Free Republic

If you say “September 11” most people automatically think of the attacks on the World Trade Center buildings and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. What they probably don’t even remember happened on September 11, were the attacks on the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. Once the Libyan Revolution began in February 2011, the CIA began placing assets in the region, attempting to make contacts within the region. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, whose name and image would soon become synonymous with the Benghazi attacks, was the first liaison between the United States and the rebels. The task...

More unprecedented peace in the Trumpian era. Every day, historic, history defining achievements are being ignored by the mainstream media while they write whole fiction tales – books, even- trying to destroy the President. It is like nothing we have ever seen in our life time.Think about it – Middle East Peace, UAE, Malawi, Chad, Saudi flyovers, Bahrain, the Arab League rejecting Palestinian demand to condemn Israel-UAE dealGreece-Cyprus-Israel is a natural coalition considering our collective histories of persecution, oppression and genocide by the annihilationist Caliphate.President Trump’s Growing List of Foreign Policy Successes Greece-Cyprus-Israel sign the tripartite military cooperation program for...

Almost daily, Greek and Turkish aircraft and ships fight mock battles over disputed oil and gas rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Since the loss of much of the Christian Balkans to the Ottomans in the 15th century, Greece and what would later become modern Turkey have been rivals, outright enemies and often at war. Mutual NATO membership and shared Cold War fears of Soviet Russia did not stop the two from almost going to war after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Still, the current escalation seems weird. Most territorial claims and disputes over borders were settled almost a...

A senior official from Chad told Israel on Tuesday that the country was willing to open an official diplomatic mission in Jerusalem. Chad’s cabinet chairman, Abdelkerim Déby, who is also its president’s son, visited Israel for a series of meetings, including with Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen. A statement from the Intelligence Ministry said Déby expressed “willingness to open an official mission in Jerusalem.”

The Middle East is not necessarily known for good news. But look a little deeper over the last several weeks, and a region normally stereotyped as hopeless, confusing, and blood-soaked is actually making some significant and potentially historic progress. And just as importantly, this progress is being constructed in conference rooms rather than on battlefields.   For the United States, which has invested so much blood and treasure in the Middle East over the last two decades ($2 trillion and tens of thousands of casualties in Iraq alone), there is a lesson in these latest accomplishments: Washington can achieve far...

A court case in Paris began on September 2, 2020 to render justice concerning a series of terrorist attacks in recent French history. The case is occurring after five years of investigation and delay, partly due to COVID-19, which caused the closing of most French courthouses, with the trial of 14 suspects, three in absentia, accused of being connected with those responsible for the terror attacks on the satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in central Paris and following events — the attack on a kosher supermarket, Hypercacher, in east Paris and other sites for three days beginning on January 7,...

Oval Office11:35 A.M. EDTPRESIDENT TRUMP: Okay, well, thank you very much. This is a truly historic day — a very, very important day, especially in a beautiful part of the world. I’m pleased to announce a truly historic commitment: Serbia and Kosovo have each committed to economic normalization. Very expect — very important term. They’ve been working on this for many, many years — decades, actually.After a violent and tragic history, and years of failed negotiations, my administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to...

Today, I am pleased to announce yet another historic commitment. Serbia and Kosovo have each committed to economic normalization. After a violent and tragic history and years of failed negotiations, my Administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to reach a real breakthrough on economic cooperation across a broad range of issues. We have also made additional progress on reaching peace in the Middle East. Kosovo and Israel have agreed to normalization of ties and the establishment of diplomatic relations. Serbia has committed to opening...

President Trump on Friday oversaw an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo that normalizes economic relations between the two countries, and that also includes Kosovo recognizing Israel and Serbia moving its embassy to Jerusalem. The Belgrade-Pristina deal was then signed by their two leaders in front of Trump in the Oval Office. “Truly, it is historic,” Trump said. “I look forward to going to both countries in the not too distant future.”

The European Union stepped up threats of more sanctions against Turkey over its energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean in a bid to address demands by Greece and Cyprus. EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell said he would begin compiling a list of possible penalties that would be directed at individuals, but which could be expanded to include assets, ships as well as restricting Turkish access to European ports and supplies. Such measures may be discussed at a meeting of the bloc’s leaders next month if there isn’t diplomatic progress.

