The Archives: December 16-31, 2003

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The Archives: December 16-31, 2003

Wednesday, December 24 - Wednesday, December 31, 2003:
I'm away from my computer - happy holidays...

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Powell Defends Diplomatic Role Steven R. Weisman The New York Times The secretary of state seems determined to counter the perception that diplomacy has been marginalized in an administration obsessed with war and terrorism Holding Their Ground Thomas E. Ricks The Washington Post No deputy secretary of defense has ever held the prominence that Wolfowitz has had over the last two years. He is widely seen inside the Pentagon as the most likely replacement if Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld steps down Bush has thrown open Pandora's box in a paradise for international terrorists David Hirst The Guardian (UK) 2003 has been a crucial year for the Middle East, with war in Iraq and the continuing intifada in Israel. The Guardian's acclaimed commentator on the region assesses what happened, what it means, and where it might lead next year Post-Emptive Proof Mother Jones Seen through a neocon lens, Libya's WMD concession validates the war in Iraq When Donald Met Saddam InformationClearinghouse.info Video Clip: "Shaking Hands with the enemy," Iraqi President Saddam Hussein greets Donald Rumsfeld, then special envoy of President Ronald Reagan, in Baghdad on December 20, 1983 Rumsfeld Made Iraq Overture in '84 Despite Chemical Raids Christopher Marquis The New York Times Newly declassified documents show that the U.S. was eager to improve ties with President Saddam Hussein despite his use of chemical weapons In a Hostile Land, Trying Whatever Works Rajiv Chandrasekaran The Washington Post U.S. Officials in Iraq Learn to Adapt to Local Rules Talk of Tikrit's Favorite Diner: Hatred of Hussein, Fury at U.S. John F. Burns The New York Times Anybody wanting to know Tikrit can stop by a restaurant called Al Mudhaif and listen to the talk as waiters shuttle by with plates of flat-baked bread and spit-roasted chicken Bremer: A Will on Iraq, Not a Way Robin Wright The Washington Post With the political transition in Iraq to begin in three weeks, U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer yesterday told the White House that his efforts to broker a compromise on the transfer of power with Iraq's disparate leaders were progressing, but slowly Elections in Iraq David L. Phillips The Washington Times The United States must resign itself to the fact that Iraq's democratization will culminate in Shi'ite leadership. Trying to manipulate the course of events would backfire Justice Beyond Hussein Daniel Jonah Goldhagen The Los Angeles Times Justice demands that all those accused of committing crimes be put on trial — torturers and murderers should not be granted immunity for the acts they committed — but practical and political constraints often make it impossible Saddam capture seen as aid to ties Borzou Daragahi The Washington Times The capture of Saddam Hussein has opened the door to closer ties between Iran and Iraq, with unpredictable consequences for both the Middle East and the United States Heightened Terrorism Alert May Last Beyond Holidays Eric Lichtblau and Richard W. Stevenson The New York Times National security officials are bracing for the possibility that operatives of Al Qaeda will try to hijack airliners or engage in other major attacks within days Editorial: Orange Alert The Washington Post Since its creation, the department has had some trouble getting its priorities straight, as well as making its priorities known to others. The clearer message this time is, we hope, an indication of greater clarity of thought as well Chatter led to increase in threat level Audrey Hudson and Jerry Seper The Washington Times Los Angeles and San Francisco are mentioned as potential targets, along with Washington and New York, authorities said. General targets include bridges, tunnels, nuclear power plants and dams Under Bush, Expanding Secrecy Dana Milbank The Washington Post "I've been reading these highly, highly classified documents. In most cases, I finish with them, I look up and say, 'Why is this classified?' " said the chairman, former New Jersey governor Tom Kean, a Republican Observers Fault U.S. for Pursuing Mini-Nukes Douglas Frantz The Los Angeles Times Critics say American 'double standard' will undermine efforts to curb nuclear arms Kabul Medical School Closed Amid Constitutional Debate Hamida Ghafour The Los Angeles Times As the loya jirga weighs rules for governing the new Afghanistan, a campus from which radicals have emerged is closed for renovation Editorial: Pakistan's Nuclear Commerce The New York Times Alarming new evidence has cast further doubt on Gen. Pervez Musharraf's commitment to fighting nuclear proliferation and international terrorism Editorial: Sharon's annexation Financial Times (UK) Ariel Sharon's threat to impose a solution on the Palestinians if there is no progress with the internationally underwritten "roadmap" for the Middle East should not be treated lightly Egypt warms to Israel in peace push Ben Lynfield The Christian Science Monitor Although Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, ties have traditionally been cool and they worsened three years ago after the eruption of the Palestinian uprising Grapes of Wrath David Ignatius The Washington Post You have to see the West Bank to understand how Israeli settlements and the network of special roads for them have turned the area into a checkerboard, where Palestinians feel like outsiders in the land where they were born DMZ is a reminder of stakes in Korea crisis David J. Lynch USA Today If diplomacy fails in standoff over nuclear program, U.S. officials think North's military could attack suddenly and violently into South	It's greed, not ideology, that rules the White House Naomi Klein The Guardian (UK) Why the US wants Iraq's debts cancelled - and Argentina's paid in full Bush Gets Year-End Boost in Approval Dan Balz and Richard Morin The Washington Post Growing optimism about the economy and a spike in support for going to war in Iraq have given President Bush a sharp year-end boost in his approval ratings, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll Poll: Dean Trailing Bush by Wide Margin Will Lester Associated Press Yahoo! The ABC News-Washington Post poll, released Monday, found Dean, a former governor of Vermont, backed by 31 percent of Democrats and those who lean Democratic. All other candidates were in the single digits Cheney should check his own 'facts' Helen Thomas Hearst Newspapers Seattle Post-Intelligencer But when it comes to Cheney's advice to the media, the vice president would be well advised to follow his own recommendations Tax Plans Target an 'Investor Class' Peter G. Gosselin The Los Angeles Times GOP sees the 'ownership society' as a conservative bloc. But the segment's existence isn't clear-cut Thinking Big Peter Beinart The New Republic The Democrats need a large cause of their own. And there's only one that's emotionally relevant: capturing bin Laden and decapitating Al Qaeda Make or break? Primary colors in South Carolina Liz Marlantes The Christian Science Monitor Cultural conservatism is just one factor setting South Carolina apart from other early primary states - making it one of the least predictable contests in the Democratic nominating process Dean numbers show financial fitness Campaign displays skill with money Jim Drinkard USA Today The way Dean's campaign has handled money is the subject of admiration from campaign professionals, including some working for his rivals Dean, Centrist Branch Spar Matea Gold The Los Angeles Times Candidate calls for a united front but labels the Democratic Leadership Council the "Republican wing" of his party The Great Surrender David Brooks The New York Times It is a loathing not only for Bush but also for the Democratic establishment, and contempt for its weakness. Nothing has so vindicated the Dean campaign as the Democratic establishment's pallid response to it Dean seeks distance from suit Glen Johnson and Sarah Schweitzer The Boston Globe Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said yesterday that he would not file an answer -- due in Washington County Superior Court in Vermont today -- to a lawsuit against him demanding that he unseal papers from his governorship Dean Rebuked for Statement Implying Brother Served in Military Jodi Wilgoren The New York Times Howard Dean came under criticism from an Iowa newspaper last weekend for an answer to a questionnaire in which he implied that his brother was serving in the military when he disappeared in Laos 29 years ago Divided over possible unity Anne E. Kornblut and Joanna Weiss The Boston Globe After months of speculation that Howard Dean and Wesley K. Clark would someday unite to form a powerful Democratic bid for the White House, the two candidates are now locked in a bitter dispute over that very issue Clark Attacks Bush Strategy on Terrorism as Mistaken Edward Wyatt The New York Times Gen. Wesley K. Clark on Monday blamed "bad leadership" by President Bush for the nation's heightened antiterrorism alert status, saying that it was a "strategic mistake" to shift resources to Iraq from the hunt for Osama bin Laden Choreography and Marathon Are Blended by Kerry in Iowa David M. Halfbinger The New York Times It was a classic Kerry moment, and after just six hours and only two stops, his intricately choreographed, 24-hour marathon swing across Iowa was already full of them Deep shade of bland Brian McGrory The Boston Globe Gephardt's main appeal might be the very blandness (he and his wife are named Dick and Jane), the granite values that cynics like myself assumed would be his main obstacle Kucinich's Vibrations Feel Good to Malibu Crowd Susannah Rosenblatt The Los Angeles Times The longshot candidate's liberal backers support him with idealistic zeal. He 'speaks from his heart and his mind,' one says Nader Rejects Green Party Backing Edward Walsh The Washington Post Ralph Nader, whose 2000 campaign many Democrats believe cost former vice president Al Gore the presidency, has decided not to run for president next year as the candidate of the Green Party but is still contemplating a presidential race as an independent Candidates' curses stir debate Stephen Dinan The Washington Times With two Democratic presidential candidates uttering obscenities in public forums this month and the nine-candidate field trying to one-up each other in attacking President Bush, some observers are wondering whether political discourse is hitting new lows in coarseness George Clooney (and his dad) vs. George W. Bush Patrick Crowley Salon.com With the help of his son from Hollywood, Nick Clooney is campaigning for a congressional seat in a conservative Kentucky district. How far can star power carry them? For Mrs. Clinton, Listening Subsides and Talk Is Louder Raymond Hernandez The New York Times There was a time when Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton did her best to fade into the woodwork and be seen as just another lawmaker, but those days are gone GOP's Pressing Question on Medicare Vote R. Jeffrey Smith The Washington Post About 20 Republican congressmen -- all fiscal conservatives -- gathered nervously in a back room at the Hunan Dynasty restaurant on Capitol Hill on Nov. 21, trying to shore up their resolve to defy President Bush Conservative U.S. media attack Edmonton website Doug Saunders The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada) As one Canadian just discovered, news in the United States no longer breaks in cresting waves but increasingly strikes in a swarm of tiny stings, delivered by an expanding hive of conservative news-media outlets whose growing influence is set to dominate the coming presidential election campaign
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
The Rule of Law and the War on Terror Ruth Wedgwood The New York Times The case of Jose Padilla illustrates how the protections of our criminal justice system truly can hamper the war on terror Changing the Tone in Washington Brendan Miniter The Wall Street Journal Mr. Dean isn't interested in bringing tranquil, somber deliberations to the Beltway. The essence of his campaign is the promise of much more partisanship and a purge of the Democratic Party leadership A Dean and Gingrich analogy Tod Lindberg The Washington Times Although I don't imagine the comparison would please either of the two of them, the politician that Howard Dean most reminds me of is Newt Gingrich Taming the beast Paul M. Weyrich The Washington Times Many conservatives have joined the lament over current federal spending trends. Nearly every elephantine program Congress could conceive has met with White House approval Fighting terrorism Martin Sieff The Washington Times Mr. Bovard, one of the most trenchant and effective critics of the runaway growth and abuse of big government during the Clinton-Gore years, has now turned his heavy guns on the even greater expansion of government power after 2001 Friendly Neighborhood Nonproliferation Henry Sokolski National Review Now that our show of strength against Saddam has reaped the unexpected benefit of Libya disarming, we would do well to press a practical nonproliferation agenda with Khaddafi's immediate neighbors now U.N.Welcome John F. Cullinan National Review Given its sorry record of appeasement and determined opposition to Iraq's liberation, what exactly does the U.N. now have to offer "in the daily struggle for security, jobs, basic freedoms"? Moammar's makeover Frank J. Gaffney Jr. The Washington Times Welcome as such commitments are, the United States must not allow tyrants to buy legitimacy, let alone Western economic or other life-support Dean left speechless on Libya arms move Bill Sammon The Washington Times Libya's decision to give up its weapons of mass destruction is making it harder for Democrats such as Howard Dean to disparage President Bush's war against Iraq, which prompted Libya's move	The Pagan Deviltry Of The Christ's Mass Holiday And How We Must Resist Its Reverend Angus Hustings The Onion Where in the Gospels does it mention that, to honor the Birth of our Divine Saviour, one must adorn an Ever Green Tree with gild'd Spangles and Baubles? This Modern World Tom Tomorrow WorkingForChange.com Franksly Speaking

