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Calling the post-Soviet world situation “an international disaster,” Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged that U.S. policy “be directed toward supporting Prime Minister Putin's dream of eventually restoring Russian hegemony over Eastern Europe.” “A strong Soviet Union provided a counterbalancing force to offset U.S. imperialism,” Schumer contended. “In its absence, President Bush has been free to bully the world.” The New York senator argued that the “mutually assured destruction of the Cold War era helped keep American aggression in check. Now, there’s no telling what new atrocities will be perpetrated by this country.” As a start, Schumer insisted that all U.S....

(On This Day In History) June 26, 1948 : Berlin Airlift Begins In response to the Soviet blockade of land routes into West Berlin, the United States begins a massive airlift of food, water, and medicine to the citizens of the besieged city. For nearly a year, supplies from American planes sustained the over 2 million people in West Berlin. On June 24, 1948, the Soviet Union blocked all road and rail travel to and from West Berlin, which was located within the Soviet zone of occupation in Germany. The Soviet action was in response to the refusal of American...

Russian news agencies quoted sources at the transport and communications ministries as saying air, rail, road and sea links to Georgia would be cut, as would postal services. A transport ministry spokeswoman refused to comment. Putin, speaking after a meeting of security officials, accused Georgia of committing "state terrorism with hostage-taking" by arresting the Russian officers and charging them with spying.

Polish admirers of Ronald Reagan say they will erect a statue of the late US president in Warsaw to thank him for helping to end communist rule. They say the 3.5-metre (10.5ft) stone and bronze statue will stand opposite the US embassy in the Polish capital. "The statue is a way for his legacy to live on," said Janusz Dorosiewicz, a businessman behind the private project. In 1989, Poland became the first nation in Eastern Europe to defeat communism. Reagan died in 2004 at the age of 93. "This is an entirely private initiative undertaken by Poles in Poland,...

A core component of the United States' foreign policy since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US has been educational reform in Muslim countries to check the influence of extremist ideologies and fundamentalism. International obligations under the United Nations Security Council's anti-extremism resolutions also require curricular reform. Pakistan, as the birthplace of the Taliban and home to many a militant Islamic movement, finds itself at the center of policy debates and projects on curbing extremism and promoting "moderate Islam" through education. A growing pile of policy proposals in the United States, including a recent report from the US Institute...

Reprinted from NewsMax.com In Lithuania With CheneyChristopher RuddySaturday, May 20, 2006 If the Russian press is to be believed, Dick Cheney's speech in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 4 ushered in a new Cold War. As someone who loves history, it is nice to know that I was one of the handful of people who can say "I was there" for that momentous speech. But the moment was far from gratifying on a philosophical level. My visit to the conference of former Soviet republics and allies that met to hear Vice President Cheney – along with several European leaders – underscored...

National PR-ity // Moscow drafts a plan to influence the United States The Kremlin has taken up the promotion of Russian interests in the United States head-on. The key role will be given to the Russian-U.S. Council for Business Cooperation (RUCBC) whose supervisory board will include high-ranking officials from the Russian president’s administration, ministers and prominent public figures. The Russian government asked the Finance Ministry to find sources to finance the NGO. However, it has already been suggested that big business contribute for the council’s activities. The first donation is expected to amount to $50 million. Work has in progress...

Churchill's speech defined the world order for the next 40 years In his "Iron Curtain" speech, delivered exactly 60 years ago, Winston Churchill brilliantly defined an era. The speech may also have lessons for the present. It was a heroic but troubled time. The world was in turmoil after the most terrible conflict in human history. On 5 March 1946 Churchill was no longer the UK's prime minister but he still enjoyed a giant reputation around the world. So US President Harry Truman himself travelled 1,000 miles to Fulton, Missouri, to hear Churchill give a speech after receiving an...

In one of the most famous orations of the Cold War period, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill condemns the Soviet Union's policies in Europe and declares, "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent." Churchill's speech is considered one of the opening volleys announcing the beginning of the Cold War. Churchill, who had been defeated for re-election as prime minister in 1945, was invited to Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri where he gave this speech. President Harry S. Truman joined Churchill on the platform and listened intently to his...

