July 09, 2007

Earlybird Roundup: DHS Vacancies, Iraq Pullout

Washington. Openings in a quarter of top leadership posts at the Department of Homeland Security have created a "gaping hole" in the country's readiness to respond to terrorist threats, according to a Washington Post story offering a peek at a congressional report coming out today.

Iraq I. Politicians warned that a U.S. pullout could result in civil war and called on Iraqi citizens to take up arms to defend themselves, after 220 people were killed in attacks over the weekend.

Iraq II. Back in Washington, White House officials worried about eroding Republican support for the war in Congress, as an interim report cast doubt on the likelihood of meeting the war goals President Bush set in January.

Congress. House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said he plans to open an investigation into I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's sentence commutation, citing a "general impression" that Bush lessened the punishment to keep Libby from implicating other administration officials.

North Korea. The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency approved a plan for inspectors to visit North Korea to ensure it is shutting down its nuclear program.

Nation. New York City is implementing a new surveillance system that will monitor the roads of lower Manhattan -- the first of its kind in the country.

See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.

Posted at 8:02 AM
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