Saying he'd been lied to, Pastor Terry Jones has backtracked from his announcement calling off his Quran burning project. Now he says he's contemplating going through with the stunt.

We're definitely going to think it over and reconsider it," the Rev. Terry Jones told reporters Thursday night. "Now we're in somewhat a state of limbo, and we have to rethink of course our position."

In addition to this morning's plea from President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Jones today. The FBI was on scene at his Dove World headquarters today. They also issued a bulletin:

"While the FBI has no information to indicate a specific attack has been planned against the United States or U.S. assets in response to the 'International Burn a Koran Day' event, the FBI assesses with high confidence that, as with past incidents perceived as acts of desecration against Islam, extremist actors will continue to threaten or attempt to harm the leaders, organizers, or attendees the event," the FBI posted in a bulletin.

Were they there for security or to warn him he could be arrested? For what? I wrote up some possibilities here.

Update: Iman says Islamic Center will not move. Terry Jones was mistaken.

"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans," Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said in a statement. "However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri (of Florida). I am surprised by their announcement. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."

Pastor Terry Jones has called off his Quran burning stunt. The pastor said he was doing so because the he reached an agreement with unnamed "muslim leaders" that the planned Islamic Center in New York would be moved.

No one has yet confirmed this "agreement" to move the Islamic Center.

I hope Terry Jones' 15 minutes are over, although I expect the damage he has caused will last quite a while. Shame on him. It's way past time for him crawl back under whatever rock he sprang from.

Update: Via TMZ: Donald Trump offers to buy the Islamic Center site for cost + 25%, payable in cash at closing, if the owners agree to build their center at least five blocks further than the current planned site. Letter here. You can listen to Trump here.

Update: Thread closing due to insults between commenters. It will be cleaned.

John Bunz, age 90, battered his wife to death with a hammer after an argument about health care. They had been married 68 years. He then tried to kill himself, but failed. (Photo by AP shows his self-inflicted wounds.) A neighbor discovered both bodies.

Bunz, a retired chemist, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter was sentenced today to 17.5 years in prison followed by 5 years supervised release (similar to parole).

He was originally charged with second degree murder. Why plead to the lesser crime? He gets an effective life sentence either way.

Here's President Obama on ABC this morning (commercial free), saying Terry Jones should "listen to those better angels" and skip the Quran burning. Obama says it will endanger the troops and serve as a recruiting tool for al Qaida, including suicide bombers in American cities.

He also says "his understanding" is there's no crime if Jones proceeds, other than a citation for public burning. If Obama believes Jones' acts will serve as a recruiting tool for al Qaida, why doesn't he have him charged with conspiring or attempting to to provide material support to terrorists? Or attempt or conspiracy to violate 18 USC Section 2383, Rebellion and Insurrection?

Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

Maybe Obama should have Jones arrested on one of these charges and ask for detention, and then dismiss the case and release him on 9/12? [More...]

Open Thread.

Sixteen months ago, a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a trial court's order dismissing the ACLU's lawsuit in Mohamed et al. v Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. The ACLU sued the Boeing subsidiary in May, 2007 for its role in the Bush administration's unlawful extraordinary rendition program. Once Bush was gone, Obama stepped in and maintained the Bush position. The three judge panel rejected the Bush and Obama Administrations' "state secrets" claim, holding that the government must invoke the state secrets privilege with respect to specific evidence, not by moving to dismiss the entire suit.

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of five men, Binyam Mohamed, Al-Rawi, Abou Elkassim Britel, Ahmed Agiza and Mohamed Farag Ahmad Bashmilah, who were kidnapped and secretly transferred to U.S.-run prisons or foreign intelligence agencies overseas where they were interrogated and tortured.

Today the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, en banc, changed course and dismissed the lawsuit, based on the state secrets claim. In other words, the court denied the detainees, victims of the extraordinary rendition program, their day in court. Today's opinion is here. [More...]

The Jewish High Holy Days begin at sunset with Rosh Hashanah, ushering in and celebrating a new year, 5771. They end in ten days, with Yom Kippur, a day of atonement and fasting, and a sunset "Break Fast" meal.

On the menu for many: Brisket, roast chicken, challah, matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, chopped liver and kugel. For dessert: sliced apples dipped in honey is traditional. And, of course, the blowing of the Shofar.

I have a brisket on the stove, it smells really good. Here's an overview of Rosh Hashanah's customs.

Update 7:54 pm MT: Shana Tova is the number #1 trending topic on Twitter. שנה טובה! A year of blessings, fulfillment, health and happiness to all.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The President will be speaking momentarily regarding his proposal to provide tax relief to 98% of Americans. The Republicans are opposed to the Obama Tax Cuts, insisting that they must include tax cuts for the wealthy that will cost $700 billion.

I hope to provide a link for viewing as soon as one becomes available.

"Same old Republican ideas, cut taxes for millionaires and corporations." Not enough mention of Bush though for my taste. It's a good speech. Nice Lincoln quote on how the government should do what individuals can't do for themselves.

Really good speech. Where's this guy been? (Though I was told he showed up in Wisconsin last week.)

"I believe we should make tax cuts for the middle class permanent."

"We should not hold tax cuts for the middle class hostage to tax cuts for the wealthy." Ding!

President Obama is killing it. Great speech. This, my friends, is the bully pulpit. Makes me want to post a photo diary . . . text of the best parts of the speech on the flip

Open thread.

HuffPo:

"If what it takes to prevent a tax hike is to start with two years, if that's what it takes to talk Democrats out of raising taxes, that would be a good start," said Don Stewart, [GOP Leader Sen. Mitch] McConnell's communications director. "But we're not for raising taxes in two years.The most important thing is to prevent a tax hike in the middle of a recession," Stewart added. "This should be done for as long as possible, but a 2-year freeze at the current rate, if that's what it takes to prevent a Democrat tax hike, would certainly be preferable to an immediate tax hike on every taxpaying American."

Cutting taxes for the wealthy as proposed by the Republicans would cost $700 billion over 10 years. See when deficits don't matter? When it involves tax cuts for the wealthy. Where's Pete Peterson on this?

Also, if Republicans want to cut taxes for 98% of Americans, they can support the Obama tax cuts for the middle class. They don't. They only care about tax cuts for the wealthy.

Speaking for me only

Via Matt Yglesias, who accurately dubs the entire article "surreal," Jeffery Goldberg on Fidel Castro (Part 2 was standard fare sycophancy):

I was even more curious, however, to get a glimpse of the great man.

I'm pretty sure that Goldberg is referring to Castro as a "great man" in the important in history sense, not in the "I think he is wonderful" sense. But it still startled me. It also reminded me of the Louis Farrakhan brouhaha back in the day with the Hitler was a great man stuff. (Also interesting to remember was Farrakhan's "judaism is a gutter religion comment in light of today's anti-Muslim hysteria.) Some thoughts on the flip.

Peter Griffin: First, I will return Joe's pool. In exchange, I demand access to it on alternate weekends.

Joe: No.
Peter: Accepted. I also demand to remain my own independent nation.
Mayor Adam West: Absolutely not.
Peter: How about you just give me your pen?
Mayor Adam West: You mean this cheap little pen we have millions of back at the office?
Peter: Yeah.
Mayor Adam West: No - Family Guy Petoria episode

Jon Cohn on the Peter Orszag School of Bargaining: