Dr. Who's Reading Room

After a decade of war, the nation that we need to build — and the nation we will build — is our own.

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Barack Obama “Obama declares Iraq war over with all US troops home at year’s end” - TheHill.com by Sam Youngman, 10/21/11

President Obama announced Friday that the U.S. will complete its drawdown of troops by the end of the year, concluding the war in Iraq after almost nine years.

Some of us have been working for this end for nine years. I want to see all the details, especially about PMCs guarding the world’s largest embassy, but this is a positive step. Next up, Afghanistan.

No doubt Obama’s trying to shore up his base. Bring it.

BREAKING: California gay couples can marry again »

Debate is good.

Champagne corks are popping in the Golden State. A federal judge in California has lifted a temporary stay of his landmark decision striking down Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that put a halt to weddings.

Same-sex couples across the state are expected to begin lining up for wedding licenses again nearly two years after voters narrowly approved Prop 8. Still, it’s unclear how long couples will be able to take advantage of the restored right to marry. Prop 8 proponents who are appealing the Prop 8 decision are also likely to appeal today’s ruling on resuming marriages to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

A new CNN poll released yesterday found that for the first time a majority of Americans believe same-sex couples should have the right to legally marry. Fifty-two percent said it should be legal, while 46 percent opposed marriage equality.

Nate Silver at Fivethirtyeight.com has been analyzing recent polling on the issue, and concludes that the rapid shift in opinion toward marriage equality likely means that ”’having the debate’ is helpful to the gay marriage cause.”