memeorandum: Libby Lawyers Open Case With Denials by Reporters (New York Times)

1:00 PM ET, February 13, 2007

Top Items:

Thomas Harding / Telegraph:

Iraqi insurgents using Austrian rifles from Iran — Austrian sniper rifles that were exported to Iran have been discovered in the hands of Iraqi terrorists, The Daily Telegraph has learned. — More than 100 of the.50 calibre weapons, capable of penetrating body armour, have been discovered by American troops during raids.

Discussion: Jules Crittenden, Power Line, Polimom Says, Blue Crab Boulevard, The Bullwinkle Blog and The Moderate Voice

Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:

Iranian Smoking Guns Found ... Literally — The Telegraph reports this morning that rifles imported from Austria by Iran have surfaced among insurgents in Iraq. Steyr-Mannlicher exported 800 of its high-powered HS50 models, capable of piercing body armor, to the National Iranian Police Association for their anti-narcotics efforts:

Discussion: Instapundit.com

New York Times:
Iran and the Nameless Briefers

Discussion: Attytood, TigerHawk and Decision '08

New York Times:
Skeptics Doubt U.S. Evidence on Iran Action in Iraq

Discussion: The Huffington Post, DownWithTyranny!, AMERICAblog and Prairie Weather

Jim Yardley / New York Times:

North Korea to Close Reactor in Exchange for Raft of Aid — North Korea agreed today to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for a package of food, fuel and other aid from the United States, China, South Korea and Russia. The breakthrough, announced by the Chinese government …

Discussion: Redstate, TAPPED, The Washington Note, All Spin Zone, AMERICAblog, Booman Tribune and Demagogue

Edward Cody / Washington Post:

N. Korea Agrees to Nuclear Disarmament — In a landmark international accord, North Korea promised Tuesday to close down and seal its lone nuclear reactor within 60 days in return for 50,000 tons of fuel oil as a first step in abandoning all nuclear weapons and research programs.

Discussion: The Corner, Daniel W. Drezner, Bradford Plumer, Blue Crab Boulevard, Iowa Voice and Decision '08

Edward Cody / Washington Post:
Tentative Nuclear Deal Struck With North Korea

Discussion: The Corner, The Bullwinkle Blog and Fausta's blog

New York Times:
In Shift, Accord on North Korea Seems to Be Set

Discussion: BBC, TigerHawk and The Moderate Voice

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:

Star Character Witnesses at Libby Trial — A familiar-looking man in his early 60s took the stand at the Scooter Libby trial yesterday morning. "I need to ask you to spell your last name," said defense attorney Bill Jeffress. — "W-O-O-D-W-A-R-D," the man replied. — This was not sufficient for Judge Reggie Walton.

New York Times:

Libby Lawyers Open Case With Denials by Reporters — Lawyers for I. Lewis Libby Jr. opened their case Monday with a parade of prominent Washington reporters who testified that Mr. Libby never mentioned the identity of a Central Intelligence Agency operative when they interviewed him during …

Discussion: TPMmuckraker, The Moderate Voice, JustOneMinute and Washington Post

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Imus On Russert And Plame: "I Think He Knew"

Discussion: The Imus Show Blog, Flopping Aces and NewsBusters.org

USA Today:

Poll: 63% want all troops home by end of '08 — WASHINGTON — Americans overwhelmingly support congressional action to cap the number of U.S. troops in Iraq and set a timetable to bring them home by the end of next year, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds — tougher action than the non-binding resolution …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Daily Kos and First Read

CBS News:

Poll: Most Doubt Iraq Peace, Iran Threat — 67% Doubt U.S. Can Stop Iraq Violence; Iran Not Seen As Threat Requiring Military Action — (CBS) Two-thirds of Americans say the fighting in Iraq may be beyond the U.S. military's ability to control, according to the latest CBS News poll.

Discussion: MyDD and Wonkette

Frank Newport / Gallup Poll: Majority Wants Congress to Set Limits on U.S. Troop Presence in Iraq

Brian Ross Reports / The Blotter:

Now It's Personal: Al Qaeda Calls Bush an Alcoholic Liar — Brian Ross Reports: — The latest taped statement from al Qaeda is an unusually personal attack on President Bush, in which al Qaeda's No. 2 in command, Ayman al Zawahiri, denounces Bush as "an alcoholic, liar and gambler with an addictive personality."

Discussion: Flopping Aces, Iowa Voice and Riehl World View

CNN:
Purported al Qaeda message: Unite with Taliban

Discussion: Washington Post and Counterterrorism Blog

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Zawahiri pledges his allegiance to Mullah Omar

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Captain's Quarters and Little Green Footballs

New York Times:

Obama Restructures a Remark on Deaths — Senator Barack Obama of Illinois said Monday that he had misspoken when he suggested that the lives of more than 3,000 American soldiers killed in Iraq had been "wasted." — As he arrived in New Hampshire, Mr. Obama said he would "absolutely apologize" …

Discussion: Michelle Malkin, The Carpetbagger Report, TIME, The Strata-Sphere, Nitpicker, Daily Kos, Don Surber and The News Blog

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
With Campaign Underway, Obama Now Must Show More Than Potential

Discussion: First Read

New York Times:

Long a Target Over Faulty Iraq Intelligence, Ex-C.I.A. Chief Prepares to Return Fire — For the past two years, George J. Tenet has maintained a determined silence even as senior White House officials have laid the blame for the prewar mistakes about Saddam Hussein on him.

Discussion: Think Progress, All Spin Zone and The Heretik

The Blotter:

Foggo Indictment Expected; Dark Day for the CIA — Brian Ross and Vic Walter Report: — Federal prosecutors in San Diego are expected today to announce indictments in a case that involves the former No. 3 official at the CIA, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, officials tell ABC News.

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!

Reuters:

BofA aims new credit card at illegal immigrants: report — NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp. has begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers, typically illegal immigrants, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. — In recent years …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Lonewacko, PoliPundit.com and The Bullwinkle Blog

USA Today:

Will Mormon faith hurt bid for White House? — SALT LAKE CITY — It's easy to find Mormons who have run into misconceptions about their faith. Take Jeff Hartley, executive director of the Republican Party in Utah, a state that's 70% Mormon. "I only have one mom. I only have one wife," he says.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Caucus, DownWithTyranny!, Eunomia and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Bob Lewis / Associated Press:

McCain Fears 'Tet Offensive' in Iraq — RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Monday he fears an offensive by Iraqi insurgents similar to the Tet offensive by the Viet Cong that sent U.S. casualties soaring in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago.

Discussion: The Corner, Suburban Guerrilla and Balloon Juice

Patrick Healy / New York Times:

Clinton Reminds New Hampshire, I'm With Bill — As she made her first outing to New Hampshire as a presidential candidate last weekend, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton left her husband at home, yet she tried to tap his old political magic at nearly every turn.

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report and Captain's Quarters