Free Republic

WITH a single bold act, President Obama could correct the country’s course, help assure his re-election, and preserve our children’s future. He needs to redefine America’s mindset about national security away from the old defense mentality that American power derives predominantly from our military might, rather than from the strength, agility and competitiveness of our economy. He should make it clear that today American jobs and wealth matter more than military prowess. As Adm. Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared last year, “The most significant threat to our national security is our debt.” There are...

It seems fair to ask, when one uses standard liberal catch-phrasing, volunteers for an organization like the NAACP, becomes party to an eminent domain lawsuit to take property from a small business on behalf of the government and is linked to the solicitation of government stimulus funding, just how conservative is said individual? Given that the individual in question is Reince Priebus, currently seeking the RNC Chairmanship and talking like a conservative, how is it that he seems to have so walked the walk of a typical liberal over the years? This was only ten years ago, after all. Certainly,...

Based upon talking to multiple sources over a period of weeks, I've been able to confirm that a deal struck between the Barbours, Henry and Haley, and Reince Priebus, is set to put Nick Ayers in at the RNC as political director to pave the way for Barbour's 2012 Presidential bid. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour is trying to get his southern claws around the RNC as one of his cronies, Nick Ayers, the 28 year old Republican Governors Association Director, is being pumped up to challenge an already embattled Michael Steele. Incoming Republican Governor Association Chairman, Texas Gov. Rick Perry,...

House Republicans are backing away from their pledge to cut $100 billion from the federal budget. GOP aides say Republicans will still look to make significant cuts to spending, but the whole idea of cutting $100 billion was based on the premise that President Obama’s full-year 2011 budget would be enacted. They say the GOP will remain true to its pledge to try to return non-security discretionary spending to 2008 levels, but that their pledges to reduce the budget by $100 billion do not apply to the budget being developed for the second half of fiscal 2011, which ends Sept. 30....

<p>FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The National Rifle Association has endorsed North Carolina Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell in his first re-election bid.</p>

Former President Bill Clinton is welcoming a galaxy of international stars to the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative later this month, including Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, whom Mr. Clinton has vowed to help Senator Barack Obama defeat in November. The event, scheduled to run Sept. 23-26 in New York, is nonpolitical and has featured prominent Republicans in the past, including Laura Bush in 2006. Mr. McCain is to deliver the opening remarks; Mr. Obama, the Democratic nominee, is to address the participants by satellite. “C.G.I. isn’t about politics,” said Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Mr....

Pigeon O'Brien, a friend to Reille Hunter, tells Maggie Rodriguez that John Edwards is still lying about the affair...

BAGHDAD - Iraq’s government welcomed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday with word that it apparently shares his hope that U.S. combat forces could leave by 2010. The statement by Iraq’s government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, followed talks between Obama and Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki — who has struggled for days to clarify Iraq’s position on a possible timetable for a U.S. troop pullout. Al-Dabbagh said the government did not endorse a fixed date, but hoped American combat units could be out of Iraq sometime in 2010. That timeframe falls within the 16-month withdrawal plan proposed by Obama, who arrived...

The statement by an aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki calling his remarks in Der Spiegel "misinterpreted and mistranslated" followed a call to the prime minister's office from U.S. government officials in Iraq. Maliki had expressed support for a withdrawal plan similar to that of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in an interview with Der Speigel. U.S. troops should leave Iraq "As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned," Maliki had said. "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight...

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes." Maliki was careful to back away from outright support for Obama. "Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they...

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told a German magazine that he supports Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office. The apparent endorsement of a cornerstone of Obama’s foreign policy drew swift praise from the Obama camp. But the White House stressed that any timelines are contingent on “security gains” in the region. “U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,” al-Maliki told the magazine Der Spiegel. He said he wants U.S. troops to leave...

BERLIN (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months. In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Maliki said he wanted U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible. "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

African American Muslims are a people that have faced discrimination and fear before and are equipped to play a significant role in pushing back against a new incarnation of cultural discrimination and misunderstanding – Islamophobia, says Faheem Shuaibe. Oakland, California - African American Muslims have a role to play when it comes to the widespread Islamophobia (an irrational fear of Islam) that is prevalent in the West. The unfortunate fact is that some Americans see Muslims as a disease to be rooted out. However, as is the case with immunisation, the "disease" can sometimes also be the source of a...

May 25, 2007, 0:00 a.m. Double Agent KarlMachiavelli takes a look at the immigration bill. By John O'Sullivan From the desk of Nick Machiavelli, Senior Partner, Machiavelli, O’Blarney, Iago, Alcibiades, and Morris, Political Consultants To: Karl Rove, The Smoke-Filled Room, Air Force One, Somewhere in North America My Dear Karl, When Lilith picked up your call on the answering service, I told her firmly that we must not say “I told you so.� And we won’t, really. But since you ask, I don’t think this thing is going to work. Take a look, first, at the coalition you have...

