2007 AMERICAS ARCHIVE :

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International Herald Tribune, 19 Dec 07, by Carl Hulse
U.S. Senate adds $70 billion for wars in spending bill
'The Senate voted Tuesday night to add $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to a sweeping year-end budget package after again rejecting Democratic efforts to tie the money to calls for troop withdrawals from Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Dec 07, by Janine Zacharia, Bloomberg News
Canada reconsiders role in Afghanistan
'The struggle to keep countries like Canada committed in Afghanistan illustrates NATO's broader problem of transforming itself from a Cold War alliance into one focused on combating terrorism.'

Washington Post, 17 Dec 07, by Michael Abramowitz and Peter Baker
Bush Faces Pressure to Shift War Priorities
'With violence on the decline in Iraq but on the upswing in Afghanistan, President Bush is facing new pressure from the U.S. military to accelerate a troop drawdown in Iraq and bulk up force levels in Afghanistan, according to senior U.S. officials.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 18 Dec 07http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/18/america/NA-GEN-US-Nuclear-Weapons.php
Bush orders 'significant reduction' in U.S. nuclear weapons 'President George W. Bush has approved "a significant reduction" in the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, cutting it to less than one-quarter its size at the end of the Cold War ... At the same time, the Energy Department announced plans to consolidate the nuclear weapons complex that maintains warheads and dismantle those no longer needed ...'

Washington Post, 18 Dec 07, by Colum Lynch
U.N. Finds Fraud, Mismanagement in Peacekeeping
'A U.N. task force has uncovered a pervasive pattern of corruption and mismanagement involving hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts for fuel, food, construction and other materials and services used by U.N. peacekeeping operations, which are in the midst of their largest expansion in 15 years.'

Washington Post, 13 Dec 07, by Karen DeYoung
U.S. to Cut 10 Percent of Diplomatic Posts Next Year
'Diplomatic posts at the State Department and U.S. embassies worldwide will be cut by 10 percent next year because of heavy staffing demands in Iraq and Afghanistan, Director General Harry Thomas informed the foreign service yesterday.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Nov 07, by David M. Herszenhorn
U.S. House puts strings on military funding
'The strings included a requirement that troop withdrawals begin within 30 days, a narrowing of the mission to focus on counterterrorism and on training Iraqi security forces, and a goal of full withdrawal by mid-December 2008.'

BBC News, 13 Nov 07
Hidden costs 'raise US war price'
'The US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing nearly double the amount previously thought, according to a report set to be released by Congress.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Nov 07, by William J. Broad
The all-American fellow was a Russian spy
'Honored posthumously by Putin, [George Koval] penetrated the Manhattan Project to build the U.S. atomic bomb.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Nov 07, by Steven Lee Myers
Bush pledges to help Turkey on intelligence
'President George W. Bush pledged Monday to increase intelligence cooperation with Turkey in its fight against Kurdish rebels, hoping to head off any significant Turkish military operation in Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Nov 07, by Simon Romero
Influential Venezuelan general calls Chávez's constitutional amendments a coup d'état
'In a sharp indictment of President Hugo Chávez's proposed changes to the Constitution, the former top army commander here described the proposed charter on as "in effect a coup d'état" intended to abolish checks on Chávez's expanding power.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Nov 07, by John M. Broder and James Risen
Blackwater plans bold strategy to defend itself
'Blackwater Worldwide, its reputation in tatters and its lucrative government contracts in jeopardy, is mounting an aggressive legal, political and public relations counterstrike.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Oct 07, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. pushes to get Russia on its side
'The United States is prepared to offer concessions to Russia over the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty to try to persuade Moscow to soften its positions on Kosovo and Iran, diplomats said Monday.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Oct 07, by David Johnston
Immunity deals offered to Blackwater guards
'State Department investigators offered Blackwater USA security guards immunity during an inquiry into last month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqis in Baghdad — a potentially serious investigative misstep that could complicate efforts to prosecute the company's employees involved in the episode, government officials said Monday.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Oct 07, by William J. Broad
Why they called it the Manhattan Project
'By nature, code names and cover stories are meant to give no indication of the secrets concealed. "Magic" was the name for intelligence gleaned from Japanese ciphers in World War II, and "Overlord" stood for the Allied plan to invade Europe. Many people assume that the same holds true for the Manhattan Project, in which thousands of experts gathered in the mountains of New Mexico to make the world's first atom bomb.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Oct 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. mixes caution with aggression in Iran accusations
'In announcing new sanctions against an elite unit of the Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, Bush administration officials have taken pains to offer assurances that, at least for now, the United States is not going to war with Iran.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Oct 07, by John M. Broder and David Rohde
Use of contractors by U.S. State Dept. has soared
'Over the past four years, the amount of money the State Department pays to private security and law enforcement contractors has soared to nearly $4 billion a year from $1 billion, administration officials said Tuesday, but they said that the department had added few new officials to oversee the contracts.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Oct 07, by Eric Schmitt and David Rohde
2 reports assail U.S. State Dept. role on Iraq security
'A pair of new reports have delivered sharply critical judgments about the State Department's performance in overseeing work done by the private companies that the government relies on increasingly in Iraq and Afghanistan to carry out delicate security work and other missions.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 07, by Michael Abramowitz and Walter Pincus
Administration Diverges on Missile Defense
'Bush Pushes for System in Europe; Gates Urges "Definitive Proof" of Iranian Threat'

Miami Herald, 24 Oct 07, by Pablo Bachelet
Bush to talk tough, urge change in Cuban rule
'President Bush, in a hard-line speech crafted for an international audience, will call for democracy and freedom in Cuba.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 23 Oct 07
Poll finds less confidence in U.S. foreign policy achievements
'Fewer Americans think the United States is adequately thwarting terrorists, meeting its objectives in Iraq or achieving other goals overseas, according to a poll that shows a deepening skepticism about the country's foreign policy.'

PBS Frontline, 23 Oct 07
Showdown with Iran
'In this report, that focuses on the tumultuous U.S.-Iran relations since 9/11, Frontline examines how U.S. efforts to install democracy in Iraq have served to strengthen Iran's position as an emerging power in the Middle East.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Oct 07, by Alissa J. Rubin and Paul Von Zielbauer
Blackwater case highlights legal uncertainties
'If a private in the United States military fires on civilians, a clear body of law and a set of procedures exist for the military to use in investigating each incident and deciding if the evidence is sufficient to bring charges.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Oct 07, by Michael Moss and Souad Mekhennet
An Internet jihad aims at U.S. viewers
'A network of independent media operators are broadcasting the message of Al Qaeda and others to a Western audience.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Oct 07, by William Glaberson
U.S. considers new military hearings for Guantánamo Bay detainees
'In the sixth year of detention for many of the 330 men held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Justice Department lawyers have raised the possibility that the government may hold new hearings for some detainees to decide whether they are being properly held.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 09 Oct 07
White House paints picture of a more dangerous Al Qaeda
'Al Qaeda remains the "most serious and dangerous" terrorism threat and is expected to increase attempts to place agents inside the United States, a White House report said Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Oct 07, by Eric Lichtblau and Carl Hulse
Bush administration gaining ground on wiretap authority
'Bush administration officials say they are confident that they can prevent a rollback of the broadened wiretapping authority that they secured temporarily in a controversial vote in Congress two months ago ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Oct 07, by Simon Montlake
U.S. tries rehab for religious extremists
'Faced with swelling detention centers, US military commanders in Iraq have begun to take note [of Singapore's program]. In recent months, they have introduced religious-education programs for adults and juveniles that are modeled, in part, on Singapore's and on a much larger program in Saudi Arabia.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Oct 07, by David Johnston and Scott Shane
Debate erupts on techniques used by CIA
'The disclosure of secret Justice Department legal opinions on interrogation on Thursday set off a bitter round of debate over the treatment of terrorism suspects in American custody and whether Congress has been adequately informed of legal policies.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Oct 07, by David M. Herszenhorn
House's Iraq bill applies U.S. laws to contractors
'With the armed security force Blackwater USA and other private contractors in Iraq facing tighter scrutiny, the House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would bring all United States government contractors in the Iraq war zone under the jurisdiction of American criminal law. The measure would require the FBI to investigate any allegations of wrongdoing.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by John M. Broder
Chief of Blackwater defends his employees
'Erik Prince, chief executive of Blackwater USA, told a congressional committee on Tuesday that his company's nearly 1,000 armed guards in Iraq were not trigger-happy mercenaries, but rather loyal Americans doing a necessary job in hostile territory.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Sep 07, by Thom Shanker
U.S. leads arms sales to developing countries
'The United States maintained its role as the leading supplier of weapons to the developing world in 2006, followed by Russia and Britain, according to a Congressional study. Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia were the top buyers.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Oct 07, by David Stout and John M. Broder
Blackwater security firm assailed for Iraq killings
'Guards working in Iraq for Blackwater USA have shot Iraqi civilians and have sought to cover up the incidents, sometimes with the help of the State Department, according to a report that was released Monday to a congressional committee.'

