International:
US plans last big push in Iraq
President George Bush has told senior advisers that the US and its allies must make "a last big push" to win the war in Iraq and that instead of beginning a troop withdrawal next year, he may increase US forces by up to 20,000 soldiers, according to sources familiar with the administration's internal deliberations. More here.
Meet the Iran Enterprise Institute. Its name might sound familiar
Among the latest efforts is the creation earlier this month of the Iran Enterprise Institute, a privately funded nonprofit drawing not just its name but inspiration and moral support from leading figures associated with the American Enterprise Institute. The Iran Enterprise Institute is directed by a newly arrived Iranian dissident whose cause has recently been championed by AEI fellow and former Pentagon advisor Richard Perle. More details here.
Iranian paper: Great war to wipe out Israel coming
Iranian newspapers Kehyan and and Resalat have urged Muslims around the world to prepare for a 'great war' to destroy the State of Israel.
The newspapers published the editorials, translated from Persian by MEMRI , the Middle East translation service, to mark 'Quds' day on October 20, an Iranian 'holiday' calling for the "liberation" of Jerusalem and war against Israel.
National:
New Era Of ‘Bipartisanship’
"In the days following the election, the President spoke about becoming a uniter and working with Congress in a bipartisan way. Regrettably, it appears he will not be keeping that promise. I understand the President intends to renominate a number of controversial nominees. That unfortunate decision evidences that he intends to stay the partisan course when it comes to judicial nominations." -Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT)
Bush has criticized lawmakers for their “partisanship” and called on them to give all his nominees an up-or-down vote. But 31 judicial nominees have been approved this year, nearly double the total number of judges (17) confirmed in the 1996 congressional session, when Republicans controlled the Senate.
Get The Memo?
The Huffington Post yesterday published a post-election internal memo written by Fox News Vice President John Moody directing employees to "be on the lookout for any statements from the Iraqi insurgents, who must be thrilled at the prospect of a Dem-controlled Congress." The memo was distributed on November 9, two days after the midterm elections, outlining Fox's response to the Democrats' victories in the House and Senate.
Prior to the elections, Vice President Dick Cheney repeatedly claimed that Iraqi insurgents were increasing their violence to try to influence the midterm elections. At an October campaign event, Cheney claimed "the terrorists are actually involved and want to involve themselves in our electoral process, which must mean they want a change."
During a radio interview, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld agreed that Iraqi insurgents were saying, "We’ve got an election in two weeks in America, gang, and we want to change horses over there." However, President Bush has admitted that there isn't "any intelligence" that suggests terrorists were trying to influence U.S. elections. Also, military spokesman Maj. Douglas Powell told reporters there was no intelligence to back the claim. Indeed, according to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Ron Suskind's recent book, CIA analysts determined that a propaganda tape released by Osama bin Laden in the days before the 2004 presidential election "was clearly designed to assist the President's reelection."
The newspapers published the editorials, translated from Persian by MEMRI , the Middle East translation service, to mark 'Quds' day on October 20, an Iranian 'holiday' calling for the "liberation" of Jerusalem and war against Israel.
National:
New Era Of ‘Bipartisanship’
"In the days following the election, the President spoke about becoming a uniter and working with Congress in a bipartisan way. Regrettably, it appears he will not be keeping that promise. I understand the President intends to renominate a number of controversial nominees. That unfortunate decision evidences that he intends to stay the partisan course when it comes to judicial nominations." -Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT)
Bush has criticized lawmakers for their “partisanship” and called on them to give all his nominees an up-or-down vote. But 31 judicial nominees have been approved this year, nearly double the total number of judges (17) confirmed in the 1996 congressional session, when Republicans controlled the Senate.
Get The Memo?
The Huffington Post yesterday published a post-election internal memo written by Fox News Vice President John Moody directing employees to "be on the lookout for any statements from the Iraqi insurgents, who must be thrilled at the prospect of a Dem-controlled Congress." The memo was distributed on November 9, two days after the midterm elections, outlining Fox's response to the Democrats' victories in the House and Senate.
Prior to the elections, Vice President Dick Cheney repeatedly claimed that Iraqi insurgents were increasing their violence to try to influence the midterm elections. At an October campaign event, Cheney claimed "the terrorists are actually involved and want to involve themselves in our electoral process, which must mean they want a change."
During a radio interview, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld agreed that Iraqi insurgents were saying, "We’ve got an election in two weeks in America, gang, and we want to change horses over there." However, President Bush has admitted that there isn't "any intelligence" that suggests terrorists were trying to influence U.S. elections. Also, military spokesman Maj. Douglas Powell told reporters there was no intelligence to back the claim. Indeed, according to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Ron Suskind's recent book, CIA analysts determined that a propaganda tape released by Osama bin Laden in the days before the 2004 presidential election "was clearly designed to assist the President's reelection."
Lott Wins Senate Minority Whip
Mississippi senator wins Republican Party's No. 2 position in Senate after being ousted from top position four years ago.
Mississippi senator wins Republican Party's No. 2 position in Senate after being ousted from top position four years ago.
