Sources: Craig resignation likely soon  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Several well-placed GOP sources in Washington and Idaho have told CNN that embattled Republican Sen. Larry Craig is likely to resign soon, possibly as early as Friday.  —  A GOP source with knowledge of the situation told CNN's Dana Bash …

Lawmakers Describe 'Being Slimed in the Green Zone'  —  The sheets of paper seemed to be everywhere the lawmakers went in the Green Zone, distributed to Iraqi officials, U.S. officials and uniformed military of no particular rank.  So when Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) …

New Frontburner Issue in Iowa: Same-Sex Marriage  —  The Nation — Iowa will in all likelihood remain the state that opens the process of nominating the Democratic and Republican candidates for president in 2008.  As such, it is a "must visit" and "must impress" state for contenders in both parties.

Panel Will Urge Broad Overhaul of Iraqi Police  —  An independent commission established by Congress to assess Iraq's security forces will recommend remaking the 26,000-member national police force to purge it of corrupt officers and Shiite militants suspected of complicity in sectarian killings …

Budget Crunch Hits U.S. Attorneys' Offices  —  Amid Antiterror Focus,  —  Prosecutions Decline;  —  Rep. Lewis Probe Slowed  —  LOS ANGELES — Whoever succeeds Alberto Gonzales as attorney general will face a long list of challenges at the Justice Department, from unfilled senior positions to sagging morale.

Thompson gives back cash  —  Fred Thompson, facing scrutiny for stockpiling cash while he purported to be only exploring the possibility of a presidential bid, is returning some contributions to supporters.  —  Thompson, who plans to officially enter the race for the Republican nomination Thursday …

What Women Want  —  How the GOP can woo the ladies.  —  Hillary has herself.  Barack has Oprah.  John Edwards has his wife, Elizabeth.  And what secret weapon do Republican presidential candidates have to curry the all-important "women's vote"?  —  (Cue silence.)

Thinking Beyond Maliki  —  The government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has had more than 15 months to try to pacify the Sunni insurgency by offering national accords on oil-sharing, provincial elections and de-Baathification.  It has done none of these.

Reid Opens Door to Pact With Antiwar Republicans  —  LAS VEGAS — Saying the coming weeks will be "one of the last opportunities" to alter the course of the war, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said he is now willing to compromise with Republicans to find ways to limit troop deployments in Iraq.

Where Does Hsu Get The Money?  —  The mystery of Norman Hsu deepens today with a New York Times report on his collapsing cover stories.  While the Gray Lady tries to focus on the sudden retreat of Democrats from a man who has raised almost a million dollars for them, the real story comes …

More Realism, Less Spin  —  A new report from Congress's investigative arm provides a powerful fresh dose of nonpartisan realism about Iraq as President Bush tries to spin people into thinking that significant — or at least sufficient — progress is being made.

JUST READ THE HEADLINE; DON'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS  —  When Marines were accused of committing atrocities at Haditha, Mad Jack Murtha and many others rushed to convict them.  We have followed the story as those accusations have fallen apart, and one Marine after another has been exonerated.

How life returned to the streets in a showpiece city that drove out al-Qaeda  —  An American 'martyr' is being hailed in the Sunni Triangle for restoring peace to a town where soldiers now fight only water leaks  —  Watch Martin Fletcher's report from Ramadi

HHS Toned Down Breast-Feeding Ads  —  In an attempt to raise the nation's historically low rate of breast-feeding, federal health officials commissioned an attention-grabbing advertising campaign a few years ago to convince mothers that their babies faced real health risks if they did not breast-feed.

Plane carrying U.S. lawmakers fired fired upon  —  (CNN) — A U.S. military plane carrying three U.S. senators and one member of the House of Representatives came under rocket fire Thursday night and had to make evasive maneuvers as it left Baghdad for Amman, Jordan.