Surge Could Worsen Equipment Deficit
“Boosting U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 would create major logistical hurdles for the Army and Marine Corps, which are short thousands of vehicles, armor kits and other equipment needed to supply the extra forces, U.S. officials said.” (The Washington Post)
Fleischer’s Account Contradicts Libby’s
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer took the stand yesterday in the Libby case, and his testimony contradicted Libby’s account of when he first learned that Plame was a CIA agent. (The New York Times)
Russert: I Wasn’t Source
“Meet the Press” host Tim Russert, who expects to be called to testify in the perjury trial of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, on Monday denied Libby’s assertion that he told Libby that Joe Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame, was a CIA agent. (AP)
Bring Out the Journalists
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is set to call a number of journalists to the witness stand in the Libby trial. Former New York Times staffer Judith Miller â who spent 85 days in jail for refusing to cooperate with the Libby investigation â is set to testify today, with Time‘s Matthew Cooper and Russert set to take the stand as well. (AP)
Escalation’s Command Structure Could Prove Disastrous
Though the Bush administration’s Iraq escalation plan is quite unpopular, there remain some in the defense community who think it could better the situation in Baghdad. But when it comes to a specific aspect of the plan â an aspect that violates a basic tenet of military strategy â everyone from John McCain to Fred Kagan thinks the administration is making a mistake. (Salon)
Reconstituted Subcommittee to Look at Nation’s Defense Policies
“After more than a decade of dormancy, House Democratic leaders have reconstituted the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee. The panel — the only one of its kind in Congress — will put Bush administration defense policies under the microscope.” (The Politico)
Nine Years in Jail for Iraq Contractor
“A former Defense Department contractor was sentenced on Monday to nine years in prison and ordered to forfeit $3.6 million for his role in a bribery and fraud scheme involving contracts to reconstruct Iraq, U.S. officials said.” (Reuters)
Congress to Examine Administration’s Global Warming Response
Congress is ready to take a hard look at global warming, and later today a House committee will hear from “two private advocacy groups [who] say they have found evidence of political pressure on government climate scientists at seven federal agencies in efforts to downplay the threat of global warming.” (AP)
Lobbyists Can Still Fund Conventions
“Ethics rules recently approved by Congress to curb lobbyists’ influence did little to change a key way they curry favor with lawmakers: underwriting the national conventions where presidential nominees are picked.” (USA Today)
The Fishy Debate Over American Samoa’s Minimum Wage
The Senate will soon vote on a minimum-wage bill, and the debate has come with questions about American Samoa, which, thanks to former rep Tom DeLay and convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, has long been able to avoid the paying its workers a minimum wage. (The Hill)
The Life of a Convicted Lawmaker
In a very timely piece, Roll Call takes a look at the living adjustments made by former lawmakers who are now incarcerated. (Subs. Req.) (Roll Call)
