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The Loyal Opposition Digs A Hole
by Robert L. Bartley, Wall Street Journal
Democrats are in trouble—and not only because of the war.

The Thin Envelope
by Louis Menand, New Yorker
Why college admissions has become unpredictable.

Affirmative Action: There's A Third Way
by Richard D. Kahlenberg, Washignton Post
Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to a third alternative that has few political patrons but is supported by two-thirds of Americans: affirmative action for low-income students of all races.

Embedded, And Taking Flak
by Howard Kurtz, Washington Post
The 600 embedded correspondents have clearly braved difficult conditions to bring viewers and readers the most vivid, compelling and instantaneous coverage in the history of war. But they are taking considerable flak for overly sympathetic reporting, dismissed by some as part of the military propaganda machine.

Not So Safe Back Home
by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek
How terrible that women who face sexual assault as the price of war too often expect to face it from their compatriots in peacetime.

What's Fair In War?
by John Cloud, Time
The Geneva accords on the rules of the battlefield are 54 years old. Why they still matter.

3 Flawed Assumptions
by Johanna McGeary, Time
With war underway, pre-war predictions have gone out the window. A look at the unexpected facets of the war.

How Green Was Our Warning
by Hank Stuever, Washington Post
With such dread, there's almost a given in Washington: We'll never get down to green.

The MIA State Department
by Jim Hoagland, Washington Post
Diplomacy is not public relations, a crucial point this administration has yet to demonstrate it understands. Nor is diplomacy politics.

To The Victor Go The Spoils
by Farhad Manjoo, Salon
If U.S. corporations get their way, none of their European competitors will be doing business in Baghdad.

An American Myth Rides Into The Sunset
by Susan Faludi, New York Times
It's worth recalling that the cowboy of the myth wasn't trigger happy and he wasn't a dominator. He carried a gun to protect himself and his cattle ó cattle that didn't even belong to him. His mission was their safe passage, and by extension, the safe passage of the civilizing society to follow. And his honor was grounded on his civilized refusal to fire first.

Missile Threat Means New Rules At Airports
by Philip Shenon, New York Times
Federal authorities will order major security improvements at several of the nation's largest airports after inspections showed that passenger planes taking off or landing at those airports would be vulnerable to attack by terrorists using shoulder-fired missiles, senior Bush administration officials said.

The Right Stuff
by Eric Alterman, Boston Globe
How conservatives control the media, and pretend they don't.

More Afraid Of Ideas Than Of Capitalism
by Ross Terrill, Washington Post
Thus, Beijing, having lost its Leninist brother states in Moscow and East Europe in 1990-91, pioneers a new kind of authoritarianism, which co-opts everything yet is cynical about everything. Maybe it is stable in the short term, but it seems too hollow inside to endure for long.

Looking Inside Out: Al Jazeera's View
by Eric Black, Star Tribune
Fox is "hopeless" because its pro-war slant gets in the way. CNN is valuable as long as you understand that it looks at the world through American eyes. But Al Jazeera is "where you see all the news that's fit to print."

A Woman's Work?
by Margaret Talbot, New York Times
We cling to the image of women as peacemakers ó even if it no longer really fits.

In Defense Of Al-Jazeera
by Michael Moran, MSNBC
Attacking the messenger, and our message at the same time.

Bush Officials Battle News Media
by Tom Curry, MSNBC
In the struggle to shape public opinion, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other administration officials seemed determined to overcome what they see as "mood swings" and second-guessing by reporters and analysts which they fear could sap public support for the war.

Would The Real George Bush Please Stand Down
by Tim Dowling, The Guardian
You may think the air of extreme witlessness impossible to mimic, but is the man on the podium the authentic Dubya, a trained stand-in or an animatronic lookalike?

Practice To Deceive
by Joshua Micah Marshall, The Washington Monthly
Chaos in the Middle East is not the Bush hawks' nightmare sceanrio — it's their plan.

Weblogs Cover The War Without Mainstream Restraints
by Rona Kobell, Baltimore Sun
Despite the onslaught of information from the networks, 24-hour cable stations and radio reports, information consumers are increasingly looking to the Internet for still more news about the conflict with Iraq.

