The military's reliance on unmanned aircraft that can watch, hunt and sometimes kill insurgents has soared to more than 500,000 hours in the air, largely in Iraq, The Associated Press has learned. ...more

January 2, 2008

The Highlands County Commissioners are thinking about a stipend for combat veterans. This should be for all combat veterans and not just Iraq and Afghanistan. We veterans put our lives on the line just like those of Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans are doing. ...more

December 31, 2007

The United States should redeploy troops from Iraq, allowing the military to focus on terrorist threats in Pakistan and Afghanistan, New York Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand said Saturday. ...more

December 30, 2007

SEBRING — A woman came to Fred Blake's shop three months ago, looking for a humidor for her son, who is deployed in Iraq. ...more

December 26, 2007

It appears the Highlands County Commission is going to step up and do something good to support our troops who have been serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a wonderful gesture and sure to help any local soldiers who have been serving their country and placing themselves in danger. If approved – and it appears it will be – any soldiers who have served in a combat role will receive a $75 per month stipend, for every month they serve in combat, from the county, which could mean an extra $900 per year depending on amount of time. Commissioners are considering this instead of giving a property tax break, which would only benefit troops who own homes. Veterans officials suggested making it a stipend for all combat soldiers, instead of just property owners, since so many of the troops in harms way are young and just getting started with their lives. Some other Florida counties are offering the property tax rebate, but Highlands County would be one of three counties offering stipends. ...more

December 21, 2007

Hillary Rodham Clinton ridiculed Democratic rival Barack Obama on Tuesday for his contention that living abroad as a child helped give him a better understanding of the foreign policy challenges facing the United States. ...more

November 21, 2007

The State Department is dropping plans to force diplomats to serve in Iraq because volunteers have filled all 48 vacant positions at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and in outlying provinces, The Associated Press has learned. ...more

November 16, 2007

Historically, gas prices have peaked around events that prompted worries about oil supplies. This year, gas prices reached a peak in May because of supply and demand worries. ...more

November 14, 2007

• People who are absolutely upset are the folks in the State Department. They want to send them to Iraq. There's a lot of empty positions that need to be filled over there. But the people at the State Department are revolting about this because they say it's dangerous over there. I haven't heard that. ... President Bush is furious. He said, "If you didn't want to go to a war zone, you shouldn't have joined the State Department. You should have joined the Texas Air National Guard." ...more

November 9, 2007

TAMPA - John Graziano, the 22-year-old who was injured in a car crash involving wrestler Hulk Hogan's son, was moved to James A. Haley VA Medical Center on Thursday, according to his lawyer, George Tragos. ...more

November 8, 2007