Free Republic

Ukrainian forces said Saturday they had entered Kupiansk in eastern Ukraine dislodging Russian troops from a key logistics hub in a lightning counter-offensive that has seen swathes of territory recaptured. The German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, meanwhile arrived in the Ukrainian capital for a surprise visit, which she said was to demonstrate Berlin's support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia. Ukrainian special forces published images on social media showing camouflage-clad officers with automatic weapons "in Kupiansk." It "was and will always be Ukrainian," their statement said. The town of some 27,000 people, that sits on a crucial supply route...

Hard pounding, gentlemen: but we shall see who can pound the longest.- Arthur Wellesley. Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo by Bill Levinson Editor's note: The difference between 400 GB and 800 GB of “bandwidth” per month at my service provider is about $10/month. GB is GIGA-bytes. A gigabyte is 1 billion bytes. An average blog/message board web page is 150 KB — 150 kilobytes. A kilobyte is 1000 bytes. So they’re saying the Democratic Party, with millions in its war chest, can’t spend $20.00 over the next two months for 5,333,333 (that’s 5.3 MILLION) page hits? Yeah,...

TIKRIT, Iraq, April 27, 2006 – Iraqi security forces quickly responded to a series of attacks today in Baqubah in eastern Diyala province, leaving 21 enemy dead and capturing 43. The attacks began in southern Baqubah in the afternoon when the Buhriz police station and five police checkpoints were simultaneously attacked with mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades, and small-arms fire. Iraqi soldiers and police killed 17 and detained 28 responsible for the attacks. One Iraqi soldier was killed and two were wounded. Four Iraqi police were wounded. In Dali Abbas, more than 100 terrorists with mortar rounds, RPGs and small arms...

Hundreds Flee Northwestern Pakistan Unrest Sunday March 5, 2006 6:31 PM By BASHIRULLAH KHAN Associated Press Writer MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan (AP) - Hundreds of Pakistanis lugging bags and bundles of clothes fled a northwestern town Sunday after pro-Taliban tribesmen and foreign militants battled security forces in clashes near the Afghan border that left at least 53 people dead. The fighting, which started Saturday and largely died down early Sunday, was the worst in two years in the lawless North Waziristan region, where well-armed, fiercely independent tribes have long resisted government control. Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said sporadic gunfire...

Here's an explanation for the anti-Iraq saber-rattling now building in Washington: The Bush administration, though it would dearly love to have Saddam Hussein out of power, has no intention of taking unilateral military action against him. The sword-rattling is designed to make Saddam's military leadership see him as too dangerous for their own good. Remember, this is no pre-1990 Iraqi army harboring thoughts of invincibility. The Iraqi military, including its crack (supposedly) Republican Guard, was routed in Desert Storm. The remnants, the generals know, exist only because the American-led allies allowed them to walk away. They know also that they...