Abizaid: No Timetable
The top U.S. commander for the Mideast said Wednesday he is optimistic U.S. forces can stabilize Iraq, but warned against a timetable for a phased withdrawal. The top U.S. commander in the Middle East warned Congress Wednesday against setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, rejecting the arguments of resurgent Democrats who are pressing
President Bush to start pulling out. He also rejected John McCain’s calls for increased U.S. troop levels in Iraq, saying that he “met with every divisional commander, Gen. Casey, the core commander, Gen. Dempsey” and asked them if bringing “in more American troops now, [would] add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq and they all said ‘no.’"
President Bush to start pulling out. He also rejected John McCain’s calls for increased U.S. troop levels in Iraq, saying that he “met with every divisional commander, Gen. Casey, the core commander, Gen. Dempsey” and asked them if bringing “in more American troops now, [would] add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq and they all said ‘no.’"
In Other News…
Last month, President Bush conceded that an analogy between Iraq and Vietnam can be made. AP reports, “Amid an intensifying discussion at home about the future of the [Iraq] war, Bush gives the comparison debate another kick by walking among Vietnam War relics on a four-day visit to the communist nation created after American troops departed 33 years ago.”
Conservative staff members in the Senate have started attacking Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the incoming chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, as “radical,” “extreme,” and “out there.” In one of her first “extreme” moves, Boxer plans to hold hearings on global warming.
The Senate approved an amendment Tuesday to extend the work of the Iraq inspector general, who has “unearthed millions of dollars in waste and fraud associated with the rebuilding of Iraq.” Some conserveratives quietly tried to terminate the IG in a recent spending bill.
“Iran’s president declared yesterday that his country’s nuclear program was nearing an important milestone,” the NYT reports, “even as international atomic inspectors reported that they had found unexplained traces of plutonium and that Tehran continued to be so uncooperative in answering questions that they had been unable to confirm earlier claims of progress.”
A congressionally-mandated study by Los Alamos scientists and others on plutonium finds the radioactive element, “which provides the immense explosive force in nuclear weapons, has a useful lifespan far longer than previously estimated.” The findings could undermine Bush’s argument for manufacturing a new generation of warheads.
Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to enter federal prison today “over the protests of prosecutors who wanted him to remain free to cooperate in an investigation that has threatened to implicate several members of Congress.”
From The Right:
Tony Blankley: Rebuilding a conservative Republican majority
The conservative Republican governing coalition that had held together for a quarter of a century (more or less) until last week's election will be harder to put back together than they were to keep together.
From The Left:
Last month, President Bush conceded that an analogy between Iraq and Vietnam can be made. AP reports, “Amid an intensifying discussion at home about the future of the [Iraq] war, Bush gives the comparison debate another kick by walking among Vietnam War relics on a four-day visit to the communist nation created after American troops departed 33 years ago.”
Conservative staff members in the Senate have started attacking Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the incoming chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, as “radical,” “extreme,” and “out there.” In one of her first “extreme” moves, Boxer plans to hold hearings on global warming.
The Senate approved an amendment Tuesday to extend the work of the Iraq inspector general, who has “unearthed millions of dollars in waste and fraud associated with the rebuilding of Iraq.” Some conserveratives quietly tried to terminate the IG in a recent spending bill.
“Iran’s president declared yesterday that his country’s nuclear program was nearing an important milestone,” the NYT reports, “even as international atomic inspectors reported that they had found unexplained traces of plutonium and that Tehran continued to be so uncooperative in answering questions that they had been unable to confirm earlier claims of progress.”
A congressionally-mandated study by Los Alamos scientists and others on plutonium finds the radioactive element, “which provides the immense explosive force in nuclear weapons, has a useful lifespan far longer than previously estimated.” The findings could undermine Bush’s argument for manufacturing a new generation of warheads.
Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to enter federal prison today “over the protests of prosecutors who wanted him to remain free to cooperate in an investigation that has threatened to implicate several members of Congress.”
From The Right:
Tony Blankley: Rebuilding a conservative Republican majority
The conservative Republican governing coalition that had held together for a quarter of a century (more or less) until last week's election will be harder to put back together than they were to keep together.
From The Left:
William Rivers Pitt: The Carlyle White House
The Carlyle Group achieved national attention in the early days of the Iraq occupation, especially after Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" exposed the firm's umbilical ties to the Bush family and the House of Saud. For the uninitiated, Carlyle is a privately-owned equity firm organized and run by former members of the Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations.
Quotes of the Day:
"I think we're in very good shape. I expect to win" "I expect that we will bring the party together and become unified and move on from this." Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Quotes of the Day:
"I think we're in very good shape. I expect to win" "I expect that we will bring the party together and become unified and move on from this." Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
With characteristic gruffness, John Murtha (D-PA) said the opposite was true: "We're going to win. We got the votes," he said Wednesday afternoon on MSNBC's "Hardball."
Thought to Ponder:
Fox plans to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson in which the former football star discusses "how he would have committed" the slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, for which he was acquitted, the network said.
The two-part interview, titled "O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened," will air Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, the TV network said.
Simpson has agreed to an "unrestricted" interview with book publisher Judith Regan, Fox said. More here if you are so inclined.
(Sources: TownHall, TruthOut, FOXNews, Center for American Progress, PoliticalCartoons.com, UPI, Drudge, Guardian UK, HuffingtonPost, AP, Washington Times, MercuryNews, NY Times, SF Chronicle, WhiteHouse website, myway.com)
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