Iran's Proxy War  —  Tehran is on the offensive against us throughout the Middle East.  Will Congress respond?  —  Earlier this week, the U.S. military made public new and disturbing information about the proxy war that Iran is waging against American soldiers and our allies in Iraq.

GOP Congressman Joins Sen. Domenici in Breaking With White House on War  —  ALBUQUERQUE Rep. John Doolittle, a consevative California congressman, today joined others in his party rapidly deserting the president on the Iraq war.  —  At a town hall meeting in Rocklin and then in a meeting …

Call it like it is  —  Q: Who is winning the really important war of ideas — the one between the West and itself?  A: Not the side that understands jihad as a foundational Islamic institution.  —  This is nothing new.  From September 11 onward, the yeoman effort of elites has been to wrench "Islam" away from all acts of jihad.

SiCKO: Ask The Right Question First  —  I saw Michael Moore's SiCKO last weekend, and I strongly recommend it to all.  It's Moore at his best — or worst, if you're on the receiving end — because it makes its main points powerfully and convincingly.  It's hilarious, infuriating, saddening and enlightening all at once.

DOUBLE STANDARDS WATCH:  —  Alan Dershowitz has a regular column in the Jerusalem Post called "Double Standard Watch."  But double standards are not only evident in arguments about the ongoing disputes between the Israelis and Palestinians and among the Arabs.

Bombing plots 'were carried out with bin Laden's blessing'  —  Deborah Haynes in Baghdad, Jeremy Page in Delhi and Martin Fletcher  —  The London and Glasgow bomb plots were carried out with the approval of Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, a top foreign intelligence source said last night.

Cool Reception for Conservative Radio  —  Many Popular Talk Shows Find Washington Just Isn't Listening  —  After conservative radio pundits encouraged opposition last month to the immigration bill that was before the Senate, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) was moved to declare, "Talk radio is running America."

The tragic collapse of America's standing in the world  —  (updated below)  —  One of the very few arguments one can make which will prompt virtually identical objections from both standard right-wing neoconservative fanatics as well as a small, unrepresentative cluster on the Left concerns …

More Rimbaud and less Rambo, critics tell sweaty jogger Sarkozy  —  Read Charles Bremner's weblog  —  President Sarkozy has fallen foul of intellectuals and critics who see his passion for jogging as un-French, right-wing and even a ploy to brainwash his citizens.

De Villepin likely to face conspiracy charges  —  Police searched the home of Dominique de Villepin, the former French Prime Minister, yesterday as judges appeared close to charging him with conspiring to implicate Nicolas Sarkozy, now the President, in a corruption scandal.

With Bloomberg on Stage, Harsher Light on Giuliani  —  NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden was taken over by New York police and their families, all there for the graduation ceremony of 1,097 new officers.  A rousing video flashed images of police responding to the Sept. 11 attacks.

'Supporting the troops' means withdrawing them  —  Gen. William Odom writes that opponents of the war should focus public attention on the fact that Bush's obstinate refusal to admit defeat is causing the troops enormous psychological as well as physical harm.

Pakistani leader escapes attempt on life  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Unknown gunners fired after President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's plane took off from a military base on Friday in what one official described as a failed assassination attempt.  —  A senior security official said Musharraf …

Baqubah Update: 05 July 2007  —  Today marks "D +16" of Operation "Arrowhead Ripper," the Battle for Baqubah.  Arrowhead Ripper kicked off on 19 June 07.  I have several dispatches in the works about the major events since that time.  Although the serious fighting seems to be over …