"Cakewalk"
by Salon
Bush administration officials and their hawkish supporters now say they never promised an easy war — but the record shows otherwise.

The Bush And Blair Show
by Jake Tapper, Salon
The president has the reputation for straight talk, but it's his British ally who actually delivers it.

Our Kind Of Law
by Michael Kinsley, Washington Post
When it comes to international law, the United States is a forgetful old man whose forgetfulness comes and goes with suspicious convenience.

The News Veteran
by Howard Kurtz, Washington Post
'Nightline' anchor Ted Kopel had to see for himself the shape of a conflict drawn in sand.

Delusions Of Power
by Paul Krugman, New York Times
In the last two years Mr. Cheney and other top officials have gotten it wrong again and again ó- on energy, on the economy, on the budget. But political muscle has insulated them from any adverse consequences. So they, and the country, don't learn from their mistakes ó- and the mistakes keep getting bigger.

Osama Must Be Laughing
by Fawaz Gerges, The Age
Perhaps most alarming, US policy towards Iraq has alienated many of the important moderate voices, both secular and religious, which until now had been unwilling to join militant anti-American forces.

America: An Empire In Denial
by Niall Ferguson, The Chronicle
The former American Secretary of State Dean Acheson famously said that Britain had lost an empire but failed to find a role. Perhaps the reality is that the Americans have taken our old role without yet facing the fact that an empire comes with it.

Help Iraqis Arise
by William Safire, New York Times
The answer is to adopt the proposition set forth by Gen. U. S. Grant in our Civil War, and Roosevelt and Churchill in World War II: declaring irrevocably that the only acceptable end to hostilities is unconditional surrender.

The CNN Factor
by Jim Hoagland, Washington Post
In the war "time" of modern and impatient America, consolation is a near instantaneous telephone call from Katie Couric or Paula Zahn and airtime to grieve. Progress this may not be.

BBC's Coverage Is Drawing Fire From All Sides
by Howard Kurtz, Washington Post
This cover-all-sides style, even as British troops are under fire, has brought the BBC a steady fusillade of criticism.

Casting A Wider Net For World News
by Leslie Walker, Washington Post
Will the Internet bear out Marshall McLuhan's 1960s predictions of electronic media shattering the homogeneity of print-dominated culture and ushering in a return to diversity in a "global village"? I think so.

Words Of War
by Azar Nafisi, New York Times
When our lives are transformed by violence, we need works of imagination to confirm our faith in humanity.

One Rule For Them
by George Monbiot, The Guardian
Five PoWs are mistreated in Iraq and the US cries foul. What about Guantanamo Bay?

When Women Go To War
by Anne Applebaum, Washington Post
If the argument about women in combat is over, the conversation about women in the military should not be — just as the conversation about women in the law, or in business, or in factories did not end when more women took those jobs.

Take Down Saddam TV
by Maureen Dowd, New York Times
Despite the vast sums we spend on our intelligence and diplomatic services, American officials often seem clueless about the culture of our adversaries.

The End Of The Nation-State As We Know It?
by Yang Razali Kassim, Singapore Business Times
Is Mr Bush a latter-day Brezhnev, and can it be that the United States is some reincarnation of the old USSR — a power feared, never liked, and labelled the 'Evil Empire' by Ronald Reagan?

How To Take Back America
by Thom Hartmann, Common Dreams
Marching in the streets is important work, but wouldn't we have greater success if we also took control of the United States government?

Something Suspicious Is In The Air
by Courtland Milloy, Washington Post
The sign above the highway leading into the nation's capital advised motorists to "Report Suspicious Activity" and gave an 800 number for the Office of Homeland Security. As a reporter, I figured this was right up my alley and set out yesterday to report on things that struck me as suspicious.

Channels Of Influence
by Paul Krugman, New York Times
Who has been organizing those pro-war rallies? The answer, it turns out, is that they are being promoted by key players in the radio industry ó- with close links to the Bush administration.

TV Anchors Fighting Own Hard Battles
by Scott Feschuk, National Post
Deprived by the American military of anything that promoted "shock" or "awe" or, most important of all, "ratings," the anchors of CNN's morning program were yesterday reduced to devoting a rather unseemly amount of air time to coverage of how great their coverage has been so far. "Fascinating stuff!" said Bill Hemmer.

