White House to Offer Iraq Plan of Gradual Cuts  —  The White House plans to use a report next month assessing progress in Iraq to outline a plan for gradual troop reductions beginning next year that would fall far short of the drawdown demanded by Congressional opponents of the war, according to administration and military officials.

Qualified to Serve  —  BEFORE BEING nominated by President Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, Leslie H. Southwick served for almost 12 years on the Mississippi Court of Appeals, where he participated in thousands of cases spanning the gamut of civil and criminal law.

A CBS Reality Show Draws a Claim of Possible Child Abuse  —  The ads promoting "Kid Nation," a new reality show coming to CBS next month, extol the incredible experience of a group of 40 children, ages 8 to 15, who built a sort of idealistic society in a New Mexico ghost town, free of adults.

A Plan for Iraq  —  Next month, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker will report to Congress on the situation in my country.  I expect that the testimony of these two good men will be qualified and nuanced, as politics requires.

Edwards Calls Coulter 'She-Devil'  —  ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Former Sen. John Edwards on Friday fired the latest round in his ongoing verbal feud with Ann Coulter, calling her a "she-devil" at a public event before quickly adding that he shouldn't engage in name-calling.

Half a World Away: Soldiers in Iraq Don't Hear Deliberations Back Home (and Often Don't Care)  —  TIKRIT, Iraq — It never even hits the radar screen.  For the troops on the front lines and the colonels in the rear—and just about everyone in between—the big news in Iraq every day is that they're still alive and healthy.

Recruiting For Iraq War Undercut in Puerto Rico  —  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The political activists, brown envelopes tucked under their arms, staked out the high school gates just after sunrise.  When students emerged from the graffiti-scorched streets of the Rio Piedra neighborhood …

Padilla Case Offers a New Model of Terrorism Trial  —  There were two perfectly predictable schools of thought being expressed after the conviction of Jose Padilla on Thursday on terrorism-related charges.  Supporters of the Bush administration said the conviction justified the more than three years …

McCain: 'I Was The Greatest Critic' Of The Iraq War Over The Last Four Years  —  Yesterday on CNN, host Kiran Chetry suggested to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) that he's been unfairly "painted as being a huge supporter of the president's Iraq strategy.  Is that an accurate portrayal?" she asked.

Giuliani-McCain: That's the Ticket?  —  McCain Tells ABC News He's 'Flattered' by Rival Giuliani  —  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani are rivals for the 2008 Republican nomination, but you wouldn't know it by asking them.  —  In an interview …

RYE BARCOTT: A GREAT AMERICAN  —  My daughter Eliana returned from a visit to Africa during which she made the acquaintance of Rye Barcott (above with his colleague Matt Bugher) in Nairobi, Kenya.  For reasons that will become obvious, Rye made a great impression on Eliana.

TV airing for Islam's story of Christ  —  There was no manger, Christ is not the Messiah, and the crucifixion never happened.  A forthcoming ITV documentary will portray Jesus as Muslims see him.  —  With the Koran as a main source and drawing on interviews with scholars and historians …