Free Republic

Appeasement: In slamming President Bush and John McCain, Barack Obama seemed to follow political consultant Jim Carville's rule: "You've got to be willing to fight." But what Obama is defending is indefensible.When the first President Bush charged in 1992 that the only way rival Bill Clinton could keep his big-spending campaign promises was by raising taxes on families earning $36,000 and up, Clinton hit back hard. "It is a disgrace to the American people that the president of the United States would make a claim that is so baseless, so without foundation, so shameless, in an attempt to get votes...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – For the 38 grassroots groups who took up a temporary home in the Pentagon’s center courtyard today, the mission was clear: show support for the troops and share information about just how they do that. Tennessee's Helping Hearts table at the America Supports You Salute to Our Military Men and Women concert May 16, 2008, was staffed by the group’s pageant winners. From left, Paige Wilson, 12, 2007 Ms. Tennessee Helping Hearts; Shay Salmon, 16, 2008 Tennessee Helping Hearts Queen runner up; Amanda Britt, 18, 2008 Ms. Tennessee Helping Hearts; and Summer Salmon, 14,...

   ***** ~ Canteen Music Dedication ~ ***** ~ Support The Artists ~   Support the artists you hear throughout the Canteen! Click on the links below! Keep the music going! ArtistDirect l  Internet Radio l  AOL Music l  Sonique (Lycos) l  Real Radio Live365 l  971TheRiver  l  GotRadio  l  Wherehouse  l  Target  l Shoutcast AFRTS l  VH1 l XM Radio l  BET l  audiophile l  Virgin Radio l  Soma (Alternative) Acaza l AudioRealm l VH1 l  Yahoo! Launch Music l  Radio Disney l  Live-Radio Net ITunes l Amazon l Salsa Radio l MTV l CMT l Ticketmaster l...

Galvanized by the heartrending story of Chinese teenager Yang Liu, whose crushed legs were amputated to free her from the rubble of her school in southwestern China, foreign aid groups are preparing to donate prosthetic services and artificial limbs to earthquake victims. Early this morning, Chinese doctors amputated Yang's legs, the only way to rescue her from a massive pile of concrete slabs and bricks before carrying her down to a waiting ambulance that rushed her to a hospital in the nearby city of Deyang. The operation took less than 20 minutes and her condition remains precarious, doctors told reporters...

SHADI Bakr Ahmad gingerly eased his legless torso into two new plastic limbs and vowed they would one day walk him back to his brutal destiny in Gaza. The Fatah man and his 14 comrades in rehabilitation have barely six legs left between them, after being mutilated by their Hamas rivals during the violent takeover of power last June. All have unfinished business: they want to get back on their makeshift feet soon to hunt down the men who maimed them. An agreement to be announced this weekend between Israel and Egypt, acting on behalf of the rulers of Gaza,...

During the run-up to the 2006 elections, future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made definitive promises that if Democrats won leadership of Congress, they had a plan to lower gas prices. In November 2006, a gallon of gas cost approximately $2.20; it soon will double. In lieu of the current strategy (or lack thereof) of RNC Chairman Mike Duncan, Senator Mitch McConnell, and House Minority leader John Boehner, I propose the following: "Stop apologizing for Democratic mistakes and start campaigning on them!" --Openly challenge Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Howard Dean to a televised debate (and keep shaming and challenging...

(The terror was real, say judge, victims) Waukesha, WI - When a ski-masked Matthew S. Baker shoved a handgun into Kari Mirek's back, walked her to the cash register and put the gun up to her head, Mirek said, she feared for her life. She didn't know the handgun Baker was using to rob the Wonderland Tap in the City of Pewaukee was a fake. The bartender had no way of knowing that Baker wasn't going to shoot her. Her terror on the night of March 6, 2007, was real, she told Waukesha County Circuit Judge Lee S. Dreyfus Jr....

