Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 01/15/2026 8:30:12 PM PST by nickcarraway
The ruthless slaughter of anti-government protesters in Iran appears to have stopped — but only because residents are being held hostage in their homes by machine gun-wielding security forces that have flooded the streets, sources told The Post Thursday.
After weeks of anti-regime protests across Iran left thousands dead, the mass mobilization of security forces has suppressed the demonstrations, with many too afraid to step foot outside now.
“There were tanks out — there’s tanks everywhere,” the source told The Post after speaking to family in Tehran about the current situation
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
I guess it’s over.
I guess the military has chosen to support the regime....BUT, they cannot be everywhere, only a few chosen places. This is probably only in Tehran.
It’s not over yet.
Just wait until the armed populace rises up.
Oh wait….
Damn. So in the end it turns out it’s all about who has the guns.
Shame they don’t have a 2A. How do you say “Shall Not Be Infringed“ in Persian?
It is PATHETIC that Trump encouraged them, and then did NOTHING.
We should have armed those people up years ago.
That is exactly the way it looks for a lot of people.
Dhamara shokor ghanush.
I guess that is why Trump has their backs. The Revolutionary Guardians have their fronts covered with machine guns.
The Iranian government has called in supporters from Iraq and Hezbollah who area afraid to shoot civilians. They’re also being used in minority areas against the Kurds, Baluchis Azeris and Turkomen.
He has to get assets in place. Not sure what else can be done quickly. If we attack unprepared, sending missiles or using b-2s without being effective it would be worse than nothing. Aircraft carrier is moving into the theater. Right now the leadership is in their bunkers, have to let them feel safe and when they poke their heads out, we cut them apart.
There has been talk that the GOP Congressional candidates going into midterm races are absolutely against military aid to the dissidents in Iran. Would interfere with their political careers.
They see the overwhelmingly negative poll results and don’t want to be unpopular.
So Americans want the Iranians to have rights restored but don’t want American “boots on the ground.” Maybe they want to cross their fingers and have the bosses give up over there. Absurd.
People are risking death to stand up for freedom.
RE: Aircraft carrier is moving into the theater.
Those who grudgingly follow my posts may have noticed in the past week or so I asked if others had details on “is it true there is no American aircraft carriers near Iran?”
Apparently the slow trip in the water by a carrier is finally taking place. While people get mowed down in Iran.
We didn’t have the assets in place. And... Initially the IRGC and the Army seemed to be taking a back seat. Then they came out very hard. I suspect our intel people got fooled again.
The interesting thing about this is that Iran’s economy is in horrendous shape - the #1 trigger of these protests in the 1st place. A lockdown, even brief, will exacerbate the problems. The population is fearful, but unlike North Korea, not totally brainwashed. And... those assets are on the way. Will they be used to further weaken the regime? Will Trump keep the sanctions on countries doing business with Iran? Will we try to arm the populace, thereby risking a Syria 2.0?
100%
On the other hand, maybe WE should be trying something similar in Minneapolis.
As of January 16, 2026, the status of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers is as follows:
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78): Currently operating in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) region, having departed Norfolk on June 24, 2025. The carrier strike group has been at sea for over 200 days and is not currently deployed to the Middle East. Adm. Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, has expressed concern over extending the deployment due to strain on crew and ship readiness.
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72): Previously operating in the South China Sea near Scarborough Shoal, the carrier strike group has been ordered to move toward the Middle East in response to regional tensions. It is now en route to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) region, where it will likely assume responsibility for operations in the Red Sea and surrounding areas.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69): Currently in port at Portsmouth, Virginia, undergoing a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) maintenance period. It is expected to deploy in early 2026.
USS Nimitz (CVN-68): Has returned to Bremerton, Washington, and is preparing for decommissioning, scheduled to begin in April 2026.
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70): In port in San Diego, undergoing maintenance after a record-breaking 269-day deployment that included operations in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71): Deployed in the Eastern Pacific, conducting exercises with the U.S. 3rd Fleet.
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76): Based in Yokosuka, Japan, but is scheduled to be replaced by USS George Washington later in 2026.
USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74): In refueling complex overhaul (RCOH), expected to return to service in 2025.
USS Enterprise (CVN-80): Under construction and scheduled for delivery to the Navy next year.
Operation by 2030?
USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) – Next Ford-class carrier; construction underway.
USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is currently under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. As of early 2026, the ship is progressing through final outfitting and testing phases, with a projected delivery to the U.S. Navy in 2025, though some sources suggest a potential delay to 2027 due to adjustments in post-delivery work.
Key Notes:
The U.S. Navy operates 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, but only 2–3 are deployed at any given time, with the rest in port, undergoing maintenance, or in overhaul. No aircraft carriers are currently deployed in the Middle East as of January 16, 2026, but USS Abraham Lincoln is en route to replace the previous carrier presence. USS Gerald R. Ford’s long deployment has raised concerns about crew fatigue and ship maintenance, with the Navy seeking alternatives to further extensions.
One can also inquire about carrier rotation(s) for more info.:
The U.S. Navy currently operates aircraft carriers on a 32-month maintenance cycle, which includes one deployment and scheduled maintenance periods. This cycle balances deployment time, surge readiness, and shipyard workload. Under this model, a carrier is deployed approximately 19% of the time, available for surge deployment within 30–90 days 57% of the time, and undergoing depot maintenance 24% of the time. Shorter cycles (e.g., 18–24 months) increase forward presence and help level shipyard workloads but reduce surge readiness and the ability to meet the "6+1 fleet goal" (six carriers deployed or deployable within 30 days, one within 90 days). Longer cycles (e.g., 42 months with two deployments) improve surge readiness and support the 6+1 goal but create challenges in managing large maintenance work packages and can lead to deferred work backlogs.
Key maintenance types within the cycle include:
Carrier Incremental Availability (CIA): ~1 month, performed twice per cycle. Planned Incremental Availability (PIA): ~6 months, performed once per cycle. Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA): ~10.5 months, performed after two cycles. Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH): ~39 months, conducted once near mid-life (~23 years of service). Recent challenges, such as delays in the USS George Washington’s RCOH (completed in 2023 after 2,120 days, nearly two years behind schedule), highlight the complexity and risks of long-term maintenance. The Navy continues to adjust cycles and maintenance strategies to manage carrier availability amid increasing operational demands.
“It is PATHETIC that Trump encouraged them, and then did NOTHING.”
Tough luck. There’s always a possibility that encouraging them might have resulted in a military coup against the regime. It didn’t, but it was worth a try. Trump has to do what’s in the best interest of the country, and if that means pulling back from a course of action that likely would have either failed or been disastrously costly in terms of blood or treasure, so be it. It’s unfortunate if people on the ground in Iran made risky choices on the basis that they thought the American cavalry was going to ride in and save the day, but no *specific* promises were ever made.
Thanks.
Definitely a case of ask and ye shall receive.
“Good night, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea.”
——Walter Winchell’s radio greeting for years.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.