Free Republic

Al Gore seems to think his opinion matters, but until he comes clean on the way he has fleeced the citizens of the world over GW, he will never ever be taken seriously again. Besides, the money George Soros plays with makes the Koch Brothers look like paupers. As for the non-violent uprising in Egypt by the Arab Spring that he wants to happen against the Tea Party, the part that is happening now is all controlled by the Islamic Brotherhood, which is a violent arm of Islam that is responsible for assassinations and assassination attempts throughout their existence....

"No humanity left in Syria" Syrian troops reportedly entering Deraa, Syria this morning (YouTube) The British government has now advised UK nationals to "get out of Syria while the airlines are still flying" as the utterly ruthless Baathist-military regime seeks to destroy the uprising without a trace of mercy.Over one-hundred civilian protesters were slaughtered on Friday in what appears to have been a turning point for government opponents, as they're quickly ramping-up their demands from simply increased freedom/rights to a complete overthrow and inglorious end to the vile Assad dynasty. Following government snipers' potshots on funeral goers on Saturday -killing...

Taking a cue from Bugs Bunny knocking Hitler in the head with a mallet, YouTube user Egor Zhgun created a short animated piece based on the recent revolts in the Arab world. The short video, entitled 'Three Big Pigs', uses melodies from Walt Disney's The Three Little Pigs and characters from Angry Birds to re-enact the rebellions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. With the public as the birds in the spoof, the pigs are represented by Tunisian ex-president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Egyptian ex-president Hosni Mubarak, and Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi. After outing the former Tunisian and Egyptian leaders,...

JERUSALEM – A Facebook page calling on Palestinians to take up arms against Israel has been removed from the social-networking site after a high-profile Israeli appeal. Entitled "Third Palestinian Intifada," the page had more than 350,000 fans before it was taken down. Facebook didn't comment the removal on Tuesday. Israeli Cabinet Minister Yuli Edelstein said in a letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that the page included calls to kill Jews and for "liberating" Jerusalem through violence.

As the Arab world convulses, much of the American discussion is focused on whom we should help, whom we should help topple, how much it will cost, how will it affect our already-taxed military personnel, and whether our leaders in Washington have any kind of plan for dealing with the changing regimes and allegiances. All valid issues. But a wider view of the changes shows that the ouster of rulers in Tunisia and Egypt, the possible fall of Gadhafi in Libya and Saleh in Yemen, and the upheaval in Bahrain and even Syria, could create a climate for a move...

Here's a question about the Mideast turmoil for future historians: How much did food inflation contribute? We know some basic facts. Middle East countries import 50 percent or more of their wheat, a staple food for many. Beginning in mid-2010, world grain prices exploded. At $8.56 a bushel in February, wheat prices had doubled in eight months. Despite massive subsidies, some higher prices filtered through to consumers. Did that create a tinderbox for protest? "In both Tunisia and Egypt, women in TV interviews screamed about food prices," says Laurie Garrett of the Council on Foreign Relations. "Food inflation was a...

Had another very interesting phone call with an old retired CIA friend/source this evening. He said "All your reporter friends are failing to ask the most important question. 'Who is payinng the rebels in Libya?" Following the direction of the old truths. "No bucks, no Buck Rogers" and "Follow the money and you follow the crime;" I asked myself, who is paying these guys? Forget about ammunition and other items that can be "liberated." Who is providing their food? Who is feeding the families? Who is providing all the other hugely expensive things life amd war demands? The list of...

"War looks over but for the mass executions  and the climb-down by EU leadership..." As has become typical, Barack Obama's endorsement was the kiss of death... this time for Libyan rebels most thought would  be overrunning Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli by now.  Seems serial ineptitude emanating from both US and EU 'leadership' quickly extinguished any hope the opposition initially held of conquering this vile regime. And with zero effective aid to the rebels from Obama and the lily-livered Europeans, what was "Gaddafi must step-down" supposed to mean without any consequences to back it up... when he then predictably told them to shove...

March 3, 2011 Libya’s Hidden Wealth May Be Next Battle By LANDON THOMAS Jr. LONDON — As the battle for Libya rages on, the struggle over control of the country’s sovereign wealth fund and its $70 billion in assets has just begun. With a sizable pot of ready cash and stakes in a few elite European companies — including the British publisher Pearson and the Italian soccer club Juventus — the fund served as an emphatic calling card for its founder, Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, a son of the Libyan ruler who was once regarded as the reformer in the family....

