Defense

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Sunday that the military would strike back against anyone targeting his country's nuclear facilities. He spoke during a military parade featuring a banner calling for the end of Israel. The parade displayed various Iranian-made missiles. "If anyone allows himself to commit even a tiny offense against Iran's legitimate interests, borders and sacred land, our armed forces will break his hand before he pulls the trigger," Ahmadinejad said at the parade.

Listen up. Anybody can be captain of the hindsight team. Rick Neuheisel's decision to perhaps take Fresno State out of field-goal range in the third quarter by accepting the holding penalty gives your defense an opportunity to keep your opponent from scoring. If you have no confidence in your defense, then that's another story. By the way, when are we to expect some criticism for the supposed defensive guru -- DeWayne Walker? Tim Newhard Irvine A source close to the UCLA marketing department has revealed its next campaign: "If you liked Chick Hearn and like Vin Scully, you'll love Chris Roberts."

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Stopping a third-string quarterback is one thing. Now the Green Bay Packers' depleted defense must face Peyton Manning. The Packers (3-3) came into the season hoping that a strong defense would lead them into the post-Brett Favre era. Instead, they've struggled through a string of injuries, finally snapping a three-game losing streak at Seattle last Sunday. Of course, it didn't hurt that they were facing third-stringer Charlie Frye instead of Matt Hasselbeck. They'll get no such break in Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts (3-2)

Brett Favre's image has taken enough of a hit lately that his wife has come to his defense in her family blog. "This latest round of media scrutiny has been harder, more disheartening and seemingly unending," Deanna Favre wrote. "Brett does not, in any way, hold a vendetta against his former team. But that has not stopped some from scrutinizing his every move and blaming him for so many things that simply are not true. "Some incidents, like the locker room pranks appear funny [but they are still untrue]

With international efforts to increase sanctions against Iran at a standstill, many Israelis believe their nation alone stands in the way of Tehran eventually building nuclear weapons. But officials and analysts in Jerusalem also acknowledge that a unilateral attack is fraught with danger and might fail to cripple Iran's bomb-making abilities. Much of the international community quietly wants Israel to launch a strike, the officials say, but only if it can succeed.

California is fired up about playing for a Pacific 10 Conference title and Rose Bowl berth. USC is fired up by the prospect of playing a ranked opponent that might warrant some respect from the Bowl Championship Series computers. A look at some issues surrounding today's game: Click or pick: USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, the Pac-10's leading passer, has done a lot of damage against hapless opponents, but can he find a groove against a defense that is the national co-leader in interceptions?

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was quoted as saying that Russia had suggested deploying missiles in his former Soviet state to counter a proposed U.S. antimissile system in nearby countries. Lukashenko told the Wall Street Journal that even if Moscow did not deploy the Iskander missiles, Belarus would consider buying them for its own use. He also supported a Kremlin proposal to place the missiles in Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.

The Defense Department conducted a successful test of its missile defense system Friday, taking out a dummy target with an interceptor strike over the Pacific Ocean, an exercise officials hope will build support for the controversial initiative within the incoming Obama administration. Military officials said the test showed for the first time that various radars and defense systems could be used together.

An effort to design the nation's first new nuclear bomb in two decades has run into delays, as top experts question whether a bureaucratic compromise could hamper the new weapon's effectiveness. The Bush administration was expected to select a winning design from two proposals in late November, but officials put off a decision and began considering whether competing teams at two national laboratories could collaborate in a joint effort.

When the Bush administration unveils its annual spending request today, it is expected to ask for a defense budget of $481 billion -- near historic highs, even when adjusted for inflation. It will also ask for additional funding for Iraq and Afghanistan, taking the cost of those wars this year to close to $165 billion, and will present estimates for next year's costs that would push war spending above the total cost of the Vietnam War.