Free Republic

On the tenth anniversary of the deadliest helicopter loss in the history of U.S. special operations, a new documentary examines the unresolved questions about what really happened aboard the CH-47 whose callsign was Extortion 17. "The families of the fallen want to know why their loves ones were lost," the film's director, Stephen Spivey, told Just the News. "They deserve answers. The American people deserve answers." Spivey hopes that the documentary, "Fallen Angel," will honor the 30 Americans — most of them Navy SEALs — who died, and will prompt Americans to demand an investigation. The CH-47 Chinook military helicopter...

US Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, one of the most decorated US commanders, delivers one of the best motivational speeches you will ever hear.

Former Benghazi liar and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has seemingly risen to the top of Joe Biden’s VP list which would make a unique pairing of someone who can’t tell the truth and someone who can’t remember the truth. Thie pick will no doubt be finalized after “Bunker Biden” sniffs the hair of the potential picks. One of the chief unmaskers of Trump officials caught up in deep state surveillance of the 2016 Trump campaign and an architect of the attempted coup against Trump, Rice recently lied again by pushing the false claim that Trump ignored reports of Russian bounties...

Benghazi liar and former U.N. ambassador Susan Rice has seemingly risen to the top of Joe Biden’s VP list, which would make a unique pairing of someone who can’t tell the truth and someone who can’t remember the truth. One of the chief unmaskers of Trump officials caught up in deep state surveillance of the 2016 Trump campaign and an architect of the attempted coup against Trump, Rice recently lied again by pushing the false claim that Trump ignored reports of Russian bounties for the killing of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and was doing Putin’s bidding by callously letting American...

1763: With Ottawa chief Pontiac laying siege to Fort Pitt (modern-day Pittsburgh), a force marches to the frontier fort to break the siege, consisting of Pennsylvania rangers and Scottish soldiers of the 42d Royal Highlanders – the famed “Black Watch.” Allied natives ambush the relief force at a creek known as Bushy Run and a bloody two-day battle kicks off. Col. Henry Bouquet’s men emerge victorious, routing the Indians – although at high cost to the Scottish/American troops – and lifting the siege at Fort Pitt. Today’s 111th Infantry Regiment traces its lineage to the Philadelphia “Associators” militia regiment (formed...

The families of some of the 17 SEAL Team 6 commandos who were killed in an ambush in Afghanistan during a helicopter flight to help Army Rangers pinned down by Taliban gunmen accused the Obama administration of deliberately endangering their loved ones for political ends. Now a highly decorated, retired Air Force officer is coming forward, breaking her silence to speak out on what she witnessed in one of the deadliest attacks on Navy SEALs in U.S. history. Her testimony details how the government covered up evidence in the 2011 downing of a Chinook helicopter gunship that killed a total...

Bill McRaven, former chancellor of the University of Texas System and a current UT-Austin professor, resigned on Aug. 20 from the Pentagon’s technology advisory board, multiple news outlets reported Thursday. His resignation came four days after The Washington Post published an opinion piece he wrote that criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan. “Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation,” McRaven wrote. “If you think for a moment that your...

As corruption continues at the DoJ/FBI, it is important to know the name of an operative who is working behind the scenes in a powerful position. That person is Henry Kerner. Former McCain staffer, Henry Kerner, a deep state bureaucrat, has oversight over whistleblowers and internal probes. This is no ordinary staffer. This man hates conservatives. Senator John McCain’s Staff Director Henry Kerner urged the IRS’ Steve Miller and Lois Lerner to target the tea party and any conservative groups until its “financially ruinous”. Henry Kerner is now in charge of all internal investigations in the government. In his past...

"This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent," Brennan tweeted after the announcement. iam McRaven, the man who oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden, issued a stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump's decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan on Thursday, defending the former spy chief as "one of the finest public...

The families of some of the 17 SEAL Team 6 commandos who were k****d in an ambush in Afghanistan during a helicopter flight to help Army Rangers pinned down by Taliban gunmen accused the Obama administration of deliberately endangering their loved ones for political ends. Now a highly decorated, retired Air Force officer is coming forward, breaking her silence to speak out on what she witnessed in one of the deadliest attacks on Navy SEALs in U.S. history. Her testimony details how the government covered up evidence in the 2011 downing of a Chinook helicopter gunship that k****d a total...

