Opposing the president's plan to send more troops to Iraq: two out of three Americans.

The Post-ABC poll found that 53 percent of Americans favored setting a deadline for troop withdrawals. Among those who favored a deadline, 24 percent said they would like to see U.S. forces out within six months and 21 percent called for the withdrawals to be completed within a year. ...

Growing numbers of Americans also favored withdrawing U.S. forces even if civil order in Iraq has not been restored. The poll found that 42 percent favored keeping troops there until order is reestablished, while 56 percent said the troops should be redeployed to avoid further U.S. casualties, even if the sectarian violence is continuing.

Rep. Murtha's congressional colleagues (and critics) may find it easier to support his proposal after reading this:

A young feminist writing at Alternet today says she's torn about voting for Hillary. Her feminist self tells her she should, while politically, she's not sure.

I don't think feminism requires one to to vote for a female candidate. People should vote for the candidate they view as most qualified -- the person they believe is best suited for the job.

It would be a milestone and an achievement to have a woman President. I've frequently said that I think Hillary is more than up to the task.

But, if I decide to support Hillary, it won't be because she's a woman. It will be because I think she's the best choice to lead our country, based upon her experience, intelligence and position on issues -- all issues, not female issues.

No one owes Hillary a vote because she's female. I'm glad she's running. I'm glad a woman is running. But it will be Hillary the candidate not Hillary the woman that sways me in the end if I decide to support her.

American tourists with old misdemeanor records are being turned away at the Canadian border -- after a stop at secondary immigration checks.

Take the case of 55-year-old Lake Tahoe resident Greg Felsch. Stopped at the border in Vancouver this month at the start of a planned five-day ski trip, he was sent back to the United States because of a DUI conviction seven years ago. Not that he had any idea what was going on when he was told at customs: "Your next stop is immigration.''

Felsch was ushered into a room. "There must have been 75 people in line," he says. "We were there for three hours. One woman was in tears. A guy was sent back for having a medical marijuana card. I felt like a felon with an ankle bracelet.''

One point in Lieberman's column I do agree with:

There is of course a direct and straightforward way that Congress could end the war, consistent with its authority under the Constitution: by cutting off funds.

In fact, one would expect Joe to have some kind words for Russ Feingold, and his proposal to end funding for the war six months after enactment of such a law. Heck, General Petraeus even gets a chance to "succeed." Or if Joe thinks General Petraeus needs more time, let's make the date certain March 31, 2008. Which would mean the US "occupation" of Iraq will have lasted five years. Does Joe need more time than that?

Funny how Joe does not mention THAT proposal.

Lieberman on Iraq, December 2005:

Does America have a good plan for doing this, a strategy for victory in Iraq? Yes we do.

Lieberman on Iraq today:

What is remarkable about this state of affairs in Washington is just how removed it is from what is actually happening in Iraq. There, the battle of Baghdad is now under way. A new commander, Gen. David Petraeus, has taken command, having been confirmed by the Senate, 81-0, just a few weeks ago. And a new strategy is being put into action, with thousands of additional American soldiers streaming into the Iraqi capital.

Oh, and the lie Lieberman told Connecticut during the 2006 campaign:

What I don't think is right, as I have said over and over again, are many of the Bush Administration's decisions regarding the planning for and execution of the war.

The most dishonest, dishonorable person in Washington, DC today, Joe Lieberman.

Great editorial today in the Miami Herald on how we've turned into the United States of Entertainment. It begins:

Jose Padilla is not a dead buxom blonde, which may help explain why a hearing to determine his fitness to stand trial was no contest for the animated proceedings taking place one county to the north.

Anna Nicole Smith, dead two weeks, drew the cameras, the curious and the commentators. Thursday, a weepy Broward judge ruled on the fate of Smith's corpse as thousands followed the show on national television.

Down in Miami, the still-living Jose Padilla attracted just a couple of earnest reporters, some legal geeks and two cameramen who were stranded outside the federal courthouse because filming was banned inside. So it goes in these United States of Entertainment. Four years into the war in Iraq, torture has become the stuff of TV dramas while justice serves the cause of celebrity.

After a discussion of Padilla's case, it concludes:

There was a time, circa 2005 and 2006, when I argued against Dem plans for Iraq:

With due respect to everybody that wants to play President, Bush is the President and we should concentrate on ripping him to shreds for the Iraq Debacle, including his current failures. Does Warner believe in deadlines or timetables? Clark for training or redployment? Who cares? None of it matters until Dems get some power.

But now Dems control the Congress, and this approach will no longer work. For in 2008, the American People will PROPERLY ask 'what did the Dems do to end the Iraq Debacle?'

The L.A. Times reports:

When the Bush administration shut down the nation's largest Muslim charity five years ago, officials of the Dallas-based foundation denied allegations it was linked to terrorists and insisted that a number of accusations were fabricated by the government. Now, attorneys for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development say the government's own documents provide evidence of that claim.

In recent court filings, defense lawyers disclosed striking discrepancies between an official summary and the verbatim transcripts of an FBI-wiretapped conversation in 1996 involving Holy Land officials.

The FBI summaries of the wiretapped calls contain anti-semitic comments not found in the transcripts.

More...

There were problems this morning with a juror in the Libby case having seen something in the media over the weekend. The juror has been dismissed.

According to Jane at Firedoglake and Aldon Haynes who is live-blogging at Orient Lodge for Media Bloggers, the defense opted to go with 11 jurors while Fitz wanted to put in an alternate and stay with 12.

If they put in an alternate, the jurors would have to begin deliberations anew. The Judge agreed to go with 11 jurors. That's what they are doing.

The dismissed juror is the retired art curator and lone juror who wouldn't wear red on Valentine's Day:

The woman who was dismissed from jury is an art history expert and scholar who formerly served as a curator of prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Congrats to Melissa Etheridge and Al Gore for winning best song for "I Need to Wake Up" from An Inconvenient Truth."

If you're watching the Oscars, let us know what you think.

From the red carpet: Al Gore was funny -- saying his favorite singer was William Hung.

Nicole Kidman's dress is elegant but a miss (unusual for her) with one of those huge bows off one shoulder. Meryl Streep looks matronly once again.

I'm not a huge Celine Dion fan, but she looks great from the front. (From the side, it's not quite so great.) So does Gwynyth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz (changed my mind on them), Jada Pinkett, and Cate Blanchett.

Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon and Beyonce are stunning. I wasn't crazy about Penelope Cruz' dress or hairstyle -- way too severe and her ears stick out. The bottom half of her dress is all feathers.

Rinko Kikuchi from Babel looked so much more grown up and really pretty.

Best dressed guy so far: Leonardo di Caprio. Jack Nicholson has a shaved head. (Update: It's for a part he's now filming.)

I'll be live blogging on and off, please join in.

Updates below the fold:

In TChris' post highlighting Sy Hersh's article, he points to a critical point:

The panel initially focused on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and on regime change but has more recently been directed to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq, according to an Air Force adviser and a Pentagon consultant, who were not identified.

I believe this is confirmation of my view that the road to war with Iran runs through Iraq.

For a number of reasons, the Bush Administration must use Iraq as the excuse for war with Iran. First, Bush has no legal authority to initiate war with Iran. Second, no one believes US intelligence. Finally, the military commanders are opposed to a strike on Iran, so the Bush Administration will need some strong PR to counter this opposition.

My conclusion remains the same, to prevent war with Iran, end the war in Iraq.