Two of Seven Soldiers Who Wrote 'NYT' Op-Ed Die in Iraq  —  NEW YORK The Op-Ed by seven active duty U.S. soldiers in Iraq questioning the war drew international attention just three weeks ago.  Now two of the seven are dead.  —  Sgt. Omar Mora and Sgt. Yance Gray died Monday in a vehicle accident …

'60s Figure Says He Financed Donor Hsu  —  Where did Norman Hsu get his money?  —  That has been one of the big questions hanging over the prominent Democratic fund-raiser, as reports have surfaced about hundreds of thousands of dollars he made in political donations, plus lavish parties …

High School Bans American Flag  —  SAMPSON COUNTY, N.C. - On the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, students at one high school were not allowed to wear clothes with an American Flag.  —  Under a new school rule, students at Hobbton High School are not allowed to wear items with flags …

Report: Israel spots nuclear installations in Syria  —  Washington official says Israeli surveillance shows possible Syrian nuclear installation stocked by North Korea, Israeli Arab newspaper claims target of alleged raid last week was Syrian missile base financed by Iran

The Assault on Petraeus  —  There is a long American tradition of savaging failed generals, from George McClellan to William Westmoreland.  It is a more novel tactic to attack a successful one.  Sen. Dick Durbin accuses Gen. David Petraeus of "carefully manipulating the statistics."

Thompson Says He's No Churchgoer, Won't Tout Religion on Stump  —  Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) — Republican presidential contender Fred Thompson, who has based his campaign on appealing to conservative voters, said he isn't a regular churchgoer and doesn't plan to speak about his religion on the stump.

(Updated) Petraeus Shouldn't Know if Iraq Makes Us Safer  —  Lefty blogs are making a huge deal of the fact that Petraeus didn't have an opinion on the wisdom of fighting a war in Iraq.  Here, from DailyKos: … And here's Andrew Sullivan: … But the key point for these folks prior …

Freedom Fetishists  —  The cultural contradictions of libertarianism.  —  More than perhaps any other American political group, libertarians have suffered the blows of caricature.  For many people, the term evokes an image of a scraggly misfit living in the woods with his gun collection …

Led Zeppelin confirm reunion gig  —  Rock group Led Zeppelin are to reform for a tribute concert to the Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun.  —  Singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones will perform together for the first time in 19 years.

Poll: Bin Laden tops Musharraf in Pakistan  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf — a key U.S. ally — is less popular in his own country than al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to a poll of Pakistanis conducted last month by an anti-terrorism organization.

Oil hits record $80 on tight supply  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Crude oil prices vaulted to a record high $80 a barrel on Wednesday as dealers focused on tight inventories in top consumer the United States ahead of peak winter demand.  —  A rash of fires at BP's oil fields in Alaska's North Slope added …

TERROR FIGHTIN' HILLARY....I've been actively avoiding most poll blogging until now, but with the Iowa caucuses a mere four months away it's probably time to start paying attention.  Today's LA Times poll confirmed a couple of obvious things (Hillary's ahead everywhere and Dodd, Gravel …

Just in: Justice Thomas to go on 60 Minutes  —  Legal Times has confirmed that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has agreed to be interviewed by the CBS News show 60 Minutes later this month to kick off promotion of his new autobiography, set for publication October 1.

Russia tests 'dad of all bombs'  —  MOSCOW, Russia (AP) — The Russian military has successfully tested what it described as the world's most powerful non-nuclear air-delivered bomb, Russia's state television reported Tuesday.  —  It was the latest show of Russia's military muscle amid chilly relations with the United States.

Woolsey calls for attacks on colleagues  —  Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) is encouraging anti-war activists to find challengers to centrist Democrats, with the aim of moving the party to the left and ramping up opposition to the war in Iraq, to the chagrin of top Democratic aides.

Global Swarming  —  IS IT TIME FOR AMERICANS TO START CUTTING OUR BABY EMISSIONS?  —  Oh, if we all just disappeared.  According to The World Without Us, Alan Weisman's strangely comforting vision of human annihilation, the Earth would be a lot better off.