New commission to debate war powers

A new panel will debate whether Congress or the president has the constitutional power to wage war, The Wall Street Journal’s ‘Washington Wire’ blog reports.
“The newly launched National War Powers Commission will be chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker, fresh off leading the Iraq Study Group, along with another former top diplomat, Warren [...]

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Military chiefs give US six months to win Iraq war

· Violence expected to rise after UK withdrawal· Troop numbers too low· Coalition is ‘disintegrating’
An elite team of officers advising US commander General David Petraeus in Baghdad has concluded the US has six months to win the war in Iraq – or face a Vietnam-style collapse in political and public support that could force the [...]

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CNN: Libby jury asks judge if he said Libby had lied, then write back saying they answered their own question

A question sent from the jury to the judge in the trial of former Cheney chief of staff I Lewis “Scooter” Libby has apparently been answered by the jurors themselves. The question — which CNN says “essentially” asked if the judge had asserted Cheney’s former aide had lied.
CNN’s Brian Todd: A bit of activity in [...]

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Judge Replies to Jury Note in Libby Case

WASHINGTON — One week into their deliberations, jurors in the CIA leak trial had a question for the judge. The judge responded with a question of his own: What do you mean? Jurors passed a note to U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton at the end of the day Tuesday. Walton took the bench Wednesday [...]

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Walter Reed patients told to keep quiet

Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Medical Hold Unit say they have been told they will wake up at 6 a.m. every morning and have their rooms ready for inspection at 7 a.m., and that they must not speak to the media.
“Some soldiers believe this is a form of punishment for the trouble soldiers [...]

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Majority in Poll Favor Deadline For Iraq Pullout

With Congress preparing for renewed debate over President Bush’s Iraq policies, a majority of Americans now support setting a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces from the war-torn nation and support putting new conditions on the military that could limit the number of personnel available for duty there, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Opposition [...]

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Gen. Pace: Military capability eroding

WASHINGTON – Strained by the demands of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a significant risk that the U.S. military won’t be able to quickly and fully respond to yet another crisis, according to a new report to Congress.
The assessment, done by the nation’s top military officer, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint [...]

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Stocks fall as Chinese stocks take a hit

NEW YORK – Wall Street fell sharply in early trading Tuesday, joining a global stock decline on growing concerns about slowing economies in the U.S. and China. Worries that U.S. stocks are about to embark on a major correction fed the drop, which took the Dow Jones industrials down more than 120 points.
A 9 percent [...]

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Cheney OK after Afghan blast; 23 killed

BAGRAM, Afghanistan – A suicide bomber attacked the entrance to the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan on Tuesday during a visit by Vice President Dick Cheney, killing up to 23 people and wounding 20.
Cheney was unhurt in the attack, which was claimed by the Taliban and was the closest that militants have come to [...]

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Iraqi vice president dodges bomb; 10 die

BAGHDAD, Iraq -Iraq’s Shiite vice president escaped an apparent assassination attempt Monday after a bomb exploded in municipal offices where he was making a speech, knocking him down with the force of the blast that left at least 10 people dead.
Adel Abdul-Mahdi was bruised and hospitalized for medical exams, an aide said. Police initially blamed [...]

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Judge Dismisses CIA Leak Trial Juror

WASHINGTON — A juror was dismissed from the trial of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby on Monday after court officials learned she had been exposed to information about the case over the weekend.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered the juror removed, saying “what she had exposure to obviously disqualifies her.” The [...]

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Judge questions Libby jurors over media

WASHINGTON – Attorneys and a federal judge began questioning each juror in the CIA leak trial Monday after one juror apparently saw or read something about the case over the weekend.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton has ordered jurors to avoid contact with media coverage of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s monthlong [...]

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CIA leak jury debate moves into 2nd week

WASHINGTON – A jury is moving into its second week of debate on whether former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby obstructed the investigation into who leaked the identity of a CIA operative married to a prominent Iraq war critic.
The eight women and four men began deliberations late Wednesday morning and have issued only [...]

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US generals ‘will quit’ if Bush orders Iran attack

SOME of America’s most senior military commanders are prepared to resign if the White House orders a military strike against Iran, according to highly placed defence and intelligence sources.
Tension in the Gulf region has raised fears that an attack on Iran is becoming increasingly likely before President George Bush leaves office. The Sunday Times has [...]

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Cheney Says All Options on Table for Iran

SYDNEY, Australia (Feb. 24) – Vice President Dick Cheney on Saturday renewed Washington’s warning to Iran that “all options” are on the table if the country continues to defy U.N.-led efforts to end Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
At a joint news conference with Prime Minister John Howard during a visit to Australia, Cheney also said [...]

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