Top Items:
Beth Fouhy / Associated Press:
Dems can't make guarantee on Iraq troops — HANOVER, N.H. - The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013. — "I think it's hard to project four years from now …
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Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
How Petraeus Moved The Debate, Literally — How far has General David Petraeus moved the debate on Iraq? His testimony on the surge, and the effects of the surge itself, has made it much more difficult for Democrats to argue for withdrawal and defeat. In fact, at last night's debate …
Discussion:
Conservative Belle
Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Democrats don't vow full Iraq withdrawal by 2013 — The enormity of the military conflict in Iraq was spelled out in the simplest of all admissions tonight: — Among all of the leading Democratic candidates for president, none was willing to commit to a promise in a campaign debate …
New York Times:
Shootings by Blackwater Exceed Other Firms in Iraq — The American security contractor Blackwater USA has been involved in a far higher rate of shootings while guarding American diplomats in Iraq than other security firms providing similar services to the State Department …
Discussion:
The Swamp, The Moderate Voice, All Spin Zone, The Monkey Tennis Centre, abu muqawama and Rook's Rant
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Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Verizon Rejects Messages of Abortion Rights Group — Saying it had the right to block "controversial or unsavory" text messages, Verizon Wireless has rejected a request from Naral Pro-Choice America, the abortion rights group, to make Verizon's mobile network available for a text-message program.
Associated Press:
Myanmar soldiers fire weapons into crowd — YANGON, Myanmar - Soldiers fired automatic weapons into a crowd of anti-government protesters Thursday as tens of thousands defied the ruling military junta's crackdown with a 10th straight day of demonstrations. — A Japanese Foreign Ministry …
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William McCall / Associated Press:
2 Patriot Act Provisions Ruled Unlawful — PORTLAND, Ore. — Two provisions of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional because they allow search warrants to be issued without a showing of probable cause, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. — U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken ruled …
Dmitry Solovyov / Reuters:
Gorbachev warns Russians against rise of Stalinism — MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev warned Russians on Wednesday of the risk of a rebirth of Stalinism, saying their country was in danger of forgetting its tragic past. — "We should remember those who suffered …
Avni Patel Reports / The Blotter:
House Republicans in the Red, Numbers Show — Avni Patel Reports: — A crucial GOP fundraising committee is nearly broke, according to its latest monthly filing with the Federal Election Committee last week. — The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) …
The Corner:
Blowing smoke — Okay, Muslim foot-baths in Kansas City airport, gender-segregated swimming sessions at French municipal pools, banning pork from Aussie hospital menus, no eating donuts for Belgian cops during Ramadan, no seeing-eye dogs or alcohol in Minneapolis taxi cabs, fine, fine, fine.
H. Josef Hebert / Associated Press:
Plan Uses Taxes to Fight Climate Change — WASHINGTON — Dealing with global warming will be painful, says one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress. To back up his claim he is proposing a recipe many people won't like _ a 50-cent gasoline tax, a carbon tax and scaling back tax breaks for some home owners.
Reuters:
"Childrens do learn," Bush tells school kids — NEW YORK (Reuters) - Offering a grammar lesson guaranteed to make any English teacher cringe, President George W. Bush told a group of New York school kids on Wednesday: "Childrens do learn." — Bush made his latest grammatical slip …
Daniel Ellsberg / Consortiumnews.com:
'A Coup Has Occurred' — September 26, 2007 (Text of a speech delivered September 20, 2007) — Below is an edited transcript of Ellsberg's remarkable speech: — I think nothing has higher priority than averting an attack on Iran, which I think will be accompanied by a further change …
Andrew Taylor / Associated Press:
House Condemns MoveOn.org Attack — The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org for a recent advertisement attacking the top U.S. general in Iraq. — By a 341-79 vote, the House passed a resolution praising the patriotism Gen. David Petraeus …
Paula Wolfson / Voice of America:
US First Lady Appeals to Burmese Junta: 'Don't Fire on Your People' — U.S. first lady Laura Bush is urging the Burmese military government to show restraint and refrain from further violence against pro-democracy protesters. In an interview with White House correspondent Paula Wolfson …