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Palin takes questions at Michigan town-hall meeting - CNN.com
Asked for "specific skills" she could cite to rebut critics who question her grasp of international affairs, she replied, "I am prepared."
"I have that confidence. I have that readiness," Palin said. "And if you want specifics with specific policies or countries, you can go ahead and ask me. You can play 'stump the candidate' if you want to. But we are ready to serve." Asked for "specific skills" she could cite to rebut critics who question her grasp of international affairs, she replied, &#... more -
Nato cools relations with Russia
Nato foreign ministers have said they "cannot continue business as usual" with Russia, and demanded that Moscow pull troops from Georgia immediately.
The declaration followed talks in Brussels about the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi over Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Some Russian troops have been seen leaving the Georgian town of Gori.
But Georgia's interior ministry dismissed the move as a "show aimed at creating the illusion of a withdrawal".
Russian officials told the BBC that the vehicles and 100 men were heading for the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali and then on to Vladikavkaz in neighbouring North Ossetia - a province of Russia.
See map of the region
However, BBC correspondents on the ground say there are still Russian artillery and troop positions dug in all around Gori, the largest Georgian town close to the South Ossetia border. In addition, there are Russian checkpoints about 35km (22 miles) from the capital, Tbilisi.
Both sides have accused the other of violating an EU-brokered peace plan that was signed by the presidents of Georgia and Russia last week. Nato foreign ministers have said they "cannot continue business as usual" with Russia, and demanded that Moscow pull troops ... more -
Russia 'starts Georgia pull-back'
There is disagreement between Moscow and Tbilisi over whether or not Russia has begun withdrawing troops from Georgia, as promised.
Announcing a "pull-back" from Georgia proper into South Ossetia, a Russian general made clear he did not regard the province as Georgian territory.
According to Russian media, some combat units inside South Ossetia were withdrawn to Russia during the day.
A top Georgian official said there was no evidence of any Russian withdrawal.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier promised to abide by the terms of a ceasefire brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
We are talking about pulling back to the territory of South Ossetia
Col-Gen Anatoly Nogovitsyn
deputy chief of the Russian General Staff
The conflict over South Ossetia erupted 11 days ago, when the Georgian army tried to wrest back control and Russia sent in its troops to drive them out.
Russian troops remain stationed near the Georgian capital Tbilisi, with Moscow saying it has the right to keep some troops as peacekeepers in a buffer zone around South Ossetia.
The West has repeatedly urged Russia to withdraw its troops and France has said it will call a special EU summit if Russia does not comply.
Mr Medvedev, who was in North Ossetia to decorate Russian soldiers for valour during the recent fighting, has promised to "do whatever is necessary" to maintain security in the region.
"If anyone thinks he can kill our citizens without being punished, or kill our soldiers and officers, who are peacekeepers, we will never allow this," he said.
He added that Russian soldiers had demonstrated that they had recovered from the crisis of the 1990s and were now a fighting force again.
'Pulling back - not withdrawing'
"The pull-back of peacekeeping forces started today," the deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Col-Gen Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said in Moscow.
Georgian TV has shown video of what it says is Russian armour pushing aside police cars in Igoeti, around 48km (30 miles) from Tbilisi, on 18 August
"We are talking about pulling back to the territory of South Ossetia. There should be no troops on the territory of Georgia."
Gen Nogovitsyn said that President Medvedev had agreed with President Sarkozy by telephone on Sunday on a "pull-back, not a withdrawal" of Russian troops.
Russian news agencies reported that several Russian military units, each mounted in five to 10 vehicles, left the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Monday for North Ossetia. The reports could not be confirmed independently.
A spokesman for the Russian defence ministry, Lt-Gen Nikolai Uvarov, told BBC News that troops were being withdrawn from Georgia and the process would take "days not weeks".
Confirming that Russia would retain its pre-conflict peacekeepers in South Ossetia, Gen Uvarov suggested that they would also be beefed up.
"We used to have there one light infantry battalion, less than 600 people, certainly it will be more soldiers but not just soldiers... [the] force must be credible to prevent any further escalation of conflict there," he said. There is disagreement between Moscow and Tbilisi over whether or not Russia has begun withdrawing troops from Georgia, as promised. ... more -
Obama NOt what you think?
This is a candidate who says he’s going to usher in change; that he is a different kind of politician who has the skills to get things done. He reminds us again and again that he had the foresight to oppose the war in Iraq. And he seems to have a genuine interest in lifting up the poor.
But his record suggests that he is incapable of ushering in any kind of change I’d like to see. It is one of accommodation and concession to the very political powers that we need to rein in and oppose if we are to make truly lasting advances. This is a candidate who says he’s going to usher in change; that he is a different kind of politician who has the skills to get things... more -
Nader responds to Obama
see its not just about an accent
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US is fascist state
a great synopsis of whats wrong with america
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Presidential Issues- Policy Talks@Google: Ralph Nader
listen to this man ...time is running out
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Eisenhower - Military/Industrial Complex - Part 1 of 2
President Dwight David Eisenhower's Farewell Speech, "Military/Industrial Complex", 1961 - Part 1 of 2 ... guess who's really running this country today? it sure isn't "we the people" President Dwight David Eisenhower's Farewell Speech, "Military/Industrial Complex", 1961 - Part 1 of 2 ... guess who�... more
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