Free Republic

Weeks after the collapse of the summit between Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, the North Korean leader finally broke his silence. In a speech heavily focused on foreign affairs delivered to the Supreme People’s Assembly – North Korea’s pro forma parliament – Kim made clear his position. He said that a third summit with Trump wasn’t off the table just yet, but getting there would require evidence that the U.S. position on sanctions relief more seriously. To this end, Kim also echoed a message he had originally delivered during his New Year’s Day address: that...

Dozens of economists have warned that a failure by Congress to raise the debt ceiling could have catastrophic economic consequences, but Rep. Tim Huelskamp continues to read the situation differently. Asked on Saturday about the effect of Congress not raising the debt limit, the Kansas Republican said Moody’s Investors Service does not think the debt limit will have a major impact on the economy. “That is not what Moody’s says,” Huelskamp said. “Have you read the report?” he asked after being challenged by reporters. “They said ‘absolutely no impact on Oct. 17.’ I read the report! I just read it...

Rev. John K. Jenkins, Sr. looked out at the congregation of First Baptist Church of Glendarden and sighed. Less than 12 hours after jurors in Sanford, Fla., found George Zimmerman not guilty in the fatal shooting of unarmed Black teenager Trayvon Martin, he was having “trouble” coming to terms with the verdict and what it meant for justice, and righteousness, or the lack thereof, in this country. Though the church celebrated its annual Music and Arts Ministry on July 14, Jenkins had a heavy heart. His topic for the day was “Directions for Troubled Times.” “I was speechless,” Jenkins told...

Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror. Obama is not claiming final victory over extremists who still seek to kill Americans and other Westerners. Instead, he is refocusing the long struggle against terrorism that lies ahead, steering the United States away from what he calls an equally frightening threat—a country in a state of perpetual war. In doing so, Obama recasts the image of the terrorists themselves, from enemy warriors to cowardly thugs and resets the relationship between the U.S. and Islam. His speech Thursday was...

Salvaging Our North Korea Policy.... By JOHN R. BOLTON There are signs, albeit small ones, that the Bush administration may be reaching the end of its patience with the Six-Party Talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program. These signs could prove illusory. But as it nears its end, the administration has a serious responsibility: It must not leave its successor with an ongoing, failed policy. At a minimum, President Bush should not bequeath to the next president only the burned-out hulk of the Six-Party Talks, and countless failed and violated North Korean commitments. Since they were conceived in spring 2003,...

Article: Good Intentions, Bad Idea HONOLULU: Some unsolicited advice to professors, congressmen, former diplomats and anyone seeking a Nobel Peace Prize nomination: If you really want to help resolve the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula, stay home. Such delegations are always well intentioned but generally not very helpful in actually resolving the crisis. True, former President Jimmy Carter's mission to Pyongyang in 1994 did help save the day, moving the Clinton administration and Kim Il Sung, father of North Korea's current leader, back from the brink of sanctions and possibly war. But 2004 is not 1994 and heads...

Call it idiocy? Call it tragedy? Call it treason? That's right: "HUMAN SHIELDS"Whatever the explanation, there is a very good chance that war will begin soon in Iraq and it will begin in a most shocking, awesome and horrific way.In addition to seven hard-line Japanese "human shield" nationals who have so-far refused to evacuate Iraq, many international protestors face a most perilous future defending a lost and faulty cause.One of the big questions is whether push will come to shove and we will see either the demise of these anti-American activists due to bombing by Coalition forces, or whether these...

Doubting Thomas motivation questioned What is it with all those labeled “doubting Thomas,” not being able to see smoke as they peer down the barrel? One might see their blindness through the glasses of politics, greed, naivety or perhaps ignorance. Most hope politics is not playing a part; however, is it possible the elected would consider putting party over nation’s security simply to obtain power lost? Is naivety a motivation, thinking the world can somehow be peaceful if only the United States walks away allowing Saddam to have his way? Could it be greed? What country benefits if their blindness...