Cursor's Media Patrol: August 18, 2005

The name of "one of the [State] department's rising stars" has reportedly turned up in an indictment in the AIPAC case, as "the first higher-ranking government official to be caught up in the criminal inquiry."

A Washington Post report on a secret memo showing that before the U.S. invaded Iraq, the State Department warned of "serious planning gaps for post-conflict public security and humanitarian assistance," doesn't mention documents revealing that the Bush administration began planning for regime change as early as October 2001.

A decorated Texas Marine has reportedly lost the right to enroll in college at in-state tuition rates because he was out of state, serving two tours of duty in Iraq.

Eric Umansky contrasts the different perspectives revealed in coverage by AFP and the New York Times of the shooting of Iraqi workers by U.S. forces on Tuesday.

"Hardball's" Chris Matthews says that his guests are giving him "two different versions" of the Iraq war, depending on whether they are on or off the air.

Doug Ireland writes that a new study to appear in Foreign Affairs 'shreds the myth' that "market liberalization is the most reliable path to democracy," and sticks "a finger in the eye" of globalization proponents.

"The loss of just a fraction of Iranian oil production either though collateral damage, sabotage or economic embargo could trigger a severe economic global recession," warns Daniel Barkley, who wrote last year that 'Preemptive Strikes Will Not Disarm Iran.'