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT Senator McCain. I wonder how he feels today. Senator McCain went out there yesterday, made this speech in which he pretended it's 2013, the end of his first term, looking back at all the things that have been accomplished, and you just know that the attitude he has when he makes this speech is that, "I am a good person. I am an honorable person, and I have integrity, and we're all friends, we're all Americans. We're not from different countries. We all should just put aside this partisanship and get along." He gives this great flowering,...

This week marked the 60 th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. For many it is an occasion for celebration, but not for all. For Palestinians it is known as Al Nakba, which means "the catastrophe. "It is not surprising that winners and losers perceive things very differently. What is interesting, if not surprising, is that Americans are so well versed in only the Israeli side of the story. It is a symptom of our appalling ignorance of history and needs to be rectified.

CHINA may allow more countries to help in rescue efforts in the earthquake-devastated south-west region, a Chinese embassy spokesman says. Beijing has agreed so far to allow rescue teams from Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan, as well as Taiwan - which China considers to be part of its territory - and Hong Kong. "I personally expect more foreign rescue teams being allowed into China," Wang Baodong, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, told reporters. The offers from the four nations were accepted based on their proximity to China, "which may ensure promptness of the aid. "As I understand,...

On their last day in Israel President & Mrs. Bush participated in roundtable discussion with Israeli youth leaders at the Bible Lands Museum. (Transcript) "Mr. President and Mrs. Bush, thank you so much for choosing to spend this time with us. This is an amazing opportunity and I'm very honored and glad to be here. Congratulations, mazel tov also for your daughter's wedding." (Laughter.) Among the press, the hot topic continues to be the comments made by President Bush yesterday at the Knesset in Jerusalem: "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if...

In an interview to air later tonight on Bloomberg TV, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) said President Bush is "absolutely radioactive" and Republicans "will suffer widespread election losses in November unless they distance themselves from him." Said Davis: "They've got to get some separation from the president." Davis also said his party "would lose 20 to 25 House seats if the election were held today." And if Sen. John McCain is seen by voters as "Bush III" he will lose by 20 percentage points.

AN Australian army captain who stole 10 rocket launchers from the military and sold them on the black market must have known they could end up in the hands of terrorists. Shane Della-Vedova was sentenced yesterday to a maximum of 10 years' jail, with a minimum term of seven years, after pleading guilty to stealing and selling the rocket launchers between 2001 and 2003 to a convicted criminal with terrorist links.

Not that I want to bring any attention to that loser on MSNBC, but the comments made recently by Keith Olbermann on his "Countdown" show should be addressed, if only to point out how out of control these left-wing Bush haters are. Olbermann has engaged in vitriolic diatribes against the president before, but this time he was way over the top. Referring to the US Military in Iraq as "merciless mercenaries who shoot unarmed Iraqis and then evade prosecution in any country by hiding behind your skirts, sir," this foul-mouthed commentator, struggling to get ratings for the moribund network, has...

FOUR weeks ago, auction house chairman Tim Goodman received a call from a wealthy client in the US. The businessman, a passionate military memorabilia collector, had learned that medals and frontline archival material belonging to Australian army Major Peter Badcoe, who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1967, would feature in Bonhams and Goodman's May auction, to be held in Sydney on Tuesday. The collector told Mr Goodman he intended to bid for the Badcoe collection, which includes the only Vietnam War VC medal still in private hands and awarded to Major Badcoe posthumously. The estimated price for the...

The re-election prospects for Washington Governor Christine Gregoire (D) have improved significantly over the past two months. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Washington voters shows Gregoire leading her Republican challenger, Dino Rossi, by eleven percentage points. It’s Gregoire 52% Rossi 41%. In late March, Gregoire was up by just a statistically insignificant single percentage point. In February, Rossi had a one point advantage. Four years ago, the 2004 election between the same two candidates was one of the closest elections in the state’s history.

