Free Republic

THE Liberal Party's biggest gambles in decades - electing Tony Abbott as Leader of the Opposition and rejecting Labor's ETS in the Senate - appear to have paid their first dividends, and in exactly the way the Liberal Party had hoped they would. Two weeks ago Malcolm Turnbull was Liberal leader, the Coalition had embraced Labor's ETS and was about to pass it through the Senate and Turnbull was facing two by-elections which were deliberately designed to wreck his leadership. The Liberal Party was divided over climate change and the leadership, the Coalition was split over the ETS and there...

The California Latino Water Coalition, often described as a grassroots group representing the Latino community, was born in a closed-door meeting of Gov. Schwarzenegger and local officials at Selma City Hall on March 21, 2007—and was “suggested” by the governor himself, according to a coalition brochure. Orange Cove Mayor Victor Lopez said the Coalition was his own idea. He acknowledged that city funds were used to help people travel to the Coalition launch event at the state Capitol on April 23, 2007. “When we went to Sacramento, we went as citizens of the community,” Lopez said. “The city of Orange...

SERIOUS splits have emerged within the Coalition on nuclear power, with outspoken Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce yesterday calling for a referendum on the issue, while Liberal senate leader Nick Minchin declared any discussion "utterly futile". Senator Joyce demanded Australia abandon its Cold War mindset and end its ban on nuclear power, telling the Nationals federal council meeting it made no sense to continue to take the "peculiar" position of selling uranium overseas, while pretending domestic nuclear energy generation was immoral. "We either say it's immoral and we won't use it at all or, quite obviously, we should be trying to...

Washington, D.C. (March 31, 2009) - The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) today called on the Obama administration to disclose the role of former President Jimmy Carter in advising the administration on critical foreign policy issues. RJC Executive Director Matthew Brooks said, "In an in-depth article in the April 6, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, investigative reporter Seymour M. Hersh states that Carter has met with President Obama to discuss foreign policy, and that the administration was aware of Carter's trip to Syria in December 2008. Carter is calling for broader U.S.-Syrian relations.

Coalition talks in Israel seem to be headed in what most Israeli voters consider the wrong direction — that is, the negotiation of a right-wing Netanyahu government with no Kadima and no Labor. This is troubling to many Israelis, whose primary concern is accountable leadership. Political columnist Sima Kadmon explained in his plea to Livni last week:

As soon as we’ve caught our breath regarding Kadima’s hairline win (according to exit polls only), the real story that emerges is the utter gutting of the Israeli Left, and the return of Likud. Of the four major parties today, three of them are Likud and its spin-offs: Kadima was founded by Ariel Sharon and is mostly made up of former Likudniks; Yisrael Beitenu’s chairman cut his teeth as the head of the Likud’s central committee.

It can be hard for political junkies to live without polls until Election Day, but that’s exactly what Israel has had to put up with since Friday. The publishing of new election poll-results during the last days of the campaign is forbidden by law. Therefore the country is left in the dark until exit polls are published tomorrow evening: for now rumor and spin dominate public opinion.

BAGHDAD -A senior Sunni tribal leader claimed Wednesday to have hundreds of documents proving fraud in weekend elections in Anbar province, escalating a crisis that has threatened to reignite violence in the former insurgent stronghold. Iraq's electoral commission, which is overseeing the process, promised it was taking the complaints seriously and warned the findings from an investigation could affect election results for the province. Signaling the high stakes involved, a prominent national Sunni lawmaker traveled to Anbar province to try to mediate the dispute, which has pitted the tribal leaders against a rival Sunni party that is part of the...

You think solar electrical generation is going to save you or the Planet? Think again. While it is true that photovoltaic solar panels do not pollute while they are producing electricity -- what about the manufacturing process? What happens when these panels reach the end of their projected lifecycle in twenty-five years? (This is, by the way, an optimistic view of their useful life.) Those questions are addressed in a study by the watchdog group Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. "Green Power" is being hyped as the "Safe Solution." It is anything but safe -- when all factors are considered. Here...

In what could be more than just an astute political move, the upstart Wildrose Alliance party has come out as supporting the idea of taking the idea of Alberta separation to the people via a provincial referendum.

Once thought of as a fringe movement populated mostly by the far rightwing and the over 50 crowd, those Albertans who now publicly support the idea of independence in the face of yet another Eastern hijacking of national power – and an unmistakable rejection of Albertan and Western Canadian values – are from every background, race, religion, and financial spectrum.