Congressional aides suspected of criminally misusing their access to House computer systems owed $100,000 to an Iraqi politician who is wanted by U.S. authorities and has been linked to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Middle Eastern terrorist outfit. Imran Awan and four of his relatives were employed as information technology (IT) aides by dozens of House Democrats, including members of the intelligence, foreign affairs and homeland security committees. The aides’ administrator-level IT access was terminated earlier this month amid a criminal probe by U.S. Capitol Police of a suspected security breach, including an off-site server housing congressional data. The Daily Caller News...

On a moonless night, an Army Chinook helicopter swept low over the Tangi Valley, a strip of forbidding terrain in eastern Afghanistan teeming with Taliban and located just 35 miles south of Kabul. Among the 38 occupants inside the Chinook were some of the most highly trained and battle-seasoned fighters in the U.S. military, including 15 commandos from the Navy’s SEAL Team 6, the unit that three months earlier had killed Osama bin Laden. Their target was a Taliban commander responsible for ambushes and other attacks against U.S. and Afghan forces. Missions like this one to insert or remove an...

The Annual 2017 Extortion 17 Legacy Ride will be held Saturday, August 5, 2017. The Extortion 17 Legacy Ride is dedicated in memory of the 30 active duty military, and 1 military working dog killed in action on August 6, 2011 when a CH–47 helicopter was shot down by enemy fire in Afghanistan. This ride provides an opportunity for the community, Gold Star Families and supporters across the world to come together to honor these incredible men. This year, all proceeds raised from this event will be to honor, protect and preserve the legacies of the 31 fallen warriors from...

"Permission to engage denied," Captain Joni Marquez heard over her communications as she piloted her "eye in the sky" gun ship above the old Chinook helicopter carrying SEAL Team 6 and other Special Ops and National Guard soldiers to help American Rangers in the Wardak Province war zone on August 2, 2011. Marquez soon would see her infrared monitor turn from red to blue as she watched the life spill out of one of our doomed warriors, shot down by the enemy. (Video available at link.) She knew the insurgents she just had seen slinking from this American graveyard hurried...

This week we learned that the ever “media friendly” smiling publicity hound of the House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, would not run again for his seat next year. Ironically, as Chaffetz announced that he would step down from his seemingly powerful role as chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee – a body that is the investigative “scandal arm” of the House – it was revealed by Circa News that an investigation he had conducted over the tragic shoot down of Extortion 17 was part of an elaborate government cover-up, itself criminal in nature. Had...

A decorated retired Air Force officer who witnessed one of the most deadly attacks on Navy SEALs in U.S. history is breaking her silence, saying the government covered up evidence detailing that the 2011 downing of a Chinook helicopter gunship that killed 38 fighters in Afghanistan could have been prevented had it not been for restrictions to the military's rules of engagement that were changed under the Obama administration. The mission August 6, 2011: Retired Air Force Capt. Joni Marquez and her crew were working the dark morning hours aboard an AC-130 gunship after being summoned to a mission she...

A decorated retired Air Force officer who witnessed one of the most deadly attacks on Navy SEALs in U.S. history is breaking her silence, saying the government covered up evidence detailing that the 2011 downing of a Chinook helicopter gunship that killed 38 fighters in Afghanistan could have been prevented had it not been for restrictions to the military's rules of engagement that were changed under the Obama administration.

Fox News, The Daily Mail and Bloomberg News are all reporting the unmaking requests of collected surveillance activity was made by President Obama’s former National Security Adviser Susan Rice. However, it remains unclear if Rice just made the unmasking requests, or if she herself did the unmasking.  Additionally, reporting by all three media outlets claims the surveillance of the Trump campaign encompassed more than a year.

In remembrance ... today marks the 5th anniversary of the shoot down of Extortion 17. On August 6, 2011, the U.S. Navy SEALs and the Special Ops community suffered a huge loss when their CH-47 Chinook was shot down in Afghanistan. The 30 American deaths represent the greatest loss of U.S. military lives in a single incident in the decade-long war in Afghanistan that began in 2001. The Fallen: •SGT Alexander J. Bennett •SPC Spencer Duncan •CWO Bryan J. Nichols •CWO David R. Carter •SSG Patrick D. Hamburger •TSgt John W. Brown •SSgt Andrew W. Harvell •TSgt Daniel L. Zerbe...

Grab a cup of coffee because itÂ’s a long read with over 350 citations and reference source links for confirmational material. We think youÂ’ll get hooked and find 95% of your Benghazi questions answered. And if you can find a factual flaw IÂ’ll buy the coffee.. SD The CIA and Intelligence community had stated earlier the biggest concern anyone held about arming the Libyan Rebels was the possibility those weapons might leave the Libyan conflict and travel to other locations where they would be used against our own soldiers. More and more evidence of this happening was growing. In 2011...