Washington and Tel Aviv vow to take 'tangible action' to prevent Iran from acquiring 'nuclear weapons', an Israeli spokesman says. Israeli premier Ehud Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, said on Friday that the diplomatic efforts to exert pressure on Iran to give up its uranium enrichment have so far been insufficient. "It is clear that additional steps will have to be taken," he continued. "We are on the same page. We both see the threat... And we both understand that tangible action is required to prevent the Iranians from moving forward on a nuclear weapon," said the Israeli spokesman. Regev then...

The Popular Press is lined up outside the tuxedo rental places here in Your Nation's Capital, to get ready for what they all assume will be the Coronation of Sen. Barack Obama as the Nominee for President of the Democratic Party after the primaries in Kentucky and Oregon. The endorsement of John Edwards yesterday, one assumes, also brings his eleven delegates with him. That would put Obama, according to CNN's count, at 1,910 delegates only 115 short of the 2,025 to have a majority. Kentucky (60 delegates) and Oregon (65 delegates) will hold their primaries on Tuesday. Assuming Obama and...

Before March, the Unites States Senate election in Kansas was a shoe-in for Republican incumbent Pat Roberts. At that point there was no viable Democratic candidate in the race and the state has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. However, the decision by Democratic Congressmen Jim Slattery to run for office has made the race potentially more interesting. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Kansas voters found Roberts leading Slattery 52% to 40%.

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – Award-winning actor and part-time rocker Gary Sinise and the "Lt. Dan Band” jammed for a standing-room-only crowd in the courtyard of the Pentagon today. Hollywood actor and part-time rocker Gary Sinise performs at the 4th Annual America Supports You Military Tribute Concert as part of the Military Appreciation Month celebrations. Sinise and “The Lt. Dan Band” jammed for a standing-room-only crowd packed into the courtyard of the Pentagon. Defense Dept. photo by Fred W. Baker III  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “Rocking at the Pentagon,” Sinise exclaimed mid-set for a much-appreciative audience. The...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – Showing appreciation for the men and women that risk their lives to defend the United States is essential, and yet rumors and fears about ethical restrictions that limit the amount of gift giving is a concern for many philanthropic organizations. Lee Bradley, director of the Department of Defense Ethics, Standards and Conduct Office came on ASYLive BlogTalkRadio yesterday to clarify some of these concerns. "I recognize that a whole lot of people believe that gift rules are very restrictive, ... but federal employees really live by the creed of ‘public service is a public...

Hating Bush C'mon, everybody's doing it!By Christopher Cook Look, I know that President Bush has disappointed us in many ways. He's lousy at selling even his best ideas. His first term was a smashing success; his second term has been much less effective. He's made some mistakes, and he's deviated from core conservatism in several areas. The left hates him the way the Democrats hated Lincoln—not just political hate, but a burning, visceral, personal hate. But we conservatives and Republicans, however disappointed we may be in aspects of his conduct of the office of president, should do two things:a) we...

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md., May 16, 2008 – Award-winning columnist and commentator Andy Rooney feted top Defense Department communicators here today, musing about his own days as a reporter for Stars and Stripes and the challenges and rewards of telling the story of a military at war. Rooney, who got his journalist start covering World War II operations in Europe, was the keynote speaker at the 2008 Department of Defense Communicators of Excellence Awards Ceremony, held here at the Defense Information School, known as DINFOS. The annual competition recognizes the best military journalists, broadcasters, photographers, graphic artists and...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – Seven military members received USA Freedom Corps President’s Volunteer Service Awards through the Military Volunteer Recognition Initiative in a ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building here today. USA Freedom Corps Director Henry Lozano, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation member Mary Jo Myers, and actor Stephen Baldwin presented the awards. Myers is the wife of former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers. The award recipients are humble about their volunteer work,...

