Free Republic

Plunging squarely into one of the most sensitive issues in the Middle East, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. suggested on Sunday that the United States would not stand in the way of Israeli military action aimed at the Iranian nuclear program. The United States, Mr. Biden said in an interview broadcast on ABC’s “This Week,” “cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do.” "Israel can determine for itself — it’s a sovereign nation — what’s in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," he said, in an interview...

I was walking home a few weeks ago when two young men, one with a knife in his hand, blocked the sidewalk and demanded my wallet and camera. I’m accustomed to having a means of defense other than my fist and an umbrella at hand. I’ve been in Washington, D.C. for three months and had almost gotten used to not having a weapon handy. At home in Arizona, I regularly, and legally, carry a concealed pistol and reluctantly left my guns at home and trusted on instincts and awareness to stay out of trouble. The hoodlum who tried to rob...

Israel, Fighter Jets, Submarines, Satellites and Iran By Joel Leyden Israel News Agency Jerusalem, Israel ---- July 5, 2009 ...... As Israel receives explicit consent from Saudi Arabia to use their airspace to two defend both nations from a nuclear Iran, Israel maintains several other options to defend herself from an Iran nuclear threat. The Sunday Times of London reported today that Israel Mossad director Meir Dagan has held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility of using Saudi Arabia airspace for a air strike to take out Iran's nuclear weapon manufacturing facilities. "The Saudis have tacitly agreed...

Saudi Arabia would turn the other cheek and allow Israel to use its airspace to attack Iran, London’s Sunday Times reports. According to the report, Mossad chief Meir Dagan has told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that Syria has hinted to the move. “The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israel air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia,” a diplomatic source stated.

When Pope Benedict XVI greets U.S. President Barack Obama at the Vatican on July 10, the symbolism and sheer star power of the encounter will keep the pundits chattering away. The photo op alone is worth a thousand words: The 82-year-old man in white, the world's most recognizable religious leader and head of its largest single denomination comes face-to-face with the charismatic first black President of the world's last superpower. And the scheduling efforts of both the Vatican and the White House suggest a shared appreciation of the symbolic weight the first encounter between Obama and Benedict could carry. It...

SEGUIN — For some of us, Independence Day is more important than for others. But back in 1942, it all nearly came to naught for the forward observer with the first Texas military unit to ever see combat on foreign soil. One of the very first to see action in World War II and the most decorated military unit in the history of the Lone Star state, Buzzo’s unit, the second battalion of the 131st Field Artillery, was surrendered and captured at Java on March 8, 1942. Of some 900 men taken prisoner at Java, about 670 were shipped to...

Big admission from Vice President Joe Biden today. "The truth is, we and everyone else misread the economy," Biden told me during our exclusive "This Week" interview in Iraq. Biden acknowledged administration officials were too optimistic earlier this year when they predicted the unemployment rate would peak at 8 percent as part of their effort to sell the stimulus package. The national unemployment rate has ballooned to 9.5 percent in June -- the worst in 26 years.

Obama and TV Networks Forge Relationship Updated: Sunday, 05 Jul 2009, 1:00 PM EDT Published : Sunday, 05 Jul 2009, 12:59 PM EDT By DAVID BAUDER AP Television Writer NEW YORK - Even President Barack Obama, a gleam in his eye as he talked at the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner two weeks ago, seemed to recognize the special relationship he's forged with TV networks in the opening months of his administration. "A few nights ago I was up tossing and turning and trying to figure out exactly what to say," he said. "Finally, when I couldn't get back...

From "45 Communist Goals": Congressional Record--Appendix, pp. A34-A35 January 10, 1963:1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 'Goals' 4-45 can be found here or at many other sites through a web search for "45 goals":http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm ____________________________________________________________ From Obama's recent speech in Cairo: "No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America’s commitment to seek a world in...

Vice President Joe Biden says the U.S. will not stand in Israel's way if Israel believes military action is needed to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat. Biden says the U.S. "cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do."