AFP, 01 Oct 07
Bush wants diplomatic end to 'Iran problem'
'US President George W. Bush wants a peaceful end to "the Iranian problem," the White House said Monday after a fresh report that the United States is looking at possible military options.'

International Herald Tribune, 01 Oct 07, by Thomas Kaplan
Yale Law School set to allow military recruiters at job fair
'For five years, Yale Law School has fought to restrict military recruiters from its job fairs because of the Pentagon's policy that bars openly gay or bisexual people from the military. But with the federal government threatening to withhold $350 million in grants if the university does not assist the recruiters, that fight was to all but end on Monday.'

Washington Post, 26 Sep 07, by Sudarsan Raghavan and Thomas E. Ricks
Private Security Puts Diplomats, Military at Odds
'A confrontation between the U.S. military and the State Department is unfolding over the involvement of Blackwater USA in the shooting deaths of Iraqi civilians in a Baghdad square Sept. 16, bringing to the surface long-simmering tensions between the military and private security companies in Iraq, according to U.S. military and government officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Sep 07, by James Risen
State Dept. tallies 56 shootings involving Blackwater on diplomatic guard duty
'The State Department said Thursday that Blackwater USA security personnel had been involved in 56 shootings while guarding American diplomats in Iraq so far this year. It was the first time the Bush administration had made such data public.'

Washington Post, 27 Sep 07, by Josh White and Ann Scott Tyson
Increase In War Funding Sought
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates asked Congress yesterday to approve an additional $42.3 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the Bush administration's 2008 war funding request to nearly $190 billion -- the largest single-year total for the wars so far.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Sep 07, by James C. McKinley Jr. and Antonio Betancourt
Marxist guerrilla group shows signs of resurgence in Mexico
'The bombings of gas pipelines are a drastic escalation in the group's tactics. Seemingly overnight, the rebels have evolved from an organization devoted mostly to kidnappings into a much larger threat to the stability of Mexican industry and, by extension, to the state itself, officials say.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Sep 07, by Steven Lee Myers and Christine Hauser
Bush vows to tighten sanctions on Myanmar
'President George W. Bush on Tuesday chided nations to live up to the rights and freedoms the United Nations promised six decades ago, announced new sanctions on Myanmar and denounced the governments of Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Zimbabwe as "brutal regimes."'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Sep 07, by David E. Sanger and Thom Shanker
Washington sees an opportunity on Iran
'A year and a half after President George W. Bush told top aides that he feared he might be forced someday to choose between acquiescing to Iran's nuclear ambitions and ordering military action, the struggle to find an effective alternative — sanctions with real bite — is entering a new phase.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Sep 07, by Helene Cooper
Iran strategy divides Bush administration
'A debate within the Bush administration is delaying a decision on how aggressively to confront Iran, even as President George W. Bush has begun more explicitly to describe the U.S. military presence in Iraq as part of a broader effort to counter Iran's influence.'

BBC News 14 Sep 07
Bush Iraq speech: Full text
'US President George W Bush has announced plans for a partial withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.'

The Australian, 17 Sep 07, by Thomas Ferraro
Gates rejects Iraq oil claims
'US Defence Secretary Robert Gates rejected today former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan's statement the Iraq war "is largely about oil", saying the conflict is driven by the need to stabilise the Gulf and put down hostile forces.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Sep 07, by AP, New York Times
White House report says little progress made on Iraq benchmarks
'The White House told Congress on Friday that Iraq's leaders had gained little new ground on key military and political goals, a discouraging assessment a day after President George W. Bush announced, in a televised address from the White House, that progress justified keeping a large U.S. military presence there.'

BBC News, 17 Sep 07
Crocker urges Iraq refugee action
'The US envoy to Iraq has warned that nearly 10,000 Iraqi refugees seeking resettlement to the US may have to wait two years, US media have reported.'

Washington Post, 13 Sep 07, by Robin Wright
U.S. Starts a Push for Tighter Sanctions on Iran
'Promotion of new U.N. resolution comes as Tehran's influence in Iraq is called surprisingly deep.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Sep 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Steven Lee Myers
Bush to sell limited Iraq pullout as middle way
'With lawmakers openly skeptical of his troop buildup, President George W. Bush will cast his plan for a gradual, limited withdrawal as a way to bring a divided America together.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Sep 07, by David E. Sanger
Officials cite long-term need for U.S. in Iraq
'The two top American military and diplomatic officials in Iraq conceded Tuesday that the Bush administration's overall strategy in Iraq would remain largely unchanged after the temporary increase in American forces is over next summer, and made clear their view that the United States would need a major troop presence in Iraq for years to come.'

NewsHour, 10/11 Sep 07, with Judy Woodruf, Jim Lehrer et al
Petraeus Touts Iraq Progress, Discusses Troop Drawdown; House Members Respond to Iraq Report
Senators Assess Petraeus, Crocker Testimony
'In long-awaited testimony, Army Gen. David Petraeus told Congress Monday the troop increase in Iraq has largely met its goals and he recommended a reduction in troop levels, as Ambassador Ryan Crocker described improved security. The NewsHour recaps the hearing.'

New York Times, 10 Sep 07, by Steven Lee Myers and Megan Thee
Americans Feel Military Is Best at Ending the War
'Americans trust military commanders far more than the Bush administration or Congress to bring the war in Iraq to a successful end, and while most favor a withdrawal of American troops beginning next year, they suggested they were open to doing so at a measured pace, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.'

Washington Post, 08 Sep 07, by Juan Forero
Traffickers Infiltrate Military in Colombia
'Officers provided secret information on U.S. Navy ships.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Sep 07, by Peter Grier
Iraq progress report: views at war
'As Washington enters a crucial period of debate about the Iraq war, Democrats in Congress and the Bush administration appear to differ on basic facts and numbers about the situation there, as well as on what policies to pursue.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Sep 07, by David E. Sanger
Bush offers a new gauge to assess Iraq
'With the Democratic-led Congress poised to measure progress in Iraq by focusing on the central government's failure to perform, President George W. Bush is proposing a new gauge, by focusing on new U.S. alliances with the tribes and local groups that Washington once feared would tear the country apart.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Sep 07, by Carl Hulse
Senate Democrats willing to compromise on Iraq
'After short-circuiting consideration of votes on some bipartisan proposals on Iraq before the August break, senior Democrats now say they are willing to rethink their push to establish a withdrawal deadline of next spring if doing so will attract the 60 Senate votes needed to prevail.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Sep 07, by David E. Sanger
The strength of the weak in driving U.S. foreign policy
'If the nemesis of Bush's first term was the Axis of Evil, the bane of his last 17 months in office may be the Nexus of Weakness. The driving question inside the White House is how to build up these weak leaders or maneuver around them, at a time when arms sales, aid programs and presidential photo ops yield diminishing returns.'

International Herald Tribune, 31 Aug 07, by Eric Lichtblau
U.S. may invoke 'state secrets' to squelch suit against Swift
'The Bush administration is signaling that it plans to turn once again to a favorite legal tool known as the "state secrets" privilege to try to shut down a lawsuit brought against a Belgium banking cooperative that secretly supplied millions of private financial records to the U.S. government, court documents show.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Sep 07, by Linda Greenhouse
Guantánamo legal battle to resume in Supreme Court
'The Military Commissions Act of 2006, which Congress passed in its final weeks under Republican control in order to negate the Supreme Court's most recent ruling on behalf of a Guantánamo detainee, stripped all courts of jurisdiction "to hear or consider" challenges to any alien detainee's continued detention. In a surprising about-face the day after it concluded its term in June, the Supreme Court accepted renewed appeals on behalf of two groups of detainees and agreed to decide whether the measure was constitutional.'

Washington Post, 01 Sep 07, by Nora Boustany
War Crime Prosecutors Issue Call for Action
'An unprecedented gathering this week of international war crimes prosecutors -- those seeking justice for recent atrocities and two who made history at the Nazi trials at Nuremberg 62 years ago -- issued a joint appeal to the world community to arrest war criminals still at large and turn them over to stand trial.'

Voice of America, 31 Aug 07
Bush to Discuss Iraq With US Military Leaders
'News reports say the Joint Chiefs will express concern that the current level of 160,000 U.S. troops in Iraq will provide a strain on the military if it is maintained into next year.'

Washington Post/AP, 31 Aug 07, by Anne Flaherty and Anne Gearan, AP
White House Pushes Back on Iraq Report
'An independent assessment concluding that Iraq has made little political progress in recent months despite an influx of U.S. troops drew fierce objections from the White House on Thursday and provided fresh ammunition for Democrats who want to bring troops home.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug 07, by Dan Murphy
As Chávez gains Latin American stature, analysts wonder about implications for US
'Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has become increasingly involved in the affairs of his Latin American neighbors, often as a direct challenge to the US.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Aug 07, by Eric Lichtblau and Scott Shane
U.S. attorney general held firm on war policies
'... Time and again, as both White House counsel and attorney general, Gonzales would return to that theme: in a time of war, the president has broad powers to protect the country. It would become Gonzales's mantra and, ultimately, by alienating lawmakers who accused the administration of overreaching, it would contribute to his undoing.'

