SPB News for Monday.

William Kristol / New York Times:
Fire the Campaign — It's time for John McCain to fire his campaign.

Iran predicts OPEC to cut output 'No one is expecting a production increase' at Nov. meeting: Iran rep.

Term ending, Bush under pressure Administration takes a hit for anything-goes approach to 'war on terror.'

23 days out — McCain to make a Letterman appearance — Good morning — the Sunday speed read: — BREAKING — Dave and Mac make up: CBS announces that Senator McCain will appear on Letterman on Thursday, a makeup from his cancellation of Sept. 24 when he claimed to be suspending his campaign.

European Leaders Agree to Inject Cash Into Banks — PARIS — European financial and political leaders agreed late Sunday to a plan that would inject billions of euros into their banks in a bid to restore confidence to the teetering financial system. — Taking their cue from a rescue plan announced …

Florida Republicans cast blame as McCain trails in polls — John McCain's plunging poll numbers in Florida have top Republicans second-guessing and starting to distance themselves from the campaign. — MEKLAS@MIAMIHERALD.COM — For the first time in more than a decade …

No New Economic Proposal Expected From McCain — WASHINGTON — Despite signals that Senator John McCain would have new prescriptions for the economic crisis after a weekend of meetings, his campaign said Sunday that Mr. McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, would not have any more proposals …

Iraqi government fuels 'war for oil' theories by putting reserves up for biggest ever sale --BP, Shell and Exxon to Meet with Iraq Oil Minister --Unprecedented 40bn barrels up for grabs The biggest ever sale of oil assets will take place today, when the Iraqi government puts 40bn barrels of recoverable reserves up for offer in London. BP, Shell and ExxonMobil are all expected to attend a meeting at the Park Lane Hotel in Mayfair with the Iraqi oil minister, Hussein al-Shahristani. Access is being given to eight fields, representing about 40% of the Middle Eastern nation's reserves, at a time when the country remains under occupation by US and British forces. Two smaller agreements have already been signed with Shell and the China National Petroleum Corporation, but today's sale will ignite arguments over whether the overthrow of Saddam Hussein was a "war for oil" that is now to be consummated by western multinationals seizing control of strategic Iraqi reserves

US seeks more military budget for war? The Pentagon has reportedly proposed a $450 billion increase in the military budget in a move believed to be in preparation for a war. The new military budget estimate for the next five years is expected to be revealed shortly before President [sic] George W. Bush leaves office in January 2009. The fiscal 2010 portion of the estimate includes a $57 billion increase, $30 billion of which would be allocated to a vaguely defined contingency fund [!?!] and $14 billion would be used for replacing or repairing existing military equipment or 'reset and modernization'.

'US using debts to blackmail Iraq' Iraqi MPs say the US is using the country's debts as leverage to force Baghdad into signing the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). "Baghdad is under pressure by Washington to accept the security deal in exchange for clearing all of Iraq's debts," Iraqi lawmaker Mohammed Kamid al-Humedawi told Press TV on Wednesday. The US will be allowed to set up permanent military bases, if Iraq signs the agreement. Under the deal the US forces will also be granted immunity from legal prosecution inside their bases in Iraq.

Ahmadinejad warns of US plundering Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned that Washington's financial meltdown may pave the way for a new era of loot and plunder. Ahmadinejad says the national resources of world countries should not serve as Washington's economic savior. "Washington has long sought to extricate itself from its predicaments by stripping countries of their national resources," he said on Saturday.

North Korea agrees to back down after US nuclear double-cross Work on re-installing nuclear facilities at Yongbyon in North Korea has been halted. North Korea has agreed to continue the dismantlement of all nuclear operations and will allow inspectors access to plutonium and uranium processing areas. The decision came in response to the US decision to remove North Korea from its list of countries which support terrorism. The North Korean government had challenged a binding nuclear agreement after the US failed to remove the country from its enemies list, in spite of promising to do so.

McCain helped businessman buy Fort Ord land for fraction of its market value An Arizona businessman, with help from Sen. John McCain's office, paid the federal government a mere fraction of the market value when he bought a Fort Ord (CA) land parcel in 1999, an Army appraisal obtained by The Monterey Herald shows. Donald R. Diamond, a real estate developer, lobbyist and top fundraiser for McCain's presidential campaign, bought the land for $250,000, though it was valued at $7.2 million, according to Pentagon appraisals made three years before the sale. He held on to the parcel for a little more than two years before selling it and the buildings on it for an estimated profit of more than $18 million.

Republican leaders break ranks with McCain Senior members of the Republican party are in open mutiny against John McCain's presidential campaign, after a disastrous period which has seen Barack Obama solidify his lead in the opinion polls. From inside and outside his inner circle, Mr McCain is being told to settle on a coherent economic message and to tone down attacks on his rival which have sometimes whipped up a mob-like atmosphere at Republican rallies.

Government to inject £40bn into ailing UK banks The cost to the taxpayer of bailing out Britain's weakest banks will escalate tomorrow when the government unveils an injection of at least £40bn into the country's struggling high street lenders. In a sign of the deepening financial crisis, the government is standing by to take majority stakes in Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS, owner of the country's biggest mortgage lender Halifax, and smaller stakes in Barclays and Lloyds TSB.