U.S.-Born al Qaeda Arrest News Incorrect  —  Confusion Over Militant's Identity Sparked Reports of Gadahn Arrest; Some Media Say It is Another U.S.-Born Terrorist  —  An “important Taliban militant” was arrested today in Pakistan.  But that is where the confusion started.

ACLU New York Times Ad Today Calls On President Obama Not To Back Down On 9/11 Civilian Trials  —  Group Makes Same Plea In Letter To President  —  CONTACT: Rachel Myers, (646) 206-8643 or (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org  —  NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union today published …

Obama to push White House vision for NASA in April  —  (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will outline his administration's vision for space agency NASA and an eventual trip to Mars during a conference in Florida in April, the White House said on Sunday.  —  Obama has had to defend …

Jesus Christ, Mike Allen, Reconciliation Is NOT THAT COMPLICATED  —  There are a lot of thorny issues in American politics that require a great deal of concentrated attention to grasp.  The controversy over budget reconciliation and health care is not one of them.

Turkish Police Accost Sabbath Worshipers in Synagogue  —  Follow Israel news on and .  —  (IsraelNN.com) A Turkish newspaper reports that police burst into an Istanbul synagogue during recent Sabbath services and demanded worshipers' ID's.  —  The Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported …

Officials Step Up Enforcement of Rights Laws in Education  —  Seeking to step up enforcement of civil rights laws, the federal Department of Education says it will be sending letters in coming weeks to thousands of school districts and colleges, outlining their responsibilities on issues of fairness and equal opportunity.

Simpson on Iraq  —  Two blocks of flats in Baghdad were flattened by bomb attacks  —  These elections will certainly be seen as a big success - despite the depressing level of violence, which demonstrates that it is still altogether untrue to suggest that Iraq is now a country at peace.

Arkansas's Senator in Middle, Hit on All Sides  —  HELENA, Ark. — When the subject of Senator Blanche Lincoln came up at a women's luncheon last week at the historic Pillow-Thompson House in this Mississippi River town, there was an awkward pause in the chatter.

E.J. Dionne Knocks Down Orrin Hatch's Talking Points on Reconciliation  —  On Meet the Press, E.J. Dionne and Orrin Hatch continue their argument that started on the op-ed pages of the Washington Post.  —  More on that from Steve Benen: … Transcript via NBC below the fold.

Muslim leader wants elements of sharia in Australia  —  ELEMENTS of Islamic law - the sharia - should be legally recognised in Australia so that Muslims can live according their faith, a prominent Muslim leader says.  —  Addressing an open day at Lakemba Mosque on Saturday …

Low-tax Texas beats big-government California  —  Senior Political Analyst  —  “Stop messing with Texas!”  That was the message Gov. Rick Perry bellowed on election night as he celebrated his victory over Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Republican primary for governor.