Beauchamp Recants  —  THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned from a military source close to the investigation that Pvt. Scott Thomas Beauchamp—author of the much-disputed "Shock Troops" article in the New Republic's July 23 issue as well as two previous "Baghdad Diarist" columns …

Bush Still Wields the Threat of Terrorism  —  Until last weekend, President Bush had repeatedly fallen short in seven months of battles with a Democratic-led Congress that would not give him what he wanted on immigration or education, health care or energy policy.

Authorities: Men Had Pipe Bombs in Their Car  —  MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) — Authorities say two Middle Eastern men arrested near a Navy base had several pipe bombs in their car.  —  Authorities say 24-year-old Ahmed Abda Sherf Mohamed and 21-year-old Yousef Samir Megahed were charged Monday with possession of an incendiary device.

Poll: Dems favor Clinton over Obama  —  WASHINGTON — New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has significantly widened her lead over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in the wake of a dispute over handling foreign policy, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds.

In Dusty Archives, a Theory of Affluence  —  For thousands of years, most people on earth lived in abject poverty, first as hunters and gatherers, then as peasants or laborers.  But with the Industrial Revolution, some societies traded this ancient poverty for amazing affluence.

As British Leave, Basra Deteriorates  —  Violence Rises in Shiite City Once Called a Success Story  —  As British forces pull back from Basra in southern Iraq, Shiite militias there have escalated a violent battle against each other for political supremacy and control over oil resources …

TOMMY THOMPSON: BIG IDIOT?  —  In my post yesterday about the Republican debate in Iowa, I said I thought that Tommy Thompson was supposed to be a "sharp guy."  And that because of that purported sharpness I was surprised that his answer to one of the questions about Iraq was one of the stupidest …

Crews 'using every means known to mankind' to reach miners  —  HUNTINGTON, Utah (CNN) — Rescue crews in central Utah know exactly where six trapped miners are located, but were forced to turn around late Monday because of "impassable conditions," the mine's operator said.

Bill Clinton: The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board Is Even More Right Wing And Irrational Than Fox News  —  In a weekend conversation with wealthy supporters that was closed to reporters, Bill Clinton was asked about Rupert Murdoch's takeover of the Wall Street Journal.

Democrats Capitulate to President Bush as Congress Gives Government Broad New Powers to Conduct Warrantless Surveillance on American Citizens  —  Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream Read Transcript  —  Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend Purchase Video/CD

Analysis: Military Shows Gains in Iraq  —  BAGHDAD (AP) - AP Video The new U.S. military strategy in Iraq, unveiled six months ago to little acclaim, is working.  —  In two weeks of observing the U.S. military on the ground and interviewing commanders, strategists and intelligence officers …

Bridge Collapse Revives Issue of Road Spending  —  In the past two years, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota twice vetoed legislation to raise the state's gas tax to pay for transportation needs.  —  Now, with at least five people dead in the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge here …

Bear Stearns Caymans Filing May Hurt Bankrupt Funds' Creditors  —  Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) — Bear Stearns Cos.' decision to liquidate two bankrupt hedge funds in the Cayman Islands instead of New York may limit creditors' and investors' ability to get their money back.

New Orleans facing pipes problem  —  Official: City loses 50 million gallons of water each day; lines leak sewage  —  NEW ORLEANS - Deep underground, an unseen crisis is threatening New Orleans' already troubled recovery.  —  The city's 3,200-mile system of water and sewer lines — old …

Northern Exposure  —  The GOP's Alaska delegation could become the new poster boys for corruption.  —  Republicans faced a time for choosing last week, when Senate Democrats brought to the floor an ethics "reform" bill that may make it easier for Congress to dole out pork-barrel spending.