Top Items:
Associated Press:
US: Top al-Qaida in Iraq figure captured — BAGHDAD - The U.S. command said Wednesday the highest-ranking Iraqi in the leadership of al-Qaida in Iraq has been arrested, adding that information from him indicates the group's foreign-based leadership wields considerable influence over the Iraqi chapter.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, BBC, PoliBlog (TM), Taylor Marsh, Abu Aardvark, Outside The Beltway, Cox & Forkum, Macsmind and Scared Monkeys
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Michael Abramowitz / Washington Post:
Intelligence Puts Rationale For War on Shakier Ground — The White House faced fresh political peril yesterday in the form of a new intelligence assessment that raised sharp questions about the success of its counterterrorism strategy and judgment in making Iraq the focus of that effort.
Discussion:
Slate, New York Times, The Atlantic Online, New York Times, Gateway Pundit, Los Angeles Times, PoliBlog (TM), All Spin Zone, Left I on the News, Salon, The Buck Stops Here, Prairie Weather, The Heretik, The Carpetbagger Report, Balloon Juice, the talking dog, Daily Kos, Watching Those We Chose, The Moderate Voice, MSNBC and The Politico
Talking Points Memo:
Hot on the... CURIOUS TIMING — Hot on the heels of yesterday's release of the declassified NIE on Al Qaeda, the U.S. military in Baghdad announced today that it has captured a top leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq: … First off, the capture took place two weeks ago but was not announced until today.
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report
Bill Roggio / The Fourth Rail:Islamic State of Iraq - an al Qaeda front
Discussion:
The Belmont Club
Allahpundit / Hot Air:U.S. captures "leader" of Islamic State of Iraq
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, protein wisdom, Don Surber, USA Today, The Nose On Your Face, Gateway Pundit and Theo Spark
Bob Geiger:
After GOP Iraq-Withdrawal Filibuster, Reid Sets Aside Defense Authorization Bill — In an in-your-face response to Republicans continuing to block a full Senate vote on withdrawing American troops from Iraq, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) just moments ago set aside …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Newshoggers, Firedoglake, DownWithTyranny!, Think Progress, AMERICAblog and The American Street
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Think Progress:
Reid Pulls Defense Authorization Bill Off The Floor, Vows To Return To Iraq Redeployment Legislation — After forcing conservatives to stand all-night and filibuster the Levin-Reed Iraq redeployment bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has pulled the entire Defense Authorization bill from consideration on the Senate floor.
Discussion:
BobGeiger.com, New York Times, The Huffington Post, TalkLeft, The Gavel, Tangled Webs and Watching Those We Chose
Greg Sargent / Election Central:
Breaking: Reid Yanks Defense Authorization Bill To Force GOP's Hand — Ratcheting up the stakes in the wake of the GOP's successful blocking of a vote on Iraq withdrawal just moments ago, Harry Reid just announced on the Senate floor that he won't allow a vote on the entire Defense Authorization bill until …
New York Times:
Democrats Fail to Force Vote on Iraq Pullout — Senate Democrats fell short this morning, after a rare all-night session, in their attempt to force President Bush to begin withdrawing American troops from Iraq. — The measure, which called for troops to begin departing within 120 days …
Michael Gerson / Washington Post:
R. Milhous Giuliani — With the same rootless confidence that causes people to ignore hurricane warnings, many social conservatives remain in denial about Rudy Giuliani's chances of winning the Republican nomination. — But with three debates and eight months as the Republican front-runner under his belt …
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Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
Edwards ad touts him as a tough guy — CONCORD, N.H. - Elizabeth Edwards tells voters her husband, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, is a tough guy "who can stare the worst in the face and not blink" in an ad set to start airing Wednesday in New Hampshire.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Politico, New York Post, Taylor Marsh, The Hill, Chicago Tribune, JustOneMinute and New York Times
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Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
Flynt Ready to Implicate Another Senator — Larry King interviewed Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt last night on how he linked Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) to an alleged prostitution ring. Flynt now says he's got information linking another U.S. Senator to a sex scandal.
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Imprisoned Cunningham outlines depths of corruption to FBI — WASHINGTON - In two days of prison interviews with federal agents this year, disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham described a level of corruption on his part more extensive than previously known and dealt …
Discussion:
TPMmuckraker, DownWithTyranny!, Salon, USA Today, Wonkette, Obsidian Wings and The Atlantic Online
Carlin Romano / Chronicle of Higher Education:
If We Don't Call Them Names, the Terrorists Win — After the terrorist near misses in London and Glasgow, British officials did the expected. They raised their nation's threat-assessment level. They weighed the balance between civil liberties and new, tougher security measures.
Harold Meyerson / Washington Post:
Spineless Sages — Top GOP Senators Only Talk Against the War — Anyone searching for the highest forms of invertebrate life need look no further than the floor of the U.S. Senate last week and this. These spineless specimens go by various names — Republican moderates …
Al Kamen / Washington Post:
Fredo Finally Gives U.S. Attorney a Good Evaluation — In the Justice Department's Great Hall (the very room where giant, blue drapes covered the underdressed statuary during John Ashcroft's tenure as attorney general), an array of prosecutors, securities regulators and FBI honchos gathered yesterday …
Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
[TS] Op-Ed Columnist: Help Wanted: Peacemaker — The Iraqi Parliament is on vacation in August and our soldiers are fighting in the heat. Something is wrong with this picture.
Discussion:
INTEL DUMP, The Atlantic Online, Daniel W. Drezner, Dohiyi Mir, Brian Beutler, Michael P.F. van der Galiën and iraqwarit
Christian Lowe / Military.com:
Military.com Poll: War Support Waning — Nearly 60 percent of readers who participated in a recent Military.com poll said the United States should withdraw its troops from Iraq now or by the end of 2008. More than 40 percent of the respondents agreed the pullout should begin immediately because …
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