Top Items:
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
Experts Doubt Drop In Violence in Iraq — Military Statistics Called Into Question — The U.S. military's claim that violence has decreased sharply in Iraq in recent months has come under scrutiny from many experts within and outside the government, who contend that some of the underlying statistics …
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Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Democrats Newly Willing to Compromise on Iraq — With a mixed picture emerging about progress in Iraq, Senate Democratic leaders are showing a new openness to compromise as they try to attract Republican support for forcing at least modest troop withdrawals in the coming months.
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
Jones Report: Iraqi Security Forces Not Ready — Logistical Self-Sufficiency Is at Least Two Years Away — Iraq's Interior Ministry is "dysfunctional," filled with sectarianism and corruption, according to an independent assessment of the Iraqi security forces to be published tomorrow.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, PoliBlog (TM), Daily Kos, TIME: Swampland, Outside The Beltway, The Next Hurrah, The Reaction, Liberty Street, Hot Air, RADAMISTO, unbossed.com, Prairie Weather, Truthdig, Hullabaloo and CNN
Susan Saulny / New York Times:
Thompson Declares His Candidacy for President — After months of false starts, staff shake-ups, and questions about the seriousness of his intention to run for president, Fred Thompson rolled out his presidential candidacy this evening with a two-pronged, guerrilla-style entry into the race …
Discussion:
Fox News, Captain's Quarters, Comments From Left Field, Macsmind, TIME, Los Angeles Times, The Politico, The Moderate Voice, Right Wing Nut House, MSNBC, Forbes, Associated Press, Tennessee Guerilla Women, The Democratic Daily, CNN Political Ticker, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Washington Times, PoliBlog (TM), Right Wing News, National Review, Flopping Aces, Gateway Pundit, Fred File, Shakespeare's Sister, The Swamp, QandO, Take Our Country Back and Wake up America
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Open thread: Fred announces on Leno; Update: Web announcement video now live; Update: Leno announcement video added — Late night for the big A. If you're staying up for it, feel free to sound off. If you just can't be bothered, Geraghty has a sneak peek at the transcript.
Discussion:
Roger L. Simon, Instapundit.com, Infidels Are Cool, Biased BBC, IMAO, Riehl World View, Washington Times and Stop The ACLU
National Review:
Fred Thompson on Jay Leno: "I'm running for President of the United States."
Fred Thompson on Jay Leno: "I'm running for President of the United States."
Discussion:
Reason Magazine, The Politico, Althouse, michellemalkin.com, MoJoBlog, Crooks and Liars, Sister Toldjah, Instapundit.com and Captain's Quarters
Washington Post:
Fred Thompson Makes A Late-Night Late Entry
Fred Thompson Makes A Late-Night Late Entry
Discussion:
MSNBC, Associated Press, Fausta's blog, New York Post, The Carpetbagger Report, Democratic National Committee and Redstate
CNN:
Tenor Luciano Pavarotti dead at 71 — (CNN) — Famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who appeared on stage with singers as varied as opera star Dame Joan Sutherland, U2's Bono and Liza Minnelli, died Thursday in Italy after suffering from pancreatic cancer, manager Terri Robson said in a statement.
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Jerusalem Post:
Syria: Air defenses fired at Israeli aircraft over our airspace — Syrian air defenses opened fire on IAF aircraft that violated Syrian airspace overnight Thursday, a Syrian military spokesman said. — "We warn the Israeli enemy government against this flagrant aggressive act …
Discussion:
The Corner, Captain's Quarters, Haaretz, Associated Press, Israel Matzav and Gateway Pundit
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Khaled Yacoub Oweis / Reuters:
Syria says Israeli jets bomb territory
Syria says Israeli jets bomb territory
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
L. Paul Bremer III / New York Times:
How I Didn't Dismantle Iraq's Army — "The Iraqi Army of the future cannot be an extension of the present army, which has been made into a tool of dictatorship." — Report by the Department of State's Future of Iraq Project, May 2002 — IT has become conventional wisdom that the decision …
New York Sun:
Petraeus for President? — "Senators and distinguished guests, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to testify in respect of progress in the Battle of Iraq. Before I do however, there are a few things I'd like to get off of my chest. Although your house of Congress confirmed …
Sidney Blumenthal / Salon:
Bush knew Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction — Salon exclusive: Two former CIA officers say the president squelched top-secret intelligence, and a briefing by George Tenet, months before invading Iraq. — (Clockwise from top left) Naji Sabri, George W. Bush, Colin Powell and George Tenet.
Squawkbox.tv / riverbendblog.blogspot.com:
Baghdad Burning — ... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend... Leaving Home... Two months ago, the suitcases were packed. My lone, large suitcase sat in my bedroom for nearly six weeks, so full of clothes and personal items, that it took me …
S.A. Miller / Washington Times:
Dems already dismissing Iraq war report — Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, talked with reporters yesterday in Washington. "We know what is going to be in it," he said of the Iraq war report next week. "I expect the Bush report to say, 'The surge is working.
David S. Broder / Washington Post:
The Making of the Front-Runner — As the serious stage of the presidential campaign begins this fall, Hillary Rodham Clinton has clearly established herself in the lead of the race for the Democratic nomination. That makes her the most worthy subject for examination among all the White House prospects.
Spencer S. Hsu / Washington Post:
GAO Criticizes Homeland Security's Efforts to Fulfill Its Mission — Hobbled by inadequate funding, unclear priorities, continuing reorganizations and the absence of an overarching strategy, the U.S. Homeland Security Department is failing to achieve its mission of preventing and responding …