Top Items:
Reuters:
Iraq border chief denies forged ballots seized — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The head of Iraq's border guards denied police reports on Wednesday that a tanker truck stuffed with thousands of forged ballot papers had been seized crossing into Iraq from Iran before Thursday's elections.
Discussion:
Captain's Quarters, PunditGuy, Donklephant, Confederate Yankee, Stop The ACLU, QandO, Jihad Watch and Daily Pundit
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CNN:
Truck with allegedly fake ballots detained — Four soldiers, Sunni politician killed in separate incidents … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — With the country's parliamentary elections slated for Thursday and early voting already under way, a truck carrying what are believed to be fake ballots …
Discussion:
BlondeSense
Dexter Filkins / New York Times:
Police Seize Forged Ballots Headed to Iraq From Iran — BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 13 - Less than two days before nationwide elections, the Iraqi border police seized a tanker on Tuesday that had just crossed from Iran filled with thousands of forged ballots, an official at the Interior Ministry said.
Ben Connable / Washington Post:
The Truth On the Ground — When I told people that I was getting ready to head back to Iraq for my third tour, the usual response was a frown, a somber head shake and even the occasional "I'm sorry." When I told them that I was glad to be going back, the response was awkward disbelief, a fake smile and a change of subject.
Max Boot / Los Angeles Times:
Hate torture? Consider boot camp — HOLD THE PRESSES. I've discovered that the use of torture by the U.S. government is far more pervasive than previously believed. There are major facilities all over the country where thousands of men and women who have not committed any crime are held …
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Raleigh News & Observer:
Bush can settle CIA leak riddle, Novak says — Newspaper columnist Robert Novak is still not naming his source in the Valerie Plame affair, but he says he is pretty sure the name is no mystery to President Bush. — "I'm confident the president knows who the source is," …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Hullabaloo, Blogcritics.org, The Carpetbagger Report, mediabistro, The Left Coaster and WTF Is It Now??
National Review:
Will Rove be Indicted? — There have been rumors flying around Washington in the last few days that Karl Rove, the president's top political adviser, might soon be indicted in the CIA leak investigation. At least for now, the rumors appear to be based on someone hearing that someone else …
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Christian Oliver / Reuters:
Iran's Ahmadinejad says Holocaust a myth — TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the Holocaust was a myth, ramping up his rhetoric and triggering a fresh wave of international condemnation. — Last week Ahmadinejad first aired his doubts on the veracity …
Discussion:
PunditGuy, The Anchoress, Daily Pundit, Cold Fury, PoliBlog and A Chequer-Board of Nights …
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Associated Press:
Iran President: Holocaust Is a 'Myth' — TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday the Holocaust is a "myth" that Europeans have used to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world. — "Today, they have created a myth in the name of Holocaust and consider …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Secular Blasphemy, Silflay Hraka, FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog and TigerHawk
Washington Post:
A Religious Protest Largely From the Left — Conservative Christians Say Fighting Cuts in Poverty Programs Is Not a Priority — When hundreds of religious activists try to get arrested today to protest cutting programs for the poor, prominent conservatives such as James Dobson, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell will not be among them.
Discussion:
USA Today, Bull Moose, TAPPED, The Carpetbagger Report, Wonkette, Prometheus 6 and NewsBusters.org
White House:
President Discusses Iraqi Elections, Victory in the War on Terror — Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center — Washington, D.C. — In Focus: National Security — In Focus: Renewal in Iraq — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Please be seated. Thank you for the warm welcome.
Philip Shenon / New York Times:
Democrat Returning Donations From Abramoff's Tribal Clients — WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 - The ranking Democrat on the Senate committee investigating the Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff announced on Tuesday that he was returning $67,000 in political contributions from Mr. Abramoff's former partners and Indian tribe clients.
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org
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Peter Baker / Washington Post:
washingtonpost.com > Live Discussions — washingtonpost.com's Daily Politics Discussion — Don't want to miss out on the latest buzz in politics? Start each day at wonk central: The Post Politics Hour. Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team …
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CNN:
Bush takes responsibility for invasion intelligence — President says removing Hussein still 'right decision' … WASHINGTON (CNN) — On the eve of Iraq's historic election, President Bush took responsibility Wednesday for "wrong" intelligence that led to the war, but he said removing Saddam Hussein was still necessary.
Jeffrey H. Birnbaum / Washington Post:
Immigration Pushes Apart GOP, Chamber — The House Republican leadership and the nation's business lobby, usually close allies, are battling each other over the issue of immigration. — In a rare schism, employer groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are pressing to kill …
Paul Sperry / Front Page Magazine:
The Pentagon Breaks the Islam Taboo — Washington's policy-makers have been careful in the war on terror to distinguish between Islam and the terrorists. The distinction has rankled conservatives who see scarce difference. — A little-noticed speech by President Bush in October gave them some hope.
Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
The true character of the European Left — My recent reference to Rep. Cynthia McKinney as a genuine "hater of America" sparked a dispute in my Comments section — as well as on the far-left, oh-so-cleverly named Smirking Chimp site — as to what constitutes "anti-Americanism."
