Free Republic

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God...

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...

The Supreme Court will be announcing Opinions from the bench for the October 2024 term at 10:00 this morning. Scotusblog will be liveblogging as the Opinions are released and we will be following along to try to make sense of the Court's decisions. There are ten cases remaining undecided from this term. That does not include the cases on the emergency docket.

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...

Among the larger states, the two that are closest to each other in population and demographics are New York and Florida. According to the latest U.S. Census data (from July 1, 2024), the population of New York was 19,867,248, while the population of Florida was 23,372,215. More recent estimates from a source called World Population Review put New York’s 2025 population at 19,997,100 (an increase of about 130,000 on the year), and Florida’s at 23,839,600 (an increase of about 467,000 over the same year). Yet in terms of the approach to state government — taxing, spending, and government programs overall...

...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...

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...

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness "(1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God...

The Justice Department has charged a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in Minnesota with producing child pornography. Special Agent Timothy Ryan Gregg, 51, who is also a task force officer with the FBI, was charged Wednesday with the production of child pornography, according to Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph H. Thompson, according to local TV station KSTP. Gregg, of Eagan, Minn., is accused of attempting, coercing and enticing a minor to take part in sexually explicit conduct with the intention of producing child pornography, according to court filings. The minor's father reportedly found sexually-explicit photos and...

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind.

This afternoon, a young woman claiming to be a Field Representative from the US Census Bureau knocked on our door and aske my wife if she could ask a few questions. The first was her birthday. My wife impulsively gave it to her and then thought better of it, and got quite agitated, asking why she thought she could just drop in and start asking questions. After all, we filled out our Census form in 2020, and the next one is in 2030, five years from now. The rep got a bit snippy, saying "once the interview had started it...

MADRID (AP) – Spain has cancelled a deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, in a bid to move away from Israeli military technology, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The decision will affect the license for 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of 285 million euros ($325 million). The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a Madrid-based subsidiary of Israel´s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, according to local press. “The goal is clear…a total disconnection from Israeli technology,” government spokesperson Pilar...

U.N. trucks delivering food to Gaza were stopped and looted overnight, Gaza residents and merchants said on Wednesday, hours after desperate Palestinians overran a distribution site run by a U.S.-backed group trying to start delivering aid. The incidents underscore the problems getting supplies to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing worsening hunger and starvation after a weeks-long Israeli blockade. On Tuesday, Israeli troops fired warning shots as crowds rushed to a distribution point run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed group that began supplying aid under a new system, which Israel hopes will prevent aid from reaching Hamas. ......

Massachusetts Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem (D) introduced a bill this year to create a commission with the goal of reducing the number of miles driven by residents in their cars because of ‘climate change’, with an ultimate goal to “reduce the need for personal vehicles.” The 82-year-old Creem wants the state government to promulgate regulations that could fine residents for driving too much and force them into riding public transportation, using bikes paths and walking. Excerpt from Bill S. 2246: Section 81. (a) To relieve traffic congestion, improve air quality, and promote compliance with the greenhouse gas emissions...