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A radical organization known as the Pacific Educational Group (PEG) is actively promoting Derrick Bell’s Critical Race Theory in public elementary and high schools nationwide, with an intense focus on what PEG calls “Systemic Racism.” With the approval of the Obama administration, and under the guise of closing achievement gaps between black and white students, PEG is promoting teaching methods that discourage “black and brown” students from conforming to an inherently “white” -- and therefore racist -- curriculum. PEG also encourages teachers to conform to the presumed cultural backgrounds of students, rather than focusing on norms of assessment and accountability....

It is difficult to find a simple review of Critical Race Theory, the mantra and thought-child of Professor Derrick Bell, because CRT is a scholarly theory usually discussed by academics who communicate using scholar-speak. The Breitbart release of the video showing then-student Barack Obama embracing Bell both philosophically and physically is the news item of the day. The question being debated is whether the content of this video is a political bombshell or a yawner. The only way to answer that particular question is to have a working understanding of Critical Race Theory. You have to know what Obama was...

So, what does CRT believe? In their primer, Critical Race Theory, Richard Delgado (one of the movement’s founders) and Jean Stefancic set out some basic principles: 1. “Racism is ordinary, not aberrational”; 2. “Our system of white-over-color ascendancy serves important purposes, both psychic and material.” When taken together, these principles have serious ramifications. First, they suggest that legal rules that stand for equal treatment under law – i.e. the 14th Amendment – can remedy “only the most blatant forms of discrimination.” The system is too corrupted, too based on the notion of white supremacy, for equal protection of the laws...

The back-and-forth between CNN’s Soledad O’Brien and Breitbart.com Chief Editor Joel Pollak continued on this morning’s Starting Point, as O’Brien sought to dispel misinformation about the late Professor Derrick Bell and Critical Race Theory, which have been the subject of smears by the Big sites. After a tough interview with O’Brien last week, Pollak’s Big sites went on a vengeful tirade against the CNN anchor, posting a flurry of articles seeking to discredit her, and promoting their warped vision of Prof. Bell. Last week, Breitbart.com released one of the “bombshell” videos that the late Andrew Breitbart promised at this years...

Via Dan Riehl and Ace, this almost too good to check. Go read Rebel Pundit’s post for an explanation, then skip to 2:00 below. (If you missed Ed’s post this morning, by all means watch the whole thing.) After sneering at Joel Pollak for supposedly mischaracterizing the discipline and then refusing to define it herself, she finally demonstrates her grasp of Critical Race Theory by uncorking a definition that’s curiously similar to … the opening of Wikipedia’s intro on CRT, replete with the noncolloquial use of “intersection” to describe an interdisciplinary study. Could be a coincidence — the definition she...

Whenever Fox News host Glenn Beck speaks critically of billionaire George Soros, someone accuses him of anti-Semitism. But when Soros uses similar imagery, those same viewers keep quiet. According to a post by Alana Goodman for Commentary magazine’s blog Contentions, the group Jewish Funds for Justice has refused to condemn Soros, after publicizing a public letter last month calling for Fox News to sanction Glenn Beck for making Holocaust references on his program. “The group told me that Soros’s comments were misinterpreted, and he did not, in fact, claim that Fox News was using Nazi tactics during his interview. Instead,...

President Obama yields to no one, bows his knee to nothing and when criticized, typically rebounds by sending detractors an undeniable communiqué. In fact, Obama oftentimes reacts to public disapproval by wresting control back from what cannot be controlled through defiant words or actions. According to Democrat pollster Doug Schoen, the upcoming midterm election is an obvious referendum on President Obama's abysmal job performance. The poll Schoen cites indicates "56 percent say [Obama] does not deserve to be re-elected." If accurate, Barack is about to receive a major pummeling at the ballot box, but plans to reestablish his supremacy by...

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 8) - ISAF forces concluded a small-scale, rapid-response aerial delivery test last week, validating a new way to get mission-critical supplies to Afghan and ISAF forces on the ground. The U.S. Third Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) and 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) spent two weeks planning and evaluating the most effective way to get supplies on the ground safely when landing an aircraft is not practical. "We are exploiting a niche in aerial delivery tactics in order to resupply Marines under all conditions," said Maj. Sam Schoolfield. The Marines pushed more than 1,300 bottles of water bundled...

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2010 – As some 1,500 Afghan leaders participate in President Hamid Karzai’s peace council to discuss how to reconcile with insurgents, the commander of NATO’s Regional Command East said today he has seen increasing evidence that former fighters want to put down their arms and rejoin Afghan society. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, who also commands Combined Joint Task Force 82, said virtually all 14 provinces within his area of responsibility are experiencing a common phenomenon. Increasing numbers of Taliban fighters “have made contact and want to come back to their community,” he said. “And we’ve...

