Free Republic

Russia - Masque Of The Red Death Vladimir Putin has been hailed perhaps as the pivotal post cold war Russian leader. He has executed a skillful dog and pony show, convincing both the Bush and Blair administrations that the former Soviet Union was not only no longer a military threat to the West but was indeed now becoming a close ally. Obviously Russia's cooperation with the French and German UN delegation's intransigence in dealing with Iraq has done much to throw cold water on this heretofore-budding union. It's important to note that such a relationship offered hope, though ultimately unfounded,...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on partners to respond seriously to Russia's constant attacks, which undermines international efforts to end the war. Source: President's evening address Quote: "Last night, [Russia launched – ed.] 172 attack drones, more than 100 of which were Shaheds. In fact, large-scale drone assaults persist on a daily basis, as do missile threats and ballistic missiles. It should be apparent to our partners that these Russian strikes target not only our people, but also all international efforts and diplomacy aimed at bringing this war to an end. Russia is striking at the positions of all those...

@thehill @MittRomney: "President Trump slow-walking the provision of weapons to Ukraine was an enormous error and so was the error I think of our nation over some decades, not giving the kind of military defensive capability that Ukraine needed." Clip...

War, what's it good for? Aside from countless deaths of innocent civilians of course, it means a GDP boost for the biggest exporter of weapons on earth, the United States, and even more profits for the US military-industrial complex. Profits which mean the shareholders of America's arms manufacturers get even richer. Which is why following months of middle-eastern sabre ratling and numerous quasi-wars already raging in the region, moments ago the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 10 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to Saudi Arabia for $1.9 billion, the first step in "a major multibillion-dollar modernization of the Saudi...

House members from both parties are calling on the Bush administration to delay a $20 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and to impose tougher restrictions on how the Middle Eastern country could use the weaponry. Last week, the Bush administration informally notified Congress of its intention to sell high-technology armaments, including satellite-guided munitions and naval vessels, to Saudi Arabia, which is a key ally in the region. Lawmakers have protested the sale since news first leaked of negotiations in late July. “The idea that we are going to reward the Saudis with precision weaponry is a stunningly bad idea,...

AMLO, as he is popularly known, is a left-wing neopopulist, and he leads in all the polls in his country despite his mediocre performance as governor of the Federal District. ... So far, the Mexican media are full of accusations about Chávez's copious contributions to AMLO's political campaign, as if the Venezuelan's plans included bringing Mexico into his hallucinatory project for a Bolivarian revolution. Common sense should tell any Mexican president that his most important priority is getting along well with the United States, its very powerful neighbor, principal trade partner and travel destination for tens of millions of Mexicans....

ACCORDING TO yesterday's news, the controversial deal that would have had a United Arab Emirates firm, Dubai Ports World, take over the management of six major U.S. ports is now dead. The Dubai-based firm has decided, in the face of congressional opposition and an almost endless campaign of inflammatory and polemical grandstanding by some members of Congress, to withdraw from the deal.One of those leading the pack in denouncing the DP World bid was New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Her opposition to this UAE company has been only slightly short of hysterical, including at one point an analogy to...

French connection armed Saddam By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES The United States stood by for years as supposed allies helped its enemies obtain the world's most dangerous weapons, reveals Bill Gertz, defense and national security reporter for The Washington Times, in the new book "Treachery" (Crown Forum). In this excerpt, he details France's persistence in arming Saddam Hussein. First of three excerpts New intelligence revealing how long France continued to supply and arm Saddam Hussein's regime infuriated U.S. officials as the nation prepared for military action against Iraq. The intelligence reports showing French assistance to Saddam ongoing in the...

Iraq: US Have Begun Propaganda War Against Russia BAGHDAD, March 25. Russia has not sold any high technology weapons to Iraq. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this was announced by Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saraf at a press conference in Baghdad today. He said that the US had started a propaganda war against Russia and emphasised that Iraq had not asked Russia for any help as it already has all the necessary resources to deal with the aggressor. On Monday US President George Bush accused Russia of supplying highly accurate guidance systems and night vision equipment to Iraq.