memeorandum: A Deadly Clash at Donkey Island (Ann Scott Tyson/Washington Post)

The War as We Saw It — VIEWED from Iraq at the tail end of a 15-month deployment, the political debate in Washington is indeed surreal. Counterinsurgency is, by definition, a competition between insurgents and counterinsurgents for the control and support of a population.

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Informed Comment and SWJ Blog

Sally Buzbee / Associated Press:

Shiite militia expands grip in Baghdad — BAGHDAD - The street market bustles in the early mornings and late afternoons as shoppers come out to buy fruit, bread, clothes and toys. Late into the hot summer nights, whole families gather to eat grilled kebabs at tiny stalls, their small children shrieking as they play tag.

Discussion: The Newshoggers

Washington Post:

How Rove Directed Federal Assets for GOP Gains — Bush Adviser's Effort to Promote the President and His Allies Was Unprecedented in Its Reach — Thirteen months before President Bush was reelected, chief strategist Karl Rove summoned political appointees from around the government to the Old Executive Office Building.

Discussion: Bark Bark Woof Woof, Pottersville, Outside The Beltway, First Draft and Greenlee Gazette

The Corner:

The Muslim Jesus Cont'd — Some interesting emails for late on a Saturday night. Here are a bunch, but I'll hide most of 'em behind one of those more links: … And: … And: … And, from my Middle East Guy: — Keep reading this post . . .

Discussion: The Van Der Galiën Gazette

Ann Scott Tyson / Washington Post:

A Deadly Clash at Donkey Island — On a Routine Night Patrol Near Ramadi, U.S. Troops Stumble Upon a Camp of Heavily Armed Insurgents Poised to Retake the City — Staff Sgt. Norman Stark had never seen combat. Nor did the 32-year-old soldier from Baltimore expect it …

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard and Eunomia

Atrios / Eschaton:

Is Tom Friedman a Bad Person? — All signs point to "pretty hideous human being, one which all good people should shun."

Discussion: Hullabaloo, PSoTD and Obsidian Wings

New York Times:

2 Firefighters Killed in Blaze at Ground Zero — Two firefighters were killed yesterday battling a blaze in the Deutsche Bank skyscraper, a vacant relic of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack that was in the process of being dismantled. — The firefighters were among hundreds who poured …

Discussion: A Blog For All and TPMCafe blogs

BREITBART.COM:

Climate protest 'will be contained' — Police were confident of being able to contain the expected climax of the climate camp at Heathrow Airport. — Protesters, buoyed by an influx of new arrivals, promised 24 hours of direct action, starting from midday on Sunday.

Discussion: BBC and Little Green Footballs

Katie Hafner / New York Times:

Seeing Corporate Fingerprints in Wikipedia Edits — Last year a Wikipedia visitor edited the entry for the SeaWorld theme parks to change all mentions of "orcas" to "killer whales," insisting that this was a more accurate name for the species. — There was another, unexplained edit …

Discussion: The RBC and MoJoBlog

Jamie Doward / Observer:

Terror law puts Britons at risk of surveillance by US agents — A new law swept through Congress by the US government before the summer recess is to give American security agencies unprecedented powers to spy on British citizens without a warrant. — The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act …

Discussion: RADAMISTO, The Democratic Daily, The Newshoggers and Cliff Schecter

Ilan Goldenberg / democracyarsenal.org:

How to tell an expert from an "expert" — Matt and Gideon Rose are having a pretty interesting exchange regarding expertise and the Democratic foreign policy community. I completely agree with Matt when he writes … It's not that the entire VSP community is bad.

Discussion: Eschaton, RADAMISTO, Washington Monthly and The Van Der Galiën Gazette

Libby Spencer / The Newshoggers:

Nobel prize winner denies discrimination — Our man in Cancun, Jules Siegel, follows up on yesterday's report that Guatemalan presidential candidate Rigoberta Menchu was removed from a high priced tourist hotel because she was mistaken for a common indigenous Indian.

Discussion: newsroom-l.net and Blue Crab Boulevard

Kathleen Geier / Ezra Klein:

Words of Wisdom — By Kathy G. — What Max said. — Adding, that the argument that Hillary shouldn't be the nominee because she's too "divisive" never made a lot of sense to me. I agree with Ezra that she probably wouldn't be the best choice for the nomination, because by temperament she's …

Steve Benen / Talking Points Memo:

GIULIANI ENDORSES BUSH'S SOCIAL SECURITY PLAN — After Bush won a second term, he entered 2005 in a relatively strong position. He boasted about having "political capital," his approval rating was around 50%, and he looked at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and saw a very friendly Republican majority in both chambers.

Discussion: MyDD, Angry Bear and bustardblog

ACLU:

In Unprecedented Order, FISA Court Requires Bush Administration to Respond to ACLU's Request That Secret Court Orders Be Released to the Public — Government Must Respond by August 31 — WASHINGTON - In an unprecedented order, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) …

Discussion: JURIST, SCOTUSblog and digg