Washington Post, 28 Aug 07, by Karen DeYoung
House to Hold Hearings on Two New Reports on Iraq
'The House will hold hearings next week on two key reports assessing political and military conditions in Iraq, jump-starting the debate over President Bush's strategy even before long-awaited testimony by Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, due the following week.'

Washington Post, 27 Aug 07, by David E. Hoffman
Lugar, Nunn Push Arms Security Program
'Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) and former senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) launched a new effort Monday to expand the reach and strength of their program to secure nuclear, chemical and biological weapons at a time of deepening tensions between the United States and Russia.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Steven Lee Myers
A familiar U.S. strategy to help stay the course in Iraq
'President George W. Bush's Iraq strategy faces a crisis of faith these days — from the American public. And he is confronting it the way he has previous crises: with a relentless campaign to persuade people to see things his way.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug 07, by Scott Peterson
An intensifying US campaign against Iran
'Amid US charges of Iran's hand in Iraq's instability, some counsel caution.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Aug 07, by Helene Cooper and Nazila Fathi
U.S. takes more confrontational tone toward Iran
'In moving toward designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, the Bush administration is adopting a more confrontational approach with Tehran, reflecting frustration with a stalled sanctions package at the UN Security Council, officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Aug 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. weighing terrorist label for Iran guards
'The Bush administration is preparing to declare that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is a foreign terrorist organization, senior administration officials said Tuesday. If imposed, the declaration would signal a more confrontational turn in the administration's approach to Iran and would be the first time that the United States has added the armed forces of any sovereign government to its list of terrorist organizations.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Aug 07, by Simon Romero
Chávez plan would allow his indefinite re-election
'President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela outlined a proposed overhaul to his country's Constitution that could allow him to remain in power indefinitely through perpetual re-elections, an intensification of his efforts to assert greater state control over political and economic institutions.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 16 Aug 07
U.S. domestic agencies gain access to spy satellites
'U.S. border control, law enforcement and emergency response agencies have gained greater access to American spy satellites and other sensors to monitor U.S. territory, in a move that some say raises privacy questions, may not be useful and could increase the burden on overworked intelligence agencies.'

Washington Post, 13 Aug 07, by Darryl Fears
U.S. Anti-Terrorism Laws Hold Up Asylum Seekers
'More than seven months after the Bush administration promised help to a group of foreign nationals whose applications for asylum or refugee status have been hindered by strict interpretation of anti-terrorism laws, only a handful of the applicants have had their cases resolved.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug 07, by Brad Knickerbocker
NSA wiretapping trial begins
'The federal appeals court in San Francisco holds a hearing Wednesday about a case involving NSA call logs, which were inadvertently provided to lawyers for a Saudi charity.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 10 Aug 07
U.S. admiral: Russian bombers never got within 500 kilometers of Guam
'The U.S. Pacific Fleet commander said Russian bombers never got within 300 miles (500 kilometers) of Guam this week and did not fly over the U.S. territory as a Russian air force general claimed.'

Washington Post, 10 Aug 07, by Colum Lynch and Robin Wright
U.S. Seeks U.N. Help With Talks On Iraq
'The Bush administration is proposing a series of U.N.-brokered talks in Baghdad between the United States and Iraq's neighbors in an effort to rally support for the beleaguered Iraqi government.'

Globe and Mail, 10 Aug 07, by Paul Koring
Bush prods Pakistan to hunt for al-Qaeda
'As nuclear-armed Pakistan slips closer to crisis, with mounting domestic unrest, continuing suspicions that military dictator Pervez Musharraf is tacitly tolerating Taliban cross-border operations into Afghanistan and no hint of a return to democracy, Mr. Bush prodded his ally to action.'

Washington Post, 07 Aug 07, by Doug Struck
Russia's Deep-Sea Flag-Planting at North Pole Strikes a Chill in Canada
'A dramatic submarine dive to plant the Russian flag on the seabed at the North Pole last week has rattled Canadian politics and underscored the growing stakes as the ice cap melts in the oil-rich Arctic.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Aug 07, by Tom A. Peter
Warrantless wiretaps expanded
'A surveillance law pushed through Congress and signed by Bush on Sunday will allow the government to monitor phone calls and e-mails without a warrant.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Aug 07, by Jim Rutenberg
Bush unchallenged on issue of terror
'... the congressional vote that authorized eavesdropping without warrants on the international communications of Americans has shown that there is at least one arena in which Bush can still hold the line: terrorism.'

ABC News/AP, 05 Aug 07, by Andrew Taylor, AP
House Approves $460B Pentagon Budget
'The House's $459.6 billion version of the defense budget, approved on a 395-13 vote, would add money for equipment for the National Guard and Reserve, provide for 12,000 additional soldiers and Marines, and increase spending for defense health care and military housing.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by Carl Hulse
U.S. House votes to ensure leave for forces in Iraq
'House Democrats, in their latest challenge to Bush administration war policy, voted on Thursday to limit how quickly American troops can be sent back to Iraq after serving a rotation there.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Aug 07, by Albert R. Hunt, Bloomberg
First salvos on foreign policy shed light on an American problem
'... this year's Pew Research Center global attitudes survey of 45,000 people in 47 nations. Anti-Americanism has worsened in the past five years; there is an especially pervasive disapproval of U.S. foreign policy and widespread opposition to Bush.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by Brian Knowlton
Bush seeks to shore up Lebanon
'With Lebanon teetering in crisis, President George W. Bush has issued an emergency order to allow the seizure of assets of anyone found to be working to undermine its democratic government, a move that could increase pressure on Syria and Iran for supporting anti-government elements there.'

Asia Times, 03 Aug 07, by Eli Clifton
Iraq bleeds US Treasury, enriches contractors
'The US is spending more than 10% of its budget on the Iraq war, and it ultimately could cost taxpayers more than US$1 trillion when the carnage is finally totaled up. Meanwhile, several of Washington's biggest defense contractors are rolling in dough from their work in Iraq and Afghanistan.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jul 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Rice, Gates trip signals united front
'The Secretaries of State and Defense set out for the Middle East to make a case for US initiatives. The Bush administration's divisions over America's approach to the world are a thing of the past, the duo will be saying, and now a united US foreign-policy team wants results.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jul 07, by Helene Cooper
Biden plan for 'soft partition' of Iraq gains momentum
'... Biden's so-called soft-partition plan - a variation of the blueprint dividing up Bosnia in 1995 - calls for dividing Iraq into three semi-autonomous regions, held together by a central government. There would be a loose Kurdistan, a loose Shiastan and a loose Sunnistan, all under a big, if weak, Iraq umbrella.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Jul 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. officials voice frustrations with Saudis, citing role in Iraq
'... Bush administration officials are voicing increasing anger at what they say has been Saudi Arabia's counterproductive role in the Iraq war. They say that beyond regarding Mr. Maliki as an Iranian agent, the Saudis have offered financial support to Sunni groups in Iraq.'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 07, by Manuel Roig-Franzia
Cuba's Call for Economic Detente
'Raul Castro declared that Cuba is considering opening itself further to foreign investment, allowing business partners to provide this financially strapped nation with "capital, technology or markets."'

Washington Post, 26 Jul 07, by Juan Forero
Report Cites Rebels' Wide Use of Mines In Colombia
'Colombia's largest rebel group, already accused of executing 11 civilian hostages last month, faced a new allegation Wednesday: A report by Human Rights Watch said the group has dramatically escalated its use of land mines, to the point that more people are killed or maimed by the devices here than in any other country in world.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jul 07, by Mark Mazzetti and William Glaberson
White House approves resumption of severe interrogation of terrorism suspects
'The White House has given the Central Intelligence Agency approval to resume its use of some severe interrogation methods for questioning terrorism suspects in secret prisons overseas.'

Washington Post, 21 Jul 07, by Peter Baker
U.S. Pares Other Diplomacy to Focus on Iraq, Rest of Mideast
'President Bush and his top Cabinet secretaries are scaling back their personal diplomacy around the world to focus more intently on Iraq and the rest of the Middle East as the administration concentrates its energy on top priorities for the president's last 18 months in office.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 23 Jul 07
A passport rule leads to thousands of ruined travel plans
'Some members of Congress wonder whether the effort has not hurt security. Others question whether more passports contribute much to security.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jul 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. officials admit delays in issuing visas to Iraqis
'Bush administration officials said Monday that they were trying to help Iraqis working for the American Embassy in Iraq to immigrate to the United States, but they also conceded that a gap remained between American words and actions on the issue.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jul 07, by Brian Knowlton
U.S. won't bar attack on Qaeda in Pakistan
'The United States would consider using military force inside Pakistan if it identified key Qaeda targets there, a White House official said Sunday, prompting the Pakistani foreign minister to reject such talk as "irresponsible."'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jul 07, by Howard LaFranchi
New life for Iraq Study Group's plan?
'It's attracting new interest on the Hill, being less divisive than other war policy options.'

Washington Post, 20 Jul 07, by Karen DeYoung
Iraq Report Boils Down to Competing Time Demands
'The No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq said yesterday that he needs at least until November to accurately assess results of the current increase in troop strength and operations, even as senators from both parties warned U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker that time is running out.'

