Free Republic

HAS Iranian President Mah moud Ahmadinejad won his first diplomatic victory since his disputed re-election in June? Last Thursday, Tehran presented what it calls "an updated package" as the basis for fresh talks with the G+1 (the UN Security Council's five permanent members, plus Germany). On Friday, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley called the package "unacceptable" but added that America would seek "an early meeting" and give the Islamic Republic until year's end to make up its mind. On Monday, Iran announced that fresh talks would start on Oct. 1. The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that European Union...

Many of us knew that President Obama would be a poor leader when it came down to prosecuting The War On Terror. It was echoed throughout the presidential campaigns last year. Our enemies prayers were answered when he was elected. Seeking to establish himself as a President devoted to strong national security and protecting America he gave an interview with Katie Couric about his plans to increase the military pressure in Afghanistan and bring about the capture or destruction of Osama Bin Laden. I have posted a short taped section here to refresh your memory if needed. (Video by CBS...

President Obama said Wednesday there will be no quick decision on whether to send more U.S. troops into wartorn Afghanistan, saying "my determination is to get this right." The U.S. and NATO commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, delivered a grim assessment of the war to Washington last month and is expected to follow up soon with a request for thousands of additional troops and more equipment. That would leave Obama to decide whether to expand a war polls say is rapidly losing public support and drawing increasingly pointed criticism from lawmakers in Obama's Democratic Party. The president already has roughly doubled...

In the wake of the recent anti-Islam protests being cancelled due to violence by Muslims and leftists, the English Defence League has issued this video warning. As I have been saying for years, it is just a matter of time until it hits the fan over there. All because of Muslim immigration and leftist support.

MOMBASA, Kenya — The mother of a top al-Qaida fugitive who was killed in a U.S. raid in Somalia demanded Wednesday to see her son's body while a Somalia-based group claimed him as their leader and confirmed his death. Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a 30-year-old Kenyan, was wanted for the 2002 car bombing of a beach resort in Kenya and a failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner. Three senior U.S. officials familiar with Monday's commando raid confirmed he was killed. Aisha Abdallah told The Associated Press she wants "to see the body of my son before it is...

Fearful of a Madrid-style subway train bombing, authorities are poised to make more raids to seize bomb-making materials at locations in Queens, sources said Wednesday. The FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team arrived in New York in anticipation of the offensive to thwart a Denver-based terror cell with ties to Al Qaeda, police sources told the Daily News. Another source said an earlier raid uncovered nine backpacks and cell phones, raising memories of the March 2004 bombings in Madrid. A series of terrorist bombs detonated aboard commuter trains killed 191 people. The source said authorities feared a potential attack on the...

Friday night was a troublesome one for many police forces across Sweden with several reports of arson and unrest. Police fear an escalation in the violence. "It started on August 28th when the police were called to Gottsunda to investigate a car fire, and were then met with stone-throwing youths. It has since gone in waves, escalated, and spread to other neighbourhoods," Christer Nordström at Uppsala police told the news website Svd.se."That which is very serious is that we have noticed how racist tendencies are starting to grow. This prompts some very strong emotions, even if the majority of those...

War clouds over Iran are building rapidly. On Friday night during the 9/11 National Town Hall Meeting, I explained that because Washington and the Western powers are doing nothing decisive to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, there is an increasingly likelihood that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will feel the need to matters into his own hands, and soon. Iran now has enough enriched uranium (that we know about) to build at least two nuclear weapons. If the Russians deliver and install the new S-300 state-of-the-art anti-aircraft missiles in Iran then the Israelis ability to decimate Iran nuclear facilities...

The terror plot unearthed after raids on three Queens homes involved operatives detonating nine explosives-laden backpacks to kill "as many people as possible," The Post has learned. "They were going to blow up several places simultaneously and take out as many people as possible -- a large number of people," a federal law-enforcement official said. Empty backpacks were among the evidence seized from one of the Flushing apartments raided by a NYPD-FBI team Monday. Authorities also removed computers, cellphones and other material. No explosives were found. The predawn raids were sparked by the reappearance in New York City of an...

Fanish, 20, was arrested last Saturday. His death was “judicial murder” according to human rights activist. The day before a Muslim mob attacked members of the dead man’s Christian community, setting fire to their church. Pakistani extremists are funded by Saudi “charities.” Some of these Saudi “charities” are also active here in the US… They operate schools, mosques, etc… [...]Persecution of Jews continue in Bangladesh because of spread of religious hatred, mostly by fanatic Muslim clergies, who term the Jews as ‘enemies of Islam’. They encourage elimination of Jewish population from the country. That is why, although there is Jewish...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration has set objectives for countering al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, from boosting Islamabad's counterinsurgency capabilities to building up Afghan security forces so U.S. assistance can be reduced, according to an internal document obtained by Reuters on Wednesday. The administration sent the objectives to U.S. lawmakers ahead of an expected request by Army General Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, for additional forces to counter a resurgent Taliban insurgency. A key Republican senator said tens of thousands of more troops may be needed but such a request could face opposition...

US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice on Wednesday. Senior Palestinian officials who met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas after his meeting with the American statesman Tuesday told Ynet that the US commitment to reach a peace deal within two years was clarified during the meeting. The Palestinians estimate the Americans are adopting de facto the plan presented by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. PM's Office optimistic over settlement construction issue following Netanyahu's meeting with US special envoy. Meeting between Obama, Netanyahu and Abbas in New York yet to be...

Obama said Wednesday there will be no quick decision on whether to send more U.S. troops into the widening war in Afghanistan, saying "my determination is to get this right."... The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, also has delivered a grim assessment of the war and is expected to follow up soon with a request for thousands of additional troops.

After Paris warned that new sanctions against Teheran remained an option despite the likelihood of negotiations with Iran, French President Nicolas Sarkozy maintained that the Islamic republic was still working on a nuclear weapons program.

An Iraqi man who witnesses said shouted abuse before throwing a shoe at a US army vehicle was shot dead on Wednesday in what the American military said was a suspected grenade attack. Residents told an AFP reporter in Fallujah that Ahmed Latif, 32, whom they said was mentally disturbed, insulted the soldiers as they patrolled in the centre of the city, and then hurled a shoe at them. The US military told AFP that a convoy in Fallujah had been attacked with a suspected grenade. "Positive identification of the attacker was made, and US forces fired in self-defence wounding...

"Tolerant" Muslims in Pakistan have once again gone on a rampage against Christians there. But hey, lets increase our financial aid to them, because what Muslims do to Christians just does not matter. Christian held for blasphemy ‘commits suicide’ * Provincial minority affairs minister says body bore torture marks * Asma Jahangir blames police for Fanish Masih’s death

Russian President hints at U-turn over Iran sanctions Richard Beeston in Moscow President Medvedev gave the first hint yesterday that Russia was prepared to perform a significant policy U-turn and support US moves for sanctions against Iran. Speaking in Moscow, the Russian leader went out of his way to be more conciliatory with the West before his visit this month to the US where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York and the G20 summit of economic powers in Pittsburgh. A key issue on the agenda will be efforts by America, Britain and France to...

Just announced on Fox. Obama was expected to announce whether he was going to accept the request of his top commanders, and some Republicans in Congress, and send more troops to Afghanistan. Instead, according to Fox, he has announced that he "can't make that decision without more information." The translation is clear. The Left is raising hell over us even being in Afghanistan and simply will tolerate nothing other than our surrender in Afghanistan. So Obama is waiting until he can gin-up some "information" that will allow him to deny the request for additional troops.

Report: Rules of engagement led to soldiers’ deaths By Michelle Malkin  •  September 16, 2009 11:01 AM Dear God (hat tip – Lynn S): NATO-led forces are investigating the death of four Marines in eastern Afghanistan after their commanders reportedly rejected requests for artillery fire in a battle with insurgents, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.Tuesday’s incident was “under investigation” and details remained unclear, press secretary Geoff Morrell told a news conference.A McClatchy newspapers’ journalist who witnessed the battle reported that a team of Marine trainers made repeated appeals for air and artillery support after being pinned down by insurgents in the village...

Pakistan's female fighter pilots break down barriers September 14, 2009 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Six years ago an ad in the Sunday paper changed a young Pakistani woman's life and made aviation history. The ad read: "Pakistan Air Force recruiting females cadets." Back then Ambreen Gul was 20-years old and living in Karachi. Her mother wanted her to be a doctor. She remembers her reaction when she told her she wants to fly. "She was like: 'You're a girl,'" says Gul. "How will you do it? How will you fly?" The following day Gul took the first step in proving...