Free Republic

<p>CRAWFORD, Texas — President Bush said yesterday that his recent decision to ease restrictions on Iran after the country's devastating earthquake does not signal a thaw in U.S. relations with Tehran.</p> <p>While the United States is aiding in humanitarian efforts after last week's earthquake that killed more than 30,000 people, the president said Iran would have to meet several crucial demands before his administration would renew relations with the nation he has dubbed a member of an "axis of evil."</p>

<p>January 2, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - President Bush started the new year with an early-morning quail-hunt with his father at a friend's ranch in southern Texas and a lunch with James Baker III, his special envoy on Iraq's international debt.</p>

CRAWFORD -- President Bush opened the new year by shooting quail in South Texas and reassuring consumers that federal officials are taking the right steps to prevent the spread of mad cow disease. The president, who bagged five of the birds and apparently missed others during an outing with his father, said he had beef at lunch and suggested other Americans should do the same. Bush said the Agriculture Department rules outlined early this week were designed "to make sure the food supply is safe" after an infected cow was found in Washington state several days before Christmas. Two dozen...

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush plans to spend New Year's Day hunting in southern Texas with his father and U.S. envoy James A. Baker III, who has been circling the globe collecting commitments from nations to forgive Iraq's debt. ``He will have lunch and go on a quail hunt with his father, other family and friends,'' White House spokesman Trent Duffy said Wednesday. ``This group is expected to include Mr. and Mrs. James A. Baker.'' Duffy said he couldn't be sure whether Bush would talk to Baker about the former secretary of state's recent lobbying trip to Asia where...