memeorandum: Anbar and the Surge — One major claim of those advocating … (Peter/It's Better Left Said)

3:35 PM ET, September 11, 2007

Top Items:

Petraeus, Crocker Face Skepticism on Drawdown — Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker went before Congress for a second day today to deliver a progress report on the war in Iraq and explain a new military plan to withdraw the 30,000 reinforcements sent there earlier this year to improve security.

Discussion: Pissed On Politics, Think Progress, INTEL DUMP, Wonkette, Taylor Marsh, The Democratic Daily, Democrats.com and The Huffington Post

McClatchy Washington Bureau:

What Crocker and Petraeus didn't say — WASHINGTON — The Bush administration's top two officials in Iraq answered questions from Congress for more than six hours on Monday, but their testimony may have been as important for what they didn't say as for what they did.

Discussion: New York Times, Slate, The Carpetbagger Report, The Heretik, Taylor Marsh, Wake up America, Real Clear Politics, Shakespeare's Sister, Prairie Weather, Crooks and Liars, Left in the West and Washington Post

Juan Cole:

Can Gen. Petraeus and Ryan Crocker Save the Next Democratic President? — Despite what the pundits will say, I fear the testimony of Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on the Hill Monday and Tuesday is not a turning point, does not give Bush breathing room, and is largely irrelevant.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and CommonDreams.org

Paul Richter / Los Angeles Times:
Bush policy to bequeath Iraq to successor

Discussion: New York Post, Washington Post, Hullabaloo, The BRAD BLOG, The Carpetbagger Report, Cato-at-liberty, Gateway Pundit, Middle Earth Journal, Prairie Weather, Liberty Street and SWJ Blog

George Will / Real Clear Politics:
By Bush's Own Standard, Surge Has Failed

Jackie Kucinich / The Hill:

Republicans introduce measure condemning MoveOn ad — House Republican leaders introduced a resolution Monday condemning a full-page newspaper ad from MoveOn.org that criticizes the character of Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Discussion: The Newshoggers, Balloon Juice, TPM Election Central, The Politico, Dick Polman's American Debate, The Carpetbagger Report, Gateway Pundit and Central Sanity

John Bresnahan / The Politico:

Miers, Bolten contempt filings delayed — House Democratic leaders have decided to postpone a vote on a criminal contempt resolution against White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers for several weeks, and possibly longer, according to top lawmakers and aides.

Discussion: The Next Hurrah, TPMmuckraker, Open Left, Democrats.com and Daily Kos

Mike Allen / The Politico: Bush weighs Olson to replace Gonzales

Norman Podhoretz / Opinion Journal:

'America the Ugly' — Six years after 9/11, it's notable how little the politics of the left have changed. — In the immediate aftermath of the attacks on us that took place on this very day six years ago, several younger commentators proclaimed the birth of an entirely new era in American history.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Commentary, Balloon Juice, alicublog, Solomonia, Townhall.com, Daily Kos and Crooked Timber

Roger L. Simon / Pajamas Media:

WORLD WAR IV WITH THE WRONG ROSIE — Pajamas Media CEO Roger L. Simon reviews Norman Podhoretz's World War IV: The Long Struggle Against Islamofascism, published on the sixth anniversary of 9/11. — Support Pajamas Media; Visit Our Advertisers — "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you."

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Townhall.com, Classical Values, Power Line, Fausta's blog and Roger L. Simon

Rasmussen Reports:

Minnesota Senate — Coleman at 46% Democrats Close Behind — Minnesota is likely to host one of the more interesting and competitive Senate races in Election 2008. — The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone poll of the race shows incumbent Senator Norm Coleman (R) attracting just 46% support …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …, TPM Election Central, Open Left, MyDD, Daily Kos and Pollster.com

Virginia Senate / Rasmussen Reports:
Democrat Warner Holds Large Lead Over Davis and Gilmore

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …, MyDD, TPM Election Central and Pollster.com

Matt / Think Progress:

Lieberman Decries 'Terrible, Partisan, Political Sniping,' Then Rocks Out With Hannity, Coulter — On Fox News this morning, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) used a moment of silence commemorating 9/11 to decry the "terrible, partisan political sniping" that he says ruined the "unity that we felt after September 11″:

Discussion: News Hounds

David Hinckley / NY Daily News:
Montgomery Gentry loves country and sings for 'Freedom'

Discussion: Think Progress, Agitprop and Brave New Films blog

Michelle Malkin:

9/11: Remembrance and resistance — Update 1:30pm Eastern. Memorial photo of the day comes from Iraq, via MNF-I: — The caption reads: — Never Forget — Task Force Marne Soldiers take time on the sixth anniversary of the attacks Sept. 11, 2001, for a remembrance ceremony at the Task Force Marne Headquarters.

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, UPI, GINA COBB, Pajamas Media, Washington Times, baldilocks, Wake up America, USA Today, The Mahablog, The Moderate Voice, La Shawn Barber's Corner, The Anchoress, Riehl World View, Israel Matzav, Right Wing Nut House, The Peking Duck, Balloon Juice and Sadly, No!

Johnny Dollar / Olbermann Watch:

Keith Olbermann Admits He Is Un-American! — And reprehensible too. Don't blame us...it's his words:

Discussion: protein wisdom, The Radio Equalizer and Hot Air

Peter Garnham / Financial Times:

Dollar hits fresh 15-year low — The dollar fell to a fresh 15-year low against a basket of currencies on Tuesday as the greenback continued to suffer from the prospect of a cut in US interest rates. — Expectations that the Federal Reserve would move to lower interest rates at its meeting …

Discussion: Donklephant

Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:

Quote for the Day — "The Vietnam experience left the military leadership feeling that they should advise against involvement in counterinsurgencies unless specific, perhaps unlikely, circumstances obtain — i.e. domestic public support, the promise of a quick campaign …

Larisa Alexandrovna / The Huffington Post:

Paging Americans: Where the hell are you? — At what point does police brutality against an African American minister inside the halls of Congress become news and inspire a call to action? Is it after 8 police officers take him down for standing in line waiting to see members of Congress?