To the Point

Iraqi Sectarian Strife

In his latest bid for support of the war, President Bush blamed Saddam Hussein for the sectarian violence that's been wreaking havoc in Iraq and denounced those who call for an immediate pullout of American troops. Today, in Iraq, the bodies of 14 men were found, shot in the head execution style, in a Sunni section of Baghdad. Shiite parties returned to negotiations with Sunnis and Kurds, despite their anger toward US forces and with President Bush himself. Sunnis, meantime, say Shiites are using police and militias in a "dirty war" against them. With the prospects increasing for outright civil war, should the US increase its presence or get out now? What are the chances for a process of "truth and reconciliation?"Making News: Israeli Election UpsetIn Israel, the Kadima Party of acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert won just 28 out of 120 seats in the Knesset. It will be harder than expected for him for form a governing coalition. Meantime, Likkud and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were humiliated. Greg Myre is Jerusalem Correspondent for the New York Times.Reporter's Notebook: Eclipse of the Sun in TurkeyAstronomers, tourists and ordinary people viewed the moon completely covering the face of the sun. Starting at sunrise in eastern Brazil, today's total eclipse swept across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, then up to the Mediterranean Sea, from there to Russia and Central Asia and finally to sunset in northern Mongolia. The last total eclipse, in 2003, was visible only from a part of Antarctica. Former Wall Street Journal reporter Hugh witnessed today's event.