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MUCH HAS BEEN SAID and written in recent weeks about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. As the methodical search for those weapons continues in Iraq, the back-and-forth in the United States and Europe about their whereabouts has gone ballistic--with hysterical, unfounded accusations leveled by critics of the war and increasing defensiveness by the Bush administration. There are two elements to the current debate: substance and politics. Sometimes it's hard to separate the two, as Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Pat Roberts noted last week in dismissing Democratic calls for a formal investigation. And as the nation slowly turns its attention to...

Please indulge me a bit... Many of us saw it...the interview between Barbara and Hillary. An obviously scripted puff piece that offered us no insight whatsoever (as compared to the anal probing given to candidate George W Bush turned President) into the insights of a woman who, by all admissable evidence, has aspirations to be the First Woman President with her duty bound, excess, narcissistic baggage...ex-president Bill Clinton as First...Man? Or more realistically, what exactly would Bill Clinton be? The First White, Black Man similar to the First White, Black President? Or howabout the First Impeached, White, Black Man similar...

I watched the media today interviewing the families of the POW's rescued. The very first question of them, whether by phone or physical, was...."how did you feel when you got the news"? After the first few media interviews, I was actually hoping to see a father say to them..."well, I just put on another pot of coffee. No big deal. I never liked that kid anyway". And I was hoping to see a wife say to the media..."well, my boyfriend got mad". Maybe to see their mouths drop open would cure their inane and stupid questioning.

If medals are awarded for coolness under fire, then the officers of Central Command who face the world press corps daily have earned more than a few. Reporters from all over the world are allowed to ask anything, and some of their questions have been incredible. Here are some that were tossed at Gen. Tommy Franks, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks and Maj. Gen. Victor Renuart in recent days, along with the essence of their replies. March 27. Was this missile site that you've destroyed known to or visited by U.N. weapons inspectors? And, if so, why did you destroy it?...

A downtown police officer responding to reports of a road-rage incident fatally wounded a driver after the man clipped his legs with a vehicle, police officials said Tuesday. Police examine a car that crashed into a Goodwill store downtown. An alleged road-rage incident triggered an ensuing struggle Tuesday in which the vehicle's driver clipped the legs of a police officer, who then shot the driver, wounding him fatally. After the driver was shot, witnesses said, he drove his Ford Mustang recklessly for about 100 yards before crashing through the front entrance of a Goodwill store in the 400 block of...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve (news - web sites) Chairman Alan Greenspan (news - web sites) said on Tuesday that uncertainties over a possible war with Iraq posed "formidable barriers" to business spending and made it tough to gauge the U.S. economy's health. Reuters Photo (AP Video) In remarks that seemed to strike at Bush administration plans for a $695 billion package of tax cuts, Greenspan urged budget discipline and said until what ailed the economy was clearer, it was "premature" to prescribe fiscal stimulus. "The heightening of geopolitical tensions has only added to the marked uncertainties that have piled...

<p>It hit the spot, did what needed to be done. The bible references were pure Bush. Only question was why it wasn't given in the Oval Office. I think I am correct in observing that modern presidents shy away from the Oval for addresses. But why? The big desk with the pictures behind is what people expect. That's where presidents talk.</p>

Presenter: Senior Defense Official Monday, January 13, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Background Briefing on the All Volunteer Force(Backgrounder on the All Volunteer Force) Staff: I'm sure there will probably be a few more joining us this morning, but welcome to those of you that are here, and those of you that might be listening to us, and certainly those of you will be reading the transcript later. This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the all-volunteer force. The all-volunteer force has been in the news recently, so we thought it might be helpful for you to get some of the facts about...

Question What does "Auld Lang Syne" mean? I always hear people singing it on New Year's Eve, but no one seems to know what it means! Answer "Auld Lang Syne" is an extremely old Scottish song that was first written down in the 1700s. Robert Burns is the person whose transcription got the most attention, so the song is associated with him. The translation of the words "auld lang syne" is Scottish for "times gone by." So (incorporating a couple of other translations) when we sing this song, we are saying, "We'll drink a cup of kindness yet for times...

I don't write vanities, not normally not ever, but there's a first for everything. Here's a list of questions I want answered and most Americans should too. Why hasn't the upcoming Iraqi war been publically debated? Why hasn't Congress done it's job on the war? What are the actual costs going to be to the taxpayers of this war, and I don't been some ball park figures but detailed cost estimates? Best/worst case scenarios? Where is the money coming from? How much largeness will the US oil companies and defense industries receive from this war? What happens if the Iraqi...