Powell's Doctrine Decommissioned
by Scott Rosenberg, Salon
Either we continue to do everything we can to minimize the bloodshed, quite possibly limiting our ability to bring the war to a successful close; or we untie the military's hands, let them bomb Baghdad and other cities to bits and not worry about the "collateral damage."

By Flouting War Laws, U.S. Invites Tragedy
by Erwin Chemerinsky, Los Angeles Times
For two years, the Bush administration has ignored and violated international law and thus has undermined the very legitimacy of the treaties and principles that constitute the law of nations.

Firing First Without The Cover Of Rhetoric
by Michael Powell, Washington Post
The claim that this preemptive war is something new in our history registers as a touch naive.

I'm Afraid To Look, Afraid To Turn Away
by Denise Gonsales, Newsweek
Day and night, I watch my husbandís war play out on TV. I know what a mixed blessing that can be.

America Shows Its Colors
by Joe Klein, Time
Humility, not hubris, is crucial to winning the peace.

The American Prime Minister
by Andrew Sullivan, Time
Why Blair has gained rare influence: he has strengths that Bush lacks.

POW TV: Why Rumsfeld Should Be Careful About Lecturing Saddam About The Geneva Conventions
by Jack Shafer, Slate
To be sure, the Iraqis aren't taking their human rights cues from Guantanamo. But if they want a precedent, there it is.

This Is Not America
by Gregory Dicum, Salon
In increments, we have become a different nation. Will I have to flee my country as my ancestors did theirs?

"Shut Your Mouth"
by Tim Grieve, Salon
As radio giants censor antiwar musicians, TV networks bully pro-peace actors, and Attorney General John Ashcroft prepares a new assault on civil liberties, a climate of intimidation creeps over America.

Using The News As A Weapon
by Lucian K. Tuscott IV, New York Times
The Pentagon may have been dragged kicking and screaming into its current embrace of the news media. But it is making the most of it.

Just Following (Saddam Hussein's) Orders
by Ibrahim Al-Marashi, New York Times
In Iraq, lamentably, nothing has changed.

The Goal Is Baghdad, But At What Cost?
by Michael R. Gordon, New York Times
There is little doubt that the United States military has the skills, training and weapons to take the capital and dislodge the Hussein government. The questions are how long it will take, and what the cost will be in terms of casualties, both allied and Iraqi.

'Bias' That Bends Over Backward To Right Itself
by David Shaw, Los Angeles Times
The better journalists do their job, the more likely conservatives are to see them as liberal.

Operation Anglosphere
by Jeet Heer, Boston Globe
Today's advocates of American empire share one surprising trait: Very few of them were born in the United States.

Battling The Fog Of Finance
by James Grant, New York Times
The truth about the three-year decline in stock prices and the hot-and-cold-running economy is that they have their roots in prosperity, not in war.

How Bush Made This His War
by Andy Oram, O'Reilly Network
We are in the age of passion. You joined this war (or its opponents) years ago, without knowing it. I suppose human history has always catapulted itself ahead, or backward, with similar blindness. There is not much anyone can do now until it is all over; but once we have some breathing room we must start to take the duct tape off of our eyes.

I Was A Naive Fool To Be A Human Shield For Saddam
by Daniel Pepper, Telegraph
The human shields appealed to my anti-war stance, but by the time I had left Baghdad five weeks later my views had changed drastically. I wouldn't say that I was exactly pro-war - no, I am ambivalent - but I have a strong desire to see Saddam removed.

United Notions
by David Aaronovitch, The Observer
The last thing the world needs is a return to the stalemate of two world power blocs facing each other down. The United States and the European Union must learn to work together.

Why Are These People Smiliing?
by Michelle Goldberg, Salon
With war underway, and a Bush victory a possibility, the antiwar movement appears to be in denial about its future influence.

We Forgot The Russians
by Martin Indyk, Washington Post
It's too late to salvage the Security Council resolution that would have legitimized the war against Iraq. But it's not too late to start rebuilding an international consensus around the objective of providing a better, more democratic future for the people of Iraq. That is the side of the United States that is most attractive to the rest of the world. It's time to begin showing it. And this time, we should start by lining up the Russians.

