Split threatens to rupture Republican ranks  —  Conservative vs. moderate divide plays out across the airwaves on Sunday  —  WASHINGTON - The conservative vs. moderate split threatening to rupture the Republican Party played out across the airwaves Sunday, with Colin Powell …

They May Not Want The Bomb  —  And other unexpected truths. … From the magazine issue dated Jun 1, 2009  —  Everything you know about Iran is wrong, or at least more complicated than you think.  Take the bomb.  The regime wants to be a nuclear power but could well be happy …

Durbin Calls On Gingrich To Apologize For Attacking The CIA In 2007  —  Last week, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich called on Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to resign her current position as Speaker.  He said that she “disqualified herself” over her comments that the CIA was “misleading” Congress.

The Writers Make News.  Unfortunately.  —  IT has been a busy week or two for the ethics police — those within The Times trying to protect the paper's integrity, and those outside, ready to pounce on transgressions by Times journalists.  —  Thomas Friedman, the star columnist …

STATE OF THE UNION WITH JOHN KING  —  Interview With Senators Boxer, Shelby; Interview With Tom Ridge  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  KING: I'm John King.  This is our “State of the Union” report for this Sunday, May 24th.

Former Senior Interrogator in Iraq Dissects Cheney's Lies and Distortions  —  As a senior interrogator in Iraq (and a former criminal investigator), there was a lesson I learned that served me well: there's more to be learned from what someone doesn't say than from what they do say.

DE'TAT'CHED ATTITUDE  —  JOB SEEKERS ERASING BODY ART TO COMPETE  —  When the Dow is low, the “tramp stamp” has to go.  —  Dermatologists across the city are reporting a boom in tattoo laser removals, as body-art fanatics fretting over their professional image rush to erase their inky mistakes.

British banks revolt against Obama tax plan  —  British banks and stockbrokers may refuse to take on American clients if new international tax proposals outlined by President Obama are passed.  —  The decision, which would make it hard for Americans in London to open bank accounts and trade shares …

How Much Do Safe Havens Matter?  —  I'm still trying to decide what I think about this question.  But given how much strategic focus we're giving to Afghanistan, I'm confident we haven't given the question enough collective thought.  Matt Yglesias had a post a couple months ago asking a basic question …

PM: No new West Bank settlements  —  Article's topics: Illegal Outposts, Avidgor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu  —  Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the cabinet Sunday that he made clear in the US last week that although Israel is committed to removing illegal West Bank outposts …