Free Republic

Since 1964, District of Columbia has voted Democratic 100% of the time and Republican 0% of the time. - https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_voting_trends_in_the_District_of_Columbia 11% of Washington residents attend services 1-3 times a year, 8% attend 4-11 times per year, and 23% attend 12 or more times. Meanwhile, 51% of adults living in D.C. never or seldom attend religious services. In D.C., white evangelicals are literally 1 percent. Sep 6, 2017 District of Columbia Had Lowest Percentage of Married Black Adults in 2015-2019. HIV/AIDS rate in Washington, D.C. highest among U.S. cities. Jan 1, 2008 Washington, DC, had the highest abortion rate in 2020...

Many enemies of Israel, including some in the United States Congress, see the U.S.-Israel relationship as one-sided. This is true of Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who, in interview with Steve Bannon earlier this month, stated, “I’m entering amendments to strike 500 million more dollars for nuclear-armed Israel. .... The $500 million Rep. Greene is speaking of is for missile defense cooperation, and the U.S. Defense Department is a major beneficiary of Israeli research and development. As a result of the experience Israel has garnered from employing various missile defense systems — such as the Iron Dome, David Sling, and Arrow...

Is college worth all the expense and trouble these days? I used to think it was. But look at all the changes for the worse.So much of what passes for a college education these days is indoctrination in political correctness.A recent study reported in Newsweek found that one in four Gen Z college graduates regret attending university — all the trouble, all the expense, all the debt. Pew Research Center says Gen Z are those born from 1997 through 2012... What was the original reason for colleges in the first place?...Consider just a quick run-down of these schools that many...

Defense Minister Israel Katz briefed the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Yuli Edelstein, at the Kirya military headquarters, detailing Israel’s pre-emptive actions during the 12-day “Am K’Lavie” war against Iran, which ended with a ceasefire on June 24. Katz revealed that Iran had planned a surprise attack, stating, “The Iranians planned to strike first and launch between 400 to 500 missiles in the opening strike. If we hadn’t acted first, it would have been much harder for us.” ... “We met 100% of the operational objectives in Iran, and the Americans helped a lot in the end,”...

France's military actively intercepted Iranian drones targeting Israel in the days leading up to this week’s ceasefire, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed Wednesday evening. Speaking before Parliament during a debate on the Middle East, Lecornu said the French army engaged in defensive operations as Iran launched a large-scale assault on Israel."I can confirm that the French army intercepted fewer than 10 drones over the last few days, during Iran's military operations against Israelhttps://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/iran-israel-conflict-analysis, either through ground-to-air systems or using our Rafale fighter jets," Lecornu stated

In a devastating IED attack in Khan Yunis, Gaza, seven IDF combat engineers were killed when terrorists exploited vulnerabilities in Israel’s Puma armored vehicle. The incident exposes critical flaws in the APC’s defenses, raising urgent questions about battlefield preparedness as asymmetric warfare escalate.... The attack’s ease is infuriating. IEDs, crafted from scavenged explosives and triggered by cell phones or timers, are stealthy and simple to attach, likely slapped onto the Puma’s underbelly or flank, its weakest armored points, during a crowd or brief halt. The Puma’s design lacks add-on defenses like slat ("cage") armor, leaving it vulnerable to shaped charges...

...according to data from the National Survey of Religious Leaders, which is hosted on the Association of Religion Data Archives. The team that put that instrument together included a series of questions that probed how clergy thought about God, the Bible, and various aspects of religious beliefs that offer a fascinating peek behind the curtain into the personal faith of religious leadership in the United States. .. the share of evangelicals who believed in Adam and Eve as literal historical people was only 80%, which was slightly lower than Black Protestant clergy at 89%. Meanwhile, Catholic priests and mainline pastors...

Military Actions During the Clinton Presidency (1993-2001) The presidency of Bill Clinton, spanning from 1993 to 2001, was a period of significant military intervention despite the end of the Cold War. The United States engaged in several key operations, most notably in the Balkans (Bosnia and Kosovo), Somalia, Iraq, and Sudan/Afghanistan utilizing air power, ground forces, and cruise missile strikes. .. Key Military Operations Under Clinton... The initial U.S. involvement in Somalia predates Clinton, beginning under President George H.W. Bush with Operation Restore Hope in 1992 to alleviate a severe famine. However, under Clinton, the mission transitioned to UNOSOM II...

During the current conflict, Iran has launched about 500 missiles and over 1,000 drones at population centers. Iran launched a barrage of missiles at northern, central and southern Israel this morning (Monday), triggering air raid sirens across much of the country. According to the IDF, 15 missiles were fired toward Israeli territory, with the majority successfully intercepted by Israel’s missile defense systems. Despite the widespread alarms, no injuries have been reported. MDA CEO Eli Bean in a live broadcast on Galei Tzahal reported that there are no casualties as a result of the 4 barrages.... disruptions in electricity supply are...

1 Harry S. Truman (1945–1953) 2 Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) 3 John F. Kennedy (1961–1963) 4 Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) 5 Richard Nixon (1969–1974) 6 Gerald R. Ford (1974–1977) 7 Jimmy Carter (1977–1981) 8 Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) 9 George H.W. Bush (1989–1993) Bill Clinton (1993–2001)Somalia (1993): Airstrikes supported U.S. operations without specific congressional approval. Bosnia (1993–1995): Clinton ordered airstrikes as part of NATO operations without explicit congressional authorization. Kosovo (1999): Clinton authorized NATO-led airstrikes in Serbia/Kosovo, continuing beyond the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day limit, arguing implicit congressional approval through funding. Critics challenged this as unconstitutional. Iraq (1998): Operation Desert Fox...

