Free Republic

Developing... Looks like a press conference might happen, doesn't look like Baghdad Bob.

Hussein's 66th birthday? Party is probably over Elaborate celebrations in past marked 'glorious birth of the Arab hero'04/11/2003 From Wire Reports Saddam Hussein's upcoming birthday party is likely to be yet another casualty of the war. The Iraqi president's 66th birthday is April 28. And back in December, the Iraqi newspaper Al-Thawra announced the mother of all parties: "The high committee for the festivities of the blessed anniversary has begun preparations to celebrate the glorious birth of the Arab hero, the president and leader, the victorious by the power of Allah, Saddam Hussein, may God preserve him." It's a day...

Saddam Intl to become George Bush International Airport - post your humor name change proposals here !

Is Hussein trying to force a settlement? If tactics don't work, he wants to die an Arab hero, experts say04/02/2003 By GREGORY KATZ / The Dallas Morning News LONDON – Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, faced with invading forces and round-the-clock bombardment, is pursuing a political strategy designed to turn world opinion against the United States and force a negotiated settlement that leaves his regime in power, experts say. If that plan fails, analysts believe, Mr. Hussein is determined to cement his place in the history of the Arab world by meeting his death as a valiant martyr who stood up...

U.S.-led forces encounter stiff resistance 03/31/2003 Associated Press U.S.-led troops fought pitched battles with Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard within 50 miles of the capital Monday as coalition warplanes pounded the city and dozens of other Iraqi positions in advance of the battle for Baghdad. One U.S. soldier was killed in fierce fighting for control of the south-central city of Najaf. In the closest ground fighting yet to Saddam's seat of power in Baghdad, U.S. troops with the 3rd Infantry Division pushed into the Euphrates River town of Hindiyah on Monday. Iraqi soldiers fired from behind brick walls and hedges with...

<p>BAGHDAD, Iraq ? President Saddam Hussein addressed his nation Monday, urging the Iraqi people and military to be patient with the promise that "victory is soon."</p> <p>"Iraq will strike the necks (of the enemy) as God has commanded you," he said in a nationally televised address. "Strike them, and strike evil so that evil will be defeated."</p>

I got a phone call from the sand box this morning. My son said that news of rallies to support our troops has reached Kuwait. He asked that I thank everyone involved because support from home means the world to our troops.

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole! Journey to the Cross-roads The Two Towers Edition Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!) Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts,...

Texans plan peace rallies today But recent poll finds strong support for Bush, Iraq stance 03/05/2003 By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News War protesters throughout Texas are planning another round of peace rallies Wednesday as part of Books Not Bombs, a nationwide effort focusing on students. Last month, Texas protests attracted thousands. Local organizers hope to have a similar turnout Wednesday. "We made history trying to stop this unjust war on Feb. 15," said Sherry Bollenbacher, a Dallas anti-war organizer. "We must continue to act on our conscience. We must stop this war." However, the rallies...

Posted on Thu, Feb. 20, 2003 Acting outHollywood antiwar sentiment is loud and clear. And so is the opposition.By Beth GillinInquirer Staff Writer AP photo Martin Sheen and James Cromwell turned out for Saturday's protest on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Celebrities do affect public opinion, media experts say. It's the largest outpouring of star-powered anti-war sentiment since the Vietnam War.Barbra Streisand, Martin Sheen, Jessica Lange, Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Martin Scorsese, Sean Penn, Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Ossie Davis, Robert Altman.Some of the country's biggest stars are loudly against invading Iraq.Edward Norton, Tyne Daly, Danny Glover,...

Iraq to begin destroying missiles Saturday 02/28/2003 Associated Press UNITED NATIONS - Iraq signaled it will begin destroying its Al Samoud 2 missiles on Saturday as Russia's foreign minister warned his country is willing to veto a war resolution to preserve "international stability." Iraqi sources said Friday that the destruction of the missiles would begin despite grumbling by Baghdad officials who challenged claims that the missile's range violated U.N. limits. The U.N. Security Council is deeply divided over whether to support a U.S.-backed resolution that would authorize war in Iraq, or continue on the path of inspections as a...