Small Wars Journal, 17 Jul 07, by Dave Dilegge
General Wayne A. Downing - Passing of an American Hero
'As a combat leader, educator, global strategist, and national security expert, Wayne Downing's critical contributions to national defense and security have immeasurably raised the prominence of West Point as an institution vital to the American way of life.'

Maimi Herald, 13 Jul 07, by Bill Faries And Helen Murphy, Bloomberg
Colombia offers base for U.S. anti-drug war
'The Colombian government agreed to provide an alternative base for counter-drug efforts if the United States loses access to the Manta airfield in Ecuador.'

Maimi Herald, 13 Jul 07, by Bill Faries And Helen Murphy, Bloomberg
Colombia offers base for U.S. anti-drug war
'The Colombian government agreed to provide an alternative base for counter-drug efforts if the United States loses access to the Manta airfield in Ecuador.'

Asia Times, 17 Jul 07, by Jim Lobe
Bush's plan: 'Too little, too late, too risky'
'A major policy address on Monday by President George W Bush promoting a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine has been greeted with considerable skepticism by Middle East specialists here.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Jul 07, by Brian Knowlton
White House wants Congress to back off on Iraq
'Stephen Hadley, President George W. Bush's national security adviser, urged Congress on Sunday to drop its efforts to impose limits on U.S. combat forces in Iraq, at least until a more definitive progress report comes in September, and he appeared to try to set lower expectations for what that report would show.'

Washington Post, 13 Jul 07, by Michael Abramowitz and Jonathan Weisman
President Unbowed as Benchmarks Are Unmet
'House Votes to Begin Iraq Pullout This Year : President Bush, delivering a mixed report to Congress on political and military progress in Iraq, insisted yesterday he would not be rushed into an early withdrawal, even as lawmakers voted to begin pulling troops from Iraq in the coming months.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Jul 07, by Michael R. Gordon and Jim Rutenberg
Bush links Al Qaeda in Iraq to 9/11; critics reject connection
'In rebuffing calls to bring troops home from Iraq, President George W. Bush employed a stark and ominous defense. "The same folks that are bombing innocent people in Iraq," he said, "were the ones who attacked us in America on September the 11th, and that's why what happens in Iraq matters to the security here at home."'

Washington Post, 13 Jul 07, by Walter Pincus
U.S. Official Defends Pakistan's Efforts Against Al-Qaeda
'A senior State Department official defended efforts by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to undermine al-Qaeda's presence in the country's northwest tribal areas, a day after senior U.S. intelligence officials depicted the terrorist group as operating from a "safe haven" in the region.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Jul 07, by James C. Mckinley Jr.
Mexico plants still shut; army patrols pipelines after blasts
'Dozens of factories remained shut down and soldiers patrolled pipelines on Wednesday, a day after leftist rebels announced that they were behind the explosions that crippled the flow of natural gas to several large Mexican cities.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 09 Jul 07
Canada to increase military presence in the Arctic
'Canada announced plans Monday to increase its military presence in the Arctic in an effort to assert its sovereignty over the Northwest Passage sea route, which the U.S. insists does not belong to Canada.'

BBC News, 10 Jul 07
US Senate steps up Iraq pressure
'The US Senate is debating amendments to the annual military budget designed to put pressure on the White House to start withdrawing US forces from Iraq.'

Washington Post, 10 Jul 07, by Peter Baker and Karen DeYoung
Bush Plans To Stress Next Phase In Iraq War
'President Bush, facing a growing Republican revolt against his Iraq policy, has rejected calls to change course but will launch a campaign emphasizing his intent to draw down U.S. forces next year and move toward a more limited mission if security conditions improve, senior officials said yesterday.'

Washington Post, 10 Jul 07, by Juan Forero
Colombia Challenges Rebels With a New Weapon
'President Álvaro Uribe's administration is trying to create a functioning state, essential if the government is ever to erode the power of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the country's biggest rebel group.'

Washington Post, 03 Jul 07, by Karen DeYoung
Attempts Seen as Model for New Attacks on U.S. Soil
'The next terrorist assault on the United States is likely to come through relatively unsophisticated, near-simultaneous attacks -- similar to those attempted in Britain over the weekend -- designed more to provoke widespread fear and panic than to cause major losses of life, U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism officials believe.'

Washington Post, 05 Jul 07, by Walter Pincus
Senate Panel Faults Missile Defense Plan
'Democrats in Congress are building a legislative roadblock to the Bush administration's plan to place elements of a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Jun 07, by William Glaberson
U.S. Supreme Court reverses course on Guantánamo detainees
'The U.S. Supreme Court reversed course Friday and agreed to hear claims of Guantánamo detainees that they have a right to challenge their detentions in American federal courts.'

Washington Post, 03 Jul 07, by Lara Jakes Jordan
Gun-Buyer Checks Halted by ATF Amid Criticism Appear Proper, Report Says
'Congress is considering giving local police easier access to gun-purchasing data to track down illegal firearms, despite objections from the National Rifle Association, which says doing so would violate privacy rights.'

BBC/PRI 'The World', 03 Jul 07
Russia and US agree on nuclear energy
'The White House and the Kremlin say they'll work together to help countries interested in pursuing nuclear energy. The World's Katy Clark explains how presidents Bush and Putin are in agreement over the world's growing energy needs.'

Washington Post, 29 Jun 07, by Thomas E. Ricks
Bush: Key to Evaluating Iraq Is at Its Local Level
'The most important form of political compromise in Iraq is not among top Iraqi politicians in Baghdad, but at the local level, President Bush asserted yesterday, in a departure from past rhetoric on Iraqi politics.'

Washington Post/AP, 28 Jun 07, by Jan Sliva, AP
U.S.: Iran, N Korea Missile Threat Rising
'The top U.S. missile defense official warned Thursday that the ballistic threat from Iran and North Korea was rapidly growing and defended Washington's plans to base parts of its anti-missile shield program in Central Europe.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jun 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. says Blair's Mideast role will be limited
'In his new role as envoy to the Middle East, Tony Blair will be charged with shoring up Palestinian institutions, but not with trying to nail down a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, a job Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will handle herself, according to Bush administration officials. ... the lack of a link between final status talks and the building of Palestinian institutions is the crux of why previous attempts have been unsuccessful, those analysts say.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Jun 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Bush asserts executive privilege on wiretapping subpoenas
'President George W. Bush moved one step closer to a constitutional showdown with Democrats on Thursday, as the White House asserted executive privilege in refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas for documents related to the dismissal of U.S. prosecutors.'

Washington Post, 28 Jun 07, by Michael A. Fletcher
Bush Plans Envoy To Islamic Nations
'President Bush announced plans yesterday to appoint an envoy to an organization of Islamic nations with the intention of improving the battered image of the United States in the Muslim world.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Jun 07, by David E. Sanger and Thom Shanker
Washington commissions alternative studies on Iraq
'... the administration is commissioning other assessments that could dilute its conclusions about the effect of the current troop increase. The intent appears to be to give President George W. Bush, who publicly puts great emphasis on listening to his field commanders, a wide range of alternatives.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jun 07, by Peter Grier
Cheney's moves on secrecy stir storm over office's dual role
'The vice president argues his office is exempt from executive branch classified-data protocol.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Jun 07, by Randal C. Archibold
28-mile virtual fence is rising along the U.S.-Mexico border
'The Homeland Security Department is planning nine nearly 100-foot-tall towers with cameras and other equipment scanning 28 miles of the Arizona border with Mexico.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Jun 07, by Colin Moynihan
Papers detail decades of FBI surveillance
'Archivists are poring over newly public documents describing covert monitoring and infiltration of the National Lawyers Guild and other groups seen as critical to the FBI.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jun 07, by Dan Murphy
First big wave of Iraqi refugees heads for the US
'7,000 immigrants are expected before year end. About 2,000 will go to Michigan.'

Washington Post, 21 Jun 07, by Glenn Kessler
Rice Orders That Diplomatic Jobs in Iraq Be Filled First
'Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ordered this week that U.S. diplomatic positions in Iraq must be filled before any other State Department openings in Washington or overseas are made available, raising the possibility that soon the agency will be forced to order its employees to serve in Iraq.'

BBC News, 22 Jun 07
Extend Afghan tour, Canada urged
'Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has urged Canada to keep its military mission in Afghanistan beyond the planned 2009 pullout date.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jun 07, by Scott Shane
U.S. agency is target in Cheney fight on secrecy data
'For four years, Vice President Dick Cheney has resisted routine oversight of his office's handling of classified information, and when the National Archives unit that monitors classification in the executive branch objected, the vice president's office suggested abolishing the oversight unit.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 19 Jun 07
U.S. reverses position and is now willing to negotiate a cluster bomb treaty
'U.S. officials said they are willing to start negotiating a treaty on the use of cluster bombs, reversing their previous position that no new agreement on the weapon was necessary. But the United States still rejects a proposed global ban on the weapon, which 46 countries began negotiating in Oslo in February. Instead, Washington wants to negotiate another treaty, which goes less far, within the framework of the 1980 United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons.'

