Top Items:
Blackanthem Military News:
Operation 'Arrowhead Ripper' continues in Baqouba — Blackanthem Military News, BAQOUBA, Iraq - Task Force Lightning continued its offensive operation in and around the capital of Diyala province, Iraq, today as part of a powerful crack down on al-Qaida terrorists operating in the area.
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Pauline Jelinek / Associated Press:
US may reduce forces in Iraq by spring — WASHINGTON - The U.S. may be able to reduce combat forces in Iraq by next spring if Iraq's own security forces continue to grow and improve, a senior American commander said Friday. He denied reports the U.S. is arming Sunni insurgent groups to help in the fight against al-Qaida.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Reaction, Daily Kos, KnoxViews, All Spin Zone and The Newshoggers
John F. Burns / New York Times:
Militants Said to Flee Before U.S. Offensive — The operational commander of troops battling to drive fighters with Al Qaeda from Baquba said Friday that 80 percent of the top Qaeda leaders in the city fled before the American-led offensive began earlier this week.
Bill Roggio / The Fourth Rail:
One Week of Operation Phantom Thunder — US forces in Baghdad and the Belts. MNF-I map, click to view. — An update on the Battle of Iraq — Operation Phantom Thunder, the corps coordinated operation across three theaters in the Baghdad Belts, has completed it seventh day.
Amir Taheri / New York Post:
IRAQ: MILITARY GAINS, GOV'T MESS — SIX months ago, the U.S.- led Coalition force in Iraq appeared to be largely in self-defense mode, allowing terrorists and insurgents much latitude in parts of Baghdad and the troubled provinces of Anbar and Diyala. At the same time, the government …
Discussion:
The Belmont Club
Dan Eggen / Washington Post:
Third-in-Command at Justice Dept. Resigns — Mercer to Leave Washington Job but Keep U.S. Attorney's Position in Montana — The Justice Department's third-in-command announced his resignation yesterday, becoming the sixth aide to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to leave amid …
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Mary Clare Jalonick / philly.com:
Bush Pick for No. 3 at Justice Withdraws — WASHINGTON - President Bush's pick to be the No. 3 official in the Justice Department asked to have his nomination withdrawn Friday, four days before he was to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. — Bill Mercer sent a letter …
WSMV-TV:
WSMV-TV: Thompson Announcement Set For Nashville — Headquarters To Be Based At Fall School building — Reported By Dennis Ferrier — NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Channel 4 News Nationwide Exclusive — Fred Thompson is set to announce that Nashville will be the home of his national campaign headquarters, WSMV is reporting.
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The Palmetto Scoop:
BREAKING: Fred Thompson to announce next week — WSMV-TV Nashville has just broken the news that former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) will formally toss his hat in the ring in the GOP presidential race at a press conference scheduled for next Tuesday. … Popularity: 1% [?]
Discussion:
Redstate
Roger Ebert / Chicago Sun Times:
A Mighty Heart — "A Mighty Heart" begins with shots of the teeming streets of Karachi, Pakistan, a city with a population that seems jammed in, shoulder to shoulder. Terrorists will emerge from this sea of humanity, kidnap the American journalist Daniel Pearl and disappear.
Discussion:
Jules Crittenden
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Joe Gandelman / The Moderate Voice:
Around The Sphere June 23, 2007 — Our famous linkfest taking readers to intriguing reading at weblogs representing various opinions from all over the blogo-you-know-what. Linked posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Moderate Voice or its writers.
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Josh Meyer / Los Angeles Times:
Bush claims oversight exemption too — The White House says the president's own order on classified data does not apply to his office or the vice president's. — WASHINGTON — The White House said Friday that, like Vice President Dick Cheney's office, President Bush's office is not allowing …
David Cho / Washington Post:
Democrats Propose New Tax Rate on Investment Funds — Top House Democrats today introduced wide-ranging legislation that would more than double the tax rate that private equity firms, venture capital funds and many hedge funds pay on their gains. — The proposed legislation would cause …
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Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
Attacking Capital — Democrats in the House have begun following …
Attacking Capital — Democrats in the House have begun following …
Discussion:
SCSUScholars
White House:
Press Briefing by Dana Perino — White House Conference Center Briefing Room — MS. PERINO: Happy Friday. One quick announcement. Today the governor of Wyoming appointed John Barrasso to fill the vacancy caused by the unfortunate death of U.S. Senator Craig Thomas.
Greg Sargent / Election Central:
Whoopsie! Inhofe Tells Two Sharply Different Versions Of Story About Hillary "Fixing" Talk Radio — Oh, this is fun. Thank you, Senator Inhofe, for the endless entertainment today! — As you know, Inhofe made a bunch of news today by alleging on the radio that he overheard Hillary …
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David Montero / Rocky Mountain News:
Fort Carson major, sir, has a job to do in the post-9/11 world — JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — It's the last day of training before he's deployed to Iraq and Maj. Andrew Olmsted is rubbing where the bright red blood is pooling in his short, bristly hair. — There was a small accident.
Discussion:
Unqualified Offerings
The Daily Howler:
BEFORE IT WAS FARCE! Today, the Post plays the fool about Gore. Long ago, they were bent on destruction: — PIMP V. SLIME: In the past two days, the New York Times has run a remarkable pair of candidate stories. One of these news reports beats the bushes, looking for ways to suggest that John Edwards has been misbehaving.
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Greg Sargent / Election Central:
Edwards Campaign: Times Refused To Talk To Beneficiaries Of His …
Edwards Campaign: Times Refused To Talk To Beneficiaries Of His …
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, TalkLeft, Redstate, Fact-esque, Daily Kos, The Atlantic Online, skippy the bush kangaroo, Obsidian Wings, Brian Beutler and MSNBC