Clinton campaign wants Texas to postpone party conventions  —  As final results from the Texas Democratic caucus remain unknown, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign wants signatures from the March 4 contest verified before party conventions are held around the state later this month.

Obama's gains  —  A pretty stunning gain out of Iowa for Obama, where an Iowa Democratic official confirmed to me just now that the county convention results will translate into a 25-14-6 edge for Obama over Clinton and Edwards.  —  That's a gain of nine for the Illinois senator …

For Democrats, Increased Fears of a Long Fight  —  WASHINGTON — Lacking a clear route to the selection of a Democratic presidential nominee, the party's uncommitted superdelegates say they are growing increasingly concerned about the risks of a prolonged fight between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton …

Iraq Insurgency Runs on Stolen Oil Profits  —  BAIJI, Iraq — The Baiji refinery, with its distillation towers rising against the Hamrin Mountains, may be the most important industrial site in the Sunni Arab-dominated regions of Iraq.  On a good day, 500 tanker trucks will leave the refinery filled …

Obama, Clinton brace for three-month deadlock  —  The Democratic race has entered its World War I phase, a bloody fight between two adversaries making only the most incremental of gains.  And there is no reason to think either side will emerge from the trenches anytime soon.

The Intelligence Cover-Up  —  For more than two years now, Congress, the news media, current and former national security officials, think tanks and academic institutions have been engaged in a profound debate over how to modernize the law governing electronic spying to keep pace with technology.

McCain makes unannounced trip to Iraq  —  BAGHDAD - Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for president who has linked his political future to U.S. success in Iraq, was in Baghdad on Sunday for meetings with Iraqi and U.S. diplomatic and military officials, a U.S. government official said.

A Novel Take on an Ending  —  Back when I was teaching fiction writing, I used to pitch my students, especially the beginners, on complexity.  They seemed to think that readers would be attracted to their characters' virtue and would recognize shared humanity in their strength and courage …

Republicans See Storm Clouds Gathering  —  Week of Bad News Highlights Difficult Challenges for GOP in Fall Elections  —  While all eyes were on the presidential campaign and the demise of New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer (D) last week, Republicans on Capitol Hill were suffering a run of bad news …

Four Five Years In  —  [Republished from last year at this time.]  —  Five years in.  An inch of time.  Five years in and the foolish and credulous among us yearn to get out.  Their feelings require it.  The power of their Holy Gospel of “Imagine” compels them.

Germany's First Suicide Bomber in Afghanistan?  —  A young German-born Turk could possibly have carried out an attack in Afghanistan that killed two US soldiers.  The Islamic Jihad Union claims 28-year-old Cüneyt C. from Bavaria was responsible for the March 3 attack …