Obama fences, parries at start of Midwestern tour
DECORAH, Iowa - President Barack Obama's Midwestern tour is offering a mix of offense and defense that signals both his governing approach for the remainder of his term and the evolution of a campaign message for his re-election bid. Obama is determined to use the reach of his office to build public pressure on Republicans to move his way on economic and fiscal policies, to counterpunch against the GOP presidential field, and to argue for his presidency with independent voters and rekindle enthusiasm among Democrats. More »
Angst in military over Pentagon cuts
WASHINGTON - United States troops and their families are directly affected by the prospect of deep cuts in the Pentagon's budget, which surely will shrink over the coming decade as the military closes out two wars, trims its ranks and possibly chops some budget-busting weapons systems. And the troops' concerns don't end when they take off the uniform: Many retirees are dependent on the military's health insurance. More »
Analysis: Mubarak moral to Arab rulers: Fight hard
CAIRO - Facing tenacious uprisings, the leaders of Syria, Libya and Yemen must have thought of their own possible fates when they saw their one-time peer Hosni Mubarak in a defendants cage, on trial for charges that could carry a death sentence. For the three authoritarian Arab leaders, the choices are limited: Cling to power at any cost, negotiate immunity or find a foreign haven. All those options make it harder to resolve their countries' turmoil peacefully. More »
