Free Republic

When the Cold War ended more than two decades ago, the shadow of nuclear catastrophe lifted on both sides of the Iron Curtain. This year, that era of relative comfort could well draw to a close; alternatively, the West’s efforts to prevent that from happening could trigger a crisis of such gravity that countless millions will be affected. If that sounds like an alarmist prognosis, consider the situation in Iran. Despite an ever-tightening net of economic sanctions – not to mention a covert campaign of sabotage – Iran is drawing inexorably closer to achieving the ability to build nuclear weapons....

Joe Biden’s May 6 speech to the European Parliament appears to have been largely ignored by the American media, both old and new. The full performance can be viewed below. The video comes complete with images (at 0:18 of the clip) of Biden puffing out his chest as Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the unofficial EU anthem, is played. ----click on link for amazing video and analysis

As Joe Biden gaffes go, this one’s a …medium. Biden saluted Brussels, Belgium in the opening of his address to the European Parliament with the traditional, obsequious praise all speakers offer to another country when addressing their legislatures — well, almost all, anyway. However, as Biden is wont to do, he goes overboard, and in the process denigrates his peers in the American political system and his own country:

Even though we refer to Washington, D.C. as the capital of the free world, Vice President Joe Biden suggested Brussels – in Belgium – may well have claim to that title. But would Brussels still exist as a capital for not the allied forces in World War I and World War II? Read the full post including Biden's remarks on video...

From Il Corriere della Sera: Call for directive to prevent episodes like Duomo demonstration in Milan from happening again ROME – Places of worship, supermarkets and shopping malls will join public institutions, political party headquarters and diplomatic premises as being off-limits for demonstrators. Organisers will also have to pay a deposit as a guarantee against damage.NEW RULES – Interior minister Roberto Maroni has proposed new rules for public demonstrations, revealing that he is working on a directive to be sent to prefects and chiefs of police. A week ago, the minister explained to a hearing of the Senate’s constitutional affairs...

American Patrol Report Letter to Supreme Court Justices I am writing about a possible threat to all of humanity. Under present law the President of the United States has sole authority to authorize the use of nuclear weapons. The possibility of holding the fate of the entire human race in ones hands is an awesome responsibility. The person to whom we grant that responsibility must be of the highest moral and ethical character. While the popular vote is a necessary prerequisite to assume the powers of the presidency, it should not be sufficient. I have become aware of serious questions...

January 11, 2007 America's Stake in Taiwan The Heritage Foundation, Backgrounder: by John J. Tkacik, Jr. Backgrounder #1996 The United States and Taiwan have maintained a remarkable security partnership in the Western Pacific for over a half century, but today this partner­ship is in peril. In Washington, there is considerable concern and confusion about Taiwan's commitment to its own defense. In Taiwan, a much deeper uncertainty among the citizenry about the Washington-Taipei relation­ship threatens to undermine their determination to keep democratic Taiwan separate from Communist China. This uncertainty is compounded by the cur­rent political turmoil in Taipei surrounding allega­tions of...

Num. Country Government 1. Albania Presidential-parliamentary democracy 2. Andorra Parliamentary democracy 3. Argentina Presidential-parliamentary democracy (federal) 4. Armenia Presidential-parliamentary democracy 5. Australia Parliamentary democracy (federal) 6. Austria Parliamentary democracy (federal) 7. Bahamas Parliamentary democracy 8. Bangladesh Parliamentary democracy 9. Barbados Parliamentary democracy 10. Belgium Parliamentary democracy (federal) 11. Belize Parliamentary democracy 12. Benin Presidential-parliamentary democracy 13. Bolivia Presidential-parliamentary democracy 14. Botswana Parliamentary democracy and traditional chiefs 15. Brazil Presidential-parliamentary democracy (federal) 16. Bulgaria Parliamentary democracy 17. Canada Parliamentary democracy (federal) 18. Cape Verde Presidential-parliamentary democracy 19. Central African Republic Presidential-parliamentary democracy 20. Chile Presidential-parliamentary democracy 21. Colombia Presidential-parliamentary democracy...