Envoy's Letter Counters Bush on Dismantling of Iraq Army  —  A previously undisclosed exchange of letters shows that President Bush was told in advance by his top Iraq envoy in May 2003 of a plan to "dissolve Saddam's military and intelligence structures," a plan that the envoy, L. Paul Bremer …

Conscience of a Conservative  —  In the fall of 2003, Jack L. Goldsmith was widely considered one of the brightest stars in the conservative legal firmament.  A 40-year-old law professor at the University of Chicago, Goldsmith had established himself, with his friend and fellow law professor John Yoo …

Weighing the 'Surge'  —  The U.S. War in Iraq Hinges on the Counterinsurgency Strategy Of Gen. Petraeus.  The Results Have Been Tenuous.  —  BAGHDAD — Nearly every week, American generals and politicians visit Combat Outpost Gator, nestled behind a towering blast wall in the Dora market.

Bundlers Behaving Badly  —  Norman Hsu and the case for sunshine in fundraising  —  THE STORY of Norman Hsu offers a compelling demonstration of why it is so important for presidential candidates to reveal the names of their major fundraisers — and why the existing system of voluntary …

Why Liberals Are Turning on Ted Kennedy  —  Once upon a time, Ted Kennedy could count on his daily dose of veneration.  The right wing hated the Massachusetts Democrat, but progressives honored him as a defender of old-school liberalism.  —  In a remarkable turnaround, liberals are now heaping scorn on the 73-year-old senator.

IS CHENEY ABOUT TO BLOW UP THE BAY BRIDGE?  —  Having been a 911 truth activist for 5 years, I have serious suspicions about  —  the Bay Bridge being closed for entire 4 days.  —  There has been a lot of threats of terrorist attacks coming form the government.  —  Looks like they are preparing the public.

The Tide Is Turning in Iraq  —  The initial concept of the "surge" strategy in Iraq was to secure Baghdad and its immediate environs, which is why its proper name was the "Baghdad Security Plan."  But as President Bush pointed out during his surprise trip to Iraq, operations and events …

Troop buildup fails to reconcile Iraq  —  POSITIVE NOTE: "There are if you will, mini-benchmarks where things are happening," said U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, pictured with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, right.  Crocker cited Anbar province, where violence has decreased substantially.

Bad news just keeps on coming for the Grim Old Party  —  During the summer, a female acquaintance of mine in her 70s who had been a faithful Republican was solicited by a GOP cold caller as a previous contributor to the party.  Not this time.  She informed the fund-raiser that President Bush's position …

Your Moment Of Schadenfreude For Today: Bush-Mocking Journalist Piers Morgan Gets His  —  He delighted in mocking the President for falling off his Segway, even going so far as to ask Bush if he felt "only an idiot" could fall off one, but when he tries it himself...  "Only an idiot," indeed.

Chinese military hacked into Pentagon  —  By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Richard McGregor in Beijing  —  The Chinese military hacked into a Pentagon computer network in June in the most successful cyber attack on the US defence department, say American ­officials.

Defense for Islamic Charity To Call Witnesses  —  Defense lawyers are scheduled to begin calling witnesses today on behalf of five leaders of an Islamic charity that prosecutors charge was a front for a Palestinian Arab terrorist group, Hamas.  —  The opening of the defense in the case …

After the Purge of Larry Craig: Who's Next?  —  The speed — and brute force — with which the Republican Party purged the newly-revealed bathroom sex troller among them is pretty astounding.  The New York Times reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell forced Larry Craig's resignation …

In the Age of Terror, Isn't Busting Toe-Tappers an Insane Use of Our Law Enforcement Resources?  —  In the consensus judgment of America's 16 intelligence agencies, the terrorist threat to our homeland is "persistent and evolving," placing our country in "a heightened threat environment."

Opposition slams government for not dealing with sensitive issues  —  The opposition yesterday leveled criticism at the government's program read out by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan last week.  —  The parties said the program was not carefully prepared and neglected many sensitive issues like terrorism and northern Iraq.

The Wrong Answer in Connecticut  —  Three members of a prominent Cheshire, Conn., family were slain in their home in July after being held hostage for hours.  The gruesome murders, and the arrests of two career criminals out on parole for the crime, have left Connecticut residents justifiably outraged.

David Cameron 'is trashing Thatcher legacy'  —  A Tory grandee will unveil an alternative manifesto today to recapture the "soul" of the Conservative Party in a move that threatens to undermine David Cameron's leadership.  —  Michael Ancram, a former deputy leader of the party …