Free Republic

Six Texas Republican representatives joined with the eleven Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation to vote in favor of the bill to raise the debt ceiling. Nineteen Texas Republicans voted nay in attempting to block the measure. On a national level, 79 Republicans joined with all 187 Democrat members of the House to pass the measure back to the Senate. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX)64% voted in favor of the bill with the Democrats, according to GovTrack.us. He announced this week that he seeks to replace Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)58% as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Ryan is...

It was, without question, the climax of the debate. Hillary Clinton was defending herself against email allegations, when Bernie Sanders came to her rescue. In doing so, he not only demonstrated the decency that is the hallmark of his campaign, but also proved that he's no ordinary politician. Bernie Sanders doesn't want to win the White House if it means losing his integrity. He's willing to protect even his political rival if it's in the name of justice. This campaign cannot be about emails, but only Bernie Sanders was big enough to say that, on his competitor's behalf. Bernie Sanders:...

Over 1,000 terrorists laid down arms and surrendered to the Syrian authorities over the past 24 hours in Daraa, the Syrian local sources also confirmed. The militants also turned over their cache of ammo to the authorities, both sources added. The development came after President Bashar al-Assad in a televised address in July pardoned all soldiers who have fled the army, saying that his words served as a general decree to relevant officials. Hundreds of gunmen have been laying down their weapons and turning themselves in to authorities in areas across the country.

President Obama and Russian Czar President Vladimir Putin went into a room at UN headquarters mano a mano and whatever happened behind those closed doors, one man came out the victor.  And it wasn’t Obama. Putin took over Syria, and that’s that. Charles Krauthammer blamed it on the “utter passivity of the United States,” that has allowed ISIS to attract 7,000 new jihadis in the last few months alone.  Some of them are from the U.S., and some of them are from Russia.  While we hand-wring our way into irrelevance, Russia is determined never to let ISIS fighters back into their country. "The irony...

Iranian leaders view the nuclear deal signed by western powers as a “surrender” to Iran, and as cementing the Islamic Republic’s status as a “superpower.” An analysis by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has shed light on the sense of victory held by Iran’s most senior leadership, as neighboring countries prepare for a surge in terrorism sponsored by an emboldened Tehran. Among the comments translated by MEMRI was a statement made by Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan at an armed forces general command ceremony on August 30, in which he boasted that Iran had forced the “surrender” of...

The review process under the Corker law never began — by the law’s own terms. To undermine President Obama’s atrocious Iran deal despite the Republican-controlled Congress’s irresponsible Corker legislation, it will be necessary to follow, of all things, the Corker legislation. On Wednesday, Barbara Mikulski became the 34th Senate Democrat to announce support for the deal, which lends aid and comfort to a regime that continues to call for “Death to America.” Under the Corker Roadmap to Catastrophe, Mikulski’s assent ostensibly puts President Obama over the top. After all, the legislation sponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker...

Lt. Col. James N. Methven, USAF (Ret.) recalls an encounter with Japanese soldiers who are unaware World War II has ended.

This color footage of the Japanese surrender ceremony on board the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) on 2 September 1945, was filmed by Commander George F. Kosco. In 2010, the Kosco family had the film restored, and the footage is presented now for viewing by the public. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photographic Section. (Note: The original footage is silent. The 2010 restoration of the film by the Kosco family includes overdubbed music by the United States Navy Band, which has been removed to avoid possible YouTube copyright violations).

Before the battle to withdraw federal funds from baby body parts trafficker Planned Parenthood has even begun the Senate’s Republican Majority Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, has already surrendered. In an interview with Lexington, Kentucky TV station WYMT McConnell announced “that funding the government Mitch McConnellis the top challenge facing him when he returns to the Capitol next week” and he would work with the White House to come up with budget levels to keep the government open past Sept. 30 without a rider defunding baby body parts trafficker Planned Parenthood. “The Senate Democrats have a big enough number to prevent...