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden said the Obama administration "misread how bad the economy was" but stands by its stimulus package and believes the plan will create more jobs as the pace of its spending picks up. Biden, in an interview airing Sunday on ABC's "This Week," said the nation's 9.5 percent unemployment rate is "much too high." "The figures we worked off of in January were the consensus figures and most of the blue chip indexes out there," Biden said. "We misread how bad the economy was, but we are now only about 120 days into the recovery...

There is, perhaps, no subject that currently stands greater in importance—not to mention confusion, hype and hysteria—than the topic of climate change (formerly referred to as global warming). Regardless of man’s influence on the climate, policies under active debate and consideration could entirely change the way that we produce, and consume, energy to fuel our economy and lifestyle. This issue spans the globe, impacting both developed and developing countries. Whether the planet is in peril, or whether the risk is an artifice, potential climate change legislation will come with inescapable consequences, both intended and unintended; yet, the climate benefits may...

Today, ordinary Texans brought Governor Rick Perry’s road privatization, toll road, and Trans Texas Corridor agenda to a screeching halt. The Legislature adjourned without re-authorizing private toll road contracts called Comprehensive Development Agreements (or CDAs). The grassroots scored another victory by KILLING the revolving fund in HB 1, preventing the $2 billion in bonds from being spent to build toll roads, convert freeways to toll roads, or subsidize private toll deals, as well as protecting public employee pension funds from risky toll roads schemes that are failing all over the world. “It is a hard-fought victory for the grassroots. We...

Muslims apparently angered because a Christian man driving a tractor reportedly tried to pass a Muslim on a motorcycle have rampaged in one village in Pakistan, destroying Christians' homes and throwing acid on women and children as they fled, according to a new report from Barnabas Aid. The ministry reported that the violence this week happened in the village of Bahmani Walla in Punjab state in Pakistan, which is dominated by Islamic influences. The report said 600 Muslims used gasoline bombs to vandalize 117 homes belonging to Christians – including 48 damaged by fire, and sabotage water pumps and cut...

Report says NKorea's Kim convalescing by the sea Sun Jul 5, 2:46 am ET SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has been living at an east coast villa since mid-May and is likely convalescing after reportedly suffering a stroke last year, a newspaper said Sunday citing U.S. and South Korean intelligence.

Even for a nonconformist, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defies political logic with her sudden, stunning announcement to leave office more than a year early. Supporters and critics alike say the former GOP vice presidential candidate’s resignation, announced Friday afternoon and effective July 26, is an inexplicable move for a high profile Republican widely seen as a contender for a White House run in 2012. A half-term governor campaigning for president? --snip-- Pam Pryor, a spokeswoman for Palin’s political action committee, said the group continues to accept donations on its Web site, which saw an uptick in contributions Friday afternoon.(continued at...

SNIPPET: "British militants are pushing for the overthrow of the Pakistani state. Followers of the fundamentalist group Hizb ut-Tahrir have called for a “bloodless military coup” in Islamabad and the creation of the caliphate in which strict Islamic laws would be rigorously enforced. Members of the group, which describes itself as the Liberation party in Britain but is banned in Pakistan, revealed last week that it had targeted the country as a base from which to spread Islamic rule across the world. The Sunday Times has obtained the names of a dozen British Hizb ut-Tahrir activists based in Lahore and...

(LEAD) N. Korean missile launches aimed at improving accuracy: official SEOUL, July 5 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's latest missile launches appear to have been aimed at improving the missiles' accuracy, a South Korean official said Sunday, noting the launches may have provided some results. "Five out of seven missiles North Korea fired yesterday landed within the same area in the East Sea, about 420 kilometers from the launch site," the official said, asking not to be identified. "This means the accuracy of North Korean missiles is improving," the official added. North Korea is said to have about 1,000 ballistic missiles...

The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility. The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials. “The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israeli air force flying through their...

Hubby and I attended today's Tea Party in Ft. Lauderdale where over a thousand other Patriots came to take back our country. Pics at: Ft. Lauderdale Tea Party Happy 4th of July!

Ratcheting up her offensive against the news media, Gov. Sarah Palin’s attorney threatened Saturday to sue mainstream news organizations if they publish “defamatory” stories relating to whether Palin is under federal investigation. In an extraordinary four-page letter, Alaska-based attorney Thomas Van Flein warns of severe consequences should speculation that until now has largely been confined to blogs about whether Palin embezzled funds in the construction of a Wasilla, Alaska, sports arena find its way into print. “This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and...