HH: We begin today by going where no radio talk show host has ever gone before. We are going to discuss Canadian politics with none other than Columnist To the World

So, there you have it, folks. The question ‘How can people support this coalition?’ is easily and disturbingly answered: ‘they support democracy only when it suits them.’

http://www.petitiononline.com/CANADIAN/petition.html Over 20,000 strong already and it grew by 5,000 signatures in the last hour

Hinman says that as long as Quebec separatists are calling the shots in Ottawa, Stelmach should do three things immediately: 1. Serve notice of Alberta's intent to withdraw from the current Federal Transfer Program. (brilliant!) 2. Initiate measures for Alberta to begin collecting its own taxes; (....again!) 3. Initiate discussions on a Regional Equalization Program involving the four Western Provinces. (three for three!)

This attempt to reverse the decision of the voting public goes beyond wrong. It shows a blatant disregard for the democratic process itself, and will not only harm the nation that is facing economic uncertainty, but will do immense damage by feeding the ever-growing public apathy has with regards to politics in general.

My name is Sara and my husband is in special polish forces in Iraq. There are preparations by American forces on Friday to have 21 salutes according to my husband. He really didn't tell me much, but I think it will happen. (what is 21 salute?) On behalf of my husband and me Sara, we would like to send condolences to you all American people of great lost of Ronald Wilson Reagan. It is a great lost for many Americans, we in Eastern Europe remember him as a great man who not only unified Germany but also allow us in...

Palin/McCain’s Winning Coalition Unlike many of my FR posts this one contains no satire. I’ve been following national electoral politics since 1970 or so, and I often try to create models and frameworks to understand the dynamics of how elections are won and lost. One model I use as a tool suggests that the last 72 hours have created an unbeatable coalition for the Palin/McCain ticket. I now believe that unless it turns out that Saracuda is distributing cocaine and Russian sex slaves to the North Slope oil camps, the ticket will win comfortably, perhaps by as much as 10%...

KABUL (AFP) - Afghan and US-led coalition forces killed 32 Taliban-linked militants in fighting in southern Afghanistan, the coalition said Saturday. The rebels were slain after attacking the forces patrolling in southern Uruzgan province's Khas Uruzgan district on Thursday, the statement said. "A total of 32 militants were killed by Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces in two separate engagements in the Khas Oruzgan District, the statement added. A 10-year-old Afghan child and two Afghan national policemen were wounded during the battle, it added, without giving details on how the child was hurt. The attack, the latest in an...

WASHINGTON - A loose coalition of liberal and labor organizations expects to spend about $150 million this fall to push its causes and help Democrats win the White House and strengthen their grip on Congress. Participants include the two main labor coalitions — the AFL-CIO and Change to Win — as well as MoveOn.org and voter mobilization groups for minorities and young people. Organizers were announcing the effort Tuesday during conference sponsored by the liberal Campaign for America's Future. Liberal and labor strategists say an animated Democratic electorate and a dispirited Republican base have created a political environment tailor-made to...

TANGRAI, Pakistan - U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan fired across the border into Pakistan in a strike targeting Taliban militants, and the Pakistani army said Thursday that civilians were killed. The attack illustrates Washington's concern the Taliban and al-Qaida are using Pakistan's lawless frontier as a base for attacks in Afghanistan. But anger at civilian deaths could lead to a review by the incoming Pakistani government of the country's counterterrorism strategy and its U.S.-backed policy of using military force to root out militants. A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan said troops used "precision-guided munitions" to strike a compound about...

Rather than point the state budget ax at each other, a broad spectrum of interest groups has joined forces in a battle to press Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers to raise taxes. Groups representing nearly every state general fund service – education, labor, public safety, environment, health care and social services – have formed an alliance to oppose the governor's proposal for 10 percent across-the-board cuts. Members say the goal of the newly formed umbrella coalition, which has yet to be named, is to raise public awareness about the effect of cuts and press elected officials into supporting revenue increases....

Republicans rooting for Rudy, overlooking his liberal positions on social issues and instead focusing on his national security hawkishness or his record of fiscal conservatism as Mayor of New York City, are already gravitating to John McCain based on Rudy’s say-so. It stands to reason that if these Republicans could forgive Rudy’s apostasies, they can surely overlook McCain’s. But what about those who consider McCain anathema – despite his 82 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union? Why is it that the same conservatives who can forgive Mitt Romney’s flip-flopping on just about every significant issue can’t get past...

