Former Bush Aide Will Answer Some Questions  —  Sara Taylor, the former White House political director, has agreed to answer some questions as a "willing and cooperative private citizen," during testimony about the United States attorney firings last year when she appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee later today.

Republicans Kill Webb's Troop-Protection Amendment  —  We didn't need any further proof that Congressional Republicans really don't give a damn about the troops or their families but we just got it in the United States Senate anyway.  —  Just moments ago, Senate Republicans succeeded …

Thought for the day  —  Shouldn't it concern us that Republicans are constantly talking about how people will all wise up when the next terrorist attack at home comes?  —  I mean, they really seem to be looking forward to it, and they take great delight in the thought that, by God, people will see things differently when it happens.

Marine Investigator Recommends Dropping Charges in Haditha Killings  —  SAN DIEGO — An investigating officer has recommended dismissing murder charges against a U.S. Marine accused in the slayings of three Iraqi men in a squad action that killed 24 civilians in the town of Haditha, according to a report.

Officials Worry of Summer Terror Attack  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. counterterror officials are warning of an increased risk of an attack this summer, given al-Qaida's apparent interest in summertime strikes and increased al-Qaida training in the Afghan-Pakistani border region.

Moving Forward in Iraq  —  The "surge" is working.  Will Washington allow the current progress to continue?  —  In Washington perception is often mistaken for reality.  And as Congress prepares for a fresh debate on Iraq, the perception many members have is that the new strategy has already failed.

GRAVEL PISSED OVER HRC DISS  —  NON-PROFIT EXCLUDES CANDIDATE FROM GAY DEBATE  —  Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel has "steam coming out my ears" after the Human Rights Campaign and Logo neglected to invite him to their groundbreaking gay debates.

Gonzales Knew About Violations, Officials Say  —  Two senior Justice Department officials said yesterday that they kept Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales apprised of FBI violations of civil liberties and privacy safeguards in recent years.  —  The two officials spoke in a telephone call arranged …

Iraq: Go Deep or Get Out  —  The president's shaky political consensus for the surge in Iraq is in danger of collapsing after the recent defections of prominent Senate Republicans such as Richard Lugar (Ind.), Pete Domenici (N.M.) and George Voinovich (Ohio).

McCain refocuses campaign on NH and South Carolina  —  With his underfunded Presidential campaign in apparent disarray and struggling in the polls, Republican John McCain will refocus on the early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina in an effort to stay alive, a top aide said yesterday.

Al-Qaeda on the Run: Feasting on the Moveable Beast  —  "No al Qaeda Zone": Hefty Buhriz Policeman smoking in public.  —  The last major mission I did while in Baqubah in early 2005 was into Buhriz.  That mission had begun with our artillery firing some 155mm shots into a palm grove on the banks of the Diyala River.

From Barack Obama, Two Dangerous Words  —  PHILADELPHIA — Barack Obama has the teachers cheering.  The National Education Association is meeting here, and Obama— like the Democratic candidates who have spoken before him — is telling the crowd everything it wants to hear.

Ex-Surgeon General Says White House Hushed Him  —  Former surgeon general Richard H. Carmona yesterday accused the Bush administration of muzzling him on sensitive public health issues, becoming the most prominent voice among several current and former federal science officials who have complained of political interference.

Global Warming and Solar Radiation  —  Overview  —  Without the impact of solar radiation, the temperature on the earth would be about the same as the temperature of space, which is about -454 C. The amount of radiation reaching the earth is about 1,368 watts per square meter.

In GOP, Growing Friction On Iraq  —  Senate Dissenters Chafe at Tactics Of Party Leaders  —  Facing crumbling support for the war among their own members, Senate Republican leaders yesterday sought to block bipartisan efforts to force a change in the American military mission in Iraq.