Blair gives Saddam 'last chance' to disarm(Filed: 25/02/2003) Saddam Hussein must provide "100 per cent" compliance with United Nations demands on disarmament if he is to avoid war, Tony Blair has told MPs.   Tony Blair, flanked by Jack Straw and Gordon Brown, addresses MPs "This time, Saddam must understand - now is the time for him to decide," the Prime Minister said in a Commons statement."Passive rather than active co-operation will not do. Co-operation on process but not on substance will not do. "Refusal to declare properly and fully what has happened to the unaccounted for weapons of...

Hussein calls for debate with Bush Iraqi leader also tells CBS anchor he won't destroy banned missiles 02/25/2003 Associated Press BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on Monday challenged President Bush to an internationally televised debate and indicated that he did not intend to follow U.N. orders to destroy his al-Samoud 2 missiles. In an interview with CBS anchor Dan Rather, Mr. Hussein said he envisioned a live debate with Mr. Bush along the lines of those in a U.S. presidential campaign, CBS said on its Web site. Regarding chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix's order that Iraq...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 — Iraq said today that it was reluctantly studying a new United Nations demand to begin destroying missiles and rocket engines, but the Bush administration said that even the weapons' destruction would not be convincing evidence that Iraq would disarm fully. In Tokyo, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said he expected the United Nations Security Council to vote on a new Iraq resolution, expected to authorize force, shortly after March 7. A decision on going to war would come soon thereafter, American and British officials said. Iraqi officials said they were studying a United Nations demand...

    U.S. Says It's Deadline Time for Iraq to Disarm Feb. 23 — By Hassan Hafidh BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States warned on Sunday it was deadline time for Iraq to disarm or face war as Baghdad said it was seriously considering U.N. demands to begin destroying its al-Samoud 2 missiles by March 1. "We are reaching that point where serious consequences must flow," said Secretary of State Colin Powell, using Washington's language for war as the missiles became a major test of Iraqi compliance with the United Nations. Powell, a driving force behind a new U.S....

Bush tries to bolster Iraq case U.S., Britain working on resolution to show Baghdad's defiance 02/23/2003 By G. ROBERT HILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News CRAWFORD, Texas - Entering a final diplomatic phase, President Bush said Saturday that the new resolution being prepared for the U.N. Security Council will state "in clear and simple terms" that Iraq is thwarting the U.N. demand to disarm. With Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar at his side, Mr. Bush also challenged other world leaders who have been reluctant to go to war. In testing times, he said, "we discover who is willing...

<p>BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Half of the U.N. humanitarian staff in Iraq has left the country over the last two weeks to make a possible evacuation easier in case of war, a U.N. official said Friday. Out of about 900 foreigners working for U.N. aid programs in the country, about 450 have left after a recommendation from headquarters in New York, the official said on condition of anonymity.</p>

Is it gauche to despise French over politics? "We have a massive love-hate relationship ... " 02/21/2003 By MICHAEL E. YOUNG / The Dallas Morning News Angered beyond the breaking point by a swaggering leader who refuses to listen to reason, furious at a nation that dares disdain the culture and values of the United States, many in America have decided to declare war - against France. Yep, with battle imminent against Iraq, home of Saddam Hussein, it turns out that in many minds the real enemy is our oldest ally, the French. From barbs in talk show monologues...

<p>"Last weekend, across Europe and America, somewhere between 1 million and 2 million people marched against a war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. All protests against war are ultimately ethical in nature, and Saturday's placard-wavers did not break with tradition: "Give Peace a Chance," "Make Tea, Not War," "Bush and Blair -- the Real War Criminals." These are statements of sentiment, not power politics, and the sentiment is, or is meant to be, a moral one.</p>

Bush, Blair press U.N. Allies to set deadline, offer new resolution citing Iraqi 'breach' 02/20/2003 Associated Press UNITED NATIONS - Facing global opposition to a rush to war, the United States and Britain will introduce a new U.N. resolution in the coming days and set a deadline for Iraq to cooperate fully with weapons inspectors, Britain's U.N. ambassador said Wednesday. Diplomats said the resolution would declare Iraq in "material breach" of its obligations to disarm, a requirement for any military action. The two allies will present the deadline separately, and they will demand a decision on the resolution in...