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Friday's Mini-Report

<p>Today's edition of quick hits:* Murder charges: "Army Staff Sgt.</p>

Today's edition of quick hits:

* Murder charges: "Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was charged Friday with 17 counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, along with other charges, in connection with a shooting rampage in two southern Afghanistan villages that shocked Americans back home and further roiled U.S.-Afghan relations."

* Syria defections: "A U.N.-appointed panel of human rights experts said Friday it has new information on high-level Syrian military defections, including four brigadier generals, and on doctors ordered to make patients unconscious during hospital visits by Arab League monitors."

* Skepticism about the Iranian threat: "The United States, European allies and even Israel generally agree on three things about Iran's nuclear program: Tehran does not have a bomb, has not decided to build one, and is probably years away from having a deliverable nuclear warhead."

* That ought to be an interesting chat: "The White House says President Barack Obama will meet with Pakistan's prime minister next week as their countries attempt to restart their critical strategic partnership."

* Komen still reeling: "At least five high-ranking executives with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer charity have resigned in the aftermath of the organization's decision to eliminate its funding for Planned Parenthood."

* To put it mildly, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is not on board with an attack on Iran.

* And is the Etch A Sketch story starting to fade? Not if Vice President Biden has anything to say about it.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.