Monday, December 22, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Letters From the Troops Michael Moore AlterNet I've received hundreds of letters from our troops in Iraq – and they are telling me something very different from what we are seeing on the evening news Dictators R Us Noam Chomsky AlterNet Wolfowitz's heart bleeds for the victims of oppression – and if the record shows the opposite, it's just that boring old stuff that we want to forget about Bush & Democracy Hypocrisy Nat Parry ConsortiumNews.com Bush and his aides have given a number of speeches this year portraying the invasion of Iraq as part of a noble endeavor to bring democracy to the Middle East. The sincerity behind these assertions has drawn remarkably little press skepticism Peace on Earth: the prospects Geov Parrish WorkingForChange.com And so it is, as we celebrate a season of peace on earth, that the world’s most powerful nation is also associated with most of its record number of armed conflicts Revolution Now (and Then)! J. Hoberman The American Prospect The Battle of Algiers defined a political moment when it was released in 1965. J. Hoberman says it's back, and, if anything, it's even more relevant today. Hussein's fall sends ripples through Mideast Howard LaFranchi The Christian Science Monitor Dictator's capture amplifies American power in the region, even as President Bush says use of force is a 'last resort.' Carrot or stick: Which nudged Libya? Howard LaFranchi The Christian Science Monitor Qaddafi's pledge to end his weapons program rekindles international debate over how best to confront rogue states Editorial: Democracy for Libya, as in Iraq The Christian Science Monitor US economic sanctions should remain until Libyans can vote in a fair election Libyan N-deal catches France by surprise Robert Graham Financial Times (UK) France has been embarrassed at being kept in the dark by Britain and the US over their secret negotiations with Tripoli to halt Libya's development of weapons of mass destruction Washington turf war stalls Iraqi reconstruction Jim Krane Associated Press The Washington Times The dispute, described by U.S. officials on the condition of anonymity, centers on the State Department and its co-agency, the U.S. Agency for International Development, vying for some of the contracting authority from the Pentagon-led administration in Iraq Group in charge of Iraq blamed for woes Rowan Scarborough The Washington Times The Coalition Provisional Authority in charge of Iraq has failed to institute a smoothly run bureaucracy, resulting in cash shortages and delays in starting reconstruction programs, Pentagon officials say For Baghdad's Sunnis, Hostility Toward Occupation Is Growing Chris Kraul The Los Angeles Times Residents of areas with ties to former dictator are frustrated at the lack of municipal services In New Iraq, Sunnis Fear a Grim Future Anthony Shadid The Washington Post Once Dominant, Minority Feels Besieged Uphill pursuit for Afghan warlord Ann Scott Tyson The Christian Science Monitor Facing rugged terrain and propaganda, US troops hunt for a guerrilla group with ties to Al Qaeda and Taliban Fleeing the Chilean Coup: The Debate Over U.S. Complicity William D. Rogers & Kenneth Maxwell Foreign Affairs Former Assistant Secretary of State William D. Rogers disputes charges of U.S. complicity in the rise and rule of Pinochet; Kenneth Maxwell replies Israel Official Sees Vast Relocation of Settlers Ken Ellingwood The Los Angeles Times Olmert says Sharon's disengagement plan could spark a crisis. A group of elite troops refuses to serve in the occupied territories An Unanswered Question Ted Gup TomPaine.com I am left to wonder why the roadmap to peace in the Middle East is given such short shrift while the road to Baghdad is choked with the full might of our commitment Inquiry Suggests Pakistanis Sold Nuclear Secrets William J. Broad, David Rohde and David E. Sanger The New York Times Pakistani officials are confronting evidence that the country was the source of nuclear technology for Iran, North Korea and others Russia moving away from West Vladimir Isachenkov Associated Press The Washington Times Russia's romance with the West appears to be in trouble over its renewed assertiveness toward former Soviet republics and what many view as the Kremlin's growing authoritarian streak Ex-Navy secretary brings skepticism to Sept. 11 panel Chris Mondics The Philadelphia Inquirer Lehman has been out of the Navy for 16 years, but his jaundiced view of American intelligence-gathering burns as hotly as ever and has come into play in his role as a member of an independent commission looking into the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks Amid Terror Concerns, Ridge Urges Mix of Calm and Caution John H. Cushman, Jr. The New York Times When he was asked whether the danger signs are even clearer now than they were the last time the alert level was raised earlier this year, he replied: "We've never quite seen it at this level before" Good Nukes, Bad Nukes Ashton B. Carter, Arnold Kanter, William J. Perry and Brent Scowcroft The New York Times The key to improving the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty is to draw a distinction between the right to a peaceful civilian nuclear power program and the right to operate a closed fuel cycle	Announcing The P.U.-Litzer Prizes for 2003 Norman Solomon AlterNet And now, the 12th annual P.U.-litzer Prizes, for the foulest media performances of 2003 Bush takes sting out of Democrat attacks Demetri Sevastopulo and Guy Dinmore Financial Times (UK) Libya's announcement that it would end its weapons of mass destruction programme marked the latest in end-of-year victories for President George W. Bush AP Poll: Bush Gets Good Marks for Economy Will Lester Associated Press The Miami Herald 55 percent of registered voters said they approve of Bush's handling of the economy and 43 percent disapproved Americans support war in Iraq 2-to-1, poll finds Donald Lambro The Washington Times Americans believe 2-to-1 that going to war in Iraq was the right decision, rejecting Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean's assertion that military action was wrong Exclusive interview with Howard Dean Felix Schein MSNBC Here’s an exclusive interview I conducted with Dean in his campaign van on the ride from Manchester to Concord, N.H., on Sunday night Poll Suggests Dean Gaining in S.Carolina Associated Press Yahoo! Dean was at 16 percent in the poll released Monday by the American Research Group of Manchester, N.H. Wesley Clark and Al Sharpton were at 12 percent and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was at 11 percent Beyond Belief Franklin Foer The New Republic Howard Dean is one of the most secular candidates to run for president in modern history Dean seeks to convert Net savvy into votes Brian C. Mooney The Boston Globe "From Mousepads to Shoeleather," the campaign of Howard Dean calls its effort to transform its technological breakthroughs into volunteers and actual votes for the Democratic presidential candidate Clever fundraising pitches boost Dean Jeff Zeleny The Chicago Tribune The contributions, calculated down to the penny, offer a glimpse into the former Vermont governor's creative money-raising machine, which has overwhelmed his rivals and changed the course of the 2004 presidential race How attacks on Dean may impact race Linda Feldmann The Christian Science Monitor Howard Dean may fast become the poster boy for the saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Toledo voters like Dean, but they're not sold yet Mark Shields CNN Their anger at, and disappointment in, the George W. Bush administration's economic policies that, they believe, have left them and their families profoundly worse off than they were under Bill Clinton more than trump the concern about terrorism Dean Aims to Plug 'Hole' in Resume Matea Gold The Los Angeles Times The Democratic presidential candidate says his running mate will be well-versed in foreign policy and defense Dean Affirms His Ties to Clinton, Prompted by Lieberman Swipe James Gerstenzang The Los Angeles Times A week that began with the Democratic presidential candidates reeling from the potential political impact of Saddam Hussein's capture is ending with a squabble between two of them over the place of Bill Clinton in the pantheon of party heroes Revitalized Clark Campaign Is Advancing After Missteps Ronald Brownstein The Los Angeles Times In several recent polls, Clark has moved into third place in New Hampshire, site of the critical first primary next month, with some surveys showing him within striking distance of Sen. John F. Kerry Ex-Ambassador Sings Clark's Praises in South Carolina Edward Wyatt The New York Times Mr. Young, a former United Nations ambassador who also served in Congress and as mayor of Atlanta, shepherded General Clark through the services Clark in Search of Following as Antiwar Warrior Dan Balz The Washington Post With Democrats worried and resentful that President Bush will run for reelection on a heavy dose of patriotism, Clark offers himself as the antiwar warrior Interview: John Kerry William Rivers Pitt TruthOut.org Senator Kerry and I spoke for about 20 minutes in a minivan that was flying down some back road in New Hampshire On Familiar Ground, Kerry Labors to Win Over Voters R. W. Apple, Jr. The New York Times There is something almost plaintive about Senator John Kerry these days, as if he finds it inconceivable that he is having trouble winning over his fellow New Englanders Almost Counts for Edwards in Iowa Scott Martelle The Los Angeles Times Polls show the senator in fourth place, but that hasn't slowed his campaign, which some say could bring a partial victory Graham appears to be angling for VP job Peter Wallsten The Miami Herald Though his supporters deny it, Florida Sen. Bob Graham seems to be trying to revitalize his image in hopes of being tapped as a Democratic vice presidential nominee DeLay criticizes Dean, Clark on economy, terror Patty Reinert The Houston Chronicle House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, weighed in on the Democratic presidential race Sunday, accusing Howard Dean of lying about the economy and saying retired Gen. Wesley Clark was removed from command for "character reasons." Democrats Forced To Work on Margins Helen Dewar The Washington Post With next year's elections already threatening to heighten political tensions, the power struggle over legislation sets the stage for what could be a particularly quarrelsome and acrimonious 2004 session Third party fantasies Bruce Bartlett The Washington Times While I agree the Internet has made insurgent campaigns easier to run within parties, I don't believe it has done much to aid third parties Prosecutor probes Cheney's actions Agence France Presse The Washington Times A French prosecutor is examining whether to prosecute Vice President Dick Cheney over suspected complicity in the abuse of corporate assets dating from the time he was head of the services company Halliburton
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
A Strategy of Partnerships Colin L. Powell Foreign Affairs Pundits claim that U.S. foreign policy is too focused on unilateral preemption. But George W. Bush's vision -- enshrined in his 2002 National Security Strategy -- is far broader and deeper than that Safe House, Unsafe Principles John Fund The Wall Street Journal For those who voted for the Contract With America to hand control of Congress to Republicans, the more important question is simply, will the GOP leadership remember it's limited government principles if it doesn't have to worry about losing control of the House? Qaddafi Does a Deal Christopher Hitchens Slate Handle things right, and this could be just the start of welcome fallout from Operation Iraqi Freedom I Remember Muammar William Safire The New York Times Muammar Qaddafi's change of heart shows that President Bush's policy toward regimes opposing freedom is succeeding Editorial: Gadhafi's Conversion The Wall Street Journal It's amusing to see the same people who have opposed the Bush Doctrine now claiming that Gadhafi's conversion is the triumph of "diplomacy." Message Received and Understood Jed Babbin The American Spectator Even Vichy John Kerry objects to Dean's comment that "had the United Nations given us permission and asked us to be a part of a multilateral force, I would not have hesitated to go into Iraq, but that was not the case." Given us permission? Editorial: Running the store The Washington Times United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been more than a little obstructionist recently in working to undercut the role of the United States in global affairs — in particular, U.S. leadership in rebuilding Iraq Ebenezer Was Right Jennifer Nicholson Graham National Review Scrooge, at his noblest, the way he was before the onset of those pesky midnight visitors. I think of him fondly and recall his inspiring words: "Are there no prisons? Are there no poorhouses?"

