Yet another top CIA official bites the political dust:CIA Director Porter Goss' No. 3 man at the agency, facing investigation as part of a congressional bribe probe, quit Monday, an official said. Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, the CIA's executive director, announced his resignation in an e-mail message to agency staff, a U.S. official told United Press International on condition of … [Read more...] about Number 3 CIA Official Quits Amid Bribe Probe

President George W. Bush's approval rating continues to slide: he gets little support among Democrats, tepid support from moderates — and he's losing part of his party's base.President Bush's approval rating has slumped to 31% in a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, the lowest of his presidency and a warning sign for Republicans in the November elections. The survey of 1,013 … [Read more...] about Gallup: Bush Poll Rating Hits Yet Another New Low

...why is he asking for a new trial? Answer: he didn't understand the American system BEFORE (probably before he learned where he'd spend the rest of his life..) … [Read more...] about If Zacarias Moussaoui Believes America Lost And He Won

From the BBC: Young girls in Liberia are still being sexually exploited by aid workers and peacekeepers despite pledges to stamp out such abuse, Save the Children says. Girls as young as eight are being forced to have sex in exchange for food by workers for local and international agencies, according to its report. The agency says such abuse is becoming more common as people … [Read more...] about Liberia’s sex-for-aid scandal resurfaces

Amid growing indications that the name he floated to become the new CIA Director would spark opposition from Democrats and was also not popular among some key Republicans, President George Bush has gone ahead and announced that he's nominating Gen. Michael Hayden to the post. Here's the text of the announcement. See our post here about how controversial it is — and how … [Read more...] about Bush Nominates Hayden For CIA Chief And Talking Points Are Issued (UPDATED)

At least one prominent Republican pollster thinks so. Here's the Post: "'This administration may be over,' Lance Tarrance, a chief architect of the Republicans' 1960s and '70s Southern strategy, told a gathering of journalists and political wonks last week. 'By and large, if you want to be tough about it, the relevancy of this administration on policy may be over.'" I'd like … [Read more...] about Is the Bush Administration over?

According to Goss himself, his resignation is "just one of those mysteries". Maybe we need Dan Brown on the case. Or not. According to Laura Rozen, the verdict -- the conventional wisdom, that is -- is already in. Mainstream media outlets have more or less determined that "Goss was forced out yesterday after months of tension between him and John Negroponte over the CIA's … [Read more...] about So why did Porter Goss resign?

Brazil isn't Iran, but they now have something in common: "[It] has joined the select group of countries with the capability of enriching uranium as a means of generating energy." Thankfully, "Brazil and the IAEA [have] agreed [to] a system of safeguards to ensure that the new facilities would not be channelled into weapons production." But not before some Iran-like tension: … [Read more...] about Brazil goes nuclear

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has steadfastly refused to halt his nation's nuclear development program, repeatedly said Israel is on borrowed time, and essentially dared the United States to try and use military action, has written President George Bush a letter. The letter's contents have not yet been released. The unanswered question is whether it contains … [Read more...] about Iran’s President Ahmadinejad Writes Letter To U.S. President Bush

Iraq is such a lovely place, isn't it? This horrific story is from Britain's Independent: Human rights groups have condemned the "barbaric" murder of a 14-year-old boy, who, according to witnesses, was shot on his doorstep by Iraqi police for the apparent crime of being gay. Ahmed Khalil was shot at point-blank range after being accosted by men in police uniforms, according to … [Read more...] about Gay Iraqi boy shot dead

Sheryl Gay Stolberg has a report in today's NY Times which seems to suggest that we're going to be hearing a whole lot more about the Gang of 14 in the coming weeks. The debate over federal judges is resuming in DC, and conservatives are pushing for a fight that could once again lead to a debate over the so-called "nuclear option." Part of the compromise reached last year by … [Read more...] about Right wants a Fight over Judges

Has Tom Cruise jumped the shark, jumped the couch and jumped out of favor with many movie goers because his unusual behavior left him overexposed — and some moviegoers too overdosed on the tabloid Cruise to be willing to spend money to watch the Hollywood Cruise? It certainly looks that way. The latest incarnation of "Mission Impossible" hasn't tanked, but it has fallen … [Read more...] about M:I:3’s Box Office Suggests Cruise Image Repair Mission Impossible

What do you do to get voters to the polls? If you're the ruling party do you point to your record? To how you handled the nation's finances, security, border security, or your perception of your foreign policy accomplishments? You'd think so, but this year the GOP's slogan to other GOPers apparently is "Vote For Us — Because Otherwise We Could Lose." It's apparently the … [Read more...] about GOP’s New Message: Vote For Us Because We Could Lose

...or else. … [Read more...] about Don’t Leave Food On Your Plate At A Buffet

Via Hilzoy, I see that the Washington Post has a list of what Democrats say will be their top priorities if they take back congress in 2006. -Raise the minimum wage for the first time since 1997. -Roll back a provision in the Republicans' Medicare prescription drug benefit that prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from negotiating prices for drugs offered … [Read more...] about Democratic Platforming

The case for disregarding the parents' wishes. Back from Miami! But why on earth is it hot in Minnesota? I miss snowfall. … [Read more...] about Sexual Autonomy, Sex Education and Cultural Restrictions

Some folks have seen these on TV so they've decided to do their own. Reason for concern? … [Read more...] about Sting Operations For Online Child Predators

When CIA Director Porter Goss resigned the conventional wisdom seemed to be that the White House would pick someone who would be relatively free from controversy. Instead, all signs point to the White House picking someone who is not only controversial — but who will provoke a polarizing battle in Congress since Democrats and even some Republicans will oppose him. And, … [Read more...] about Bush ‘s Naming Gen. Hayden As CIA Pick Will Spark Polarizing Political Fight (UPDATED)

The barbaric terrorists beheadings that go beyond most definitions of murder in terms of their brutality have continued in Iraq. (NOTE TO READERS: You should still read this post BUT a LATER POST HERE will tell you that the actual victim was NOT the Iraqi journalist but a man from Nepal.) WARNING: This Times Online piece about the merciless on-camera butchery of Atwar … [Read more...] about On One Of Iraq’s Top Journalists Being Beheaded (UPDATED)

The Taliban claimed yet another Indian on Sunday (April 30, 2006) killing and beheading Indian telecom engineer K Suryanarayana, less than 48 hours after abducting him from Zabul province on the main highway linking Kabul and Kandahar. Suryanarayana's killing, as also M Raman Kutty's murder last November, is an unambiguous message from the Taliban which India can ill-afford … [Read more...] about Pakistan & Taliban: An Unholy Nexus?