A few years ago, the National Abortion Rights Action League, as it was then called, or NARAL for short, changed its name to NARAL Pro-Choice America. The idea, as I understood it, was to put the emphasis on "choice" rather than "abortion." This week, the organization announced its own choice in the Democratic primary contest, and as best as I can tell, it had absolutely nothing to do with preserving abortion rights and everything to do with their own sense of self-importance. Many women I know who have given generously of their time and efforts and money to the organization...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – Psychological health issues and traumatic brain injuries are primary areas of study in military medicine, a senior Department of Defense medical official said. “What we are learning in studies will lead to some major breakthroughs in the world of medicine,” Dr. Michael E. Kilpatrick, deputy director for force health protection and readiness programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, said in an interview on the “Dot Mil Docs” program on BlogTalkRadio.com. Kilpatrick said that the better they understand how to prevent both psychological health issues and traumatic brain injuries...

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C., May 16, 2008 – The road to Hollywood is rarely paved with combat boots and camouflage, but a Hollywood of sorts is exactly where one soldier landed. Army Capt. Gavin McCulley hugs his TV “wife” while playing an extra in Lifetime Network’s top-rated "Army Wives." Typically, McCulley can be found making sure all the extras are accurately portraying Army life. Defense Department photo by Samantha L. Quigley   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Capt. Gavin McCulley, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, out of Fort Bragg, N.C., thought he’d use...

TORONTO, Ontario, May 16, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ontario’s health insurance plan will pay for “sex-change” operations for the first time in a decade, Health Minister George Smitherman confirmed yesterday"(It would) probably affect between eight and 10 people in Ontario, who after having very, very sustained psychological evaluations would be deemed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health as appropriate candidates to receive a surgical intervention," Smitherman speculated.Ontario began covering the bill for “sex-change” operations in 1971, but ceased doing so in 1998 under the Progressive Conservative government.In 2006, the Ontario Human Rights Commission required compensation for three patients midway...

Democrats are rebuking President Bush for saying in his speech to the Knesset, here, that to “negotiate with terrorists and radicals” is “appeasement.” The Democrats took it as a slap at Barack Obama. What bothers me is the continual reference to Hitler and his National Socialists, particularly the British and French accommodation at the Munich Conference of 1938. The narrative we're given about Munich is entirely in hindsight. We know what kind of man Hitler was, and that he started World War II in Europe. From the view of 1938, what Hitler was demanding at Munich was not unreasonable, according...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – The National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in New York is part of a task force sent to Afghanistan to train and mentor the Afghan national security forces, a military official said yesterday. “Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix 12 consists of active, Guard, reserve, all services, components, coalition partners -- for a total of 8,500-plus soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen,” Army Col. Brian Balfe, commander of the U.S. Army National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, told online journalists and “bloggers.” While Task Force Phoenix is only on a nine-month tour as opposed...

Brothers and sisters in Islam, masahllah our taqiyya is doing wonders in America . We have successfully pulled wool over americans eyes in making them believe that Islam is not a religion ofstaright jacket but is a religion of peace and personal freedom . Here in the video our CAIR hero Ahmed gives an excellent demonstration of taqiyya by lieing thru his teeth with a straight face and declaring thatin Islam women have freedom of choice regarding what to wear AMERICA LOVES ISLAM Our job as moderate muslims is to lull the kuffar to a false sense of security while...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – America needs dedicated public servants now more than ever, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told graduates at the Virginia Military Institute, in Lexington, Va., today. Gates congratulated the 246 graduates of the state military college on their accomplishments and said the institute has taught them lessons on the importance of public service and duty to their fellow citizens. “For generations, VMI has graduated young people ready to raise their right hands and defend their homeland,” the secretary said. “This is something to be grateful for in any time period, but never more so than in...

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, MAY 16, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The election of president in Lebanon is a "top priority" for the country, the Maronite patriarch of Antioch told the U.N. Security Council at the beginning of his visit to the United States. Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir addressed the council Thursday, where he spoke of the various issues facing the nation. He also met with privately with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The cardinal's visit is part of a multi-continent trip he began May 4. His first stops included Qatar and South Africa. His scheduled stops in the United States include New York, Philadelphia, and Houston,...