He says he's not running for president, but New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg traveled to the delegate-rich state of California Saturday deliver a scorching attack on Washington for failing to keep up with the need for new airports, roads, water systems and bridges across America. While China and other nations are investing heavily in ports and high-speed trains "Washington doesn't have a plan" to address crumbling U.S. infrastructure, Bloomberg said. In remarks clearly aimed at a national audience, the mayor said politics trumps common sense in Congress, where pork-barrel spending takes priority. Washington "spends money to win votes," Bloomberg said....

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU — Coalition forces teamed up with Iraqi Army Soldiers Jan. 10, to conduct an operation focused on securing an area south of Baghdad known as Chaka Four Region. Troops from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division seized weapon caches and detained suspected al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) members during Operation Nanos II, the first joint operation between the units. More than 50 suspects were detained, including one individual believed to be behind the assassination of prominent sheik Imad Ghurtani last November. Soldiers also discovered a bomb-making...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2008 – Coalition servicemembers are making a difference in Iraq, and despite political rhetoric there, the country’s leaders realize they need coalition forces to remain, the commander of coalition ground forces said yesterday. Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said that when he visits battalions and companies throughout Iraq, he is struck by the way Iraqis deal with coalition forces. “It’s a very interesting dynamic,” the general said during a conference call with military analysts from his headquarters in Baghdad. “I go out about five times a week, … and it’s clear...

It's just after midnight in Bagdad, and while the final number may change, the preliminary number of coalition fatalities in Iraq for December 2007 is 22, down from 40 in November - which was itself a month hailed as unusually quiet in Iraq. While each, of course, is tragic, coalition fatalities of 22 would be the lowest monthly total since the war began.

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a brief foray into politics, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday denounced comments by a leading Republican presidential candidate that the Bush administration's foreign policy is arrogant and unilateral. "The idea that somehow this is a go-it-alone policy is just simply ludicrous," she said at a State Department news conference. "One would only have to be not observing the facts, let me say that, to say that this is now a go-it-alone foreign policy." Her remarks came in response to a question about criticism from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has surged in the...

BAGHDAD – Ten terrorists were killed and eight suspects detained during Coalition forces operations Saturday north of Samarra. During three coordinated operations early Saturday, Coalition forces targeted senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders and associates, killing a wanted individual, believed to be associated with the Badush prison escape in March. Reports indicate that the wanted individual had previously been imprisoned for weapons smuggling. As the ground force approached the target area, they were engaged by armed men who were then observed maneuvering into defensive positions near a reed line. Responding in self-defense, the ground force called for supporting aircraft to engage,...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2007 – The coalition air component in Iraq “remains strong,” airlifting supplies and troops, providing surveillance and assisting ground forces with kinetic support, a senior air force officer in Iraq said today. During a news conference with reporters in Baghdad, Air Force Maj. Gen. David M. Edgington, director of Multinational Force Iraq’s Air Component Coordination Element, referred to air lift forces as “the backbone of the air component.” “The number of pallets that we bring into this country keep at least 100 vehicles off the roads every day that would otherwise be delivered via convoys,” he said....

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed 10 terrorists and detained three suspects during operations Friday targeting al-Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq. Southeast of Baghdad in Salman Pak, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an alleged foreign terrorist facilitator with ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq senior members operating in the Arab Jabour area. Reports indicate the individual is also associated with several foreign terrorist facilitators operating outside of Iraq, and an al-Qaeda in Iraq member who claims involvement in attacks against Coalition forces. The ground force was engaged by small arms fire as they approached the target building. Responding...

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and detained 19 suspected terrorists during operations Wednesday in central and northern parts of Iraq. Coalition forces captured a wanted individual during an operation west of Tikrit who is believed to be an associate of several terrorist leaders operating throughout the Tigris River Valley. The suspect is allegedly responsible for the movement of weapons from outside of Iraq to safe houses in the area. As Coalition forces arrived at the target area, the wanted individual surrendered to the ground force and was detained without incident. In southern Baghdad, Coalition forces captured...

