Free Republic

NATO allies have named U.S. Marine General James Jones as the top commander of alliance troops in Europe. Meeting in Brussels, the alliance's Defense Planning Committee, including representatives of the 19 alliance countries, agreed that General Jones should replace U.S. General Joseph Ralston as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. The alliance announcement mentioned no date for the change, but said the nomination of General Jones still needs U.S. Senate approval. The top NATO command, based in the Belgian town of Mons, outside Brussels, is always held by an American officer. General Ralston, a Vietnam War veteran, took command of NATO...

When President Obama gave his economics speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, several folks noticed something was missing. That "something" was an ancient monogram -- the letters IHS -- that symbolizes the name of Jesus. It was missing from a wooden archway above the dais in Gaston Hall where the president delivered his 45-minute speech. The gold-lettered monogram appeared near a painting of three female figures -- symbolizing morality, faith and patriotism -- and decorative edging along the wall that spelled out the Jesuit motto "Ad majorem Dei gloriam"—"To the greater glory of God." Georgetown was founded by the Jesuits....

Gallup says only 7 percent of the world's Muslims are political radicals. Yet 36 percent think the 9/11 attacks were in some way justified.On the inside back cover of books published by Gallup Press there is the following breathtaking statement: Gallup Press exists to educate and inform the people who govern, manage, teach and lead the world's six billion citizens. Each book meets Gallup's requirements of integrity, trust and independence and is based on a Gallup-approved science and research. Don't be distracted by the bad grammar. Focus instead on Gallup's "requirements of integrity, trust and independence." Thanks to a remarkable...

AS the father of a terror victim, I can no longer be shocked by much. And as a New Jerseyan, I'm used to strange goings-on in my state's government. But I was shocked and surprised to I learn that John L. Esposito will be a featured speaker at next week's state Department of Homeland Security confernce on counterterrorism. Esposito teaches at Georgetown University in its His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. To get a sense of the center's purpose, recall that bin Talal is the Saudi prince who shortly after 9/11 blamed the attacks on...

The teenager had pleaded guilty to juvenile charges of murdering Alan Senitt, of Pinner, north-west London. Mr Senitt, 27, had his throat slashed as he escorted a woman friend home in the city's Georgetown area in July. The boy, who also admitted to armed robbery and theft charges, was sentenced to juvenile custody until he is 21, at Columbia's Superior Court. During the sentencing hearing, letters written by Mr Senitt's parents Jack and Karen were read out. There wasn't even any time to tell him how much we loved him, how proud we were of him Parents Jack and Karen...

The Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University has been renamed after Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal donated $20 million to its projects. And while that may be just the tail, the dog appears to be moving away from its historic Catholic and Jesuit teaching philosophy too. The Center's leaders say it now will be used to put on workshops regarding Islam, fostering exchanges with the Muslim world, addressing U.S. policy towards the Muslim world, working on the relationship of Islam and Arab culture, addressing Muslim citizenship and civil liberties, and developing exchange programs for students from the Muslim world.

WEB SITES LINK CATHOLIC COLLEGES TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD, ABORTION-RIGHTS GROUPS MANASSAS, VA (March 16, 2006) - Despite the Catholic Church's clear opposition to abortion, contraception and premarital sexual activity, a Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) review of Catholic college and university Web sites has revealed links and referrals to abortion clinics including Planned Parenthood-the largest abortion provider in the United States-and abortion-rights and pro-contraception groups.   CNS is a national organization to renew and strengthen the Catholic identity of Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. Founded in 1993, CNS has more than 18,000 members.   Whether it's internship and job...

The elevation of Pope Benedict XVI to the Papal Suite at the Vatican might give some of America’s Catholic colleges and universities the chance to be more than Catholic in Name Only (CINO). “Catholic theology is not individual reflection but thinking with the faith of the Church,” then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said in a 1999 U. S. visit. “If you will do other things and have other ideas of what God could be or could not be, there is the freedom of the person to do it, clearly.” “But one should not say this is Catholic theology.” When Nigerian Cardinal Francis...

Description: Clayton Swisher talks about the 2000 Camp David summit between Ehud Barak, Yasser Arafat, and Bill Clinton and argues that the popular understanding of what happened there is inaccurate. Mr. Swisher says that while Mr. Arafat is largely blamed for spoiling the negotiations, the U.S. and Israeli teams were just as, if not more, responsible for the talks falling apart. He also challenges reports that claim that Mr. Arafat was offered upwards of 98 percent of the occupied territories in exchange for peace. This event was held at American University in Washington, DC. Includes Q&A. Author Bio: Clayton Swisher,...