Free Republic

To cleanse the palate, via the MacIver Institute and Breitbart, count it off yourself. The fateful question is posed at around 1:40; not until 1:53 does the deafening silence finally end. Good lord. I almost feel sorry for her. Almost. In a concession to the inevitability of the outcome, the Kloppenburg camp compromised late this afternoon and agreed with Prosser’s team to hold a hand recount in only 31 counties, where the voting machines are older and therefore theoretically more prone to error. It won’t matter, but they’re deep into face-saving mode here so let’s get on with it.

This summer's melt of Arctic sea ice has not been as profound as in the last two years, scientists said as the ice began its annual Autumn recovery. At its smallest extent this summer, on 12 September, the ice covered 5.10 million sq km (1.97 million sq miles). This was larger than the minima seen in the last two years, and leaves 2007's record low of 4.1 million sq km (1.6 million sq miles) intact. But scientists note the long-term trend is still downwards. Arctic temperatures have been cooler this year than last year, researchers said, and winds have helped...

GAZA CITY, Gaza – Israeli airstrikes and Hamas rockets resumed after a brief pause Wednesday to allow food and fuel to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza, where an Israeli warplane dropped leaflets urging some residents to flee because of imminent attacks. Even as the Israeli government tentatively welcomed a cease-fire proposal from Egypt and France, its military was instructed to continue its assault on Hamas.

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2008 – The United States should take 45 days after the last “surge” brigade leaves Iraq in July to evaluate the situation before deciding future troop levels, the coalition’s top military commander said here today. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus reported his recommendation in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He testified along with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker about the situation in Iraq and progress made since September, when the two leaders last delivered an update to Congress and the president. Petraeus and Crocker both said that while Iraq has made significant...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq, Feb. 11, 2008 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today he’ll probably recommend a pause for evaluation and assessment in Iraq before further troop reductions when the last surge brigade leaves in July. Gates spoke following a two-hour meeting with Multinational Force Iraq commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus. “I think the notion of a brief period of consolidation and evaluation probably does make sense,” Gates told reporters traveling with him. The secretary did not speculate on how long the pause would be. Last month, Petraeus recommended a pause in redeployment from Iraq after...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2007 – Celebrities attending the 79th Academy Awards last night took time out from posing for the paparazzi and giving dozens of interviews to thank the men and women of the armed forces for their service. Former soldier and award nominee Clint Eastwood expresses his thanks to the men and women of the armed forces before the 79th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Feb. 25. U.S. Army photo  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Reserve soldiers from the 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment, based in Los Angeles, donned their dress uniforms to step...

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2006 – A general assigned to the military Joint Staff urged the American public to take time this upcoming weekend to recognize Memorial Day and remember the men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. "I'd ask each of us in our own way, maybe public and maybe private, to take a few moments to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for America and for the oppressed around the world," said Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, deputy director of regional operations for the Joint Staff, told reporters at...

I'm sure these members of the 2-5 Marines were glad to read about the fact that offensive operations would be pretty much on hold until after the elections. All pics were taken within the last few days in Ramadi. From Frontline Photos of 10/27/04 and 10/28/04. Oohrah.

'Pause' in doubt as US troops hit elite force By John Lichfield and Anne Penketh 30 March 2003 American airborne troops launched a preliminary offensive against the Republican Guard defending Baghdad yesterday, despite reports from other US commanders that the advance had been placed "on pause". The 101st Airborne Division attacked units of the Medina Division of the Republican Guard defending the Karbala Gap, south-west of the Iraqi capital, claiming later to have killed 50 soldiers and destroyed 25 tanks. The battle for the Karbala Gap – a 20-mile-wide strip of land between a lake and the river Euphrates –...

CENTRAL IRAQ (Reuters) - U.S. commanders have ordered a pause of four to six days in a northward push toward Baghdad because of supply shortages and stiff Iraqi resistance, U.S. military officers said on Saturday. They said the "operational pause," ordered on Friday, meant that advances would be put on hold while the military tried to sort out logistics problems caused by long supply lines from neighboring Kuwait. Food rations have been cut for at least one frontline U.S. unit and fuel use has been limited. The U.S.-led invasion force would continue to attack Iraqi forces to the north with...