Free Republic

CONFLUENCE, Pa. - Two Somerset County men are charged with trying to steal live power lines that were still attached to a transformer and utility poles...

Human shields warned over Iraq 14feb03 AUSTRALIANS planning to become human shields in Iraq were foolish and might not be able to be evacuated if war broke out, a senior foreign affairs official has said. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned its ability to help any Australian civilian wanting to leave Iraq during military conflict was very limited. "These people are, frankly, quite foolish for putting themselves in this position," Rod Smith, assistant secretary of DFAT's consular branch, said in response to a question from Labor's John Faulkner at a senate estimates committee. "If there was an...

'Human shields' head for Iraq Paul Harris Sunday December 29, 2002The ObserverA convoy of anti-war activists, likely to include dozens of British volunteers, will leave London next month to act as human shields protecting strategic sites in Iraq. The convoy to Baghdad is being organised by former US marine Kenneth Nichols, who served in the first Gulf war and won a combat medal but has now become a vociferous opponent of another Gulf conflict. British protesters are also heading for the country in advance of any Anglo-American bombing. Nichols, 33, aims to gather scores of volunteers together in London and...