the latest news on veterans, the Farm Bill, the emerging church, immigration, prisons, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, oil prices, Burma, Leith Anderson and the NAE, church finances, and select op-eds

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Vietnam veterans. A Stark Reminder of War, 25 Years On"Throngs of veterans gathered on Sunday under a clear sky on the Mall to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a stark symbol of a war that bitterly divided the nation." Vietnam Veterans Memorial rededicated "On Sunday, people in leather jackets bearing remembrance patches and flags weaved among others in faded fatigues as about 10,000 veterans, family members and friends came to honor those who died and those still missing. This year's Veterans Day ceremony -- the culmination of events that began Wednesday -- celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Wall's dedication."

Iraqveterans. Battered returning veterans struggle with transition " A Globe survey of more than 130 members of the battalion found that nearly 60 percent report one or more symptoms of war trauma - anger, depression, nightmares, hypervigilance - even if they have not been diagnosed with the disorder." 23,000 women make military effort in Iraq "The death in Iraq this week of Staff Sgt. Carletta S. Davis of Anchorage vividly demonstrates the evolving role of women in the U.S. military. As one of about 23,000 women deployed to Iraq with U.S. and coalition forces, Davis was the 85th woman to die there when a roadside bomb exploded near her Humvee."

Farm bill. Farm bill fight likely in Senate "The Senate is expected to vote this week on a $286 billion measure to renew farm programs for five more years, despite partisan bickering over how amendments will be added to one of Congress' most complex and costly bills."

Immigration. Dems straddle border; GOP field hawkish "Regardless who wins the White House next year, the issue of how to fix America's dysfunctional immigration system will be waiting like a ticking time bomb in the new president's inbox." Immigration looms as key issue "Among voters who call immigration a "very important" issue in the next election, polling shows that Giuliani holds an advantage over Clinton in a theoretical match-up. And for most of the Republican field, being against any form of illegal immigration has been a winner."

Prisons. Panel may cut thousands of prison terms "Under pressure from federal judges, inmate advocacy groups and civil rights organizations, federal authorities are considering a sweeping cut in prison sentences that could bring early release for thousands of federal inmates. … The far-reaching move is aimed at addressing what is seen as an unfair disparity in federal cocaine laws"

Pakistan . Bhutto's 'long march is illegal' "A planned march by opposition leader Benazir Bhutto from Lahore to Islamabad is illegal, says Pakistan's government." Pakistani bans Bhutto rally "All processions, rallies, political gatherings at present are outlawed," the deputy information minister, Tariq Azim, told the Associated Press. "So if she breaks the law, then obviously she will not be allowed to do it." Musharraf Sets No Date to End Emergency RuleGen. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president, appeared to yield to intense American pressure on Sunday by restoring parliamentary elections in early January, but he said his emergency decree would last at least through then, immediately raising new questions about the vote's legitimacy." So, What About Those Nukes?"Bush administration officials have quietly begun debating - along with the new leaders of France and Britain - just how bad things could get in a country whose nuclear controls are just seven years old and have never been tested by chaos, street turmoil or a violent government overthrow."

Iran . Experts: Danger of nuclear-armed Iran may be hyped "Ahostile country led by anti-American ideologues appears close to developing its first nuclear weapon and, as a U.S. election approaches, the president and his advisers debate a pre-emptive military strike." Iraqi sees thaw in U.S.-Iranian ties "An Iraqi official said Friday that he expected another round of talks this month including his government and those of Washington and Tehran, after the U.S. military freed nine Iranians it had detained in Iraq."

Iraq . U.S. Plan for Iraqi Recruits Stalls"The U.S. effort to organize nearly 70,000 local fighters to solidify security gains in Iraq is facing severe political and logistical challenges as U.S.-led forces struggle to manage the recruits and the central government resists incorporating them into the Iraqi police and army, according to senior military officials."

Oil prices. Oil Price Rise Causes Global Shift in Wealth "High oil prices are fueling one of the biggest transfers of wealth in history. Oil consumers are paying $4 billion to $5 billion more for crude oil every day than they did just five years ago, pumping more than $2 trillion into the coffers of oil companies and oil-producing nations this year alone."

Burma . UN Burma envoy in hunt for 'missing' protesters "A UN human rights envoy today visited a prison for political prisoners at the start of an investigation into the number of people killed and detained when the Burmese junta crushed pro-democracy protests." UN Rights Envoy Visits Myanmar Prison "Reporters saw Pinheiro leave Yangon's Insein prison, where he spent at least two hours. Details of his visit were not immediately known, but the site has over the years held numerous political prisoners, with many former inmates describing torture, abysmal conditions and long stretches in solitary confinement."

LeithAnderson-NAE. Evangelical leader is 'not a politician' - - "Mr. Anderson, 63, is among a group of evangelical leaders who are "just as orthodox in their theology" as leading conservative Christians but think that relating faith to culture is more complex than just a couple of issues,"

Church finances. Is prosperity a blessing from God, or a crime? "Some of the ministers, who are not legally required to respond, have agreed to submit their tax records by Dec. 6. Dollar, however, has taken a stand, announcing that he will consult with lawyers to determine whether the request infringes on constitutional protections of religious liberty."

Emerging church. A force for good "There's a growing buzz about the emerging movement, and depending on your point of view, its robust growth and rising influence are worthy of applause, scorn, or perhaps just puzzlement. Fitting for a movement that eschews hierarchy and dogma, emergents defy simple definition. Perhaps the best one can say is that they're new-style Christians for the postmodern age,"

Op-Eds.

Faith in a Winning Message (Sam Brownback, Washington Post) "Message is all-important. I believe the biggest threat to our future as a movement is a negative public face, when we don't project a welcoming and hopeful message based on an authentic faith. The future of the conservative movement in our country will be strong if we can be moved by genuine faith and love for mankind, but not by political power."

Back from war, out of a job ( Edward M. Kennedy And Max Cleland, Boston Globe) "But all too often, after the parades have ended and the cheers have faded, returning veterans find that resuming life on the home front can be difficult and frustrating. Military service should not make keeping a job, supporting a family or making ends meet harder than before."