Train staff on board the high speed train which was the scene of a suspected Islamic extremist attack yesterday have been accused of barricading themselves in their staffroom and locking the door, leaving passengers to fend for themselves. The Moroccan terrorist was disarmed and beaten unconscious by US servicemen and a British man after he opened fire on a Paris-bound train with a Kalashnikov. Now, French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade, who was on board the Thalys train during the attack has slammed train staff who he claims locked themselves in an office away from the attacker and refused to help the...

A hardened heart is unnatural. Sadly many of God's children are walking around with hearts so hardened that they are unable to experience intimacy with God, themselves or others. Since we were created for connection and relationship with God first then others, a hardened heart will cause us to live isolated and withdrawn never truly experiencing the joy, peace, love and the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. How does a heart hardened? A prolonged struggle. Perhaps you have grown weary in the trial even blaming God for not changing the circumstances. Maybe you have a deep wound,...

The Obama Administration is drafting a plan to finally close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, officials said Wednesday, racing against the clock to fulfill a long-delayed promise by President Obama before his time in office runs out. “The Administration is in the final stages of drafting a plan to safely and responsibly close the prison at Guantanamo Bay and to present that plan to Congress,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday. Earnest said closing the prison is in the national security interest of the United States. One of Obama’s first moves as President was to pledge...

The celebration of Obama's capitulation to the dictators is in full swing when you watch the local media in Miami. Looks like the ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC stations all sent reporters have "journalists" up there singing the praises of Castro and Obama.

Not one day – not twenty-four hours after the Chattanooga jihad mass murder – the symbol of American individualism, capitalism, and the capital of the world, the Empire State Building, one of the foremost symbols of American freedom, celebrated the Muslim “holiday” of Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is the most violent month of the year in the Islamic world, because Ramadan is the month in which Muslims renew their devotion to Allah, and violent jihad is a supreme act of devotion to Allah. All told, 2,988 people were shot, burned, blown up, beheaded, or hacked to death...

Iranians have welcomed the long-anticipated but often-delayed nuclear deal warmly with hopes that it could lead to an end to the country’s international isolation and an improvement in economic fortunes. Iranians have been told that a nuclear deal would be a sign of national strength and would lead to an increase in Iran’s standing in the world. […] While details of the deal are not yet clear, Iran is already declaring this as a victory for what it calls its policy of resistance and a sign of its rising strength. Veteran Iranian diplomat Sadegh Kharrazi told state TV on Tuesday:...

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-14/hillary-clinton-aide-iran-nuclear-deal-really-significant-

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed new defence chiefs after sacking the heads of the army, navy and air force. The sackings were expected as the president has repeatedly criticised the military's inability to defeat Islamist group Boko Haram. The Islamists have recently launched a series of deadly guerrilla attacks, killing more than 250 people. Boko Haram is thought to be responsible for more than 10,000 deaths since 2009. Both the new head of the army, Maj Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, and the National Security Adviser, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno, are from Borno State which is at the heart of...

The final nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 world powers reportedly set to be announced on Monday complies with all the “red lines” set out by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Iranian semi-official news agency Fars reported citing a “source privy to the talks.” The deal, to be known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPOA), amounts to “a collection of multiple agreements that all fall within the red lines specified by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei,” Fars said. Khamenei doubled down on his set of demands during a meeting with Iran’s President Rouhani in Tehran...

A deal has been reached between the world powers and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program after a series of major American concessions, Ehud Yaari, the Middle East affairs commentator for Israel’s Channel 2 television, said Friday night. “It is done. It is done,” he said, and will be signed “early next week.” The aim of the agreement is to put a negotiated end to a 13-year standoff with Iran over its suspect nuclear program and to block its pathway to developing a nuclear bomb in exchange for lifting biting global sanctions. Israel’s leadership has relentlessly opposed the emerging agreement,...

Channel 2 analyst Ehud Yaari says agreement will be signed early next week after US drops demand for snap inspections; Obama faces challenge of securing Congress’ approval A deal has been reached between the world powers and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program after a series of major American concessions, Ehud Yaari, the Middle East affairs commentator for Israel’s Channel 2 television, said Friday night. “It is done. It is done,” he said, and will be signed “early next week.” The aim of the agreement is to put a negotiated end to a 13-year standoff with Iran over its suspect...