Free Republic

AUBURN, NY — Following the new tradition of erecting disturbing modern-art monuments for prominent historical figures, the city of Auburn has unveiled a bronze statue of abolitionist and Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman's left big toe. "We felt that this was a fitting tribute for the great Harriet Tubman," said Brandon Quezada, chairman of the city's Artistic Initiatives Committee. "Knowing that Boston was unveiling the unspeakably creepy ‘The Embrace' statue for Dr. Martin Luther King that bears a striking resemblance to various human organs mashed together in an ungodly chimeric abomination from the pit of hell, creating a monument depicting...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - La Toya Jackson broke a toe while rehearsing for a music video for her upcoming single "Just Wanna Dance," her business partner said Thursday. The sister of entertainer Michael Jackson was rehearsing in Las Vegas on Jan. 10 when she broke the big toe on her left foot, Jeffre Phillips said. "The base to a microphone stand fell off a speaker and landed right on her toe," he said. "She was rushed to the hospital." She will be "out of commission" for 10 to 12 days, Phillips said. She was told to stay off her feet...

The interim CIA report by investigator David Kay on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq is inconclusive as to whether Saddam Hussein was planning to rebuild his arsenal, but it is quite clear that the imminent, massive buildup for such weaponry, upon which the invasion of Iraq was predicated, had not, in fact, happened. Barring some discovery of massive relocation of such weapons to Syria, it is clear that the claims of President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Prime Minister Tony Blair about the ubiquity of such weapons were not accurate. That does not mean that...

Iran has proved to be the undoer of presidents, having cost Jimmy Carter his job in 1980 and nearly depriving Ronald Reagan of his legacy in 1987. The road to the White House in 2004 may again run through Tehran, this time for George W. Bush. There is no way Bush can transform Iraq into a winning situation. The failure to find weapons of mass destruction, the growing national question of whether we were lied to and the ongoing open season on American troops have combined to deprive Bush of credit for his amazing success on the battlefield in much...

It is incredible how rapidly President Bush’s job approval ratings have fallen in the aftermath of the ouster of Saddam Hussein. In 60 days, they have dropped from the high 60s and low 70s to the mid-50s! In the Clinton administration, despite daily pounding and actual impeachment, his job rating did not drop below 60 percent from early 1996 until the end of his second term. Bush seems to have no firewall to arrest his drop. His ratings seem to depend on yesterday’s news. Because the empowerment of the Republican Party in all three branches of government masks the demographic...

The Bush administration is showing signs of all of the vices of successful foreign policies arrogance, overreaching, elitism, and messianic zeal in its decision to enter the Liberian quagmire. Americans will gladly support their president when he attacks nations that sponsor or harbor terrorists. We will even back him in a preemptive war against a country that might attack us. But when we start sending troops around the world to stabilize nations that, if left to disintegrate, might become breeding grounds for terror, it's a step too far for most Americans.Why are we suddenly sending troops to Africa? Is it...