Politics

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Dan Storck of Mt. Vernon, VA dressed as President Abraham Lincoln, marches in the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Alexandria, Va., Monday, Feb. 20, 2012. The Parade which celebrates Washington's 280th Birthday is touted as being the "largest parade celebrating Washington's birthday in the USA." (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Left to right: Nine year-old Brownies Alexandra Friedman, Mary Kate Mull, and Ally DelDonna wave their flags at a George Washington impersonator as he passes by during the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Alexandria, Va., Monday, Feb. 20, 2012. The Parade which celebrates Washington's 280th Birthday is touted as being the "largest parade celebrating Washington's birthday in the USA." (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders spoke at the National Press Club Monday about the progress his city has made over the past few years. (Photo courtesy of the mayor's office)

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D.C. Battalion Chief Richard G. Sterne Jr. at his home in Ijamsville, Md., on Monday, February 20, 2012. Chief Sterne is being threatened with demotion by D.C. Fire Chief Ellerbe. (Rod Lamkey Jr/ The Washington Times)

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Henrique Capriles delivers a speech after winning the primary. The governor of Miranda state is out to end Hugo Chavez's presidency after 13 years. (Associated Press)

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Supporters of Henrique Capriles celebrate in Caracas, Venezuela, on Feb. 12 after he won the opposition's presidential-primary election by a wide margin, setting up an October showdown with the incumbent. (Associated Press)

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Linda and Mike Oliver, center, introduce their 7-year-old grandson Will Maceyak to Donald De Haven, who plays George Washington before the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Alexandria, Va., Monday, Feb. 20, 2012. The parade, which celebrates Washington's 280th birthday, is touted as being the "largest parade celebrating Washington's birthday in the U.S.A." (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (left) meets with leaders of unregistered political parties at the Gorki residence outside Moscow on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Yekaterina Shtukina, Presidential Press Service)

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Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, speaks to the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo on Feb. 20, 2012. At right is Apache Chairman and CEO G. Steven Farris. (Associated Press)

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Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, talks Feb. 20, 2012, at the American Chamber of Commerce in Cairo. (Associated Press)

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pauses while speaking to a group of former Salt Lake City Winter Olympics committee members in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, to mark the 10th anniversary of the games. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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In this citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, anti-Syrian regime mourners carry Feb. 18, 2012, the coffins of three protesters that, according to Syrian activists, were killed by the Syrian security forces during a demonstration at Mazzeh district in Damascus. (Associated Press/Local Coordination Committees in Syria)

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**FILE** Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan attends the OutServe Armed Forces Leadership Summit on Oct. 15, 2011, in Las Vegas. (Associated Press)

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Republican presidential candidate and Texas Rep. Ron Paul speaks Feb. 19, 2012, at Williston High School in Williston, N.D. His appearance was organized by the North Dakota Policy Council. (Associated Press/Williston Herald)

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**FILE** Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak is wheeled into a courthouse on Jan. 22 2012, in Cairo. Mubarak, who stepped down nearly a year ago, is charged along with his security chief and four police commanders of complicity in the killing of protesters during an 18-day uprising. (Associated Press)

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** FILE ** Afghan President Hamid Karzai (left) is greeted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale Palace in Rome on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Italian Presidency, Antonio di Gennaro)

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Mourners carry the coffins of two anti-Syian-regime protesters who, according to activists, were killed by Syrian security forces during a demonstration in the Mazzeh district in Damascus, Syria, on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria)