Sunday October 22, 2006

The Final Word: “Messy Alienation Edition”

(The media experiment in which we conjoin the headline and last paragraph of each bylined article in the A-section of today's New York Times.)

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U.S. to Hand Iraq a New Timetable on Security Role:

The decision about how far-reaching to make the blueprint is likely to be influenced by what Mr. Maliki and his ministers say they can reasonably accomplish. But American officials are discussing if they should specify whether Iraqi officials deemed incompetent or corrupt should be replaced, one official said. Officials are also considering a timetable for the Iraqi Defense Ministry to have in place systems for paying, feeding and equipping its units, jobs that are still overseen to a large degree by American advisers and by contractors, some of whom have not performed well, officials said.

On Baghdad Streets, a Police Partnership Falters:

Even hospitals can be dangerous places these days because militias know they are gathering places for relatives. So Captain Albertus formed a convoy around the car and then drove through Baghdad so the grieving relatives could make their way through the city streets and checkpoints. Nobody could stop the men who took Mr. Janabi's life, but the Americans provided the final escort.

S.E.C. Inquiry on Hedge Fund Draws Scrutiny:

The inspector general "closed its inquiry, claiming it found no evidence that S.E.C. officials had referenced Mack's political clout," Mr. Grassley wrote, adding, "Contrary to the I.G. report, however, documentary evidence exists and corroborates" that assertion.

Living With Love, Chaos and Haley:

"This is not going away," Ms. Abaspour said. Not for Haley or her family. "The overflow of what Haley has is what has made all of us what we are today."

Guardedly, Democrats Are Daring to Believe:

All this has put Democrats in an unfamiliar place, but one they seem to be enjoying. "I'm a congenital pessimist," said Howard Wolfson, a consultant advising Democrats in several competitive contests in upstate New York. "But I'm as bullish on our chances as I have been at any time over the last 12 years."

Beware of the Squish Behind the Jet Seat:

But neither the process — nor the airplanes — are pristine, Ms. Bartel said. "You get one result out of Atlanta, one out of New York."

Other News

Rice Criticizes Russia's Limits on News Media:

During her talks in Moscow, Ms. Rice said, she also intended to discuss efforts to halt not only North Korea's nuclear program, but Iran's. Before her arrival, Mr. Lavrov, the foreign minister, told a Kuwaiti news service that his government would not allow the Security Council to be a vehicle for pressuring Iran over its nuclear program.

Marcus Thames's Mother Inspires and Amazes:

"When Marcus was little, he always said that he was going to play ball," she said. "When I see him on TV, sometimes I say, 'I wish I was there.' "

In the Land of the Taliban:

Rahmatullah was one of those who had run off and returned. He was skinny and disheveled, having just faced heavy fighting in Kandahar. Though an Afghan, he had grown up in Baluchistan, near the border, in an area where he said 200 fighters were now living. The mullah at his madrasa told all the students that it was time for jihad. And the I.S.I. was paying cash. But his father was old and against the war; he pleaded with him to abandon fighting. So he sent Rahmatullah to his friend Mohammadin, hoping he might open another path for his son. Rahmatullah told me that he wasn't sure yet which mullah he would listen to.

Tension, Desperation: The China-North Korean Border:

The end of the North Korean state could also bring reunification of the Korean Peninsula under America's ally South Korea, another development Beijing does not want. Also, the border itself could be put into question. South Korea has, in recent years, challenged China over the legacy of Koguryo, an ancient Korean kingdom whose rule extended into present-day China. The region is home to hundreds of thousands of ethnic Korean-Chinese, who face discrimination in China and might be sympathetic toward a reunified Korea making territorial claims.

International

Egypt, Under Stress, Sees U.S. as Pain and Remedy:

So in an atmosphere of distrust of the United States, officials here are still hoping that Washington will heed their call. "You can't achieve peace without the United States," said Hesham Youssef, chief of staff at the Arab League, "but we can't continue business as usual."

Attackers Pillage Moscow Art Gallery and Beat Activist Owner:

"Such demonstrative attacks on famous people are becoming the norm," he said. "This is a big misfortune and serious grounds for the authorities to stop and think," he said.

In Surprise, Brazil's da Silva Is Back on Top:

Unless there is another scandal, "It's going to be very, very hard for Alckmin to win," Ms. Hipólito said. "Only the Workers Party itself can defeat Lula now."

Precarious Cease-Fire in Amara Holds:

In Baghdad, the American ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, issued a statement hailing a meeting on Friday in Mecca where 29 Iraqi religious leaders representing different sects, including figures from the Sunni and Shiite communities, signed a pact urging Iraqis to end sectarian killing and "join ranks with a view to the independence of Iraq and its territorial integrity."

National Report

Growing Absentee Voting Is Reshaping Campaigns:

"Absentee voting erodes that sense of community," Professor Gronke said. "It is voting alone."

Wealthy Coal Executive Hopes to Turn Democratic West Virginia Republican:

However, individuals still can spend unlimited sums of their own money on campaign advertisements, and that is just what Mr. Blankenship has said he plans to do.

A.C.L.U. Allies Start Web Site to Rebut Critics of Leadership:

Ms. Murguia said she had not seen the site criticizing the leadership. "My understanding is, a lot of stuff on the Web site is a lot of insider-baseball-type stuff," she said, "and is really just a distraction from the good work the organization is doing."

In Two New Mexico Towns, Voices of Concern About the Party in Power:

"The Democrats don't have a sense of my voice," she said, "but I want to give them power now. Maybe they feel more chastened."

Democrats Play Up Candidates' Service:

Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the party remained proud of all its veterans. "We would love to fund all of our candidates out around the country," Mr. Burton said, "but there's a harsh political reality — the finite nature of our funds."

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