By Bush's Own Standard, Surge Has Failed  —  Before Gen. David Petraeus' report, and to give it a context of optimism, the president visited Iraq's Anbar province to underscore the success of the surge in making some hitherto anarchic areas less so.  More significant, however, was the fact that the president did not visit Baghdad.

Romney Adviser Linked to Anti-Thompson Internet Site  —  A top adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney appears to be behind the launch of a new Web site attacking GOP presidential rival Fred D. Thompson during his first week on the trail.  —  The site, PhoneyFred.org …

Clinton to Return All Hsu-Tainted Money  —  The presidential campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has just issued a statement saying that it would refund $850,000 in contributions that were collected by Norman Hsu, the major Democratic donor who turned out to be a fugitive and whose investments are under federal investigation.

MoveOn.org Ad Takes Aim at Petraeus  —  Ad From Liberal Activist Group Takes on Petraeus and the GOP Finds a New Talking Point  —  A newspaper ad from the anti-war group MoveOn.org that attacks Gen. David Petraeus has prompted a Republican outcry in Washington, D.C., as supporters …

In 9/11 remembrance, a turning to good deeds  —  NEW YORK - On Sept. 11, Jacob Sundberg of San Antonio has pledged to make eye contact and smile at everyone he meets.  Kaitlin Ulrich will bring goody baskets to the police and fire departments in and around Philadelphia.

'America the Ugly'  —  Six years after 9/11, it's notable how little the politics of the left have changed.  —  In the immediate aftermath of the attacks on us that took place on this very day six years ago, several younger commentators proclaimed the birth of an entirely new era in American history.

Strike Three?  —  A bomb-sniffing dog in Ankara helped Turkish authorities stop a massive terrorist attack on the anniversary of 9/11.  A van full of explosives in a parking garage would have devastated the center of the large city, and it would have served as a counterpoint to the messages released by Osama bin Laden in the past week:

Arrests in Brussels  —  Note: The earliest reports are at the bottom of this post.  —  The English-language MSM has picked it up now.  This is an AP story from The International Herald Tribune: … Update 8:48 am EDT  —  SD sends another amended machine translation, this one from the French.

Young Muslims begin dangerous fight for the right to abandon faith  —  A group of young Muslim apostates launches a campaign today, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America, to make it easier to renounce Islam.  —  The provocative move reflects a growing rift between traditionalists …