Iraqi terror leader reported wounded … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — The leader of al Qaeda in Iraq has been wounded and his top aide killed in a clash with police, an Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman told CNN Thursday.  —  The spokesman said Iraqi police encountered an insurgent group …

CNN: White House Now Blames Briefer For Going Too Far On Iran Intel  —  Last Sunday, the Bush administration finally presented its long-delayed intelligence briefing on Iranian arms shipments into Iraq.  Prior to the presentation, a U.S. official told the New York Times that it had been delayed …

What's on the table?  —  A lot of commentary in the blogosphere today, especially from Matt Yglesias and Ezra Klein about whether "all options" should be "on the table" in dealing with Iran.  —  I was (correctly) hammered last year when I said on Stephanopoulos that "all options …

Giuliani Says He Is Running for President in '08  —  Rudolph W. Giuliani yesterday removed any lingering doubts that he was running for president, and, without mentioning President Bush by name, offered pointed criticism on how the Iraq war has been handled.

Reid Schedules Saturday Vote on House's Iraq Resolution  —  Senate Democratic leaders abruptly switched course in the Iraq war debate today, shelving a complicated non-binding resolution that has run into procedural hurdles, in favor of a House version that simply states Congress's objections to President Bush's troop escalation plan.

Awaiting the Dishonor Roll  —  Congress "supports the troops" while emboldening the enemy.  —  Congress has rarely been distinguished by its moral courage.  But even grading on a curve, we can only describe this week's House debate on a vote of no-confidence in the mission in Iraq …

Keith Olbermann, NBC agree on second term  —  'Countdown' host extends through 2011; will contribute more to network  —  MSNBC is a joint venture between NBC and Microsoft  —  NEW YORK - Keith Olbermann will continue to be a thorn in Bill O'Reilly's side for at least four more years.

Rudy's New Social Conservatism  —  Pundits of all political persuasions have been chattering about whether Rudy Giuliani, whose name is invariably modified by the description "social liberal," can overcome the objections of many religious conservatives to win the Republican nomination.

Libertarians in America  —  Free to choose, and a good thing too.  —  Scores of books have been written on the role of communists and socialists in the U.S., dour chronicles of welcome failure.  But very few writers have devoted much attention to the role of libertarians …

Where the Stars Hide Their Money  —  Come Visit Your Money, Stay for the Heineken Tour — the Netherlands Is the Latest Tax Shelter Hot Spot  —  U2, the Rolling Stones, movie stars, sports figures and a host of corporations have turned to an unlikely accountant, the Netherlands …

Quest to Heal Iraqi Boy Became a Final Mission  —  HILLA, Iraq — Hours before getting killed the way he feared most, Capt. Brian S. Freeman looked up and smiled when Abu Ali dropped by his office.  —  After nearly six months of overcoming financial and bureaucratic hurdles in a war zone …

THE GLENN AND HELEN SHOW: FIVE FOR FIGHTING'S JOHN ONDRASIK ON WAR, PEACE, AND MUSIC  —  John Ondrasik is Five for Fighting.  Unless you've been living in a cave in Waziristan, you've heard his songs like 100 Years, Superman, and The Riddle.  But the title cut to his latest album, Two Lights …

MOOK'S SPOOKED  —  IRAQI MILITIA BULLY BAILS OUT  —  LOOKS like our team won this round of Spook-the- Mook.  A best-in-show source in Baghdad confirms that Muqtada al-Sadr took off on a road-trip to Iran.  And he wasn't just cruising in search of a Reuben sandwich.  —  The game ain't over until the fat mullah's scared.

Operation Baghdad Update.  —  After being technically in progress for about over a week, Operation Imposing the Law officially started yesterday.  —  Al-Maliki who's been on a tour in the mid-southern region announced the beginning of the operation from Kerbala.

FDL's Libby reporting forces a re-evaluation of blogs  —  It is virtually impossible to closely follow the Libby trial without relying upon the work of the blogging team assembled by Jane Hamsher and FireDogLake.  Hamsher built FDL by becoming (along with her blogging partner …

Bush Guru Says President's Bond with U.S. 'May Be Lost'  —  ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: In the forthcoming issue of Texas Monthly, former Bush strategist Matthew Dowd writes that President Bush's "gut-level bond" with the American people "may be lost" and that "wholesale change" is needed in Iraq.