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By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, April 30, 2004 -- The Defense Department has granted approval for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service to sell prepaid phone cards to the general public for donation to Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom service members. By law, only patrons with military exchange privileges can shop at AAFES retail stores, but officials announced this week that the exchange service would begin selling phone cards to normally ineligible people and organizations on its Web site. "It is truly an effort by the Office of the Secretary of...

Just recieved this email and wanted to let everyone know about the upcoming march. I can't make it, but hopefully many of you can. EXCLUSIVE FRIENDS OF ISRAEL UPDATE 4/28/04 Dear Todd, Please join us in Washington, D.C.! As a "Friend of Israel," Grassfire is inviting you and your friends to join us on May 6 for a very special rally in Washington, D.C. called "Terror, A one way ticket." The rally, hosted by Christians for Israel USA is designed to heighten the public conscience in regards to terror, and will feature Bus #19--the very bus that was blown up...

Police were overwhelmed by the magnitude of a solidarity march to Gush Katif, the Israeli settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip. Police estimated the size of the rally at 70,000, and turned away tens of thousands others in mid-afternoon. Organizers said that as many as 120,000 eventually attended. It was believed to be the largest demonstration in the history of Gush Katif. "It is difficult to describe what our eyes beheld." -- from the www.katif.net website The rally precedes the May 2nd Likud party vote on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate all Gaza Strip settlements. Minister Natan Sharansky...

In an apparent effort to widen the gender gap and assist the Kerry campaign, hundreds of thousands of pro-abortion demonstrators held a rally in Washington, D.C. Roughly 1,400 organizations were involved in coordinating the event, and scads of Hollywood celebs showed up. Attendees included Cybill Shepherd, Ani DiFranco, Ashley Judd, Lisa Loeb, Salma Hayek, Amy Jo Johnson, Kathleen Turner and Whoopi Goldberg. Techno-rocker Moby, Carole King and the Indigo Girls provided some of the background music. Whoopi addressed the crowd. In her hand was the scare symbol of choice - a wire coat hanger. As she brandished the prop over...

In life, Tasha Shephard never met Lance Cpl. Robert Zurheide Jr., the first Tucsonan killed in combat in Iraq. On Sunday, she stood near the graveside of the 20-year-old Marine, clutching a white chrysanthemum and crying as he was laid to rest. "He was so young. He didn't even have a chance to live his life yet," said Shephard, 19, an East Side resident whose 19-year-old boyfriend is also a Marine serving in Iraq. Shephard was one of hundreds of Tucsonans from across the city and across the generations who turned out to say goodbye to Zurheide, whose wife is...

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Although the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org touts itself as a grassroots political group, records show that a sizable lump of money comes from just two donors. A review of the Berkeley-based group's first quarter fund raising showed nearly half its $6.98 million came from Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Corporation, a Cleveland insurance company, and billionaire philanthropist George Soros. Lewis has donated $2 million to the group and Soros has given more than $1 million, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday. The directors of MoveOn, which has pledged to "bring ordinary people back into politics," say...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Calpers, the largest U.S. public pension fund, on Monday targeted Citigroup Inc.'s Sanford Weill and Coca-Cola Co. director Warren Buffett (news - web sites) in a bold bid to change the way major U.S. companies are run. The California Public Employees Retirement System, which has $167 billion of assets, said it would withhold votes to reelect Weill and Buffett as directors of their respective companies. The fund also said it would withhold votes for directors at 10 other companies, including Sprint Corp., Wachovia Corp. and the entire board of PG&E Corp., whose Pacific Gas & Electric...

LONDON [MENL] -- Iranian intelligence has been operating at least 18 covert centers in Iraq as well as targeting Shi'ites deemed as aligned with the United States in a nearly $1 billion effort to prevent the spread of democracy in that Arab country. A former Iranian official in Teheran's intelligence community publicly disclosed the first details on Iran's intelligence presence in Iraq. The defector said Iran has bolstered its intelligence presence throughout Iraq where Teheran has sought to exacerbate ethnic tensions and encourage a nationwide revolt against the United States. The centers have been located in Baghdad, Basra, Karbala, Najaf,...

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (Talon News) -- Media giant Rupert Murdoch told an Australian radio program today that he backs President George W. Bush in his bid for reelection in November. Murdoch, the Australian-born immigrant to the United States who also announced his decision to move his News Corporation to New York, applauded the president for making great strides in the war on terrorism and in removing ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power. However, he warned against pulling out too early in Iraq. "We have no alternative -- we must see the job through," Murdoch remarked to 2GB radio. Answering critics...

MADRID, Spain — An Islamic group that claims responsibility for the Madrid bombings says it will turn Spain "into an inferno" unless the country halts its support for the United States and withdraws its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. The threat came in a letter faxed to the Spanish daily newspaper ABC over the weekend, the paper said Monday. ABC said the letter was handwritten in Arabic and signed "Abu Dujana Al Afgani, Ansar Group, al-Qaida in Europe." The same person claimed responsibility for the March 11 bombings in a videotape found outside a Madrid mosque two days after the...

<p>My best friend is with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in Iraq up north in the badlands near Syria. Got an e-mail from him the other day that he and his fellow soldiers are under fire regularly; they've lost a few comrades. I'd like to respectfully ask that FReepers help send some support!</p>

Hi everybody. I left school early today cause my brain broke. So I came home and opened all the windows (It was a nice day out) and just started drawing, passing the time. I started to notice that outside there was a lot of honking going on. It went on and on and on and every 30 seconds or so a different car passing by the street was honking it's horn. I grabbed my camera and went across the street. There were two people in front of the local VFW with an american flag and a Support our Troops sign!...

I've gotten word tonight that our FRiend Budge could REALLY use some support. He is down and could REALLY use a lift. He is one tough cookie but everyone needs a lift now and then. Pain is an awful thing. But sometimes it can just wear you down. We had a pretty good scare recently with Budge. Thankfully it turned out to be Kidney Stones. Taking care of the problem wasn't fun but at least Budge will be ok. But now he has pulled some rib cartilage some how or another and those things combined have just taken a toll....

<p>WASHINGTON - Republican Senate candidate Bill Jones this week is wooing the political investors who could make or break his campaign.</p> <p>In his first visit to Washington since winning the March 2 GOP primary, Jones is raising a little money. Mostly, though, he's making his opening pitch to the White House operatives, Republican senators and political committees that control crucial national resources.</p>

I just got an email notifying me of a protest against Israel's recent actions killing the Hamas founder. Pro Israel supporters are going to counter this protest. I will post more info as I get it but here is a copy of the email I got. Anybody who can show up to support Israel and their actions to protect their citizens will be appreciated. Protest Warriors can use the freepers help on this one. Here is the email I got: I just got an e-mail about this. I cannot make it. Perhaps some of you can..... Here is their notice:...

Mahathir Mohamad, who as Malaysia's soft-on-terrorism prime minister last year urged fellow Muslim leaders to achieve a "final victory" over the Jews who "rule the world by proxy," today endorsed Kerry's effort to defeat President Bush....

It was a beautiful, if chilly, morning here in Richmond, Va. as four, perennial peaceniks approached the corner of Boulevard and Broad. We thought that at least twenty or thirty would show up. Maybe 9:00 a.m. was too early. They walked in single file, the leader carrying a sign that said "BUILD PEACE". It's certainly hard to argue with "BUILD PEACE". Look how diligently Americans are building peace in Afghanistan and Iraq. Literally building schools, hospitals, water systems, pipelines, roads, electrical systems and distribution systems. All necessary not just to live but to prosper in peace. They are building peace...

Hello Everyone: Sorry that the copy is so small but it reads: Support the USA & Our Troops Peace Through Strength I have ordered 1,000 signs. We will give them out on Saturday, March 20 before the protesters get to the Capitol. Below is the info on the Anti-War Protest planned at the State Capitol for March 20. Joe Repya Office: 651-890-3391 Home: 651-890-5237 Cell: 612-270-4443 -------------------------------------- UPCOMING ACTION - March 20th -------------------------------------- Protest: The World Still Says No to War WHERE: Martin Luther King Jr. Center Plaza, 270 North Kent Street, St. Paul WHEN: Saturday, March 20 TIME: 1:30...

In a show of support of deployed Guardsmen and reservists and their employers, Tyson Foods has announced plans to put the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve logo on all products the company ships to military facilities worldwide. Along with the ESGR logo, the product labels will include the phrase, "Proud Recipient of the Freedom Award." Tyson Foods received the prestigious ESGR award in 2003 for its exceptional support to its Guard and Reserve employees. Tyson Foods is the world's largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork, and the second-largest food company in the Fortune 500. The...

<p>SAN ANTONIO -- Senator John F. Kerry accused President Bush yesterday of putting Iraq-based US troops "into harm's way without enough firepower and support," and challenged the White House to reimburse families that send body armor to relatives in the armed forces overseas.</p>