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The Prime Minister, John Howard, says he still supports Australia's controversial involvement in the Vietnam War. Mr Howard made the comment as he was leaving Ho Chi Minh City at the end of his first official visit to Vietnam. He told reporters he will not recant his support for Australia's military role in Vietnam in the 1960s and '70s. "I supported our involvement at the time and I don't intend to recant that," Mr Howard said. "I believe that in public life you are accountable for the decisions that you take. "I didn't hold any position of authority then, but...

For Americans, November is a month we give thanks for our blessings and express our appreciation for those we love. We pause this time of year to celebrate all that makes our lives fulfilling ? our families, our friends, our way of life in this, the richest, freest and most inspiring country the world has ever known. On Veterans Day and this Month of the Military Family, America thanks those who serve, defend, and support not just America's shores but her ideals, and deliver not just her might but her message of freedom. I have experienced service, commitment, and sacrifice...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2006 -- America stands committed to its military members, to the Iraqis and to victory in the war on terror, President Bush said today during a White House news conference following yesterday’s elections and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation today. “Amid this time of change, I have a message for those on the front lines,” Bush said. “To our enemies, do not be joyful. Do not confuse the workings of our democracy with a lack of will,” he said. “Our nation is committed to bringing you to justice. Liberty and democracy are the source of America's...

by Fr. Jerome Magat Other Articles by Fr. Jerome Magat Marriage, in the Beginning 10/07/06 Of all the moral teachings that our Lord gave us during His time on earth, He was never more specific in His instruction than when He discussed marriage. The Pharisees tested Jesus on this particular teaching by referencing the law that permitted divorce which had been given to them through Moses. In order to fulfill the law, our blessed Lord both explains the rationale behind the concession that Moses made in regards to divorce and elevates our understanding of marriage by returning us to an original...

BAGHDAD — As a unit of Iraqi Soldiers this week reaffirmed their loyalty and commitment to the future of their country, Iraqi security forces in the capital began to see the results of their commitment to bringing increased security and social and economic improvements to the area. Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, re-affirmed their allegiance to Iraq in a ceremony this week at Forward Operating Base Constitution. Attended by the entire brigade of Soldiers and their leadership, the event was the first of its kind for the brigade since its inception a year ago, said Capt. Robert...

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Prodded by Britain's visiting leader, the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian president said Sunday they are ready to resume contacts without conditions — a small step that many people hope could lead to resuming peace talks. British Prime Minister Tony Blair also tried to draw Hamas into peace efforts, but the militant Islamic group that controls the Palestinian government rejected his condition that it first renounce violence and recognize Israel. Despite Hamas' tough stance, the readiness of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to meet was the first sign of movement in...

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2006 – An open letter from Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to the people of Afghanistan praises the strides their new government has made and assures them of the United States' continued commitment to its success. Rumsfeld recently returned from his 11th trip to Afghanistan and said he was impressed during his meetings with President Hamid Karzai, his Cabinet, the governor of Zabul province and U.S. troops deployed there. "I came away impressed by their determination and the progress that has been made on the political, economic, and security fronts," he wrote in a letter submitted to...

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 11, 2006 – Great progress has been made in Afghanistan in the last five years, and the U.S. will continue its commitment to that success, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today. President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai bids farewell to Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld at the conclusion of his visit to the presidential compound in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 11, 2006. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Gary Hilliard U.S. Army (Released)   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. "I think (of) a few short years ago, (and of) what was happening in...

by Theresa A. Thomas Other Articles by Theresa A. Thomas Sacramental Grace is the Difference 07/11/06 At 10:00AM on a warm August day in 1962, Irvin and Bonnie Kloska, both 21 and full of hope, married in St. Adalbert’s Church, in their home town Grand Rapids, Michigan. “I believe it was the first time I ever wore a tux,” says Irv, who currently lives in Elkhart, Indiana. “I know it was the first time I ever wore a bow tie.” In This Article...Wired to Mate?When Marriage Is a CovenantHow to Have a Grace-Filled Marriage Wired to Mate?After their Polish dinner reception...

ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 2, 2006 – The events of Sept. 11, 2001, created major doubts and new difficulties for many in America, but for midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, those events have become a reason to serve. The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2006 celebrates its accomplishment by tossing hats into the air at commencement May 26 in Annapolis, Md. The hat toss tradition began at the academy in 1912 in a spontaneous celebration as graduates threw away their midshipman hats and donned the hats of newly commissioned officers. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Naval Academy   The Class...

