Free Republic

Five competitive cyclists – women in their 50s and 60s – met at the Tokul Creek trail north of Snoqualmie. At the yellow gate before riding into the deep forest, the women took a group selfie. They had no premonition that 19 miles in, a young male cougar would attack one of them, and that they’d spend 45 minutes in a battle for their lives. The first cougar, presumably the mother or a sibling, ran off. But the younger one paused … and then lunged at Keri Bergere, 60, who was biking a few paces ahead of him. “Looking to...

The Kremlin plans to hold a Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow on 9 May 2023, despite heavy losses in the war waged by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlet TASS Details: The Russian authorities are expecting the Parade of Victory in the so-called "Great Patriotic War" [part of World War II – ed.] to take place on Red Square on 9 May, with a dress rehearsal on 7 May. The Kremlin has already opened press accreditation for the parade. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that enhanced measures are being taken to ensure security at the 9...

U.S. won't cut troop levels in OkinawaThe Yomiuri Shimbun The United States, citing a possible surprise assault on Taiwan by China's special forces as a realistic scenario, has told Japan it will be difficult to reduce or relocate to the Japanese mainland any of its marine corps combat units stationed in Okinawa, government sources said Wednesday. Washington has made this position on the marines in Okinawa known to the Japanese side through bilateral talks including consultations over the realignment of U.S. troops and their bases in Japan, the sources said. The United States has about 18,000 marines stationed in Okinawa....

Lest we Forget...December 7, 1941A day that will live in infamy...   USS West Virginia in fire in Pearl Harbor Shortly before 8 AM on December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy, employing the largest naval attack force ever assembled, launched an unprovoked, sneak attack on the US Pacific Fleet, that lay at rest at Pearl Harbor and on surrounding military bases.  Within short order, 5 of the 8 battleships docked on "Battleship Row" were either sunk or sinking and the rest were severely damaged.  Several other smaller ships and most of Hawaii's combat aircraft were damaged or destroyed, as well. ...

Mixed feelings over San Pedro film event NO SHOW: Insensitivity to Japanese-Americans is cited. Vets are stunned. By Donna Littlejohn DAILY BREEZE It was going to be a night to remember. Ushers dressed in World War II military uniforms, vintage cars pulling up to the curb, Pearl Harbor survivors and a recently restored 1940s military searchlight would be on hand Dec. 7 to greet the crowds at a special anniversary showing of “Tora! Tora! Tora!” at San Pedro’s historic Warner Grand Theatre. The 1970 film — a joint American and Japanese production — is considered one of the most accurate...

Kuwait, Jordan fear preemptive strike by Iraq SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Wednesday, September 25, 2002 ABU DHABI — Kuwait and Jordan exchanged intelligence reports in secret talks Sunday night about Iraq's missile capability. In a meeting with Kuwaiti Interior Minister Mohammed Al Khaled Al Sabah, Jordan's intelligence chief discussed the prospect of security coordination and the threat of a preemptive strike by Iraq. The two countries are said to be concerned that Iraq plans to launch a sabotage campaign against Western interests within Jordan and Kuwait to foil any U.S. military campaign, Middle East Newsline reported. Both Jordan and Kuwait...