More than 15,000 people from Bakersfield to Modesto gathered at the International Agri-Center Saturday for the Freedom Rally Tea Party Saturday. The event had several speakers, talking about their viewpoints of the country's government. “We believe in limited government, fiscal responsibility and the free market and think that’s something Americans should get behind,” said Jared Gordon, Central Valley Tea Party spokesperson.

The Obama White House has made clear in the past its impatience with North Korea for the communist country's provocative rhetoric and displays of firepower, but so far Saturday, the administration -- possibly by design -- has remained silent on Korea's latest missile barrage. North Korea launched seven mid-range missiles off its eastern coast, presumably timed to coincide with the United States' Independence Day. It was a show of firepower that echoed a North Korea's missile launch three years ago that also fell on the Fourth of July holiday. U.S. officials have said they don't expect a launch anytime soon...

Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras on Sunday, despite being threatened with arrest. In a speech on the regional TV channel, Telesur, Mr. Zelaya said he woul arrive along with several other presidents. Mr. Zelaya, who was forced out by the military on Sunday, criticised the leaders of the interim government and described them as traitors. The Organization of American States is holding an extraordinary session and is expected to vote to suspend Honduras. "I am organising my return to Honduras....This is the return of the president elected by the soverign will of the people," he...

Shot down five times, he received Navy Cross medals during World War II and the Korean War. Injuries suffered in the Vietnam War forced him to retire after 27 years of service.

NAWA, Afghanistan – Taliban militants were nowhere in sight as the columns of U.S. Marines walked a third straight day across southern Afghanistan. But the desert heat proved an enemy in its own right, with several troops falling victim Saturday to temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The Marines carry 50-100 pounds (23-45 kilograms) on their backs. But because they are marching through farmland on foot, they can't carry nearly as much water as their thirst demands. Few even realized the date was July 4, ... a world away from the strenuous task Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine...

The liberal Talking Points Memo website, which is deemed a respectable political site by the mainstream media which regularly quotes from their articles, published an article last night that speculated Alaska Governor Sarah Palin resigned because "she wants to spread Down syndrome." Palin's infant son Trig was born last year with Down syndrome.Amazingly, the article was published at 11:51 p.m., hours after the Huffington Post had issued an apology over a similarly themed article that the site pulled after it was highlighted by Free Republic.The TPM article, entitled Possible Reasons for Sarah Palin's Resignation and Other Schadenfreude, was written by...

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea fired seven ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, a violation of U.N. resolutions and an apparent message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day. The launches, which came two days after North Korea fired what were believed to be four short-range cruise missiles, will likely further escalate tensions in the region as the U.S. tries to muster support for tough enforcement of the latest U.N. Security Council resolution imposed on the communist regime for its May nuclear test. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said three missiles...

Members of Congress said Thursday that details of their expense claims wouldn't be posted online before mid-November at the earliest -- two and a half months later than the deadline previously set for publishing them in an electronic format for the first time. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the House Chief Administrative Officer to put information about expenses claimed by members of the House on the Internet "at the earliest date," in an announcement reversing a longstanding policy of providing the information only in books totaling about 12,000 pages a year. The chief administrative officer, a congressional employee, set an...

N. Korea test-launches seventh missile off east coast: S. Korea By Sam Kim SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea test-fired its seventh missile of the day off its east coast on Saturday, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. "North Korea fired its seventh missile at 5:40 p.m.," a JCS official said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. "We believe it was from the same missile base on the east coast."

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea fired four missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday. The launches, which came two days after North Korea fired four short-range missiles, could further escalate tensions in the region as the U.S. tries to muster support for tough enforcement of the U.N. resolution imposed on the communist regime for its May nuclear test. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said three missiles were fired early Saturday and the fourth at about...

With all the bad news and sad state of our nation, this show and song is intended to remind us of better times, great people, heroic efforts, triumph over tragedy...and just the overall greatness of our beloved nation! It's also a call to action for all of us who cherish freedom and hate tyranny with every bone in our body. On Sepember 12 in Washington DC, a national Tea Party will be in full force, and Free Republic will be represented by FReepers from all across our great nation. This song is proposed to be our 'anthem', our 'rallying cry'...WAKE...

