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Soldiers turning to illegal drugs to cope

FORT CARSON, Colo., Nov. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. military personnel are turning to illegal drug use to help them adjust to life off the battlefield, it was reported Monday.

Although the Army denies there is increased illicit drug use among soldiers deployed to Iraq, ABC News reported Monday that drug use at Fort Carson is rampant, citing interviews with a dozen soldiers.

The base near Colorado Springs, Colo. is home to about 17,500 active duty personnel, nearly 5,000 of whom are deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Spc. William Swenson, who was deployed to Iraq from Fort Carson, told ABC News "lots of soldiers" returning from Iraq are using drugs.

"Right when we got back, there were people using cocaine in the barracks; there were people smoking marijuana at strip clubs; one guy started shooting up," Swenson said.

Dr. Ian McFarling, acting director of the Army Center for Substance Abuse Programs, said fewer than one half of 1 percent of soldiers in Iraq have tested positive for illicit drugs.

"That's a testament to the kind of leadership we have is that they believe that that's not the place that they should be doing drugs," McFarling said, while conceding the rate is more than 1 percent once they return.

Terror suspects dress as bride and groom

BAGHDAD, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Two wanted terror suspects were dressed as a bride and groom when arrested at a military checkpoint near Baghdad Monday.

An Iraqi Defense Ministry official said the Army set up the checkpoint one week ago in the Taji area, about 12 miles north of Baghdad.

Soldiers at the checkpoint became suspicious of the wedding convoy after they realized all of them were men, except for the bride, who was veiled.

It turned out the bride was actually terror suspect Haider al-Bahadli, decked out in a white bride's dress and veil.

The groom, Abbas al-Dobbi, was also discovered to be a terror suspect.

Clinton comes out on top of Gallup poll

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A new Gallup presidential poll sees Sen. Hillary Clinton with a slight, but not statistically significant, lead over the possible Republican candidates.

The New York Democrat came out ahead of both former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain in head-to-head matchups for the 2008 general election, reported Gallup Monday.

Clinton showed more substantial leads over former Sen. Fred Thompson and former Gov. Mitt Romney.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., also has significant leads over Thompson and Romney, but was tied with Giuliani and just three points up on McCain.

The poll was conducted Nov. 11-14 and used a sample of 897 registered voters nationwide.

Clinton has a five-point lead over Giuliani, 49 percent to 44 percent, and a six-point edge over McCain, 50 percent to 44 percent.

Obama's numbers run similar to Clinton's, although he was even with Giuliani and just three points up from McCain, and has a substantial lead over both Thompson and Romney.

Bush offers toast to peaceful Middle East

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Offering a toast for peace, U.S. President George Bush Monday praised Mideast conferees for trying to help Israel and Palestine reach an accord.

The United States is committed "to all those in the Middle East who wish to live in freedom and peace," Bush said during a State Department-sponsored dinner for diplomats from more than 40 countries, who will meet in Annapolis, Md., Tuesday to begin the latest effort to reach a Mideast peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.

"I'm encouraged by the presence of so many here," Bush said of the countries represented at the Israeli-Palestinian discussions on, among other things, the creation of a Palestinian state.

While extremists and terrorists "want our efforts to fail," the meeting offers "a more hopeful vision of a Middle East growing in peace and prosperity," he said.

After offering a toast of Israeli and Palestinian states existing side by side in peace, Bush walked along the head table, clinking his glass with other dignitaries attending the dinner.