What does Hillary want? Whatever it is, Barack Obama should just say yes. Unless she wants to be his running mate. Then he definitely should say no. Obama has to say no nicely, of course, to let her save face and, more important, not to drive away her supporters. But he also has to say no firmly enough that she realizes there is no room for negotiation. Clinton's blowout win in West Virginia yesterday puts an exclamation point on the dilemma Obama faces. He has the nomination nearly sewn up, but her refusal to quit could disrupt his plan to...

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla., May 16, 2008 – The current generation of warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan is poised to be the next “greatest generation,” the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. James Cartwright talks with retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard "Tex" Brown at the 2008 Daedalian Awards dinner at Fort Walton Beach, Fla., May 15, 2008. Cartwright was the keynote speaker, presenting awards to military pilots. Defense Department photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution...

BARRYS BAY, ON, May 16, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - With 90 students - two full buses - Madawaska Valley District High School had the largest number of public high school students to participate in the National March for Life on May 8.  LifeSiteNews.com spoke with the chaplain involved in the success and received feedback on the March from some of the students. 14-year-old Alyssa Rogers reflected, "When I went on the March for Life I was amazed at how much emotion was in their voices while they chanted against abortions. In the beginning I only wanted to go to get...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – Afghan and coalition security forces detained eight suspected Taliban militants during a joint operation conducted in Paktia province yesterday, U.S. military officials said. Afghan and coalition forces searched several compounds in the province’s Zadran district while looking for a Taliban operative with links to local roadside bomb attacks and the movement of insurgent fighters. Some explosives components discovered during the search were removed for disposal. In other news, one militant was killed and 13 others were detained during a coalition operation in Helmand province May 14. During a search of several compounds in the Garmser...

Fire That Burned House Near Mayor's Summer Home Followed Threatening Note About Cougar Shooting In City CHICAGO (CBS) ― Police believe an arson fire that destroyed a home in Grand Beach, Mich., might have been directed at the nearby summer home of Mayor Richard M. Daley in retaliation for the shooting of a cougar. As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, the fire burned the homes of two of the mayor's neighbors in Grand Beach, Mich., three weeks ago. Sources say Mayor Daley got a mysterious warning letter three days before the fire broke out. Thus, detectives are now checking out...

One of the wisest American former officials I know asked me a few nights ago: “Michael, put on your thinking cap, and tell me where the United States will be four years from now, if Barack Obama is president.” I had been trying to avoid that question in my own mind. I have tried to tell myself the old proverb (told me by my father), “God takes care of children, drunks, and the United States of America.” I have tried to imagine that Obama will not be president. But I should try to do the responsible thing: follow the trail...

On Today’s Show... The Democrats are throwing a fit over President Bush's truthful statement about appeasing evil. Obama threw a tantrum, taking it personally even though the president didn't mention Obama by any of his names. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here) When you're a messiah, everything that happens anywhere in the world is about you, eh, Barack? What a spoiled little child this guy is. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here)A helpful guide for the speech police: Things you can't say about Obama, or talk about because Lil' Barack might think are about him. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here) Pearl...