Coalition-caused deaths. Coalition forces, principally US as well as some UK, were identified to have killed at least 536 Iraqi civilians in year four (excluding a major incident in Najaf in January which is still under investigation by IBC). This compares with 370 in year three.

TAJI, Iraq - More than 1,200 Iraqi males from in and around Tarmiyah stood in line for hours to join Iraqi Security Forces, local sheiks and Coalition Forces in the fight against al-Qaeda and other insurgent militias in Tarmiyah Sept. 12. Local sheiks and CF from 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment reached out to the Iraqi people, asking the citizens of the small town of Tarmiyah to volunteer to defend their homes and neighborhoods against the terrorist insurgency in their town. This concept of the people standing against al-Qaeda and other insurgents has been dubbed an "awakening," or the mental...

AUSTRALIAN special forces in Afghanistan have struck at Taliban insurgents in their heartland in a series of secretive, brutal engagements waged across some of the most hostile terrain the commandos and Special Air Service troopers have ever fought in. The fight for south-central Oruzgan province was a pivotal battle and one with crucial security implications, the commander of Australia's special forces, Major General Mike Hindmarsh, said yesterday. In a rare interview, Major General Hindmarsh said SAS operations had thrown the Taliban "off balance", helping prevent insurgent attacks on the key provincial centres of Tarin Kowt and Kandahar. "The Taliban, they're...

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Aug. 9, 2007 — Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition forces brought medical, veterinary and material assistance to Afghan civilians at the Sangin District Center, Helmand Province, Aug. 1-5. The medical and veterinary assistance were made possible due to diminished Taliban enemy activity in the area. Coalition forces have put heavy pressure on insurgents in Helmand Province since spring, a strategy that disrupted the Taliban’s plan for a spring offensive. “Most of the people who come here have problems that are preventable or easy to fix. We can make simple advice and a little bit of...

Iran on Tuesday unveiled what it said was the world's largest handwoven carpet, worth 5.8 million dollars and larger than a football pitch, to be laid out in a United Arab Emirates mosque. The carpet, adorned with green and cream colours, was made in 18 months from 38 tonnes of wool and cotton by 1,200 weavers in three villages in northeastern Iran, said the head of Iran's state carpet company, Jalaleddin Bassam. It is to be spread out in the mosque in UAE capital Abu Dhabi that bears the name of UAE president and founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan....

LONDON (AFP) - Multi-national troops in Iraq are "making a difference" towards building a secure and successful country despite the enormous challenges, Britain's top military officer there said Friday. "This is difficult, it is damned dangerous, but I have no question in my mind that we are making a difference," Lieutenant General Graham Lamb, deputy commander of the multi-national force, told BBC radio from Baghdad. He denied the US-led troops were engaged in a lost cause. "Are we moving towards a better life for Iraq and an opportunity for this nation to succeed? I believe so and have never doubted...

TIRANA, Albania, — The highlight of President Bush’s European tour may well be his visit on Sunday to this tiny country, one of the few places left where he can bask in unabashed pro-American sentiment without a protester in sight. Americans here are greeted with a refreshing adoration that feels as though it comes from another time. “Albania is for sure the most pro-American country in Europe, maybe even in the world,” said Edi Rama, Tirana’s mayor and leader of the opposition Socialists. “Nowhere else can you find such respect and hospitality for the president of the United States. Even...

05 06 2007 In contrast to many countries, where presidential visits are controversial, Albanians seem united in their desire to welcome the US leader, seeing him as their best ally in the world. By Besar Likmeta in Tirana Albania's capital, Tirana, is decked out in the stars and stripes of the American flag in preparation for the long-awaited visit of the US President George Bush, whom most Albanians consider their greatest friend in the world. The countdown for the June 10 visit has long started, with the government scrambling hard to complete the tight security measures needed to protect the...

TIRANA, May 31 (Reuters) - An Albanian government decree allowing U.S. Marines to be the only armed corps guarding President George W. Bush on a visit next week has been seen by some in Albania as an insult to their security forces. Albania has been looking forward to Bush's visit on June 10, the first by a U.S. president. He will be staying for seven hours as part of a regional tour. As part of preparations, parliament on Thursday approved an act that allows more than 500 combat-ready U.S. troops entry into the country, and sanctions their use of "force...

