Free Republic

Surrender: Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom, by Bruce Bawer (Doubleday, 352 pp., $24.95) With the release of his new book, Surrender: Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom, the American writer and critic Bruce Bawer (some of whose work has appeared in City Journal) may have committed a crime in his adoptive Norway. In 2005, Norway’s politically correct parliament passed the so-called Discrimination Act, a law that, among other curbs on free speech, criminalized “utterances” that may be “insulting” to those of certain religious beliefs. Since Surrender is a searing indictment of Western opinion makers, especially in the media, for capitulating to the rise...

Scientists spur debate by linking Myanmar fossil to humans, apes, monkeysA new Myanmar fossil primate, Ganlea megacanina, suggests the common ancestor of humans, monkeys and apes evolved from large-toothed primates in Asia and not Africa, according to new research published in the latest Proceedings of the Royal Society B. If Myanmar, formerly called Burma, is confirmed as being the ancestral homeland of higher primates, or close to it, the discovery points to a circuitous migration route for some early primates, which must have gone to Africa and then come back to Asia. Christopher Beard, lead author of the study, told...

There is only one difference between Hamas the terrorist group that control's Gaza and Fatah, the terrorist group that controls Judea and Samaria. Hamas is open about it terrorist goals, Fatah (controlled by Palestinian President Abbas) tries to maintain a shroud of "moderation" Of course their moderation belies the truth. Take for example this little skit (video above) that Palestinian Media Watch found on PA Television where Fatah brags about its terrorist abilities. The broadcast event was attended by senior PA/Fatah leaders, including Muhammad Dahlan, former head of PA security; Kadura Faras, head of the PA Prisoners’ Association; Nasser Al-Qidwa,...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday he wants to make the law prohibiting gays from serving openly in the armed forces "more humane" until Congress eventually repeals it. He said he has lawyers studying ways the law might be selectively enforced. "One of the things we're looking at is, is there flexibility in how we apply this law?" Gates said. The defense chief, a holdover from the Republican administration of former President George W. Bush, told reporters traveling with him in Europe that the Clinton-era ban was written without much wiggle room. The Pentagon general counsel is...

Fans Flock To Famous Harlem Theater For Public Remembrance, Thousands Line 125th Street Fans from all over gathered to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at Harlem's historic Apollo Theater on Tuesday, where more than 40 years ago, the Jackson Five launched its career, and effectively, a new era in pop music with the introduction to Michael.

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 29, 2009) -- Wounded Soldiers sent home from overseas are greeted by their own before they are even off the plane at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Army’s wounded are welcomed back to the country by a team of three Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington: the Medical Evacuation to CONUS Hospitals team. Col. James Conaway, Master Sgt. Jon Taylor and Master Sgt. Juan Reyna act as advocates and liaisons for wounded Soldiers transitioning back to the United States. “We help to coordinate, communicate and just take care of all the...

Despite the overwhelming evidence, why do some archeologists claim that Hebron was uninhabited during the times of Moses and Joshua? The city of Hebron presents a unique problem to the Biblical archaeologist. Ancient Hebron, located a few miles west of the Dead Sea and about 20 miles south of Jerusalem, figures prominently in the Jewish Bible, mentioned more than 70 times. Hebron is known to be one of the oldest cities in the world. Josephus Flavius, the noted first century CE Jewish historian, stated that in his time Hebron was already 2,300 years old!1 The city with its rolling hills...

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - The World Bank has "paused" all program lending to Honduras following a military coup in the impoverished country, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday. "We're working closely with the OAS (Organization of American States) and looking to the OAS to deal with its handling of the crisis under its democratic charter," Zoellick told reporters, "In the process we have put a pause with our lending."

It's the gays, no doubt about it. No, wait. It's those darned communal-living enclaves. Scratch that. It's Duke University and President Obama. That's who done it. Predictably irrational responses from the usual Internet riffraff. Those braying, brave bloggers -- brave, that is, as long as they're hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet -- would have us believe that those groups and others are responsible for the alleged sexual assault of a 5-year-old boy by the Duke University administrator who adopted him and is accused of trying to pimp him out so that others could abuse him. Frank Lombard, associate...