Sunday, December 21, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Administration Raises Level of Terrorism Alert to Orange John H. Cushman, Jr. The New York Times Coming at the peak of the holiday season, the change in alert level will subject millions of travelers to tighter security measures at airports and elsewhere Map: Where the Troops Are Time The 'Bush Doctrine' Experiences Shining Moments Dana Milbank The Washington Post It has been a week of sweet vindication for those who promulgated what they call the Bush Doctrine Finishing the Job Mark Mazzetti U.S. News and World Report After smashing two hostile regimes in two years, the U.S. military in 2004 faces the critical challenge of winning the peace in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. News traveled with the nation's top military officer, Gen. Richard Myers, as he met with his commanders to discuss the prospects Condi and the 9/11 Commission Timothy J. Burger Time National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is apparently not keen on going under oath for the Kean 9/11 commission Secretary of War Michael Duffy and Mark Thompson Time Donald Rumsfeld comes alive in battle, which made him a brilliant architect of the Iraq war. But is the sharp-elbowed fighter ready for the peace? Paul Wolfowitz: The godfather of the Iraq war Mark Thompson Time If Rumsfeld is the face, mouth and strong right arm of the war in Iraq, Wolfowitz—the intellectual godfather of the war—is its heart and soul The Law of War in the War on Terror Kenneth Roth Foreign Affairs The Bush administration has literalized its "war" on terrorism, dissolving the legal boundaries between what a government can do in peacetime and what's allowed in war Editorial: Fairness for Detainees The Washington Post On Thursday, two such courts pushed back hard: The 9th Circuit in California declared that it had jurisdiction over lawsuits by Guantanamo detainees, and the 2nd Circuit in New York declared that President Bush cannot detain Mr. Padilla as an enemy fighter Libya's 'Brother Leader' Pulls Another Rabbit From His Hat Neil MacFarquhar The New York Times Arab analysts and Libyan exiles said Saturday that the real inspiration behind the measure was to ensure that Colonel Qaddafi's absolute grip was not weakened Secret Diplomacy Won Libyan Pledge on Arms Patrick E. Tyler The New York Times Libya's declaration giving up its nuclear, biological and chemical weapons came after a week of intense negotiations Editorial: Lessons in Libya The Washington Post Mr. Gaddafi's timing, just as the invasion of Iraq was beginning, speaks for itself: The Libyan dictator chose to comply as it became clear that Saddam Hussein's pursuit of illegal weapons would no longer be tolerated Libya Made Progress in Nuclear Goal Peter Slevin and Walter Pincus The Washington Post U.S. and British specialists invited into Libya's weapons laboratories and warehouses this fall found an unexpectedly advanced nuclear program and an intensive effort to build more powerful missiles The Harder Hunt for Bin Laden Sami Yousafzai and Michael Hirsh Newsweek Military forces searching for bin Laden in southeastern Afghanistan have far fewer resources than those used in the massive Saddam search U.S. Military Unveils Changes in Strategy in Afghanistan Carlotta Gall The New York Times The commander of the U.S.-led coalition force announced an expansion of the reconstruction teams across the country New Strategy Calls for Wooing Some in Taliban Pamela Constable The Washington Post U.S. military officials, after two years of narrowly focusing on anti-terrorist combat operations, say they are shifting to a broader strategy that includes trying to woo noncriminal members of the Islamic Taliban movement back into mainstream society Plan for a Strong Presidency Catches On Paul Watson The Los Angeles Times Backing for a prime ministerial system is fading among delegates to Afghanistan's constitutional meeting Editorial: Afghanistan's paper tiger The Washington Times U.S. officials should consider nudging Mr. Karzai into more realistic directions on constitutional matters Best-Laid Plans of Occupiers Amy Wilentz The Los Angeles Times It had the makings of a perfect occupation — if such a thing exists. Yet today, Haiti's democracy is a shambles Pursuing Justice: Perils of the Past Jeffrey Rosen The New York Times There is certainly a risk of embarrassment when the degree of American support for Iraq in its war with Iran in the 1980's is aired. The details revealed could even undermine Washington's credibility Iraq and Its Patron, Growing Apart Roger Cohen The New York Times The American occupation of Iraq has entered a race against time. Liberation is all very well, Iraqis have discovered, but the groceries still have to be acquired, the bills paid, the gas bought at the pump Saddam faces months of interrogation before trial Ed Vulliamy, Paul Harris, Jason Burke and David Rose The Observer (UK) The capture of the Iraqi leader was the result of painstaking intelligence - but it has not stopped guerrilla attacks. And now the US must break him down War when we're not attacked -- Comparing Serbia with Iraq Tom Campbell The San Francisco Chronicle In comparing these two, it is worth noting that neither is at peace today. American troops still patrol Iraq; NATO troops still patrol the Serbian province of Kosovo Basra rises from rubble Matthew B. Stannard The San Francisco Chronicle Once called the Venice of the Middle East for its canals and architecture, Iraq's second city shows signs of the war's toll alongside signs of renewal International Justice Can Indeed Be Local Diane Orentlicher The Washington Post Iraqis can benefit from international assistance without surrendering their legitimate desire to prosecute Saddam themselves Rebuilding Iraq Is ... Nothing a Few Middle-Class Guys Couldn't Solve John Tierney The New York Times Most Iraqis are still unemployed and poor, but a certain segment of the population -- those working on American-bankrolled reconstruction projects or public employees who have received American-financed salary increases -- suddenly have a lot more disposable income Calm in a sea of calamity Tod Robberson The Dallas Morning News There's no need for tough talk when a friendly word will do, the military commander here says. Treat people with respect, and they're less likely to throw a bomb at you Iraqi Shiites Enter New Era of Inclusion, Not Exclusion Susan Sachs The New York Times Iraq's Shiites stand on the verge of their first real chance at political power in Iraq A Break at Last Hiwa Osman The Washington Post Saddam's role in the "resistance" was both symbolic and practical. His arrest should result in the collapse of the insurgency, even if the impact is not felt immediately Nuclear Program in Iran Tied To Pakistan Joby Warrick The Washington Post Evidence discovered in a probe of Iran's secret nuclear program points overwhelmingly to Pakistan as the source of crucial technology that put Iran on a fast track toward becoming a nuclear weapons power U.S. Puts Its Latest Arms in S. Korea Barbara Demick The Los Angeles Times An infusion of high-tech weapons near the DMZ isn't at odds with Bush's call to end the nuclear crisis with Pyongyang via talks Nuclear Bombast Thomas Omestad U.S. News and World Report Is North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il ready to trade away his growing nuclear arsenal, or is he just playing for time? Democratic Forces in Full Retreat Robert Service The Los Angeles Times The most important aspect of this month's Duma elections was the virtual elimination of the Yabloko group, led by Grigori Yavlinsky. Yabloko has been far and away the most consistent supporter of democratic values in Russian politics Should the Draft Be Reinstated? Time With U.S. forces stretched thin and many reservists on full-time duty, some urge a draft for reasons of fairness and practicality. Opponents say it's unnecessary and dangerous	Newsweek Poll: The Bush Bounce Jennifer Barrett Newsweek Bush’s approval rating now stands at 54 percent, its highest level since July and an increase of three percentage points from last week’s poll A Present for Democrats, If They Can Accept It Bruce Reed The Washington Post If Bush's uptick in December 2003 forces us to focus the election on what Democrats can do better, instead of just what Republicans have done wrong, we will have a stronger, more durable case to take to the voters Democrats shift target to WMDs James G. Lakely The Washington Times Donna Brazile, who ran Al Gore's presidential bid in 2000, says that despite the national euphoria at Saddam's capture, the Bush administration "cannot sweep the issue of WMDs under the rug." Campaign focuses on world affairs David Jackson and Richard Whittle The Dallas Morning News Democrats say they won't be shy about questioning President Bush's policies, even arguing that he has endangered Americans by turning off allies Surging N.H. economy alters political equation Robert Gavin The Boston Globe New Hampshire is emerging from the recent recession in far better shape than it did a decade ago. That projects a far more difficult road for Democrats In This Campaign, South Carolina Is the Belle of the Ball Randal C. Archibold The New York Times South Carolina is seen by many as a state where rivals can slow the nationwide momentum of Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who lags in most polls in the state and has been slow to organize here S. Carolina Draws Democrats' Attention David S. Broder The Washington Post When the Democratic presidential race moves south from Iowa and New Hampshire at the end of January, candidates will find themselves in a totally different environment Out of the Mainstream? Hardly Howard Dean The Washington Post The Post's Dec. 18 editorial discussing my recent foreign policy speech ["Beyond the Mainstream"] badly misrepresents both my position and the central argument in the coming election on how best to strengthen America's security Napster Runs for President in '04 Frank Rich The New York Times The elusive piece of this phenomenon is cultural: the Internet. Rather than compare Dr. Dean to McGovern or Goldwater, it may make more sense to recall Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy Political Challenge 2.0: Make a Virtual Army a Reality Elisabeth Rosenthal The New York Times Howard Dean's campaign is trying to redirect the energy of his decentralized band of enthusiastic "netizens" into a disciplined army of campaign workers In South Carolina, Dean banking on volunteers and black vote Jennifer Graham The Boston Globe The former Vermont governor leads the field of Democratic presidential contenders elsewhere, but in South Carolina, he ranked sixth in a recent poll Clark's fading credibility Jeff Jacoby The Boston Globe With each passing day, Candidate Clark sounds less and less like General Clark -- which is to say, less and less like the man so many Democrats were eager to support for president With salty remark, Clark defends record Associated Press The Boston Globe "I'll beat the . . . out of them," Clark told a questioner as he walked through the crowd after a town hall meeting yesterday. "I hope that's not on television," he added Kerry rips Bush policy Rick Klein The Boston Globe Presidential candidate John F. Kerry yesterday used Libya's announcement that it would end its nuclear weapons program to slam the Bush administration's foreign policy, saying the agreement with Moammar Khadafy shows what is possible through negotiations Modest New Hampshire Hopes for Gephardt Nick Anderson The Los Angeles Times Lagging in polls, the Democratic candidate has scaled back campaigning in the crucial early-voting state, but hasn't quit The Optimist Marshall Sella The New York Times In his bid to become the Democratic candidate for president, Dennis Kucinich represents all those grass-roots-dreaming, odds-ignoring unelectables Undeterred, Kucinich keeps on Yvonne Abraham The Boston Globe He attracts the true believers who were devoted to Green Party candidate Ralph Nader in 2000, but are looking for an alternative within the Democratic Party The Senate Super Bowl of '06: Rudy vs. Hillary John Ellis The Los Angeles Times The word around New York is that our former mayor, Rudy Giuliani, has decided to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton when she seeks reelection in 2006 Hey, They're Taking Slash-and-Burn to Extremes! Charles Babington The Washington Post These hardball techniques underscore a paradox of current U.S. politics: The electorate is almost evenly divided, but federal policymaking is increasingly one-sided
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
Liberal Warfare Lawrence F. Kaplan The Wall Street Journal The Democratic foreign-policy establishment has nothing to offer but clichés Making it too easy? Clifford D. May The Washington Times From a strictly partisan Democratic perspective, an antiwar candidate wins next November only if America is, by then, pretty clearly losing in Iraq and elsewhere. In other words, choosing an antiwar nominee puts Democrats in the awkward position of betting on American failure The Gore Curse Noemie Emery The Weekly Standard When he reemerged to support Dean, Dean should have run the other way	The Stories The Daily Show Broke in 2003 Newsweek The Stories The Daily Show Missed in 2003 Newsweek

Saturday, December 20, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Libya to Give Up Arms Programs, Bush Announces David E. Sanger and Judith Miller The New York Times Libya's leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, has admitted that his country had been trying to develop a broad arsenal of unconventional weapons, and he promised to dismantle them up and submit to international inspections Kadafi Began His Overtures More Than a Decade Ago Paul Richter The Los Angeles Times The leader appeared to change his stance after world reaction to the Pan Am bombing Sanctions, Isolation Wore Down Gaddafi Robin Wright and Glenn Kessler The Washington Post Years of international political and economic isolation ultimately forced Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi to surrender his nation's weapons of mass destruction Saddam is Captured, Let the Liberation Begin Medea Benjamin CommonDreams.org George Bush has an historic opportunity to prove to the many skeptics that this war was really about liberating Iraq Financing the Future of Iraq John Hendren The Los Angeles Times As the man responsible for doling out rebuilding contracts approved by Congress this fall, Nash found himself besieged at a sold-out seminar for 1,400 contractors in Washington and at a more intimate London gathering Think Global, Fight Local Robert F. Kaplan The Wall Street Journal Military bureaucracy is hindering the war in Afghanistan Sharon's New Offer: A Compromise, a Threat or Both? Richard Bernstein The New York Times The cottage industry that is Ariel Sharon-watching in Israel and elsewhere was very busy on Friday parsing Mr. Sharon's instantly famous speech of Thursday night	Soft News Richard Blow TomPaine.com If there was once a time when Diane Sawyer was a serious journalist—and for the sake of argument, let us say there was—it is officially over, as Tuesday night's interview with President Bush showed Where They Stand Richard Wolffe Newsweek Is Dean really a maverick? Is Clark's platform too ambitious? How the leading Democratic candidates rate on foreign policy Full-Tilt Boogie in Iowa David Moberg In These Times Despite the divisions, there is little open political warfare among unions. Each attempts to educate and turn out its members rather than influence other unions When I'm Pushed, I Tend to Push Back Jonathan Alter and Richard Wolffe Newsweek Howard Dean speaks out on Saddam's capture, taxes, trade and where he falls on the Democratic spectrum Damaged Goods? Eleanor Clift Newsweek Howard Dean may be right on the merits of his arguments about Iraq. But that isn't enough if he doesn't have the credibility to explain himself Here is why we Deaniacs love our fellow Randy Mayeux The Dallas Morning News The Howard Dean campaign revolutionizing presidential politics isn't just a political entity. It is a social phenomenon Dean on Damage-Control Mission Jodi Wilgoren The New York Times Howard Dean and his aides scrambled on Friday to show off their ties to the Clinton administration. They were trying to undo any damage done on Thursday, when Dr. Dean, in a speech on domestic policy, offended party moderates Dean picks up N.J. endorsements Charles Hurt The Washington Times New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey yesterday became the first governor to endorse a non-home state Democrat running for the presidential nomination Dean's defense views are drawing fire Donald Lambro The Washington Times Criticism of Howard Dean's views on Iraq, North Korea and other defense issues is coming from corners of the liberal establishment Kerry on a Mission for Momentum in Iowa James Rainey The Los Angeles Times The Massachusetts senator and onetime Democratic favorite is urgently reaching out Lieberman staff asked to forgo paycheck Oscar Corral The Miami Herald Democrat Joseph Lieberman requests that his staff defer one January paycheck, a sign campaign fundraising may be slowing Joltin' Joe Matthew Continetti The Weekly Standard Meet the new Joe Lieberman. He was born sometime between December 9, the day Al Gore endorsed former Vermont governor Howard Dean for president, and December 13, the day the Americans captured Saddam Hussein Lieberman Lift Does Little to Dim Dean Dominance Craig Crawford Congressional Quarterly Lieberman is still far from winning his party's nod, but his chances have improved more than any hopeful in the final Trail Mix Handicapper of 2003 G.O.P. Building Army of Volunteers to Get Out the Vote Richard W. Stevenson The New York Times Mr. Bush's team, taking full advantage of its control of the Republican Party apparatus, has a more audacious goal: creating a seamless national political machine that subsumes existing state and local party operations Campaign finance changes spur new kind of attack ads Glen Johnson The Boston Globe "I'm still shocked by that, that you would use a 527 to attack other Democrats," Dean told reporters aboard his campaign plane. "It never occurred to me that that would happen."
