Free Republic

Featured Term (selected at random):INDULT A temporary favor granted by the Holy See to bishops to permit them to do something not otherwise allowed. If given for a certain time, it must be renewed by competent ecclesiastical authority. Thus according to the Code of Canon Law, an indult is required for a priest to practice surgery and a cloistered nun needs an indult to travel outside the cloister. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

The latest hot rumor flying around the internet is that General Ham of Africon, whose departure was announced last week, was actually fired for attempting to buck Obama’s order not to rescue Ambassador Stevens. He’s not exactly leaving early for his type of command, plus, he’s still in command, I have to assume, since his replacement still has to be confirmed by the Senate. Even if it’s an urban legend, it’s such a cool one that it’s kind of a duty to pass it on. Here’s the text most-often seen in emails, message boards and blog posts: I heard a...

Quick question for my fellow military history buffs. I've always been fascinated by timelines and the overlapping of human lives, much like the recent thread regarding the TV appearance of the elderly gentleman who, as a child, witnessed the assassination of Lincoln, lived into the TV age. As a student of the civil war, I've marveled at the fact that the last surviving individual to hold a general's rank during the conflict, Adelbert Ames, died a year after my father was born. Somehow that simple fact provides a linkage in the fabric of time that makes me realize how closely...

A senior Russian general has said Syrian rebels now have anti-aircraft weapons, including US-made Stingers. Gen Nikolai Makarov was quoted by the Interfax news service as saying the origin of the surface-to-air missiles should be "cleared up". Russia is the biggest supplier of arms to its Syrian government ally. Aerial bombardment of rebel-held towns continued on Wednesday, as the UN's Syria envoy prepared to brief the Security Council on ceasefire efforts. Lakhdar Brahimi has been trying to arrange a ceasefire between rebels and government forces over the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, which begins on Friday. Weapon supplies "We have...

The inspector general’s investigation into the Department of Justice’s role in Operation Fast and Furious was not expected to be a blockbuster report. The primary interest in the document for members of the media, investigators, and the public alike was how Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz would choose to participate in a cover-up. Horowitz did not disappoint. The six-part, 471-page report dedicated an entire chapter to Operation Wide Receiver, a program that began in 2006 and did not terminate until mid-2009. Wide Receiver was an ATF operation started by local agents during the Bush administration which allowed hundreds of weapons...

ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT — US military chief General Martin Dempsey denounced ex-officers Tuesday for waging a campaign against President Barack Obama, arguing that soldiers had a duty to stay above the political fray. Wading into a potential minefield during a hotly contested White House race, Dempsey voiced his disapproval of a group of retired military members and CIA officers who have accused Obama of spilling sensitive national security details to help secure his re-election. Asked if the group's criticism was valid or useful, Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he would not comment on...

US military officers accused one of the highest-ranking US commanders in Afghanistan of trying to cover up a scandal at a US-funded hospital in Kabul to limit bad news in an election year. The problems date back to 2010, when US officers expressed concerns about the possible embezzlement of funds from the Afghan-run Dawood National Military Hospital and the lack of treatment provided to wounded Afghan soldiers. Some Afghan soldiers died of malnutrition at the hospital, in conditions that one retired Army colonel described as "Auschwitz-like." Several officers told US lawmakers on Tuesday that they were encouraged by Lieutenant General...

In a last-minute maneuver before a House panel voted on a contempt of Congress charge against embattled Attorney General Eric Holder, the Justice Department notified the House that President Barack Obama was invoking executive privilege to shield documents pertaining to Operation Fast and Furious. (Snip) “Our purpose has never been to hold the attorney general in contempt. Our Purpose has always been to get the information the committee needs to complete its work that it is not only entitled to do but is obligated to do,” Issa told the committee Wednesday. “If the Justice Department had delivered the documents they

The Justice Department’s inspector general is investigating the FBI’s contacts with the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The investigation comes amid increased pressure from Virginia Republican Rep. Frank Wolf to end formal and informal contacts between FBI officials and CAIR. The White House, however, is prodding federal agencies to meet with CAIR, which has close ties to Islamist groups, such as HAMAS. “There is hundreds of examples of departments and agencies that meet with CAIR on a range of issues,” George Selim, the White House’s new director for community partnerships, told The Daily Caller June 7. “I was was shocked, but...

On his army blog of January 19, the commanding general of Fort Bliss (Texas), Major General Dana Pittard, wrote regarding members of the military who commit suicide: "I have now come to the conclusion that suicide is an absolutely selfish act. I am personally fed up with soldiers who are choosing to take their own lives so that others can clean up their mess. Be an adult, act like an adult and deal with your real-life problems like the rest of us." According to the National Journal, "Pittard's blunt comments about suicide have raised eyebrows throughout the military. . ....

