Free Republic

Implications of Sony 1. The threat posed by unidentified attackers of the Sony system is not limited to the Hollywood corporation but has broad, even existential, implications for homeland defense, for liberty, especially the First Amendment, and for the economy. 2. Our nuclear facilities, our transportation infrastructure, our communication infrastructure, our banking institutions, Wall Street, our media, system of justice and the rule of law, in short, the whole structure which holds our way of life together and keeps us from anarchy are potentially threatened by any expansion or intensification of this threat. 3. The identity of the hackers is...

The West shouldn’t stoke the fires engulfing Russia’s wounded economy. Talk in Washington and Brussels this week of levying further economic sanctions on Russia seems counterproductive and will only make matters worse for all parties involved. Like it or not, Russia’s economy has grown simply “too big to fail,” and its political and military might is too dangerous to ignore. The West might have better luck in advancing its goals in the region by helping, not hurting, the Russian bear in its time of need.

Sternly warning the West it cannot defang the metaphorical Russian bear, a confident-looking President Vladimir Putin promised Thursday to shore up the plummeting ruble and revive the economy within two years. While he issued a litany of sharp rebukes against the West, Putin struck a conciliatory note on Ukraine, saying that the rebellious east should remain part of the country, backing a quick exchange of war prisoners and praising his Ukrainian counterpart. The mixture of blistering anti-Western rhetoric and constructive signals appeared to indicate that Putin is eager to negotiate a face-saving solution to the Ukrainian crisis, but has no...

Russia's shock-and-awe raise of interest rates from 10.5 to 17% has put the legitimacy and viability of president Vladimir Putin under serious strain, with the real danger of a military coup as the worst case scenario, according to a leading Kremlinologist. The central bank's desperate attempt to shore up support for the ruble, which has plummeted 50% on the year against the dollar, is unlikely to work beyond the short term. Russia's economy needs lower interest rates to boost growth, but its companies need higher interest rates to support the ruble. The 17% rates are likely to send Russia's spluttering...

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/alsweady-inquiry-an-exercise-in-greed-that-blights-the-lives-of-brave-soldiers-9931749.htmlmust go to link. Cannot post material from The UK IndependentAmbulance-chasing lawyers are harming the British military

American troops just had their first real battle with Islamic State militants, after the terror group attempted to overrun Ein al-Asad base in Iraq in the middle of the night Sunday, the Kurdish news outlet Shafaq News reports. The U.S. troops absolutely decimated the militants, forcing a quick retreat. The counterattack was conducted in a joint operation with local tribal forces. The attack occurred at Ein al-Asad base, which currently hosts nearly 100 U.S. military “advisers.” The U.S. troops engaged the militants in tandem with F-18 fighter jets, who provided air support. The battle lasted approximately two hours after an...

A PREGNANT woman held hostage in the Sydney siege has remembered her close friend Katrina Dawson as “the most wonderful person I have ever met”. Julie Taylor was held captive for almost 17 hours inside the Lindt cafe, alongside her work colleague Ms Dawson, who reportedly shielded her from gunfire in the final dramatic moments of the siege. “Her bravery and strength was, and continues to be, a comfort and inspiration for me,” Ms Taylor said in a statement today. “She invested every moment of her life in her friends and family, and will be greatly missed by everyone who...

ABOUT 20 police, half a dozen in riot gear, have descended on the Auburn Tennis Club in Sydney, arresting a man of Middle Eastern appearance. Moments before the arrest three police vehicles were outside the business premises of Amin Khademi, a former business partner of Sydney siege gunman Haron Monis, in South Granville.

Five commando units trained for strikes, sabotage North Korea dispatched covert commando teams to the United States in the 1990s to attack nuclear power plants and major cities in a conflict, according to a declassified Defense Intelligence Agency report. The DIA report, dated Sept. 13, 2004, reveals that five units of covert commandos were trained for the attacks inside the country. According to the report, the “Reconnaissance Bureau, North Korea, had agents in place to attack American nuclear power plants.” The document states that the North Korean Ministry of People’s Armed Forces, the ministry in charge of the military, “established...