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
Editorial: A disgraceful record The Washington Times In sum, when it comes to helping the Iraqi people and defeating the tyrant who oppressed them for a generation, the United Nations was a miserable failure

Friday, December 19, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Rumsfeld Visited Baghdad in 1984 to Reassure Iraqis, Documents Show Dana Priest The Washington Post Donald H. Rumsfeld went to Baghdad in March 1984 with instructions to deliver a private message about weapons of mass destruction: that the United States' public criticism of Iraq for using chemical weapons would not derail Washington's attempts to forge a better relationship The twilight of the tyrants Peter Ford The Christian Science Monitor Unseating the autocrats who remain, however, from Cuba to North Korea, from Saudi Arabia to Burma, poses policy challenges that the United States and other democracies are only beginning to face Risky Business Naomi Klein The Nation This is ReBuilding Iraq 2, a gathering of 400 businesspeople itching to get a piece of the Iraqi reconstruction action Telling It Right Paul Krugman The New York Times We should be deeply disturbed by the history of this war. For its message seems to be that as long as you wave the flag convincingly enough, it doesn't matter whether you tell the truth Former CIA Profiler: Saddam's Arrest Can Produce Foreign Affairs Post says that the initial pictures of the "psychologically wounded Saddam" could "presage a real shift" among regime loyalists Hussein photos arouse distress in the Mideast Evan Osnos The Chicago Tribune Most Iraqis are relieved and delighted at the capture of a man who slaughtered their compatriots and stunted national development. But many also feel ambivalent or deflated about seeing their figurehead in such a pathetic state Complicated reactions to Hussein's capture Georgie Anne Geyer The Washington Times Iraqis were overjoyed that the tyrant had fallen, but they were humiliated by the fact that 1) he was overthrown by strangers, and 2) that Hussein had not even tried to defend himself Iraq’s occupiers train jurists MSNBC Iraq’s U.S.-led occupation authority said Thursday that it had trained Iraqi judges and lawyers to try former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his entourage Bremer survived ambush on convoy MSNBC L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator of Iraq, acknowledged Friday that he had survived an ambush in which attackers detonated a bomb and fired on his convoy Military Medals and Pentagon Meddlers Kurt Campbell and Michael O'Hanlon The Washington Post This decision, ultimately taken by politically appointed civilians from the Bush administration, is meant to subtly convey a central -- if increasingly controversial -- tenet of their worldview: that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are part of the same seamless global military fight against terror In Reversal, Russia Agrees to Discuss Debt Relief for Iraq Peter Baker The Washington Post Russia agreed on Thursday to negotiate debt relief for Iraq, reversing course after months of refusing to forgive any of the $8 billion Editorial: What's the Difference? The Washington Post In fact, the difference is much larger than that -- and the president's cavalier dismissal of it is shocking U.S. Negotiating Over Role of G.I.'s in a Sovereign Iraq Thom Shanker and Steven R. Weisman The New York Times Security operations must be conducted within inevitable new political constraints when Iraqis take charge of their own affairs West would make 'sacrifice' again Audrey Hudson The Washington Times Lt. Col. Allen B. West yesterday said that if faced with the same situation in which he fired a pistol near an Iraqi prisoner during an interrogation, an act for which he was later punished, he would again make the same "sacrifice." U.S. campaign to crack down on funding of Iraqi insurgents Paul Martin The Washington Times U.S. forces soon will begin the active phase of an onslaught against black marketeers who are suspected of using their illegal operations to fund the anticoalition insurgency and terrorist attacks in the capital We must honour the dead John Sloboda The Guardian (UK) Thousands of Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the occupation. So why is there no official death toll? Annan Wants Focus on Other Ills Maggie Farley The Los Angeles Times Secretary-general faults attention to Iraq, saying poverty and HIV/AIDS are bigger problems Learning to Break the Rules Bruce Berkowitz The New York Times Everyone involved in finding Saddam Hussein should pay close attention to the changes in strategy that allowed the achievement — such practices should be the routine, not the exception Live from the new Iraq: Happy talk Antonia Zerbisias The Toronto Star (Canada) The Pentagon is currently building what I call its own GNN — for Good News Network — to do an end run around the networks and beam directly from its press centre in Iraq Court: Gitmo suspects need lawyers CNN In another legal setback for the Bush administration, a U.S. federal appeals court concludes terrorist suspects held in secret U.S. custody on foreign soil deserve access to lawyers and the American legal system Detainees' Abuse Is Detailed Paul von Zeilbauer The New York Times A report released yesterday by the Department of Justice's inspector general concluded that at one federal prison in Brooklyn, some staff members physically abused many illegal immigrants arrested after the Sept. 11 attacks In Debate on Antiterrorism, the Courts Assert Themselves David Johnston The New York Times The broad presidential powers invoked by the Bush administration after the Sept. 11 attacks to detain suspected terrorists are now being challenged by the courts Editorial: The Padilla Decision The New York Times The decision's larger message — that there are constitutional limits on the president's power to deny basic civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism — is one that protects the liberty of all Americans War on Terrorism's Legal Tack Is Rejected Charles Lane The Washington Post A N.Y. federal appeals court has ordered the White House to charge al Qaeda suspect Jose Padilla, intensifying the clash between the executive and judicial branches, which will ultimately be settled at the Supreme Court Above The Law Bonnie Tenneriello TomPaine.com How John Ashcroft violated a major law and ended up with a wrist slap The stakes are huge Geov Parrish WorkingForChange.com Federal appeals court ruling rejects the detention without charges of U.S. citizen Jose Padilla Freeh Links Iran To Khobar Bombing Carol D. Leonnig The Washington Post Former FBI director Louis Freeh testified yesterday that he believed there was "overwhelming evidence" that senior Iranian government officials financed and directed the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia Iran peels back nuclear secrecy Scott Peterson The Christian Science Monitor Capping months of growing pressure on Iran about secret nuclear programs, the ink dried yesterday on Tehran's agreement to permit intrusive, snap inspections of nuclear facilities US confident Bin Laden will be caught Victoria Burnett Financial Times (UK) Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda's mastermind, is probably alive and hiding in the isolated hills between Pakistan and Afghanistan but he will be caught "with absolute certainty", the top US military official said The Terror Trap Gershom Gorenberg The American Prospect Four former Israeli security chiefs attack Ariel Sharon and remind us: He's doing what the terrorists want Sharon Tells of Unilateral Mideast Plan Ken Ellingwood The Los Angeles Times Israel will draw a new border with Palestinians unless they curb militants, he says Japan confirms missile defence shield plan David Pilling Financial Times (UK) Japan's government confirmed its intention to build a missile shield over the archipelago as part of a comprehensive reorientation of its defence strategy U.S. Official Hopeful in N. Korea Dispute Sonni Efron The Los Angeles Times The official gave his assessment amid reports of a dispute between U.S. and Chinese officials over the wording of a document meant to provide the framework for the talks What did Bush know and when did he know it? Eric Boehlert Salon.com 9/11 Commission chairman Thomas Kean's suggestion that the administration could have prevented the terror attacks may signal a new, aggressive approach	The Politics of Positive Thinking E. J. Dionne Jr. The Washington Post The reticence of Clark and Edwards is instructive. Both are placing their biggest bets on the primaries that take place after Iowa and New Hampshire -- especially the Feb. 3 contests in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico. By contrast, Gephardt and Sen. John Kerry are in life-or-death struggles with Dean John Kerry Improves in New Hampshire Poll Elizabeth Wolfe Associated Press Yahoo! Kerry, the Massachusetts senator, solidified his spot at No. 2, rising from 13 percentage points to 20 Some Democrats Uneasy About Dean as Nominee Katharine Q. Seelye and Robin Toner The New York Times Many leading Democrats say they are uneasy about Howard Dean's candidacy for president because of his combative style and antiwar stance Dean Assails 'Washington Democrats' on Iraq Paul Farhi and Jim VandeHei The Washington Post In a pointed blast at his presidential rivals Thursday, Howard Dean criticized "Washington Democrats" who "want to declare victory in the war on terror" after Saturday's capture of Saddam Hussein Howard Dean's Campaign Team Charms His Way Into Print Howard Kurtz The Washington Post Communications director Tricia Enright and campaign manager Joe Trippi have forged a joking, bantering relationship with reporters that contrasts with their candidate's style The Era of Bill Clinton Is Over William Saletan Slate When he claims to stand for a "new era" different from Clinton's, he isn't really ditching Clinton's agenda As governor, Dean signed bill that aided offshore insurers Michael Kranish The Boston Globe As part of Howard Dean's effort to attract companies to set up so-called "captive" insurance businesses in Vermont, he signed legislation that enabled a Bermuda-based company to establish a Vermont branch Dean shrugs off his slip in the polls Knight-Ridder The Houston Chronicle In the latest Gallup poll, Bush increased his formerly 4 percentage point lead over Dean to 23 points, beating him 60-37 percent among registered voters Dean Fires Back at Foes, Defends Position on War Mark Z. Barabak and Matea Gold The Los Angeles Times The front-runner says his Democratic rivals, who have questioned his knowledge of foreign policy, are just following Bush's lead Clark Biopic, Made by Clinton Pal, Premiers at Fundraisers Susannah Rosenblatt The Los Angeles Times The 17-minute film, 'American Son,' shows at more than 700 house parties nationwide Clark finally making headway Scot Lehigh The Boston Globe With the capture of Saddam Hussein pushing George W. Bush's polling numbers up (at least temporarily) from competitive to formidable, the former supreme allied commander returned from testifying at the war-crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic Madonna Endorses Democrat Wesley Clark For President MTV Veteran singer, actress and professional provocateur Madonna has joined retired Gen. Wesley Clark's army Kerry Lends Campaign $850,000 and Plans More Glen Justice The New York Times Senator John Kerry lent his presidential campaign $850,000 and is borrowing against his home in Boston to obtain more as national polls show him lagging far behind Howard Dean In desperation, John Kerry goes too far Joan Walsh Salon.com After a year of wavering and waffling on the Iraq war, the Massachusetts Democrat is taking cheap shots at front-runner Howard Dean. It isn't a pretty sight Center, but not front: Lieberman's quandary Alexandra Marks The Christian Science Monitor Pundits say his conservative positions will hamper his presidential aspirations Nader eyeing another White House run Phil Hirschkorn CNN Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said Thursday he is leaning toward another independent run for the presidency and will make his decision public in January Blue States, Latino Voters Joe Velasquez & Steve Cobble The Nation The new path to the White House runs through the Latino Southwest, not the former Confederacy, especially for a Northern nominee The Death of Horatio Alger Paul Krugman The Nation Our political leaders are doing everything they can to fortify class inequality, while denouncing anyone who complains--or even points out what is happening--as a practitioner of "class warfare." Halliburton was warned by its auditors, says Pentagon Joshua Chaffin and Edward Alden Financial Times (UK) Pentagon auditors claim a Halliburton subsidiary was warned by the company's own internal auditors that there were serious problems with the implementation of its contract to import fuel into Iraq White-Collar Anger Kevin Danaher and Jason Mark AlterNet The off-shoring of service jobs is déjà vu all over again Taiwan: Dean's Window of Opportunity G. Pascal Zachary AlterNet By defending of Taiwan – and preaching the virtues of diversity and tolerance to China's leaders – Dean can sharply distinguish himself and take back from the "right wing wackos" the debate over national security