Stars and Stripes, 20 Jun 07, by Franklin Fisher
WWII fighter ace and 'Wolf Pack' founder Robin Olds dead at 84
'Retired Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, the go-get-'em fighter ace and venerated founder of the "Wolf Pack" fighter wing died June 14 of congestive heart failure, the Air Force said Monday. He was 84 and had been regarded by many in the Air Force as a living legend.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Jun 07, by Thom Shanker
Gates wins NATO backing on U.S. missile shield
'The U.S. defense secretary, Robert Gates, secured NATO's endorsement on Thursday for an American plan to build missile defense bases in Poland and the Czech Republic, overcoming past reticence of some alliance members concerned that the effort could rupture relations with Russia.'

The Guardian, 15 Jun 07, by Luke Harding
Venezuela strikes £500m deal to buy Russian submarines
'President Hugo Chávez is poised to buy at least five submarines from Russia in a £500m deal that will alarm the White House and confirms Venezuela as a growing military power in the region. Mr Chávez is expected to sign the deal during a trip to Moscow next week.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jun 07, by Peter N. Spotts
Troubles of an old space station
'This week's computer problems aboard the International Space Station (ISS) highlight one of the challenges facing station partners as they strive to complete the orbiting outpost by 2010: dealing with aging components and ensuring enough spare parts are on hand to allow prompt fixes to problems that threaten the crew or the station.'

Wall Street Journal, 14 Jun 07, by Craig Karmin
Missouri Treasurer's Demand: 'Terror-Free' Pension Funds
[subscription only] 'Sarah Steelman, the Missouri state treasurer, is emerging as a thorn in the side of a set of powerful global investors. As pension funds face pressure from politicians to divest themselves from Iran and other countries deemed terrorism sponsors, she has staked out a zero-tolerance approach to investments like these. That's given the 49-year-old Republican a prominent voice in the wave of new legislation -- from Ohio to California -- targeting the $1 trillion pension-fund industry.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jun 07, by Mark Mazzetti
Gates calls for strengthening of trans-Atlantic alliance
'Beside a churning sea and an ocean of white marble crosses, the American defense secretary, Robert Gates, urged the United States and its European allies Wednesday to honor the thousands of Americans buried here by strengthening the alliance they died defending.'

Washington Post/AP, 07 June 07, by Raphael G. Satter,AP
Report: 39 Secretly Imprisoned by U.S.
'A coalition of human rights groups has drawn up a list of 39 terror suspects it believes are being secretly imprisoned by U.S. authorities and published their names in a report released Thursday.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Jun 07, by David E. Sanger
U.S. ponders a 'Korea model' for long-term presence in Iraq
'For the first time, the Bush administration is beginning publicly to discuss basing U.S. troops in Iraq for years, even decades to come, a subject so fraught with political land mines that officials are tiptoeing around the inevitable questions about what the long-term mission would be there.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Jun 07, by William Glaberson
U.S. challenges international rules on child soldiers
'"International law," the Justice Department asserted in a court filing in [Omar Ahmed Khadr's] case last week, "does not prohibit an individual under 18 from being prosecuted for war crimes." ... Whatever the outcome, the case seems destined to become a landmark, though some scholars say not enough attention has been given to its importance. "What is the precedent that we are setting with this unique step?" asked Peter Singer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has written about child soldiers.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Jun 07, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. faces tough sell for missile shield
'When President George W. Bush arrives in the Czech Republic on Monday and in Poland on Friday, officials and residents say that he will be confronted with some public hostility and tough negotiations over the terms under which the United States can deploy its antimissile defense shield in these two central European NATO countries.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Jun 07, by Mark Mazzetti
Shifting policy, U.S. offers to work with China's military
'Two years after Donald Rumsfeld bluntly criticized China's rapid military buildup, Defense Secretary Robert Gates struck a conciliatory tone toward Beijing on Saturday, saying the United States and China have the opportunity to "build trust over time."'

Washington Post, 01 Jun 07, by Glenn Kessler
Rice, Putin Trade Cold War Words
'Rhetoric Includes "Zero-Sum," "Arms Race" : Russia and the United States sparred yet again Thursday, continuing a war of words that has raised tensions across the Atlantic.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 31 May 07
US says Russians have not answered invitation to cooperate on missile defense
'The United States' plans for missile defense installations pose no threat to Russia's massive missile force, a U.S. spokesman said Thursday, and the Russians have not answered U.S. invitations to cooperate on them.'

Washington Post, 31 May 07, by Glenn Kessler
Rice: U.S. Will Not Change Conditions for Iran Nuclear Talks
'Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday the United States would not alter its demand that Iran suspend uranium enrichment before she would join talks on its nuclear program, exactly one year after she first made the offer in a dramatic gambit to halt Tehran's push to obtain nuclear expertise.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Jun 07, by Gordon Lubold
America's Iraq strategy boosts US combat losses
'May's spike in the American death toll in Iraq is the result of the administration's new approach in Iraq – as much as it is the enemy's own "surge" of attacks against US forces. In strategic terms, it's called taking it to the enemy. But analysts warn that if the number of US casualties continues at their current high level through the summer, that could raise questions about whether the strategy is actually working.'

Washington Post, 30 May 07, by Michael Abramowitz and Colum Lynch
President Imposes New Sanctions on Sudan
'In announcing new U.S. sanctions on Sudan yesterday, President Bush made clear his frustration with the inability of his administration and the United Nations to halt the violence in Darfur, which he has described as ongoing "genocide."'

NPR 'Morning Edition', 01 Jun 07, by Guy Raz
Retired Generals Decry Military Politics
[audio] 'Retired generals have begun speaking out about what they say is the increasing politicization of the military. They say senior officers are expected to echo the Bush Administration's official line on the War on Terror.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 30 May 07
U.S. far down the list of most peaceful nations, study shows
'The United States and Iran finished in a virtual dead heat, far down the list, in an assessment released Wednesday of the peacefulness of 121 countries. ... "The United States suffers because it is the world's policeman, with high levels of militarization," said Andrew Williamson, director for economic research [at the Economist], in an interview.'

BBC News, 25 May 07
Bush approves Iraq funding bill
'US President George W Bush has signed a bill allocating $100bn (£50bn) of new funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan until the end of September.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 May 07, by David E. Sanger and David S. Cloud
U.S. is studying ways to reduce its troops in Iraq
'The concepts under discussion would involve troop reductions that could bring the number of American soldiers in Iraq to roughly 100,000 sometime next year. But perhaps more important, their mission would change to emphasize the training of Iraqis and the hunt for Al Qaeda, but would involve far less on-the-ground efforts to quell violence.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 May 07, by Farah Stockman, The Boston Globe
U.S. disbands unit created to pressure Iran and Syria
'The Bush administration has dismantled a special committee that was established last year to coordinate aggressive actions against Iran and Syria, according to State Department officials. The committee, the Iran-Syria Policy and Operations Group, met weekly throughout much of 2006 to coordinate actions such as curtailing Iran's access to credit and banking institutions, organizing the sale of military equipment to Iran's neighbors and supporting forces that oppose the two regimes.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 May 07, by Simon Romero
Venezuelan news media are shifting Chávez's way
'As tempers flare around Chávez's decision not to renew the license of RCTV, the country's oldest broadcaster and a vocal critic, effectively shutting it down Sunday, a new media elite is emerging in Venezuela. It is made up of ideological devotees to Chávez, senior government officials and tycoons like Sarmiento.'

Washington Post, 25 May 07, by Shailagh Murray
Congress Passes Deadline-Free War Funding Bill
'Congress sent President Bush a new Iraq funding bill yesterday that lacked troop withdrawal deadlines demanded by liberal Democrats, but party leaders vowed it was only a temporary setback in their efforts to bring home American troops.'

Washington Post, 24 May 07, by Michael Abramowitz
Bush Blames Iraq Violence on Al-Qaeda
'President Bush ratcheted up his campaign to link the violence in Iraq to actions by al-Qaeda, stressing in a commencement address Wednesday at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy that the terrorist network is the "most destructive force" undermining U.S. efforts in Iraq.'

The White House, 23 May 07, by President George W. Bush
Commencement Address at United States Coast Guard Academy
'To help stop new attacks on our country, we have undertaken the most sweeping reorganization of the federal government since the start of the Cold War. We created the new Department of Homeland Security, merging 22 different government organizations, including the Coast Guard, into a single Department with a clear mission: to protect America from future attacks.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 24 May 07
Ancestry.com unveiled more than 90 million U.S. war records
'Ancestry.com unveiled on Thursday more than 90 million U.S. war records from the first English settlement at Jamestown in 1607 through the Vietnam War's end in 1975. The site also has the names of 3.5 million U.S. soldiers killed in action, including 2,000 who died in Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 May 07, by James Glanz and Thom Shanker
U.S. opens a sheltered path to asylum for some Iraqis
'An obscure program that bypasses the State Department's normal immigration procedures has granted a form of temporary asylum to a former minister who led Iraq's troubled Health Ministry and to more than 100 other Iraqi professionals, witnesses of potential crimes by Americans, and children wounded in the conflict.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Carl Hulse
Democrats give way on deadline for Iraq in showdown with White House
'Democrats in Congress have relented on their insistence that a war spending measure set a date for withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq. Instead, they moved toward a deal with President George W. Bush that would impose new conditions on the Iraqi government.'

