Top Items:
The Blotter:
Bush Authorizes New Covert Action Against Iran — Brian Ross and Richard Esposito Report: — The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
ABC exposes Bush's secret order to CIA to destabilize Iranian regime — It's not a secret anymore. Some righty media outlet must have already linked it, too, because Brian Ross and company are getting reamed in the comments over there for revealing it. — I assumed we've been doing covert ops …
Faiz / Think Progress:
ABC News: Bush Authorizes New Covert Action Against Iran — This evening, ABC's World News Tonight reported that the "United States has opened a new front in its showdown with Iran." According to the report, President Bush has directed the CIA to carry out covert operations both inside and outside Iran …
Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
Well, This Takes All The Fun Out Of It — ABC News has revealed a top-secret order from George Bush that orders the CIA and other intelligence agencies to take action to undermine the Iranian mullahcracy. Needless to say, the revelation makes the mission almost impossible (via Hot Air):
Discussion:
The Newshoggers
The Age:
Iran planning strike on Europe: analyst — Iran is attempting to draw up plans to strike targets in Europe and has reconnoitered European nuclear power stations, a security analyst told a meeting at Britain's parliament. — Claude Moniquet, president of the European Strategic Intelligence …
Discussion:
New York Times
Shailagh Murray / Washington Post:
Democrats Relent On Pullout Timetable — Democrats gave up their demand for troop-withdrawal deadlines in an Iraq war spending package yesterday, abandoning their top goal of bringing U.S. troops home and handing President Bush a victory in a debate that has roiled Congress for months.
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Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Democrats Drop Troop Pullout Dates From Iraq Bill — Congressional Democrats relented today on their insistence that a war spending measure sought by President Bush also set a date for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The decision to back down, described by senior lawmakers and aides …
Discussion:
TIME: Swampland, Pam's House Blend, Associated Press, Donklephant, Firedoglake, the talking dog, Salon and On Deadline
CNN:
Deadline pulled from war funding bill … WASHINGTON (CNN) — Speaker Nancy Pelosi will present a plan to House Democrats for a war funding bill that won't include a timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq but will feature benchmarks with consequences, according to Democratic leadership aides.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, New York Times, Election Central, Firedoglake, TalkLeft, Oliver Willis and Crooks and Liars
ABCNEWS:
Bomb Plot Thwarted at Falwell's Funeral — Student Arrested With Homemade Bombs, Three Other Suspects Sought — Even in death, the Rev. Jerry Falwell rouses the most volatile of emotions. — A small group of protesters gathered near the funeral services to criticize the man …
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Rush Transcript / The Raw Story:
A RUSH TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS THE VIDEO — HALA GORANI: Well, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported back in March that in order to defeate Hezbollah, the Lebanese government supported a Sunni militant group, the same ones they're fighting today. Seymour joins us live from Washington.
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The Independent:
Robert Fisk: The road to Jerusalem (via Lebanon) — Inspired by al-Qa'ida, a hitherto little-known militant group is behind the outbreak of bloody violence which has left scores dead — They came into Lebanon last summer when the world was watching Israel smash this small nation in a vain attempt to destroy the Hizbollah.
Pew Research Center:
Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream — War on Terror Concerns — The first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans finds them to be largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.
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Faiz / Think Progress:
Snow Slams Gore's Book, Says It Should Be 'Reprinted' Because It Calls Out Bush's 'Deception' — In his new book The Assault on Reason, Al Gore wrote that Bush's efforts to connect Iraq to 9/11 were an example of the administration's willful "deception" of the public:
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Laura Litvan / Bloomberg:
Lieberman, Sticking With Democrats for Now, Warns Them on Iraq — Senator Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, says his disagreement with the Democrats over the Iraq war won't prevent him from working with his former party. For now. — ``I hope the moment doesn't come that I feel …
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Simon Tisdall / Guardian:
Bush may turn to UN in search for Iraq solution — If troop surge fails, strategy is to involve other nations under UN umbrella — The Bush administration is developing plans to "internationalise" the Iraq crisis, including an expanded role for the United Nations, as a way of reducing …
Agence France Presse:
Gay flamingos pick up chick — LONDON (AFP) - A pair of gay flamingos have adopted an abandoned chick, becoming parents after being together for six years, a British conservation organisation said Monday. — Carlos and Fernando had been desperate to start a family, even chasing other flamingos …
Discussion:
The Democratic Daily, The Atlantic Online, Shakesville, The Reaction, On Deadline and Truthdig
Susan Crabtree / The Hill:
Murtha sent earmark letter five weeks after deadline — Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) submitted an earmark certification letter for the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) May 1, more than five weeks after the Intelligence Committee's deadline and the day before the panel marked up its authorization bill …
Thomas Harding / Telegraph:
Taliban 'stalled by lack of commanders' — The Taliban's much-vaunted spring offensive has stalled apparently due to lack of organisation after dozens of middle-ranking commanders were killed by British troops in the past year, according to military sources.
Daniel Friedman / Federal Times:
GSA chief violated Hatch Act, OSC report finds — An Office of Special Counsel report has found that General Services Administration chief Lurita Doan violated the Hatch Act, which bars federal officials from partisan political activity while on the job, sources say.
