Free Republic

Despite the Gulf regions economy being damaged from the seemingly endless oil spill, President Obama has implemented a six month moratorium on drilling in the region. This ban on drilling is estimated to cost 120,000 people their jobs, as some oil companies may be relocating to more energy friendly areas. According to Wood Mackenzie Research and Consulting, the six month moratorium will result in the following: * The 33 drilling platforms which support some 1,400 workers, offshore and onshore will be forced to shut down * As many as 46,200 jobs could be idled by the moratorium (continued)

Tensions over Iran's nuclear programme have spurred an arms race in the Gulf with record defence deals being negotiated. Saudi Arabia, long the major arms-buyer in the region, is now being overtaken by relative minnows such as the United Arab Emirates as they share their neighbour's fear of the growing military strength of their Shia neighbour. Iran yesterday began a week-long military exercise to test its readiness against missile attack. The exercise was overtly intended as a message to Israel that any attack on its nuclear programme would be met with strong resistance. "If the enemy wants to test its...

The President and the first lady spent the weekend at the President's father's house in Kennebunkport Maine, attending a Wedding, church and the President also went fishing with his father. Today the President and the First Lady visited the Gulf Region to check on progress as the one year anniversary of hurricane Katrina approaches. Today Vice President Dick Cheney addressed the 107th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

The President visited the Gulf Region today participating in a roundtable with small business owners and community leaders while visiting New Orleans and made remarks on Gulf Coast reconstruction at St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a Press Conference at the State Department and also held talks with Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace met with reporters at the Pentagon in Washington. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in the States she is making her first trip to the United...

Over the weekend President George W. Bush expressed offers of sympathy and assistance after Pakistan-India border earthquake in a statement on Saturday and on Sunday met Pakistan's Deputy Chief of Mission, Mohammad Sadiq, Sunday in the Oval Office. The President and the First Lady also attended church on Sunday Former President George H W Bush visited the Gulf Region over the weekend as part of his Katrina fund raising efforts. Today the President and the first lady travelled to the Gulf Coast at the start of a 2 day tour to focus on housing the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and...