A Law Unto Herself  —  TO end her opinion in American Civil Liberties Union v. National Security Agency — the case that enjoins President Bush's warrantless surveillance program — Judge Anna Diggs Taylor quoted Earl Warren (referring to him as "Justice Warren," not "Chief Justice Warren," …

The Battle of Baghdad  —  Rampant insecurity—and a detailed plan to combat it.  —  BAGHDAD—Although there has been much good news to report about security progress in Iraq this summer—the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the handover of security responsibility for Muthanna province …

Breaking: Group claims responsibility for Centanni abduction (Video added)  —  The "Holy Jihad Brigades"?  Whose very first act of holy jihad is to kidnap a reporter and a cameraman?  —  That's a shrewd way to get press, but at the rather large expense of antagonizing the Palestinian terror …

Peace Now Under Fire  —  SHOMRAT, ISRAEL — I drove up to Kibbutz Shomrat, just north of Akko (Acre) near the border with Lebanon, and met two middle-aged members of Peace Now who stayed in the line of Katyusha fire throughout the war.  I expected to meet two marginalized members of the old left …

Senator Jokes About House Painter  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, whose re-election campaign is pressing for tighter immigration controls, referred to his house painter as "a nice little Guatemalan man" and suggested that worker as well employees of a roofing company he hired might be in the country illegally.

51% in Poll See No Link Between Iraq and Terror Fight  —  Americans increasingly see the war in Iraq as distinct from the fight against terrorism, and nearly half believe President Bush has focused too much on Iraq to the exclusion of other threats, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Marine Reservists Facing Combat Duty  —  With Volunteers Lagging, as Many as 2,500 to Be Called Up for Afghanistan, Iraq  —  The Marine Corps is planning to call up as many as 2,500 Marine reservists for combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, dipping into a rarely used pool of troops …

WHAT ELSE ARE THEY KEEPING SILENT ABOUT?  —  The Swedish Foreign Ministry was delegated to investigate who knew what about corruption in the U.N.'s oil-for-food program in Iraq.  The report has now been made public by a Swedish radio station.  It says that Ole Kolby, Norway's U.N. ambassador …

Gov. Murkowski Concedes Defeat in Alaska  —  Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski concedes race for second term in Alaska  —  (AP) Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski, stung by accusations of arrogance and stubbornness, lost his bid for a second term Tuesday after polling last in a three-way GOP primary.

Allen's Campaign Shifts Gears, Seeks Help  —  Burned by a blog-induced firestorm over an an off-hand comment at a campaign rally, Sen. George Allen's campaign is seeking a conservative blog maven who can blunt future attacks and help rally conservatives in the state and elsewhere behind Allen's campaign.

Al-Jazeera's Tricky Balancing Act  —  DOHA, Qatar — What do people in the Middle East think five years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks?  To get a quick snapshot, I paid a visit here to Ahmed Sheikh, the editor in chief of al-Jazeera television.  It was reassuring, in a perverse way …

For TX GOP, Is Disaster Spelled S-H-E-L-L-E-Y S-E-K-U-L-A—G-I-B-B-S?  —  After Tom DeLay dropped out last week, the Texas GOP was forced to try a Hail Mary, throwing their support behind a write-in candidate.  But the candidate's name — Shelley Sekula-Gibbs — may be a problem.

Bin Laden still deadly relevant  —  Ex-CIA official says cleric sets cap of 10 million U.S. deaths … LONDON, England (CNN) — Nearly five years have passed since the September 11 terrorist attacks, yet Osama bin Laden — the world's most-wanted terrorist — remains a dangerous fugitive …

Buchanan book featured on Today: For nation to "survive[ ]," U.S. must keep "Americans of European descent" from becoming "minority" … On the August 22 edition of NBC's Today, guest host and NBC News chief White House correspondent David Gregory interviewed MSNBC political analyst …

HAIL TO THE CHIEF  —  I had the opportunity this afternoon to be part of a relatively small group who heard President Bush talk, extemporaneously, for around forty minutes.  It was an absolutely riveting experience.  It was the best I've ever seen him.  Not only that; it may have been the best I've ever seen any politician.

Maine Governor: Baldacci Campaign Still Running in Place  —  Woodcock (R) 42% Baldacci (D) 43%  —  Maine's competitive gubernatorial campaign has a caught-in-amber feeling to it, especially when it comes to support for Democratic Governor John Baldacci.  —  Baldacci now leads Republican Chandler Woodcock 43% to 42% (see crosstabs).

The 'New Middle East' Bush Is Resisting  —  President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be quite right about a new Middle East being born.  In fact, their policies in support of the actions of their closest regional ally, Israel, have helped midwife the newborn.