Iran Strategy Stirs Debate at White House  —  A year after President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a new strategy toward Iran, a behind-the-scenes debate has broken out within the administration over whether the approach has any hope of reining in Iran's nuclear program …

Iraq Contractors Face Growing Parallel War  —  As Security Work Increases, So Do Casualties  —  BAGHDAD — Private security companies, funded by billions of dollars in U.S. military and State Department contracts, are fighting insurgents on a widening scale in Iraq, enduring daily attacks …

What Next on Palestine: Time to Get Real  —  Hamas is now in control of Gaza after a cruel, if somewhat surprisingly easy, military victory over Fatah.  The images coming out of the Palestinian territories have been harsh to say the least and neither side looks good to put it mildly.

An Also-Ran in the GOP Polls, Ron Paul Is Huge on the Web  —  On Technorati, which offers a real-time glimpse of the blogosphere, the most frequently searched term this week was "YouTube."  —  Then comes "Ron Paul."  —  The presence of the obscure Republican congressman from Texas on a list …

Timmeh  —  Could The Nation team up with Air America and offer to sponsor a Republican debate please?  We'll even let Lionel be involved.  —  Though, this bit of punditing from the patron saint of  —  Buffalo was even better:

Facing Sanction, Duke Prosecutor Plans to Resign  —  Michael B. Nifong, the Durham County district attorney, announced Friday that he would resign, as he faces disciplinary charges for his handling of a sexual assault prosecution against three former Duke University lacrosse players who were later declared innocent.

Polished and Upbeat, Romney Tries to Connect  —  WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Mitt Romney loves the word "great."  As in, "Have a great day," "Things are going great," "I'm feeling great."  Mr. Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, also looks great, sounds great and smells great, like shaving cream.

Another Justice Dept. Official Resigns  —  Another Justice Department official involved in last year's dismissals of federal prosecutors is resigning, department officials said on Friday.  —  In this case, the departure of Michael J. Elston, chief of staff to the outgoing deputy attorney general …

Special Counsel Probe Into Rove's Politicization Of Government Advances  —  The Office of Special Counsel, which has already recommended that GSA chief Lurita Doan be suspended or fired for participating in partisan activities while on the job, is now moving forward with its investigation of nearly 20 other administration agencies.

The group blog of The American Prospect  —  SHADOW GOVERNMENT IN WAITING.  The Bush administration had the American Enterprise Institute as its ideological brain trust and frequent employment agency.  The next White House will likely have the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) …

The Upward Moving Middle Class  —  Everybody else may know this, but each time I reflect upon these Census Bureau numbers (2006), they surprise me.  Anyone who has an annual household income above $92,000 is in the top quintile of the population—with all the other "rich."

As Some Grow Weary of Web, Online Sales Lag  —  Has online retailing entered the Dot Calm era?  —  Since the inception of the Web, online commerce has enjoyed hypergrowth, with annual sales increasing more than 25 percent over all, and far more rapidly in many categories.

Second Sunni Mosque Is Blown Up in Basra  —  Hooded gunmen clad in black blew up a second Sunni mosque in the southern city of Basra today after ordering the police at the mosque to flee, and despite a curfew imposed by Iraq's central government, witnesses and security officials said.