SACRAMENTO (CBS 5 / AP) ― Meg Whitman, the Republican front-runner in the California gubernatorial primary, said Tuesday that Arizona is taking the wrong approach to illegal immigration with its tough new law. The former eBay chief executive said there are more effective approaches than requiring law enforcement officers to question people about their status if they suspect they are in the country illegally. "I think there's just better ways to solve this problem," Whitman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I'm a big believer in, 'What are the two or three things that will make the...

BAGHDAD – U.S. Soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces conducted an exercise here at Contingency Operating Station Falcon, April 15, incorporating an array of techniques the ISF can utilize in future situations.The Soldiers, from 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, and members of the 2nd Iraqi Federal Police Division, demonstrated their ability to assault an objective, perform first aid, evacuate casualties by either air or ground and perform riot control procedures. "Today we had a capabilities exercise demonstration where we brought together all the partners from 2nd [FP]," said Maj. Michael Sullivan, operations officer...

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2010 – The massive amount of equipment and supplies being sent to support troops in Afghanistan is a historic logistical effort critical to mission success there, the Defense Department’s undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics said today. “I think it’s fair to say that there’s never been, like in these months that we’re witnessing right now, as dramatic a logistics effort as we see in Afghanistan,” Ashton B. Carter said during a conference on defense logistics modernization at The Center for Strategic and International Studies here. From the ramp up of airlifts, sealifts and ground supply lines,...

KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 11, 2009 – The U.S. military role remains critical to preserving gains made in Iraq and helping to prevent sectarian violence in the roll-up to Iraq’s national elections, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told about 300 soldiers and airmen at a town hall session today at Forward Operating Base Warrior. “Whether you are just rotating in, or rotating out, you may have noticed that this theater has largely disappeared from the headlines,” Gates said, calling it the result of tremendous contributions U.S. servicemembers have made. “That doesn’t mean that this theater is not important,” Gates told the...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2009 – The director of a Muslim veterans organization said he welcomes Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ announcement today of a Pentagon probe into the attacks at Fort Hood, Texas, calling it a matter of national security. Qaseem Ali Uqdah, executive director of the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, and a retired Marine gunnery sergeant, credits military leaders with establishing a climate that’s prevented any backlash against Muslims servicemembers since the Nov. 5 shooting. Gates announced a sweeping review today that will look into events leading up to the rampage that left 13 people...

CONDITION IS CRITICAL: LIBS August 18, 2009 WASHINGTON -- Liberal supporters of President Obama were up in arms yesterday over signs from the White House that it was ready to pull the plug on a key aspect of its health-reform plan -- creation of a government-run insurance program. "You really can't do health reform" without the so-called public option, said Howard Dean, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a medical doctor. In a statement that cited strong House support for a government-run plan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said, "A public option is the best option to lower costs,...

BAGHDAD — Maya road, the major access road just outside the Victory Base Complex (VBC) here, opened to traffic, Aug 1. For the past three months, the formerly pothole-plagued dirt path underwent a complete overhaul. It is now a smooth concrete means of travel for both military and Iraqi civilian traffic. One of the greatest achievements of this construction project is that it will now reduce the footprint of Coalition forces in line with the June 30 Security Agreement. "It is not only an easier means of travel, it also keeps military traffic out of the cities," said Capt. Steven...

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2009 – Active and reserve Army chaplains are playing a critical and strategic role in Iraq, a chaplain serving with Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq said this week. “Our troops are working tirelessly and selflessly to create a trusted and viable security force,” Army Chaplain (Maj.) William Steen said during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable June 23. “However, the work, family separation and the long hours all take their toll on our troops.” Steen discussed how the military is helping soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines cope with the physical, mental and emotional stress while deployed in Iraq. Chaplains...

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2009 – The next 18 months will be crucial in Afghanistan, the new commander of NATO and U.S. forces there said today. “I think that the next 18 months are probably a period in which this effort will be decided,” Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal told Tom Bowman in a National Public Radio interview. “I don't think it will be over. But I think that not only the American people, I think the Afghan people are looking and deciding which way this will go.” McChrystal took command of coalition and U.S. efforts in Afghanistan on June 15....

