memeorandum: France Joins the U.K. on High Alert (Alexis Debat Reports/The Blotter)

10:00 PM ET, December 26, 2006

Top Items:

Qassim Abdul-Zahra / Associated Press:

Court: Execute Saddam Within 30 Days — Iraq's highest appeals court on Tuesday upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence and said he must be hanged within 30 days for the killing of 148 Shiites in the central city of Dujail. — The sentence "must be implemented within 30 days," chief judge Aref Shahin said.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, All Spin Zone, Riehl World View and PoliBlog (TM)

Deb Riechmann / Associated Press:

Bush in Texas to rethink Iraq course — CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush went to his ranch Tuesday to rethink U.S. involvement in Iraq as his spokesman hailed a Baghdad court's decision upholding the death sentence for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. — Saddam, who was deposed …

Discussion: Daily Kos, The American Street and NewsHog

Christine Hauser / New York Times:

Court Upholds Death Penalty for Hussein — An Iraqi appeals court today upheld a death sentence for Saddam Hussein in a decision that clears the way for his execution within 30 days, Iraqi officials said. — The announcement came as at least 20 people were killed and dozens were injured in bomb and mortar attacks in the capital.

Discussion: the talking dog, Gun Toting Liberal ™, Informed Comment and A Blog For All

Christopher Torchia / Associated Press:

Iraq Court Upholds Saddam Death Sentence — BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq's highest court rejected Saddam Hussein's appeal Tuesday and said the former dictator must be hanged within 30 days for ordering the killing of scores of Shiite Muslims in 1982. — The sentence has already stoked Iraq's sectarian rage …

Nancy Trejos / Washington Post: Court Upholds Saddam's Death Sentence

CNN:
Iraqi appeals court upholds Hussein death sentence

Discussion: The Impolitic and AMERICAblog

Reuters:
Iraq court says Saddam should hang within 30 days

Discussion: The Washington Note

Reuters:
Saddam loses death sentence appeal: govt official

Discussion: Bill's Bites

Jeffrey Gettleman / New York Times:

Islamist Forces in Somalia Are on the Retreat — Islamist forces in Somalia beat a hasty retreat today to their stronghold in Mogadishu, Somalia's battle-scared capital, crumbling faster than anyone expected after a week of attacks by Ethiopian forces. — Burhakaba, a large inland city …

Discussion: Riehl World View, Wake up America, toohotfortnr, In the Bullpen, Hot Air and Matthew Yglesias

International Herald Tribune:

In Somalia, a reckless U.S. proxy war — NAIROBI: Undeterred by the horrors and setbacks in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon, the Bush administration has opened another battlefront in the Muslim world. With full U.S. backing and military training, at least 15,000 Ethiopian troops have entered Somalia …

Discussion: Time, Gateway Pundit, Larisa Alexandrovna's …, Associated Press, About U.S. Politics, A Blog For All, Outside The Beltway, New York Times, Blue Crab Boulevard and jules crittenden

Julie Hirschfeld Davis / Baltimore Sun:

Bush is bracing for new scrutiny … WASHINGTON // President Bush is bracing for what could be an onslaught of investigations by the new Democratic-led Congress by hiring lawyers to fill key White House posts and preparing to play defense on countless document requests and possible subpoenas.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Booman Tribune, DownWithTyranny!, The Carpetbagger Report, Political Animal, Macsmind, The Impolitic and Think Progress

Jim Rutenberg / New York Times:
War Critics See New Resistance by Bush

Discussion: Firedoglake, Daily Pundit and Prairie Weather

Charlotte Raab / Agence France Presse:
Iraq quagmire erodes Bush's confidence and power

Discussion: Hot Air and The Jawa Report

Bryan Bender / Boston Globe:

Military considers recruiting foreigners — Expedited citizenship would be an incentive — An Armed Forces center in Plymouth. US officials are trying tactics to find recruits; one involves attracting noncitizens. (JULIA CUMES/ASSOCIATED PRESS) — WASHINGTON — The armed forces …

Discussion: Discourse.net, Political Animal, Norwegianity and Old War Dogs

Associated Press:

Military Deaths in Iraq Exceed 9 / 11 Toll — NEW YORK (AP) — In a span of a few hours, 2,973 people were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In a span of 45 months, the number of American troops killed in Iraq exceeded that grim toll as the war continues.

Discussion: Liberty Street

Christopher Torchia / Associated Press:
U.S. toll in Iraq surpasses that of 9/11

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, New York Times, Captain's Quarters, Attytood, The Horse's Mouth, Little Green Footballs, Liberal Values, BlondeSense, The Democratic Daily, The Daily Brief, Liberty Street, State of the Day, The Impolitic, Democrats.com and Brilliant at Breakfast

David Lightman / Hartford Courant:

Lieberman Defends Video-Game Money — WASHINGTON — It has become a holiday ritual: Joe Lieberman and family-research officials hold a well-attended press conference to decry the impact on children of excessive video game sex and violence. — And, again in 2006, Lieberman indulged …

Discussion: ConnecticutBLOG, The Carpetbagger Report and The Left Coaster

Anne Flaherty / Associated Press:

Biden vows to fight any Iraq troop boost — WASHINGTON - Incoming Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden, a potential Democratic presidential candidate, said Tuesday he would oppose any effort by President Bush to increase U.S troops in Iraq as part of a new war strategy.

Discussion: The Washington Note

Press Association:

UK to give reasons for police station raid — The UK is to explain why it demolished a notorious Iraqi police station in a bid to avert elements of the local council ending co-operation with British forces. — The Foreign Office said there would be discussions over yesterday's dramatic raid …

Discussion: Washington Post and Ace of Spades HQ

Nick / Blogborygmi:

Grand Rounds 3.14 — Welcome to Grand Rounds, the collection of the best posts in medical blogging! — Grand Rounds has come a long way since the last time it was hosted here. By my count, eighty-nine unique bloggers have hosted 118 editions. This includes doctors, nurses, students …

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:

Consultant Helps Democrats Embrace Faith, and Some in Party Are Not Pleased — As Democrats turn toward the 2008 presidential race, a novice evangelical political operative is emerging as a rising star in the party, drawing both applause and alarm for her courtship of theological conservatives in the midterm elections.

Discussion: MyDD, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Carpetbagger Report, Brilliant at Breakfast, Liberal Values, Professor Bainbridge's Journal and Gateway Pundit

Jerusalem Post:

Iran may declare major enrichment feat — Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki reportedly told members of the Iranian parliament on Tuesday that Iran would soon announce that it had managed to enrich uranium using 3,000 centrifuges, an Iranian MP told the FARS News Agency on Tuesday.

Discussion: Townhall.com Blog's …

Alexis Debat Reports / The Blotter:

France Joins the U.K. on High Alert — Alexis Debat Reports: — An attack on French soil is likely to happen in the next few weeks or months, according to a senior French foreign intelligence official, who said today that they are on the highest state of alert since 9/11.

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard