Free Republic

RAFAH, Gaza Strip - In houses along the steel wall separating Gaza and Egypt, the lights are flickering — a sign that smugglers are digging tunnels below, their powerful drills weakening the flow of electricity. Tunneling is the fastest-growing business in this impoverished border town, and one of the biggest obstacles to any lasting Israeli-Palestinian truce. Since Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip a year ago, the number of tunnels for smuggling weapons, drugs and other contraband has more than doubled, evolving into an underground maze clawed out of Gaza's soft soil. The largely unhindered weapons influx also heightens...

Subject: Military Rules for the Non-Military Personnel Dear Civilians, We know that the current state of affairs in our great nation have many civilians up in arms and excited to join the military. For those of you who can't join, you can still lend a hand. Here are a few of the areas we would like your assistance with: The next time you see an adult talking (or wearing a hat) during the playing of the National Anthem ... kick their ass. When you witness firsthand someone burning the American Flag in protest... kick their ass. Regardless of the rank...

There are signs that the leaders and activists of the Hamas movement are feeling a sense of strength, an intoxication with power. The reasons are clear: Their political rivals have been weakened considerably. Their chief rival, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's government, is continuing to crumble. In the West Bank, PA institutions function only partially and Palestinian security organizations were effectively broken up about a year ago in Operation Defensive Shield. In Gaza, too, there are now signs the Palestinian security forces are being neutralized, as the Israel Defense Forces' incursions into the Strip become deeper and more frequent. Arafat...