The Weekly Standard's Stephen Hayes on the declassified National Intelligence Estimate: … I have no idea what Hayes is talking about.  Or, more precisely, Hayes has no idea what he's talking about.  —  Where are these mysterious White House "critics" who've been arguing that the al Qaeda threat is "overblown"?

Al-Qaeda faces rebellion from the ranks  —  Sickened by the group's barbarity, Iraqi insurgents are giving information to coalition forces  —  Fed up with being part of a group that cuts off a person's face with piano wire to teach others a lesson, dozens of low-level members of al-Qaeda …

KILLITARY: Lefties Dropping the Fiction of 'Supporting the Troops'  —  The leftist blogosphere went out of their way to cover this one up as quickly as possible.  —  It was posted at Daily Kos, as Ace relates.  But the Kidz are on edge about their credibility, so it was deleted within hours, without a word of explanation.

WANING INFLUENCE  —  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice finds that her star is fading  —  I remember the heady days for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.  —  About 2 1/2 years ago, when she was new in office, I accompanied her on her first trip around the world, with stops in India …

Just What the Founders Feared: An Imperial President Goes to War  —  The nation is heading toward a constitutional showdown over the Iraq war.  Congress is moving closer to passing a bill to limit or end the war, but President Bush insists Congress doesn't have the power to do it.

Digital Debate for Democratic Presidential Hopefuls  —  YouTube's Growing Influence on the Political Process  —  YouTube has already made quite a mark on campaign 2008.  —  Monday night, the influence of the video-sharing Web site becomes official when it co-hosts a unique presidential debate.

All the rage - victim of US bloggers' cartoon hits back  —  Riazat Butt  —  With his clenched fists, wild eyes and gnashing teeth he has become the face of Muslim fury, protesting against the enemies of Islam.  —  Shakeel Ahmad Bhat has been on the frontline of political activism in Srinagar, India, for more than a decade.

Unlikely Adversary Arises to Criticize Detainee Hearings  —  NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Stephen E. Abraham's assignment to the Pentagon unit that runs the hearings at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, seemed a perfect fit.  —  A lawyer in civilian life, he had been decorated for counterespionage …

Md. Judge Dismisses Sex-Abuse Charges  —  Clerk Is Unable To Find Suitable Translator In Time  —  A 7-year-old girl said she had been raped and repeatedly molested over the course of a year.  Police in Montgomery County, acting on information from a relative, soon arrested a Liberian immigrant living in Gaithersburg.

Focus Groups Anyone?  —  (We were joined in comments tonight by Dr. Maryam, an Iraqi Pediatric Oncologist.  The discussion allowed us to hear a very clear voice from Iraq, a voice missing in the news we normally read - the conversation begins below the fold.)

Backlash in rich nations against globalisation  —  A popular backlash against globalisation and the leaders of the world's largest companies is sweeping all rich countries, an FT/Harris poll shows.  —  Large majorities of people in the US and in Europe want higher taxation for the rich …

Subpoena Standoff  —  AND SO THE jousting continues.  For months the White House has resisted Congress's attempts to compel administration officials to testify about the controversial U.S. attorney firings in 2006.  Congress's propensity to let subpoenas fly has been matched …

The Nights and Days Of Elizabeth Edwards  —  At home and on campaign, she juggles her difficult choices.  'How are you feeling?'  —  At a cabin on a recent weekend, Elizabeth Edwards and her 7-year-old son Jack are working on a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, while 9-year-old daughter Emma Claire is drawing animals on a piece of paper.

U.S.: Smugglers nabbed in Iraq may have links to Iran  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — U.S. troops on Sunday detained two suspected weapons smugglers who may be linked to Iran's elite Quds force, the military said, as Washington presses allegations that Tehran is supporting violence in Iraq despite plans for new bilateral talks on the issue.

Alarm at US right to highly personal data  —  Religion and sex life among passenger details to be passed on to officials  —  Highly sensitive information about the religious beliefs, political opinions and even the sex life of Britons travelling to the United States is to be made available …