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MORNING APRIL 29 Consider how great things He hath done for you. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chastens his son, so the Lord thy God chastens thee. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. It is good for me that I have been...

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, Feb. 12, 2010 – Australia is already one of America’s strongest allies, and Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III will visit the nation to see how the alliance can become even stronger. Lynn will meet with Australian leaders in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra to discuss the scope and shape of U.S.-Australian military cooperation. “Australia is a critical ally that is supporting the effort in Afghanistan in important ways, and we think we can work with them on future threats like cybersecurity,” Lynn said during an interview aboard a military aircraft. Tomorrow, Lynn will speak about...

BAHAWALPUR, Pakistan – The compound bore no sign. Residents referred to it simply as the school for "jihadi fighters," speaking in awe of the expensive horses stabled within its high walls — and the extremists who rode them bareback in the dusty fields around it. In classrooms nearby, teachers drilled boys as young as 8 in an uncompromising brand of Islam that called for holy war against enemies of the faith. Sitting cross-legged on the floor of the Dar-ul-uloom Madina school, they rocked back and forth as they recited sections of the Quran, Islam's holy book. Both facilities are run...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RELEASE No. 20080106-05 January 6, 2008 Iraqi Army, Iraqi Security Volunteers strengthen their unity 2nd BCT Public Affairs, 82nd Abn. Div. Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO BAGHDAD – Key leaders from the Iraqi Army and the local volunteer security force in Baghdad’s Adhamiyah neighborhood held a summit Jan. 3 to discuss the way forward. The meeting was attended by Maj. Gen. Mushir, commander of the 11th Iraqi Army Division, and Col. Riyad Al Samarrae, the contractor in charge of the local Iraqi Security Volunteers, as well as the IA and ISV leaders. At the meeting, IA and...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2006 -- The Iraq national reconciliation conference held Dec. 16 in Baghdad was only the first of many such meetings that will serve to "enlarge the circle of reconciliation," said Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh. Al-Dabbagh and the coalition spokesman, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, discussed the reconciliation conference among other topics during a joint news conference in Baghdad on Dec. 17. The conference brought together representatives from all ethnic and sectarian factions in Iraq. “There will be more conferences which will include the groups and individuals who didn't have the opportunity to take part...

For Immediate ReleaseApril 8, 2006 President's Radio Address       Audio      In Focus: Immigration      THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, Members of the United States Senate reached a promising bipartisan compromise on comprehensive immigration reform. Unfortunately, this compromise is being blocked by the Senate Democratic leader who has refused to allow Senators to move forward and vote on amendments to this bill. I call on the Senate Minority Leader to end his blocking tactics and allow the Senate to do its work and pass a fair, effective immigration reform bill.  Radio Address 200620052004200320022001  Radio Interviews 20052004 Immigration is an emotional...

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Mar. 15, 2006) -- Deployment can affect service members in a number of ways, including their emotional and spiritual well-being. When it comes to spiritual matters, service members here have only to turn to Lt. Cmdr. Ray Hunt, chaplain for the deployed element of the 1st Marine Logistics Group, for assistance. Hunt said he is determined to bring every service member home emotionally and spiritually sound. “I just want to take care of every Marine, sailor, soldier and airman (here). I want everyone to go home (safely),” said Hunt, a native of Clinton, Miss. For Hunt and...

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 6, 2005 – Naval Reserve Lt. Cmdr. Ty Redmon starts each day at the Military Severely Injured Center with a new life-changing challenge. Each case that comes across Redmon's desk involves helping a severely injured Reserve, Guard or active sailor, mostly due to action in Iraq and Afghanistan. He may help get military orders for relatives to stay bedside, wrangle with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service on pay issues, or simply provide a list of free child care centers injured troops' hometowns. "You can't put a cookie-cutter pattern on people that are hurt," Redmon said. "And...

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United States formally introduced the final version of a draft Security Council resolution Thursday that would toughen U.N. sanctions against al-Qaida and the Taliban. U.S. mission spokesman Ben Chang said Washington hopes for a vote Friday on the resolution, which better defines groups and individuals who should fall under the sanctions regime. U.N. sanctions currently require all 191 U.N. member states to impose a travel ban and arms embargo against those "associated with" Osama bin Laden's terror network and the former Afghan rulers and to freeze their financial assets. Among other things, the draft would...

SACRAMENTO – A group of California lawmakers is trying to block the impact of last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded the government's power to seize private property, a decision that was swiftly criticized by groups across the political spectrum. In the 5-4 decision, the nation's highest court ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses without their consent for private development. State Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Northridge, said the court ruling in Kelo v. New London allows governments to "take the house of a person that it doesn't like, and give it to a person that it...

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - The leaders of Mexico, Colombia and Central America agreed Wednesday to strengthen the rights of migrants heading north to the United States while fighting the smugglers who move thousands across borders, from Panama to Mexico. On the first day of a two-day regional summit in the Honduran capital, the leaders promised to work together to halt the trafficking of people, especially women and children, while "promoting respect and the protection of human rights of migrants." Thousands of Central Americans pass through Mexico on their way to the United States, and many are robbed or mistreated during...

Doubts over America's northern pincer may give Saddam a chance to strengthen his defences By Patrick Cockburn 04 March 2003 The failure of America to persuade Turkey to allow its bases to be used by troops for an attack on Iraq has complicated Washington's plans to open a northern front against Saddam Hussein. The United States had hoped to attack Iraq from the north and south. Now the existence of the northern pincer is in doubt. About 62,000 US soldiers and 310 military aircraft were to be deployed in Turkey, enabling the 4th Infantry Division to push south. The prizes...

Blair and Bush urge Europe to strengthen resolve By Stephen Castle in Brussels, Andrew Grice in London and David Usborne in New York 14 February 2003 European divisions with America and Britain over whether to go to war in Iraq will be painfully exposed at the United Nations Security Council in New York today. France and Germany were told yesterday to "show backbone and courage" by President George Bush, while Tony Blair fired a separate broadside demanding they leave open the option of military action. Diplomats said Britain and America will make a push for military action – once Hans...