Free Republic

A conservative group and several Republican lawmakers is filing a legal challenge to the newly adopted state budget, alleging that its assumption of $2 billion of yet-to-be-determined savings violates the Connecticut constitution."In 1992 the people of Connecticut overwhelmingly voted for [a] balanced budget amendment as a protection against the kind of shenanigans and abuse we saw this week at the state capitol," said Tom Scott, a former lawmaker who founded the Roger Sherman Liberty Center, the conservative think tank behind the lawsuit. The budget, approved by the state House and Senate earlier this week and signed by Gov. Dannel P....

Courtesy UK Ministry of Defence The key objectives of Operation MOSHTARAK, of driving out the insurgents and extending the influence of the Afghan Government, are being achieved, despite mine and IED levels higher than anticipated.Speaking to the media via satellite link from Helmand, Major General Nick Carter, Commander of ISAF Regional Command (South) in Afghanistan, and Lindy Cameron, the head of the multi-national Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Helmand, have said that the deliverance of governance and reconstruction is already beginning in areas such as shuras (community meetings), reconciliation and 'cash for work' programmes.The objectives of Op MOSHTARAK are...