Protesters opposed to President Barack Obama's planned troop surge for Afghanistan on Wednesday urged top aides Hillary Clinton and Michael Mullen to reconsider making an epic "mistake." As the US secretary of state and the top US uniformed military officer, joined by Defense Secretary of State Robert Gates, came before lawmakers, demonstrators from the "Code Pink" anti-war group peacefully challenged them. "Hillary! You know better!" member Medea Benjamin, who wore a fuchsia sash emblazoned... Read Full Story
Lax state laws allow arms traffickers, drug kingpins and money launderers to use U.S. companies to hide their illicit activities from investigators, government officials said Thursday. An example is the case of Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman accused of supplying dictators and warlords with weapons used in civil wars in South America, the Middle East and Africa. Bout used a network of shell companies around the world, including a dozen U.S. corporations, to carry out his activities, Sen... Read Full Story
Saying the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is in "serious jeopardy" and more troops are needed to combat an increasingly potent Taliban, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee stands at odds against an influential Democratic colleague on military matters. Sen. Dianne Feinstein's views are more closely aligned with those of key Republicans than members of her own party. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, urged a more methodical approach that begins with crafting... Read Full Story
The US Senate on Thursday rejected an attempt by Republican Senator John McCain to have the top US commander in Afghanistan testify before President Barack Obama announces his decision on a new Afghan war strategy. Lawmakers voted 59 to 40 to reject the McCain amendment, which called for General Stanley McChrystal and others to testify before Congress about the direction of the war in Afghanistan by November 15. "Unfortunately, now Congress must rely on news outlets for access to our... Read Full Story
The United States should focus on training and equipping Afghanistan's security forces as it weighs what troop levels are needed to fight the war there, Democratic Senator Carl Levin said Monday. Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that he agreed with the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, that "additional resources will be required." "My recommendation is that in filling those resource requirements, we should... Read Full Story
At this point, there should be little doubt that there is a concerted attempt underway to use the war in Afghanistan as a justification for punitively taxing high earners.
Last weekend (noted at NewsBusters ; at BizzyBlog ), the New York Times discovered that wars cost money. It cited Wisconsin Democratic Congressman David Obey's concern that funding the Afghanistan effort at the level requested months ago by General Stanley A. McChrystal would "devour virtually any other priorities that... Read Full Story
US President Barack Obama's top uniformed military adviser was expected to defend his Afghanistan strategy Tuesday to lawmakers deeply divided over sending more troops to fight the unpopular war. Admiral Michael Mullen, whom Obama renominated to another two-year term as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was to face the Senate Armed Services Committee with leading lawmakers warning against ramping up US force levels. Most of the criticism has come from Obama's left flank, as... Read Full Story
US President Barack Obama will not decide whether to send more troops to Afghanistan for "many, many weeks," the White House said Friday, after top Democrats raised concern over any new deployment. Obama and top political and military leaders are currently considering a review of US strategy by war commander General Stanley McChrystal who has said the situation in Afghanistan is serious, though success is achievable. "I will reiterate again that there hasn't been a plan for and there isn't... Read Full Story
U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearings on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" have been postponed :
"A planned November hearing by the US Senate Armed Services Committee to consider ending a ban on gays serving openly in the US military will be postponed, a spokeswoman indicated Friday. 'We do not have a date' for the hearing, said the aide, Tara Andringa. Committee staff have been working on Afghanistan issues ahead of President Barack Obama's decision on whether to send more troops, and more... Read Full Story
The Obama administration promised on Friday that the financially strapped "cash for clunkers" program will be good at least through the day. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said he got the word from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as members of the Ohio and Michigan congressional delegations huddled on Capitol Hill to discuss ways to keep the popular program going. "Beyond Friday," Levin said, "depends on whether the administration can find some money." One participant in the meeting said they... Read Full Story
From Spain's Princess Letizia to Italy's Mara Carfagna, the game of politics is no stranger to beautiful, powerful women. Following is a list of women whose influence is matched only by their sheer hotness.
We've rounded up the fifty most infamous female teacher sex scandals the Internet has seen, and ranked them from most famous to least. We do it because we care.
