Free Republic

The world is on the brink of a climate apocalypse—one caused not by gradual greenhouse emissions but by a sudden exchange of nuclear weapons, a possibility made more salient by the current conflict between India and Pakistan. While the long-term effects of emissions are uncertain, we know that a nuclear war would result in an immediate nuclear winter. When we think about nuclear apocalypse, we tend to think of the immediate effects: thermonuclear explosions that incinerate cities and vaporize populations. But the worst consequences unfold long after the weapons have detonated. A major thermonuclear exchange would shroud the atmosphere in...

A joke circulating on social media suggests how President Trump could arrest terrorism against Indian Kashmir by jihadist groups based in Pakistan—a country that at its worst actively arms and shelters these terrorists, and at its most benign turns a blind eye. Let Mr. Trump open a large resort in Kashmir, the joke goes. Give him rent-free land on a long lease for golf courses and ski lodges—and then watch how quickly the terrorism falls off. Humor aside, Mr. Trump has helped to calm the region and scored his first major diplomatic achievement. On April 22, terrorists said by India...

- Ahmed Khalifan Ghailani, a/k/a "Foopie," is a diminutive Tanzanian with an Uzbeki wife, six children and a deep hatred of America and Western culture in general. A devout Muslim who plays a mean game of soccer but never learned to drive a car, Ghailani is also believed to be a key al Qaeda player who U.S. agents think is involved in a percolating terror plot aimed at disrupting America's upcoming elections. He had a $25 million price on his head as the FBI's No. 7 most-wanted terrorist - the same amount as the bounty for the capture of Osama...

The Baloch of western Pakistan have declared themselves independant. Summarizes Baloch Welfare Assn of India's letter to the Indian PM enumerating the Pakistani's attrocities and human rights violations. Speaks to son of political prisoner being kept in perpetual solitary. Describes Balochis as non-militant moderates.

In the end, even his personal friendship with the President could not help the Professor save his job in New Delhi. Robert Blackwill, the US ambassador to India who announced his resignation today, was left with little choice but to take that return ticket to Harvard because of his constant and increasingly unpleasant run-ins with a US State Department that sought to openly wear its predilection for Pakistan on its sleeve. The last time a genteel exchange of views between India and the US — led, respectively, by foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal and US assistant secretary of state for South...

Pakistani use of PL-15Es against Indian fighters opens up a new vector for intelligence exploitation on one of China's most threatening missiles. ================================================================= The largely intact rear section and other parts of a Chinese-made PL-15E active-radar-guided air-to-air missile came down in India during a battle in the skies along the country’s border with Pakistan earlier this week. While many details about the aerial confrontation between the two countries remain murky, it marked the first known combat use of any version of the PL-15. Recovery of any parts of what is one of China’s most modern air-to-air missiles could be of...

MI6 hired Al Qaeda men to kill Gaddafi: ex-official By Martin Bright LONDON: The British government will this week go to unprecedented lengths to stop a renegade counter-intelligence officer, David Shayler, from making his most devastating claim yet : that the Libyan Islamic cell paid by British intelligence agents to assassinate Colonel Gaddafi in February 1996 were members of Al Qaeda. The Libyan cell is believed to have included one of Osama bin Laden's most trusted lieutenants, Anas al-Liby, who remains on the US government's most wanted list with a reward of $25 million for his capture. Al-Liby lived in...

A core group of top US officials — including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State and interim national security adviser Marco Rubio, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — had been closely monitoring the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan when on Friday morning, the US received alarming intelligence, Trump administration officials told CNN. While they declined to describe the nature of the information, citing its sensitivity, they said it was critical in persuading the three officials that the US should increase its involvement. Vance himself would call Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The vice president briefed...

India and Pakistan have seemingly pulled back from the brink again. But so much was new about the nuclear-armed enemies’ chaotic four-day clash, and so many of the underlying accelerants remain volatile, that there’s little to suggest that the truce represents any return to old patterns of restraint. A new generation of military technology fueled a dizzying aerial escalation. Waves of airstrikes and antiaircraft volleys with modern weapons set the stage. Soon they were joined by weaponized drones en masse for the first time along the old Line of Control in Kashmir — hundreds of them in the sky, probing...

...The Turkish foreign ministry called on both parties to "exercise common sense and refrain from unilateral actions."They added, "We expect that measures will be taken to reduce tensions in the region as soon as possible and that the necessary mechanisms, including in the field of counter-terrorism, will be put in place to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. We also support Pakistan's call for an investigation into the 22 April terrorist attack."...Azerbaijan also issued a statement soon after the attack, condemning violence against Pakistan.In their statement they said, "The Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its concern over the further escalation of...

Reports say Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement with India just hours after President Donald Trump announced one between the two nations. Explosions were heard in Srinagar and Jammu, with projectiles and flashes visible in the night sky over Jammu. “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!" Omar Abdullah, the region's top elected official wrote on X. "This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up."

Transcript linked to video, chock full of on-scene video footage.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter! May 10, 2025, 7:55 AM

After Pakistani militants attacked Indian-administered Kashmir in late April, gunning down 26 tourists and escalating a new series of offensives in the ongoing Indo-Pakistani conflict, media has drawn attention to the sectarian perspectives of Pakistani Muslims and Hindu nationalists in India, as well as more ameliorating voices in the region. The perspective of Christians in the region, however, has gone largely ignored. It is worth noting that Christians as well as Hindus were targeted for their ethno-religious status in the Kashmiri attack, and that this was by no means the first time that Christians were caught in the crossfire. Trends...

VIDEOHe won't get the credit for it in much of the media but President Donald Trump might have prevented South Asia from turning into a radioactive wasteland by brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Although most folks in the USA have not being paying much attention to this conflict, the fact that both nations have nukes made it essential that their conflict be prevented from devolving into the Apocalypse. However, the animosities between India and Pakistan are long and strong so here is a sneak preview of what their ceasefire talks will probably sound like at least initially. Oh,...

Pakistan on Saturday violated the ceasefire agreement along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) at multiple locations, just hours after both nations agreed to a truce...

India has killed Abdul Rauf Azhar, the Pakistani Al Qaeda terrorist who brutally beheaded American journalist Daniel Pearl on video in 2002.. Daniel’s last words were: “My name is Daniel Pearl. My father is Jewish. My mother is Jewish. I am a Jew.” Thank you India. ... Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is alleged to have been involved in the death of Daniel Pearl, and he is currently in American custody.

* India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. President Trump said it came after a “long night of talks mediated by the US” * The two countries earlier accused each other of targeting military airbases as tensions escalated * A South Asia expert said that the India-Pakistan conflict had not reached this level of intensity in 40 years * Global powers including the G7, which the UK is part of, the US and China urged India and Pakistan to show maximum restraint, re-establish direct communication and de-escalate ...

Pakistan has launched attacks on "multiple targets" across India, according to the media wing of Pakistan's military. In a statement, Pakistan said it has unleashed Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos (Solid Wall of Steel) in response to what it calls "continuous provocation" by India. "Multiple targets in this operation are being engaged all across India," the statement added. Reuters said Pakistan has targeted the BrahMos missile storage facility in Beas and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur. The news agency has also stated India has launched air operations in Pakistan, quoting an Indian military source. State-run Pakistan television said retaliatory attacks were...

United States Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday (May 8) that India and Pakistan should de-escalate tensions, but he added that the US cannot control the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours and a war between them would be "none of our business". "We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible. We can't control these countries though," Vance said in an interview on Fox News show The Story with Martha MacCallum. "What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but we're not going to get involved in the middle of war that's fundamentally...