Were someone to draw a symbolic representation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s personality, it might be a picture of sharp-edged knives pointing in all directions.

WASHINGTON - A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Eight European leaders voiced deep gratitude to the United States on Thursday and wrote that U.S.-European ties “must not become a casualty’’ of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s attempts to “threaten world security.’’

December 20, 2004

Secretary Powell's Remarks to United Nations

WARSAW, Poland - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Polish counterpart signed a deal Wednesday to build a U.S. missile defense base in Poland, an agreement that prompted an infuriated Russia to warn of a possible attack against the former Soviet satellite.

TOKYO - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday the United States is ready to use the "full range" of its military might to defend Japan in light of North Korea's nuclear weapons test, and her Japanese counterpart drew a firm line against developing a Japanese bomb.

The Obama administration’s challenge to the Arizona immigration statute SB 1070 is not about its popularity, or whether the statute is wise or unwise policy. Legislatures are permitted to enact laws thought unpopular or unwise by others. And as Chief Justice Roberts observed, and the administration’s lawyer agreed, the challenge is also not in any way about civil rights or racial profiling.

CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush is looking at world hot spots from Baghdad to Pyongyang, without leaving Texas. Keeping up an annual tradition, Bush was meeting with his defense and foreign policy teams on Thursday at his ranch, where he is spending August.

WASHINGTON - Robert Gates, seemingly clinching confirmation as the new secretary of defense, said Tuesday the United States is not winning in Iraq and he's confident President Bush will listen to his ideas about forging a new war strategy.

WASHINGTON - Air defenses around the nation’s capital have been strengthened amid a heightened terrorism alert and a warning from CIA director George Tenet that al-Qaida attacks could occur as early as this week, defense officials said Wednesday.

With regard to Secretary Leon Panetta’s fear that reduced defense spending will “hollow out our military,” one must ask why there are currently over 196,000 American military troops stationed in 150-plus foreign countries. Does the money spent to deploy troops in this manner really help secure the shores of the United States of America?

SEOUL, South Korea - Japan and Washington agreed Friday to strengthen cooperation on missile defense amid concerns of a possible long-range rocket launch by North Korea, as U.S. forces wrapped up massive Pacific war games in a show of military might.

WASHINGTON - Air defenses around the nation’s capital have been strengthened amid a heightened terrorism alert and a warning from CIA director George Tenet that al-Qaida attacks could occur as early as this week, defense officials said Wednesday.

Aiming for Saddam Hussein's seat of power, U.S.-led warplanes and helicopters attacked Republican Guard units defending Baghdad on Monday while ground troops advanced to within 50 miles of the Iraqi capital. President Bush put a $75 billion price tag on a down payment for the war.

Prepared text of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's State of the State speech:

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday that he opposes the establishment of a provisional Palestinian state within temporary borders.

President Barack Obama will reportedly use his State of the Union address to call for a five-year freeze on all discretionary government spending outside of national security.

THE WHITE HOUSE

THE WHITE HOUSE

Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, fellow citizens: Every year, by law and by custom, we meet here to consider the state of the union. This year, we gather in this chamber deeply aware of decisive days that lie ahead.

February 2, 2005

Arizona legislators are joining the knock-down, drag-out fight between Boeing and Airbus/Northrop Grumman over who will build the next-generation aerial refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force.

A federal judge has given state and county election officials until the end of the month to finally comply with a court order to make sure that alternate voter registration forms are readily available — forms that do not require proof of citizenship.