European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 12, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                              July 2007 stars and stripes Mideast edition 9 in the states More gop embracing an Iraq troop withdrawal Bill by Anne Flaherty the associated press Washington Olympia Snowe on wednesday became the second Republican to embrace a Bill ordering troops out of Iraq As president Bush National Security adviser tried to Stop defections from the White House War joined Gordon in cosponsoring a Bill that would require troops to Start leaving in 120 the Bill also would end combat by april snows endorsement is a shift for the who in re cent months opposed a similar Snowe had said earlier that shed been considering signing on to the measure be cause the situation in Iraq was growing Given the fact that the iraqi government int pre pared to change its own Politi Cal we should be pre pared to change course with respect to our Strate Snowe said while other republicans were expected to oppose the firm timetable on troop More and More gop members Are calling for the to end combat next at least 10 republicans in recent weeks have said Snowe the should Start reducing the military role in with the latest Challenge to the presidents Iraq strategy coming tuesday from Elizabeth simply our troops have been doing a great but the iraqi government has our commitment in Iraq is not Indef nor should the iraqi government perceive it to it is my firm Hope and belief that we can Start bringing our troops Home in the White House this week revived its outreach Effort to including wednes Days visit by Bush top National Security Stephen who met with More than a dozen the visit came As the White House finalized a 23page Progress report on Iraq that concludes the government in Baghdad has made Little Progress in meeting Reform goals Laid Down by Bush and con earlier this Congress passed a 2007 War spending Bill that identified 18 benchmarks for Polit Security and economic the list was based on promises made by the iraqi government when Bush decided to Send in additional the legislation required Bush to certify by july 15 and again on 15 that Baghdad was making significant strides in meeting the if he Aid dollars must be according to the the Law allows Bush to waive the requirement to Cut White houses Iraq report Points to limited Progress the associated press Washington struggling to defend its Iraq the Bush administration in a 23page Classi fied report will Point to limited Progress being made by the government in Bagh officials told the associated press on the interim which will be presented on Capitol Hill on finds the iraqi government has failed to pass Long promised Laws that washing ton has called key to National co Hesion and economic such As legislation that would fairly Divide Iraq Oil but in a Glasthal full a the report will emphasize that the iraqi government is Mak ing some Progress in about half of the areas identified earlier this year by other areas where Baghdad is not making significant gains will be dismissed As not As critical tothe Lon term Success in the report also will Point to Ward signs of Hope throughout Congress benchmarks to assess Iraq Progress Congress required president Bush to submit a report to lawmakers no later than july assessing the status of the following Bench Marks the iraqi declaring whether Progress toward meeting these benchmarks is or is being forming a constitutional review committee and then completing the r v enacting and implementing legislation on enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution if resources of the people of Iraq without regard to Fine sector ethnicity of t enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form acting and implementing legislation establishing an ind Epen High electoral commission Provin enacting and implementing legation addressing economic in support of the Baghdad Security trained Anh ready if t such As a drop in sectarian killings in Baghdad and opposition to Al Aida by tribal sheiks in Anbar the primary argument will be that lawmakers should wait until september to judge the strategy in but the report also will not try to sugarcoat what any observer can determine on his Lauren Victoria John meets with reporters tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington to discuss changes to his presidential Campaign Mccain struggling to right presidential bid by Liz Sidoti the associated press Washington John Mccain is trying to restart his Campaign the Arizona senator accepted the resignations of his two top aides and elevated a third to Campaign manager tuesday in a dra Matic Effort to save his weakened presidential considered the front runner for the gop Nomina Tion As the year has watched his popularity Tumble and his fundraising dry up As he embraced two of president Bush controversial policies the Iraq troop increase and comprehensive immigration Over the past six Hes tried to reinvigorate his Campaign at several from Roll ing out the straight talk express bus from his 2000 bid to formally announcing his candidacy with a multistage Hes shaking up his staff for the second time in a in determined to continue to face our challenges Headon and Mccain vowing to press on in an email to support Campaign manager Terry Nel son and chief strategist John Weaver offered Mccain their resignations and the Arizona senator accepted them with regret and deep gratitude for their Dedica hard work and several other senior aides Fol Lowed them and stepped Down As by the Campaign announced that Rick who managed Mccain 2000 bid and has served As the current campaigns chief executive will take Nixon Library ends watergate Whitewash As feds take control by Gillian Flaccus the associated press Yorba the privately operated Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace is now under Federal control and re searchers can pour Over Docu ments and tapes detailing the the bad and the after a simple opening ceremony Library officials and docents shared Champagne and cake before moving to the re search room to View newly released Nixon papers and Hyz hours of audio for nearly 20 Library Visi tors were told the watergate scan dal was1 really a coup by Nix on rivals and the investigative reporting team of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein offered bribes for their nation shaking the new Library director is Tak ing some of the Whitewash off the scandal resulting from the breaking at democratic Headquarters in the watergate Complex in Washington and the subsequent White House the re Vised account is a precondition for receiving 42 million pages of the former presidents papers and nearly hours of tapes from the National advertise stars and stripes your Hometown newspaper Contact Fred Schneider email  601 295 Dan 314 3498295 me