Chas Freeman and 9/11  —  How important has resentment of Israel been to Al Qaeda's terrorism?  Here is one side of the argument, by an American who knows Saudi Arabia well: … And here is the opposing view, by an American who knows the Kingdom equally well: … So now you've heard two sides of the debate.

Great news: Obama fumbled Brown visit because he's in over his head  —  After insulting Gordon Brown during the British prime minister's visit this week by ignoring protocol and cheaping out on the traditional gift exchange, the UK media has erupted in outrage.

Obama Ponders Outreach to Elements of the Taliban  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama declared in an interview that the United States was not winning the war in Afghanistan and opened the door to a reconciliation process in which the American military would reach out to elements of the Taliban, much as it did with Sunni militias in Iraq.

George W. Obama?  —  Washington has spent the past couple of weeks debating whether Barack Obama's ambitious agenda and political strategy are more comparable to those of Franklin Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan.  Oddly, hardly anyone is talking about the ways in which Obama is beginning to resemble the man who just vacated the White House.

Specter faces make-or-break shift as challenge looms  —  Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) does not have the fall-back option of running as an independent should he lose his 2010 primary election, giving the senior lawmaker strong incentive to abandon his party this year.

Honeymoon In Hell  —  Amid all the gloom, Obama gets high marks in the latest NEWSWEEK poll, with the GOP in the doghouse.  —  Despite the tumbling economy, Barack Obama continues to enjoy a honeymoon with the American public in the face of the most trying crisis any newly inaugurated president …

Hillary Clinton left red-faced by Moscow gift translation gaffe  —  Russian media have been poking fun at the US secretary of state over a translation error on a gift she presented to her Russian counterpart.  —  Hillary Clinton gave Sergei Lavrov a mock “reset” button, symbolising US hopes to mend frayed ties with Moscow.

Stark's hottest job: Janitor  —  Lack of work.  —  How hungry are people for work in today's sinking economy?  —  Nearly 700 people have applied for a single job as a school custodian.  —  Perry Local Schools have an open position — full time with benefits — at Edison Junior High School after its afternoon janitor retired.

Preventing a judicial ruling on the power to imprison without charges  —  After being held in captivity as an accused “enemy combatant” by the U.S. Government for more than five years without charges or a trial of any kind, Ali Al-Marri — who was a legal resident in the U.S. and was on U.S. soil …

Obama Channels Cheney  —  Obama adopts Bush view on the powers of the presidency.  —  The Obama Administration this week released its predecessor's post-9/11 legal memoranda in the name of “transparency,” producing another round of feel-good Bush criticism.