Top Items:
David Stout / New York Times:
At Hearing, Gates Says U.S. Not Winning War in Iraq — President Bush's nominee to be Secretary of Defense said today that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq, and that an American failure there could help to ignite "a regional conflagration" in the Middle East.
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CNN:
Senate committee approves Gates nomination … WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved President Bush's defense secretary nomination Tuesday and sent it to the full Senate for approval, the committee's outgoing chairman said.
Yitzhak Benhorin / Ynetnews:
Gates does not rule out nuclear attack on Israel — US defense secretary-designate, testifying at his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, says he cannot guarantee that if Iran possesses nuclear weapons it will not use them to put Ahmadinejad's threats into action and wipe Israel off map.
Discussion:
The Wide Awake Cafe
Robert Burns / Associated Press:
Gates Says U.S. Is Not Winning Iraq War — WASHINGTON (AP) - Robert Gates, the White House choice to be the next defense secretary, conceded Tuesday that the United States is losing the war in Iraq and warned that if that country is not stabilized in the next year or two it could lead to a "regional conflagration."
Discussion:
Macsmind, The World Wide Rant, Joust The Facts, PoliPundit.com, All Spin Zone and Nitpicker
Newsweek:
'We Can't Afford to Leave' — As the debate over Iraq intensifies, leading Democrat Silvestre Reyes is calling for the deployment of more U.S. troops. — Dec. 5. 2006 - In a surprise twist in the debate over Iraq, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the soon-to-be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee …
Associated Press:
Praising son Jeb, former President Bush breaks down — TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — Former President George H.W. Bush broke down in tears as he cited his son, Gov. Jeb Bush, as an example of leadership. — Bush was addressing lawmakers, his son's top administrators, and state workers gathered …
Dr. Rusty Shackleford / The Jawa Report:
American Among Terror Plotters in Egypt — *Bumped* because I don't think this is getting enough press. An American. Arrested in Egypt. Part of an international cell of jihadis. For, at the very least, encouraging people to go to Iraq and fight Americans. That. Is. TREASON.
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Daniel Zwerdling / NPR:
Soldiers Say Army Ignores, Punishes Mental Anguish — Medical records show that when Tyler Jennings returned from Iraq last year, he was severely depressed and used drugs to cope. When the sergeants who ran his platoon found out, they started to haze him.
Discussion:
Donklephant, Liberty Street, The BRAD BLOG, The Moderate Voice, Outside The Beltway, Kiko's House and The News Blog
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Paul Rieckhoff / The Huffington Post:Investigation Reveals Military Punishing Wounded Troops
Discussion:
NPR
Kos / Daily Kos:
2008: If Obama runs, he wins — Standard caveats aside (it's early, we don't have a set field, blah blah blah), it's hard to see how Barack Obama loses the nomination barring scandal or the mother-of-all gaffes. — I've been working up a few scenarios given the primary calendar …
Discussion:
Right Wing News, Booman Tribune, The Carpetbagger Report, The Moderate Voice, Matthew Yglesias and Decision '08
BBC:
Veiled woman to give C4's speech — A veiled Muslim woman will deliver this year's alternative Christmas speech on Channel 4, the broadcaster has said. — Khadija, a Zimbabwean-born British citizen who has been wearing the full veil - or niqab - for 10 years, has been given the slot.
Kevin Drum / Political Animal:
SOLVING THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS....I've been waiting impatiently for Instapundit's promised "symposium" on Iraq, an ambitious attempt to see if the blogosphere can come up with better ideas than all those tired mainstream analysts. As it turns out, response was so overwhelming that we'll be getting multiple installments.
Frank Newport / Gallup Poll:
"Don't Know" Leads for President in 2008 — Clinton, McCain, Obama, and Giuliani mentioned most frequently — PRINCETON, NJ — Many Americans cannot spontaneously think of the name of a person they would like to see elected president in 2008. While this lack of firm conviction …
Matthew Yglesias / American Prospect:
Bridge to Nowhere — Political consensus isn't going to solve America's Iraq problem. — Reading major American newspapers is a bit like trying to decipher an archeological text written in a dead language. Well-informed reporters bring you the facts you need to know …
Discussion:
The American Street
White House:
Press Briefing by Tony Snow — White House Conference Center Briefing Room — MR. SNOW: Welcome. I have been unable to get you all the details you wanted on the lunch with Secretary Baker. It started at 11:30 a.m., not at 12:00 p.m. The President went straight from a policy time into the lunch.
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