Free Republic

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) says he believes the 2,500 U.S. Marines headed to the Middle East will be used to seize Iran’s Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf. On Friday night, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. military “totally obliterated every military target” on Kharg, through which 90% of Iran’s oil exports pass. The president said the island’s oil infrastructure was left intact, but added that if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he will “reconsider this decision.” Sessions appeared on Tuesday’s CNN News Central, where Kate Bolduan asked the congressman if he would support their deployment in...

The resignation of Joe Kent as head of the National Counterterrorism Center triggered widespread political reaction centered on U.S. policy toward Iran.Administration responseDonald Trump welcomed Kent’s departure, criticizing his view that Iran was not a threat and asserting the opposite. Tulsi Gabbard emphasized that the president determines national security threats and stated that Trump concluded Iran posed an imminent danger requiring action.Kent’s position and resignationKent resigned amid disagreements with the administration’s approach to Iran, including military action. In his statements, he argued Iran was not a direct threat and suggested U.S. decisions were influenced (supposedly) by Israel.Criticism and allegationsThe Anti-Defamation...

he U.S. Navy Independence class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara, which are configured for minesweeping duties, have appeared in port in Malaysia. Both of these ships were last known to be forward-deployed in the Middle East, having arrived in Bahrain in the past year or so to take the place of a group of now-decommissioned Avenger class mine hunters. Now, as Iranian attacks on commercial ships have caused a virtual halt to maritime traffic through the highly strategic Strait of Hormuz, these ships have emerged thousands of miles away. The extent to which Iran has...

Reviews the two oscar winners, Sinners, Battle After Battle, shows clip of Jane Fonda going Biden on stage.

.The Epoch Times@EpochTimes·5hMan Accidentally Hacks an Army of 7,000 Robot Vacuums, Able to Access Video Feeds Within People’s HomesA man over in Spain tried to hack into his own vacuum cleaner robot, but instead, he accidentally hacked into 7,000 different vacuum robots—giving him direct access to live video feeds within people’s homes. Basically, he discovered a backdoor within these Chinese-made robots that made them extremely insecure

TEHRAN — At President Donald Trump's direction, the U.S. military successfully took out Iran's new gay supreme leader by luring him out of his bunker with a cardboard cutout of Baywatch star David Hasselhoff. As part of Operation Hot Hoff, SEAL Team Six reportedly trained night and day for weeks ahead of a planned ground incursion in which they strategically set up a cardboard cutout of David Hasselhoff designed to look lost and in need of male companionship. It was only a matter of time before Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who sources indicated was gay, fell for the devious trap and...

WASHINGTON — Airports across the country could soon be forced to shut down entirely due to the Democrat-led partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, a top TSA official warned Tuesday. “We’re fully stretched,” acting Deputy Transportation Security Administration Administrator Adam Stahl told “Fox & Friends.” “Frankly, there’s not much else we can do. As the weeks continue, if this continues, it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if call-out rates go up. “A lot of these officers can’t afford to come in.” TSA screeners — who make...

TEHRAN — With rumors about his sexual preferences circulating amid the ongoing military conflict ravaging his country, the new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly disappointed to learn that the 72 virgins awaiting him in paradise were all women. Sources within the regime revealed that the recently chosen supreme leader had called his most trusted Muslim scholars to search the Quran to determine if the 72 virgins awaiting martyrs in paradise had to be female. "You could tell he was pretty bummed," said one insider. "We've all heard the rumors for years, and his father tried to keep it under...

CAUTION! Very shrill, loud music. (Audio at the article link-click.)When the Irish call the snakes back home, and show St. Pat the door, and you get out, you Naz'reth Babe, don't show Your Face no more, then the ghost of Cromwell laughs from hell, I couldn't kill you but just as well, you'll do the job quite well yourselves and soon be joining me here.

