Free Republic

The Czech Republic said on Monday Russia’s eviction of 20 Czech embassy employees in response to Prague’s expulsion of 18 Russian staff was a stronger than expected reaction and the government would consider further steps. Prague expelled the Russian diplomats on Saturday, saying it suspected that Russian intelligence had been involved in explosions at an ammunition depot in October and December 2014. Moscow has denied any of its agents were involved in the blast, which killed two people, branding the Czech stance a provocation. The row is the biggest between Prague and Moscow since the end of Soviet domination of...

Destroyed warehouses allegedly stockpiled weapons purchased by Iran for Hamas An Israeli air force jet allegedly bombed warehouses in Libya placed in a small airfield in the south of the country, according to Arab media citing unnamed Libyan security sources. According to the reports, the warehouses, which were completely destroyed, stockpiled weaponry purchased by Iran from Africa and were intended to be smuggled to Hamas in Gaza.

Okay, the professional civilian here, again. While reading more about D-Day and its aftermath, I'm finding that it was policy to constantly infuse already-existing Army units with new people, the units having been worn down by "attrition." I had always assumed that it was policy, once a unit was all torn up, battered up, decimated, that it was pulled back, and an entirely new unit was sent in. And while being pulled out of action, two purposes were served; that of giving the survivors a chance to catch their breath, and giving commanders time to build them back up to...

MCRD/ ERR PARRIS ISLAND, SC (March 4, 2005) -- As the children were dropped off at the All-Weather Training Facility to begin their training endeavors as Young Marine recruits, volunteer "drill instructors" stood waiting to train them. "That initial shock from the drill instructors is what is going to make them believe they are actually going through recruit training," said Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Curran, the Parris Island Young Marines Program volunteer coordinator. Similar to Marine recruit training, the children will be referred to as recruits until the day they graduate and complete the training. The young recruits met Saturday from...