Could U.S. Troops End Up in Lebanon?  —  There's much discussion of putting a multinational, NATO-led force in southern Lebanon as part of a ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Lebanon conflict, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, according to a story in the Washington Post, has said that she does …

McCain Falsely Claims the Iraqi Prime Minister Has 'Condemned Hezbollah'  —  Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has repeatedly refused to condemn Hezbollah for its role in initiating the Lebanon-Israel conflict.  Yesterday, in a press conference with President Bush, he …

Polls show Harris losing GOP voters  —  In the latest poll on the U.S. Senate race, Republican Katherine Harris remained far behind incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson, indicating that her prospects of beating him are slim.  —  mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com  —  In only three months …

Jury finds Yates not guilty in drownings  —  HOUSTON - Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday in her second murder trial for the bathtub drownings of her young children.  —  Yates, 42, will now be committed to a state mental hospital, with periodic hearings …

Iran: The Next War  —  Even before the bombs fell on Baghdad, a group of senior Pentagon officials were plotting to invade another country.  Their covert campaign once again relied on false intelligence and shady allies.  But this time, the target was Iran.  BY JAMES BAMFORD

Browner Still  —  At approximately 7:00 AM Central European Time I received a phone call from a blocked number.  The person on the phone told me I had written naughty things on my blog, and then laughed when I asked them who they were.  —  "You're a dead man."

Iraq Will Be a Graveyard For Terrorists  —  Thank you.  Thank you.  —  In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, Your Excellency, the Speaker of the House, Mr. Vice President, honorable ladies and gentlemen, members of Congress. it is with great pleasure that I am able …

St. Paul police cite Sen. Norm Coleman's father for lewd and disorderly conduct  —  Norm Coleman Sr., the father of Minnesota's junior senator, was cited for lewd and disorderly conduct Tuesday after police officers reported finding him engaged in a sex act in a car near a pizzeria on E. 7th St. in St. Paul.

Cry Bias, and Let Slip the Blogs of War  —  J.P. Borda started a Web log during his 2004 National Guard deployment in Afghanistan to keep in touch with his family.  But when he got home, he decided it was the mainstream media that was out of touch with the war.  —  "You hear so much about what's going wrong," he says.

Canadian General: UN Observer Post Used By Hizballah  —  Retired Canadian Major General Lewis Mackenzie was interviewed on CBC radio, and had some very interesting news about the UN observer post hit by Israeli shells; the Canadian peacekeeper killed there had previously emailed Mackenzie telling …

Rome conference fails.  —  I'm watching al-Jazeera's live coverage of the Rome conference right now.  Al-Jazeera bumper sticker summary: Rome conference fails because United States rejects a ceasefire.  The camera captured Condoleeza Rice looking visibly uncomfortable Lebanon's Prime Minister Seniora calmly …

ConocoPhillips profit leaps 65 pct. in 2Q  —  HOUSTON - Lofty oil prices fueled a 65 percent surge in ConocoPhillips' second-quarter net income, the company announced Wednesday.  Its shares rose 2 percent in morning trading.  —  The nation's third-largest oil company earned $5.18 billion …

Iranians volunteer to fight Israel  —  Group heads for 'holy war' in Lebanon  —  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Surrounded by yellow Hezbollah flags, more than 60 Iranian volunteers set off Wednesday to join what they called a holy war against Israeli forces in Lebanon.