A Gallup Poll finds a statistically significant increase since last year in the percentage of Americans who describe the Democratic Party's views as being "too liberal," from 39% to 46%. This is the largest percentage saying so since November 1994, after the party's losses in that year's midterm elections.Gallup

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division completed Al Swaib Bridge, southeast of Al Qurnah, June 29. The completion provides the region an increased capability in traffic, thereby enhancing security and trade. Photo courtesy of 4th Infantry Division. BASRAH — The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division completed a key bridge project southeast of Al Qurnah, June 29, increasing traffic flow and enhancing security and trade. The Swaib Bridge project cost more than $122,000 and included the removal of worn asphalt, fabrication and installation of 22 decking panels, replacement of side barrier posts and the construction of guide...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dealing with the first Latin American crisis of his presidency, Barack Obama sought a swift, clear response that would not be interpreted as U.S. interventionism in a region that loathes it. So he condemned a coup in Honduras by turning to that most reliable standby: democracy. "We stand on the side of democracy, sovereignty and self-determination," Obama said when asked Monday about the forced exile of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, a takeover that has drawn international criticism and unnerved a part of the world that has worked to shed itself of strong-arm tactics.

(snip) As for the current healthcare debate, Sen. Graham opposes socialized medicine. "A government option will destroy private sector competition over time. No one in private healthcare business in south Carolina can compete against the federal government," said Sen. Graham. On one hand, President Barack Obama is pushing a public plan where uninsured Americans could get affordable healthcare, but it wouldn't be mandatory. On the other hand, Sen. Graham says costs would mount, wait times would increase, and quality of care would decrease, so he's supporting another idea. "I do believe we need to come up with a new system....

NAJAF — The Iraqi provincial government recently received three pallets of humanitarian relief supplies from organizations in the United States, which they will distribute to the local populace here. "Helping people who are less fortunate is always a good thing whether in your home town or across the world," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Fred Harmon, project coordinator. "It is important because it is a capacity-building effort," added U.S. Army Lt. Col. Roberto L. Garcia, a civil affairs officer with the 308th Civil Affairs Brigade in Homewood, Ill., and project coordinator back in the States. "It not only helps one...

In a sane world this guy would have been thrown out of office by the voters a long time ago....

HOUSTON - The man who lost last year’s presidential election is once again battling his political rival. Senator john McCain of Arizona brought the fight for health care reform to Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center on Tuesday. Along with republican senators john Cornyn of Texas and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, McCain told a group of doctors and nurses, government run health care is not the answer. He predicted the month of July will be "a great debate" between democrats and republicans in Washington. Congress goes back into session next week and McCain expects the Obama administration to start a hard...

6/30/2009 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) -- Under the Security Agreement signed between Washington, D.C., and Baghdad, Iraq, officials in November 2008, U.S. servicemembers are to withdraw from Iraqi cities, villages and localities by June 30. As a result of the agreement, some servicemembers are moving onto main installations such as Sather Air Base, Iraq, and Joint Base Balad. With the start of the withdrawal from urban areas in progress, Joint Base Balad is capable and ready for the influx of servicemembers and equipment, said Col. Sal Nodjomian, the 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander. "Joint Base Balad is...

6/30/2009 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- A former commanding general of the Washington, D.C., National Guard who was killed June 22 in a subway accident along with his wife was remembered in a June 29 ceremony celebrating his life and accomplishments. Retired Maj. Gen. David Wherley and his wife, Ann, a mortgage banker, both 62, were returning from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where they were learning how to counsel servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Their Metro train car collided with another train, killing nine people. It was a sudden event that shocked Guard members and civilians alike, and drawing...

A 1,500-page bill to tax, regulate and penalize all U.S. hydrocarbon energy use to "save the planet" from climate Armageddon has passed the House 219-212 despite the fact that not one member read it. The Senate promises an August vote. But average global temperatures peaked in 1998 and since have fallen slightly, even as carbon dioxide levels continued climbing. Thousands of scientists say CO2 has little effect on planetary temperatures, and there is no climate crisis. The legislation would cost millions of jobs and trillions of dollars, for a hypothetical 0.1 degree F reduction in global temperatures. The administration responded...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama White House left open the possibility Sunday that the president would break a campaign promise and raise taxes on people earning less than $250,000 to support his health care overhaul agenda.