DNC Strips Florida Of 2008 Delegates  —  No Convention Slots Unless Later Primary Is Set  —  The Democratic National Committee sought to seize control of its unraveling nominating process yesterday, rejecting pleas from state party leaders and cracking down on Florida for scheduling a Jan. 29 presidential primary.

General Pace, You Can Save the US - by Arresting Bush for "Conduct Unbecoming"  —  I note with admiration your courage in making clear your private concerns about the safety of the US military and the longterm danger to US national security caused by the President's stubborn refusal to acknowledge the quagmire in Iraq.

After Iraq Trip, Unshaken Resolve  —  CHICAGO When Rep. Jan Schakowsky made her first trip to Iraq this month, the outspoken antiwar liberal resolved to keep her opinions to herself.  "I would listen and learn," she decided.  —  At times that proved a challenge, as when Deputy Prime Minister …

Iraq body count running at double pace  —  BAGHDAD - This year's U.S. troop buildup has succeeded in bringing violence in Baghdad down from peak levels, but the death toll from sectarian attacks around the country is running nearly double the pace from a year ago.

Maybe Trading Up Soon at Justice  —  The buzz among top Bushies is that beleaguered Attorney General Alberto Gonzales finally plans to depart and will be replaced by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.  Why Chertoff?  Officials say he's got fans on Capitol Hill …

FairTax, Flawed Tax  —  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's unexpectedly strong second-place showing in the recent Iowa Republican straw poll is widely attributed to his support for the FairTax.  —  For those who never heard about it, the FairTax is a national retail sales tax that would replace the entire current federal tax system.

To invoke Vietnam was a blunder too far for Bush  —  The Presidents's crass comparison between Iraq and war in south east Asia was the most ludicrous misreading of history  —  How do I dislike President George Bush?  Let me count the ways.  Most of them have to do with his contented assumption …

Drop Foreseen in Median Price of U.S. Homes  —  The median price of American homes is expected to fall this year for the first time since federal housing agencies began keeping statistics in 1950.  —  Economists say the decline, which could be foreshadowed in a widely followed government price index …

Tim Robbins: "If You F**k Things Up You Can No Longer Be An Expert" [VIDEO]  —  Tim Robbins and Bill Maher clash with Cheney biographer Stephen Hayes about the rationale for the Iraq War.  —  On the first episode of this season of Real Time with Bill Maher, actor Tim Robbins …

Into Thin Air  —  The Americans were getting close.  It was early in the winter of 2004-05, and Osama bin Laden and his entourage were holed up in a mountain hideaway along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.  Suddenly, a sentry, posted several kilometers away, spotted a patrol of U.S. soldiers …

Spying Program May Be Tested by Terror Case  —  After a bloody raid by American military forces on an enemy camp in Rawah, Iraq, on June 11, 2003, a Defense Department report took inventory.  Eighty suspected terrorists killed.  An enormous weapons cache recovered.

O'Hanlon + Post = Well, The Same  —  Someone at The Washington Post editorial pages decided that despite the fact that Michael O'Hanlon (PDF) "has appeared on the major television networks more than 150 times since September 11, 2001 and has contributed to CNN, MSNBC, BBC …