A new face for American diplomacy

Salon:
Barack Obama is perceived by Muslims abroad like no other candidate. He would begin a presidency with tremendous potential to heal U.S. relations with much of the world.

Former GOP senator to endorse Obama

AP:
Former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday, saying he is the best presidential candidate to restore the nation's credibility.

In a conference call with reporters, Chafee announced his backing of the Illinois senator. Chafee, one of the more liberal Republicans in the Senate, lost his seat in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Chafee left the GOP last year and became an independent.

"I believe Senator Obama is the best candidate to restore American credibility, to restore our confidence to be moral and just, and to bring people together to solve the complex issues such as the economy, the environment and global stability," Chafee said.

Iraqi women must cover hair, skip blush -- or die

CNN:
The sign in the city center warns women that they'd better adhere to Muslim teachings or face the penalty. And all around the Iraqi city of Basra, women are showing up dead -- many beaten and beheaded. Some have been strangled to death, their faces disfigured. All bear signs of torture.

The CIA operation that should have prevented the Iraq war

Rawstory:
When Saad Tawfiq watched Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations on February 5 2003 he shed bitter tears as he realised he had risked his life and those of his loved ones for nothing.

As one of Saddam Hussein's most gifted engineers, Tawfiq knew that the Iraqi dictator had shut down his nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programmes in 1995 -- and he had told his handlers in US intelligence just that.