An Affront to Civilization  —  We should have no illusions that Afghanistan — in many ways the backwater of the Islamic world — will soon embrace Western-style religious pluralism.  But the trial of Abdul Rahman, who faces a potential death sentence for converting to Christianity some 15 years ago, is an affront to civilization.

Roberts Dissent Reveals Strain Beneath Court's Placid Surface  —  WASHINGTON, March 22 — A Supreme Court decision on Wednesday in an uncelebrated criminal case did more than resolve a dispute over whether the police can search a home without a warrant when one occupant gives consent but another objects.

Clinton vows to block bill criminalizing illegal immigrants  —  NEW YORK — Invoking Biblical themes, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined immigration advocates Wednesday to vow and block legislation seeking to criminalize undocumented immigrants.  —  Clinton, a potential 2008 presidential candidate …

Russ Never Sleeps  —  'Politicians and Pundits Are Afraid,' Says Wisconsin's Feingold, As Democrats Abandon Him on Bush Wiretap Censure Motion; Will Senator Become the Eugene McCarthy of '08 Primaries?  —  None of this fits any of the tried-and-true formulations in the red-and-blue American playbook.

IRS plans to allow preparers to sell data  —  Critics said the proposed regulation could lead to a loss of privacy for clients.  —  The IRS is quietly moving to loosen the once-inviolable privacy of federal income-tax returns.  If it succeeds, accountants and other tax-return preparers …

I Am Very Worried About 2006  —  The Democratic primary in the IL-06 was not supposed to be close.  I travel to DC often these days (in fact, I am about to leave for DC now), and from everyone I had talked to down there, I was told more or less the same thing: Duckworth will win this primary, and win it huge.

AP's Bush 'Straw Man' Story: News Analysis Or Unlabeled Opinion?  —  NEW YORK Did a recent Associated Press story examining President George Bush's alleged tendency to use a "straw man" approach in his speeches cross the line from news to biased opinion?  Or was it just a long-overdue …

Animal Magnetism  —  Since this is shaping up to be bloggy fun day, I can't help but weigh in on this delicious little dust-up over at Jeff Goldstein's dog house pertaining to none other than my pal and blogging companion, tristero.  —  Tristero already wrote about it, as you all probably know.

Israel May Be Next al-Qaida Battleground  —  Signs are mounting that al-Qaida terrorists are setting their sights on Israel and the Palestinian territories as their next jihad battleground.  —  Israel has indicted two West Bank militants for al-Qaida membership, Egypt arrested operatives trying …

Albright lectures on public service  —  Madeleine Albright says she knows how to have fun.  —  Soon after Albright became Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton LAW '73, she received a memo informing her that she would be required — at an upcoming Asian summit of foreign ministers — to perform a skit.

To Hell with the "To Hell With The 'To Hell With Them' Hawks" Hawks  —  Just kidding there — actually, making the point that "The 'To Hell With Them' Hawks" is a really clunky way of identifying a faction.  It used to be said of the mathematician Camille Jordan, whose papers were famously unreadable …

Christopher Hitchens on the media coverage of Iraq, and whether some on the other side are recognizing what they've wrought.  —  HH: Happy to have back to begin today's show Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair columnist, author of many books, including a recent bio of Thomas Jefferson.

President Discusses War on Terror, Progress in Iraq in West Virginia  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much.  Please be seated.  Thanks for coming.  First of all, Terry, thanks for the invitation.  My purpose is to share with you what's on my mind, and then I look forward to hearing what's on yours.