memeorandum: Foggo Indictment Expected; Dark Day for the CIA (The Blotter)

2:15 PM ET, February 13, 2007

Top Items:

Thomas Harding / Telegraph:

Iraqi insurgents using Austrian rifles from Iran — Austrian sniper rifles that were exported to Iran have been discovered in the hands of Iraqi terrorists, The Daily Telegraph has learned. — More than 100 of the.50 calibre weapons, capable of penetrating body armour, have been discovered by American troops during raids.

Discussion: Confederate Yankee, Jules Crittenden, Roger L. Simon, Obsidian Wings, Power Line, QandO, The Bullwinkle Blog, Polimom Says, Blue Crab Boulevard and The Moderate Voice

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:

Iranian Smoking Guns Found ... Literally — The Telegraph reports this morning that rifles imported from Austria by Iran have surfaced among insurgents in Iraq. Steyr-Mannlicher exported 800 of its high-powered HS50 models, capable of piercing body armor, to the National Iranian Police Association for their anti-narcotics efforts:

Discussion: protein wisdom, Hot Air, Argghhh!, Gateway Pundit and Instapundit.com

Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Extremist Bush supporter calls for murder of scientists

Discussion: Unqualified Offerings and Comments From Left Field

Jim Yardley / New York Times:

North Korea to Close Reactor in Exchange for Raft of Aid — North Korea agreed today to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for a package of food, fuel and other aid from the United States, China, South Korea and Russia. The breakthrough, announced by the Chinese government …

Discussion: Redstate, Lawyers, Guns and Money, The Washington Note, democracyarsenal.org, All Spin Zone, Matthew Yglesias, AMERICAblog, Political Animal, Booman Tribune and Demagogue

Edward Cody / Washington Post:

N. Korea Agrees to Nuclear Disarmament — In a landmark international accord, North Korea promised Tuesday to close down and seal its lone nuclear reactor within 60 days in return for 50,000 tons of fuel oil as a first step in abandoning all nuclear weapons and research programs.

Discussion: Daniel W. Drezner, The Corner, Bradford Plumer, Blue Crab Boulevard, Iowa Voice and Decision '08

Foreign Policy:
Your portal to global politics, economics, and ideas

Discussion: Outside The Beltway and Political Animal

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:

Imus On Russert And Plame: "I Think He Knew" — At approximately 7:45 Am (Eastern) Don Imus talked to Frank Rich on his MSNBC Show today and picked up on the Libby trial where he left off yesterday, saying that thinks Tim Russert knew about Valerie Plame (or Wilson's wife) prior to the publication of the Novak column.

Discussion: The Imus Show Blog, AbracadabrahI create …, Flopping Aces and NewsBusters.org

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:

Star Character Witnesses at Libby Trial — A familiar-looking man in his early 60s took the stand at the Scooter Libby trial yesterday morning. "I need to ask you to spell your last name," said defense attorney Bill Jeffress. — "W-O-O-D-W-A-R-D," the man replied. — This was not sufficient for Judge Reggie Walton.

New York Times:
Libby Lawyers Open Case With Denials by Reporters

Discussion: TPMmuckraker, JustOneMinute, The Moderate Voice and Washington Post

The Blotter:

Foggo Indictment Expected; Dark Day for the CIA — Brian Ross and Vic Walter Report: — Federal prosecutors in San Diego are expected today to announce indictments in a case that involves the former No. 3 official at the CIA, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, officials tell ABC News.

Discussion: DownWithTyranny! and The Impolitic

CNN:

Sources: Ex-CIA No. 3 to be indicted in corruption inquiry … WASHINGTON (CNN) — The former third-ranking official at the CIA, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, is expected to be indicted Tuesday in California in an investigation into public corruption and defense contracts, according to two sources familiar with the case.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

USA Today:

Poll: 63% want all troops home by end of '08 — WASHINGTON — Americans overwhelmingly support congressional action to cap the number of U.S. troops in Iraq and set a timetable to bring them home by the end of next year, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds — tougher action than the non-binding resolution …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Liberal Values, Daily Kos and First Read

Frank Newport / Gallup Poll: Majority Wants Congress to Set Limits on U.S. Troop Presence in Iraq

CBS News:
Poll: Most Doubt Iraq Peace, Iran Threat

Discussion: MyDD and Wonkette

Brian Ross Reports / The Blotter:

Now It's Personal: Al Qaeda Calls Bush an Alcoholic Liar — Brian Ross Reports: — The latest taped statement from al Qaeda is an unusually personal attack on President Bush, in which al Qaeda's No. 2 in command, Ayman al Zawahiri, denounces Bush as "an alcoholic, liar and gambler with an addictive personality."

Discussion: Flopping Aces, Iowa Voice, Wonkette and Riehl World View

CNN:
Purported al Qaeda message: Unite with Taliban

Discussion: Hot Air, Washington Post, Captain's Quarters, NewsHog, Polimom Says and Counterterrorism Blog

USA Today:

Will Mormon faith hurt bid for White House? — SALT LAKE CITY — It's easy to find Mormons who have run into misconceptions about their faith. Take Jeff Hartley, executive director of the Republican Party in Utah, a state that's 70% Mormon. "I only have one mom. I only have one wife," he says.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Caucus, DownWithTyranny!, Eunomia and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

CNN:
Romney kicks off White House bid

Discussion: Jay Reding.com and Decision '08

New York Times:

Obama Restructures a Remark on Deaths — Senator Barack Obama of Illinois said Monday that he had misspoken when he suggested that the lives of more than 3,000 American soldiers killed in Iraq had been "wasted." — As he arrived in New Hampshire, Mr. Obama said he would "absolutely apologize" …

Discussion: Washington Post, Balloon Juice, Reason Magazine, Michelle Malkin, The Carpetbagger Report, TIME, The Strata-Sphere, Nitpicker, Daily Kos, Blue Crab Boulevard, Macsmind, Don Surber, Hot Air and The News Blog

New York Times:

Long a Target Over Faulty Iraq Intelligence, Ex-C.I.A. Chief Prepares to Return Fire — For the past two years, George J. Tenet has maintained a determined silence even as senior White House officials have laid the blame for the prewar mistakes about Saddam Hussein on him.

Discussion: Think Progress, All Spin Zone, The Daily Dish, A Tiny Revolution and The Heretik

Reuters:

BofA aims new credit card at illegal immigrants: report — NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp. has begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers, typically illegal immigrants, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. — In recent years …

Discussion: Lonewacko, Scared Monkeys, PoliPundit.com and The Bullwinkle Blog

Satyam / Think Progress:

McCain To Deliver Keynote Speech For Creationists — Today is Darwin Day, commemorating the anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and of the publishing of On the Origin of Species. The National Academy of Sciences, "the nation's most prestigious scientific organization," declares evolution …

Discussion: discovery.org, David Corn, The Moderate Voice, Pharyngula, The Carpetbagger Report, Majikthise and Liberal Values

Mitt Romney For President News:

Governor Mitt Romney's Presidential Announcement — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Dearborn, MI - In his announcement, Governor Mitt Romney made the case that he has the experience and the ability to transform the U.S. Government so that it is innovative and effective.

Discussion: Power Line, The Fix, Eunomia and Cato-at-liberty

The Politico:

Rove: 2008 Race Is Already Too Much, Too Soon — White House senior adviser Karl Rove says that the 2008 presidential candidates have been pushed into such an early focus on tactics, fundraising and publicity that they risk a backlash from voters long before the first primary ballots are cast.

Discussion: Right Wing News, The American Scene and First Read