Free Republic

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff will visit California to tour Sacramento's levees and assess the need for federal help, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday after meeting with the secretary. Schwarzenegger said Chertoff made the commitment during a meeting in which the governor pressed him to support a federal disaster declaration for the fragile levee system. Schwarzenegger on Friday declared a state of emergency for the river and delta levees to try to get quick funding to repair them. "He said that he will help, that he will look into it," Schwarzenegger said in an interview with The Associated Press. "He...

Blair commits Britain to war By Toby Harnden and Andrew Sparrow (Filed: 09/09/2002) Tony Blair and President George W Bush have agreed to topple Saddam Hussein by military means even if the United Nations does not pass a Security Council resolution authorising the use of force. The decision, taken at a summit at Camp David, the presidential retreat 60 miles from Washington, commits Britain to an almost certain war that could be launched before Christmas. As part of a co-ordinated Anglo-American strategy, Mr Blair will tell the Trades Union Congress conference tomorrow that any ultimatum would be best delivered by...