Free Republic

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2005 – The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference will eventually expose participants to all branches of the military, but the group's first day was a "Marine day." The civilian business professionals and elected officials, who came from all over the country, spent most of Oct. 17 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., and they got to take in several aspects of Marine training. The group started out its visit with old-fashioned Marine Corps chow. Participants ate lunch with students in "The Basic School," the preparatory course for all Marine officers. They then went outside, where they watched a...

Looks like Porter Goss is not twiddling his thumbs. Hopefully, many good patriots will step up and serve their country. If I were younger, I would. God Bless all who serve. CIA Employment Site Maybe Uncle Sam wants you?

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Bill Parcells wasn't able to rattle him. Bill Belichick, the master of disguise, was unable to unnerve him. Now along comes Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Gerard Warren, admittedly trying to rattle rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and, in the process, threatening physical harm. Warren told a group of reporters Thursday he will be aiming for Roethlisberger's head when the Steelers and Browns meet tomorrow, even if it means a potential fine. The league wasted little time reacting to Warren's comments. Commissioner Tagliabue sent letters to Warren and the Browns' organization yesterday, warning that a flagrant foul committed against Roethlisberger could result...

Although the media repeatedly refers to the men killed in the recent attack in Iraq as "civilian contractors,? they were in fact mercenaries used as part of the U.S. government's outsourcing of jobs, reports the Progressive Review. Firms overseeing the specialized contractors include Blackwater, the one involved in the recent incident, as well as Dyncorp and the Steele Foundation. The Steele Foundation, the third largest supplier of mercenaries, has 500 troops in Iraq and recently distinguished itself by -- depending on who's telling the story -- failing to protect Haitian president Aristide from kidnapping by the U.S. government or participating...

RE: BUTTERFLY BROKEN ON A WHEEL [John Derbyshire] VERY interesting e-mailbag on my Martha Stewart postings. They are running about 2-1 in support of my pro-Martha position -- somewhat to my surprise, as I thought I was being dramatically contrarian here. Interestingly, e-mails from professionals in the securities business are pretty solidly with me -- I have appended a good example down below. Points often made: ---It is not against the law to be a rich, obnoxious, not-very-honest woman, not even if your politics are Clintonian-Democrat. ---Not only was Martha not charged with "insider trading" (whatever THAT is supposed to...

A GROUP of former US intelligence officials has written to President Bush claiming that the US Congress and the American public were misled about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction before the war. The group’s members, most of them former CIA analysts, say that they have close contacts with senior officials working inside the US intelligence agencies, who have told them that intelligence was “cooked” to persuade Congress to authorise the war. The manipulation of intelligence has, they say, produced “a policy and intelligence fiasco of monumental proportions”. They write in the letter to Mr Bush: “While there have been occasions...

Three Arapahoe County sheriff's deputies were injured at the firing range Wednesday when a gun accidentally discharged during a training exercise, Sheriff Grayson Robinson said. The deputies were not hit by any bullets but were bruised by shrapnel and blown concrete, Robinson said. The deputies were identified as David Kleinheksl, Charleen Briggs and Douglas Sauerbreit. The trio were part of a group of 16 deputies who were undergoing mandatory training at Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Facility, at 9008 North Highway 85. Before they can use the firing range, and before they can get their bullets, deputies have to have...