Free Republic

UMM QASR – As part of the Government of Iraq’s effort to increase stability and the international standing of its country, the Iraqi Navy welcomed two new ships to its fleet during a ceremony along Iraq’s southern coast, Feb. 14. In 2008, Iraq was the world’s 13th-largest oil producer, with 75 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product and 86 percent of the government’s revenue coming from oil exports. Eighty-five percent of the Iraqi oil exports go through the ports of Umm Qasr and Basrah, making their security a vital piece of the puzzle when discussing economic and overall stability...

“When it comes to religion, the USA is now land of the freelancers.” That is the opening statement of Cathy Lynn Grossman’s front-page article in the March 9 edition of USA Today concerning the fast changing face of Christianity in America. In the article, Grossman looks at the results of the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), which is touted to be the most comprehensive look at American religious preferences available considering the fact the U.S. census report excludes questions concerning religious practice. The news for people of faith is not good. Since 1990, the last time the survey was conducted,...