Free Republic

DEMOCRATS assume control of the US House and Senate on Thursday with President George W. Bush's policies on Iraq and the "war on terror" weighing heavily on their agenda. Public discontent with the Iraq war was a major factor in the Republicans losing control of Congress in the November 7 legislative elections, and the issue will be first on the agenda of the new majority. Incoming Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden has already said he would oppose any effort by Bush to increase US troops in Iraq as part of a new war strategy. “If the President proposes escalation...

When Fatima Pashaei, a Shiite Muslim of Iranian descent, and Atif Qarni, a Sunni Muslim whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan, married six years ago, it was a joyous event. "Our parents were just happy we were marrying Muslims. Everything else is sort of secondary," said Pashaei, 24, still married to Qarni and living in Manassas, Va., with their 3-year-old son. Divisions have widened worldwide since the golden dome of the Al-Askariya Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, was blown up Feb. 22. Two descendants of Islam's Prophet Muhammad are buried there, making it one of Shiite (also called Shia)...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Partial election results from six of Iraq's 18 provinces showed the cleric-endorsed Shiite ticket running strong for seats Thursday in the National Assembly. The United Iraqi Alliance, which is backed by the country's most influential Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, was leading in the six provinces, according to the partial results from the Baghdad, Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Qadisiyah, Najaf and Karbala provinces. The vote count ranged from 25 percent in Baghdad province to 70 percent in the sparsely populated province of Muthanna. In Baghdad province, the United Iraqi Alliance was leading 3-1 against its closest...