EIGHT children have been stabbed to death at a house in north Queensland. The Queenlsand Police Service have released a statement regarding the incident. Police were called to the Murray Street residence in Manoora around 11.20am following reports of a woman with serious injuries. During an examination of the residence police located the bodies of the children, all aged between 18 months and 15 years. The woman, believed to be aged in her 30s, is receiving treatment for her injuries and is currently assisting police with their investigations.

...Bill Darron drove down the alley behind Laura Hillenbrand’s house (with) a Norden bombsight. Since 1987, Hillenbrand has been sick with chronic fatigue syndrome, which has mostly confined her indoors for the last quarter century. When she explained this to Darron, he agreed to bring the Norden from New Jersey on his next visit to Washington. Now, as he made the final calibrations, Hillenbrand returned to the room, and he offered her a brief tutorial. He showed her how to position herself above the monocular eyepiece, guide the cross hairs toward a target on the map, then lock the sight...

photo hosting Link: http://s29.postimg.org/ytbn4em2v/6ia_Am_CJ.png

Rand Paul Breaks With Rubio and Bush Over Cuba Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is the latest potential presidential candidate to weigh in on policy changes to Cuba and the libertarian leaning Republican's position splits from other Republicans who are also considering a presidential run. Paul told Tom Roten of News Talk 800 in West Virginia that the 50-year embargo "just hasn't worked" and normalizing relations with the island nation is "probably a good idea." "If the goal is regime change, it sure doesn't seem to be working and probably it punishes the people more than the regime because the regime...

Just as Muncih signaled a psycho of 70 years ago that he would face little opposition from weak democracies, did the USA and Sony just signal the worlds terrorists, rogue nations and hackers that they could destroy US business and infrastructure at will, and face no consequences?

Islamic State militants attempted to overrun Ein al-Asad base on Sunday US support troops and advisers killed an unknown number of the militants The troops were supported during the battle by F18 fighter jets ISIS forced to retreat after suffering casualties during two hour firefightA number of militants have been killed in Islamic State's very first battle with U.S. ground troops after the extremists attempted to overrun an Iraqi military base. The militants attacked Ein al-Asad military base on Sunday where more than 100 U.S. military support troops are based. Despite launching the surprise attack just after midnight, ISIS's offensive...

HOLLYWOOD (KCNA) — The Revolutionary Artists Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scientists are happy to announce that His Excellency Kim Jong-un will host the 87th annual Academy Awards. This will be the first time a supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has led the ceremony, but it most certainly will not be the last. “All peoples celebrate Dear Leader’s most humble decision to host the Oscars,” said Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Michael Lynton. “We have witnessed his strength and honor from afar and welcome the divine opportunity to explode our love in...

A judge cleared the way Thursday for thousands of young immigrants in Arizona who are protected from deportation under an Obama administration policy to get driver’s licenses. The preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge David Campbell bars the state from enforcing Gov. Jan Brewer’s policy of denying the licenses to about 20,000 immigrants. The injunction that takes effect on Monday was a formality that carries out instructions issued in July by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. …

Diplomacy: As the Castros rejoice at President Obama's move to normalize ties, extend trade credits, take their country off the terror list and free its deadly spies, the queasy question remains: What did the U.S. get in return? The question is being asked by the more serious leaders in Washington. Marco Rubio for one. "(Obama's) foreign policy is, at a minimum, naive and perhaps truly counterproductive to the future of democracy in the region," said the Florida senator in the wake of the giveaway. "Barack Obama is the worst negotiator that we've had as president since at least Jimmy Carter,...

wo senior Islamic State group leaders were killed in U.S. and coalition airstrikes in northern Iraq over the last week, U.S. officials said Thursday, as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel approved new orders for several hundred troops to deploy to Iraq to train Iraqi forces. (snip) There are currently about 1,700 U.S. troops in Iraq, and President Barack Obama has authorized up to 3,000. More than 1,000 U.S. troops are expected to be deployed in the coming weeks to increase the effort to advise and assist Iraq units at the higher headquarters levels and also to conduct training at several sites...

"“The Interview”: Orgy Scene with Kim Jong Un and James Franco Might Have Caused Concern"