Free Republic

Freepers! If you've arrived at the hotel and are looking for someone to drink a coffee, go shopping, or just hang with until the official fun starts, please post here!

U.S. troops release Iranians detained in Iraq Military hands 7 over to Iraqi authorities hours after their apprehension BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. troops released seven Iranians early Wednesday, hours after detaining them at a central Baghdad hotel, an Iranian embassy official said. The Iranian diplomat, who refused to give his name, told The Associated Press that one of those released contacted the embassy Wednesday morning to say that they have been handed over to Iraqi authorities. American troops raided Baghdad’s Sheraton Ishtar hotel and took away a group of about 10 people late Tuesday. The diplomat said the seven Iranians...

U.S. Forces Free 7 Iranians Detained in Raid on Baghdad Hotel August 29, 2007 BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. troops released seven Iranians early Wednesday, hours after detaining them at a central Baghdad hotel, an Iranian embassy official said. An Iranian diplomat, who refused to give his name, told The Associated Press that one of those released contacted the embassy Wednesday morning to say that they have been handed over to Iraqi authorities. American troops raided Baghdad's Sheraton Ishtar hotel and took away a group of about 10 people late Tuesday. The diplomat said the seven Iranians included an embassy staffer...

Mexico City Officials Try to Close Hotel Mexico City Officials Attempt to Shut Down U.S. Hotel for Kicking Out Cuban Delegation By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO Associated Press Writer The Associated Press MEXICO CITY - City officials moved Tuesday to shut down a U.S.-owned hotel that angered many Mexicans when it kicked out a Cuban delegation under pressure from Washington. Virginia Jaramillo Flores, head of the city borough where the upscale Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel is located, said authorities notified the hotel staff that it would be closed because it is in violation of building codes. Jaramillo said the hotel could...

Bill Clinton is building on Jimmy Carter's example and creating a new paradigm for ex-presidents. They're ba-aack. Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, America's political odd couple, are teaming up for another big roadshow, this time to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Last week, they stood shoulder to shoulder with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office, the 59-year-old Clinton now completely gray and looking a bit fragile, and the 81-year-old Bush looking stooped and a bit weary. Later the pair appeared together in Houston, chatting with evacuees at the Astrodome and the Reliant Center Arena....

NEWARK, New Jersey - An American Jew was among three suspects nabbed for allegedly attempting to smuggle a missile to terror groups operating inside the United States in order to down commercial aircraft. But the smuggling attempt was in fact a sting operation orchestrated over the past 18 months by U.S., Russian and British authorities. Terrorism-related charges were leveled on Wednesday against a British arms dealer who praised Osama bin Laden and thought he was smuggling into the United States missiles, federal prosecutors announced. Two other suspected accomplices to the plot, inlcuding Yehuda Abraham, who is Jewish, face conspiracy charges,...

North Shore Businesses Singing DNC Blues 18 minutes ago WCVB TheBostonChannel.com There have been plenty of complaints from Boston companies about the hassles created by the Democratic National Convention, and the business blues seem to be spreading. NewsCenter 5's Kelley Tuthill reported that North Shore companies anticipating a mini-boom in late July are now looking at a bust. Paul Pasquale's banquet hall may be located in Lawrence, but he said he lost a lucrative conference because of the DNC. "She said they canceled because they didn't want to be in Boston in the month of July," he said. There's no...

but the pro Bush rally was 35 strong, we were behind a barricade and for the most part, had a few thumbs up. Care to guess how many Kerry supporters were there to counter protest us? ZERO!!!!!!! Only a few middle fingers from drive bys BUT I did witness some liberal idiotness@@ One of the organizers was a blind man working for one of the county's Republican committees. Anyway, apparently he was Jewish and some loser came up to him and shook his hand and then proceeded to say, " YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY!" The gentlemen...

blast heard in bagdad thread

WASHINGTON – The Starwood hotel chain says the pro-Democrat tilt of individual company campaign contributors does not reflect corporate policy in deciding which cable news channels it makes available to its guests. Nonetheless, Fox News Channel, recently denounced by leading Democat politicians, has been unable to secure a corporate endorsement from Starwood, even though FNC beats all other cable news channels combined in ratings. "Starwood has no objections to carrying Fox News programming on our properties," the hotelier’s spokesman Mark Ricci told NewsMax 2½ weeks after our initial request for comment and about a week after we reported that (unlike...

Wes Vernon, NewsMax.com Thursday, July 31, 2003 WASHINGTON – A major hotel chain that will not make top-rated Fox News Channel available to guests has a record of individual campaign contributions heavily favoring Democrats. Federal Election Commission records reviewed by NewsMax.com show that among those officials who list Starwood or a Starwood hotel property as their workplace favored Democrats by better than 3 to 1 over Republicans for the 1999-2000 election cycle. Starwood's hotels include Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, Luxury Connection, Four Points and, ironically, W. In the 2001-2002 cycle, a midterm election period, the amount contributed was considerably smaller...

WASHINGTON – A major hotel chain that will not make top-rated Fox News Channel available to guests has a record of individual campaign contributions heavily favoring Democrats. Federal Election Commission records reviewed by NewsMax.com show that among those officials who list Starwood or a Starwood hotel property as their workplace favored Democrats by better than 3 to 1 over Republicans for the 1999-2000 election cycle. Starwood's hotels include Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, Luxury Connection, Four Points and, ironically, W.

Unionized hotel workers voted 2,045 to 501 yesterday to authorize a strike against Hilton and Sheraton hotels in Waikiki, while hotels still struggle to bring in revenue in the aftermath of Sept. 11. "The members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike," said Eric Gill, Local 5 financial secretary-treasurer. "I'm overjoyed with that." The vote, taken at the Hawai'i Convention Center, covers 4,000 workers at Hilton Hawaiian Village and Sheraton's four Waikiki hotels. A strike authorization vote does not mean there will be a strike. That's up to union officials to decide. Gill said the union will attempt to reach...