memeorandum: Car bombings kill 23 at Baghdad bridges (Ravi Nessman/Associated Press)

2:45 PM ET, May 12, 2007

Top Items:

Car bombings kill 23 at Baghdad bridges — BAGHDAD - Twin suicide car bombers struck police checkpoints at bridges in a predominantly Shiite area of Baghdad on Friday, killing at least 23 people just hours after a series of U.S. raids on car bomb networks around the capital killed four suspected insurgents.

Discussion: New York Times, All Spin Zone and Gateway Pundit

Los Angeles Times:

General says he needs more troops — U.S. commander for northern Iraq cites the growing violence in Diyala province. — BAGHDAD — The commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq said Friday that he did not have enough troops to deal with the escalating violence in Iraq's Diyala province …

Discussion: The Newshoggers, Washington Monthly, Unqualified Offerings and Jules Crittenden

CNN:

3 U.S. soldiers missing, 5 killed in attack … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Four American troops and one Iraqi army interpreter have been killed and three American troops are missing after an attack on Saturday morning 12 miles west of Mahmoudiya — a city south of the capital in Babil province, the U.S. military said.

Discussion: Angry Bear

Greg Lukianoff / FIRE:

Factual Statements=Unprotected Harassment!? A Terrifying Precedent at Tufts — Today, FIRE announced the decision by a disciplinary panel at Tufts to find the conservative student newspaper, The Primary Source, guilty of "harassment" for, among other things, publishing a satirical ad …

Discussion: Riehl World View, Unfogged and Stop The ACLU

FIRE:
Tyranny at Tufts — Breaking Promises of Free Expression …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, The Belmont Club, Flopping Aces, Weasel Zippers and Michelle Malkin

Eugene Volokh / The Volokh Conspiracy:
"INTENTIONALLY PUTTING A NEGATIVE SPIN ON ISLAM" — FLABBERGASTING!

Discussion: Wizbang and Gold-Plated Witch on Wheels

Eugene Volokh / The Volokh Conspiracy: FIRE's Greg Lukianoff on the Tufts Punishment of Blasphemy:

Eugene Volokh / The Volokh Conspiracy:
The New Anti-Blasphemy Rules, Again:

Discussion: Wizbang and Blue Crab Boulevard

New York Times:

Giuliani Takes On G.O.P. Orthodoxy on Social Issues — Rudolph W. Giuliani directly challenged Republican orthodoxy on Friday, asserting that his support for abortion rights, gun control and gay rights should not disqualify him from winning the party's presidential nomination.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Althouse and Michael P.F. van der Galiën

Des Moines Register:

'We're not rich enough for Giuliani' — Olin farmers say he pulled out of event at their home after checking their assets — Deborah VonSprecken had looked forward to having former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani photographed with Jack of Diamonds, one of the Texas Longhorns …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Joe Stinebaker / Associated Press:
Giuliani Reaffirms Pro-Choice Stance

Discussion: The Next Hurrah and PrezVid

Redstate:
The End of Rudy — RUDY GIVES THE FINAL SPEECH OF HIS CAMPAIGN IN HOUSTON

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns and Money

David Smith / Times of London:

Pakistan set to declare state of emergency — President Musharraf could declare a state of emergency in Pakistan amid growing civil unrest against his increasingly embattled regime. — Security forces were placed on high alert yesterday, detaining hundreds of activists on the eve of an anti-government rally in Karachi.

Discussion: The Impolitic, Gateway Pundit, Winds of Change.NET, Secular Blasphemy, Riehl World View and Michael P.F. van der Galiën

Swaraaj Chauhan / The Moderate Voice:

America & Pakistan General: 'Front-line Ally' In Deep Trouble — The current crisis in Pakistan, with the military dictatorship now reportedly even encouraging killing of civilians to stamp out dissent, could lead to further fuelling of anti-American movements in Pakistan and the region.

Discussion: The Age and The Newshoggers

Cernig / The Newshoggers:
15,000 Police Set For Pakistan Protest Powderkeg

Discussion: Associated Press, India Defence and Comments From Left Field

James Glanz / New York Times:

Billions in Oil Missing in Iraq, U.S. Study Says — Between 100,000 and 300,000 barrels a day of Iraq's declared oil production over the past four years is unaccounted for and could have been siphoned off through corruption or smuggling, according to a draft American government report.

Discussion: Informed Comment, NO QUARTER, KnoxViews, Prairie Weather, TalkLeft, Booman Tribune and JammieWearingFool

Associated Press:

Ex-U.S. Attorney Questions Own Firing — Former W.Va. Prosecutor Says He Has 'Concerns' About Firing By Bush Administration — (AP) A former West Virginia federal prosecutor said Friday the White House fired him in 2005 in the middle of a corruption and vote-buying investigation but never told him why.

Discussion: The Next Hurrah and Talking Points Memo

Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Colleagues Cite Partisan Focus by Justice Official

Discussion: Washington Post, Associated Press, Balkinization, Norwegianity, Middle Earth Journal, The Carpetbagger Report, Macsmind, TalkLeft, Rising Hegemon, The Heretik and Cliff Schecter

Brian / TVNewser:

CNN International Chyron: "Bush Resigns" — Following up on this post, it did happen. Here's a screen grab from CNN International around midnight ET: — This appeared on screen for 12 seconds. (Two seconds before, President Bush had appeared on screen, but the chyron accurately said "Pressure over Iraq.")

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, NewsBusters.org, The Impolitic and The Gun Toting Liberal™

ABCNEWS:

Lobbying Reform Losing Steam in House — Lobbying Reform Losing Momentum in Congress After Democrats Touted It for 2006 Election — House Democrats are suddenly balking at the tough lobbying reforms they touted to voters last fall as a reason for putting them in charge of Congress.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, The Jawa Report and News Bloggers Blog

Bob Geiger:

The Saturday Cartoons — It's a big day for our Saturday cartoons as I just found out that our friend Walt Handelsman of Newsday has been awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. Walt, who also won the prestigious award in 1997 while with the Times-Picayune in New Orleans …

Discussion: Firedoglake

Associated Press:

Zimbabwe to head U.N. body over U.S. objection … UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Zimbabwe won approval on Friday to head a key U.N. body charged with promoting economic progress and environmental protection despite protests from the U.S., European nations and human rights organizations.