Free Republic

Every day it seems more like the "war on terror" is at home in the U.S. rather than abroad in a foreign country. Whether it's the NSA denying they scoop domestic communications while their chief tells hackers "we're looking for the terrorist among us," or it's the growing militarization and equipping of domestic police forces, it seems more and more crows keep coming home to roost. Well, one former Marine colonel has had about enough. In a rousing confrontation at a local council meeting in Concord, NH, he calls out his government for facilitating what he feels is a needless...

« CNN on al Qaeda's 'encrypted messaging system' | Main | Bloomberg News on Zawahiri's communications » Link lwj-print-icon-2.jpg Comments (3) ShareThis Free Syrian Army commander celebrates victory with al Qaeda affiliate By Bill RoggioAugust 10, 2013 10:38 AM In this New York Times article on the influx of foreign fighters into Syria (more than 6,000 foreign fighters are now estimated to be fighting with jihadist groups) is a report of a Free Syrian Army commander celebrating the capture of the Minnigh airport in Aleppo with a leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an al Qaeda...

The trial of Major Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people and wounding dozens more in a Fort Hood shooting rampage, was temporarily halted today when a lawyer objected that Hasan was putting up no defense in an effort to get himself executed. The lawyer's concern brings a touch of the absurd to the trial. Hasan was prevented from pleading guilty because that would have eliminated a trial and the option of a death sentence. But his feeble defense -- in his opening statement Hasan said, "I am the shooter" -- may ultimately backfire if an appeals...

**SNIP** "I Nadal Hasan, am compelled to renounce my oaths of alliances that require me to support or defend a man made constitution. I therefore formally renounce my oath of office as well as any other implicit or explicit oaths I have made. This includes my citizenship," Hasan wrote. "There is an inherent and irreconcilable conflict. In an American democracy 'we the people' govern according to what 'we the people' think is right or wrong, even if it specifically goes against what All-Mighty God commands," Hasan wrote, asserting U.S. citizenship is not compatible with Sharia law.

FULL TITLE: "Army officer gets 20 years' jail for murder after he ordered troops to open fire on Afghan men approaching their checkpoint - but his lawyers say he was protecting platoon" First Lieutenant Clint Lorance was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder on ThursdayProsecutors said Lorance recklessly ordered his men to open fire on three men on a motorcycle approaching his patrol in July 2012, killing twoHis mom, Anna Lorance, says he was only doing what he had to to ensure the safety of his troopsHe was sentenced to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of all pay...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army has ordered its personnel not to go to the latest postings on the website of the British newspaper The Guardian to read revelations of information given to its reporter because it contains a “TOP SECRET slide show.” The email, which WND received from a Department of Defense source, was addressed to a couple hundred military personnel and civilians working for DOD. The source who provided the email asked for anonymity. “Do not go to ‘The Guardian’ news website as they have TOP SECRET slide show on the main page and you will be flagged,” according...

• "Sergeant Stubby" Sergeant Stubby (1916 or 1917 – April 4, 1926), was the most decorated war dog of World War I and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat. America's first war dog, Stubby served 18 months 'over there' and participated in seventeen battles on the Western Front. He saved his regiment from surprise mustard gas attacks, found and comforted the wounded, and even once caught a German spy by the seat of his pants (holding him there until American Soldiers found him). Back home his exploits were front page news of every major newspaper. •...

Notice how the Russian VDV Airborne Paras jump without d-bags dangling outside the aircraft such that they can jump IN FRONT OF IL-76 JET ENGINES! By using drogue chutes they exit the plane clean and can have timers delay openings for HIGH ALTITUDE mass tactical jumps without trying to teach everyone belabored civilian skydiving stable body position skills. This means more Paras can jump from more doors and land closer together near their BMD light tank/APC to get into action far faster than U.S. Airborne equipment and techniques. And the VDV can jump with their IL-76 jets not having to...

President Obama will bestow the Medal of Honor on an Army staff sergeant for courageous action during a daylong firefight in Afghanistan, making him the second solder honored with the nation's highest military honor for actions during the 2009 mountain battle. Ty Carter, a former Marine who later enlisted in the Army, will be recognized at the White House on Aug. 26 for his action during a the firefight at a mountain outpost where U.S. troops were far outnumbered. Carter killed enemy troops, resupplied ammunition to American fighters, rendered first aid and risked his own life to save an injured...

Senior military personnel are considering now giving women different military training than men, The Washington Times reports. The effort was proposed by Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Niki Tsongas at a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing because so far, she says training systems do not “maximize the success of women.” Though the armed services have promised that combat standards will be the same regardless of gender, senior officers are considering initially separate training systems. Army Lt. Gen. Howard Bromberg, serving as deputy chief of staff for personnel, considers separate training programs to be more about considering all soldiers as individuals, citing...