The Huffington Post issued an apology Friday evening for an article about the resignation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin posted at their website entitled, Palin Will Run In '12 On More Retardation Platform, written by HuffPo writer Erik Sean Nelson.The Daily Dose published an e-mail apology from Mario Ruiz of HuffPo: Due to an editorial lapse, Erik Sean Nelson’s post on Sarah Palin bypassed the normal vetting process and appeared on HuffPost — but was never featured anywhere on the site. Even though satiric works are generally given greater latitude, Nelson’s post falls outside of HuffPost’s editorial guidelines. As such,...

Atlanta - Concerned about taxes, bailouts, government "pork," and rising deficits, thousands of Americans will spill out in cities from Atlanta to San Francisco this weekend, as part of a "Tea Party" movement that began earlier this year in protest of the economic stimulus bill. The July 4 event will be the second major Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Party protest, following an April 15 event that drew as many as half a million people to over 800 separate protests across the country. This weekend's protests – sure to feature Colonial garb, witty signs ("Don't tax me, bro!"), and references to...

WaPo cancels lobbyist eventBy: Mike Allen and Michael Calderone July 2, 2009 08:04 AM EST Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth said today she was canceling plans for an exclusive "salon" at her home where for as much as $250,000, the Post offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and even the paper’s own reporters and editors. The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for...

Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska announced Friday that she will resign her office July 26, fueling speculation that she intends to spend the next four years pursuing her party's presidential nomination in 2012. Mrs. Palin made her stunning announcement at her Wasilla home with Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will be sworn into office at the end of the month, she said. She did not take questions from reporters and only cryptically referred to her future plans. In her announcement, she said it "hurts to make this choice," but compared herself to a point guard in basketball. "A good...

Lt. Gov. Response to Palin’s Announcement (July 3, 2009, Wasilla, Alaska) Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell has released his prepared remarks in response to Governor Palin's announcement.Thank you, Governor. It is with a heavy heart that I hear these words. I so appreciate what you have done for our state and your sacrificial service. You have been a strong leader for our state, you've inspired a nation, and you've ignited the fire of real hope around the world.I profoundly respect your decision for I know the depth of character and integrity from which it springs. Rare, indeed, are such selfless acts...

The Huffington Post, an official arm of the Obama administration, published an article a few minutes ago on the resignation of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin with the following headline: Palin Will Run in '12 on More Retardation PlatformTo make sure that the article's reference to Gov. Palin's infant son Trig who was born with Down Syndrome last year, the article is keyword tagged by the Huffington Post: ...Sarah Palin Trig; Trig; Comedy NewsThe article is authored by Erik Sean Nelson was posted at the Huffington Post at 6 p.m. EDT.The text of the article:In Sarah Palin's resignation announcement she complained...

ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- He looks like President Barack Obama, speaks like him, and even gestures like him, but he is not exactly the president of the United States. This president is an audio-animatronic Obama surrounded by the 42 other U.S. presidents at Walt Disney World's newly revamped Hall of Presidents in Orlando, Florida. Disney gathered a team of what it calls "Imagineers," each trained in various disciplines such as artistry, design and engineering, to update the attraction that has been around since 1971. It's hard to believe the figures are not real people and, according to Disney officials, that's...

UPDATE: Palin To Resign As Alaska Governor UPDATE: KTUU-TV in Anchorage reports that Palin not only won't seek re-election, but will resign later this month. ORIGINAL POST: Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has announced she will not run for re-election in 2010, CNN reports. She's scheduled to make an announcement shortly. The decision frees Palin to travel in the Lower 48 as she considers a potential run for president in 2012. A re-election campaign could also have been tough on the former vice presidential nominee; her approval rating has dropped from stratospheric highs, and a number of candidates in both parties...

So to serve the state is a humbling responsibility, because I know in my soul that Alaska is of such import, for America’s security, in our very volatile world. And you know me by now, I promised even four years ago to show MY independence… no more conventional “politics as usual”. And we are doing well! My administration's accomplishments speak for themselves. We work tirelessly for Alaskans. We aggressively and responsibly develop our resources because they were created to be used to better our world... to HELP people... and we protect the environment and Alaskans (the resource owners) foremost with...

