White-House Overwrote E-Mail

E-mail messages sent and received by White-House personnel during the first three years of the Bush-administration were routinely "recycled,". During the period in question, the Bush presidency faced some of its biggest controversies, including the Iraq-war. White House spokesman Tony Fratto said he has no reason to believe any E-mails were deliberately destroyed. The court filing said tapes were recycled before October 2003, and at that point, the White House "began preserving and storing all backup tapes."

Two federal statutes require presidential-communications, including e-mails involving senior White House aides, to be preserved for the nation's historical record. Some historians responded to the court disclosure yesterday by urging that the White House's actions be thoroughly probed. "There certainly could have been hugely important-materials there . . . and of course they're not owned by President Bush or anybody in the administration, they're owned by the public," said presidential historian Robert-Dallek.

Via Washington-Post

US strikes Al-Qaeda in Iraq

Seen on: YouTube

It's one of the biggest air-strikes in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. The US military says it carried out a 10-minute bombardment of suspected Al-Qaeda safehavens.

Iraq-Offensive: Clear out militants

US forces are solidifying control over some of the most persistent militant strongholds of Al-Qaeda in Iraq northeast of Baghdad, drawing on a new counterinsurgency model.

In Kuwait, President-Bush conceded that until last year, "our strategy simply wasn't working," with Iraq riven by sectarian violence and Sunni and Shiite militants strengthening their grip.

"Al-Qaeda ... will continue to target the innocent with violence," Mr. Bush said. "But we've dealt Al Qaeda in Iraq heavy blows, and it now faces a growing uprising of ordinary Iraqis who want to live peaceful lives."

Via CS-Monitor

Bush lands in search for peace

President-Bush opened his first presidential trip to Israel, seeking to build momentum for stalled Mid-east peace talks.

"We see a new opportunity for peace here in the holy land and for freedom across the region," Bush said at Ben-Gurion International Airport just before noon.

> Extensive coverage of George Bush's visit in Israel

Via AP

Lewis 'Scooter' Libby

Lewis "Scooter" Libby was one of the highest-ranking White House officials ever to stand criminal trial.

He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, two years of probation and a fine of $250,000 (£125,000) in June.

But in July, President George W Bush intervened to commute Libby's sentence, describing it as "excessive". As chief aide to Vice-President Dick Cheney, Libby had been involved in almost every major decision made by the Bush administration. He was convicted of all but one of the charges in March 2007.

Via BBC News