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2006 – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today he's encouraged that the military services are exceeding their recruiting targets and called it an indication of the caliber of men and women joining and serving in the armed services. "It is encouraging that so many outstanding young people are continuing to raise their hands and volunteer to serve our country," he told Pentagon reporters. The secretary referred to recruiting and retention rates released yesterday that show all four services met or exceeded their active-duty recruiting goals in March for the 10th consecutive month. Retention rates also remained...

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2006 – The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, today disputed claims that conditions in Iraq have worsened during the past two years, but said that will happen if the United States abruptly leaves the country, as some have urged. An increase in sectarian violence will occur "only... if we abandon Iraq as some people have called for in our discussions back home," Khalilzad said this morning on the Sunday talk shows. That, in turn, could lead to other countries from the region, including Iran, to take sides and expand the conflict, he said However, Khalilzad said,...

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2006 – The Department of Veterans Affairs remains "vibrant, dynamic, flexible, and ... forward-looking" as it pursues "the best care for America's defenders," the department's secretary said. "(VA) is strong and it's moving forward," Jim Nicholson said at the National Press Club yesterday in delivering the state of VA. "It is fulfilling President Bush's commitment to honor our veterans." The department is also carrying out President Lincoln's 1865 promise to U.S. veterans, "to care for him who has borne the battle, and his widow and his orphan," Nicholson said. The VA, following a decade-long health care transformation,...

Brad at Broken Messenger had a really nice article yesterday on how our commitment to an object determines our true love of it. He explains how our commitment to Christ costs us a little bit now but gains us much, much more in the future. As I write this, I think about the single seed that gets planted in the ground now – dying, as it were – but yields a great harvest later. Brad writes: A relationship with Christ is a full commitment to be sure. His yoke is indeed light and His gifts are bountiful, but His will...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2005 – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to helping Afghanistan continue its road toward security and freedom during a joint news conference today with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan. Rumsfeld, who made a surprise visit to Afghanistan today after touring hurricane-devastated areas of Pakistan, told Karzai the United States will continue to stand by Afghanistan, even while making slight troop cuts there. The visit came two days after the Defense Department announced plans to reduce number of troops serving in Afghanistan, currently at 19,000, by about 2,500 during the next year. That...

Dear President and Mrs. Bush, Today you are celebrating your 28th wedding Anniversary................not in the White House, at the ranch, or even in this country. But we are celebrating this joyous and remarkable occasion with you here, and thanking God for your lives and what they have meant to us. You are being supported in deep and fervent prayer by millions of prayer warriors who have been lifting you up daily since before you took up residence in "The People's House" nearly 5 years ago. This is the fifth anniversary that you have celebrated since you became President and...

NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2005 – Employers anxious to tap into the skills and discipline military service instills in its members converged with thousands of job-seeking veterans here at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Nov. 3 during the first Salute Our Heroes Veterans Job Fair and Career Expo. The fair brought together an estimated 7,000 veterans, many recently returned from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 87 private-sector, government and union employers hoping to entice current and former servicemembers into their workforces. Guy "Doc" Holliday, vice president for advertising for The New York Times, which hosted the event, said...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2005 – Iraqi officials estimate 93 to 96 percent of eligible Iraqis have registered to vote in the country's constitutional referendum and national elections, a U.S. general in Iraq announced. In a news conference from Baghdad Sept. 22, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, talked about "amazing results" in a recent voter-registration drive. He noted that only 72 percent of eligible Americans are registered to vote. "So the people of Iraq, like the people of Afghanistan, are moving towards democracy," he said. Afghanistan held successful provincial elections Sept. 18. "Democracy in action,"...

AMERICAN brides are rejecting the vow to love "till death do us part" in favour of more cautious promises such as staying together "for as long as our marriage shall serve the common good". A survey by professional wedding planners estimates that barely half of this year's 2.6 million US weddings will be held in a place of worship and only one couple in five will stick to the traditional wedding script. The rest will either "update" the wedding vows or create them from scratch, often lacing them with private jokes. This follows a lead set by Hollywood stars such...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2005 – President Bush praised Boy Scout values of patriotism, integrity and citizenship July 31 at the organization's 16th National Jamboree held at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. The 30,000-plus scouts attending the jamboree from around the world "are carrying on a tradition that dates back almost seven decades," Bush observed, noting that President Franklin Roosevelt came to the first jamboree in 1937. Over the years, millions of Americans have recited the Scout oath, which begins, "On my honor, I'll do my best," said Bush, who was a Cub Scout during his youth Midland, Texas. Bush said he...