RIVERSIDE, Calif.(AP) - California's outgoing education chief is attempting to crack down on parents who home school their children on their own by exploiting a loophole in the state's education code. Under California law, students who do not attend public schools can only be educated three ways: by enrolling in a private school, learning at home from parents guided by a credentialed teacher, or being taught by a credentialed tutor. Many home-schooling families, however, have found a way around those requirements. Knowing that private schools do not require their teachers to be credentialed, some parents have declared their homes to...

Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer James S. Brady Press Briefing Room      Audio President's ScheduleSenator Lott Reference BReference CReference DReference EReference FReference G Minority Vote/Bob Jones UniversityIndiaDeployments QuartetIraq/Inspections Reference BReference CReference DReference E White House Holiday PartyPresident's Holiday PlansStimulus Plan 12:50 P.M. EST MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. Let me give you a report on the President's day, and then I have a statement by the President I'd like to read. The President began this morning with a phone call to the President-elect Roh Moo-Hyun of South Korea. The President called President-elect Roh to extend his warm congratulations on Mr. Roh's victory...

Ancient map of Africa poses questions The unveiling in South Africa's parliament on Monday of a replica of an ancient Chinese map of the then known world which includes a recognisable outline of Africa is raising intriguing questions of which foreigners first explored the continent. "The idea is to take us beyond what we have been ... brainwashed into believing" declared Speaker Frene Ginwala at the opening of the exhibition, which includes other maps and rock art. The "Da Ming Hun Yi Tu", the Amalgamated Map of the Great Ming Empire, dates back to 1389, decades before the first European...

A post-Election Day gripe: Usually a bunch of state constitution referendum questions and local or state bond issues show up on the ballot. There usually isn't a problem getting information on the bond issues; their constituency is usually easy to identify, so there's someone out there for them - if only the brokerage who gets to sell the bonds - and you can tell a lot from their agenda. And there may also be someone against them. So you can make an informed voting choice if you take the trouble. (And then they usually pass anyway because there seems to...

<p>This "Bahama Mama" thread will be for questions and answers only.</p> <p>Please keep on topic.  Some answers may take a little time to research, so be patient.</p> <p>Bahama Mama will respond to each of you.</p> <p>If you want a private reply to a special query, send a freepmail to Bahama Mama's stateside moniker, "MinuteGal".</p> <p>Do I hear reggae music nearby?  I'm off to investigate.  It's such an effort to pull myself off the beach.</p> <p>Fellow Freepers, follow your heart's desire for a relaxing getaway in the sun.  Register now!</p>

<p>Republican Bill Simon on Saturday faced a persistent, pesky crowd of community college students who pressed him on education funding and the rights of migrant farmworkers as the campaign for governor entered its final week.</p> <p>At a statewide student leadership conference in Burlingame, Simon pitched greater accountability for California schools and criticized Gov. Gray Davis for treating community colleges like ``ugly stepchildren.'' But the students had a different agenda.</p>

On Drudge as Creative Nancy: Legality Of Pelosi's Double PAC Fundraising Questioned... October 24, 2002 Pelosi's PAC Stirs Questions By Ethan Wallison Campaign finance experts and watchdogs are questioning the legality of twin leadership PACs that have enabled Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to double up on hard-dollar contributions she has given and received this election cycle. The experts suggest that the use of the two committees, PAC to the Future and Team Majority, amounts to a probable violation of laws intended to prevent lawmakers from multiplying their leadership political action committees in order to defy contribution limits. The treasurer...

Top Stories - AP Calif. Political Questions Dog Bush Fri Aug 23, 2:35 PM ET By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) - President Bush ( news - web sites) began a California crisscross Friday in search of cash for Republican Bill Simon's ailing gubernatorial campaign with an airport handshake and a fresh scolding of corporate crooks. AP Photo (AP Video) The president was unswayed by Democrats' questions about how Bush's tough talk squared with a fraud verdict against Simon's investment firm. Speculation had run high in this politically important state that Bush wanted no side-by-side viewing...

I hvae been going through the many petitions to remove the two Judges of the 9th Circuit who used the "Founding Fathers wanted the US to be an athiest nation" myth, to stop school children from exercise their freedoms of speech and religion. I plan to have as many people as possible sign petitions for impeachment. I have a few questions about all this and I've thought of some the questions that other people might ask. 1. How exactly is a federal judge impeached? 2. Is there a line of succession? If yes, who succeeds the impeached judge? 3. Can...

FBI questions 'associate' of suspected dirty bomber By Andrew Buncombe in Washington 13 June 2002 An alleged associate of the American citizen accused of plotting to detonate a radioactive "dirty" bomb in Washington is being questioned by the FBI in Pakistan. Agents are broadening their search for others involved in the plot. A senior Pakistan intelligence official said the alleged associate, Benjamin Ahmed Mohammed, was in custody and had already been questioned by agents from the bureau. The man was possibly arrested at the beginning of May as he tried to board a flight to America with the alleged dirty...