Quickhits

(WaPo) On the WaPo's front page, they talk about improved tactics against Al Qaeda in Afghan/Pak mentioning spies and informants prominently. (Should insiders be talking about "penetration" on the front pages, and what changed over the last year to give us this "penetration?")

(Guardian) According to the new Latimer book, JK Rowling didn't get a Presidential Medal of Freedom because some Bush officials were worried the Harry Potter books promoted witchcraft. (Probably more worried about Republican base politics than real witches, but what does it say that in the 21st century, so many Americans are concerned about witches?)

(AP) The US is "speeding up" the Iraq withdrawal, from 124,000 to 120,000 by the end of October. (But the US never completely leaves anywhere it fights (except Vietnam.))

(BBC) Richard Holbrooke protege and UN second in command in Afghanistan, Peter Galbraith, is being chased out of office after his support for an election recount.

(Reuters) Beijing is locked down ahead of national day parade. (Nothing says national pride like a police state lockdown.)

And, (NYTimes) Not that you should start listening to him now, but Tom Friedman is getting alot of attention for drawing parallels between the right's treatment of Obama and the Israeli right's treatment of assassinated PM Rabin.