And now, again, we wait. This wait, though, is different. This time, Minnesota's U.S. Senate race is in the hands of five state Supreme Court justices. The state has grown uncomfortably accustomed to waiting in the nearly seven months since voters went to the polls. And voters, who have been represented by just one senator since January, still don't know for sure if Democrat Al Franken or Republican Norm Coleman will walk those hallowed Senate halls. But in a race that has lasted weeks past its expected expiration date, Monday was a big day.

Omaha Police Officer Paul LatscharFahey asked that the citizens of Omaha pray for Latschar. The 8-year veteran of the Omaha Police Department was shot and critically wounded last night in north Omaha. Latschar is a member of the department's gang unit. He was wounded just before 11 p.m. during a traffic stop at 42nd Street and Camden Avenue. The officer was hit in the lower abdomen and arm, according to people with knowledge of the officer's injuries who spoke on the condition that they not be identified. Lt. Darci Tierney, a police spokeswoman, said two officers were conducting a traffic...

On Saturday morning just before 9am, KCMO police were called to the Bank of America, 8320 North Oak Trafficway, in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival officer's located a black male (approx. 20yrs old) in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. It appears he was attempting to rob two victim's at gunpoint near the ATM when one of the victim's brandished a handgun and shot him in self defense. Both victim's along with several witnesses are being interviewed in regard. Anyone who may have witnessed...

FORT HUACHUCA — With Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano’s signature on Senate Bill 1387 additional protection for critical electronic ranges on Fort Huachuca now requires notification of any potential impact to the fort by any building or developing property proposal close to those military facilities and allows the military the right to object. With her signature on the bill on May 12, Napolitano set into motion amendments to existing state law specifically providing an additional level of protection to military installations in Arizona. The main sponsor of the bill was State Senate President Tim Bee, whose district includes the post. Because...

PUERTO MONTT, Chile (Reuters) - A towering plume of ash from an erupting volcano in Chile's remote Patagonia could collapse back down to devastate the surrounding area, a leading expert warned on Friday. Luis Lara, a geologist and volcano expert with the government's geology and mining agency Sernageomin, says his models show the vast column of ash, which has soared 7.5 miles into the air, at a critical stage. A sudden collapse would shroud vast areas with hot gas, ash and molten rock, killing anything in its way. Authorities have evacuated thousands of people from the immediate vicinity of Chaiten...

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2008 – Vice President Richard B. Cheney commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Defense Initiative last night, pressing for a renewed U.S. commitment to a national missile defense system to protect against current and future threats. Speaking here to the Heritage Foundation, Cheney recalled former President Ronald Reagan’s 1983 proposal to create a shield of ground- and space-based systems to protect the United States from incoming strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The Defense Initiative Organization stood up to oversee the program, which came to be nicknamed “Star Wars,” after the popular space movie series. The concept...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2007 – Three months after taking the helm of a military that has been at war for six years, Joint Chiefs Chairman Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen said U.S. troops are performing “magnificently,” but added that he is concerned about stress on ground forces. “They know they’re good at what they’re doing. Yet they are clearly under enormous pressure, as are their families. And we’ve got to (get) that balance right and work as hard and fast as we can to get the cycle time down,” he said in an interview. The Army’s 15-month-long rotations are...

HAVANA - Cuba announced Tuesday it has set Jan. 20 for national elections that are part of the process of determining whether ailing leader Fidel Castro continues as president. The ruling, signed by interim leader Raul Castro and read on state television, set the date for elections to provincial and national assemblies — voting that is held every five years. There was no explicit mention of Fidel Castro, but the 81-year-old leader of the Cuban Revolution must be re-elected to the national parliament before he could repeat as president of the Council of State to remain in full power. Raul,...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2007 – “Getting the next part right” in Iraq is critical to America, and forthcoming steps there must capitalize on opportunities created by the troop surge, project U.S. might and show long-term commitment, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, left, and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conduct a press briefing at the Pentagon, Sept. 14, 2007. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. During a briefing at the Pentagon with Marine Gen. Peter...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2007 – Despite the debate about how effective and efficient the Iraqi government is, the United States must stay committed to helping Iraq’s democracy succeed and become a partner in the war on terror, President Bush said here today. “The fundamental question facing America is, ‘Is it worth it?’” Bush said at a White House news conference. “Does it matter whether or not we stay long enough for an ally in this war against radicals and extremists to emerge? My answer is, it does matter. Long-term consequences will face our country if we leave before the...

BASRAH, Iraq, June 27, 2007 – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South District’s rehabilitation of the railway station here is part of the effort to build and develop Iraq’s basic services and strategic infrastructure. The new platforms and sidewalks constructed at Basrah Railroad Station by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South will provide travelers easy access as they come into the station. Photo by A. Al Bahrani  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “The $480,000 project provides a critical link for the country of Iraq and it ties the southern portion of the...

