Libya: US fighter jet crash lands in field near Benghazi  —  A US warplane has crash landed in a Libyan field in the area around Benghazi, The Telegraph can disclose.  —  The two crew members on the F-15E fighter jet ejected to safety.  One has already been recovered by US forces …

In Official Notification Two Days Later, President Obama Alerts Congress the US Joined a War  —  Amidst claims by members of Congress that they were insufficiently consulted, and ensuing White House pushback, President Obama Monday officially notified congressional leaders that at …

The Problem With Partners  —  These days we are all co-religionists in the church of multilateralism.  The Iraq war reminded everybody not to embark on an international effort without a broad coalition.  —  Yet today, as an impeccably crafted multilateral force intervenes in Libya, certain old feelings are coming back to the surface.

A Proud ‘Lobbyist’ and ‘Southerner’ Weighs ‘President’  —  DES MOINES — He became wealthy as a lobbyist, representing tobacco companies and foreign governments.  A former Republican Party chairman, he would seem the ultimate Washington insider.  A white Southerner, he has faced questions about his remarks on race.

7 Questions For Liberals About Obama's Libyan War  —  It seems like it was just yesterday when we had an “imperialist warmonger” in the White House who was going to be replaced by a peace-loving Democrat who promised “hope” and “change” instead.  It's funny how that worked out, isn't it?

Cost of military campaign in Libya could wipe out GOP's spending cuts  —  U.S. military operations in Libya could wipe out a significant chunk of the budget cuts won by congressional Republicans in recent weeks, defense analysts say.  —  GOP leaders have trumpeted enacted spending reductions …

Wisconsin's Radical Break  —  NOW that a Wisconsin judge has temporarily blocked a state law that would strip public employee unions of most collective bargaining rights, it's worth stepping back to place these events in larger historical context.  —  Republicans in Wisconsin are seeking …

AZ Senate President Russell Pearce Takes Tentherism To New Level: ‘You Are Not A Citizen Of The United States’  —  One of the most radical offshoots of modern conservatism in the United States is called “tentherism,” which invokes the Constitution's Tenth Amendment to claim that a whole host …

McCaskill will sell ‘the damn plane’  —  Sen. Claire McCaskill is selling the personal plane that has caused her turbulence in recent weeks after POLITICO revealed she used taxpayer money to cover the cost of political travel.  —  The first-term Democrat said she was very happy she was able …

No Country Leans on Upper-Income Households as Much as U.S.  —  During my recent testimony before the Senate Budget Committee ( found here), I cited an OECD statistic that the U.S. has the most progressive income tax system among industrialized nations.  [1] This prompted one Senator to point …

GOP leaders pledge to block deficit package that increases taxes  —  Republican leaders in the Senate and House will not agree to tax increases in the guise of reform measures, according to a prominent conservative advocate for lower taxes.  —  Conservatives have grown increasingly worried …

Matthews & Crew: Palin, Christians & GOP Only Friends With Jews Because Of Armageddon  —  Watch the Hardball trinity try to outdo each other in right-wing smearing.  Guess whose finger tips hold the top of the bat at the end?  It's anyone's ball game when “Crazy” Chris Matthews, David Corn …

Tour De Gall  —  From Bill Clinton to Woody Allen, it seems every American (or Brit) visiting Paris on an expense account has the same favorite “Please don't write about it” bistro: L'Ami Louis.  Given its colonic décor, surly service, unbelievable food, and hefty bill, the restaurant is a true Gallic triumph.

W.H. unveils college completion kit  —  The Obama administration is rolling out an effort to give governors the tools they need to boost college completion rates in line with the president's goal of getting the United States to lead the world in proportion of college graduates by 2020.

Sarah Palin To Israelis: “Why Are You Apologizing All The Time?”  —  ABC News' Mary Bruce Reports: Sarah Palin made her first pilgrimage to the Holy Land on Sunday, joining a long line of presidential hopefuls who have traveled to Israel prior to throwing their hat in the ring.

Our World: America's descent into strategic dementia  —  What the US foreign policy fights regarding Egypt and Libya indicate is that currently, a discussion about how events impact core US regional interests is completely absent from the discussion.  —  Talkbacks (11)

Japan Extended Reactor's Life, Despite Warning  —  TOKYO — Just a month before a powerful earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi plant at the center of Japan's nuclear crisis, government regulators approved a 10-year extension for the oldest of the six reactors at the power station despite warnings about its safety.

Stop-start work at Japan reactors  —  The BBC's Chris Hogg said fuel and power shortages are still acute in Japan  —  Power cables have been restored at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was seriously damaged in the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.