Free Republic

Here’s a puzzler for you: we all know the next week will feature a competition among the 35 or 52 or however many Republicans are considering a 2016 presidential run as to who can say the most irresponsible things about the multilateral nuclear deal with Iran that just got a big step closer to reality yesterday. But how are they going to outdo Scott Walker’s pledge, initially made last week and then repeated like a terroristic threat, that he’d blow up any such deal on his first day as president? I mean, I guess someone could say they’d shout insults...

Bishkek, April 3, Interfax - Russia will continue raising the issue of the protection of Christians in the UN, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "No one was going to ignore this issue [of Christians' protection]. It was raised in the meeting of the [UN] Human Rights Council and a statement was adopted, which was signed by 65 countries. It was initiated by Russia, Lebanon and the Vatican with Armenia's support," he said responding to a question about the possible support by Russia of the initiative to protection Christians in the light of the situation in Kenya. "This issue was...

The Boy Scouts' New York chapter said Thursday that it has hired the nation's first openly gay Eagle Scout as a summer camp leader, which is in public contrast to the national scouting organization's ban on openly gay adult members.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told a representative of a group of prominent Jewish leaders on Sunday that she wanted to put the relationship between the United States and Israel back on “constructive footing,” the representative said. Mrs. Clinton’s comments, made in a phone call to Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, contrasted in tone from recent remarks by members of the Obama administration, who have publicly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel amid tensions over a nuclear deal with Iran and comments Mr. Netanyahu made in the...

The first 6 Arab nations to form the Arab League are: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria are no more. Egypt was almost lost, and is well into it's recovery from intensive care thanks largely to Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who might become the most accomplished of Arab Leaders, if he holds true. I believe El-Sisi was the impetus of the Arab League getting it's act together with coordinated political, diplomatic and military efforts to keep Iran off the Sinai Peninsula. Is their any doubt now why any sane person would deny a nuclear armed...

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker may be on the verge of burning himself down before he actually gets started, given what is now becoming something of a circus regarding his actual stance on immigration. According to this new Wall Street Journal report, it’s quite possible a supporter of Jeb Bush, or another candidate went to the media regarding Walker’s recent comments at a private GOP dinner, it doesn’t matter. With three sources now (anonymously) on record, he appears to have Walkered himself right into this one. If his name becomes synonymous with waffling on a critical issue like immigration, his next...

German magazine Der Spiegel digs deep(er) into the ‘Greece question’ this weekend, and does so with a few noteworthy reports. First, its German paper issue has Angela Merkel on the cover, inserted on a 1940′s photograph that shows Nazi commanders against the backdrop of the Acropolis in Athens. The headline is ‘The German Supremacy: How Europeans see (the) Germans’. The editorial staff has already come under a lot of fire for the cover, and I’ve seen little that could be labeled a valid defense for further antagonizing both Germans AND Greeks (and other Europeans) this way. Oh, and it’s also...

An American blogger turned down the offer of a lifetime this past weekend: getting paid to do nothing. The slight catch was that he had to publish articles written by someone else on his blog and claim them as his own—no big deal, right? According to the blogger, David Swanson, after giving a talk at an anti-war event in Washington DC on March 20, he was approached by a young man with a thick Russian accent who introduced himself as Alexsei G. Padalko. This man showed Swanson his business card, which identified him as an air attaché assistant for the...

“We all knew what we were doing and what can happen." Interview with the Russian tank gunner, who, together with his battalion, was sent to fight for Debaltseve, Ukraine(Translated from Russian by I.M.) ------------------------------------------------- Dorzhi Batomunkuev, 20 years old, 5th Tank Brigade (Ulan-Ude), military base № 46108. Conscript, called to service on November 25, 2013; in June 2014 signed a three year contract. Personal Number 200220, military ID 2609999. Face burned, wrapped a bandage, blood showing from under the bandage. Hands wrapped too. Ears burned and shriveled. I know that he was wounded in Logvinovo. Logvinovo – “neck” of the...

Stunning a crowded convention, NJ Chris Christie announced to a group of supporters with former President Clinton that he would seek reelection in 2014 as a democrat. The move comes after months of odd behavior from the former NJ republican. Tensions have been mounting between the NJ Governor and the GOP. At this year’s CPAC Convention, which hosts some of the greatest names in the conservative party Christie was denied entrance. Christie struck a sour note with conservatives for palling up with Obama during Hurricane Sandy. The bill to send money to victims was full of pork and republicans wanted...

Stunning a crowded convention, NJ Chris Christie announced to a group of supporters with former President Clinton that he would seek reelection in 2014 as a democrat. The move comes after months of odd behavior from the former NJ republican. Tensions have been mounting between the NJ Governor and the GOP. At this year’s CPAC Convention, which hosts some of the greatest names in the conservative party Christie was denied entrance. Christie struck a sour note with conservatives for palling up with Obama during Hurricane Sandy. The bill to send money to victims was full of pork and republicans wanted...