Explanation: This telescopic close-up shows off the central regions of otherwise faint emission nebula IC 410, captured under backyard skies. Presented in a Hubble color palette, the image combines visible broadband and narrowband data with data from the near-infrared. Below and right of center are two remarkable inhabitants of the interstellar pond of gas and dust. the Tadpoles of IC 410. Partly obscured by foreground dust, the nebula itself surrounds NGC 1893, a young galactic cluster of stars. Formed in the interstellar cloud a mere 4 million years ago, the intensely hot, bright cluster stars energize the glowing gas. But...

TEHRAN — At President Donald Trump's direction, the U.S. military successfully took out Iran's new gay supreme leader by luring him out of his bunker with a cardboard cutout of Baywatch star David Hasselhoff. As part of Operation Hot Hoff, SEAL Team Six reportedly trained night and day for weeks ahead of a planned ground incursion in which they strategically set up a cardboard cutout of David Hasselhoff designed to look lost and in need of male companionship. It was only a matter of time before Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who sources indicated was gay, fell for the devious trap and...

"Individual Muslims may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world,"

The Spanish PM’s shift to the left could foreshadow the path that socialism—or the social-democratic Left—across the West will follow, or is already following. Last Sunday, regional elections were held in Spain, though they were experienced everywhere through a national lens. The People’s Party (PP) won the elections in Castile and León but failed to reach an absolute majority, meaning it will need VOX, the party led by Santiago Abascal, in order to govern the region. Both parties gained seats, and VOX, with 19% of the vote, achieved the highest share in its history in any election. The bad news...

Here's the FR Game Show Question of the Day. - One of these three men is wholeheartedly endorsed by President Trump. - Another is subject to constant public criticism by President Trump. - And the third is considered so unacceptable that Trump and his political/financial team have openly promoted and supported a primary campaign against him.

The campaign in Iran is necessary for a variety of reasons. It is also justifiable under fair Just War evaluations. There are critical objectives that must be met: 1. Totally destroy Iran's nuclear capacity. I extend that to any so-called peaceful nuclear energy use. Iran is not trustworthy with any nuclear capacity whatsoever. 2. Totally access in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Whether this takes the form of escort of ships and annihilation of any opposition any time it appears, or whether it requires actual control of the Iranian side of the land mass, it is a necessary objective....

Len Deighton, the British author who brought a documentary-style realism to the spy genre in 1960s Cold War thrillers like “The Ipcress File” and “Funeral in Berlin,” the film versions of which helped make Michael Caine an international star, died on Sunday at his home in Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands between England and France. He was 97. His death was confirmed by Russell Clark, the family’s lawyer. Unlike the impossibly suave, action-oriented Bond or George Smiley, John le Carré’s dumpy, cerebral, upper-class spy hero, Mr. Deighton’s central character is self-consciously proletarian, with a jaded, frequently hostile attitude toward...

An investigation into a Newfoundland junior hockey game that exploded into three brawls and racked up 572 minutes in penalties has resulted in sweeping suspensions, according to a league official. Boyd Hillier, vice-president of the St. John's Junior Hockey League, said the violent game on March 7 between the St. John's Junior Caps and the Southern Shore Junior Breakers was a "black eye" on hockey in the region. The league has since handed out suspensions to 18 players and coaches worth a collective total of 53 games, Hillier said Saturday. Video appearing to show footage from the night of roiling...

Celebrate March 17 with this collection of traditional, folk and contemporary Irish songs including “Molly Malone” and “Danny Boy. It’s St. Patrick’s Day! Whatever plans you’ve got on the calendar to celebrate the March holiday, whether you’re dining on corned beef and cabbage or attending a St. Paddy’s parade, be sure to wear green in honor of the Emerald Island and don’t forget to be on the lookout for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. While we can’t guarantee that you’ll find it, you’re sure to discover a real treasure in this collection of Irish songs.

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said during a Monday press conference the ongoing war in Iran is “not Europe’s war,” but noted Europe’s interests are “directly at stake” as the conflict widens.“This is not Europe’s war, but Europe’s interests are directly at stake. As this war expands, the EU’s priority remains the protection of our citizens,” Kallas told reporters after a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Brussels. (snip) Asked by reporters on Monday on Trump’s remarks and if she thinks that the war in Iran is going to be more linked to Ukraine and NATO,...