Iraq politic

 Politics

Iraqi Vice President Backs U.S. Troop `Surge' to Quell Sectarian Violence Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi strongly endorsed a temporary boost in U.S. troop strength in Baghdad to control sectarian violence, one of several ideas being weighed by the Bush administration in a review of Iraq policy.

Paulson China Strategy Attacked as Treasury Declares No Yuan Manipulation U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is heading for a confrontation on China with the new Democratic- controlled Congress after his department softened its criticism of the country's currency policy.

Bush Pledges to Work With Democrats in Congress in '07 to Cut Oil Imports President George W. Bush pledged to reach across the partisan divide next year and work with the Democratic-controlled Congress to wean the U.S. from oil imports by spending more to develop other sources of fuel.

Bush Must Sell India Nuclear Deal to the World After Victory in Washington President George W. Bush persuaded majorities of Democratic and Republican lawmakers to allow the sale of commercial nuclear technology to India. Now he has to sell the strategy to dozens of nations wary of proliferation.

Dallas, Like Houston in 1992, Wants an Ex-President Bush to Call Its Own The big question in Dallas, as President George W. Bush enters his last two years in office, is this: Will he come back?

Gates, New U.S. Defense Chief, Must Transform Military as He Manages Iraq When Robert Gates took the helm of the Central Intelligence Agency just as the Cold War was ending in 1991, one of his most pressing priorities was to trim the budget and redirect an agency designed for the challenges of a different era.

Verizon, AT&T Shift Focus in Bid to Gain TV Licenses, Bypassing Congress Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. haven't fared well in Washington in their bid to expand their television business. They're doing a lot better in Trenton and Topeka.

Bush May Use Vetoes in Effort to Reclaim Republicans' Fiscal Reputation George W. Bush, who went longer than any president since Thomas Jefferson before using his veto power, may wield that authority next year to help re-establish Republicans' reputation for fiscal discipline and unify the party's political base.

Boeing, Banks Switch, Give to Democratic Candidates After Election Wins It didn't take Boeing Co. very long to realize the political landscape had been altered after the Democrats captured control of Congress.

Reid's `Dead-of-Night' Maneuvers for Nevada in Senate Contradict Pledge Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, who has pledged to stop ``dead-of-night legislating,'' did a little of his own in the final hours of this year's congressional session.

Pentagon Seeks $99.7 Billion Extra Spending for Iraq, Afghanistan, Terror Spending on Iraq, Afghanistan and the global war on terror would reach a record $170 billion in fiscal 2007 under the latest U.S. Defense Department emergency spending request.

Johnson's Surgery Is `Successful'; Illness May Shift Power in U.S. Senate Senator Tim Johnson underwent surgery to relieve bleeding in his brain and treat a congenital malformation of his arteries, his doctor said. Control of the new U.S. Senate may depend on Johnson's health.

Clinton's, McCain's Weaknesses Undercut '08 Frontrunner Status, Poll Shows The two frontrunners in the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain, face obstacles in their quest to win the White House, according to a Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll.

Swift Boat Vets, Moveon.org Fined by U.S. Over 2004 Campaign-Fund Breaches Three groups that played a prominent role in the 2004 presidential election agreed to pay almost $630,000 in fines for campaign finance violations, the Federal Election Commission announced today.

Leahy Says Democrats to Investigate Bush's Domestic Surveillance Program Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats will investigate and conduct hearings on the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping on suspected terrorists, said incoming panel chairman Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont.

Americans Reach `New Level of Discontent' Over Iraq Conflict, Poll Finds The American public has abandoned President George W. Bush on the Iraq war and is looking to Congress for a way out that includes a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops, according to a Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll.

Rich-Poor Income Disparity Is Cause for Alarm Among Americans, Poll Shows Americans overwhelmingly say the growing gap between rich and poor has become a serious national concern, a sentiment that may bolster Democrats' plans to narrow the income divide when they take control of Congress.

Gates Beats Bush as Most Influential Person in Education, U.S. Survey Says Billionaire Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., beat out President George W. Bush as the most influential person in U.S. education for the past decade, according to a survey by a nonprofit education publisher.

McConnell Says Republicans May Fight Democrats Over Medicare Drug Prices Senator Mitch McConnell, the incoming Senate Republican leader, says he will oppose key parts of the Democrats' 2007 agenda, including proposals allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and repealing oil-industry subsidies.

Wolfowitz Clashes With World Bank Staff as Mideast Chief Leaves Over Iraq World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz faces mounting criticism from directors of the international lending organization who say he relies on a coterie of political advisers with little expertise in development while driving away seasoned managers.