The Western Front
by Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times
The angry chasm between France and both England and the U.S. has shocked many people in Paris and prompted some to ask whether France went too far.

A Double Standard On Dissent
by E. J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post
The more a president's supporters use the term "commander in chief" to enhance his authority, the more important it is to remember his role as the political leader of a free republic who is not endowed with infallibility, unlimited power or immunity from criticism.

In The Land Of Diverse Opinion... Hollywood?
by Rachel Abramowitz, Los Angeles Times
Despite outspoken celebrities, insiders say views of the war aren't nearly as unified as outsiders think.

Hearts Divided
by David Montgomery, Washington Post
A world away, Iraqi exiles watch the news, torn by fear and hope.

The Anti-American Lifestyle
by Fernanda Eberstadt, New York Times
Americans are convinced that the French hate America every bit as much as many Americans hate the French. But the reality I've encountered is more interesting — a France whose values are quite different from the anti-Americanism of Parisians in black 501 jeans and ponytails.

Why Colin Powell Should Go
by Bill Keller, New York Times
Such a loyal and optimistic man would make some president a great secretary of state. Just not this president.

War News: Go Beyond The Usual Suspects
by Dan Gillmor, San Jose Mercury News
Maybe you didn't have time at the start of this war to check out the alternatives. In coming weeks and months, please make the time.

Past Mideast Invasions Faced Unexpected Perils
by Hugh Pope and Peter Waldman, Wall Street Journal
From Napoleon's drive into Egypt through Britain's rule of Iraq in the 1920s to Israel's march into Lebanon in 1982, Middle East nations have tempted conquerors only to send them reeling.

Operation Inflate The Coalition
by Jake Tapper, Salon
During the last Gulf War, 32 nations sent troops to support the U.S. This time around, 3 nations did. So how is Donald Rumsfeld claiming Operation Iraqi Freedom is larger than the '91 coalition?

Don't Go Back To The U.N.
by Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
If we're going to negotiate terms, it should be with allies who helped us, who share our vision and our purposes. Not with France, Germany, Russia and China, which see us — you — as the threat, and whose singular purpose will be to subvert any victory.

By Whose Authority?
by Michael Kinsley, Washington Post
If we knew which babies would turn out to be murderous dictators, we could smother them in their cribs. If we knew which babies would turn out to be wise and judicious leaders, we could crown them dictator. In terms of the power he now claims, without significant challenge, George W. Bush is now the closest thing in a long time to dictator of the world. He claims to see the future as clearly as the past. Let's hope he's right.

Note To The Security Council: Get Involved
by David L. Phillips, New York Times
The involvement of Kofi Annan, the secretary general, is needed immediately to overcome the acrimonious atmosphere on the Security Council. Without Mr. Annan's guidance, the council will remain embroiled in petty politics and, unable to see beyond the horizon, fail to renew the United Nations' mandate for Iraq.

Who Lost The U.S. Budget?
by Paul Krugman, New York Times
The fault lies not in our stars, but in our leadership.

France In A Trance
by Matthew Kaminski, Wall Street Journal
For a long time, in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, no one dared question the Emperor about his new suit—but finally someone does.

Anger And Fear: Our War On The Home Front
by Jonathan Gornall, The Times
As war begins, Britain has divided into two nations — those with loved ones going into action, and the rest of us. One father, whose Royal Marine son is in the Gulf, explains the dark and lonely fears of those who, like him, have found themselves on the other side of an invisible screen.

Now Bush's Doctrine Of War Will Be Put To The Test
by Martin Woollacott, The Guardian
Military pre-emptive doctrine will survive Iraq, in particular if its contradictions are cleared up and if the rules for intervention are subject to genuine multilateral discussion. But in the particular form that the Bush administration has proposed it, this may prove to be a one-war doctrine, even if that war goes very well, a doctrine tailored for Iraq and only distantly relevant to other situations.

UK Troops Told: Be Just And Strong
by BBC News
British troops waiting to attack Iraq have been told to behave like liberators rather than conquerors. But they have also been warned some of them may not return from Iraq alive.

