House Democrats splinter over health care

House Democrats split sharply over the issue of health care reform Friday as a key committee chairman said he would not negotiate further with party conservatives worried about spiraling medical costs. A leader of the party’s conservative faction in turn declared that the party’s internal negotiations over health care had failed and warned the party leadership not to ram the current version of the health care bill through by circumventing the traditional legislative process

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The State of Play for Health-Care Reform

President Barack Obama did his best to keep health-care reform on track with his Wednesday evening press conference, but after months of choosing to let Congress manage the day to day details, there is only so much he can do to speed along the process. He continued that effort on Thursday, dispatching chief of staff and former House Democratic Conference Chairman Rahm Emanuel to Capitol Hill to try to ease the concerns of the group of key, fiscally-conservative Democrats known as the Blue Dogs, who are balking at what they view as the high long-term costs of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s health-care proposal. Pelosi is racing to deliver at least one completed health care bill to President Obama ahead of the scheduled August recess.

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‘They circled above and watched U.S. soldiers die in front of them’

The Pentagon has revolutionized warfare during the past decade, making unmanned aerial vehicles, known as UAVs, a staple of modern combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Remotely-controlled drones, such as the Predator and the Reaper, have allowed the U.S.

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Obama forges ahead with health care push

President Obama took his push to overhaul health care to a national audience Wednesday night, but he gave little assurance that Congress would agree to a plan before its August recess. With a voice of urgency, Obama said that if nothing is done, health care costs will double in the next decade and more Americans will lose their coverage.

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Obama, al-Maliki cautiously optimistic about Iraq stability

President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki voiced cautious optimism regarding the situation in Iraq Wednesday, noting greater stability and decreased violence as U.S. troops continue to cede control to their Iraqi counterparts. “I have no doubt that there will be some tough days ahead,” Obama said during a joint appearance of the leaders at the White House.

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Source says some Democrats frustrated with health bill

As President Obama prepares to address the nation in a primetime news conference, some sources say Democratic grumbling about his plan for health care is growing louder. One Democratic senator told CNN that some congressional Democrats are “baffled,” and another senior Democratic source told CNN that those members are frustrated that that they’re not getting more specific direction from him on health care. “We appreciate the rhetoric and his willingness to ratchet up the pressure but what most Democrats on the Hill are looking for is for the president to weigh in and make decisions on outstanding issues,” the senior Democratic congressional source said.

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Obama’s health care push met with pushback

As President Obama steps up his push for health care reform, there is a growing effort to stop it, and rising doubts about how Obama is handling the issue. The president said from the first day of his administration that health care was a top domestic priority, and some observers say he’s taking a risk in addressing the nation through a primetime news conference Wednesday with little to show after months of wrangling. Obama and top Democrats are seeking an overhaul to ensure that health insurance is available to the 46 million Americans currently without coverage while preventing costs to both the government and individuals from continuing to climb.

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