Westminster College announced late on Monday that Chris Matthews, host of the MSNBC program “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” will be a keynote speaker during the 60th anniversary festivities of Sir Winston Churchill's “Iron Curtain” speech. “We are very pleased that Mr. Matthews has accepted our invitation to join us for this momentous occasion,” said Rob Havers, executive director of the Churchill Memorial and Library. “His extensive experience in world affairs and his personal interest in Churchill should combine to make a fascinating presentation for our Saturday evening event.” Matthews, also host of the NBC show, “The Chris Matthews Show,” will...

Separated in a flight from communism and reunited decades later, Tamás Pusztai and his mother are still taunted by fate

While certainly a perplexing holiday to many outside America, Thanksgiving's meaning isn't always clear to those stateside, either. I'll leave the history lessons to California Conservative, except to say it certainly is a major day around this neck of the woods. Can it partly be seen, however, as a day to reflect on that uniquely American way of overcoming life's obstacles? This week, I was interviewed for an entertainment industry trade publication, where I happened to mention two former coaches as influences. In the online article that appeared, there were links added to their own stories, that make this point...

RIGA, Latvia - Second-guessing Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Bush said Saturday the United States played a role in Europe's painful division after World War II — a decision that helped cause "one of the greatest wrongs of history" when the Soviet Union imposed its harsh rule across Central and Eastern Europe. Bush said the lessons of the past will not be forgotten as the United States tries to spread freedom in the Middle East. "We will not repeat the mistakes of other generations, appeasing or excusing tyranny, and sacrificing freedom in the vain pursuit of stability," the president said. "We...

Icebreaker: Who Started the Second World War? by Viktor Suvorov (London: Harnish Hamilton, 1990); 364 pages; $22.95. In the early hours of September 1, 1939, the military might of Nazi Germany was set loose on Poland. As Panzer divisions crossed the Polish-German border, the German air force began its devastating rain of death on Warsaw and other Polish cities. On September 3, Britain and France declared war on Germany. On September 17, the Soviet Red Army invaded Poland from the east and met up with the German forces at the city of Brest-Litovsk. Poland ceased to exist as an independent...

NEWARK - New Jersey political fund raiser David D'Amiano was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for soliciting and accepting $40,000 in cash and political contributions from a Piscataway farm owner to influence state and county officials to offer a favorable price to preserve the farmland, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced. U.S. District Judge William H. Walls also ordered D'Amiano, 45, of Edison, to pay a $15,000 fine to the federal government and to make $1,000 in restitution to the Democratic State Committee. D'Amiano already has paid another $20,000 to the government - money which he took from...

MCDONALD'S IS CELEBRATING ITS 15TH anniversary in Russia. Its sales have risen steadily, reaching $310 million in 2004. The company reports that it is serving more than 200,000 customers daily in more than a hundred Russian locations. Well, three cheers for McDonald's, but what's the big deal?Why is McDonald's such a success when all they're selling is a Russian staple, a kotlety as they call it? It was once a puzzle to me, but there's a story behind this McDonald's success story.Some years ago I was staying at one of Moscow's most luxurious hotels, just built by private German investors,...

State lawmakers have the governor's back. Less than two weeks after acting Gov. Richard J. Codey said he wanted to challenge a shock jock to a fight for insulting the state's first lady, an Assembly committee voted Monday to reprimand the radio personality. The Telecommunications and Utilities Committee voted 5-0, with two abstentions, to release a resolution denouncing radio host Craig Carton for "cruel, insensitive and highly offensive comments" made about the depression that Mary Jo Codey suffered after the birth of her son 20 years ago. The acting governor confronted Carton on Jan. 25 in a hallway at the...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

REMEMBERING REAGAN In Solidarity The Polish people, hungry for justice, preferred "cowboys" over Communists. GDANSK, Poland--When talking about Ronald Reagan, I have to be personal. We in Poland took him so personally. Why? Because we owe him our liberty. This can't be said often enough by people who lived under oppression for half a century, until communism fell in 1989. Poles fought for their freedom for so many years that they hold in special esteem those who backed them in their struggle. Support was the test of friendship. President Reagan was such a friend. His policy of aiding democratic movements...