Truth Already A Casualty
by David Callaway, CBS MarketWatch
They say that the first casualty of war is truth. In the Internet age, it's the first 10 casualties.

Media Giant's Rally Sponsorship Raises Questions
by Tim Jones, Chicago Tribune
In a move that has raised eyebrows in some legal and journalistic circles, Clear Channel radio stations in Atlanta, Cleveland, San Antonio, Cincinnati and other cities have sponsored rallies attended by up to 20,000 people. The events have served as a loud rebuttal to the more numerous but generally smaller anti-war rallies.

Now We're All Ugly Americans
by Gary LaMoshi, Asia Times
I hope that my neighbors will make the distinction between American values and the outlaw administration currently running the country.

The President's Real Goal In Iraq
by Jay Bookman, The Atlanta Journal-Constituion
This war is intended to mark the official emergence of the United States as a full-fledged global empire, seizing sole responsibility and authority as planetary policeman. It would be the culmination of a plan 10 years or more in the making, carried out by those who believe the United States must seize the opportunity for global domination, even if it means becoming the "American imperialists" that our enemies always claimed we were.

After The Shooting Stops, Dreams Of Politicians Often Fall Apart
by Mark Mazower, Los Angeles Times
Will the architects of this war be more successful in shaping the course of events than their predecessors in the early 20th century? Or are they committing an act of monumental folly? One thing is certain: They have changed the way the U.S. is perceived around the world forever.

Move To War Leaves Some Feeling Alienated
by Dean E. Murphy, New York Times
As Americans braced in recent days for a war against Iraq, many Californians were feeling strangely out of it. The great expanse between the two coasts appeared ever vaster. The sense of threat, so acute in the East, was real but less immediate here.

Ready For The Peace?
by Bob Herbert, New York Times
Is it a good idea to liberate the people of Iraq from the clutches of a degenerate like Saddam Hussein? Sure. But there were better, less dangerous, ways to go about it.

Oil, Intimidation, Rage - Why We Are Really At War
by Anatole Kaletsky, The Times
To get closer to the truth, we must focus not on the probable consequences of this war, which will almost certainly be benign for the Iraqi people, but on Americaís motives.

Beyond The Sandstorm
by Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian
Three visions of the future compete. Blair's is best, but can it ever be realised?

This War Is Brought To You By...
by Pepe Escobar, Asia Times
For all the president's (sales)men, the whole game is about global preeminence, if not unilateral world domination - military, economic, political and cultural. This may be an early 21st century replay of the "white man's burden". Or this may be just megalomania. Either way, enshrined in a goal of the Bush administration, it cannot but frighten practically the whole world, from Asia to Africa, from "old Europe" to the conservative establishment within the US itself.

How To Tell If We're Winning In Iraq
by Fred Kaplan, Slate
A score card for the first few days.

See No Evil
by Edward W. Lempinen, Salon
Progressives have lots of arguments against the war on Iraq — some of them compelling. But why aren't they burning to free Saddam's oppressed masses?

Pro Or Anti-War, We Should Cherish Our Differences
by Mafoot Simon, Straits Times
Let them pray... and be heard.

Delivering Dominoes
by Claudia Rosett, Wall Street Journal
Those who know the Mideast should help democracy along.

A Last, Grim Look At Gaza
by Rachel Corrie, Los Angeles Times
I have been in Palestine for two weeks and one hour now, and I still have very few words to describe what I see.

Addressing The Naysayers
by George F. Will, Washington Post
The president demonstrated Monday night that he understands a tested political axiom: If you do not like the news, make some of your own.

Blair In Agony
by Anne Applebaum, Washington Post
Until now, Blair has always tried to play by the rules of multilateral Europe and to back the United States. Now he knows that he can't have it both ways, and his agony shows on his face.

9/11 Families Fight Tears And A New Year
by David Montgomery, Washington Post
"It's very insulting to hear President Bush say this is for September 11."

D-Day
by Thomas L.Friedman, New York Times
Having more allied support in rebuilding Iraq will increase the odds that we do it right, and because if the breach that has been opened between us and our traditional friends hardens into hostility, we will find it much tougher to manage both Iraq and all the other threats down the road.