At last. After months of closed-door negotiations and podium-pounding promises of sweeping immigration reform, the Senate and White House announced this week they had managed to set aside partisan politics to give the American people the plan they've been begging for. The result? A ludicrously unworkable scheme that rewards lawbreakers, shakes down taxpayers and ultimately will satisfy few. Except, of course, for 12 million or so illegal immigrants currently in the United States and those who employ them. They're going to love it. One might think so, though with the sense of entitlement we've come to know so well, illegal...

SAN DIEGO- About six Marines will likely be charged in the killing of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha, a congressman said Wednesday.Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., did not know the charges but said they were serious.Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the military would file charges in weeks, not days. He declined to be more specific about the timing.Continues below...

Blow to US as S Korea makes Iraq troops cut By Anna Fifield and Caroline Daniel in Busan, South Korea Published: November 19 2005 02:00 | Last updated: November 19 2005 02:00 South Korea yesterday revealed plans to withdraw about a third of its 3,200 troops from Iraq, an embarrassing diplomatic blow to President George W. Bush only a day after he thanked Roh Moo-hyun, his South Korean counterpart, for helping "democracy flourish" in the Middle East. As the two leaders attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in the South Korean port city of Busan, the South's defence ministry confirmed...

Press Briefing to the Traveling Press Secretary Condoleezza Rice En Route to Shannon, Ireland June 17, 2005 SECRETARY RICE: Welcome aboard. I just want to talk a little bit about the first stop on our trip, which is to go to the Palestinian territories and then also to meet with the members of the Israeli government. And the principal reason for this trip, you’ll remember that the President said that he wanted me to come out before the disengagement and so this is an opportunity to see how the process of coordination is going between the parties as they get...

While listening to the news this evening I had a sobering personal question that had me stunned, and set back, 'about political backstabing. Tom Delay is being accused of taking a trip on Lobby money, "yes we know". But, what we know is not what I am looking for. What truely concerns me is, If a lobby group member "Single Member sponsoring (A) lobby group" knowingly violates the law by tossing in their CC to pay for a trip for a said member of the Government through A lobby group. Without said Government official's knowledge, Can't thee lobby group be...

President Bush is reportedly furious after being betrayed by author Doug Wead, who tape-recorded their private phone conversations, then played the tapes, first for his publisher, then for the New York Times. "Dubya's become a Burning Bush over it," reports the New York Post's Cindy Adams. "And rightly so. With pals like Friend Wead, who needs enemies?" -snip- "Around publishing water coolers it's being whispered and rewhispered that Friend Wead played them for his publisher as a marketing tool," the Post columnist reports. "Marketing for himself, that is." It was Wead's "financial ploy," she says. "The tapes are what got...

Briefing on Situation on Korean Peninsula Held in Mexico Pyongyang, March 4 (KCNA) -- The National Executive Committee of the Workers' Party of Mexico held a briefing on the situation on the Korean peninsula on February 27. At the briefing the recent situation of the Korean peninsula was informed of and speeches were made. Alberto Anaya Gutierrez, coordinator (leader) of the National Executive Committee of the Workers' Party of Mexico, in his speech said that the Korean people are honorably defending the sovereignty of the country and national dignity under the leadership of Kim Jong Il despite the aggression moves...

Why did Gore back Dean?To me, the answer is simple. Gore wants to be the democrat candidate for President in 2004!On Monday morning, there were nine minor candidates seeking the dem nomination, all engaged in and endless and winnerless series of silly debates, with two "maybes," Gore and Sen. Clinton, sitting on the sidelines, trying to figure how they could enter the race but without the silliness or rubbing up against the dwarfs. Dean appeared to be lead dwarf and momentum for him seemed to be building.Gore then jumped in to back Dean. This did little more than give Dean...

Schwarzenegger to Hire Grope Probe P.I. Thu Nov 6, 7:05 PM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo! By JENNIFER COLEMAN, Associated Press Writer SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) will hire a private investigator to look into allegations that he groped women, but he may keep the results from the state attorney general, a spokesman said Thursday. Schwarzenegger's reluctance to turn over the results of the investigation stem from remarks Attorney General Bill Lockyer made earlier Thursday. The Democrat said he advised Schwarzenegger that the misconduct allegations "are not going to go away"...

Sharon Bush is planning to write a tell all on the Bush family, The New York Observer is reporting exclusively in Wednesday's paper. Sharon Bush, the estranged wife of President George W. Bush's younger brother, Neil Bush, has spent two decades with the Bush family. Sharon Bush's spokesman, Lou Colasuonno, told The Observer: "This will be the story of Sharon Bush's life inside one of the most powerful families in America. She witnessed the evolution of a dynasty. She believes, and is prepared to reveal in her book, that the Bushs are far more pragmatic and calculating than has ever...