Deserting Petraeus  —  "The key to turning [Anbar] around was the shift in allegiance by tribal sheiks.  But the sheiks turned only after a prolonged offensive by American and Iraqi forces, starting in November, that put al-Qaeda groups on the run."  —  Finally, after four terribly long years, we know what works.

Strategists Agree: McCain's Only Option Is To Turn His Back On Bush  —  According to private conversations with political operatives from both parties, John McCain has no choice but to adopt a high risk strategy to revive his presidential bid, a double Hail Mary: Throw one stink bomb …

What Atheists Can't Answer  —  British author G.K. Chesterton argued that every act of blasphemy is a kind of tribute to God, because it is based on belief.  "If anyone doubts this," he wrote, "let him sit down seriously and try to think blasphemous thoughts about Thor."

Musharraf declares war on Muslim extremists  —  President Pervez Musharraf pledged to combat Muslim extremists across Pakistan yesterday as furious crowds demonstrated against the storming of the Red Mosque and two suicide bomb attacks left six dead.  —  In a televised address to the nation …

Clinton, Edwards talk of limiting debate  —  DETROIT (AP) - Democrats John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton consider themselves among the top presidential candidates.  —  They were caught by Fox News microphones discussing their desire to limit future joint appearances to exclude some lower rivals after a forum in Detroit Thursday.

Sorry Libs... This Swiftboat Won't Float  —  Rudy Gets "Dan Rathered" -but these swiftboat attacks won't float...  Guess who is linked to the liberal attack ad against Rudy Guliani by the International Association of Fire Fighters?  —  That's right...  Hillary Clinton and "good friend" IAFF President Harold Schaitberger.

Ethics groups blame AWOL McConnell  —  Frustrated by Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-S.C.) vow to hold up ethics conference talks until earmark reforms are enacted, Democrats and watchdog groups are pointing a finger at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).  —  McConnell is standing idle …

Hold Your Fire and Brimstone  —  Perhaps because no one else will do it, I want to offer a qualified defense of Sen. David Vitter, the socially conservative Louisiana Republican who faces a bit of a problem.  —  Vitter admitted Monday night to a "very serious sin in my past" …

The New York Times Surrenders A monument to defeatism on the editorial page  —  On July 8, the New York Times ran an historic editorial entitled "The Road Home," demanding an immediate American withdrawal from Iraq.  It is rare that an editorial gets almost everything wrong, but "The Road Home" pulls it off.

American Grit  —  We can't fire the president right now, so we're waiting it out.  —  It's been a slow week in a hot era.  I found myself Thursday watching President Bush's news conference and thinking about what it is about him, real or perceived, that makes people who used to smile at the mention of his name now grit their teeth.

BBC caught with pants down  —  The papers this morning were full of the revelation in a BBC documentary that the Queen had had a hissy fit and stormed out of a photo-shoot with the photographer Annie Leibowitz.  As the Times reported: … In the context of royal etiquette and the character …

The cry should go up in Europe: more babies, please  —  Of all the bogeys you might have thought well and truly nailed in the past decade or so, the population control movement seemed most obviously to have a stake through its heart.  At a time when we - I mean, anyone over 35 …

Tax Loopholes Sweeten a Deal for Blackstone  —  The Blackstone Group, the big buyout firm, has devised a way for its partners to effectively avoid paying taxes on $3.7 billion, the bulk of what it raised last month from selling shares to the public.  —  Although they will initially pay $553 million …

Plan B Use Surges, And So Does Controversy  —  The popularity of the morning-after pill Plan B has surged in the year since the federal government approved the sale of the controversial emergency contraceptive without a prescription.  —  Plan B sales have doubled since the Food …

Burkman solicits Google to deny sexual solicitation reports.  —  The prominent conservative pundit and lobbyist, Jack Burkman, was outed yesterday when it was revealed that his phone number "appears in the database of phone records of the 'DC Madam.'" Previously, Wonkette reported allegations …