We're Not All Peaceniks — But You Wouldn't Know It
by David Aaronovitch, The Guardian
Even so, it is one thing (and far from dishonourable) to refuse to support the war because it has not been given the official seal of approval by the UN. It is quite another actively to oppose an operation which will have the effect of removing one of the worst and most violent tyrannies in the world.

Trust Tony's Judgment
by Bill Clinton, The Guardian
Blair is in a position not of his own making, because Iraq and other nations were unwilling to follow the logic of 1441.

See Men Shredded, Then Say You Don't Back War
by Ann Clwyd, The Times
I do not have a monopoly on wisdom or morality. But I know one thing. This evil, fascist regime must come to an end.

Freedom Of Speech — Or Of Intimidation?
by Shoeb Kadga, Business Times Singapore
In an era where demonstrators can be hired for the right price, mob rule is beginning to replace peaceful protests as the preferred means of making a point.

Pearl Habor 2003?
by Frederick W. Kagan, Washington Post
The United States is facing a deep and terrible crisis in Northeast Asia, and the repeated statements by the secretary of state and others to the contrary are making it worse.

Things To Come
by Paul Krugman, New York Times
Victory in Iraq won't end the world's distrust of the United States because the Bush administration has made it clear, over and over again, that it doesn't play by the rules.

Bush, Shame And The Dixie Chicks
by Stephanie Zacharek, Salon
The arch-conservative country music biz forced Natalie Maines to apologize to the president. But for a moment she was the bravest American entertainer.

Baghdad Express
by Richard Muller, MIT Technology Review
A subway planned for Iraqís capital was never builtóor was it? Saddamís biggest secret may be a weapon of mass transit.

The Arrogant Empire
by Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek
Americaís unprecedented power scares the world, and the Bush administration has only made it worse. How we got hereó-and what we can do about it now.

A Long, Winding Road To A Diplomatic Dead End
by Steven R. Weisman, New York Times
Just about everyone involved now acknowledges that a train of miscalculations and misunderstandings has produced a setback for American diplomacy and world standing.

War Inc.
by Farhad Manjoo, Salon
American corporations with close ties to the White House are poised to cash in on Saddam's defeat. French companies need not apply.

The War Of Misinformation Has Begun
by Robert Fisk, The Independent
Of course, the Americans and British just might get into Baghdad in three days for their roses and rice water. That's what the British did in 1917. And from there, it was all downhill.

Domestic Policies Give Cause For Fear
by Dan Gillmor, San Jose Mercury News
An imminent war tends to overshadow everything else in the public mind. But our focus in one area should not turn into tunnel vision; things at the periphery matter, too.

What France Really Wants
by Dan Goure, MSNBC
A medium-sized power with super-sized ambitions.

Joe Nation Nation
by Debra J. Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle
It's amazing how an area that prides itself on its tolerance and diversity elects so many politicians happy to use their power to ban behavior they don't like. Or to hammer other people to live as they do.

Equal Time For Protest Signs
by Tim Grieve, Salon
In a controversial decision, a federal court says that if California allows Old Glory to hang from overpasses, it must allow political banners, too.

Repairing The World
by Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times
What does Tony Blair get that George Bush doesn't? The only way I can explain it is by a concept from the Kabbalah called "tikkun olam." It means, "to repair the world."

English Sans French
by Christian Science Monitor
The Franco-American dispute falling out over the best approach way to disarming Iraq take away Iraq's weapons has resulted in perhaps the highest level of anti-French feeling in the United States Lands since 1763.

The Bubble Of American Supremacy
by George Soros, Straits Times
I see parallels between the Bush administration's pursuit of American supremacy and a boom-bust process or bubble in the stock market.

The Rage, The Pride And The Doubt
by Oriana Fallaci, Wall Street Journal
To avoid the dilemma of whether this war should take place or not, to overcome the reservations and the reluctance and the doubts that still lacerate me, I often say to myself: "How good if the Iraqis would get free of Saddam Hussein by themselves. How good if they would execute him and hang up his body by the feet as in 1945 we Italians did with Mussolini." But it does not help. Or it helps in one way only.

