Free Republic

Republicans need to beat Democrats at their own game.

Somali pirates murder 4 Americans in cold blood but Navy captured 13 pirates alive by Bill Levinson As reported by the Christian Science Monitor, Somali pirates killed four American captives while the United States was negotiating peacefully for their release. US Central Command said four Navy warships were deployed in an effort to secure the Americans' release, and "negotiations were ongoing" when the shooting occurred at 1 a.m. today. Upon hearing gunfire, US forces boarded the Quest and confronted the pirates, capturing 13 and killing two. Attempts to revive the four Americans were unsuccessful and all four died from the...

PRIME Minister John Howard yesterday promised no mercy for the Bali bombers. Mr Howard even signalled he might overturn his long-held opposition to the death penalty. "I am normally opposed (to the death penalty), yes, that is my normal view; (but) this is anything but a normal position," he said. Those convicted of the bombing face death by firing squad under an emergency anti-terrorism decree signed by Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday. Asked whether Australia would push for the death penalty for the perpetrators, Mr Howard said: "I don't think Australia will want much mercy being shown to them." The...

We Aussies are, at times, a strange lot. In our happier times, the ethos of "work hard, play hard" almost becomes the national motto. The 2000 Sydney Olympics is a prime example. For a country of 19 million hosting the Olympics is no easy task. But tens of thousands worked tirelessly to make the games the best ever. The world saw us party, saw us enjoy the fruits of so much hard work. Likewise, many Aussies in Bali were there to enjoy the fruits of their hard work, sporting or otherwise. When we party, we party hard and loud. But...