The Political Conundrum!

The Associated Press reports this morning that Secretary of State Rice has announced that the Administration will not pursue the U.S.-Russia civil nuclear cooperation agreement in light of Russia's invasion of Georgia. As the AP notes, Congress was probably unlikely to approve the agreement before it adjourns later the month and President Bush leaves office. But the action could move a new Iran sanctions bill one step closer to passage in Congress and approval by the President. As I posted on June 12, the agreement was the basis of one of two official Administration objections to a version of a new Iran sanctions bill which barred entry by the U.S. into the agreement. As Congress left for the August work period, there were two Senate versions of the bill, one of which did not include the bar objected to by the Administration.

Now that the Administration has dropped the attempt to pass the agreement, an Iran sanctions bill is one step closer to approval. But the Administration is still be opposed to bill language imposing extra-territorial sanctions on firms from other nations. Even if that objection were resolved soon, a final Senate bill would have to be reconciled with one or more House bills, and that's difficult given the shortened Congressional schedule due to the November elections.

In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "Throughout the past week, Americans anxiously watched weather conditions in the Gulf Coast region. The people of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas were well prepared for Hurricane Gustav -- and the coordination between these States and the Federal government was strong."

In his weekly radio address President Bush said, "Throughout the past week, Americans anxiously watched weather conditions in the Gulf Coast region. The people of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas were well prepared for Hurricane Gustav -- and the coordination between these States and the Federal government was strong."

A strong sense of frustration echoed through dozens of interviews by The Associated Press with Afghan villagers, police, government officials, tribal elders and Taliban who left and rejoined the religious movement. The interviews ranged from the capital, Kabul, to the rural regions near the border with Pakistan.

The Iraqi government reacted sharply to published allegations that the U.S. spied on Iraq's prime minister, warning that future ties with the U.S. could be in jeopardy. The report emerged as the two governments are in delicate negotiations over the future of American troops in Iraq.

President Bush will announce his decision on future troops levels in Iraq next week and is expected to largely follow the recommendations of military leaders to reduce the number by up to 8,000 by mid-January.

Two men who police say were looking for an "easy target" to rob have been charged with last week's deadly shooting of a Korean War veteran outside the Strawberry Mansion VFW hall. As it turned out, police said, 78-year-old Enor Raymond Williams was anything but an easy target.

Eric J. Geressy and his unit were at a military outpost in southern Baghdad a year ago when they came under attack from al-Qaida fighters. He was the first sergeant of his unit when he found himself having to fill in for the company commander and the executive officer, who were attending to matters elsewhere that day.

The long and divisive war in Iraq is about to resonate with presidential candidates in a way not seen so far in the campaign: The sons of both vice presidential nominees are assigned to go there soon.