Free Republic

The quiet waters of Piasa Creek near Beltrees, Illinois, took an unexpected turn toward the extraordinary when local fisherman, Earl "Buddy" Thompson, stumbled upon a long-lost relic from the Soviet era. While casting his line from his trusty kayak, the Nutwood native unearthed a mystery that has since captivated the small community and sparked rumors of Russian connections.

Senior U.S. Navy leaders in the Atlantic and European regions discussed, in some detail, the nature of the Russian build-up and naval activity in the Arctic region during a recent seminar in Washington. Speaking Feb. 9 at a seminar sponsored by the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute and the Center for Maritime Strategy (CMS), a think tank of the Navy League of the United States — Deterring Russia at Sea in the High North — were Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Vice Adm. Dan Dwyer, commander, U.S. Second Fleet. The seminar was moderated by retired Adm. James...

The U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday said officials have been tracking a suspected Russian spy ship off the coast of Hawaii for weeks. While foreign military ships are allowed to move through U.S. waters, the Coast Guard said in a press release that it is monitoring the vessel and sharing updated information with the Department of Defense to “appropriately meet presence with presence to encourage international maritime norms.” Cmdr. Dave Milne, the chief of external affairs, said the Coast Guard tracks “all vessels in the Pacific area through surface and air assets and joint agency capabilities.” “The Coast Guard operates...

I hope everyone has heard about the war in South Ossetia and Georgia. You probably are convinced by what the media reports, in particular that “Russia is the aggressor against innocent Georgia”. Our government is backing Georgia and also telling us about Russia’s aggression. But that is a lie. I have always made fun of the conspiracy theory people, but I find myself in the same position–criticizing the government and sounding crazy. But I cannot keep quite when such an injustice is going on; so please do not take my words as that of a crazy man who hates America–on...