A Top-Down Review for the Pentagon  —  DURING World War II, American soldiers en route to Britain before D-Day were given a pamphlet on how to behave while awaiting the invasion.  The most important quote in it was this: "It is impolite to criticize your host; it is militarily stupid to criticize your allies."

McCain Campaign Hires 'Best Bricklayer'  —  In the behind-the-scenes hunt for 2008 campaign talent, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has bagged a big one.  —  Terry Nelson, who served as national political director for President Bush's reelection race in 2004, has signed on as a senior adviser …

Iraq in civil war, says former PM  —  Iraq is in the middle of civil war, the country's former interim prime minister Iyad Allawi has told the BBC.  —  He said Iraq had not got to the point of no return, but if it fell apart sectarianism would spread abroad.

Afghan Man Faces Execution After Converting to Christianity  —  An Afghan man who recently admitted he converted to Christianity faces the death penalty under the country's strict Islamic legal system.  The trial is a critical test of Afghanistan's new constitution and democratic government.

Congressman Doolittle, wife profited from Cunningham-linked contractor  —  Commissions taken on campaign cash  —  A week before former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham was sentenced to prison, he stressed to the court that a number of other lawmakers also helped arrange federal funding for the defense contractors who bribed him.

Wanted: A Few Good Sperm  —  One day last October, Karyn, a 39-year-old executive, pulled her online dating profile off JDate and Match.com, two sites she had been using, along with an endless series of leads, tips and blind dates arranged by friends and colleagues, to search for a man she wanted to marry and raise a family with.

The Letter of the Law  —  The White House says spying on terror suspects without court approval is ok.  What about physical searches?  —  In the dark days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a small group of lawyers from the White House and the Justice Department began meeting …

But Will They Love Him Tomorrow?  —  MOST politicians spend their careers working to overcome flaws.  Then there are politicians like Barack Obama.  —  So charismatic that his greatest challenge has been trying to play down expectations during his first Senate term, Mr. Obama's enviable plight …

Clear and Present Dangers  —  Four decades ago, Kevin Phillips, a young political strategist for the Republican Party, began work on what became a remarkable book.  In writing "The Emerging Republican Majority" (published in 1969), he asked a very big question about American politics …

Cindy Sheehan's year of living famously  —  The sun is rising over a house in the Berkeley Hills, and in its modest studio apartment, America's most compelling anti-war activist is making her bed, apologizing for the clutter and running late.  —  Cindy Sheehan was up much of the previous night …

Veterans' Voices On Iraq  —  Voices of 100 Veterans: The War in Their Words  —  The heat, which is like living under a french-fry lamp, like standing in front of the world's biggest hair dryer, like sitting in a sealed car on the hottest summer day in Washington with the heater blasting and someone throwing sand in your face.

In pictures: Global anti-war protests  —  Thousands of demonstrators gathered in cities around the world to protest against the war in Iraq, on the third anniversary of the US-led invasion.  —  Across time zones and cultures, their anti-war sentiments and their opposition to the US-led action in Iraq was the same.

5 dead in new Afghan attacks  —  Former provincial governor and guards are killed  —  GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) — Taliban gunmen killed a powerful former governor of an Afghan province and four of his guards on Saturday, and hours later tried to kill the province's current governor.

Major Changes Raise Concerns on Pension Bill  —  With a strong directive from the Bush administration, Congress set out more than a year ago to fashion legislation that would protect America's private pension system, tightening the rules to make sure companies set aside enough money to make good on their promises to employees.