The Hill, 24 May 07, by Roxana Tiron
Jones aims to rename Dept. of the Navy
'Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) has been relentless in his quest to rename the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. The congressman, who has bipartisan support in the House and whose district includes the Marine Corps's Camp Lejeune, has spearheaded five consecutive failed efforts to break down opposition among Senate defense authorizers.'

Virginian-Pilot, 20 May 07, by Bill Sizemore
Suit against Blackwater over contractor deaths moves to arbitration
'Thanks to some high-stakes legal maneuvering, Blackwater USA may yet manage to avoid a public examination of the bloody event that catapulted the company to worldwide attention and changed the course of the Iraq war.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 21 May 07, by Brian Knowlton, AP
Bush seeks more NATO effort in Afghanistan
'Facing a resilient Taliban and fury in Afghanistan over civilian casualties, President George W. Bush pressed NATO on Monday to remain present and relevant there, while the visiting NATO secretary general said he would do his best to maintain alliance unity.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 May 07, by Carl Hulse
Talks on Iraq spending bill fall apart
'Congressional Democrats and the White House remained at odds over a war spending measure after a crucial negotiating session ended with both sides expressing disappointment and accusing the other of being intractable.'

Washington Post, 22 May 07, by Juan Forero
Paramilitary Ties to Elite in Colombia Are Detailed
'Top paramilitary commanders have in recent days confirmed what human rights groups and others have long alleged: Some of Colombia's most influential political, military and business figures helped build a powerful anti-guerrilla movement that operated with impunity, killed civilians and shipped cocaine to U.S. cities.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 21 May 07, by Alicia Chang, AP
U.S. aerospace industry lures new minds to a graying work force
'Other industries facing a talent shortage can easily outsource jobs overseas where labor is cheaper. But defense contractors have a harder time hiring non-U.S. citizens because of national security clearances and government restrictions on technology transfer.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 May 07, by Mark Leibovich
News Analysis: For Iraq war, Washington turns to an old standby
'Czar jobs are often hailed as "newly created positions" and imbued with "unprecedented authority" to "cut through the bureaucracy" and "get things done." All of which usually ensures that the czars' authority will be undercut at every turn, that they will be entangled in bureaucracy and get very few "things done."'

Globe and Mail, 18 May 07, by Paul Koring
Blair's exit leaves Bush short an ally
'In their final Rose Garden duet, Tony Blair and George W. Bush shrugged off the contemporary critics yesterday, saying history's judgment may eventually exonerate their joint decision to wage war in Iraq. Both embattled leaders insisted they had no regrets, even as they acknowledged the passing of an era of lockstep unity.'

New York Times, 18 May 07, by Carl Hulse and Jeff Zeleny
Congress and Bush Striving for Compromise on War Funds
'Congressional leaders and the White House began what they said they hoped were the final talks on an Iraq war spending bill on Thursday as Democrats braced for potential defections by lawmakers leery of any compromise with President Bush.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 May 07, by Simon Romero
Clash of hope and fear as Venezuela seizes land
'Chávez is carrying out what may become the largest forced land redistribution in Venezuela's history, building utopian farming villages for squatters, lavishing money on new cooperatives and sending army commando units to supervise seized estates in six states.'

Washington Post, 11 May 07, by Dan Froomkin
Bush's Ambiguous Compromise
'Is President Bush finally willing to compromise on an Iraq war-funding bill, under growing pressure even from within his own party? Or is he hoodwinking everyone with a meaningless concession while privately raging at those Republicans who went public about their confrontational meeting with him earlier this week?'

NPR, 11 May 07, by Dina Temple-Raston
Senate Panel Focuses on 'Homegrown' Terrorism
'The threat of "homegrown" terrorism — highlighted this week by news of a plot to attack Fort Dix — could surface again in the future, a high-ranking FBI official told members of a Senate panel. Officials from the bureau and a number of other government agencies discussed the issue in an appearance Thursday before the Senate's Homeland Security Committee.'

Washington Post, 11 May 07, by Jonathan Weisman
House Approves Revised War Bill
'Two-Part Funding Faces Veto Threat : The House last night pushed through its second plan to fund the Iraq war and reshape war policy, approving legislation that would provide partial funding for the conflict but hold back most of the money until President Bush reports on the war's progress in July.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 May 07, by Carl Hulse and Jim Rutenberg
Bush open to benchmarks in U.S. measure on Iraq
'Hours before the House approved a plan on Thursday to finance the Iraq war only through midsummer, President George W. Bush offered his first public concession to try to resolve the impasse on war spending, acknowledging rising pressure from his own party and the public.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 May 07, by Thom Shanker
Democrats push budget cuts to slow Bush's missile defense plan
'The Bush administration's proposal to construct two missile defense bases in Europe has roiled relations with Russia and provoked sharp questioning even in NATO capitals, where critics ask: With the system still unproven and, under the best of circumstances, years from completion, why rush construction?'

International Herald Tribune, 09 May 07, by Diana B. Henriques
Fidelity settles in military sales case
'Two Fidelity brokerage units have agreed to pay $400,000 in fines to settle regulatory complaints accusing them of producing misleading sales materials for two archaic Fidelity mutual funds that were sold almost exclusively to military consumers.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 May 07, by Claudio Gatti and Jad Mouawad
Chevron seen settling case on Iraq oil
'Chevron, the second-largest American oil company, is preparing to acknowledge that it should have known kickbacks were being paid to Saddam Hussein on oil it bought from Iraq as part of a defunct United Nations program, according to investigators.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Brian Knowlton
Republican leader warns that progress in Iraq must come soon
'The house Republican leader, Representative John Boehner, warned Sunday that unless progress was evident in Iraq by early autumn, many Republican lawmakers would begin losing patience.'

Washington Post, 08 May 07, by Jonathan Weisman and Thomas E. Ricks
September Could Be Key Deadline in War
'Congressional leaders from both political parties are giving President Bush a matter of months to prove that the Iraq war effort has turned a corner, with September looking increasingly like a decisive deadline.'

New York Times, 04 May 07, by James Glanz
Inspector of Projects in Iraq Under Investigation
'A federal official whose investigations of waste and corruption in Iraq have repeatedly embarrassed the Bush administration is now being investigated himself by an oversight committee with close links to the White House and by the ranking Republican on the House Government Reform Committee.'

Washington Post, 02 May 07, by Michael Abramowitz and Peter Baker
Bush Keeps Vow to Veto War Funding Bill
'President Bush vetoed a $124 billion measure yesterday that would have funded overseas military operations but required him to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq as early as July, escalating the most serious confrontation between the White House and Congress over war policy in a generation.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 May 07, by Richard Goldstein
Walter Schirra Jr., an original astronaut, dies at 84
'Walter Schirra Jr., one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts and the only astronaut to fly in all three of NASA's earliest manned space programs — Mercury, Gemini and Apollo — died Thursday in San Diego. He was 84 and lived in Rancho Santa Fe, California.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 May 07, by Carl Hulse and Patrick Healy
Clinton proposes vote to reverse authorizing war
'Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed Thursday that Congress repeal the authority it gave President George W. Bush in 2002 to invade Iraq, injecting presidential politics into the congressional debate over financing the war.'

Sacramento Bee, 01 May 07, by Ron Hutcheson, Mcclatchy
Cost of war in Iraq soon to exceed $500 billion
'The bitter fight over the latest Iraq spending bill has all but obscured a sobering fact: The war will soon cost more than $500 billion. That's about 10 times more than the Bush administration anticipated before the war started four years ago, and no one can predict how high the tab will go.'

Baltimore Sun/AP, 01 May 07
Bush asks compromise on Iraq spending
'President Bush said yesterday he wants to work with Democrats on compromise legislation to pay for the Iraq war but will carry through on his threat to veto any spending bill that sets a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal.'

BBC News, 30 Apr 07
Rice 'not ruling out Iran talks'
'US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she does not rule out a meeting with her Iranian counterpart at a conference on Iraq's security in Egypt.'

New York times, 01 May 07, by Michael Luo
Senators Question Halliburton Executive About Dealings in Iran
'A Halliburton executive, facing withering criticism from Democratic lawmakers during a Senate hearing on Monday about the company's business dealings in Iran, insisted that the firm had not broken any laws.'

National Post, 01 May 07, by Kim Bolan, CanWest News Service
CSIS had Air India warning
'A Vancouver police officer testified at a public inquiry yesterday that he was told eight months before the 1985 Air India bombing about a terrorist plot to attack the airline's 747 jets, information that he forwarded to Canada's spy agency.'