Terms of the five-year deal, announced in Shanghai on Thursday, were not disclosed. GM is hoping to piggyback on Manchester United's fan base of an estimated 659 million people to boost its Chevy brand, especially in such growing Asian car markets as China, where the soccer club has 108 million fans. "If our aspirations are to build global icon status for Chevrolet ... soccer far and away is the world's biggest sport," Paul Edwards, GM executive director of global marketing strategy, said in an interview. "Manchester United stands head and shoulders above the other teams in terms of scale, brand...

Featured Term (selected at random):RULE OF SAINT BASIL A rule of life drawn up, from 358 to 364, by St. Basil the Great (329-79). It is still the basis for monasticism in the Eastern Church. There are two forms of the rule, in question and answer form, with 55 and 313 items respectively. Although austere, it consciously avoids some of the extremes of Eastern monasticism before Basil's time. Hours of liturgical prayer were prescribed. Manual and other work were required. Children were to be trained in classes attached to the monastery and given an opportunity to test their vocation to...

General Motors is becoming China Motors. Forget the spin. The evidence is clear and convincing. Did U.S. taxpayers save GM for China? Listen to the candid comments of GM's CEO.

The Obama administration is sending the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey to Israel this Thursday to try to change what it sees as Israel’s increasing readiness to attack Iran. Both Israel and the United States have stated they would not rule out a military strike on Tehran to prevent the Islamic Republic from reaching the capability of attacking Israel, or elsewhere, with a nuclear weapon. However, American officials are worried that Israel is closer to concluding that the “point of no return” is at hand, after which it may be too late to stop Iran....

Title (R) Primary-Iowa (Caucus) When Tue 3 Jan 2012 Title (R) Primary-New Hampshire When Tue 10 Jan 2012 Title (R) Primary-South Carolina When Sat 21 Jan 2012 Title (R) Primary-Florida When Tue 31 Jan 2012 Title (R) Primary-Maine (Caucus) When Sat 4 Feb 2012 08:00 AM – Sat 11 Feb 2012 08:30 PM Title (R) Primary-Nevada (Caucus) When Sat 4 Feb 2012 Title (R) Primary-Minnesota-(Caucus) When Tue 7 Feb 2012 Title (R) Primary-Colorado-(Caucus) When Tue 7 Feb 2012 Title (R) Primary-Arizona When Tue 28 Feb 2012 Title (R) Primary-Michigan When Tue 28 Feb 2012 Title (R) Primary-Washington-(Caucus) When Sat...

General Motors Co. (GM) has hired management consultant Hackett Group (HCKT) to help identify areas to cut an undetermined number of white-collar jobs, said two people familiar with the matter. Hackett Group, based in Miami, will help identify opportunities for cuts and efficiency improvements at headquarters and elsewhere in North America, said the people, who asked not to be identified revealing private plans. GM has been trimming engineers and other white-collar staff, said Jay Cooney, a spokesman, who declined to comment on whether the Detroit-based automaker had hired Hackett Group.

Opposition sources in Syria said Thursday that a top Syrian army general, Mustapha a-Sheikh, has abandoned his post. A-Sheikh is in charge of chemical weapons deployment in eastern Syria. According to the sources, a-Sheikh escaped over the border into Turkey in recent days. A-Sheikh's defection came on the background of what opposition activists said was an increasing frustration among many army soldiers at being deployed to fight against Syrian citizens. Weeks ago, soldiers were subjected to intense propaganda stressing that the protests were being organized by groups seeking to plunge Syria into anarchy, who were funded by “foreign governments,” but...

WASHINGTON — A top U.S. general in Afghanistan was relieved of duty Friday for "inappropriate public comments" after calling the Afghan government "isolated from reality" and President Hamid Karzai "erratic." Maj. Gen. Peter Fuller, deputy commander for training Afghan security forces, blasted the Afghan government, military and Karzai in an interview with POLITICO published on Thursday. He called Karzai "erratic" for recently saying Afghanistan would side with Pakistan if the latter declared war on the U.S. "Why don’t you just poke me in the eye with a needle!," Fuller was quoted as saying. "You’ve got to be kidding me …...

We as fellow occupiers of Oscar Grant Plaza propose that on Wednesday November 2, 2011, we liberate Oakland and shut down the 1%. We propose a city wide general strike and we propose we invite all students to walk out of school. Instead of workers going to work and students going to school, the people will converge on downtown Oakland to shut down the city. All banks and corporations should close down for the day or we will march on them. While we are calling for a general strike, we are also calling for much more. People who organize out...

How's this for a doctrine of applying the General Welfare clause in justifying any control or money being spent by the Federal government ? If the effort in question can be done at the local or State level, then it must be done at the local or State level - and must NOT be done at all by the Federal government. Basically, if localities or States are doing it then the Federal government need not - and must not - do it. Quite simply because the fact that localities or States are doing something proves that they can. For roads,...