AN UNPRECEDENTED EU crisis looms as tensions between the Brussels bloc and Turkey escalate along its border, as Greece warns it will do "whatever is necessary" to defend itself from Ankara. Earlier this week, Athens vowed to defend its rights against "any type of threat" after Turkey confirmed plans to send oil-and-gas research vessels to the Eastern Mediterranean. Greek armed forces are officially on 'high alert' and are monitoring Turkish movements in the region. French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday gave his backing to Greece in the dispute. Mr Macron called for sanctions against Turkey, adding he will soon call...

LONDON — President Trump sat down in a gilded chair beside President Emmanuel Macron of France on Tuesday, prepared for what has become a ritual of sorts on his home turf at the White House: He holds forth as another leader is left to smile stoically through his jokes, jabs and insults. But Mr. Macron changed the script. By the time their 45-minute appearance at the American ambassador’s residence in London was over, the French leader had managed a rare role reversal, putting Mr. Trump on the defensive about his vision for NATO and his handling of a military conflict...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — France’s defense minister criticized the U.S. on Saturday over what she described as “unanswered” attacks in recent months threatening the Persian Gulf, warning that the decades-long American deterrence in the oil-rich region appeared to be losing its power. Florence Parly separately said France “deplored” both U.S. President Donald Trump’s unilateral withdrawal of America from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that led to the re-imposition of crushing sanctions, as well as Tehran recently breaking the deal’s enrichment, stockpile and centrifuge limits. While saying France would continue to talk to Iran, her speech before...

The UK will not join other European countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland in halting selling arms to Turkey after its invasion in Syria, the Independent reports. The UK was initially also against an EU condemnation of Turkey's military attack, but later agreed to the EU's unanimous position. Because of the UK's refusal to a European arms ban, the EU agreed on stopping arms sales unilaterally.

A number of countries have condemned Turkey's offensive, and Finland, Norway and The Netherlands have already announced that they are stopping arms exports to the country, noted AFP...Trump will sign an executive order expanding the administration's ability to impose sanctions on Turkish officials. Mnuchin said that the executive order does not itself contain new sanctions, but gives Trump the authority to enact them.

No, seriously, this story is real and it goes like this: a peaceful and nature-loving 28 year old Turkish immigrant was cycling in Hanover (a city in Germany), minding his own business, when a hate filled 40 year old German crossed his way. Basically, the German neon-nazi tried to cross the street in a hateful manner, thus obstructing the peaceful martial-arts expert and amateur cyclist. This incident understandably made the Turkish gentleman very angry. What followed was inevitable, like death and taxes: the cyclist dismounted his bike and beat the pedestrian to death. Literally. Actually, the pedestrian died in the...

Turkey's misguided vision of Pan-Islamism brings with it a culturally dominant form of political Islam and militant Jihadism A man gestures as people wait for the beginning of Friday prayers outside Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, for the first time after it was once again declared a mosque after 86 years, in Istanbul, Turkey, July 24, 2020 TurkeyÂ’s recent antics in the Eastern Mediterranean are giving serious cause for alarm to both Israel and the wider regionÂ’s key powers, as it seeks to outcast itself from any sort of cooperation. Instead it has sought to aggravate the already heightened geopolitical tensions...

The normalization agreement between the UAE and Israel has effectively ended the racist BDS movement. A Palestinian man walks by a grafitti sign calling to boycott Israel seen on a street in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on February 11, 2015. (photo credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90) With the recent developments between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, it’s become clearer than ever that there’s no future for the discriminatory and racist Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. From its inception, the movement was rooted in a desire to destroy the State of Israel as we know it. While cleverly presenting itself...

A court in Berlin will allow a freedom protest in Germany's capital city tomorrow.... An emergency ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a preliminary injunction from a federal district judge restricting federal law enforcement in Portland..... An Illinois judge putting a 30-day hold on an extradition hearing for Kyle Rittenhouse..... A march in Washington today called in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis back in May..... A full pardon from President Trump today for Alice Johnson.... In Belarus some 264 people detained by authorities yesterday..... Russia says that one of its fighters intercepted...

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Gen. Abdulhadi Dirah, the spokesman for the army's Sirte-Jufra Joint Operations Unit, said that carrying military ammunition, Ilyushin-type planes conducted five flights to Sirte and Jufra provinces on Saturday. Carrying Bashar al-Assad regime's soldiers, two more flights were made from Syria to Benghazi, the second biggest Libyan city, which is the center of the Haftar's forces, Dirah said. Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to a...