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Senators Snatch Defeat From Jaws of Victory: U.S. to be First Nation to Authorize Violations of Geneva — I hope that that headline is a gross exaggeration, but based on a few quick seconds purusing the "compromise," I'm afraid it's not. [The Administration appears to agree.
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Punked — The "compromise" will, as I predicted, allow the "tough interrogations" by amending the war crimes act. And they will reportedly create a new JAG office to review classified information and determine if terrorist suspects can see it if it's being used against them in a trial.


Bush, GOP Rebels Agree on Detainee Bill — WASHINGTON — The White House and rebellious Senate Republicans announced agreement Thursday on rules for the interrogation and trial of suspects in the war on terror. President Bush urged Congress to put it into law before adjourning for the midterm elections.


Agreement Is Reached on Detainee Bill — Three Republican senators said this afternoon that they had reached an agreement with the Bush administration on legislation to clarify which interrogation techniques can be used against terror suspects and to establish trial procedures for those in military custody.


• Bush, GOP rebels reach tribunal deal — President urges Congress to pass bill on interrogating terror suspects — WASHINGTON - The White House and rebellious Senate Republicans announced agreement Thursday on rules for the interrogation and trial of suspects in the war on terror.


Republicans Reach Deal on Detainee Bill — The Bush administration and Congressional Republicans reached agreement Thursday on legislation governing the treatment and interrogation of terrorism suspects after weeks of debate that divided Republicans heading into the midterm elections.

A Bad Bargain — Here is a way to measure how seriously President Bush was willing to compromise on the military tribunals bill: Less than an hour after an agreement was announced yesterday with three leading Republican senators, the White House was already laying a path to wiggle out of its one real concession.


CIA Praises Deal; Harsh Techniques Would Continue
Discussion:
Riehl World View

Bush, Senate GOP Reach Deal on Detainee Measure
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications

Democrats warn Chavez: Don't bash Bush — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Two of President Bush's staunchest domestic critics leapt to his defense Thursday, a day after one of his fiercest foreign foes called him "the devil" in a scorching speech before the United Nations.
Discussion:
TAPPED, The Left Coaster, Blue Crab Boulevard, NewsBusters.org, QandO, WTF Is It Now?? and The Remedy
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Leading Bush critic at home calls Chavez a "thug" — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of President George W. Bush's fiercest political opponents at home took his side on Thursday, calling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a "thug" for his remark that Bush is like the devil.

Harkin defends Venezuelan President's U-N speech against Bush — Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a democrat, today defended Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's United Nations speech in which Chavez called President George Bush the devil. Harkin said the comments were "incendiary", then went on to say …
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications, WCBS-TV, Atlas Shrugs, The Anchoress, Done With Mirrors, Blue Crab Boulevard, WuzzaDem and The New Editor

Bedfellows — We haven't commented on Hugo Chavez's bizarre speech …
Discussion:
Agence France Presse


U.N. expert: Iraq torture may be worse — GENEVA - Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog
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Wal-Mart to Sell Generic Drugs for $4 — TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Wal-Mart announced today that it will start a test program in Florida, where it will sell generic prescription drugs for $4 for a 30-day supply. The test will start tomorrow in 65 Tampa Bay-area stores and is to expand to the whole state by January.
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WAL-MART: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY....Ezra Klein comments …
Discussion:
Angry Bear

Allen's mother hid Jewish heritage — RICHMOND, Va. - Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record)'s mother hid her Jewish upbringing from her children until late last month to spare them the fear suffered by her father, who was imprisoned by the Nazis, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
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• Fitzgerald given way out of Libby leak case — Judge says he can dismiss case if classified secrets will be revealed — WASHINGTON - The judge in the CIA leak case ruled Thursday that if Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald feels that admitting certain classified documents …
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Political Pit Bull, JustOneMinute, The Strata-Sphere and ThoughtsOnline


U.S. threatened to bomb Pakistan after 9/1: Musharraf — NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said that after the September 11 attacks the United States threatened to bomb his country if it did not cooperate with America's campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Discussion:
Hot Air, protein wisdom, The Jawa Report, Taylor Marsh, Snapped Shot, Counterterrorism Blog, The Fourth Rail, Ace of Spades HQ and Say Anything

Mahmoun's Style — I keep talking about this with people in real life, but it deserves a blog mention as well — Mahmoun Ahmadinejad has a pretty sweet hipster style. It all starts with a beard not unlike the one I and many of my twentysomething male friends sport. But it goes deeper.