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
Think Dean’s not to be trusted? Jim Geraghty National Review The Democratic frontrunner's foreign-policy advisers have bad track records The Clinton View of Iraq-al Qaeda Ties Stephen F. Hayes The Weekly Standard ARE AL QAEDA'S links to Saddam Hussein's Iraq just a fantasy of the Bush administration? Hardly. The Clinton administration also warned the American public about those ties and defended its response to al Qaeda terror by citing an Iraqi connection Divided on the War? Not Really Robert Kagan The Washington Post The big foreign policy speech they wrote for him masterfully tried to cast him as a moderate, which on some issues other than Iraq, he may well be. But Dean undid all his advisers' efforts when he insisted that "the capture of Saddam has not made America safer." Comforting the Enemy Andrew C. McCarthy National Review If you were under the impression that the 9/11 atrocities marked the long-overdue end of a suicidal government philosophy that terrorists and bombs should be fought with indictments and trials instead of missiles in the air and boots on the ground, guess again Wish Globally Jim Henley The American Spectator Right-wing doves may be tempted to vote against George Bush, but in the absence of a real Democratic peace candidate, we'd do as well to cast a third party protest ballot as vote Democrat Finally, Iraq getting on the right track Robert D. Novak The Houston Chronicle Really "winning" the war in Iraq remains a massive undertaking, but hardheaded officials now regard prospects as better than at any time since President Bush on May 1 declared the collapse of Iraqi military resistance Tribal Politics Jeremy Lott The American Spectator The red-blue divide is a classic example -- perhaps the new benchmark -- of people allowing press reports to overwhelm their own good sense, and lying eyes 2003 in Review Pete du Pont The Wall Street Journal The good (Iraq, tax cuts), the bad (big-government Republicans) and the sad (Bill Roth, RIP). Captured long-term benefits Austin Bay The Washington Times Saddam's capture has the potential for producing extraordinary change in the world's most politically dysfunctional region	Restaurant Buys Ball From Cubs' Loss Bennie M. Currie Associated Press Yahoo! Harry Caray's restaurant paid $106,600 for the infamous baseball deflected by a fan, and the owners want to destroy the ball and close an agonizing chapter in Cubs history It's Guilt by Association When the Neighbors Meet Mike Armstrong The Los Angeles Times Minutes of the Homeowners Assn. Meeting, Dec. 18, 2003 A World Drinking Record Reuters Yahoo! Latvian police said a drunk picked up with around twice the blood-alcohol level considered deadly had probably set a world record but would wake with a hangover to match

Thursday, December 18, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
9/11 Chair: Attack Was Preventable Randall Pinkston CBS News For the first time, the chairman of the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks is saying publicly that 9/11 could have and should have been prevented Homeland Insecurity Mother Jones Efforts by the U.S. government to create an effective, comprehensive strategy against terrorist attacks have lost momentum, while Americans, paradoxically, have become complacent about the terrorist threat Decoding Terror Laura Rozen TomPaine.com What do the bombings in Turkey tell us about the U.S. campaign against Al Qaeda? World knows our foreign policy better than we do Jay Bookman The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Earlier this week, I sat down to talk with more than 20 young men and women from nations ranging from China and Nigeria to Colombia and Egypt After the euphoria The Economist (UK) The tyrant's arrest should make nation-building easier. But perhaps not much The moral of Saddam Hussein The Economist (UK) Nobody emerges with much credit from the saga of Iraq. The future may be more hopeful Hussein Enters Post-9/11 Web of U.S. Prisons James Risen and Thom Shanker The New York Times Saddam Hussein is now prisoner No. 1 in what has developed into a global detention system run by the Pentagon and the C.I.A. Legal marker for the world Erna Paris The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada) Because they place a symbolic marker between the abuses of the past and the new era, properly run trials can also play a role in framing the future direction of society Saddam's arrest fuels insurgency Rory McCarthy The Guardian (UK) Police are increasingly the target as 40 Iraqis die in four days of violence U.S. top envoy asks for more personnel Warren P. Strobel and Joseph L. Galloway The Houston Chronicle The recent request by L. Paul Bremer, which is being fiercely debated by the president's aides, underscores growing alarm in some sectors of the government that Bush's exit strategy for Iraq is in trouble Saddam's capture bodes ill for Bush's re-election William Pfaff The International Herald-Tribune Contrary to what many are saying, Saddam Hussein's capture is a negative omen for President George W. Bush's re-election campaign Captive guerrilla tied to Hussein Thanassis Cambanis The Boston Globe As recently as two days before his capture, Saddam Hussein dined with a top lieutenant coordinating guerrilla attacks on the so-called "Highway of Death" leading north from Baghdad to Tikrit Army analysts' Iraq memo plans strategy in `battle of ideas' Stephen J. Glain The Boston Globe A US Army study of Iraq written hours after Saddam Hussein's capture suggests little progress has been made in winning over Iraqi hearts and minds The hunters and the hunted Steve Chapman The Chicago Tribune No one can imagine that the vagrant arrested Saturday was directing the resistance or doing much of anything else, except communing with small burrowing creatures Troops Target a Restive Iraqi City Patrick J. McDonnell The Los Angeles Times U.S. forces meet little resistance in Samarra. The large-scale raid and suspicions that the city supports the insurgency anger residents Remember 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'? For Bush, They Are a Nonissue Richard W. Stevenson The New York Times "So what's the difference?" he responded at one point as he was pressed on the topic during an interview by Diane Sawyer of ABC News Saddam figures may be planning Iraqi resistance MSNBC A senior U.S. military official told The Associated Press on Wednesday the Iraqi insurgency is showing signs of central planning by former officials of Saddam Hussein's regime — figures who coordinate strikes hundreds of miles apart and provide cash and bomb-making expertise Saddam's Mojo Christopher Dickey Newsweek The capture of the dictator is a milestone, but it hasn't generated the shock and awe that the White House would have liked Dubious Link Between Atta and Saddam Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball Newsweek A document tying the Iraqi leader with the 9/11 terrorist is probably fake. PLUS, how terror financiers manage to stay in business Iraqis' security worries growing Tod Robberson The Dallas Morning News With supporters seething over Saddam Hussein's capture, Iraqis say their list of security concerns seems to be growing by the day even though they are relieved that he is behind bars The war will go on for a battered Army Erin Solaro and Philip Gold The Seattle Times For months now, media chatter and Pentagon whispers have predicted an imminent mass exodus from the Army and National Guard. So far, the evidence is mostly anecdotal Kay Plans to Leave Search for Iraqi Arms Dana Priest and Walter Pincus The Washington Post David Kay, the head of the U.S. effort to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, has told administration officials he plans to leave before the Iraq Survey Group's work is completed and could depart before February Iraqis Shocked, Shamed by Hussein's Sullied Image Alan Sipress The Washington Post Theories Abound Over Why 'Saddam the Lion' Failed to Resist Capture by U.S. Soldiers The Sunnis' Choice Jim Hoagland The Washington Post Failure to empower Iraqis now to deal with the dictator's fate will make the occupation even more unpopular and difficult to manage Iraqi foe urges life sentence for Saddam Paul Martin The Washington Times A senior Iraqi Governing Council member, Jalal Talabani, yesterday urged fellow Iraqis to reject President Bush's suggestion that Saddam Hussein should face the death penalty Back In The Saddle Robert Dreyfuss TomPaine.com It will be a lot harder now for Powell and other realists in the administration to persuade the president that his Iraq policy needs an overhaul The View from Israel The New Yorker The New Yorker staff writer Jeffrey Goldberg has reported extensively on Israel and the Middle East; he was in Israel when the news of Saddam Hussein’s capture was announced. Here, with The New Yorker’s Daniel Cappello, Goldberg discusses the Israeli, Palestinian, and Kurdish reactions to the news Israel prepares for mass move if road map fails Sharon Behn The Washington Times Tens of thousands of Jews will be moved out of their homes and behind an Israeli security fence next year if the U.S.-backed "road map" to peace fails, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel may announce pullout Gretel C. Kovach The Dallas Morning News With Saddam Hussein neutralized and Palestinian suicide bombings at a lull, Israel appears to be turning its attention to another threat – the demographic time bomb Afghan woman calls warlords `criminals' Dan Morrison The Chicago Tribune Afghanistan's constitutional convention burst into uproar Wednesday after a 26-year-old woman delegate denounced her country's powerful factional warlords as "criminals" who "should be brought to justice." Serbs May Help Patrol Afghanistan, but Qualms Abound Nicholas Wood The New York Times The governments of Serbia and Montenegro, the two republics that until early this year made up what was left of Yugoslavia, have offered a contingent of 700 troops and policemen to work alongside NATO soldiers in Afghanistan A Young Afghan Dares to Mention the Unmentionable Amy Waldman and Carlotta Gall The New York Times An impassioned speech by a social worker electrified a constitutional assembly in Afghanistan, a country where few women dare to speak their minds Iran and Human Rights: Talk Is Cheap Elahé Sharifpour-Hicks The Los Angeles Times Weighted with all this expectation, it is perhaps not surprising that Ebadi's Nobel lecture was an anticlimax, but it was also another missed opportunity for those who long for the shadow of repression to be lifted from Iran In Iran, hopes for democracy dwindle Scott Peterson The Christian Science Monitor Once seen as the most vigorous democratic impulse in the Islamic world, Iran's reform movement is battling for political survival Pakistan seeks more help controlling masses at border Juliette Terzieff The San Francisco Chronicle In this sun-scorched corner of dusty Balochistan -- adjacent to the Taliban's birthplace of Kandahar and Spin Boldak, where resistance to U.S. forces is continuing -- up to 10,000 people a day cross the border A challenge to Pakistan's close US ties Owais Tohid The Christian Science Monitor President Musharraf narrowly escaped assassination this week, underscoring his importance to the war on terror US accuses N Korea over nuclear weapons Guy Dinmore Financial Times (UK) The US on Wednesday accused North Korea of continuing efforts to procure equipment for its nuclear weapons programme, while blaming the communist state for derailing efforts by China to host another round of six-party talks this month China bellicose, imploring in Taiwan remarks Michael A. Lev The Chicago Tribune China issued a new threat Wednesday to "crush" Taiwanese separatists while asking Taiwan to agree to a closer economic relationship	White House Web Scrubbing Dana Milbank The Washington Post It's not quite Soviet-style airbrushing, but the Bush administration has been using cyberspace to make some of its own cosmetic touch-ups to history Approval of Bush highest in 6 months Saddam capture lifts confidence on Iraq Judy Keen and Jill Lawrence USA Today A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll on Monday and Tuesday found that 63% of Americans approve of the overall job the president is doing. His rating just before Saddam's arrest on Saturday was 54% When Good News Is Bad News Michael Kinsley Slate The Democratic presidential candidates woke up Sunday morning to learn that U.S. forces had captured Saddam Hussein. O joy! O joy! O ****! You cannot blame them for having mixed emotions Poll Shows Candidates Failing to Move Democratic Primary Voters Adam Nagourney and Janet Elder The New York Times Three years after one of the most disputed