Why Can Shopping Malls Limit Free Speech?
by Dahlia Lithwick, Slate
Because malls are private property, and our constitutional rights are triggered only when the government (and not a private citizen) tries to limit our freedoms.

Wrong Way To Do The Right Thing
by E. J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post
The paradox is that creating the more democratic world we seek requires more than power. It demands alliances, institutions and trust. Doing the right thing the wrong way for the wrong reasons could squander all three.

Chipping Away At Roe
by Debra Rosenberg, Newsweek
Abortion foes are poised to pass a ban on partial-birth abortion. Is it a meaningful change, or a manufactured political issue?

A Bad Idea In Vietnam, An Even Worse Idea Today
by Peter hayes and Nina Tannenwald, Los Angeles Times
A group of scientists concluded in 1966 that crossing the nuclear threshold would be disastrous in Southwest Asia. The same would be true in Iraq.

Misreading Power
by William Raspberry, Washington Post
The fear is that one (or both) of these men will overplay his hand and hurl us into a war no sane person could want and whose most serious casualties could come after the bombing stops. How did we come to such a pass?

On Being Back In America
by Cameron Barrett, CamWorld
It has become fashionable overseas to hate America because of the stupidity of Bush's foreign policy decisions. How said is that?

Public Prayer Fanatics Borrow Page From Enemy's Script
by Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
When Ashcroft and his enemies both begin their days with displays of their godliness, do we feel safer after they rise from their devotions?

To Get More Voters, Make Voting Easier
by Sam Goodstein, Los Angeles Times
Effective election reform requires more than replacing "butterfly ballots" with electronic voting machines, as some states started to do last year. It requires encouraging people to use those new machines. In short, it isn't enough to make voting possible. We need to make it as easy as possible.

What Conservative Media?
by Andrew Sullivan
In this battle, of course, bias is often in the eye of the beholder. That's why the only way to see it clearly is through actual media competition - where markets, rather than benevolent, politically appointed moguls, determine the content of the product.

There's More Than Just U.S. Credibility At Stake In Iraq
by Josh Marshall, The Hill
Weíre all hostage to the Bush administrationís incompetence, whether we like it or not.

The Thirty Year Itch
by Robert Dreyfuss, Mother Jones
Three decades ago, in the throes of the energy crisis, Washington's hawks conceived of a strategy for US control of the Persian Gulf's oil. Now, with the same strategists firmly in control of the White House, the Bush administration is playing out their script for global dominance.

God, Satan And The Media
by Nicholas D. Kirstof, New York Times
One of the deepest divides in America today is the gulf of mutual suspicion that separates evangelicals from secular society, and policy battles over abortion and judicial appointments will aggravate these tensions further in coming months. Both sides need to reach out, drop the contempt and display some of the inclusive wisdom of Einstein, who wrote in his memoir: "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

Problems Of International Law
by Michael Kinsley, Washington Post
Even if Saddam Hussein were well-meaning, he still wouldn't be all-knowing. The United States actually is well-meaning, but we're not all-knowing either.

Bush Misleds The Average Joe On Tax Cuts
by Isaac Shapiro, Los Angeles Times
The administration persists in pushing its tax-cut numbers, ignoring their obvious problems and evidently calculating that repetition and the public's desire to trust in the president's veracity will win the day on support for the package.

Inspecting US Weapons
by Matt Bivens, The Nation
Why can't we have independent inspections of the US military's chemical, biological and nuclear weapons stocks?

Forget The Advice - Give Us Vaccinations
by Wendy Orent, Los Angeles Times
Our government is once again treating us like docile second-graders in a dusty basement.

Life Along The DMZ
by Mark Edward Harris, Los Angeles Times
As tensions rise over North Korea's nuclear program, the world is focusing once more on the stark dividing line that has split a region for half a century.

Too Old To Work?
by Adam Cohen, New York Times
If you're over 40 and work for a big company, your future may well be tied to the fate of 6,400 Allstate agents who refuse to be "streamlined."

A Costly Charade At The U.N.
by Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
The entire exercise is ridiculous, but for unfathomable reasons it matters to many, both at home and around the world, that the United States should have the permission of Guinea to risk the lives of American soldiers to rid the world — and the long-suffering Iraqi people — of a particularly vicious and dangerous tyrant.