WASHINGTON - The fragile coalition that produced this week's immigration deal risks being picked apart by forces across the political spectrum as the measure begins moving through Congress. Lawmakers want to revise key elements, such as letting millions of illegal immigrants stay in the U.S., favoring skills and education over families and setting out the terms of a new temporary worker program. Any one of the changes has the potential to sink the whole measure, which was unveiled with fanfare Thursday but was still being drafted late Friday. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, who helped negotiate the compromise, called it "very...

British soldiers from 19 Light Brigade led a series of successful search and arrest operations around Basra, Iraq, today, 8 May 2007, aimed at deterring rogue militias known to be operating there. The raids, carried out by Multi National Force (MNF) soldiers early this morning, resulted in the capture of four leading criminals linked with roadside bomb attacks on British Forces. The operations were conducted simultaneously and focused on the arrest and detention of influential figures in the southern rural area of Safwan, the northern rural area of Al Hartha and the Basra City area. One of the most notable...

Sacramento -- Abandoning the business lobby's traditional resistance to health care reform, a new coalition of 36 major companies began a political campaign Monday calling for medical insurance to be expanded to everyone along the lines Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing for California. Founded by Steve Burd, chairman of the Safeway grocery chain and an ally of the governor, the coalition could boost efforts in Sacramento and Washington to overhaul health care laws. It also formalizes a growing division over the issue among businesses. The coalition includes some of the nation's largest companies: PepsiCo, General Mills, PG&E, Wrigley, Kroger, and...

Bhutto enters coalition talks with Musharraf By Isambard Wilkinson in Islamabad Last Updated: 2:12am BST 21/04/2007 A coalition could risk alienating Miss Bhutto's supporters A senior aide to Pakistan's military ruler has confirmed that Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister, could soon return to her homeland and allow her party to join a government of national unity. America and Britain have urged President Pervez Musharraf, who is increasingly beleaguered and unpopular, to strike a deal allowing Miss Bhutto back to Pakistan. "We are doing what America and European countries have been telling us for the past few years: that moderate...

BAGHDAD — A press conference concerning the progress of security in Diyala, Iraq was held via videoconference at the Combined Press Information Center in the International Zone Friday. Army Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and Maj. Gen. Shakir Halail Husain, 5th Iraqi Division commander, discussed increased enemy activity due to escalated Coalition and Iraqi security forces operations and the continuing effort to fight terrorism. “We have seen an increase on attacks against Coalition and Iraqi security forces in the past several months,” Sutherland said. “On the other hand, we have also seen...

Georgian President Offers To Triple Its Troop's Deployment In Iraq 14 March 2007 Embassy of Georgia WASHINGTON - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has announced that Georgia is ready to triple its deployment of troops to Iraq as part of its continuing efforts to assist the Iraqi government and coalition forces in bringing peace and stability to Iraq. "We are ready to significantly increase the Georgian troop deployment to Iraq. We understand that the next year will be decisive in terms of stabilizing the situation in that country. We want to do everything possible to help the Iraqi people and coalition...

BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A third mayor has bowed out of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's anti-gun mayors' coalition, saying he is in favor of disarming criminals, but "not at the risk of losing our Constitutional freedom." SAF learned from the staff at Gun Week that Rio Rancho, NM Mayor Kevin Jackson has withdrawn from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, without having attended a single meeting of the group, which now reportedly involves more than 150 mayors. Jackson, a self-described "constitutionalist" and career Army veteran, explained to Gun Week that he believes strongly in getting guns out of the...

TIRANA, Albania: The Albanian government said Friday that it has seized assets of a man who allegedly worked with Osama bin Laden to provide support to terror networks in Albania. The Finance Ministry said it ordered authorities to block four apartments, a house, four bars and shops, and more than 2 hectares (about 5 acres) of land belonging to Yasin al-Qadi, a Saudi businessman whom the United States accused of being a terrorist in October 2001 and who is on a U.N. sanctions list requiring all U.N. members to impose a travel ban on him and block his assets, according...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2006 -- "There are more forces trying to unite Iraq than are trying to pull it apart,” Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey said today in Baghdad. “So long as they don't give up on themselves, we won't give up on them,” the commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq told Pentagon reporters during a teleconference. “Iraqi security forces will reach their goal of 325,000 trained and equipped members this month,” he said. As of Dec. 13, the Iraqi Interior Ministry forces numbered about 188,300 while the Defense Ministry had about 134,700. But these forces, while effective,...