Shift on Syria, Iran discussed  —  Ascension of Gates highlights potential impact of Baker commission ideas.  —  WASHINGTON |  A top U.S. intelligence official has been meeting with Middle East counterparts to discuss proposals expected from the Baker commission on Iraq, Middle East sources have told Newsday.

Panel May Have Few Good Options to Offer  —  Bipartisan Group's Plan Expected in Dec.  —  After meeting with President Bush tomorrow, a panel of prestigious Americans will begin deliberations to chart a new course on Iraq, with the goal of stabilizing the country with a different U.S. strategy and possibly the withdrawal of troops.

SAY IT AIN'T SO, W!  —  Tomorrow President Bush will meet with Jim Baker and Lee Hamilton to discuss the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group.  The group's report will be issued next month, but presumably its conclusions have more or less taken shape.  Based on the leaking that is currently going on, the news could hardly be worse:

Start U.S. Iraq withdrawal in 4-6 months: Democrats  —Text+WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats, who won majorities in the U.S. Congress in last week's elections, said on Sunday they will push for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin in four to six months.

Pelosi backs Murtha for majority leader  —  Speaker-in-waiting Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) threw her support behind Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for majority leader Sunday, giving a significant boost to Murtha in his race against Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).  —  "Your strong voice for national security …

by Senator Russ Feingold  —  I know there may well already be diaries here and elsewhere discussing my decision to continue my important work in the Senate and not run for President in 2008, but I wanted everyone in the online community to hear from me directly.