Kim Jong-il Makes 1st Appearance in Days North Korean leader Kim Jong-il reappeared in public on Sunday after vanishing from view since Feb. 17. Until then he had undertaken 27 of his so-called on-the-spot guidance trips this year, one every 1.92 days on average. Observers believe the dictator hunkered down due to the Jasmine Revolutions in the Middle East, which unseated leaders who like him had had an iron grip on power for decades. Kim was seen again at a concert by an orchestra of the People's Internal Security Forces, escorted by his son and heir Jong-un. The forces are...

China says media must 'cooperate' after clampdown by Marianne Barriaux Tue Mar 1, 3:35 am ET BEIJING (AFP) – China on Tuesday told journalists they must "cooperate" with police and respect the country's laws, after several foreign reporters were roughed up in a crackdown on calls for anti-government protests. Beijing has launched a massive security clampdown in response to the calls inspired by the "Jasmine revolution" in Tunisia which sparked a wave of unrest against authoritarian regimes in the Arab world. US and EU diplomats in China as well as media groups have condemned the tough police handling of some...

<p>GALT, Calif. (CBS13) — The California Highway Patrol is still investigating how a herd of goats found their way onto Interstate 5 Saturday night, triggering car accidents and leaving dozens of animals dead.</p> <p>Some surprised drivers were unable to avoid the nearly 200 goats that walked onto the southbound lanes of traffic near the Twin Cities Road off-ramp, causing several accidents and inflicting non-life threatening injuries to one driver.</p>

Iraq's largest oil refinery was shut down on Saturday after militants carried out a bomb attack and set it on fire, the governor of Salahuddin province said. The militants killed four people and planted bombs at production units for kerosene and benzene at the refinery in the town of Baiji, a former al Qaeda stronghold about 180 km (112 miles) north of Baghdad, Governor Ahmed al-Jubouri said. "There is a big fire in the refinery and the refinery has completely stopped," Jubouri told Reuters. Overall violence in Iraq has dropped sharply since the peak of sectarian conflict in 2006-07, but...

Libya orders mass cash handouts in attempt to quell unrest State television says Muammar Gadhafi's beleaguered regime to increases food subsidies, allowances as well as a sweeping cash grants. By Reuters and DPA Libya's government, clinging to power after a popular revolt, has ordered massive cash handouts include wage increases, food subsidies and allowances, state television reported on Friday. It said each family will receive 500 Libyan dinars ($400) to help cover increased food costs, and that wages for some categories of public sector workers would increase by 150 percent, the television station said.

Saudi ruler offers $36bn to stave off uprising amid warning oil price could double The king of Saudi Arabia last night announced $36bn (£22bn) of extra benefits for his people in an attempt to stop the wave of Arab uprisings spreading to the world’s biggest oil exporter, as experts warned Brent crude could hit $220 a barrel. By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard 6:42AM GMT 24 Feb 2011 King Abdullah’s support package offers to give 18m lower and middle-income Saudi’s inflation-busting pay rises, unemployment benefits and affordable housing. The cash-rich Saudi government pledged to spend a total of $400bn by the end of...

Libya protests: 140 'massacred' as Gaddafi sends in snipers to crush dissent Women and children leapt from bridges to their deaths as they tried to escape a ruthless crackdown by Libyan forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. By Nick Meo, Cairo 7:50AM GMT 20 Feb 2011 Snipers shot protesters, artillery and helicopter gunships were used against crowds of demonstrators, and thugs armed with hammers and swords attacked families in their homes as the Libyan regime sought to crush the uprising. "Dozens were killed ... We are in the midst of a massacre here," a witness told Reuters. The man said...

CBS News correspondent Lara Logan and her two-person crew have all been released from detention in Egypt. The CBS crew was taken into custody Thursday amid a roundup of journalists–some of whom were beaten and threatened with death. Logan, who serves as CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent, was covering the uprising in Cairo with CBS crewmembers Don Lee and Max McClellan when they were confronted and arrested.

... The White House spokesman on January 31 said the United States would accept the Muslim Brotherhood in government if it rejected violence and recognizes "democratic goals." Funny, that was the U.S. government position on Hizballah (which now rules Lebanon) and Hamas (which now rules the Gaza Strip). How did that work out? ...

Al Jazeera English: Live StreamIncredible live coverage in Cairo. Now reporting that the military has been ordered into the streets to enforce the curfew. They have already set a troop carrier on fire.

Calls are growing for the international community to adopt a tougher reaction to the escalating violence in Tunisia. The criticism is particularly vocal in former colonial power France. France has a front-row seat to the unfolding violence in Tunisia. Paris has longtime economic and political ties with its former colony and a large Tunisian diaspora lives in France. Not surprisingly, the three weeks of clashes between protesters and police in the North African country has been top news here. On Thursday, the Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights notched up its estimated death toll in Tunisia to 66. The Tunisian...