SPB News for Wednesday.

Matthews rumored as leading Russert replacement.
The Associated Press writes that Hardball host Chris Matthews is a leading candidate to replace Tim Russert as Meet the Press moderator. “Matthews, a relentless talker, would have to change his style to fit in to Russert’s ‘Meet the Press’ reportorial template,” notes the AP. “Matthews’ long history of strong opinions is in stark contrast to Russert’s nimble, middle-of-the road approach — and could be reason enough for NBC to look elsewhere.”

Levin: Pentagon sought tougher interrogations --Senate investigation finds techniques drew warnings from military lawyers Military officials tasked with training U.S. troops to evade enemy interrogations helped Pentagon lawyers devise a list of abusive torture tactics that could be used in prisons like Guantanamo Bay, a top Senate Democrat said Tuesday. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the harsh techniques were pursued despite strong objections in November 2002 by the military’s uniformed lawyers.

Brown: No timetable for British troop withdrawal from Iraq There is no "timetable" for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday. "In Iraq, there is a job to be done and we will continue to do the job and there will be no artificial timetable," Brown said at a news conference he addressed jointly with visiting U.S. President [sic] George W. Bush, following a meeting with him at No.10 Downing Street.

Ex-Army official says fired over KBR audit A former high-ranking civilian U.S. Army official says he was fired in 2004 when he questioned the Iraq war expenditures of military contractor KBR. The official, Charles Smith, said he was ousted from his position as the top civilian overseer of KBR's lucrative contract to supply services to U.S. troops when he refused to sign off on more than $1 billion in questionable spending, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

Police 'brutal' to anti-bush protesters Anti-war protest leaders have accused the police of unprovoked brutality during protests in London to mark a visit by US President [sic] George Bush. Prominent campaigners said scenes of violence in Westminster reflected a growing authoritarian clampdown on the right to peaceful protest. Members of the Stop the War Coalition criticised the Government for apparently allowing the president's security detail to enforce a protest-free "green zone" around his Downing Street visit.

Floods Leave Iowa Swimming In Toxic Brew --Sewage, Farm Chemicals, Animal Waste Infest Water; Potential Levee Breaks Loom As southeastern Iowa prepared for the Mississippi River's wrath, the rest of Iowa began the slow move from protection to cleanup. Where floodwaters remained, they were a noxious brew of sewage, farm chemicals and fuel. Frustrations spilled over at one checkpoint [!], where a man was arrested at gunpoint after he tried to drive past police in his pickup truck... Also mixed into the floodwaters are pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer from Iowa's vast stretches of farmland. In addition to the poison in the water, there are mosquitoes - millions of them spawning in acres of standing water.

Former Senator Mike Gravel Calls for Independent 9/11 Investigation and Prosecution of President [sic] Bush and Vice President [sic] Cheney (Democracy Now!) The former Democratic senator from Alaska discusses his presidential campaign, his role in the releasing of the Pentagon Papers and his support for NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign, a grassroots group seeking to place an initiative on the ballot of the November 6th general election allowing registered New York City voters to create a new commission to investigate 9/11.

Iran withdraws $75 billion from Europe: report Iran has withdrawn around $75 billion from Europe to prevent the assets from being blocked under threatened new sanctions over Tehran's disputed nuclear ambitions, an Iranian weekly said.