House Democrats' New Strategy: Force Slow End to War  —  Led by Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Pa., and supported by several well-funded anti-war groups, the coalition's goal is to limit or sharply reduce the number of U.S. troops available for the Iraq conflict, rather than to openly cut off funding for the war itself.

Officials linked to al-Sadr deny he fled  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr said Wednesday that the radical Shiite cleric was still in Iraq, denying a report that he fled to Iran ahead of a security crackdown targeting his militia.  —  An Iraqi government official said al-Sadr …

Press Briefing by Tony Snow  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  MR. SNOW: Let me begin with a statement by the President:  —  "I am pleased with the agreements reached today at the six-party talks in Beijing.  These talks represent the best opportunity to use diplomacy to address North Korea's nuclear programs.

Video: American Soldier Held Hostage in Iraq Alive  —  A video posted on a Shiite Islamist website has emerged of an American soldier being held hostage, Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie.  The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video.  It is posted below.  —  Right after Altaie was captured …

Explosion in Iran Kills Busload of Al Quds Members!!  —  An explosion today killed a reported 18 Al Quds members traveling in a bus in southeastern Iran.  —  Fars News is carrying this picture of one of those arrested after the blast earlier today  —  A car bomb exploded killing 18 Al Quds members today in Zahedan, Iran:

Rep. Ellison calls the cops to snuff Tancredo's cigar  —  Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) believes it is his right as a Muslim to be sworn into Congress with the Quran.  But apparently, the freshman lawmaker doesn't believe it's Rep. Tom Tancredo's (R-Colo.) right to smoke a cigar in his congressional office.

Effective interrogation without torture 101 from retired Army Colonel Stuart Herrington.  —  The Hugh Hewitt Show  —  HH: This hour, don't go anywhere.  I'm joined by Colonel Stuart Herrington, retired from the United States Army.  He's a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rick, Amanda and Melissa: Defending Free Speech  —  The controversy over John Edwards' campaign bloggers Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, because it reminds me of a similar incident that occurred during the memorial service after the sudden, tragic deaths of Paul and Sheila Wellstone.

Neoconservatives hate liberty as much as they love war  —  Frank Gaffney, one of the country's most influential and well-connected neoconservatives, has a column in today's Washington Times in which he argues that the debate taking place in Congress over the war in Iraq constitutes treason.

Libby and Cheney Won't Testify, Says the Defense  —  Lawyers defending I. Lewis Libby Jr. against perjury charges surprised the courtroom on Tuesday by saying that they would rest their case this week and do so without putting on the stand either Mr. Libby or Vice President Dick Cheney.

In 1993 Memo, Giuliani Staff Gave Harsh Assessment of Flaws  —  Sometimes in politics, the most damaging accusations come from your own staff.  —  Rudolph W. Giuliani learned that lesson again yesterday when a "vulnerability study," including warnings about his "weirdness factor" …

UK is accused of failing children  —  The UK has been accused of failing its children, as it comes bottom of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries.  —  Unicef looked at 40 indicators from the years 2000-2003 including poverty, peer and family relationships, and health.

America's view of Republicans crumbles in Iraq  —  According to the latest Gallup survey, Republican self-identification has declined nationally and in almost every American state.  Why?  The short answer is that President Bush's war of choice in Iraq has destroyed the partisan brand Republicans spent the past four decades building.

Poll shows Clinton, Giuliani pull ahead ias campaigns kick off  —  WASHINGTON — New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani have widened leads over their rivals in recent weeks as they began to openly campaign for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations …

Ready to aim  —  ARMED AMERICA: THE STORY OF HOW AND WHY GUNS BECAME AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE  —  By Clayton E. Cramer, Nelson Current, $26.99, 320 pages  —  In 1996, Michael Bellesiles published a paper in the Journal of American History.  The thesis: Early Americans rarely owned firearms …

Newspaper: Questions in death of ground zero worker  —  NEW YORK Questions are being raised about the story of a New York City police officer whose death sparked wide interest in the plight of ailing September Eleventh first responders.  —  The New York Times says Officer Cesar Borja …

Army Giving More Waivers in Recruiting  —  The number of waivers granted to Army recruits with criminal backgrounds has grown about 65 percent in the last three years, increasing to 8,129 in 2006 from 4,918 in 2003, Department of Defense records show.  —  During that time …