memeorandum: Hillary widens lead; McCain holds an edge (John Distaso/New Hampshire Union Leader)

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: Sister Toldjah and The Heretik

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: Jules Crittenden, Informed Comment and BrothersJudd Blog

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.

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard, The RBC, Outside The Beltway and Once Upon a Time

Spencer Ackerman / TPMmuckraker:
Gates: We're "Not Planning" To Attack Iran

Discussion: Obsidian Wings and New York Sun

New York Times:
U.S. Says Iran Meddles in Iraq but Is Delaying Release of Data

Discussion: TAPPED

Carl Hulse / New York Times:

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.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Alternate Brain, Redstate and Don Surber

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 …

Discussion: Blogs for Bush and The Carpetbagger Report

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
A Terrible Ignominy — How many Republicans will desert the troops?

Discussion: TPMmuckraker

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, Ace of Spades HQ and TIME: Swampland

John Distaso / New Hampshire Union Leader:

Hillary widens lead; McCain holds an edge — MANCHESTER - Democrat Hillary Clinton begins her presidential campaign with a large lead in the first-in-the-nation primary state, while Republican John McCain holds a smaller lead over his two top rivals, according to a new poll.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, MyDD and Taegan Goddard's …

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:

Discussion: Riehl World View and Little Green Footballs

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

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 …

Discussion: FP Passport and The Peking Duck

Ariana Eunjung Cha / Washington Post:
China Gets Cold Feet For Foreign Investment

Discussion: ParaPundit and Daniel W. Drezner

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!, The Sideshow, CorrenteWire, Unfogged and Shakespeare's Sister

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.

Discussion: Oval Office 2008 and New York Times

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

Andrew Norfolk / Times of London:

Plots and paranoia are mainstream views for Muslims of Sparkbrook — In this quiet suburb, almost everyone believes the arrests were meant to demonise Muslims — To wander the streets of Sparkbrook yesterday, from shabby corner shop to proud, white-domed mosque, was to enter a world where conspiracy theories are the breath of life.