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2007 – Supporting the global war on terror remains U.S. European Command’s top priority, but the command also is striving to strengthening partnerships within the region and in Africa, the command’s leader said today. EUCOM’s strategy of “active security” is aimed at defeating transnational terrorists and violent extremists who threaten the United States, its allies and U.S. interests, Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock told Senate Armed Services Committee members during a hearing on the command’s fiscal 2008 budget request. The goal, Craddock said, is to deny enemies of the United States the freedom to operate and...

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2007 – Despite a desire for U.S. forces to ultimately leave Iraq, Iraqi leaders recognize the need for international support until their military is capable of operating independently, the Iraqi government’s official spokesman said today. “The fight is beyond the capacity of the Iraqi troops,” Ali Aldabbagh told “bloggers” and online journalists during a conference call today. When members of Iraq’s national assembly state their opposition to the long-term presence of international forces, he said, they do so without specifying a particular time for their withdrawal. Any timetables they might prescribe, he noted, apply to the...

NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE NEW LONDON, Conn., April 18, 2007 – Ground operations in the Middle East may dominate national headlines, but the 107-year-old submarine force is a critical part of current and future U.S. operations, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a meeting here yesterday with Submarine League members. "All too often I meet submariners or I meet others associated with undersea warfare and there seems to be thought processes out there that this area of business may not be as important because so much is going on in places like Iraq and Afghanistan,"...

Iran's clerics critical of top leader TEHRAN, March 16 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is facing increased criticism from his country's political and religious authorities. Ayatollah Yousef Sanei, a close associate of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, criticized Ahmadinejad for "unnecessarily spurring international enmity" toward Iran, the Washington Times reported. "We must bear in mind that not everyone is our enemy," Ayatollah Sanei told the Kargozaran newspaper. "Undue enmity with enemies does not serve the interests of the system." The newspaper said unelected clerics hold ultimate authority in Iran. Former CIA official Graham Fuller says the "upper echelons" of...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2007 – Developing a modern, professional police force that enjoys the confidence of all Iraqis is critical, a senior U.S. military officer based in Baghdad said today. “Our primary focus is on supporting (Iraqis) in building their political and security institutions,” Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, told reporters at a news conference in Baghdad. The eight Iraqi police brigades will be integral to security, Caldwell said. “There are still challenges to be overcome in the training and equipping of the Iraqi Police Service, National Police, and Department of Border Enforcement,”...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2007 – Acknowledging the immense security challenges in the Middle East, President Bush’s pick for command of U.S. forces there said today that he is eager to work with U.S. troops in the region and is optimistic about the future of Iraq and Afghanistan. “I’m under no illusion regarding the magnitude of the task and the challenges we face in this region of the world,” Navy Adm. William J. Fallon said at his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing to become commander of U.S. Central Command. “From Beirut to Kashmir, conflict and areas of instability abound....

Iraqi Marines Learn Critical Maritime Security Skills By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Mark Watson U.S. CENTCOM Public Affairs NORTH ARABIAN GULF, Nov. 7, 2006 -- While the world focuses on the land war in Iraq, its nearby coastal waters have long been another active front in helping to provide security and stability.Only miles offshore, near the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr are ships belonging to the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and other coalition forces. Sailors on these ships patrol the waters conducting maritime security operations and help train Iraqi marines on procedures for boarding vessels to help secure their...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2006 – The same globalization that’s created vast opportunities for economic growth and information sharing among freedom-loving people has become a favorite tool of terrorists trying to destroy their way of life, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told industry representatives here yesterday. Speaking at the Military Communications Conference 2006, England called rapid technological change, and particularly the ways it can be abused, “the fundamental technical and operational challenge of our time.” Terrorists are “technologically very savvy,” he said, and see no conflict in using their technological expertise to close doors it’s helped opened. “Though they aim to...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2006 – Settling for less than victory in Iraq would embolden terrorists and invite more attacks on the American people, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told civilian business, academic and local government leaders today at the Pentagon. The secretary welcomed 45 civilian leaders from throughout the nation before they leave later today for a weeklong trip to the Middle East through the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference that will offer a firsthand look at the military at work in the war on terror. This asymmetric conflict against non-state actors who operate largely in ungoverned areas poses a far...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2006 – Winning the global war on terror requires a national consensus, with support demonstrated in actions as well as words, the Army’s chief of staff told hundreds of soldiers and defense industry representatives here yesterday. That means ensuring troops on the front lines have what they need to succeed, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker told attendees at the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting. Soldiers have a reasonable expectation that their country will ensure they’re trained, equipped and resourced for the missions they’re called to conduct, the general said. “This resonates loud and clear,” he said....

