Saudis' role in Iraq insurgency outlined  —  Sunni extremists from Saudi Arabia make up half the foreign fighters in Iraq, many suicide bombers, a U.S. official says.  —  BAGHDAD — Although Bush administration officials have frequently lashed out at Syria and Iran, accusing it of helping insurgents …

During all-white-male Meet the Press panel, Novak claimed "woman or an African-American" Dem nominee would give GOP "hope"  —  During a panel discussion of the 2008 presidential election on the July 15 edition of NBC's Meet the Press, syndicated columnist Robert Novak asserted: "Republicans are very pessimistic about 2008.

Clinton, Romney lead poll  —  Head-to-head contests pose challenges  —  July 15.  —  illary Clinton and Mitt Romney hold the leads in their respective New Hampshire primary races, a new Monitor poll shows.  But it's not all good news for the top two: The poll finds each would face thornier challenges …

Jim Webb rips into Graham for putting political words in our Soldiers' mouths  —  Lindsay Graham sounded like he was on a pot of coffee, seven Red Bulls and a couple of packs of cigarettes—while being fluent at the Evelyn Wood talking points course.  Jim Webb was not thrilled to be sitting next to him.

Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran  —  Ewen MacAskill in Washington and Julian Borger  —  The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned.

The Richest of the Rich, Proud of a New Gilded Age  —  The tributes to Sanford I. Weill line the walls of the carpeted hallway that leads to his skyscraper office, with its panoramic view of Central Park.  A dozen framed magazine covers, their colors as vivid as an Andy Warhol painting, are the most arresting.

Climate Change Debate Hinges On Economics  —  Lawmakers Doubt Voters Would Fund Big Carbon Cuts  —  Here's the good news about climate change: Energy and climate experts say the world already possesses the technological know-how for trimming greenhouse gas emissions enough to slow the perilous rise in the Earth's temperatures.

Fred Hiatt defends the administration's mild, restrained secrecy  —  Senior Washington Bush spokesman Fred Hiatt — who also works as the Editorial Page Editor of The Washington Post — shatters conventional wisdom this morning by defending the Bush administration's mild, balanced, and restrained use of government secrecy.

Thompson Uses Loophole to Avoid Reporting Fundraising  —  Opponents Claim Ex-Senator In Violation of Campaign Finance Reform Law  —  Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has avoided revealing his fundraising figures by exploiting a legal loophole whereby he says he is simply "testing the waters" …

Ralph Nader says he is considering 2008 presidential run  —  READING, Pennsylvania (AP) — Consumer advocate Ralph Nader told the Green Party's national convention that he is considering a 2008 presidential run and accused Democrats of trying to shut smaller parties out of the political process.

Seeing bin Laden  —  As mentioned, there's an Osama cameo floating around.  It seems to be from a video shot in 2001 or 2002.  If that is correct, then I would draw two conclusions: first, that it is additional confirmation that he is dead.  (If he were alive, they could do a new one, right?)

On Heels Of Senate's Iran Vote, Brownback Declared I'm Ready To Strike Iran  —  On Wednesday, the Senate voted 97-0 to pass a resolution sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to censure Iran "for what it said was complicity in the killing of U.S. soldiers in Iraq."

Feel Good, Inc  —  Is this the future of editorial cartooning?  From the Houston Chronicle:

Iranian Missiles Recovered In Iraq [with Photos]  —  Via MNF-I: … That press release went up yesterday.  I got copies of the photographs documenting the scene from MNF-I PAO this morning.  —  Iranian 107mm rocket captured while aimed at U.S. FOB Hammer in Iraq.  (click photo for full size).