Free Republic

U.S. officials are pushing back hard against Russian claims that American anti-aircraft missiles meant for Ukraine have begun showing up on the illicit arms market in Syria. Intelligence and diplomatic sources say the claims are a textbook case of Kremlin disinformation aimed at undercutting U.S. and allied support for arming Ukrainian forces while diverting criticism of Russia’s invasion. In another page from the recent Russian playbook, Chinese state media have quickly piggybacked on the Kremlin claims in recent days, amplifying conspiracy theories about the backing that the U.S. and its allies have provided for Ukraine in response to the Russian...

The sustained plunge in global oil prices has brought deep, unexpected shifts on the geopolitical landscape, with impacts felt in the Arctic and the Middle East, and in the fortunes of the American heartland and the future of the Russian-Chinese strategic alliance. A U.S.-engineered market truce has helped energy prices rebound slightly this month after flatlining in April, but analysts say reverberations will likely be felt for years to come as they chip away at the foundational international partnerships in the post-World War II era and create new alliances and rivalries. Analysts say there is no way the U.S. and...

<p>Saddam Hussein's last remaining loyalists are using a trick they employed in the war by mingling with civilian crowds and firing on American forces trying to stabilize Iraq, U.S. military officials say.</p> <p>Since the fall of Baghdad on April 9, the tactic has been used sporadically, mostly in Sunni Muslim-dominated towns such as Kut, Mosul and Fallujah west of the capital.</p>