Bush makes surprise visit to Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — President Bush arrived at an air base west of Baghdad Monday on an unannounced visit, the White House said.  —  He plans to meet face-to-face with top military commanders, the U.S. ambassador, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and provincial tribal leaders.

State of Mexico Addressed, by Invitation Only  —  Calderón Delivers Speech At Ceremonial Palace  —  President Felipe Calderón, blocked from delivering the traditional state-of-the-nation address to Congress, called Sunday for changing the format of an annual rite that has become a chaotic embarrassment for Mexico.

Edwards backs mandatory preventive care  —  TIPTON, Iowa - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said on Sunday that his universal health care proposal would require that Americans go to the doctor for preventive care.  —  "It requires that everybody be covered.

The secular elite vs. the popular Islamists  —  Today's political challenge is to allow people to live according to their religion, while at the same time protecting those who are either irreligious or who have a different interpretation of the Koran  —  As a foreigner who is highly interested in …

BBC offers Palestinians 'support'  —  The BBC has been advertising for a "Project Director, Palestinian Territories" to advise Palestinian journalists.  On what?  Impartiality?  —  The BBC have devised another way to spend our money  —  "And I thought WE hated the Israelis," …

Combat deaths in Iraq decline; reasons aren't clear  —  WASHINGTON — American combat deaths in Iraq have dropped by half in the three months since the buildup of 28,000 additional U.S. troops reached full strength, surprising analysts and dividing them as to why.

Save Our Elmer  —  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials report that the number of licensed hunters in America fell 13%, dropping from 14 million hunters in 1996 to 12.5 million in 2006.  That's at a time when the estimated U.S. population rose from 265 million in 1996 to 299 million in 2006, a 12.8% increase.

The New Money Pit  —  It started with subprime mortgages.  Now owners of McMansions are defaulting, and the effects of the housing bust are beginning to ripple through the economy.  —  Walking through the gated community of Black Mountain Vista on a hill in Henderson, Nev., Thomas Blanchard offers a guided tour of real-estate woe.

Report: U.S. workers are most productive  —  GENEVA - American workers stay longer in the office, at the factory or on the farm than their counterparts in Europe and most other rich nations, and they produce more per person over the year.  —  They also get more done per hour than everyone …

The Man Behind The De Palma Smear: Mark Cuban Declares War On The Troops  —  Billionaire Mark Cuban has decided to put all of his weight behind a campaign to smear US troops in Iraq as "monsters'.  Cuban has decided that De Palma's film "Redacted" must be seen as the cornerstone …

Dean tells Muslims: Run for political office  —  Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told American Muslims gathered in Rosemont to think beyond voter registration drives.  —  "You need to run for political office," Dean said Saturday.  "The only way you can achieve your goals …

Blitzer Dismantles Rep. Boustany's Assertions Of Progress In Iraq  —  Appearing on CNN's Late Edition this morning, Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), who recently returned from Iraq, asserted "some major improvements" are being witnessed in Iraq.  Echoing claims made by Gen. David Petraeus, Boustany said "sectarian deaths are down."

Couric Admits Her Rosy Report From Iraq Is Based On 'What The U.S. Military Wants Me To See'  —  CBS News anchor Katie Couric is currently reporting from Iraq.  Today she spoke to Bob Schieffer on CBS's Face the Nation and largely reiterated Gen. Petraeus's talking points on Iraq.