Maliki's Withdrawal Card  —  A year ago, the conventional Beltway wisdom had it that Iraq was a failed state.  Today, the same wisdom holds that it is less chaotic but still fragile, dependent entirely on a U.S. presence to survive.  But judging by recent comments from Nouri al-Maliki, even this view may be out of date.

Clinton, Bush Advisers Steeped in Crisis Join Forces  —  Penn and Hughes Also Have Sights Set on Comeback  —  WASHINGTON — Two hard-charging political operatives are teaming up to create a bipartisan consulting organization to advise corporations in crisis — as they work to burnish their own reputations as well.

Today's coverup of surveillance crimes and Barack Obama  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  What we learned in December, 2005 that George Bush and the telecoms were doing — listening in on the private conversations of American citizens without warrants — is a felony under clear U.S. law …