The military is looking at ways to modify its training for women to help them qualify for direct ground combat roles in the infantry, tanks and special operations. Despite its claim that standards will remain the same for men and women, senior officers this week revealed they’re reevaluating that stance and considering a two-tiered training system. The idea was presented by Rep. Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts Democrat, at a hearing of the House Armed Services subcommittee, who told of a conversation she had with a woman working on combat standards. “Her comment was that, yes, you want the standards to be...

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — The shrinking U.S. combat role in Afghanistan has given insurgents an opening to devise and carry out deadlier attacks using bigger improvised bombs against U.S. and coalition military vehicles and bases, American officials say.</p> <p>With fewer U.S. forces patrolling road networks beyond their bases — and with the grounding of eye-in-the-sky surveillance balloons known as aerostats — Taliban fighters are adapting their tactics, according to officials at a Pentagon agency that tracks attacks that use improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.</p>

"It is not clear whether the televisions are for the 166 terrorist detainees housed at the prison, but the Guantanamo Bay facility does have a “Detainee Library” that offers 2,415 DVDs for inmates to check out."

The saga of LTC Matthew Dooley, the Officer condemned for portraying Islam negatively, terminated from a teaching position and publicly scorned by high-ranking officials continues to suffer the “fall-out” from recklessly made decisions absent of any due process. For over a year, Dooley’s career has been in limbo creating undue hardship for his family. Earlier this year, a military corrections board consisting of 2 Generals and 3 Colonels, recommended Dooley be retained on the Army’s Battalion Command List. The newly confirmed Chief of the U.S. Central Command, General Lloyd J. Austin III, then Deputy Chief of Staff for the Army,...

President Vladimir Putin participated in memorial events on Friday commemorating the Battle of Prokhorovka, fought by Soviet tank regiments near the town of Prokhorovka in the Belgorod region 70 years ago. Putin and World War II veterans laid flowers at the Zvonnitsa memorial bell tower at the Prokhorovskoye Polye military-historical museum. The Russian president also visited the St. Peter and Paul Church, where he lit a candle for the soldiers killed during the battle and venerated an icon. The church's archpriest told Putin that the church was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the battle. The tank battle was...

70 years go on July 12, 1943 on the Prokhorovka Field 56 km from Belgorod the largest tank battle of World War II took place. It was the last attempt to break through made by the Hitler troops during the Battle of Kursk. The counter attack by the Soviet tanks stopped the steel army of the Wehrmacht. 1200 tanks and other armored vehicles took part in that battle. In his order to advance in the direction of Kursk Hitler stated: «Our victory should firm up the overall conviction in the world that any resistance to the German troops is in...

Ron Kelly, a 20-year Army veteran, recently tried to buy a .22-caliber rifle at the Wal-Mart in Tomball, Texas. He was turned away because he failed the FBI background check. He appealed the rejection, and last month he got a Justice Department letter explaining that he was legally disqualified from owning guns, after handling them in defense of his country for two decades, because of a 42-year-old marijuana conviction. As a high school student in Durham, North Carolina, he had been caught with a small amount of pot and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession, receiving a sentence of probation because...

A former Fort Campbell inspector whose job was to investigate misconduct has been accused of stealing the identities of Army personnel, including a soldier killed in combat, in a scheme to obtain thousands of dollars in bank loans. The indictment handed down Wednesday alleges James Robert Jones, 42, of Woodlawn, Tenn., used his position as an assistant inspector general at the Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee line to obtain personal information on active-duty Army officers, some of whom were deployed to Afghanistan.

Yesterday in An Khe Village, my father reunited with his old friend, Nguyen Quang Hung, who he hadn't seen in 45 years. The story is one for the history books, one that will certainly touch hearts around the world. But, nobody was more touched than Mr. Hung, my father (Samuel Axelrad), and the respective children, siblings, and grandchildren who were there to witness this once-in-a-lifetime reunion. I am sitting in the Quy Nhon airport as we speak. I couldn't wait to get back to Hanoi to write about the events of yesterday. For those of you who don't know the...

Egypt's temporary President Adli Mansour announced the establishment of a commission of inquiry which will investigate the events surrounding the deaths of at least 51 people Monday in clashes outside a military building in Cairo. At least 435 people were wounded as well in the incident. Most of those killed were Muslim Brotherhood members, and the chain of events leading to the deaths were being hotly contested by the Brotherhood and the Egyptian Army. The Brotherhood claimed that those killed were innocent, doing nothing more than holding a sit-in against the ousting of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in what they...