Top Items:
Post / Washington Post:
Among Top Officials, 'Surge' Has Sparked Dissent, Infighting — For two hours, President Bush listened to contrasting visions of the U.S. future in Iraq. Gen. David H. Petraeus dominated the conversation by video link from Baghdad, making the case to keep as many troops as long as possible to cement any security progress.
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Washington Post:
Wide Skepticism Ahead of Assessment — Poll Respondents Doubt Petraeus Will Give True Picture of Situation in Iraq — Most Americans think this week's report from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus will exaggerate progress in Iraq, and few expect it to result in a major shift in President Bush's policy.
Washington Post:
12/13 NET — Increased NET Right away End of year Middle next year Later DK the same op. 9/7/07 12 58 36 16 4 2 1 27 3 — 14. Do you support or oppose legislation that would set a deadline for withdrawing U.S. combat forces from Iraq by next spring? — Support Oppose No opinion
New York Times:
Hiding Behind the General — The military commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is to deliver a report to Congress on Monday that could be the most consequential testimony by a wartime commander in more than a generation. What the country desperately needs is an honest assessment of the war …
Discussion:
Jules Crittenden, Middle Earth Journal, SWJ Blog, The Mahablog, The Democratic Daily, Prairie Weather and Associated Press
Michael Abramowitz / Washington Post:
Bush Moves to Put Himself in a Position For Troop Drawdown — Reduced U.S. Presence in Iraq Is Hinted At — As he prepares to provide Congress and the nation a progress report on Iraq this week, President Bush has sought to reframe the domestic political battle over the war …
Discussion:
Prairie Weather
Mike McIntire / New York Times:
Shadowy Money Trail of a Fugitive Fund-Raiser — At the center of the ever-deepening mystery of Norman Hsu, the fugitive fund-raiser who was captured after a brief flight from the law last week, is the question of how he evolved from a bankrupt swindler in 1992 to a wealthy donor …
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, Hot Air, Beltway Blogroll, TalkLeft, A Blog For All and Suitably Flip
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Richard Munday / Times of London:
Wouldn't you feel safer with a gun? — British attitudes are supercilious and misguided — Despite the recent spate of shootings on our streets, we pride ourselves on our strict gun laws. Every time an American gunman goes on a killing spree, we shake our heads in righteous disbelief at our poor benighted colonial cousins.
Joe Malchow / Joe's Dartblog:
IN WAKE OF LOST ELECTIONS, DARTMOUTH'S BOARD, PRESIDENT, FORCE OVERHAUL OF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE; DEBAUCH DEMOCRATIC ELEMENT — After four victories for pro-oversight candidates and a rejected constitutional proposal to change the election process, elected Trusteeships capped and unelected Trusteeships expanded by eight seats;
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Deacon / Power Line:
THE FIRST SHOE DROPS AT DARTMOUTH — We've been warning for some time that, in response to the election to the Board of Trustees of independent alumni rather than those who toe the administration line, Dartmouth would, in effect, pull the plug on the democratic system of governance that's been in place since 1891.
Discussion:
Roger L. Simon
Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Tonight, the 2008 debate plays out in Spanish — For Americans who came to this country speaking Spanish, the prospect of viewing an American presidential debate in Spanish may have seemed like a dream. — That dream comes true tonight, when the nation's Hispanic voters …
Discussion:
The Politico
Pajamas Media:
EUROPE TURNS RIGHT — PJM Groningen: Make no mistake: newly-elected conservative European leaders did not win their elections because they are pro-American, they won despite it, says PJM correspondent Michael van der Galien. — Support Pajamas Media; Visit Our Advertisers — By Michael van der Galien
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
Washington Post:
Gore Endorsement — Potent but Not Foolproof — Former vice president Al Gore's pronouncement that he is likely to endorse one of the Democratic candidates for president before the primary season is over has set off a slew of speculation about who his choice might be.
Discussion:
Liberal Values
Ali Waked / Ynetnews:
Report: IDF kidnaps senior Hamas official — Palestinians report Israeli troops disguised as members of Hamas' security force kidnapped Muhawesh al-Kadi, senior member of group's military wing in Rafah. Sources say man involved in abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit
The Atlantic Online:
Looting Then And Now — I was interested to see Charles Krauthammer concede today that important "strategic errors" were made in Iraq, "most important, eschewing a heavy footprint, not forcibly suppressing the early looting and letting Moqtada al-Sadr escape with his life in August 2004."