...while Iran takes hit after hit, one major actor remains conspicuously silent: Hezbollah. Is that surprising? Not entirely. But this silence, especially now, when Iran is under unprecedented pressure, points to something deeper: Hezbollah is trapped in a brutal strategic Catch-22 — perhaps the deadliest in its history. If it joins the war — it risks total annihilation by Israel.If it abstains — it risks losing the Iranian patron that underwrites its very existence... Hezbollah isn’t just an ally of Iran. It’s its creation. Since 1982, the IRGC has poured everything into the group: training, weapons, money, and ideology. Every...

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, speaking today (Saturday), called for urgent efforts to defuse the escalating Israel-Iran war, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s motives and highlighting the devastating civilian toll. In remarks made during a public event, Clinton suggested that Netanyahu’s aggressive stance against Iran is partly driven by a desire to remain in power, stating, “Mr. Netanyahu has long wanted to fight Iran, because that way he can stay in office forever and ever.” Clinton urged de-escalation, expressing hope that President Donald Trump and other leaders would work to calm the situation. “I think we should be trying...

As Donald Trump assumes office today, he inherits a targeted killing program that has been the cornerstone of U.S. counterterrorism strategy over the past eight years. On January 23, 2009, just three days into his presidency, President Obama authorized his first kinetic military action: two drone strikes, three hours apart, in Waziristan, Pakistan, that killed as many as twenty civilians. Two terms and 540 strikes later, Obama leaves the White House after having vastly expanding and normalizing the use of armed drones for counterterrorism and close air support operations in non-battlefield settings—namely Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia. Throughout his presidency, I...

In a bold show of force, U.S. jets flattened Iran's key nuclear sites overnight — delivering a crippling blow to Tehran's atomic ambitions and sending a clear message: the West will not tolerate nuclear terror. In a stunning and historic move, U.S. President Donald J. Trump confirmed early Sunday morning that American forces carried out a large-scale airstrike targeting three of Iran's most guarded nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. The operation, described by senior Israeli intelligence officials as "a strategic masterstroke," comes after weeks of escalating tension between Iran and Israel, during which Tehran launched multiple missile barrages into...

Dramatic revelations confirm that the launching of a full-scale military campaign against Iran was made "at the last possible moment" - under growing pressure from intelligence warnings. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed the Security Cabinet on the eve of the attack, presenting the final operational plans. Several cabinet members reportedly heard the details for the first time during that meeting.... Security officials estimate Iran currently possesses around 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel’s home front - a figure that could have doubled within a year due to Iran's accelerating production. Another major achievement has been the...

It had been three days since Egypt and Syria launched a two-headed assault against Israel, and now,..Kissinger and the rest of Richard Nixon’s administration faced a decision with titanic consequences. Should they send a flagging Israel the tanks, jets, and other weapons it needed to win the war? Or let the belligerents duke it out as is? The president and his administration chose the former. For the Israelis, this was a deliverance that could have come from God himself. Simply put, America’s resupply saved Israel.... The whole of the U.S. government was caught unawares by the outbreak of the Yom...

Most recently it was responsible for critically injuring an American soldier. Since Hamas' attack Oct. 7 attack on Israel, estimates run as high as 100 Iranian-backed attacks across the Mideast on U.S. bases, ships, and service personnel. Iran has acted through its surrogates and proxies, including the Houthis, Iraqi militia, Hezbollah, and others. Under the laws of war an act of war can be committed by the principal nation itself — which in this case is Iran, or surrogates acting on its behalf — with its approval or support. There can be no doubt, both as a matter of law...

Salami issued a stark statement, saying any act of aggression against Iran would result in a "tough, decisive and devastating reaction." He also said that Tehran takes full responsibility for its actions and will "overtly" acknowledge them when necessary. "If we attack anywhere or support anybody, we will unequivocally announce it," Salami said. However, he said that Iran does not dictate the policies of the Yemeni Houthi movement, which he stated make their own strategic decisions. His comments came after President Donald Trump threatened Iran, warning against support for Yemen's government and militant groups. Iran's Supreme Leader framed the strikes...

Mr Biden made the declaration with Israel's Prime Minister Yair Lapid on the second day of his visit there.... The US and Israel have long accused Iran of state-sponsored terrorism in the Middle East and further afield. Iran provides funding, training and weapons to Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement, and the Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip. Iran denies that it sponsors terrorism and says the organisations it backs are resistance groups fighting Israeli and US aggression... Iran is embroiled in a crisis with the US and other Western countries over its nuclear programme. It has breached...

A senior Israeli source speaking to Israel Hayom today (Tuesday) says that a "significant" Middle Eastern country - not Israel - has asked President Trump to join the war against Iran's nuclear program to end it quickly. According to the source, the country - which is a bitter foe of Iran - is concerned that Israeli strikes on Iranian economic targets, especially their oil and oil processing facilities, could send prices skyrocketing and harming their economy. At present, the United States is maintaining a defensive posture, providing Israel with weapons and defensive tools, but refusing to attack Iran unless Iran...