Free Republic

When Republicans criticize Barack Obama’s foreign policy, their critiques usually break down into two broad themes: America’s enemies no longer fear us, and America’s allies no longer trust us. The part about our enemies fearing us is usually a reference to Russia – conservatives believe quite earnestly that Russia’s military expansionism over the last few years is a consequence of Vladimir Putin sizing up the president and determining that he’s a weakling. No less an authority than Peggy Noonan made this very argument just last Friday, lamenting “a Russian president who took the American’s measure and made a move, upsetting...

Courtesy of BizPac: Secretary of State John Kerry allegedly responded in a most unusual way to a reporter’s question Friday whether a nuclear arms deal could be reached with Iran before the March 31 deadline. “Allah willing,” Kerry replied — in Arabic, according to Laura Rozen, a reporter covering the Iran nuclear talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the Washington, D.C.-based online publication, Al-Monitor. As news reached the public Friday that a deal may be forthcoming, Rozen tweeted:

Bill O'Reilly, host of the Fox News program "The O'Reilly Factor," spoke briefly at the premiere of the new National Geographic mini-series "Killing Jesus," which is based on his best-selling book, and talked about his controversial decision to cast a Muslim actor for role of Jesus in the film. During his speech, which took place before the series was shown to the audience in its entirety, O'Reilly explained his decision to cast young Muslim actor Haaz Sleiman for the role of Jesus. He admitted to being concerned about some of the backlash that might come, but said Sleiman "was the...

China’s approach to international energy and environmental policy can be summed up very simply: tell the idiot gwai lo whatever they want to hear – then carry on doing what China wants, regardless. Fortunately for the prospects of the US economy, it would appear that not every US politician has fallen for the risible line, heavily promoted by the Obama administration and its amen corner in the environmental movement, that China cares every bit as much as the West does about the allegedly urgent need to curb global CO2 emissions. Two who very much haven’t are Republican senators Roy Blunt...

One of the most admirable things about Europe is that most (if not all) of the right-wing rhetoric that you hear in the US is explicitly against the law there. For example, attempting to link Islam with terrorism, saying that gay marriage isn’t really marriage, or saying that trans women aren’t really women would get you charged with discrimination and/or incitement to hatred. Numerous European public figures have been charged with hate crimes for implying that large-scale immigration is connected to higher crime. In fact, a politician in Sweden was prosecuted for hate crimes for posting statistics about immigrant crime...

Donning the robes of High Priest of Science, Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a rousing sermon on March 12 that presumed to speak for both Science and Religion on the supposed existential threat of anthropogenic (manmade) global warming, AGW. Warning that we face “utter catastrophe” and the end of “life as we know it on Earth” if we “do nothing” to stop global warming, Kerry said failing to act “is beyond reckless. It is just plain immoral.” Secretary Kerry delivered his AGW jeremiad before the Atlantic Council, as part of the globalist organization’s “The Road to Paris” Climate Series,...

Gregory T. Angelo, Meghan McCain and Fred Karger signing the St. Louis Resolution Tuesday night. In a move designed to head off anti-gay rhetoric during the 2016 Republican presidential campaign, three prominent GOP leaders signed a resolution Tuesday and will send it off to the 18 prospective Republican candidates for president. After speaking on a panel entitled “Marriage Equality and the Republican Party” in Graham Chapel at Washington University, political columnist and television host Meghan McCain, Log Cabin Republican Executive Director, Gregory T. Angelo and the first openly gay candidate to run for President, Fred Karger, all signed the Resolution,...

Rev. Jeremiah Wright spoke at Fresno State on Monday night, and in the mold of his protégé, Barack Obama, bent the truth for his audience. Wright, who infamously called the United States the “U.S. of K.K.K.A.” while he was the pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago; and who snapped that the nation’s “chickens are coming home to roost” after the 9/11 terrorist attacks

**SNIP** March 22: Jeanne Bishop will discuss her new book, "Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace With My Sister's Killer," with Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn. 4 p.m., Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave., semcoop.com, 773-752-4381

Hugh Hewitt grills David Corn of Mother Jones on his claim that then-CBS News correspondent Bill O'Reilly exaggerated the capacity of his involvement in covering the Falklands War. DAVID CORN, MOTHER JONES: As Joe Walsh said, do the show, go play it straight, he’ll play fair. But you’re asking me questions you didn’t ask Bill O’Reilly. HUGH HEWITT, HOST: If you… DC: So you know, I’m given you one more… HH: Here’s Eric Engberg… DC: If you want to talk about the article or not, Hugh, because I’ve got better things to do than help you fill time on the...