presidential contests in the nation's history, Americans remain polarized as they approach the 2004 White House election Hussein's capture wasn't on the minds of these voters Carl P. Leubsdorf The Dallas Morning News The predominant mood was downbeat, suggesting the Rust Belt has been slow to feel the economic upturn. Mr. Hart suggested it meant states like Ohio and Michigan will be in play next fall Attacks on Bush play well in New Hampshire Bennett Roth The Houston Chronicle In the New England state that holds the nation's first presidential primary Jan. 27, that pugnacious sentiment is clearly helping Anti-Dean ads funded by unions Associated Press The Houston Chronicle Several labor unions that endorsed Dick Gephardt donated $50,000 apiece to a group broadcasting commercials that question Democratic presidential rival Howard Dean's credentials, including one spot that features Osama bin Laden Hussein remark Dean's idea Glen Johnson The Boston Globe Dean did not back down. Instead, with a display of the stubbornness that has become his trademark, he repeated the comment and derided his critics for their "Washington politics" and "silliness." Dean's Conflicting Iraq Comments Draw Scrutiny Matea Gold The Los Angeles Times As his rivals have stepped up their criticism of his stance on Iraq, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's public statements about the war are under increasing scrutiny High Over the Desert, Plane Talk With Dean Mark Z. Barabak The Los Angeles Times On topics ranging from naps to balanced budgets, the usually private Democratic front-runner opens up a little for the press Dean's Remarks Give Rivals Talking Points Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Finer The Washington Post Howard Dean's penchant for flippant and sometimes false statements is generating increased criticism from his Democratic presidential rivals Graham stands up for Dean at Democratic fundraiser Peter Wallsten The Miami Herald Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton attends a fundraiser at which former presidential candidate Sen. Bob Graham speaks up for Democratic front-runner Howard Dean Backlash not likely over Dean's Saddam remarks Ron Fournier Associated Press The Houston Chronicle Strategists and analysts say that by criticizing Dean, the pro-war candidates appear to be siding with Bush -- not a good idea in the Democratic primary -- and may be out of touch with even swing voters Dean makes political history The Black Commentator Howard Dean’s December 7 speech is the most important statement on race in American politics by a mainstream white politician in nearly 40 years Labor's McEntee powers Dean Tom Curry MSNBC Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the union which has put the power of its more than 1.4 million members behind Dean Editorial: Beyond the Mainstream The Washington Post Mr. Dean's carefully prepared speech was described as a move toward the center, but in key ways it shifted him farther from the mainstream One camel, two humps Gary J. Andres The Washington Times There is another school of thought, based in part on a book written almost a half-century ago, but still helpful in understanding contemporary American politics, that predicts Mr. Dean may start left and stay left Wes Clark's Plan to Bring Saddam Hussein to Justice Wesley Clark Clark04.com We have momentum now. This is a question of presidential will. If the president will show the will, our armed forces will find the way to bin Laden's hideout Bush Should Have Found Bin Laden, Clark Says Dan Balz The Washington Post Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark said yesterday that President Bush should have tracked down and captured Osama bin Laden rather than waging war in Iraq Back to the drawing board? The Economist (UK) Dick Gephardt may be the Democrats' best chance of stopping Howard Dean Kerry camp pins hopes on Iowa, N.H. success Patrick Healy The Boston Globe Presidential candidate John F. Kerry has sharply curtailed campaign visits to states beyond Iowa and New Hampshire, betting virtually all of his political chips on success in one short month: January Kucinich: Voters need "a second opinion" on Dean Mark Hertsgaard Salon.com In an interview with Link TV and Salon, the Ohio congressman slams the Vermont doctor on national healthcare, and says Bush is a bad president but shouldn't be impeached In Seeking Presidency, Braun Could Win Back Reputation Monica Davey The New York Times Carol Moseley Braun may have no chance to win the Democratic presidential nomination, but she might win back her reputation Democrats Make Enron GOP's Albatross Howard Kurtz The Washington Post Enron Corp. has become the Democratic presidential candidates' favorite piñata, always good for a few whacks Congress loses centrist brokers Ross K. Baker USA Today Centrists such as Breaux serve as a kind of bridge between the parties. They become especially important when the battle lines harden and the influence of ideologues is at its height Til politics do us part Susan Page USA Today Highly educated men and women increasingly view the political world in dramatically different ways: Men are mostly Republicans, women are predominantly Democrats Halliburton Overcharge Not Intentional, Pentagon Says John Hendren The Los Angeles Times The firm's 'antiquated' accounting system caused the billing error, comptroller says
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
A Tigris Chronicle Fouad Ajami The Wall Street Journal The Arab world grapples with Saddam's captivity Albright's joke joins growing list of Bush theories James G. Lakely The Washington Times "Do you suppose," she asked, "that the Bush administration has Osama bin Laden hidden away somewhere and will bring him out before the election?" Taking care of Saddam business National Review The United States should continue to profit from the lessons in counterinsurgency learned by the British in Malaya and by the Israelis today Captive Audience Rand H. Fishbein National Review There are more important uses to which this monster can be put than simply to give him a martyr's death at the hands of an angry Iraqi public Ceaucescu of the Arabs Walid Phares National Review A wedge is now widening in the Middle East. Arabs are either holding onto the past and to the Saddams of the region, or they're tearing down the walls of silence and grabbing the future with their hands Knowing Howie As I Do R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. The American Spectator Dr. Howard Dean poses for me an unanticipated moral dilemma. Throughout the 1990s I debated him on a little-known public affairs show taped in Montreal Editorial: Who's the fool? The Washington Times Last week, many of the shrewdest pundits, editorial pages and journalists in both Washington and Western Europe were having a very self-satisfying time sneering at President Bush's "vindictive," "self-destructively unilateralist" exclusion of France, Germany and other countries from primary rebuilding contracts in Iraq Forced Perspective Hugh Hewitt The Weekly Standard The online world of the Dean campaign has convinced itself that there's something big going on. Are they right?	Halliburton Mark Fiore WorkingForChange.org Just leave the reconstruction to us! Let America Laugh Dan Hoyle WireTap David Cross reminds you a lot of your whiny, hilarious friend. But David Cross whines about politics instead of potato chip commercials Arizona Town for Sale on EBay for $5.5M Associated Press Yahoo! Tortilla Flat, a little spot of land with a few wood buildings near the Salt River Lakes, is for sale on the Internet for $5.5 million Unlikely stories of 2003 Agence France Presse Yahoo! Every year, thousands of news stories get overlooked, lost beneath the welter of major international events

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Saddam on Lips At Ground Zero Jimmy Breslin Newsday Each person you spoke to, and they were from all over the country, were pleased that the new trade center would be the world's tallest building. Also, they were supremely happy because Saddam Hussein had had something to do with blowing up the Twin Towers Saddam Is Ours. Does Al Qaeda Care? Bruce Hoffman The New York Times There's strong evidence that Saddam Hussein's arrest is irrelevant, and Osama bin Laden is using Iraq as a smoke screen Hussein Document Exposes Network Bradley Graham The Washington Post A document discovered during the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein has enabled U.S. military authorities to assemble detailed knowledge of a key network behind as many as 14 clandestine insurgent cells CIA Poised to Quiz Hussein Dana Priest and Thomas E. Ricks The Washington Post The CIA, whose interrogation of al Qaeda leaders has produced a flow of useful information, will take the lead in questioning Saddam Hussein, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said France and Germany Agree To Help Reduce Iraqi Debt Keith B. Richburg The Washington Post A special envoy from President Bush won unspecified pledges Tuesday from the leaders of France and Germany to reduce Iraq's crushing foreign debt Suspect provides valuable data on al Qaeda's plans Jerry Seper The Washington Times The American held as an enemy combatant in a suspected scheme to detonate a "dirty bomb" in the United States has given federal authorities valuable intelligence information and will not be given access to a lawyer The War Rolls On Steven Rosenfeld TomPaine.com Saddam’s capture obscures the realities of occupation, says former war correspondent Chris Hedges U.S. tries to trip up Saddam Interrogators John Diamond and Judy Keen USA Today The goal is to provoke him into making unguarded statements by confronting him with evidence that could be used in a war-crimes trial Experts: Saddam holds on to ego Barbara Slavin USA Today Surrender surprised some, but others say it makes sense: 'In his own mind, he's too important to die.' Forces will remain for couple of years, general says Glen C. Carey USA Today The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that U.S. forces will stay in Iraq for at least two years to put down insurgencies that he said would be hurt by the capture of Saddam Hussein Chemical, Nuclear Arms Still 'Major Threat,' Cheney Says Mike Allen The Washington Post Cheney also criticized what he considers a proliferation of "cheap shot journalism" about the administration. "People don't check the facts," he said Dreams of a Monster Daniel Chirot The Washington Post To defeat extremism we must understand that extremists have a vision, too The Grounds for Celebration Harold Meyerson The Washington Post If the only factor had been ridding Iraq of its Baathist thugocracy, why, of course, the war merited support. But supporting the war also meant supporting a new national doctrine in favor of preventive -- that is, discretionary -- wars Writing Iraq's Secret History Anne Applebaum The Washington Post Many administration officials have made impressive-sounding speeches about the need for "democracy" in Iraq. All of their rhetoric means little until Saddam Hussein's archives are put into neutral, credible Iraqi hands Hussein's Helpers a Key Source of Guerrilla Funding, U.S. Says Patrick J. McDonnell The Los Angeles Times Small coterie of Hussein confidants draw on hidden cash to hire insurgents U.N. Failed the People of Iraq, Official Says Maggie Farley The Los Angeles Times Iraq's interim foreign minister criticized the United Nations on Tuesday for standing on the sidelines in his nation's time of need Saddam Bagged, Bizarre Baghdad Doesn't Bug Out Tish Durkin The New York Observer If you didn’t know the devil himself had been put behind bars, you never would have guessed Smart Bombs, Dumb Targets Fred Kaplan Slate Did overconfidence in precision targeting cause civilian deaths in Iraq? Bush the Bumbler Daniel Drezner Slate This line of argumentation has less to do with substance and more to do with process. To sum it up, Bush's management of foreign policy has been too detached for his own good U.S. Plans to Offer Official Coverage of Iraq Directly to Viewers Christopher Marquis The New York Times The Pentagon is making briefings from Iraq directly available to network affiliates, cable stations and government agencies Still no mass weapons, no ties to 9/11, no truth Derrick Z. Jackson The Boston Globe THE INVASION was still a lie. The capture of Saddam Hussein changes nothing about that. There were too many forked tongues in the road to his lair. The way we removed the dictator, we became a global dictatorship Missing U.S.