Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, al Qaeda’s spokesman (now there’s something for the ol’ resume), says that the Zarqawi letter is a fake.

But “spokesman for the U.S. director of national intelligence, John Negroponte, said top officials in the U.S. government are confident the letter is real.”

So who you gonna believe? al Qaeda? Or the U.S. Government? Which side a given news outlet defaults to, who they assume by default must be truthful, will be quite telling.

Watch this one unfold.

UPDATE: John at Powerline has similar thoughts.

It will be interesting to see whether American liberals, embarrassed by the contents of Zawahiri’s correspondence, will join with al Qaeda in claiming that the U.S. military faked the letter.

Ray Nagin at a recent seminar.

At a recent seminar about the rebuilding efforts, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin asked the crowd: “How do I ensure that New Orleans is not overrun by Mexican workers?”

Jay pats himself on the back for predicting it, though with a bit of a different spin.

Ground Control agrees with Jay, that others could not have gotten away with such a quote.

Peggy Noonan thinks Miers ought to withdraw her name.

Is there a way out for the White House? Yes. Change plans at LaGuardia. Remember the wisdom of New York’s Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, who said, “I don’t make a lot of mistakes but when I do it’s a beaut!”? The Miers pick was a mistake. The best way to change the story is to change the story. Here’s one way.

The full Tim McCarthy. He was the Secret Service agent who stood like Stonewall and took the bullet for Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton. Harriet Miers can withdraw her name, take the hit, and let the president’s protectors throw him in the car. Her toughness and professionalism would appear wholly admirable. She’d not just survive; she’d flourish, going from much-spoofed office wife to world-famous lawyer and world-class friend. Added side benefit: Her nobility makes her attackers look bad. She’s better than they, more loyal and serious. An excellent moment of sacrifice and revenge.

UPDATE: Dales has moved into the acceptance stage, but Leopold Stotch at OTB doesn’t think Republicans should go down with the ship.

I voted for President Bush in 2004 not because he had an R next to his name, but because I believed him when he lied and said he would govern like a conservative and would fill any Supreme Court vacancies with someone in the mold of Scalia and Thomas. What Daly essentially says is that those of us who feel betrayed by the president should stand by him anyhow, lest Republicans will lose elections.

Who is Tariq Alzoubi and where does he fit into the Joel Hinrichs puzzle? On Politics is digging around at OU. (Via Tapscott)

You can read the full text of al Zawahiri’s letter here. It’s available in English and Arabic.

It’s a very interesting although lengthy read. This letter reveals the true objectives of Al Qaida and should give pause to countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt who Zawahiri cites as Al Qaida’s next targets after establishing an oppressive sharia government in Iraq. He also indicates a desire to eliminate Israel. (No real surprise there.)

Looks like he needs money too.

And he comments that half the battle is fought in the media. So mainstream media, who’s side are you on?

Others talking about this letter:

Austin Bay
Real Clear Politics
Powerline
Michelle Malkin
OTB

Everyone is jumping all over President Bush for making religion a litmus test for selecting Harriet Miers as judge. Here’s an example, from Captain Ed.

… the White House has openly embraced religion as a key qualification for the nomination of Harriet Miers …

… when religion becomes the reason that someone gets a nomination to the Court …

… Using religion as a test for a nomination gets us into dangerous territory, not to mention provides more than a dollop of hypocrisy for this administration.

Douglas Shaftoe says it this way:

Bush Nominee Chosen On Basis of Religion

Texas Whip:

… being promoted chiefly based upon her religious affiliation …

The Knight Ridder news service writes: (H/T)

… suggesting that faith is a legitimate factor in evaluating her nomination …

This is apparently coming from the response to reporters in the Oval Office, as reported by NYT and others.

“People ask me why I picked Harriet Miers,” Mr. Bush told reporters in the Oval Office. “They want to know Harriet Miers’s background, they want to know as much as they possibly can before they form opinions. And part of Harriet Miers’s life is her religion.”

I do not read that paragraph in any as Bush doing any of those things the Captain and others assert above. Captain Ed is often spot on in his analysis, but this time he’s missed the mark. What Bush said makes total sense. People want to know all they can about her, and that is why they’re asking about her religion, because part of her life is her religion. I fail to see how that indicates a litmus test. He went on to say that part of her life is also being a pioneer, etc.

I’m still not the first bit convinced she’s qualified to sit on the High Court, but this particular criticism of Bush is unfounded.

Jason Griffin agrees with me on this, and then goes on to make a somewhat provocative point comparing the right and left.

What this proves more than anything else is that the religious right is just like the far left when it comes to picking judges. Neither side wants judges that will side with Constitution. Instead, they both want judges who will rule in favor of their pet causes. This is why James Dobson and Pat Robertson are urging support of her as we speak. Right now, the religious right is actively lobbying against abortion, the right to die and gay rights; and actively lobbying in favor of putting God back in the public square.

Lots of folks think it was a bad idea to put her religion on display, which I can certainly understand, but to read the President’s comments as being a litmus test is a stretch at best.

UPDATE: Josh Claybourn has as interesting tidbit. Ken Mehlman hosted a conference call yesterday with conservative bloggers.

UPDATE 2: Even Peggy Noonan is repeating this mantra.

And next time perhaps the White House, in announcing and presenting the arguments for a new nominee to the high court, will remember a certain tradition with regard to how we do it in America. We don’t say, “We’ve nominated Joe because he’s a Catholic!” A better and more traditional approach is, “Nominee Joe is a longtime practitioner of the law with considerable experience, impressive credentials, and a lively and penetrating intellect. Any questions? Yes, he is a member of the Catholic church. Any other questions?”

YET ANOTHER UPDATE (10/14): Timothy Goddard thinks that playing the religion card is a brilliant move. How?

By highlighting her religion. Miers, like Bush and like your humble writer, is an evangelical Christian–and may possibly be the first such person on the Supreme Court, at least of the modern variety. What makes this so brilliant? The simple fact is that when you hoist the evangelical flag, it drives some people into something of a fury. It’s like a big juicy steak, and there are some who just can’t resist going after it.

And then the trap springs. Because Americans don’t like seeing Christians attacked for being Christian, period. And that’s what’s happening.

And Captain Ed laughs out loud at a liberal radio show that called him for a quote.

The $500,000 Alaskan salmon.

The $500,000 paint job is part of a campaign to promote the Alaskan seafood industry, and was paid for by the federal government. It’s a pork project that some are calling “fishy.”

Here’s a great personal letter from a soldier stationed in Iraq who will be returning home shortly.

Just to give an update on this deployment: things have gone wonderful for me over here. I have flown over 50 combat missions; successfully lead a platoon of 68 soldiers through a combat rotation, and best of all I got to see Dad’s installation in Hawaii. Despite the fact that I have been over here, 2005 has been a great year.

Leaving here will be a wonderful feeling; however, it is great to know that I have been a part of the future for the Iraqi people. They have an amazing culture; they are supportive, polite and respectful to all of the Americans serving here. It is truly the actions of a few that have destroyed the image of the whole. I have met many locals and they always show a smile and sense of gratitude to all of the soldiers and their sacrifices.

I don’t feel any regret for the choice that I have made and the service that I have given to this world. America is making a difference here in the Middle East, and I pray that we continue to guide and mentor the world so that they can all share the freedoms that we enjoy.