Last week, President Barack Obama sparked outrage when he declared that the root cause of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorism is not radical Islam but poverty. “We have to address grievances terrorists exploit, including economic grievances,” said Obama. However, as terrorism experts explain, a vast percentage of Islamic terrorists come from middle-class backgrounds, wealthy families, or have impressive educational pedigrees. CNN’s national security analyst Peter Bergen says many of the world’s most notorious terrorists came from affluence and education: Osama bin Laden: son of a Saudi construction magnate who attended Saudi Arabia’s top high school and best university. Mohamed Atta: ringleader...

muslim who raped a 13-year-old girl he groomed on Facebook has been spared a prison sentence after a judge heard he went to an Islamic faith school where he was taught that women are worthless. Adil Rashid, 18, claimed he was not aware that it was illegal for him to have sex with the girl because his education left him ignorant of British law. ~snip~ After his arrest, he told a psychologist that he did not know having sex with a 13-year-old was against the law. The court heard he found it was illegal only when he was informed by...

Joe Scarborough opened today's Morning Joe with a protracted and impassioned plea for America—and in particular President Obama—to call out radical Islam by name. Mika Brzezinski was dubious, citing unspecified "difficult times" in the past when presidents used the wrong language. But taking Mika's misgivings a giant step further, Mike Barnicle flatly declared that we can't call radical Islam by name because "we're the Crusaders." View the video here.

The Real Kayla MuellerPosted By Matthew Vadum On February 13, 2015 @ 12:55 am In Daily Mailer,FrontPage | 11 Comments The presumed Islamic State murder victim Kayla Mueller isn’t quite the saintly martyr that President Obama and the media are trying to make Americans believe.Family and friends told reporters Mueller was “a deeply idealistic young woman eager to help those less fortunate.” A neighbor of hers, a 66-year-old Vietnam veteran, said Mueller “represented everything good about being an American. In the outgoing battle between good and evil, she represented the best of the good. She took great risks to help...

Kayla Mueller protested Israel for ISM. PalSolidarity reported: Today, 10th February, Kayla Mueller’s family confirmed she has been killed. Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the popular committee in the village of Bil’in where Kayla joined the protests, told ISM: “Kayla came to Palestine to stand in solidarity with us. She marched with us and faced the military that occupies our land side by side with us. For this, Kayla will always live in our hearts. We send all our support to her family and will continue, like Kayla, to work against injustice wherever it is.” Kayla Mueller volunteered with the...

Pope Francis emphasized the right to food as fundamental in a video address Saturday to 500 experts starting work on a wide-ranging document aimed at raising awareness and proposing solutions to issues including hunger, obesity and food waste. Francis said the paradox of abundance described by Pope John Paul II—whereby there is food for everyone yet not everyone can eat—continues to be an issue “despite the multiplication of organizations and responses by the international community on nutrition.” […] He also urged them (the experts) to show courage in protecting the planet “the mother of everything that asks respect and not...

Why is the head of the U.S. Bishops meeting with the White House and the Director of the liberal Center for American Progress? What goals could they possibly share? Is there anything Catholic about that pro-gay, pro-death power group? As the Obama administration tries to position itself as a world leader on climate change ahead of United Nations talks, it's engaging a powerful ally: the Catholic Church. Pope Francis has been moving the Church into a more aggressive posture on climate change, citing the moral need to protect the planet and its citizens. With countries preparing their own climate plans...

The Dark Side of Winston Churchill’s Legacy No One Should Forget By Ishaan Tharoor February 3 There's no Western statesmen — at least in the English-speaking world — more routinely lionized than Winston Churchill. Last Friday marked a half century since his funeral, an occasion that itself led to numerous commemorations and paeans to the British Bulldog, whose moral courage and patriotism helped steer his nation through World War II. Churchill, after all, has been posthumously voted by his countrymen as the greatest Briton. The presence (and absence) of his bust in the White House was enough to create political...

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy met with Vatican officials that helped draft Pope Francis’ climate-related encyclical on Friday, The Associated Press reports.An encyclical, a letter from the pope addressed to faithfuls worldwide when he feels he needs to reach them, is set to be published in June and might make environmentalism a Catholic doctrine like Pope Pius IX’s encyclical about infallibility. It might also be a simple condemnation of human destruction of the environment like Pope Pius XI’s encyclical against Italian Fascists. The visit was aimed at showing the Holy See that the Obama administration share similar thoughts on...

NBC cited defence officials and said the charges could come against the soldier within a week. But Lt Col Alayne Conway, spokeswoman for Army public affairs, said no decision had been made yet in the Bergdahl case. She said: "We are aware of the inaccurate media reporting. To be clear there have been no actions or decisions on the Sgt Bergdahl investigation.  "The investigation is still with General Mark Milley, commanding general of Forces Command, who is reviewing now the Army's facts and findings to determine, impartially, any appropriate next steps and possible actions - which ranges from no further action to convening...