Tell Democrats to Freeze Out Fox News  —  The Nevada Democratic Party is working with Fox News Channel to host a debate with all the Democratic Party presidential candidates in August.  This is, to put it mildly, insane.  Fox News is a partisan Republican propaganda outlet, not a news station …

In Both Parties, 2008 Politeness Falls to Infighting  —  The sun was not yet up yesterday, and members of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign team were confronted with the kind of attack that most infuriates them: one questioning the character of Mrs. Clinton and her husband.

PELOSI CALLS BUSH TO COMPLAIN OF CHENEY'S COMMENTS ON DEMOCRATS' IRAQ STRATEGY  —  WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday phoned President Bush to air her complaints over Vice President Dick Cheney's comments that the Congressional Democrats' plan for Iraq would "validate the Al Qaeda strategy."

Iraqi insurgents use 2nd 'dirty' bomb  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents exploded a truck carrying chlorine gas canisters Wednesday — the second such "dirty" chemical attack in two days — while a U.S. official said ground fire apparently forced the downing of a Black Hawk helicopter.

Iranian official offers glimpse from within: A desire for U.S. ally … TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — As I sat down recently with a senior Iranian government official, he urgently waved a column by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times in my face, one about how the United States and Iran need to engage each other.

Romney running as turnaround expert  —  epublican Mitt Romney will get an early start on the 2008 presidential race today when he rolls out television ads in New Hampshire and several other key states.  —  According to a transcript, the 60-second ad presents Romney as a masterly businessman who …

National Guard May Undertake Iraq Duty Early  —  The Pentagon is planning to send more than 14,000 National Guard troops back to Iraq next year, shortening their time between deployments to meet the demands of President Bush's buildup, Defense Department officials said Wednesday.

Pentagon Faults Leadership for Walter Reed  —  Officials Say They Learned of Serious Problems From Post Exposé  —  Top Pentagon officials today blamed a breakdown in leadership for problems with outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and vowed to take quick corrective action.

The Thinking Behind Blair's Iraq Decision  —  Tony Blair's announcement Wednesday of the planned withdrawal of about 1,600 UK combat troops from Iraq has been greeted with predictable gloating and derision on both sides of the Atlantic.  —  Most of the commentary in Britain …

Bread Scarce in Zimbabwe as Mugabe Holds Party  —  President Robert G. Mugabe of Zimbabwe turned 83 on Wednesday to the strains of the song "God Bless President Mugabe" on state-controlled radio, along with an interview on state television, a 16-page paean to his rule in Harare's daily newspaper …

Mission to the Moon: How We'll Go Back — and Stay This Time  —  With the iconic Space Shuttle nearing retirement, the pressure is on NASA to design a new manned vehicle — one that will deliver us safely to the lunar surface by 2020 before building a lasting lunar base.

Scooter Libby and Reputation  —  Prosecutions that wreak ruin on a lifetime. … The trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby is the closest version of a Red Queen trial this country has had in a long time.  One says that knowing it might start a stampede from past defendants laying claim to the most upside-down prosecution.

Italian Left Government Sabotaged By The Italian Left  —  In a strange development from Italy yesterday, the center-left government of Romano Prodi disintegrated when the Senate voted down key aspects of Prodi's foreign policy.  What made it strange was that the defeat came from an effort from Leftists in Italy and not the Right.

Say What?  —  FOUR BEWILDERING REMARKS FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.  —  The world might be less stressful if the president of the most powerful nation didn't so frequently convey the impression that he has no idea what's going on.  —  Here are three recent examples of his bewildering remarks, plus one from his secretary of state.