-Iraq History Robert Parry In These Times It is time to take a step back and consider the full story of the Saddam Hussein and his long time relationship with the U.S. government, beginning in 1959 Desertions deplete Afghan Army Ann Scott Tyson The Christian Science Monitor At the current pace, it will take until 2010 for the force to reach full strength - prolonging US Army stay Afghanistan Marks a Milepost on Long Road Back to Security Paul Watson The Los Angeles Times The country's Kabul-to-Kandahar highway reopens with fanfare -- and guns at the ready to fend off any Taliban rebels Unprecedented public ferment among once-silent Saudis Faye Bowers The Christian Science Monitor Everywhere, it seems, from sidewalk cafes to women's salons behind closed doors, Saudis are talking about societal changes Egyptians Begin Asking: After Mubarak, What? Glenn Frankel The Washington Post The inner workings of Egypt's tight ruling circle are hard for outsiders to penetrate, but it has been clear in recent years that Mubarak has been grooming his 40-year-old son, Gamal Editorial: The 'Map' Still Matters The Los Angeles Times The more difficult task will be dismantling long-established settlements in the West Bank and Gaza that are home to more than 200,000 Israelis Seoul Has Big Plans for North Korea (Nightmares, Too) Norimitsu Onishi The New York Times As the prospect of an end to the nuclear crisis inches closer, South Koreans are thinking seriously about the implications China's Velvet Glove Nicholas D. Kristof The New York Times Beijing is going to have to tackle China's broiling labor issues with openness, rather than repression Civilian Visitor Calls Guantanamo a 'Black Hole' Reuters Yahoo! The U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where suspected Taliban soldiers are being held, is a "physical and moral black hole," the first civilian lawyer allowed to meet a client there said	Can you like George Bush and not vote for him? Mark Shields CNN The good news for the Democrats is that a plurality, approaching a majority, of voters mostly dislike the incumbent president's policies and therefore might reasonably be expected to vote in 2004 for the challenger Bush's Approval Ratings Climb in Days After Hussein's Capture Adam Nagourney and Janet Elder The New York Times While the capture has lifted Americans' opinion of President Bush, they remain anxious about Iraq, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll For Bush, Saddam is icing on the cake Howard Fineman Newsweek Sitting in a bar on Milk Street in Boston one day, a legendary Democratic operative named Paul Tully told me this: “There is no such thing as a straight-line extrapolation in politics. You can’t connect dots and know where the line will go. It’ll curve unexpectedly. This is an interactive universe.” Message to Dems: Get one Jeremy Heimans and Tim Dixon Salon.com Even with Saddam's capture, Bush is still vulnerable on Iraq. But Democratic candidates must begin articulating why, before it's too late Editorial: Is it over before it started? The San Francisco Chronicle A candidate for a major-party presidential nomination should be required to test his or her ideas and mettle over a cross- section of America Dean's Foreign Policy: I Am No George Bush John Tirman AlterNet Howard Dean's first major speech on foreign policy on Monday in Los Angeles was delivered amid the immediate aftermath of Saddam Hussein's capture, and a more symbolic twinning of events could scarcely be imagined The New Electable Howard Dean Kareem Fahim The Village Voice Dean's campaign has moved past the single issue that his critics said made him unelectable—his anti-war rhetoric Editorial: The Face of Scare Politics The New York Times Supporters of Howard Dean's Democratic rivals have delivered a low blow by using Osama bin Laden's image in a commercial Can a tough Dean rally Democrats? Robert Kuttner The Boston Globe This trust in volunteers combined with Dean's principled opposition to Bush's foreign adventure, have energized an ever growing base willing to walk over hot coals for Dean Dean vs. Bush: Would it be close? Linda Feldmann and Liz Marlantes The Christian Science Monitor Former Vermont governor tries to recast himself on foreign policy, but questions persist whether he's too liberal to win Dean Is Taking More Heat for His Hussein Comments James Rainey and Ronald Brownstein The Los Angeles Times Howard Dean's presidential rivals offered two distinct lines of argument against the Democratic front-runner on Tuesday, challenging him for opposing the war with Iraq and for having too little foreign-policy experience Anti-Dean Ad Is Criticized Howard Kurtz The Washington Post Howard Dean's campaign demanded yesterday that his Democratic presidential rivals repudiate an independently financed commercial that uses a picture of Osama bin Laden in attacking the former Vermont governor Howard Dean Needs a Tone Transplant Matthew Miller TMS Features Much has been made of The Dean Anger, but what Dean's hostile tone displaces is what matters more. You can't be angry and be a happy warrior Dean's words may be imprecise, but his views are consistent Walter Shapiro USA Today Did Dean's foreign policy speech in Los Angeles offer a revealing window into his thinking? Or was it, as his rivals claim, merely window dressing designed to conceal as well as reveal? Dean Gaining Support Among Latino Leaders Nick Anderson The Los Angeles Times Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean is quietly reaping endorsements from high-ranking Latino officials, a development that bodes well for him in Southwestern states As Went Alf Landon, So Did McGovern—But How About Dean? Ron Rosenbaum The New York Observer Howard Dean won’t break his supporters’ hearts by losing the election; he’ll break their hearts if he abandons his principles Kerry Staffer's Attack 'On Background' Backfires Howard Kurtz The Washington Post Sen. John F. Kerry's campaign spokeswoman is deeply unhappy with the New York Times' chief political correspondent for quoting her criticism of Howard Dean Kerry Says Dean Lacks Presidential Traits David A. Halfbinger The New York Times Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts attacked Howard Dean on Tuesday as inexperienced, inconsistent and weak on foreign policy John Kerry Unveils Plan for Winning the Peace in Post-Saddam Iraq John Kerry JohnKerry.com Speaking at Drake University today, John Kerry outlined a plan for winning the peace in Post-Saddam Iraq, trying the former Iraqi leader, and building a lasting coalition to support our operations Gore Rejection Sends Jolt of Life Into Lieberman's Bid Diane Cardwell The New York Times In the span of a week, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman has become a man transformed Clark's Role in Kosovo Exemplifies His Traits R. Jeffrey Smith The Washington Post Gen. Wesley K. Clark's most prominent traits -- willingness to defy convention, persistence and occasionally grating self-confidence in matters small and large -- not only influenced his advocacy of the war, but also helped alienate some of his superiors Milosevic Trial Helps Clark Try to Gain Notice Elaine Sciolino The New York Times For the past two days American presidential politics has unfolded behind closed doors in a courtroom in the Netherlands Losing Ground Mother Jones It just got a lot less likely that the Democrats will win back the Senate in 2004 -- and way more likely that they'll end up getting spanked GOP 'Dominance' Is Just Trash Talk Amy Sullivan and Jake Rosenfeld Newsday When he was the Senate Democratic leader, Sen. George Mitchell used to say that the only people who believe the rhetoric of Republican senators are Democratic senators Behind Closed Doors William Safire The New York Times Are Republicans out of their collective mind? Why the hots to hide?
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
International Man of Mystery Andrew Sullivan The New Republic What on earth does Dean mean by "internationalization"? The Bike-Path Left Mark Steyn The Wall Street Journal It's odd that when something big happens, as on Sunday, the Democratic candidates seem irrelevant to the story, like asking a lacrosse expert what he thinks of the Super Bowl Living in the Past Simon Henderson National Review Memo to the interrogators of the CIA: Forget equal opportunities. Put together your meanest-looking teams of interrogators. Play on Saddam's vanity, his bombast, his constant need to justify himself. Offer no future to him but get him to talk about his past	Senate Carpool 'Forgets' To Pick Up Feingold Again The Onion U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) was forced to find an alternate means of transportation to work Monday, because his Senate carpool once again "forgot" to pick him up Drinking Responsibly During The Holidays The Onion The holiday season is a time to enjoy family dinners, office parties, and get-togethers with friends. Festive drinks and tasty punches often contribute to the holiday revelry, so here are some tips to help you celebrate sensibly North Korea's Nuclear Proposal The Onion

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

National Security / Foreign Affairs	U.S. Politics / Election 2004
Challenging 'Pre-emption' Sen. Robert C. Byrd The Nation The rising tide of anti-Americanism is attributable to the distrust engendered by this Bush doctrine Joy Fades as Iraqis Chafe Under a Grim Occupation Edward Wong The New York Times The joyous bursts of gunfire that echoed throughout parts of Iraq on Sunday are already a distant memory. Many people are left wondering how they will push on with their daily lives in a country controlled by a foreign power When Decapitation Isn't Fatal Richard Cohen The Washington Post This is a good news and bad news column. The good news is that Saddam Hussein is in the slammer. All the rest is bad We Caught The Wrong Guy William Rivers Pitt TruthOut.com The dying will continue because America’s presence in Iraq is a wonderful opportunity for a man named Osama bin Laden, who was not captured on Saturday So was Hussein so much of a threat? Gregory Katz The Dallas Morning News Now that Saddam Hussein is just another prisoner of war, a nagging prewar question has gained new force: Was he a potent threat to the national security of the United States and Britain, or was his power hyped by himself and by the West? We Finally Got Our Frankenstein Michael Moore MichaelMoore.com Alternet Thank God Saddam is finally back in American hands! He must have really missed us. Man, he sure looked bad! But, at least he got a free dental exam today. That's something most Americans can't get Coalition Excludes Many Countries Aiding Iraq The Los Angeles Times Bush's list of allies includes Micronesia, Palau and Tonga, island nations in the Pacific that provided moral support when the United States went to war last spring but have not sent troops or money. But the list does not include Canada, which sent warships to the Persian Gulf to back up the U.S. war effort Try Saddam in an international court Kenneth Roth Human Rights Watch International Herald Tribune The fairness of the tribunal he is brought before will determine whether his prosecution advances the rule of law in Iraq or perpetuates a system of arbitrary revenge Imagining Saddam's trial Barry Lando Salon.com Imagine, for instance, seeing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, and a parade of CIA directors and secretaries of state called as witnesses -- for the defense If he talks, is it a bonanza or bogus? Jim Landers and Richard Whittle The Dallas Morning News Terrorism expert Neil Livingstone, who heads the Washington security firm Global Options, said he expected Mr. Hussein to start talking at some point because of his "narcissistic personality." Trial of Hussein could cast war in new light Charlie Savage The Boston Globe The coming trial of Saddam Hussein will blanket world media with the daily evocation of decades of atrocities, potentially recasting the Iraq war from a campaign rationalized by the still-unproven threat of weapons of mass destruction to a moral undertaking justified by ending his regime's massive human rights abuses Iraqi profiteers, al Qaeda seen funding attacks Betsy Pisik The Washington Times The attacks would decrease markedly, said David Aufhauser, if world governments showed more cooperation in tracing and halting the money flowing to former Ba'athists and their sympathizers Bush Says Iraqis Will Try Hussein Dana Milbank The Washington Post President Bush, savoring Saddam Hussein's capture by U.S. troops, said yesterday in a White House news conference that the United States would arrange for the former Iraqi leader to be judged by his fellow countrymen Editorial: Justice for a Tyrant The Washington Post If, as one member of the Iraqi Governing Council suggested yesterday, the trial is rushed into the courtroom in weeks, or if Saddam Hussein, like former Yugoslav warlord Slobodan Milosevic, manages to use his tribunal as a platform for rallying his diehard supporters, the United States and its allies could find themselves worse off than when the dictator was hiding in his hole Now, let's get to the truth Joan Vennochi The Boston Globe Bush led this country into war with Iraq not because Saddam Hussein threatened, tortured, and killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. Bush led us into war because, as he told us over and over again, Saddam was a direct, specific threat to the United States. The distinction involves more than semantics A tactical window of opportunity Peter Grier and Ann Scott