Washington Post, 01 May 07, by Juan Forero
Venezuela Set to Assume Control of Its Oil Fields
'President Hugo Chavez's government will take control Tuesday of what might be the world's richest oil fields, a huge swath known as the Orinoco Belt that Big Oil has spent a decade and nearly $20 billion developing.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 May 07, by Alexandra Marks
In imams' airline case, a clash of rights, prejudice, security
'In this age of global terrorism, some cherished American values - like the right to pray, and say what you think - are clashing in unprecedented ways.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr 07, by Howard LaFranchi
The missing player: a 'czar' to manage the Iraq war
'It's been a problem for the Bush administration since the outset of the Iraq war four years ago. Now the key question of who is in charge of coordinating the war effort is resurfacing in the midst of an escalation of the US commitment.'

UPI, 25 Apr 07
Senate may limit Bush insurrection power
'The Democratic-controlled Senate Tuesday opposed what it calls a White House power grab. The Democrats also received support from a key Republican senator. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., Wednesday said he would be open to revising a controversial law that gave the U.S. president more power over states and the National Guard in times of emergency.'

NPR 'All Things Considered', 24 Apr 07, by David Kestenbaum
The U.S. Plan to Replace Aging Warheads
'An independent group of physicists and weapons experts will weigh in on the Bush administration's controversial plan to build a new set of nuclear warheads to replace aging ones in the U.S. stockpile. The group includes a former director of one of the weapons labs. They have a list of questions they feel have not been addressed, including how much the new warheads would cost.'

Reuters, 26 Apr 07, by David Ljunggren
Canada gov't in disarray over Afghan abuse scandal
'Canada's government descended into disarray over an Afghan abuse scandal on Thursday after ministers openly contradicted each other over allegations that Taliban suspects captured by Canadian soldiers had been tortured by local police.'

BBC News, 25 Apr 07
US army 'exploited Tillman death'
'The brother of former American football star Pat Tillman, killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan, has accused the US military of manipulating his death. ... He was testifying to a congressional panel investigating if misinformation from the battlefield was deliberate.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Apr 07, by Michael R. Gordon and David S. Cloud
U.S. knew of China's missile test, but kept silent
'Three months after the Chinese launching, a new debate has developed as to whether the administration properly handled the episode or missed an opportunity to discourage the Chinese from crossing a new military threshold.'

Washington Post, 20 Apr 07, by Peter Baker and Shailagh Murray
Iraq Pullout Would Lead To Bloodbath, Bush Warns
'President Bush warned Thursday that pulling out of Iraq too soon would trigger a bloodbath akin to that of the Cambodian killing fields of the 1970s, while Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid declared that it is too late to stay because the war has already been lost.'

Washington Post, 23 Apr 07, by Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman
Four Clear Voices Rise Above the Din on Iraq
'The Iraq war debate in Congress is a drama with many actors. But along with the usual headliners and party faithful, certain individuals have emerged as bellwether figures. It's a varied bunch: military veterans and antiwar liberals, New Englanders and Texans, representing both sides of the political aisle. Like many ordinary Americans, their views on Iraq are shaped by different life experiences and notions of patriotism and loyalty.'

BBC News, 24 Apr 07, by Lee Carter
Canadian row over Afghan 'abuse'
'Canadian opposition parties are calling for the country's defence minister to resign following allegations that detainees were tortured in Afghanistan.'

New York Times, 23 Apr 07, by Christopher Mason
After Deadly Week, Canada Debates Role in Afghanistan
'The recent deaths of nine soldiers have increased fears that Canada does not have specific goals in Afghanistan.'

New York Times, 20 Apr 07, by Jeff Zeleny
Leading Democrat in Senate Tells Reporters, 'This War Is Lost'
'As Congressional Democrats sought to reconcile their differences and send an Iraq spending bill to the White House, Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, said Thursday that "this war is lost," a stark assessment that Republicans argued would demoralize American troops fighting in Iraq.'

New York Times, 20 Apr 07, by Thom Shanker and Steven R. Weisman
Wolfowitz Backed Friend for Iraq Contract in '03
'Paul D. Wolfowitz, while serving as deputy secretary of defense, personally recommended that his companion, Shaha Ali Riza, be awarded a contract for travel to Iraq in 2003 to advise on setting up a new government, says a previously undisclosed inquiry by the Pentagon's inspector general.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Apr 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
In political battle, Bush talks of troops suffering
'In his confrontation with Congress over war spending, President George W. Bush is calculating that he can weaken the resolve of Democrats with frequent and specific warnings that delays in passing the bill will hurt American troops and their families.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Apr 07, by Mark Mazzetti
Bush allies in Congress block bill that would require intelligence disclosures
'The Bush administration's allies in Congress on Monday blocked a bill that would require the White House to disclose the locations of secret prisons run by the Central Intelligence Agency and to reveal the amount spent annually by American intelligence agencies.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Apr 07, by Steven R. Weisman and David E. Sanger
Contractor says Pentagon directed it to hire Wolfowitz's companion in '03
'The Defense Department directed a private contractor in 2003 to hire Shaha Ali Riza, a World Bank employee and the companion of Paul Wolfowitz, then the deputy secretary of defense, to spend a month studying issues related to setting up a new government in Iraq, the contractor said.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Apr 07, by Paul von Zielbauer
Files on U.S. reparations give hint of war's toll
'The claims provide a rare window into the daily chaos and violence faced by civilians and troops in the two war zones, and ... represent only a small fraction of those filed by civilians in those two war zones. In all, the military has paid more than $32 million to Iraqi and Afghan civilians for noncombat-related killings, injuries and property damage, an army spokeswoman said.'

Washington Post, 12 Apr 07, by Michael D. Shear
McCain Calls War 'Necessary and Just'
'Sinking in polls and struggling to reinvigorate his foundering presidential campaign, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) delivered a robust defense of the war in Iraq on Wednesday, declaring that President Bush and the conflict's supporters are on the right side of history in the struggle against terrorism and extremism.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Apr 07, by Simon Romero and Clifford Krauss
High Stakes: Chávez plays the oil card
'With President Hugo Chávez setting a May 1 deadline for an ambitious plan to wrest control of several major oil projects from American and European companies, a showdown is looming here over access to some of the most coveted energy resources outside the Middle East.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Apr 07, by David E. Sanger
No diplomatic change in U.S. after sailors' release
'The Bush administration said Thursday that the release of 15 British sailors and marines held by Iran for two weeks created no new openings in dealing with Tehran, and it urged American allies to return their attention to enforcing new sanctions against Iran.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Apr 07, by Eoin O'Carroll
US backing 'secret war' against Iran?
'The CIA disputes a report linking Washington and a Pakistani guerrilla campaign against Tehran.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Apr 07, by Larry Rohter
Latin American groups hail U.S. arrest of 3 former military officers
'Latin American human rights groups have reacted with satisfaction and muted surprise to the arrest in the United States of three Argentine and Peruvian former military officers accused of human rights abuses who had fled their home countries to avoid prosecution there.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Apr 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Pelosi meets Syrian president despite Bush criticism
'The visit is being seen as a strong signal of re-engagement with Syria by the United States, and appears to have raised the profile of Assad internationally. But it remains unclear how the development is being received by other countries in the Middle East that have uneasy relations with Syria.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Apr 07, by Alexandra Marks
Privacy advocates fight for ground lost after 9/11
'Five years after surrendering privacy for security, many challenge the scope of US government domestic surveillance.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Mar 07, by Michael R. Gordon and Scott Shane
U.S. long worried that Iran supplied weapons in Iraq
'More than 20 months ago, the United States secretly sent Iran a diplomatic protest charging that Tehran was supplying lethal roadside explosive devices to Shiite extremists in Iraq, according to U.S. officials familiar with the message.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Mar 07, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Carl Hulse
Bush rules out bid by Congress for Iraq pullout
'With both houses of Congress now firmly on record in favor of withdrawing from Iraq, President George W. Bush vowed Wednesday not to negotiate a timetable with Democrats, and a confrontation appeared inevitable as each side prepared to blame the other for delays in providing money for the war.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 07, by Gail Russell Chaddock
High-stakes face-off over ending Iraq war
'The Senate vote Tuesday to set an exit date for US troops complicates Bush's strategy.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Mar 07, by Robin Toner
News Analysis: Democrats seek broader foreign policy vision
'No one has seemed more surprised by the Democrats' success in pushing an exit strategy for Iraq than the Democrats. Their aggressiveness and unity on a major foreign-policy challenge to the president is a striking change for a party that has, on many occasions over many years, seemed to be on the defensive on national security issues.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar 07, by Gail Russell Chaddock
Congress puts its marker on Iraq war, but how big?
'The Senate, following the House's vote Friday, is to weigh a war-funding bill – with exit dates.'

