McCain seems confused about al Qaeda again, suggests it's a 'sect of Shi'ites.'  —  During today's hearing with Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) questioned Petraeus on what he called “the major threat” of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Obama Catching Up With Clinton In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; She's Losing Ground Even Among Women  —  Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is catching up with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary and now trails 50 - 44 percent among likely primary voters …

Congress To Hear Of Gains In Iraq  —  Petraeus, Crocker To Face Impatient Lawmakers  —  In a reprise of their testimony last September, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker plan to tell Congress today and tomorrow that security has improved in Iraq and that the government …

Surprising Political Endorsements By U.S. Troops  —  American Soldiers Speak Out About Their Presidential Endorsements  —  ABC's Martha Raddatz asked American soldiers in Iraq what issues are most important to them when looking at the presidential candidates.

4 US Troops Killed; Hundreds Flee Baghdad Clashes; Ayatollahs Decline to Ban Militia  —  4 US Troops Killed;  —  Hundreds Flee Baghdad Clashes;  —  Ayatollahs Decline to Ban Militia  —  I am always astounded at the combination of unrealistic optimism and foolish gullibility …

Rush & Molloy: Bio - McCain swore oath at wife  —  Sen. John McCain's defenders are blasting a new biography that claims the White House hopeful once hurled the most vile of epithets at his wife, Cindy.  —  Democratic strategist Cliff Schecter claims in “The Real McCain” …

The 10 Pieces of U.S. Infrastructure We Must Fix Now  —  No one can predict what bridge, levee or water main will fail next.  But some problems are widely known, and work is long overdue.  As PM's new special report makes blatantly clear, we need to begin rebuilding the nation's infrastructure somewhere.

LIBERALS AND THE SH*TPILE.  —  It's got to be a scary moment if you're a conservative.  The economy is in a meltdown that can be directly traced to insufficient regulation.  In other words, it's in meltdown because you suck at running it, and refused to listen to warnings that subprime loans required …

Jay defends endorsement of Sen. Obama  —  Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., defended his decision to make an endorsement in the race for president during an interview with Gazette editors on Monday.  —  Rockefeller said some have criticized him for endorsing Sen. Barack Obama before the West Virginia primary in May.

Builders of Nations  —  “This is my hardest deployment,” Marine Sergeant Cooley said as he unfastened his helmet and tossed it onto his bed.  “We weren't trained for this kind of thing.”  He's been shot at with bullets and mortars, and he's endured IED attacks on his Humvee …

Secret US plan for military future in Iraq  —  A confidential draft agreement covering the future of US forces in Iraq, passed to the Guardian, shows that provision is being made for an open-ended military presence in the country.  —  The draft strategic framework agreement between the US …

FBI Data Transfers Via Telecoms Questioned  —  When FBI investigators probing New York prostitution rings, Boston organized crime or potential terrorist plots anywhere want access to a suspect's telephone contacts, technicians at a telecommunications carrier served with a government order can …

A Tale of Three Lawyers  —  On Thursday in the National Press Club in Washington, a crowd gathered to witness the presentation of the Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling to Lieutenant Commander Matthew Diaz.  The story of Matthew Diaz was chronicled in this space repeatedly (also here and here).