Free Republic

Germany needs firm US assurances that it will quickly receive replacement Patriot anti-missile systems if it sends two of its own units to Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Wednesday.In comments to Der Spiegel news magazine, Pistorius said European NATO members needed "watertight" guarantees that any American-made Patriot air-defence systems sent to Ukraine would be replaced within about six to eight months.US President Donald Trump last week announced a deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte for European alliance members to buy US weaponry -- particularly Patriot systems -- for Kyiv to help it in its war against Russia.

KAILUA, Hawaii, Dec 28 (Reuters) - A wing of al Qaeda claimed responsibility on Monday for a failed Christmas Day attack on a U.S.-bound passenger plane, and President Barack Obama vowed to bring "every element" of U.S. power against those who threaten Americans' safety. In a statement posted on Islamist websites, the group Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said the attempt was to avenge U.S. attacks on its members in Yemen. The group said it had provided the Nigerian suspect in the failed airliner bombing with a "technically advanced device" but that it did not detonate because of a...

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today the United States is not offering security guarantees to Iran in a bid to end the dispute over its nuclear program. "Security assurances are not on the table," Ms Rice told the Fox News Sunday television program. "It's obvious that in addition to the nuclear issue, we have other issues with Iran. We have a state in Iran that is devoted to the destruction of Israel. We have a state in Iran that meddles in the peace process" in the Middle East. Media reports have said that Britain, France and Germany, which...