Free Republic

The military base that was hit by the car bomb is considered one of the most important military centers of the Russian forces on the Syrian coast, located some 15 kilometers from Latakia.

Last week, Americans learned that they are, or soon may be, at war with Vladimir Putin's Russia. That is, of course, unless they do just exactly what the Kremlin asks, which is pretty simple, really, and consists largely of re-electing Barack H. Obama, the best friend the Kremlin ever had, as president of the United States. The word came down from two of Russia's highest-ranking politicians, Nikolai Patrushev (head of Russia's National Security Council) and Dmitri Rogozin (formerly Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, recently elevated to deputy prime minister). Both chose to use Iran as the focal point of...

ABOUT 40 years ago, Tom Birchard — a mild young New Jersey man of Pennsylvania Dutch and Midwestern antecedents — showed up at a fraternity party at Rutgers University, and was sucked unwittingly into the rest of his life. “You meet a girl, you never know what is going to happen,” he said last month, gesturing around the bustling dining room of Veselka, an East Village restaurant famous for its garlicky, peppery Ukrainian dumplings and borscht. Mr. Birchard married the girl, Marta. She was a daughter of Wolodymyr Darmochwal, an agronomist who, along with thousands of other professionals, was expelled...

Polish Borscht for Easter By Dina D'Amato / Recipe The recipe above was a traditional Easter morning meal served and enjoyed by most members of the Polish side of my family. I have very fond memories of Easter as a child. Following church, we would go with my Dad and Grandfather "house-hopping" to several of my relatives' homes. Mom would usually stay home for those who would be visiting our home. At each house, there was a large pot on the stove of fresh borscht and an abundance of sides, and plenty of everything to go around. I have tried...