WASHINGTON — Iraq’s future success depends on the ability of its provinces to assume control of their governance, their security and their prosperity, the spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said today in the southern Iraqi city of Hillah. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell spoke today during a meeting with the Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team, one of seven PRTs up and running in Iraq. Two of the seven PRTs, in Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, are slated to be inaugurated later this week and the following week, respectively, he said. Ultimately 10 PRTs will be operating around the country. Caldwell noted progress...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2006 – Iraq’s future success depends on the ability of its provinces to assume control of their governance, their security and their prosperity, the spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said today in the southern Iraqi city of Hillah. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell spoke today during a meeting with the Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team, one of seven PRTs up and running in Iraq. Two of the seven PRTs, in Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, are slated to be inaugurated later this week and the following week, respectively, he said. Ultimately 10 PRTs will be operating around the country....

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2006 – As he leads the Defense Department through challenging times, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said during an interview that aired over the weekend that he and his senior military leaders have the utmost confidence in the men and women in uniform waging the war on terror. Rumsfeld echoed the words of Army Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, during a wide-ranging interview with CNN. He acknowledged the “absolutely amazing job” the troops are doing in Iraq “and how dedicated they are and how patriotic they are, how proud they are of...

Simms In Critical Condition Skip directly to the full story. A Tribune staff report Published: Sep 24, 2006 Bucs QB Chris Simms was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in critical condition because of injuries suffered in today's loss to the Carolina Panthers. The nature of his injuries has not yet been disclosed. Simms briefly left the game in the third quarter to take treatment for deyhdration. He returned and and helped the Bucs rally from a 17-point deficit, though they ultimately lost, 26-24. After the game, Simms was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph's, which is near Raymond James Stadium....

NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenya stepped up criticism of US Senator Barack Obama, accusing him of insulting the Kenyan people and trivializing their achievements during a visit to his father's homeland. Two days after abruptly changing its tone on Obama, who had been welcomed as a returning hero but incurred official wrath with blistering criticism of corruption and ethnic divisions, Nairobi launched a new attack on the lawmaker. Less than 24 hours after the rising US political star left Kenya to continue an African tour, government spokesman Alfred Mutua blasted Obama for choosing "to dwell on non-issues" in a nationally televised...

8/8/2006 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Eighteen Airmen ensure there is no peace here, because silence at Balad Air Base would mean chaos. The power production team's work is audible and emitted by the drone of 200 Air Force generators fueled by 7,000 gallons of fuel a day and immeasurable amounts of sweat and work hours. "I'm not going to lie," said Staff Sgt. Kristopher Oyen, 332nd Air Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron power production. "The work can be punishing." The generators run continuously, supplying power to three critical areas: the Air Force Theater Hospital, airfield and communications squadron....

WASHINGTON, August 3, 2006 – The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East told Congress today he’s “rarely seen it so unsettled or so volatile” and urged continued regional and coalition pressure to confront problems before they escalate further. Army Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, joined Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The leaders expressed concern about growing sectarian violence in Iraq, particularly in Baghdad. Abizaid called the violence “as bad as I’ve seen it” and warned...

7/13/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- A C-130 Hercules crew assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron provided critical support to an Army operating location in Afghanistan on July 6 by airdropping essential supplies before a potential enemy attack. Aircraft commander Capt. Travis Sjostedt and his crew just completed their last sortie during their 30-day forward deployment to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. But as the crew was preparing the aircraft to return to its main operating base, leaders at Bagram received a message from the theater's combined air operations center that a forward operating base in Afghanistan was short of...

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2006 – Iraq is the central front in the war against terrorism, so it is imperative that the United States and its allies achieve full victory there, President Bush said in Chicago today. "It's hard work, because we face an enemy that will kill innocent people in order to achieve an objective, and their objective is to drive us out of Iraq so they can have safe haven from which to launch attacks against modern Muslim nations, so they can spread their ideology of hate," Bush said during a news conference at the Museum of Science...

SINGAPORE, June 3, 2006 – More nations are freer than ever before, yet freedom is increasingly under assault from violent extremists and rogue nations, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today told defense ministers of Asian and Pacific nations meeting here this weekend. "In the present security environment, cooperation among free nations is not simply desirable, it is critical," Rumsfeld said in a speech at the International Institute of Strategic Studies' Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue. Rumsfeld said this forum is valuable because it allows countries with like interests to meet and discuss transnational issues. "These gatherings...