NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST February 17, 2008

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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
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Questions, Not Just on Iraq
Before Americans choose a president they will need to know how he or sheplans to rebuild America's moral standing and address a host of foreignpolicy challenges.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/opinion/17sun1.html?ref=opinion
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Citizenship Blues
For the government to continue tolerating a creaky, corrosively inept systemfor welcoming immigrants in, is just another sign of hostility.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/opinion/17sun2.html?ref=opinion
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The Grand Old White Party Confronts Obama
Trapped in an archaic black-and-white newsreel, the G.O.P. looks more like anostalgic relic than a national political party in contemporary America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/opinion/17rich.html?ref=opinion
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Unforgivable Behavior, Inadmissible Evidence
By MORRIS DAVIS
The mistreatment of detainees is all or nothing: We either do stuff likethat or we do not. It is in our national interest to restore our reputationfor the latter.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/opinion/17davis.html?ref=opinion
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Dreams Stifled, Egypt's Young Turn to Islamic Fervor
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN 48 minutes ago
Across the Middle East, many people are forced to put off marriage, thegateway to independence. In their frustration they turn to religion forsolace.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/world/middleeast/17youth.html?hp
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McCain Draws Criticism on Torture Bill
Senator John McCain's vote last week against a bill to curtail the CentralIntelligence Agency's use of harsh interrogation tactics disappointed humanrights advocates who consider him an ally and led Democrats to charge thathe was trying to please Republicans as he seeks to rally them around hispresidential bid.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/us/politics/17torture.html
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As Nuclear Waste Languishes, Expense to U.S. Rises
WASHINGTON - Forgotten but not gone, the waste from more than 100 nuclearreactors that the federal government was supposed to start accepting forburial 10 years ago is still at the reactor sites, at least 20 years behindschedule. But it is making itself felt in the federal budget.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/us/17nuke.html
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80 Said to Be Killed in Afghan Suicide Attack
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) -- A suicide bombing at an outdoor dog fighting competition killed 80 people and wounded scores more Sunday, a governorsaid, in what appeared to be the deadliest terror attack in Afghanistansince the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Afghan-Violence.html?hp
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Error Gave F.B.I. Unauthorized Access to E-Mail
WASHINGTON - A technical glitch gave the F.B.I. access to the e-mailmessages from an entire computer network - perhaps hundreds of accounts ormore - instead of simply the lone e-mail address that was approved by asecret intelligence court as part of a national security investigation,according to an internal report of the 2006 episode.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/washington/17fisa.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1203243178-U3VbwsRr4NZRh3dmIurpTg
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For City's Schoolteachers, Retirement May Be Closer
Gov. Eliot Spitzer is poised to approve a deal that would sweeten retirementincentives for New York City teachers, a move that their union and MayorMichael R. Bloomberg support but that budget watchdog groups say isfinancially risky. Because Mr. Bloomberg has agreed to the measure, whichwould allow teachers to retire five years earlier than they can now andstill receive full pension benefits, Mr. Spitzer is likely to sign it,according to an administration official who did not want to be identifiedbecause no final determination had been made.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/nyregion/17pension.html
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Washington Post
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
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An Agreement Without Agreement
The Bush administration is so intent on securing its legacy in Iraq that itis once again ignoring the Constitution. Without seeking the consent ofCongress, it is well on its way toward a long-term agreement with the Iraqigovernment that threatens to deepen the American commitment without thecongressional support the Constitution requires.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502539.html
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Suicide Bombings in Volatile Region Kill at Least 50
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb. 16 -- At least 50 people were killed and 100injured in two suicide car bombings Saturday in northwestern Pakistan,according to witnesses and government officials.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/16/AR2008021600463.html?hpid=topnews
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Iraq's Jihad Myths
Among Democrats and even many Republicans, it is by now accepted wisdom thatthe war in Iraq brought huge numbers of holy warriors to the anti-Americancause. But is it true? I don't think so.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021503098.html
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Divided Labor Loyalties
When Walter Mondale was threatened by the insurgent candidacy of Gary Hartin the 1984 Democratic presidential contest, he turned to his friends at theAFL-CIO for help, and their endorsement was instrumental in pulling himthrough to the nomination.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502948.html
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The Dumbing Of America
"The mind of this country, taught to aim at low objects, eats upon itself."
Ralph Waldo Emerson offered that observation in 1837, but his words echowith painful prescience in today's very different United States. Americansare in serious intellectual trouble -- in danger of losing our hard-woncultural capital to a virulent mixture of anti-intellectualism,anti-rationalism and low expectations.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502901.html
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Questions For John McCain
Foreign policy has slipped to the periphery of presidential politics,
displaced by a nonexistent recession as the voters' preoccupation. Comeautumn, however, Iraq and Iran may be central subjects, Iraq as a biggerproblem for the Democratic nominee than for John McCain and Iran as aproblem for McCain. And the presidency may be won by the candidate whoembraces a modest conception of that office.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021502950.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
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Protect yourself against e-mail attacks
You may think the "You Have Mail" alert comes from a secret admirer or afriend, but it could be a nasty mass e-mail carrying malicious software ormalware. Such downloads could be the beginning of criminal activity,including spam e-mail, identity theft, denial of service attacks andcontinued spreading of the Storm Worm virus. To avoid such viruses, the FBIrecommends the following:
.Do not open unknown e-mails. Most are harmless unless opened.
.If you open unknown e-mail, simply close and trash. Do not click on links..
.Subscribe to cyber scam alerts. Go to www.fbi.gov and click E-mailUpdates.
Report suspicious e-mail. You can file a complaint at www.ic3.gov .
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzdaniel0217newsbfeb17,0,1155787.story
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