WASHINGTON

Study says Iraq security forces far from ready

Iraq's security forces will be unable to take control of the country in the next 18 months, and Baghdad's national police force is so rife with corruption it should be scrapped entirely, according to a new independent assessment.

The study, led by retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, is a sweeping and detailed look at Iraq's security forces that will factor heavily into Congress' upcoming debate on the war. Republicans see success by the Iraqi forces as critical to bringing U.S. troops home, while an increasing number of Democrats say the United States should stop training and equipping such units altogether.

The 20-member panel of mostly retired senior military and police officers concludes that Iraq's military, in particular its army, shows the most promise of becoming a viable, independent security force with time. But the group predicts an adequate logistics system to support these ground forces is at least another two years away.

LANSING

Alleged killer investigated for several murders

A suspected serial killer was charged yesterday with open murder in the death of a woman on the city's west side, and more charges could follow in the slayings of five other women.

Matthew Emmanuel Macon, 27, of Lansing, was ordered held without bond during his video arraignment in Lansing District Court after being named as a suspect last week.

Macon, a recent prison parolee and registered sex offender, had been in prison off and on since 2001 before being paroled in late June. He was handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit while standing beside his attorney, Mike O'Briant.

Craig reverses decision to resign Senate seat

To the dismay of fellow Republicans, Sen. Larry Craig launched a campaign to save his seat yesterday, seeking dismissal of an ethics committee complaint and vowing to stay in office if he can withdraw his guilty plea in a men's room sex sting.

Craig's decision to deploy his legal team marked a reversal of his pledge to resign on Sept. 30, and raised the possibility of a protracted legal and political struggle, much of it public.

"I thought he made the correct decision, the difficult but correct decision to resign" over the weekend, said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) after he and Craig spoke by telephone. "That would still be my view today."

Nuclear warheads accidentally flown over U.S.

A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said yesterday.

The incident was so serious that President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates were quickly informed and Gates has asked for daily briefings on the Air Force probe, said Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell. He said, "At no time was the public in danger."

- Compiled from Daily wire reports