Ted Cruz is set to announce is candidacy for President of the United States. Rand Paul is apparently going to announce early next month before going on a campaign tour. Until today technically the only candidate was Jeb Bush, who announced late last year his intentions. At the time everyone thought that Bush was going to force everyone else to declare their candidacy early. It doesn’t appear that has happened, Cruz and Paul have appeared in no rush to make a formal announcement. Scott Walker, perhaps the front runner in the race, still hasn’t formally announced his candidacy and there’s...

  20 March 2015 Last updated at 10:21 ET   Hydrogen, hydrogen everywhere... By Matthew Wall  Hydrogen is most commonly found in water - H2O - and in fossil fuels   Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. And when you burn it or use it to produce electricity, the only waste product is water.In the era of global warming, it would seem to be the perfect fuel.So why aren't we all driving round in hydrogen-powered cars, moving our goods in hydrogen-powered lorries, and heating our homes and offices with this wonder element?In short, fossil fuels got there...

Netanyahu Tactics Anger Many U.S. Jews, Deepening a Divide By LAURIE GOODSTEIN MARCH 20, 2015 Long before the latest election in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu was a polarizing figure among American Jews. But even many of his supporters said this week that they were appalled at his last-minute bid to mobilize Jewish voters by warning that Arabs were going to the polls in droves, and his renunciation of a two-state solution to the Palestinian crisis. Mr. Netanyahu’s party won the election and cheers from harwkish American Jews. But in interviews this week, rabbis, scholars and Jews from across the country and...

Sometimes the most inside-baseball political stories tell you something essential about a presidential candidate. That's what happened this week to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who apparently wants to win the Iowa caucuses so badly that he's willing to torch his staff and his reputation to do it. The Walker campaign recently announced that it had hired Liz Mair, a highly regarded Republican consultant. Mair has also played pundit at times, and is generally more pro-gay rights and pro-immigration than the average Republican. But that's typical of Republican consultants in general. It is assumed that policy is set by the candidates...

Talk about the Norfolk terrier tail wagging the Great Dane. If they are to have any hope of winning their party’s nomination, Republican presidential hopefuls better support ethanol mandates, Hawkeye State politicos told potential candidates at the recent Iowa Agricultural Summit in Des Moines. “Don’t mess with the RFS,” Republican Governor Terry Branstad warned, referring to Renewable Fuel Standards that require refiners to blend increasing amounts of ethanol into gasoline. “It is the Holy Grail, and I will defend it,” said Rep. Steve King, another Iowa Republican. It is vital for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and preventing dangerous climate change...

Sen. McCain admitted on CNN that even he wouldn’t support Sarah Palin if she would run for president in 2016. Video: (VIDEO-AT-LINK)McCain offered up his standard defense of Palin, but when he was asked if he thought that she should run for president, he changed his tune. McCain said, “I think that she ought to do whatever she feels that she’d like to do. I’m very supportive of anything that she does. Obviously, Sen. Lindsey Graham is the person I’m supporting, but I wish her every success.” McCain said that Palin could be an asset in 2016 because she still...

The Texas General Land Office is terminating its contract with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to run the Alamo, ending a role the DRT has held for 110 years in managing the state-owned site, the Express-News has learned. In a joint statement with the DRT, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush said the change will help “create a bigger, brighter future for this Texas shrine.” The contract, which runs through Aug. 31, 2016, will be terminated after 120 days, on July 10. “The Alamo has always had the same owner — the people of Texas. And so to...

IÂ’ve pointed out that Washington is a cesspool of legal corruption. But if you donÂ’t believe me (and you have a strong stomach), feel free to peruse these posts, all of which highlight odious examples of government sleaze.But occasionally elected officials cross the blurry line and get in trouble for illegal corruption.For those of you who follow politics, you may have seen news reports suggesting that Robert Menendez, a Democratic Senator from New Jersey, will soon be indicted for the alleged quid pro quo of trying to line the pockets of a major donor. Attorney General Eric Holder has signed...

Oleksandr Skipalsky now acts as Adviser of the military Father of Russian military intelligence, Lieutenant General Alexander Skipalsky - speaks about the work of the Russian special services in Ukraine Lieutenant-General Alexander Skipalsky, though is considered one of the most public members of the retired secret service, agreed immediately to an interview. Says does not want to strongly criticize the current government, although, in his opinion, is for what. Then, after all agreeing, their answers he generously dilutes the story of the long conversations in the offices of private institutions, without naming, however, the names of the participants. Recognizes that...