeting — Hot Air has video of an invocation at the winter meeting of the Democratic National Committee by Husham Al-Husainy, Imam of the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, a Shi'ite mosque in Dearborn, Michigan.
Discussion:
Debbie Schlussel
joinrudy2008.com:
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.
Discussion:
The Political Pit Bull
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Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
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 —
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Hullabaloo, Booman Tribune, Wampum, DownWithTyranny!, CorrenteWire, Unfogged and Shakespeare's Sister
Washington Post:
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.
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Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
Admin Official: "The Best Plan Is To Have This Plan Succeed"
Admin Official: "The Best Plan Is To Have This Plan Succeed"
Discussion:
Obsidian Wings, The Carpetbagger Report, Cato-at-liberty, The Heretik and Think Progress
Joseph Kahn / New York Times:
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 …
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Associated Press:
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 …
James Taranto / Opinion Journal:
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.
Media Matters for America:
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.
Jonathan Weisman / Washington Post:
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 …
Discussion:
Horses Mouth
William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
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) …
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker
Kate Phillips / The Caucus:
Republicans Rebuff Reid on Iraq Resolution — Senate Republican leaders today vowed to block consideration of Senator John Warner's compromise resolution against a troop increase in Iraq unless their alternatives are offered up as well. — At a press conference this afternoon …
Steve Verdon / Outside The Beltway:
Senator Handsome's Official Blogger — Amanda Marcotte is now John Edwards official blogger. She joined the Edwards campaign from Pandagon and I must say it is a rather disappointing pick. The problem with Ms. Marcotte is the following post she wrote (and later deleted...guess she didn't like the criticism),
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