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WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2007 – U.S. and coalition efforts to stabilize Afghanistan are achieving “solid results,” but the mission isn’t over, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told U.S. legislators at a Capitol Hill hearing today. “Notwithstanding the news we sometimes hear out of Afghanistan, the efforts of the United States, our allies and the Afghan government and people have been producing some solid results,” Gates told U.S. House Armed Services Committee members. He recently returned from one of several trips he has taken to Afghanistan as defense secretary. Offering his assessment of the current situation in Afghanistan, Gates said: “There...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2007 – The surge of additional forces into Baghdad and other areas of Iraq is working, a top general commanding coalition forces there said yesterday. Even as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan continues, levels of violence in Iraq have dropped, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said at the National Press Club here. The surge allowed Iraqi and coalition officials to wrest whole provinces from extremist grasp. In December, President Bush accepted recommendations of military leaders to place five more combat brigades and their supporting complements in and around Baghdad. More...

There was a popular song a few years ago called, "Money for Nothing." While the tune was a satire on the vast amounts paid to successful rock stars, the title could just as easily apply to many voters' attitudes toward bonds. As we approach the November election with over $41 billion in bonds on the statewide ballot, and additional billions being considered for local jurisdictions, now is a good time to brush up on the significance of bonds, their true costs, and how they are repaid by taxpayers. The California Constitution gives the electorate the right to vote on state...

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2006 – Veterans Affairs officials today announced the theft of personal information on up to 26.5 million veterans. However, VA Secretary R. James Nicholson stressed there's no indication the information is being used for purposes of fraud. "We at the VA have recently learned that an employee here, a data analyst, took home a considerable amount of electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do," Nicholson said. "His home was burglarized, and this data was stolen." The compromised data includes names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of veterans separating from the military...

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2006 – While acknowledging the importance of the Iraqis forming their new unity government, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last evening it's important not to apply too much pressure to speed up the process. "The Iraqis are going to form a government," Rumsfeld said on ABC's Sean Hannity Show two days before Iraqi Freedom Day, the third anniversary of the fall of Baghdad and Saddam Hussein's regime. The secretary disagreed with suggestions by some that President Bush should put more pressure on the Iraqis to move the process forward. "There's a risk in being too heavy-handed and...

Burglars will be allowed to escape without punishment under new instructions sent to all police forces. Police have been told they can let them off the threat of a court appearance and instead allow them to go with a caution. The same leniency will be shown to criminals responsible for more than 60 other different offences, ranging from arson through vandalism to sex with underage girls. New rules sent to police chiefs by the Home Office set out how seriously various crimes should be regarded, and when offenders who admit to them should be sent home with a caution. Some...

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2006 (AFP) - The US government warned its citizens Monday to be cautious while visiting large French cities due to protests that have sometimes turned violent against a youth jobs contract. "This Public Announcement is issued to alert Americans to ongoing security concerns in France," the US State Department said in a statement. "Demonstrations, sometimes involving violence, have occurred and continue to occur in Paris and other large cities in France in opposition to a new law concerning employment contracts for young workers," the department said. "Recent demonstrations have occurred at times in areas frequented by tourists....

A 27-year-old electrician, de Menezes was by all accounts totally unconnected to terrorism. But through his behavior and cruel coincidence, de Menezes gave police good reason to think he might be planning to detonate a bomb. In the age of terrorism, police can kill an innocent man and still be doing the right thing. This strange new reality makes us all players in a film-noir existence. Film noir refers to the eerie postwar movies in which characters grope through a world of dark menace and unanswered questions. They don't know what's going on, only that danger hovers. Here in Grand...

John McCain, the influential US senator, on Friday gave voice to resistance in the Republican party to the use of force in Iran, signalling that the US had no appetite to fight “two wars”. Force should not be ruled out as a last resort against the country's suspected nuclear facilities, he said, but cautioned: “I do not think it would be successful. There is no guarantee we would get all these facilities. If you have a strike and leave them with nuclear capability, you have got a hell of a challenge on your hands.” Mr McCain, a Republican and a...

It is my humble opinion that another "shoe" will drop on the heels of the ongoing success garnered by the the Swiftee's; that "shoe" will be the renewed examination of John Kerry's record regarding POW/MIA hearings (which he chaired...), and his treatment of one COL Millard A. Peck. To steal something from the book title, "Kiss the Boys Good Bye"...I believe it will be Kiss The Boy Good Bye. He cannot run from his record and all the Lanny Davis', James Carvil's and the host of under-thirty something spinmeister apologists cannot fix it for him. I know this next bit...

THE CONFLICT WITH IRAQ by Bob Jones & Paul Keith Davis (http://www.bobjones.org/articles/The%20Conflict%20With%20Iraq.htm) Over the past several weeks, there has been continual conversation, both publicly and within Christian circles, concerning the issue of Iraq and the appropriate spiritual approach on this crucial matter. It continues to be our belief, established through visions, dreams and communications from the Lord while in prayer, that it would be premature for our nation to take Iraq to full war. Although we are presently experiencing skirmishes and minor confrontations, as opposed to a full-blown war, time remains for the circumstances to be altered by the Kingdom...

Freezing rain, sleet likely in North Texas 02/24/2003 From Staff and Wire Reports As sleet pushed its way toward North Texas on Monday afternoon, meteorologists were predicting the weather would pack a wallop for commuters during the evening rush-hour crush and the Tuesday morning drive to work. With freezing rain and sleet expected, "we will have some serious driving conditions to deal with as the afternoon wears on," particularly on bridges and overpasses, WFAA-TV (Channel 8) meteorologist Greg Fields said. Monday's temperatures were expected to range from a low of 23 degrees to a high of 29 degrees in...

Across the Rubicon The most experienced counterterrorist investigator in the Western world is France's Jean-Louis Bruguiere. He is not campaigning against a U.S. regime change invasion of Iraq. But he is saying Islamic militants are recruiting hundreds of jihadi-prone co-religionists to carry out terrorist attacks as soon as the war balloon goes up. He also sees the bulk of these threats emanating from groups in Chechnya. Many of these terrorists were trained in how to make chemical weapons in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and/or in the Red Army during the Cold War. Mr. Bruguiere has searched high and low...

<p>SACRAMENTO - At the height of the energy crisis, Gov. Gray Davis made an uncharacteristically revealing remark, using his lifelong passion for golf to explain how he approaches his job.</p> <p>Davis' methodical decision-making has been very evident over the last four years. He has delivered on a mostly Democratic agenda that had been stymied during 16 years of Republican governors -- backing organized labor, supporting school reforms and reducing racial tension. But as Davis seeks re-election Nov. 5, even some supporters say his record fails to reflect an overarching idea of where he wants to lead California and its changing population.</p>

I have been monitoring my PC system, and I have noted a pattern that might be of interest to Freepers. When ever I visit FR I generally get hit with an unauthorized Internet attack. These attacks are low-level, and it appears that someone or something is attempting to probe my PC when ever I log into FR. I strongly urge other Freepers to make sure that they have somekind of FIREWALL to protect themselves. I have noticed this before, but I haven't raised this issue, because I thought that it was just random attacks that occurred simply because I was...

No upgrade in color status yet, looking for wire copy.