Free Republic

Diplomacy is not surrender, and talking to an opponent is not a reward for good behavior. In dealings with China, Russia, or Iran, U.S. diplomatic initiatives must always be measured not by the process or optics—or by whether they support an abstract goal—but by whether the outcome results in greater or weaker constraints on a rival’s ability to harm us and our interests. Does it increase or decrease his dependency on us? Does it aid or complicate his ability to concentrate military power against us? Does it ease or impede his path of conquest?A corollary has to do with allies....

Diplomacy is an instrument of strategy that great powers use to survive and gain an advantage in competition with other powerful states. Excellence in diplomacy is a vital prerequisite to the success and endurance of great powers. Diplomatic skills atrophied in the United States after the end of the Cold War, as we came to rely on military technology and economic sanctions as the main tools of our foreign policy. But now we are entering a dangerous age in which great powers are competing for the things they have competed over from the beginning of time: territory, resources, influence, and...

Six progressive, anti-Israel candidates running for Congress in Illinois, all of whom AIPAC reportedly sees as potential members of the “Squad,” lost their primaries in the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th Districts on Tuesday. Most drew endorsements from the Democratic Socialists of America, members of the “Squad” in Congress or a combination of the two. Marc Rod, of Jewish Insider, wrote on March 16, the day before the primaries, that “a source close to AIPAC says the group’s main goal in Chicago is stopping who it sees as six potential Squad members: Robert Peters, Kina Collins, Junaid Ahmed, Yasmeen Bankole,...

Abubaker Abed, a self-styled Palestinian journalist, said Temple Israel was 'guilty[sic] of a crime[sic]'.

Democratic senators say Republicans controlling both houses and presidency voted down multiple resolutions to fund TSA, Coast Guard and FEMA Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., deflected blame when pressed whether their party should vote to end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown on Sunday, which has left workers without paychecks for weeks. "We saw terror attacks in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in Norfolk, Virginia. This morning, the CEOs of the nation's major airlines and cargo carriers have written a letter to Congress calling for them to end the shutdown, talking about the importance of American security in...

The brother of a terrorist who rammed a vehicle into a Michigan Jewish preschool was a Hezbollah commander, Israel Defense Forces have said. Ayman Muhammad Ghazali, 41, was shot dead after driving the vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Mich., on Thursday. His brother, Ibrahim Muhammad Ghazali, was responsible for managing weapons operations within a specialized branch of Hezbollah’s Badr Unit, the IDF said in a statement Sunday morning. This unit of the Lebanese terror group is responsible for launching hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilians throughout the recent war with Iran, the IDF said. Ghazali’s two brothers,...

Jesse Arm @Jesse_Leg: Did the half-wit working the register hear that answer and think, “Oh, well that sounds perfectly hunky-dory. Happy Ramadan, Mr. Ghazali! Enjoy your two grand worth of explosives”?Quote: Anna Schecter @annaschecter · Mar 13 The Michigan synagogue attacker bought $2000 worth of fireworks at Phantom Fireworks in Michigan @CBSNews has learned. The company’s CEO tells me Ayman Ghazali was asked what it was for because it’s an unusual time of year to buy so many fireworks. He told the store it was for the end of Ramadan. Mar 13, 2026 [link]

In the heart of America, on March 12, 2026, a chilling act of premeditated terror unfolded at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan—a Reform synagogue that doubles as a sanctuary for Jewish worship and an early childhood center for innocent toddlers and preschoolers. Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Arab, naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon living in Dearborn Heights, didn't just snap in a moment of grief. No, this was cold, calculated evil: he spent over $2,000 on commercial fireworks and possibly other flammables just two days prior, chatting casually with store staff as if picking up party supplies....

According to a statement released by the University of New Hampshire, Meghan Howey and Michael Palace of the University of New Hampshire compared temperature data collected by Landsat 8 satellite thermal sensor between 2014 and 2024 and the locations of burial mounds built between A.D. 1200 and 1600 in what is now Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The researchers discovered that the Anishinaabeg, who lived in the Great Lakes area, built burial mounds near more circular-shaped lakes that warmed later in spring and cooled later in fall. Placement of the mounds may therefore have been associated with a longer maize growing season,...

Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, was US-Lebanese national; source tells NBC he was questioned on potential terror ties upon his return from overseas trips; CBS says brothers were in rocket unit. By ToI Staff, Leon Kraiem and Agencies Mar 13, 2026 ... the synagogue attacker had been questioned on the matter on a number of occasions upon his return from overseas trips.

Michigan authorities responded to reports of an active shooter at a Jewish temple outside Detroit on Thursday. FBI Director Kash Patel said there was a vehicle ramming and an active-shooter situation at the temple. Temple Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue in West Bloomfield Township about 20 miles northwest of Detroit. Authorities haven’t said if anyone was injured or killed. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she was tracking the incident. “This is heartbreaking,” she said. “Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace.” The Jewish Federation of Detroit said its Jewish agencies were in...

An armed suspect crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue where children were attending preschool on Thursday and was shot dead in a confrontation with security personnel, with no one else seriously injured, authorities said. The attack unfolded during a surge in US antisemitic incidents and in a period of heightened security concerns around Jewish and Muslim places of worship since US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, sparking an intensifying war across the Middle East. An FBI official said it will investigate the attack as a “targeted act of violence against the...

A suspect is dead after local, state and federal law enforcement authorities responded to an "active shooting" at a Reform Jewish synagogue Thursday in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The suspect allegedly rammed a vehicle into the house of worship and opened fire, according to authorities.

An active shooter opened fire on a Michigan synagogue after reportedly crashing a car into the building. The Michigan State Police confirmed that they are responding to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township to an active shooter. WDIV reported that the shooter smashed a vehicle into the synagogue before letting of shots inside

(WXYZ) — Local law enforcement agencies are responding to reports of an active shooter at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield. An alert sent out by Farmington Hills police indicated an active shooter event. West Bloomfield police also confirmed. All schools and houses of worship are advised to shelter in place. People are asked to avoid the area at this time. We're told that police agencies are also responding to other temples in the area to provide security out of an abundance of caution. The Jewish Federation of Detroit provided us with the statement below: "We are aware of a security...

A man allegedly drove his car into a family on an evening walk, then opened fire, killing a 3-year-old child in the process. On Feb. 17, Alexander Lamar Banks, 21, was arraigned on one count of first-degree premeditated murder, three counts of assault with intent to murder, four counts of felony firearm, one count of possession of a dangerous weapon w/unlawful intent and one charge of possession of loaded firearm in vehicle, according to a press release from the Eaton County authorities in Michigan. A couple and their 3-year-old daughter, whom they pulled along in a pink wagon, were walking...

Michigan Democrats are putting dead voters BACK ON the voter rolls after they are removed After the dead people are added back, THEY ARE MAILED BALLOTS Michigan Rep Rachelle Smit “I took off a dead voter in my township and guess what? That dead voter was put back on” “There was a family member who at one point was registered at my in-laws home, and that family member had died nearly 20 years prior. They were put on the rolls at 2020. They were mailed voter application ballots without the authorization”

Two employees who refused to serve a man and his wife because he was wearing a hoodie with President Trump’s name on it were fired after a video of the heated encounter went viral. Erika Lindemyer and her husband, Jake, were forced out of a Smoothie King franchise location in Ann Arbor, Michigan, following a fiery clash with two young female workers on Sunday. The employees claimed they didn’t “feel comfortable” serving the couple because of Jake’s pro-Trump hoodie, as captured by Erika in a viral video. Jake and Erika fired back at the pair and insisted that they were...

Reps. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Peter Meijer (R-MI) made a secret visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday where they learned that evacuations cannot be completed by President Joe Biden’s August 31 deadline, according to commanders in charge of the situation. In a joint statement, Moulton and Meijer said their surprise mission was to “conduct oversight on the mission to evacuate Americans and our allies,” arguing that Members of Congress “have a duty to provide oversight on the executive branch.” The two representatives were also clear that they ensured their visit would not take away seats from those in need: As...

🚨 BREAKING: The Smoothie King employee who REFUSED to serve Trump supporters has been FIRED following public backlash Additionally, GoFundMe NUKED her fundraising campaign, so she’ll receive no payout. FAFO! 🤣🔥 h/t @Rightanglenews