Washington Post, 24 Mar 07, by Jonathan Weisman
House Passes Iraq Pullout Timetable
'A sharply divided House voted yesterday to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq by next summer, attaching a timetable for withdrawal to the billions of dollars in war funding President Bush has demanded to prosecute an increasingly unpopular war. Within minutes of passage, Bush denounced the bill as "an act of political theater" and an abdication of responsibility, sternly repeating his pledge to veto it.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Mar 07, by James Glanz
Change sought in U.S. reconstruction programs
'The failures of the American-financed reconstruction program in Iraq threaten to be repeated elsewhere unless the gulf between the military and civilian efforts in wartime is bridged by structural changes in the U.S. government, a federal oversight agency said in a report Thursday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar 07, by Gordon Lubold
Few Americans share Iraq war's sacrifices
'Some say US citizens need a war tax or a call to national service.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Mar 07, by Tom A. Peter
Americans support the troops with food, soap, DVDs
'Four years into the war in Iraq, private support for US soldiers looks as strong as ever.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar 07, by Howard LaFranchi
'Terror-free' investing gains ground in US
'Some state officials are promoting divestment from companies that deal with countries the US considers sponsors of terror.'

The Nation, 02 Apr 07 issue, by Jeremy Scahill
Bush's Shadow Army
'The often overlooked subplot of the wars of the post-9/11 period is their unprecedented scale of outsourcing and privatization. From the moment the US troop buildup began in advance of the invasion of Iraq, the Pentagon made private contractors an integral part of the operations. ... To the great satisfaction of the war industry, before Rumsfeld resigned he took the extraordinary step of classifying private contractors as an official part of the US war machine.'

NPR 'Fresh Air,' 19 Mar 07, with Terry Gross
Journalist Scahill, Covering Christian Soldiers
'Blackwater USA is a secret army based in North Carolina with a sole owner: Erik Prince, a radical right-wing Christian multimillionaire. Jeremy Scahill talks about his book Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army.'

The Nation, 16 Aug 06, by Jeremy Scahill
Blackwater's Mercenary Jackpot
'While the Bush Administration calls for the immediate disbanding of what it has labeled "private" and "illegal" militias in Lebanon and Iraq, it is pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into its own global private mercenary army tasked with protecting US officials and institutions overseas.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar 07, by Peter Grier
Congress eyes lost billions sent to Iraq
'Audits discovered $10 billion in lost or wasted funding since 2003, prompting talk of reforms to prevent war profiteering.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 07, by Brian Knowlton
Bush administration remains firm on Iraq
'With the war in Iraq entering its fifth year amid signs of deepening global disenchantment, top Bush administration officials Sunday defended the initial invasion, expressed cautious hopes and growing confidence in the Iraqi government, and called on U.S. Democrats to fund the war without conditions.'

Time, 15 Mar 07, by Brian Bennett
Outsourcing the War
'Before 9/11, Blackwater mostly trained swat teams and other specialized law-enforcement officers at its 6,000-acre campus on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in North Carolina. With the war on terrorism, however, a new niche business developed. The State Department did not have the internal resources or Marines to protect all of its diplomats and overseas embassies, but Blackwater had access to a deep roster of former special-forces soldiers who, it argued, could do the job.'

Washington Post, 16 Mar 07, by Jonathan Weisman and Shailagh Murray
House Panel Approves Bill To Fund War, Set Timeline
'Democratic legislation to set timelines for the removal of troops from Iraq headed for a showdown on the House floor next week after the Appropriations Committee approved a $124 billion war funding bill yesterday that would end the U.S. role in the conflict by next year.'

Washington Post, 15 Mar 07, by Renae Merle and Dana Hedgpeth
House to Consider New Rules for No-Bid Contracts
'... Waxman's legislation follows controversies stemming from the award of no-bid deals in the wake of the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina, and reports of sizeable cost overruns in some of the Pentagon's largest weapons programs. After nearly a decade in which the focus has been making contracting with the government easier, Congress and regulators are pursuing ways to tighten the reins, industry observers say.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Mar 07, by Deborah Sontag and Lizette Alvarez
For war's gravely injured, challenge to find care in U.S.
'... By now, there is a veritable battery of brain-injured-soldiers' relatives who have quit their jobs and, for some extended time, moved away from their homes to advocate for and care for these very wounded soldiers during long hospitalizations.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar 07, by Caleb Harris
Paramilitaries reemerge in pockets of Colombia
'Increased activity among armed rightist groups coincides with reports of their links to top politicians.'

BBC News, 11 Mar 07
Halliburton plans move to Dubai
'Halliburton, the oil services company formerly headed by US Vice-President Dick Cheney, is moving its headquarters from Texas to Dubai. The company said it hoped the move to the United Arab Emirates would help it expand its business in the Middle East.'

Washington Post, 08 Mar 07, by Jonathan Weisman and Shailagh Murray
As Iraq Exit Plan Arrives, Democrats' Rift Remains
'This morning House Democrats, fractured as a group and, with many members such as Boyda torn over how to proceed on Iraq, will meet to learn the details of a new proposal cobbled together by party leaders last night, which calls for bringing troops home early next year while removing remaining troops from combat by October 2008.'

Washington Post, 05 Mar 07, by Peter Baker
Bush Shows New Willingness to Reverse Course
'The same president who mocked the idea of talking with Iran and Syria as recently as two weeks ago is now sending emissaries to a regional conference to talk with Iran and Syria.'

Yahoo! News/The Associated Press, 28 Feb 07, by Rob Gillies
Canada's House scraps terrorism measures
'The Canadian parliament voted Tuesday to end two anti-terror measures adopted in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, one that allowed for preventive arrests and another that permitted forced testimony.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Mar 07, by Jason DeParle
Kremlin critic shot in front of his Maryland home
'A few hours after meeting a former KGB general outside a spy museum here, a Russia scholar and outspoken critic of the Kremlin became engulfed in the kind of intrigue he studies, when he was shot outside his suburban Maryland home.'

Washington Post, 01 Mar 07, by Michael Abramowitz
Commission Will Consider Conflict Over War Powers
'Jim Baker and Lee Hamilton are not out of the commission business yet. After having tried to sort out the Iraq war, the former secretary of state and the former Indiana congressman are turning to another seemingly intractable conflict -- the more-than-two-century-old battle between the White House and Congress over who should take responsibility for starting and stopping wars.'

Washington Post, 01 Mar 07, by Craig Whitlock
U.S. Won't Send CIA Defendants To Italy
'The State Department's top lawyer said Wednesday that the United States would refuse to extradite CIA officers who face kidnapping charges in Italy, warning that European criminal prosecutions of U.S. agents were harming transatlantic counterterrorism efforts.'

BBC News, 28 Feb 07
US accused on 'missing' prisoners
'Thirty eight people believed to have been held in secret CIA prisons - or black sites - are missing, according to a report by a US human rights group.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Feb 07, by Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, The Boston Globe
U.S. worried by scandal rocking Colombia
'Just two weeks before a high-profile visit by President George W. Bush to Latin America, the United States' key partner on the continent is engulfed in an extraordinary scandal that threatens to undermine the credibility of U.S. alliances and policy priorities from Mexico to Argentina.'

Boston Herald/AP, 26 Feb 07
High Court refuses guard slayings case
'The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a lawsuit against a private security company stemming from the slaying of four of its guards by an angry mob in Iraq.'

Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb 07, by Mark Silva
Cheney: U.S. won't 'retreat' in terror war
'At a time when the Bush administration faces growing opposition at home to its escalation of U.S. military forces in Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney is carrying another message to the rest of the world with a defiant vow that the U.S. will not "retreat" in the face of terrorism.'

Times of India, 22 Feb 07, by Chidanand Rajghatta
Positive US spin on UK pullout
'Washington is putting the best possible spin on the impending UK troop withdrawal from southern Iraq, calling it a positive step involving turning over command to pro-western Iraqis.'

Washington Post, 21 Feb 07, by Josh White
Guantanamo Detainees Lose Appeal
'A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that hundreds of detainees in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, do not have the right to challenge their imprisonment in federal courts, a victory for the Bush administration that could lead to the Supreme Court again addressing the issue.'

Washington Post/AP, 20 Feb 07
Colombian Foreign Minister Resigns as Paramilitary Scandal Widens
'Colombia's foreign minister resigned on Monday as a growing scandal swept the country's political establishment, linking it to far-right paramilitary groups blamed for thousands of killings and other crimes.'

New York Times, 14 Feb 07, by Helene Cooper and Jim Yardley
Pact With North Korea Draws Fire From a Wide Range of Critics in U.S.
'The deal that could lead North Korea to shut its main nuclear reactor came under criticism from both ends of the political spectrum immediately after it was announced on Tuesday.'

The Age (Australia), 15 Feb 07, by Michael Gawenda
Bush backers left wondering where 'axis of evil' went
'There were no celebrations in Washington when it was announced North Korea had agreed to begin dismantling its nuclear weapons program in exchange for energy products which it desperately needs.'

BBC News, 15 Feb 07
UN welcomes US Iraq refugee plan
'The United Nations has welcomed US plans to grant up to 7,000 Iraqi refugees asylum over the next year.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Feb 07, by Faye Bowers
On US-Mexico border, illegal crossings drop
'National Guard troops are having a deterrent effect, dropping the attempt rate 62 percent in one busy sector.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb 07, by Gail Russell Chaddock
Iraq debate shifts to the House
'The Senate deadlocked just 90 minutes into a debate last week over President Bush's "new way forward" in Iraq