"I know when it's time to pass the ball for victory," soon-to-be-former Governor Sarah Palin says at a press conference with her family, standing before a picturesque river and seaplane. She says she's looking forward to the swearing in of Lt. Governor Sean Parnell. "All I can ask is that you trust me with this decision," she says. "I cannot millions of dollars and time go to waste just so I can remain as governor of Alaska. "This decision has been in the works for a while. It comes after a great deal of prayer and deliberation." She said when...

"Only a small part" of the nation's $787 billion economic stimulus had been spent through the end of last month, according to congressional analysts, despite the Obama administration's boasts Wednesday that the plan is a big success. "One hundred days later, we are already seeing results," President Barack Obama said during a visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada . "Across America, recovery is under way," Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement accompanying a 28-page progress report. However, Douglas Elmendorf , the director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office , was more cautious in his "State of...

It appears as if the spirit of the 9th and 10th Amendments are alive and kicking in Arizona: Voters in Arizona will decide next year whether residents will be subject to mandates in the pending health care reform that President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are promoting. At least five other states - Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota and Wyoming - have considered proposals to take pre-emptive action against the pending federal mandates, but those proposals have either not made it out of committee, failed to get enough votes from one side of the legislature, or are still being...

Conservatives who love their country, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and human liberty have had enough. Word came last night that a massive protest is planned in order to send Washington a message. On July 30, conservatives are 'going Galt,' named after Ayn Rand's famous character John Galt from her novel Atlas Shrugged, and thus refuse to show up for work. They plan to 'call in conservative.' From the Eastside TeaParty blog: "You knew this day was coming with a government ramming a socialist agenda down everyone’s throat.This may be the only way to wake our leaders up and...

A three-year-old girl awaiting heart surgery has had her operation cancelled three times this month because of a shortage of beds. Ella Cotterell was due to have aorta-widening surgery on Monday at the Children’s Hospital, Bristol. But 48 hours beforehand, the operation was cancelled for the third time as all 15 beds in the intensive care unit were occupied, her parents said. A hospital spokesman said that procedures would be reviewed, but the case highlights a growing problem of cancelled operations in the NHS. More than 57,000 surgeries were postponed for non-clinical reasons, including a lack of beds, last...

Massachusetts' Liberals are celebrating the 4th of July weekend by planning to pass legislation to ban public access to firearms training. Since no one in MA can go to their chief of police to beg for a MA LTC without completing training, this is another way to ban firearms ownership in MA without violating Heller. They are undoubtedly laughing it up over this one on Beacon Hill. Pay attention. This is part of Obama's test plan to end private firearms ownership in the U.S. (Patrick was reportedly on the team that helped train ACORN to "win" the 2008 election).

Colin Powell, one of President Obama's most prominent Republican supporters, expressed concern Friday that the president's ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much. "I'm concerned at the number of programs that are being presented, the bills associated with these programs and the additional government that will be needed to execute them," Mr. Powell said in an excerpt of an interview with CNN's John King, released by the network Friday morning. Mr. Powell, a retired U.S. army general who rose to political prominence after a long and accomplished military career,...

Photo illustration by Matthew Sheffield Key Republicans in both the House and the Senate are accusing the White House of giving “incomplete and misleading” information to investigators probing the president’s abrupt firing of AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin. In return, the White House is hinting that documents concerning its actions in the Walpin affair may be protected by executive privilege. Both developments are part of an escalating conflict between GOP lawmakers and the Obama administration. Republicans are deeply skeptical of the White House explanation for the June 10 firing of Walpin, a tough investigator who had been probing misuse of...

I was one of those who went “toe to toe” with my colleague during the last hotly contested Presidential campaign in the United States of America. For me, it was never about my being an enthusiastic supporter of the other major candidate - I was not. It was about the threshold foundational concern that reveals the very heart of Catholic Social Justice thought, the inviolable dignity of every human life. This is the key to the whole social justice teaching of the Catholic Church. I contended then and now that it must also be the door through which we proceed...