Just a few unrelated stories from Monday/Tuesday about how things are going in the Middle East: First, Secretary of State Rice, is promoting the idea that the Israelis and Palestinians should start to hold discussions that might lead to peace in the region. After all, it's been a long time:

(Photo via AP/Ron Edmonds, whose portfolio throughout the Bush Administration has been excellent.  Great eye. — Christy) Yesterday afternoon, tracing the reactions to Bush’s speech and after Secretaries Gates and Rice appeared before Congress, the ever vigilant Chris Bowers over at MyDD compiled a list of quotes from 12 Republican

No Iraq speech from our President would be complete without at least one mention of the wonderful bipartisan support Mr. Bush continues to receive from his favorite Republican-elected neocon Independent Democrat: Acting on the good advice of Senator Joe Lieberman and other key members of Congress, we will form a

From the article Iraq Will Be Petraeus’ Knot to Untie in the Washington Post, January 7: Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, who is President Bush’s choice to become the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, posed a riddle during the initial march to Baghdad four years ago that now becomes

Glenn Greenwald has been reporting for months on the appalling treatment by US authorities of those held in US prisons in the US, Guantanamo, Iraq/Afganistan and elsewhere under the pretext that these “unlawful enemy combatants” were the “worst of the worst” and a threat to American security. You can trace

Senator Russ Feingold has been busy doing the people’s business. First, you may have missed this because of the zillion WH surge stories, but I think this is important. From The Hill, Friday, January 5: Sens. Feingold, Obama to push Office of Public Integrity plan in ethics reform bill By

While the White House continues to make daily announcements to remind us that the President is talking to advisers about an Iraq plan, working on an Iraq plan, deciding the details of an Iraq plan, about to announce an Iraq plan and . . . wait for it . .

  When the President finally announces this week his predictable and repeatedly leaked plan to escalate the war in Iraq, it will mark the culmination of another massive fraud on the American people. It will signal yet another betrayal of the nation’s armed services men and women and their families.

  President Bush has said on previous occasions that when it comes to deciding whether more US troops should be added to Iraq or withdrawn, "I listen to the generals on the ground." But apparently he meant only when the generals on the ground are carrying out his wishes. When

  (Photo by AP Photo/Dennis Cook.) I hope many of you got to see this on CSPAN, but if not, watch this first from Crooks and Liars, then read these extended excerpts from Nancy Pelosi on becoming the first woman Speaker of the House. Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Remarks Upon Becoming