Today, the New York Times takes the top prize, with The Washington Post coming in strong second.
One seemingly major oversight today: No paper gives prominent note to a big transition in Baghdad - the U.S. military's Iraq operational commander changed Thursday. In a long-planned rotation, Ray Odierno replaced Peter Chiarelli. Some people might think that's not a big deal, especially since the top general in Iraq is the strategic commander, George Casey. But since Odierno and Chiarelli have sharply different modus operandi, personalities, and takes on the conflict, this change deserves greater attention. I spent time with both generals when they headed the First Cavalry and Fourth Infantry Divisions respectively, and they couldn't be more different.
Let's get right to the papers.
NEW YORK TIMES
John Burns reports on John McCain in Baghdad calling for a surge of U.S. troops to Iraq or "the results are going to be inevitable, in my view," meaning the U.S. loses and Iraq becomes a terrorist safe haven. Lots of blunt talk from McCain here.
Also from Baghdad, Edward Wong reports on Iraqi political infighting stalling implementation of a national oil law that would clear the way for advanced development of Iraqi oil fields. The Kurds appear to be the chief impediment because they want to decide - not the central government - which companies get the big oil contracts in northern Iraq.
From Washington, Thom Shanker and Michael Gordon report on U.S. military commanders appealing for a larger U.S. military force. The Washington Post story on this topic is a better read.
The White House is upset with Democratic Senator Bill Nelson for going to Damascus and meeting Syrian President Bashar Assad, writes Sherl Gay Stolberg from Washington.
The first of two strong Iraq-related enterprise stories in the NYT comes from James Glanz, who writes from Baghdad on a U.S. citizen and former Iraqi minister of electricity who's imprisoned and facing corruption charges in Iraq.
Buried in the Metro section is a fascinating profile of a Palestinian woman, Fadwa Hamdan, who's months into her stint with the U.S. Army after a traumatic journey from Jordan to Saudi Arabia to Queens, New York. Andrea Elliott reports.
"Home of the Brave" - a new movie about a soldier's struggle in Iraq and after returning home - receives a harsh review by Stephen Holden. He writes the movie "feels both premature and hopelessly stale: premature because so many thousands of American troops remain in Iraq with no timetable for an exit, and stale because the drama suggests a pallid imitation of the real thing so easily found in documentaries like "The War Tapes."
WASHINGTON POST
Ann Scott Tyson provides rich quotes up high from Army Chief of Staff Peter Schoomaker as he literally pounded on a table during a House committee hearing while he insisting it's "not right" that the Pentagon, in his view, has been habitually under-funded to fight in Iraq and to maintain fighting forces.
The U.S. won't make nice with Iran or Syria, Condoleezza Rice told the Washington Post in an interview. Gleen Kessler and Robin Wright pen the story.
From Baghdad, Sudarsan Raghavan reports on the latest wave of kidnappings and killings there.
The first of two WP op-eds comes from Charles Krauthammer, who says the Baker-Hamilton ISG plan was a blunder, calls on Bush to surge troops in Iraq and to marginalize Sadr and his Madhi Army.
From Damascus, columnist David Ignatius says the Syrians are embracing the ISG recommendations and are prepared to talk about peace with Israel. Ignatius calls on Washington to engage Syria.
USA TODAY
Tom Vanden Brook reports that flame-retardant military uniforms will be available to all troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by early 2007 - a potentially life-saving development when troops are being hit with fire-making bombs.
David Jackson reports on Bush seeking more Iraq plan ideas. This comes in two links. The story and a rundown of the options the president is hearing.
Barbara Slavin reports on the Sunni Iraqi VP saying Bush wants a more moderate Iraqi leadership (code for get Sadr out).
There's a no-byline feature from Baghdad on the Iraqis uniting to cheer on their national soccer team as its takes on Qatar in the gold medal match of the Asian Games Friday.
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Bush is leaning toward a short-term troop surge in Iraq, while Dems and others oppose such a move. So report Yochi Dreazen and Greg Jaffe from Washington.
On the editorial page, the paper urges Bush to ignore the ISG recommendations and instead work with Iraqi leaders (most of whom oppose the ISG report) to figure out how to go forward in Iraq.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
From Tehran, Scott Peterson reports on the merits of whether the U.S. should try to appeal for Iranian help to make things right in Iraq. The bottom line seems to be it's probably not worth the price.
