Top Items:
George F. Will / Washington Post:
A War Still Seeking a Mission — Before Gen. David Petraeus's report, and to give it a context of optimism, the president visited Iraq's Anbar province to underscore the success of the surge in making some hitherto anarchic areas less so. More significant, however, was that the president did not visit Baghdad.
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Washington Post:
The General's Long View Could Cut Withdrawal Debate Short — If Gen. David H. Petraeus has his way, tens of thousands of U.S. troops will be in Iraq for years to come. — Iraq's armed forces are improving, Petraeus told Congress yesterday. Overall violence is down.
Fred Kaplan / Slate:
The House Tosses Softballs to Gen. Petraeus — SIX HOURS OF LARGELY PREDICTABLE, PRO FORMA TESTIMONY. — Maybe Tuesday will be Congress' good news day. — Monday was mainly a disgrace. Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker made their eagerly awaited appearances …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, New York Times, The Carpetbagger Report, Washington Post, All Spin Zone, Obsidian Wings, Think Progress and Hot Air
New York Times:
Empty Calories — For months, President Bush has been promising an honest accounting of the situation in Iraq, a fresh look at the war strategy and a new plan for how to extricate the United States from the death spiral of the Iraqi civil war. The nation got none of that yesterday …
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.
Paul Richter / Los Angeles Times:
Bush policy to bequeath Iraq to successor
Bush policy to bequeath Iraq to successor
Discussion:
Washington Post
Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
No More Flack for Iraq
No More Flack for Iraq
Discussion:
Think Progress, Lawyers, Guns and Money, The Sideshow, TalkLeft, Beautiful Horizons, Eschaton, Salon, Open Left and DownWithTyranny!
ABCNEWS:
MoveOn.org Ad Takes Aim at Petraeus — Ad From Liberal Activist Group Takes on Petraeus and the GOP Finds a New Talking Point — A newspaper ad from the anti-war group MoveOn.org that attacks Gen. David Petraeus has prompted a Republican outcry in Washington, D.C., as supporters …
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CNN Political Ticker:
Thompson calls on Democrats to return MoveOn.org donations
Thompson calls on Democrats to return MoveOn.org donations
Discussion:
Redstate, Betsy's Page, TBogg, Blue Crab Boulevard, Riehl World View, Say Anything and Wake up America
Lara Jakes Jordan / Associated Press:
Clinton to return $850,000 raised by Hsu — WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign said Monday it will return $850,000 in donations raised by Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, who is under federal investigation for allegedly violating election laws.
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Flip / Suitably Flip:
Hillary's Massive Hsu War Chest: Abramoff Parity Nears
Hillary's Massive Hsu War Chest: Abramoff Parity Nears
Discussion:
The Politico
Michael D. Shear / Washington Post:
Romney Adviser Linked to Anti-Thompson Internet Site — A top adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney appears to be behind the launch of a new Web site attacking GOP presidential rival Fred D. Thompson during his first week on the trail. — The site, PhoneyFred.org …
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The Washington Post / The Trail:
Anti-Thompson Site Connects to Romney Camp — A top adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney appears to be behind today's launch of a new Web site attacking GOP presidential rival Fred Thompson. — The site, www.phoneyfred.org, paints an unflattering picture of Thompson …
Discussion:
The Politico, The Caucus, Talking Points Memo, Captain's Quarters, DownWithTyranny!, race42008.com, eyeon08.com and The American Mind
David Charter / Times of London:
Young Muslims begin dangerous fight for the right to abandon faith — A group of young Muslim apostates launches a campaign today, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America, to make it easier to renounce Islam. — The provocative move reflects a growing rift between traditionalists …
Discussion:
michellemalkin.com
Baron Bodissey / Gates of Vienna:
Arrests in Brussels — Note: The earliest reports are at the bottom of this post. — I haven't been able to find any news of this on the web in English, but our Swedish correspondent SD just sent his amended machine translation of an item from Brussel Nieuws (further amendations by me):
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Fred completes overhaul, campaign goes 'corporate' — Fred Thompson has put the finishing touches on a six-week staff sweep that has transformed his campaign from a guerrilla-tactics style insurgency into more of a "corporate" machine that will follow a traditional playbook.
USA Today:
Colin Powell: Terrorists are not greatest threat to nation — In an interview with GQ magazine that's scheduled to be put online here at 11 a.m. ET, former secretary of State and one-time potential presidential candidate Colin Powell has this to say about terrorism and the threat it poses to the USA: