Free Republic

Last evening I had the privilege of attending a gala event in honor of American Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. Not being able to afford the ticket fee ($180 per person) I volunteered to help set up and greet the guests and direct them to their seats. I was surprised at the large turnout because of the competition from a "JewsforGeorge" rally featuring former Mayor of NY, Ed Koch, and of course the Yankees/Redsox playoffs. Right underneath my volunteer badge I pinned a photo of my son. Now, normally I hate and loathe these fundraising events and will make...

What is the issue the Palm Beach Post calls "almost the only topic" and the one that is "playing a pivotal" role in Florida's battle for the American Senate? It's not health care, taxes, education, the economy, or even Iraq. Rather, the two principal candidates are engaged in a ferocious argument over Sami Al-Arian, an accused Islamist terrorist. Their battle teaches lessons for the future.Mr. Al-Arian, a Palestinian immigrant, was a professor of engineering at the University of South Florida when in 1994, investigative journalist Steven Emerson aired a documentary establishing that, as president of the Islamic Committee for Palestine,...

Frank J. Gaffney is founder and president of the Center for Security Policy in Washington, DC. He earned his AM in international studies from John's Hopkins University. A former deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security policy, Mr. Gaffney's articles have appeared in Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, New Republic, Newsday, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. He is a contributing editor to National Review Online. Mr. Gaffney addressed the Middle East Forum in Philadelphia on September 22, 2004. The threat of terror is the most direct challenge to the stability of...

Holidays in Iraq and Afghanistan for military members http://operationmilitarypride.org Once again this year our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with our soldiers who will be away from their families this upcoming Holiday season. Many thousands of our sons, husbands, daughters and wives are continuing to answer the call to service, and will celebrate Christmas or Hanukah far away from their loved ones. Our hope is to fill the desert landscape, and tent cities our troops now call "home" with holiday joy and knowledge that they most certainly have not been forgotten during this most wonderful time of year. BUT...in order...

There will be a reception for Dr. Tom Coburn with Cong Ernest Istook, this Friday night, 15 October 2004, at Legend’s Times Two, 1333 West Lindsey, Norman, from 5:00 to 6:30. If you would like further details, please freep mail me. We need to have as many people there as possible especially after that deploreable ad that Carson has begun running. I would certainly like to know if Clintonites are advising his campaign because his campaign ads are as nasty as the Clinton DNC ads.We need to send Dr. Tom to the Senate and need anyone that is even close...

DULUTH -- The National Rifle Association said it will make a "major national political announcement" today in Duluth, leading to informed speculation that the powerful gun-rights group may endorse President Bush for reelection. "It would make sense to do it there and at this time," said Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, a Washington gun-rights lobby. "Duluth is a hunter-sportsman stronghold, and Minnesota and Wisconsin are battleground states." Winning the NRA's backing a second time could be crucial to Bush. Observers say that in 2000, gun owners played a major role in his victories in several states,...

This illustration is displayed on the 3rd Transportation Support Battalion's farewell certificate for departing Marines. (Illustration by Lance Cpl. Kylene A. Kasch) CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan - You see them everywhere on Marine Corps installations -- Marines with small, red patches uniformly stitched to their camouflage trousers and covers. But what many may not know is that these Marines, with their distinctive, red patches, are symbolic of a uniform change that dates back to the bloody beaches of World War II. Support Marines first adopted the red patch because of confusion between infantry Marines and landing support Marines during...

(UPDATE) October 9, 2004 New Smyrna Beach. BIKERS for BUSH Support Rally 2004, Starts at 1 pm sharp.  Patriotic Music, Republican Speakers including Monk, Florida State Senator-Elect Carey Baker and President Bush's Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi., 50/50 Raffle with proceeds going to  support the re-election of President Bush. Event T-Shirts available at event, or on-line at: http://www.dixiebiker.com/bfb04.html  .  Support our Troops by showing your support for the re-election of  George W. Bush to the Presidency. Rally held in the huge parking lot at  the Republican Club Headquarters at 57 North Causeway, New Smyrna  Beach. Info or directions at www.vanslawn.com/bfb.htm

I just want to thank all our troops around the world, especially the ones who are in Iraq and the Middle East, for protecting my family. We support you 100% and thank you for all your efforts in our behalf! We are praying for you.

Iraqi's Plea to Labour: don't Pull Out Troops By Vivienne Morgan, Political Staff, PA News The woman who helped swing the vote at the Labour conference over pulling troops out of Iraq today accused party members of naivety about the situation in the country. Shanaz Rashid – whose husband is a minister in the interim Iraqi government – was earlier given a standing ovation when she made an emotional appeal not to pull troops out. Close to tears, she told party activists that many friends had perished under Saddam Hussein and she had kissed the ground with joy on arriving...

There will be a Freedom Rally II-Support Our Troops Rally at Point State Park in Pittsburgh, PA on October 3, 2004, beginning at 11:30 a.m. All current military service members and all Veterans are encouraged to attend....we're hoping that the Rally is HUGE and it seems to be heading that way! Here is my page with the info on it:http://www.nikkiusa.com/FreedomRallyII-Pittsburgh Would love to see some Freepers from the Burgh there and I will be speaking too, so if you've never heard me, here is a good chance!!! During this crazy election, we still must support our troops and let them...

Welcome to Operation: Take a Soldier to the Movies Operation: Take a Soldier to the Movies is a national grassroots program to support our troops in Iraq by “taking a soldier to the movies” for Thanksgiving. Caring families, friends or members of the public can contribute movie-related items that will be forwarded to soldiers serving in Iraq. Let it be your way of saying “thank you” to those serving our country. Background: Bernie and Kathy Hintzke of West Allis, Wisconsin (near Milwaukee) have a 22-year old son, Adam, serving in the U.S. Army near Tikrit, Iraq. Conditions are hot, dirty...

1100 Volunteers trained today Reminiscent of Iowa and New Hampshire three years ago, 1,100 volunteers converged in Austin today for a training session before descending on five battleground states next month.

Again, I have heard the defeatist use the word “quagmire” in reference to our war in Iraq. We have lost over 1000 men and women and we are losing more everyday. Well, folks we are at war. We are fighting World War III against overwhelming odds and against an enemy that has no country but is spread throughout the world. It’s a tough job. I grieve for every soldier we lose and I grieve for his or her families and friends. But we have no choice.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose own attempt to raid tax revenues from local governments helped lead to a lengthy budget stalemate last summer, campaigned Wednesday on behalf of a ballot measure to prevent the state from attempting such tax grabs in the future. At a training center for Los Angeles firefighters, Schwarzenegger joined Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn, police chief William Bratton and other local officials urging support for Proposition 1A, one of 16 major initiatives on the Nov. 2 ballot. If passed, the measure would prohibit the state from dipping into local tax revenue except in...

People from all walks of life keep asking me the same question: “Are there moderate Muslims?” I know myself that there are, but… Many of the moderates are faced with intimidation by militant Muslims (“Islamists”). Muslims also have to contend with their own old cultural habits, hateful religious leaders, a bigoted press, and schools that teach hatred and homicide bombings. As usual, just as things seem the darkest, I happen upon something that brightens my spirit -- at least a little. Last week, FOXNews mentioned the organization “Free Muslim Coalition Against Terrorism” (FMCAT). I immediately went to their website, and...

As thankful as we are that Moqtada al-Sadr's rebellion did not end in a bloody and destructive battle for the Imam Ali Grand Mosque in Najaf, our gratitude is tempered by the realisation that this revolt was not an isolated event. Like al-Sadr himself, the Najaf stand-off was created by Iran and was only part of Iran's latest effort to destabilise Iraq and achieve strategic dominance in the Middle East and Central Asia. Iran's strategic ambitions and its prominence in global terrorism are nothing new. Despite the hopes of many governments, the widespread popular unrest and internal power struggles of...

Believe it or not, I just got back from New York City and thanks to one contest that I entered and some really great people who helped me get there, I got to attend one day of Republican National Convention!!! Instead of me explaining everything, here is the article that my newspaper did!!! http://www.nikkiusa.com/valleynews8-30-04.jpgBut, the BIGGER part of this update is that we are finally going to have a HUGE (I mean one of the biggest!!!) Support Our Troops Rallies here in Pittsburgh and I am proud to say that I am one of the people who got this started!!!...

This is what I wrote in 1994 following the Mashhad tragedy. When a friend's relative dies of old age and you attend the services, you say condolences, but what can you say to people who have lost a loved one in the Mashhad tragedy of bombing Imam Reza Shrine in 1994 killing the pilgrims? I once was in this kind of situation. The sister of a friend of mine with her three kids died in a very similar tragedy. I was speechless. I did not know what to say. After thinking it over, the following were my thoughts. I think...

WASHINGTON - An FBI probe into the handling of highly classified material by Pentagon civilians is broader than previously reported, and goes well beyond allegations that a single mid-level analyst gave a top-secret Iran policy document to Israel, three sources familiar with the investigation said Saturday. The probe, which has been going on for more than two years, also has focused on other civilians in the Secretary of Defense's office, said the sources, who spoke on condition they not be identified, but who have first-hand knowledge of the subject. In addition, one said, FBI investigators in recent weeks have conducted...