Middle East Volcano  —  On Sept. 6, something important happened in northern Syria.  Problem is, no one knows exactly what.  Except for those few who were involved, and they're not saying.  —  We do know that Israel carried out an airstrike.  How do we know it was important?

How George Bush became the new Saddam  —  COVER STORY: Its strategies shattered, a desperate Washington is reaching out to the late dictator's henchmen.  —  It was embarrassing putting my flak jacket on backwards and sideways, but in the darkness of the Baghdad airport car park I couldn't see anything.

Senate Approves Resolution Denouncing MoveOn.org Ad  —  The Senate approved a resolution on Thursday denouncing the liberal antiwar group MoveOn.org over an advertisement that questioned the credibility of Gen. David H. Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq.

Sheikdom shakedown: Dubai moves on Nasdaq  —  Arab ownership of U.S. stock exchange raises flag in Congress  —  In a complex set of transactions, Dubai is moving to acquire 19.9 percent of the Nasdaq in New York, placing the Arab government in an ownership position of the key U.S. stock exchange and raising concerns in Congress.

Do Not Call listings to expire in 2008  —  WASHINGTON - The cherished dinner hour void of telemarketers could vanish next year for millions of people when phone numbers begin dropping off the national Do Not Call list.  —  The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees the list, says there is a simple fix.

Is This the Wile E. Coyote Moment?  —  Lots of buzz suddenly about the possibility of a sharp fall in the dollar.  The Canadian dollar is back at parity with the greenback; there are rumors that the Saudis are planning to diversify into euros, and maybe even that the Chinese might break the dollar peg.

Hillary Clinton: I'm not a lesbian  —  Hillary Clinton officially declared she's not a lesbian - not that there's anything wrong with that.  —  During an interview with The Advocate to be published next week, Sean Kennedy, the gay magazine's news and features editor, asked the presidential candidate …

Ahmadinejad: How Is WTC Visit Insulting?  —  60 Minutes Exclusive: Iranian President On Failed Request To Pay Tribute At Ground Zero  —  (CBS/AP) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not press his plan — just denied by New York City police for security reasons …

Guards' Shots Not Provoked, Iraq Concludes  —  Iraq's Ministry of Interior has concluded that employees of a private American security firm fired an unprovoked barrage in the shooting last Sunday in which at least eight Iraqis were killed and is proposing a radical reshaping of the way American diplomats …

Cheney's Next War  —  The Bush administration has still more work to do in screwing up the Middle East and fomenting terrorism and Jihadism.  Noah Schachtman notes the following developments in Anbar: … It makes sense if we are girding for a war with Iran.

The Wages of Obstruction  —  Via Chris Bowers this curious Gallup poll result on rising congressional approval — a phenomenon driven almost entirely by Republicans.  The partisan breakout on congressional approval here is crucial to understanding the low ratings the congress gets.

82 killed in Afghanistan violence  —  KABUL, Afghanistan - A bomb attack Friday against a convoy of French troops killed one soldier and injured many Afghans near the blast, while heavy fighting in southern Afghanistan killed about 75 Taliban fighters and six civilians, officials said.

$6 Billion in Contracts Reviewed, Pentagon Says  —  Military officials said Thursday that contracts worth $6 billion to provide essential supplies to American troops in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan — including food, water and shelter — were under review by criminal investigators …