Petraeus: I "Don't Know" If Iraq War Makes U.S. Safer  —  Did General David Petraeus today suggest that the war in Iraq may not make the United States safer?  —  During his second day of appearances on Capitol Hill, Petraeus this afternoon appeared before the Senate armed services committee.

'60s Figure Says He Financed Donor Hsu  —  Where did Norman Hsu get his money?  —  That has been one of the big questions hanging over the prominent Democratic fund-raiser, as reports have surfaced about hundreds of thousands of dollars he made in political donations, plus lavish parties …

Two of Seven Soldiers Who Wrote 'NYT' Op-Ed Die in Iraq  —  NEW YORK The Op-Ed by seven active duty U.S. soldiers in Iraq questioning the war drew international attention just three weeks ago.  Now two of the seven are dead.  —  Sgt. Omar Mora and Sgt. Yance Gray died Monday in a vehicle accident …

Poll: Bin Laden tops Musharraf in Pakistan  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf — a key U.S. ally — is less popular in his own country than al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to a poll of Pakistanis conducted last month by an anti-terrorism organization.

Fidel Castro says U.S. fooled world over 9/11  —  HAVANA (Reuters) - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said the U.S. government misinformed Americans and the world about 9/11, echoing conspiracy theories about the terror attacks against the United States six years ago.

Giuliani support is soft in key battlegrounds, poll finds  —  Although former N.Y. mayor is GOP leader, a new Times/Bloomberg survey shows him trailing in three early states.  Clinton maintains solid lead among Democrats.  —  WASHINGTON — "America's Mayor" Rudolph Giuliani has been well ahead …

The 'proxy war': UK troops are sent to Iranian border  —  British soldiers return to action as tensions between US and Iran grow  —  British forces have been sent from Basra to the volatile border with Iran amid warnings from the senior US commander in Iraq that Tehran is fomenting a "proxy war".

U.S. Officials Begin Crafting Iran Bombing Plan  —  WASHINGTON — A recent decision by German officials to withhold support for any new sanctions against Iran has pushed a broad spectrum of officials in Washington to develop potential scenarios for a military attack on the Islamic regime, FOX News confirmed Tuesday.

Video: 9/11 was a "failure of human understanding," says Mass. governor; Update: "[W]e are all part of the same human story," says NY governor  —  Thanks to Radio Equalizer for this.  Here's Mitt's successor, Deval Patrick, transparently ducking the hard lessons of 9/11 by generalizing …

Woolsey calls for attacks on colleagues  —  Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) is encouraging anti-war activists to find challengers to centrist Democrats, with the aim of moving the party to the left and ramping up opposition to the war in Iraq, to the chagrin of top Democratic aides.

Freedom Fetishists  —  The cultural contradictions of libertarianism.  —  More than perhaps any other American political group, libertarians have suffered the blows of caricature.  For many people, the term evokes an image of a scraggly misfit living in the woods with his gun collection …

WHAT PETRAEUS MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS:  —  In a press conference after a meeting with George W. Bush today, Democratic leaders talked tough about the Iraq war.  But one aggressive reporter, who didn't identify himself, asked Nancy Pelosi a quite pointed question: Given that it now appears likely …

Bush Nearing Choice to Lead Justice Dept.  —  The White House is closing in on a nominee to replace Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, with former Solicitor General Theodore B. Olson considered one of the leading candidates, administration and Congressional officials said Tuesday.