Six points that I feel need to be made about this ruling: 1. This Is Social Liberalism By Judicial Fiat - This ruling came from none other than the Supreme Court of California, just as Massachusets allowed gay marriage by judicial fiat. Four justices (out of seven) should not be allowed to drastically change the entire definition of an institution that has existed for thousands of years of Judeo-Christian civilization and hundreds of years of American jurisprudence. Proponents of gay marriage cannot convince citizens of a single state to allow for same-sex marriage to be for anything but a man...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, May 16, 2008 – The Heroes of the Diamond Tour brought four retired Major League Baseball players to visit servicemembers here May 11. Jeff Nelson, a former New York Yankees relief pitcher, signs a baseball for a fan at a Morale, Welfare and Recreation-sponsored event at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 11, 2008. The Heroes of the Diamond Tour brought four retired Major League Baseball players to visit with deployed servicemembers. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Morale, Welfare and Recreation-sponsored event featured Tim Salmon, Los...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – The deputy secretary of defense called on Congress to act quickly to pass the fiscal 2008 supplemental legislation for the war on terror. In a May 15 letter, Gordon England told Congress the legislation is urgent and needed before the House and Senate recess for Memorial Day. “Absent additional Congressional action, the Army will run out of military personnel funds by mid-June and operation and maintenance funds by early July,” England said in the letter. Civilian personnel funding and money for the Commander’s Emergency Response Program also is included in the operations-and-maintenance accounts. “CERP funding...

California Sen. Barbara Boxer in an interview this week dismissed the uproar over whether likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama will be able to attract the white working class or women in November. "Nobody's ever said to me, I'm not voting for you because you're Jewish, and I don't believe they vote that way, or because you're a woman," Boxer said. "They want to know what I believe in, what I care about, not the color of my skin or my religion. I just really get insulted by that, to be honest. I really do." As a super delegate,...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained 19 suspects during a series of operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq operatives in central and northern Iraq today, military officials said. -- Coalition forces killed one insurgent and captured another during an anti-al Qaida operation near Khan Bani Saad, about 20 miles north of Baghdad. -- In Baghdad, coalition forces detained one suspected terrorist. -- In Mosul, coalition forces captured an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq financier and seven other suspects. -- In Tikrit, coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists. -- Near Balad, coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – More than 300 former members of “Sons of Iraq” graduated to Iraqi policemen during a ceremony at Kirkuk Police Academy on May 15. A Kirkuk Police Academy instructor straightens the beret of an Iraqi police recruit before a graduation ceremony, May 15, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Margaret C. Nelson, 1st Battalion, 10th Mountain Division   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The students graduated after eight weeks of training here. “The Kirkuk province has shown tremendous progress in the last year. Events like this prove we are taking the necessary steps...

snip- Yet many scientists — 40 percent according to a 1997 poll cited by Shermer — believe in God. This isn't big news to scientists, but might surprise people who rely on mainstream views of science. A handful of those folks — including Jerome Groopman, a professor of medicine at Harvard, and William D. Phillips, Nobel laureate in physics and a fellow of the Joint Quantum Institute of the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology — are also represented in the booklet, arguing that the natural world and the world of faith are relatively separate,...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – The battle against improvised explosive devices takes place on the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan every day, but this week coalition members took the fight into a conference room, tucked away on an air base in Southwest Asia. Arranged by the Combined Air and Space Operations Center’s Combined Theater Electronic Warfare Coordination Cell, the conference put IED experts from Iraq and Afghanistan together with William Hughes, director of the Joint IED Defeat Organization’s test board and test board members to exchange information during the two-day conference. “We’re here to see if we’re meeting the warfighters’...

Republicans are bracing for a political annihilation of epic proportions after losing a special election this week in a solidly conservative district in Mississippi — yes, Mississippi. We can call this "a harbinger." And Republicans not only deserve the flogging, they should be praying for more. We can call this "creative destruction." When Democrats claim that Republican presidential candidate John McCain would mean a third term of the Bush presidency, they're not kidding. The GOP offers no coherent policy, no leadership, no imagination, no principles and, most important, it offers no choice. The Democrat-run Congress now carries an approval rating...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – The Defense Department needs to worry more about what warfighters need right now than what they may need down the road, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said last night. In a speech to the Business Executives for National Security group, Gates said he will work for the remainder of his time in office to ensure the department fulfills its “sacred obligation” to support U.S. servicemembers now fighting on the front lines. This means doing all that is needed to “see that they are successful on the battlefield and properly cared for at home,” Gates...