Tyson The Christian Science Monitor Now, like a boxer stunned by a left hook, the insurgency might need time to regroup from the blow of Hussein's imprisonment. Such a pause could provide US commanders with time to curtail some activities in an attempt to do better at winning over more hearts and minds In Iraq's south, democracy buds Nicholas Blanford The Christian Science Monitor US administrator Paul Bremer wants to repeat the 'Muthanna model' around the rest of country U.S. Says Hussein Is Cooperating Carol J. Williams and Esther Schrader The Los Angeles Times Ex-dictator provided information leading to several arrests, officials say. Documents found at his hide-out are being scrutinized for clues Capturing Saddam Hussein: Will It Mean a New Day for Iraq? William D. Hartung CommonDreams.org Despite the wave of triumphalism that has seized the Bush administration and certain U.S. media outlets, the harsh bottom lines in Iraq remain the same Will Saddam spill the beans? Andrew Cockburn The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada) This man has a strong sense of self-preservation. The captive's current meekness is no surprise -- nor is the likelihood that he will try to rebuild his legend Attacks Go On; Car Bomb Kills 6 Iraqi Officers Ian Fisher The New York Times The assumption has been that some had been fighting for Mr. Hussein's return, and the question of the coming weeks is whether the insurgency will grow or shrink as the motive shifts A Brief History of the Resistance Jay Wink The New York Times A question looms over Saddam Hussein's capture: What does history tell us about our prospects in an extended guerrilla war? Winning and Losing Philip Gourevitch The New Yorker The parallels between the drama of insurgency and counter-insurgency in “The Battle of Algiers” and our present Iraqi predicament are as clear and as depressing as the Pentagon film programmers promised U.S. Seeks Compromise Plan for Iraqi Political Transition Robin Wright and Rajiv Chandrasekaran The Washington Post The Bush administration is scrambling to negotiate a compromise with Iraq's two main religious strains in an effort to keep alive its plan to transfer political power to a new Iraqi provisional government in less than seven months Surrender Widely Seen As a Total Humiliation Samia Nakhoul The Washington Post For many Arabs, Saddam Hussein's meek surrender to U.S. forces marked the total humiliation of a man who portrayed himself as a champion of Arab rights and the reincarnation of the 12th-century Muslim warrior Saladin Saddam’s Arrest Raises Troubling Questions Stephen Zunes CommonDreams.org Saddam’s capture will not likely improve the situation for U.S. occupation forces or for those seeking justice against war criminals Women Under Siege Lauren Sandler The Nation The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) is treating a growing human rights crisis for women as an extracurricular issue at best, leaving women at the mercy of thugs on the streets and the religious parties that have rushed into the political vacuum A King's Advice David Ignatius The Washington Post Where should the United States be heading in Iraq, after the capture of Saddam Hussein? I put that question yesterday to Jordan's King Abdullah, and his answer is likely to chill any sense in Washington that the going will now be easy New Iraq faces problem of Sunni participation Barbara Slavin USA Today U.S. authorities fear that unless Sunnis gain legal and political protections, the Shiites could strip them of any power in post-Saddam Iraq In Cairo, ambivalence about Saddam capture Charlene Gubash NBC News MSNBC Although people were happy the Iraqi people need no longer fear a hated tyrant, some saw Saddam's capture as further reason for the United States to leave Iraq Wall Street’s ‘capture rally’ fizzles Roland Jones MSNBC Analysts predicted Saddam’s capture would lift investor sentiment and ignite a strong rally, but when Wall Street opened stocks did not post the hefty gain that some had expected, raising concern over how long the euphoria over Saddam’s capture would last "This is not America" Michelle Goldberg Salon.com In Miami, police unleashed unprecedented fury on demonstrators -- most of them seniors and union members. Is this how Bush's war on terror will be fought at home? Security panel says U.S. lacks unified strategy Kevin Johnson USA Today The nation's anti-terrorism efforts have lost momentum, and the United States lacks a long-term homeland defense strategy more than two years after the Sept. 11 attacks, a government advisory panel concluded For N. Korea's Kim, the Arrest of Hussein Sends an Ominous Signal Barbara Demick The Los Angeles Times Bush has said that the United States has no plans to depose Kim. At his news conference Monday, Bush repeated that North Korea will be handled differently from Iraq	NBC Poll: Bush gets Saddam, and a boost Alex Johnson MSNBC His personal approval rating rose by 6 percentage points overnight, from 52 percent to 58 percent. Moreover, when paired against Dean in a head-to-head matchup, Bush's support was unchanged, rising only one point, to 52 percent And They're Off! Garance Franke-Ruta and Heidi Pauken The American Prospect Dean may be on a roll, but he's still 2,159 delegates away from being the nominee. Here, our comprehensive, all-knowing, semi-speculative skinny on who's strong where Dean doctrine stresses alliances Glen Johnson The Boston Globe Democratic front-runner Howard Dean, after months of campaigning on his opposition to the US invasion of Iraq, yesterday unveiled the broad outline of his overall approach to foreign policy Fulfilling the Promise of America Howard Dean DeanForAmerica.com Let me be clear: My position on the war has not changed A speed bump for Dean in capture of Saddam Thomas Oliphant The Boston Globe Does anybody think that on the day after Saddam Hussein's capture, Al Gore would have endorsed Dean by citing as one of his two main reasons (the other being his uplifting grass-roots campaign) the fact that Dean was right in opposing a war to topple the Iraqi dictator? Exam Period Ryan Lizza The New Republic It's unclear if Saddam's capture helps or hurts Dean. What it does do is test him Dean's Speech on Iraq Brings Rebuttals From Rivals Jodi Wilgoren and Randal C. Archbold The New York Times Howard Dean declared that Saddam Hussein's capture "has not made America safer," provoking new attacks from rivals New Democratic Group Finances a Republican-like Attack on Dean Jim Rutenberg The New York Times A new Democratic group that is running advertisements against Howard Dean and has not yet disclosed its sources of financing has introduced by far the toughest commercial of the primary election season Editorial: Mr. Gephardt's Reform Values The Washington Post The AJHPV is spending about $500,000 on TV spots, which began in Iowa and started running in South Carolina and New Hampshire this weekend. But it prefers to attack Mr. Dean without revealing its backers -- or their connections to the Gephardt campaign Editorial: Dean: Gutsy or Naive? The Dallas Morning News It could be argued that the Democratic front-runner's biting the bullet in the face of Saddam's capture shows political courage. But it could also be said that it demonstrates why America would be at greater risk with Dr. Dean The Democrats' Despot Dynamics E. J. Dionne Jr The Washington Post Dean may not be hurt unless there is a noticeable improvement in security in Iraq before Iowa and New Hampshire vote Candidates Tread Softly On Issue of U.S. Security David Von Drehle The Washington Post President Bush and Howard Dean -- no strangers to the offhand remark, the boast or the sneer -- showed yesterday that they have learned this lesson. They chose their words as carefully as grammar teachers in church Hillary, Dean differ on Saddam's capture Stephen Dinan and Betsy Pisik The Washington Times Two of the Democratic Party's leading lights — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and presidential contender Howard Dean — gave conflicting views on what the capture of Saddam Hussein means, as both delivered major foreign-policy speeches yesterday Saddam's capture forces Dean to reshape message Jill Lawrence USA Today The sudden turn in the Iraq war knocked Dean off the cover of Newsweek, and it renewed questions about whether he's the right Democrat to run against Bush At least one cynic remains amid those cheering the capture Rob Borsellino The Des Moines Register That's about as cynical as it got Sunday - a day when folks were trying to convince themselves that the capture of Saddam Hussein will be a defining moment Bush is still in a real hole Albert Scardino The Guardian (UK) Saddam is only one of the administration's aeroplanes, and the only one so far brought back to the carrier deck. There is still an entire squadron of foreign, domestic and economic policies lost in the clouds Bush Offers a Preview of His Reelection Campaign Maura Reynolds The Los Angeles Times Astute listeners during President Bush's news conference Monday probably noticed that he used the phrase "more secure" a lot — six times, in fact After Losing Momentum, Kerry Is Shifting Tactics to Gain 'Bounce' in Iowa David B. Halbfinger The New York Times To win the Jan. 27 Democratic primary in New Hampshire, Senator John Kerry's aides now believe he will first have to win or come close in Iowa Kerry says US safer with Hussein caught Patrick Healy The Boston Globe Presidential candidate John F. Kerry found himself yesterday trying to square his past criticisms of the US-led war in Iraq with his new statements hailing Saddam Hussein's capture and citing it as a boost for the global battle against terrorism Kerry Charts Complex Course on War Edward Walsh The Washington Post Kerry has been forced to chart a more complex course, simultaneously defending his support for the use of force while sharply criticizing Bush's conduct of the war The Campaign of Hate and Fear Orson Scott Card The Wall Street Journal There are Democrats, like me, who think it will not play, and should not play, and who are waiting in the wings until after the coming electoral debacle in order to try to remake the party into something more resembling America Putting the ‘Mass’ in Massachusetts Frederick Clarkson In These Times Rather than giving up and backing third-party protest candidates, Maley and other progressives are seeking to make ideological inroads by increasing their numbers within the Democratic Party The New Law of Uncertainty Jonathan Alter Newsweek The process invites--no, demands--a series of sine curves to keep everyone interested. Up one week, down the next. The only safe prediction is that a static, unchanging political narrative is impossible Capture of Saddam Doesn't Mean the Capture of Iraq James Ridgeway The Village Voice November 2004 is a long way off. Saddam could be ancient history by then, his capture superseded by any number of events that occur daily Senator Breaux Won't Seek Re-election Jeffrey Gettleman The New York Times John B. Breaux, a moderate Democratic senator and one of the few bipartisan dealmakers left in Congress, announced Monday that he would not run for re-election next year, becoming the fifth Southern Democrat to abandon the Senate Lawmaker Criticizes Capture Of Hussein Associated Press The Washington Post In an interview yesterday with a Seattle radio station, McDermott said the U.S. military could have found the former Iraqi dictator "a long time ago if they wanted."
The Right Wing	Funny stuff
Editorial: Taking On Mr. Dean The Wall Street Journal The Democrats have one last chance to avoid a Dukakis-like debacle One Down, Dozens More to Go Claudia Rosett The Wall Street Journal A mix of broad argument and gritty guide, "Breaking the Real Axis of Evil" is basically an inspired field manual on the why and how of replacing tyranny with democracy The tipping point Frank J. Gaffney Jr. The Washington Times History will likely record Dec. 13, 2003, as the tipping point in the liberation of Iraq Different kind of shock and awe Paul Greenberg The Washington Times The Vietnam Syndrome — or is it the Dean Syndrome now? — has been dealt another blow. Morale back home took a leap up with the new Four pillars of Bush's critics are crumbling Jonathan Gurwitz The Houston Chronicle Osama's day is coming, and with it the destruction of the final crutch upon which vapid criticism of the war on terrorism now rests Democratic Candidates Find Themselves Caught in a Hole of Their Own Max Boot The Los Angeles Times If European states are reluctant to do more in Afghanistan — an intervention they all supported and one that has won the strongest possible United Nations support — what chance is there that they will do more in Iraq? How did Saddam help 9/11 happen? Deroy Murdock National Review Did Saddam Hussein, fearing an impending U.S. invasion, eliminate Nidal as Mohammed Atta's former tutor?	Germans Are Too Grumpy? Reuters Yahoo! Germans should lighten up, according to their president who says he is fed up with seeing his compatriots looking grumpy and grim-faced