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<p>BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Sunni Muslim insurgents blew up five car bombs and fired mortars into Baghdad's largest Shiite district Thursday, killing at least 161 people and wounding 257 in a dramatic attack that sent the U.S. ambassador racing to meet with Iraqi leaders in an effort to contain the growing sectarian war.</p>

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A State Department security officer was killed Sunday during a mortar or rocket attack at a U.S. base near Baghdad International Airport, the U.S. Embassy announced. Ed Seitz (search), an agent with the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, was killed about 5 a.m. at Camp Victory (search), embassy spokesman Bob Callahan said. Camp Victory is the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition's ground forces command. An undetermined number of people were injured in the attack but none with life-threatening injuries, Callahan said. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is on a tour of Asia, said, "The Department...

<p>BRIT HUME, HOST: The administration is not saying anything about this, and it is not even clear officials know anything about it. But some sources in Iraq are talking about a development that could prove an important turn in the search for weapons of mass destruction. For more on this we turn to the man who so often seems to know things before everybody else.</p>

2003 Phases of the Moon Universal Time NEW MOON MAR. 3 2:35 AM GMT FIRST QUARTER MAR. 11 7:15 AM GMT FULL MOON MAR. 18 10:34 AM GMT LAST QUARTER MAR. 25 1:51 AM GMT NEW MOON APR. 1 7:19 PM GMT

GORE AND REVENGE As usual, a really sharp comment from Virginia Postrel on Gore's speech. She cites the passage where Gore says that we ought to be focusing our efforts first and foremost against those who attacked us on September 11th and who have thus far gotten away with it ... I don't think we should allow anything to diminish our focus on the necessity for avenging the 3,000 Americans who were murdered and dismantling the network of terrorists that we know were responsible for it. [Emphasis added.] Virginia comments: This is a very interesting way of framing the task...

Sen. John McCain, R-Az., who's often been a thorn in the side of the Bush administration, has become one of the biggest boosters of the White House plan to attack Iraq, predicting Thursday that a resolution supporting the war will pass in both the House and Senate by "significant majorities." "I want to assure you, if there was a vote, it would be (backed by) significant majorities in both houses," McCain told nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity. McCain said winning the Iraq vote would give the administration crucial leverage with reluctant allies, explaining that it's "important for the president...

President Bush is ready to make a fresh call on Iraq to admit weapons inspectors while his strategists consider setting a deadline with serious consequences if the appeal is rejected, even as old allies withhold support. The implicit warning of U.S. military action to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would be in a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have to avert veto by Russia, China and France to pass. The President will make his case against Iraq at the United Nations on Thursday. A senior U.S. official said he is ``going to make clear that the current regime in...

France conceded on Tuesday that it might eventually join a US-led military assault on Iraq but remained adamant that it would do so only if the attack was approved by the UN Security Council. "At the moment, there is no question of France committing itself in Iraq," said Michèle Alliot-Marie, defence minister. "Having said that, it is clear that the French armed forces are always ready. The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is undergoing routine maintenance but can leave again at any time." Asked if France had limited room for manoeuvre because of the number of its troops abroad, she...

Report: U.S. has completed 'basics' of plan to attack Iraq SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Friday, April 19, 2002 WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has completed the framework for a military campaign against Iraq, defense sources say. "U.S. Central Command already has the basics of a major campaign put together," a report by the Washington-based Center for Defense Information said. "Component commanders of each service are now at their forward headquarters in the region with more than 1,000 war planners, logistics experts and support specialists. This operations plan is being refined regularly and the target list is being validated and updated...