War in Afghanistan: Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the NATO secretary general, has answered U.S. entreaties for additional troops with an announcement that the alliance will contribute 7,000 additional troops to the 30,000 committed American troops President Barack Obama committed to the conflict earlier this week. The New York Times reports that the announcement comes at a time when U.S. lawmakers have raised concerns about the seemingly flexible July 2011 drawdown deadline.
The Talented Mr. Reid: The Washington Post profiles Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and examines his approach to getting health care passed. The task is not an easy one, obviously, but Reid says he is confident he can get 60 of his colleagues to back a bill.
A Matter of Opinion: The $700-billion Troubled Asset Relief Program was reluctantly passed by Congress last year. But with Bank of America planning to pay back the $45 billion it received, some are beginning to view it as the reason for the financial industry's stunning turnaround, The Los Angeles Times reports.
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Job Creation? At yesterday's jobs summit, Obama said he does not have enough money to cover the plan many of his liberal supporters say would have the most effect, that is direct federal investment in job creation. Instead, The Washington Post reports, Obama appeared to support a to-do list that has become familiar: weatherization, small-business incentives, regulatory and other help for exporters, and tax credits for employers who hire new workers.
Earthlings Ring Off: After five decades of operation, Britain's military has shut down a telephone hotline that took reports of unidentified flying objects, The Associated Press reports. The military said today that more than 50 years of UFO sightings had not revealed any evidence of alien life. Yet.
That pretty much sums it up yep. A steaming pile of crap. Good morning USA.
Posted by: Fedge | December 04, 2009 at 03:43 PM