The Pentagon announced on Wednesday the release and repatriation of two Malaysian Guantanamo Bay detainees who pleaded guilty to charges connected to a 2002 bombing of two nightclubs in Bali, Indonesia,…

When refusing to participate in legal behavior that they regard as sinful, Christians may rely on more than Biblical principles. That does not mean, of course, that any earthly principle carries authority…

Sad country music reigns supreme no matter what time of the year it is... Even during the holidays, I simply cannot get enough. It's hard to find really good, high quality sad country Christmas songs, and as I've mentioned several times already this holiday season, I'm not really into Christmas music at all (I promise, I'm not a total grinch)... but when it comes to sad Christmas songs that really seem to hit home, of course country music does it best. I've managed to narrow down 12 of my favorites in case you wanna have a blue Christmas this year... or have heard "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" one too many times. For a lot of people, this is a beautiful time to reconnect with friends and family, and while I’m not saying you should walk around feeling sad during the holiday season, I think we all have moments where we feel sad for any given personal reason, and these songs will certainly help you feel a little less alone. Merry Christmas, y'all. Let's get into it... "Hard Candy Christmas" — Dolly Parton This tune was famously included in the soundtrack for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and was actually written by Carol Hall and not Dolly Parton. It peaked in the Top 10 on the country charts and has been certified Gold by the RIAA, and is right in Dolly's wheelhouse, as she sings about a time when families could only afford to buy their children hard candy as a Christmas present, pretty similar to her own upbringing in rural east Tennessee. Though Dolly maintains that she doesn't really consider it a Christmas song, this is one of the classics and a holiday standard, in my humble opinion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcPY3RIvtCw "Christmas Morning" — Megan Moroney The most recently-released song on this list from Megan Moroney's recent Blue Christmas… duh EP, "Christmas Morning" is an original she wrote alongside frequent collaborators Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter and Micah Carpenter. She sings about her relationship falling apart just in time for Christmas, and how it's taken away the joy of the season because of how heartbroken she is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QDofWu7NCc "Christmas Makes Me Cry" — Kacey Musgraves A truly stellar modern, original Christmas song, Kacey included "Christmas Makes Me Cry" on her 2016 A Very Kacey Christmas. It was co-written by her along with Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, where she details how, even though it’s supposed to be the most wonderful tome of year, it makes her feel blue as she realizes another year has gone by and not everything is all sunshine and rainbows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7WmnasLzr8&list=PLV1Ns2DliFZ_HaTY9XBj4Sz81gz4hryWh&index=6 "Lonely Christmas Call" — George Jones Released in 1962, "Lonely Christmas Call" tells the heartbreaking story of a husband who just wants his wife to come back for the holidays and spend it with their kids. It's not clear if she up and left or if the couple got divorced, but it's a heartbreaking Christmas song, no doubt about it. Not that it comes a surprise, because sad songs are obviously a George Jones specialty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99pyTqcc7o0 "I'll Be Home For Christmas" — Elvis Presley The song was first written by lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who made it very popular and scored a top 10 hit with it. Honestly, there's no feeling worse than wanting to be home for the holiday's and the homesick feeling that comes along with not being able to be there with friends and family for whatever reason. Hearing it always makes me feel so nostalgic and teary-eyed... And while this might not technically be a country song, Elvis is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, so I say it counts in my book for the purposes of this list. There's just something extra melancholy about the way Elvis sings it, and it was included as part of the tracklist for his 1957 Elvis' Christmas Album. "White Christmas" — George Strait I guess this one isn't necessarily a stone cold country heartbreaker like some of the others here, but there's a certain wistful nostalgia to it that always makes me feel a little bit sad. George Strait included his rendition of "White Christmas" on his 1986 Merry Christmas Strait to You! album, which has since been certified double platinum by the RIAA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8q45JNHzSA "It Won't Be The Same This Year" — Vince Gill This might be the saddest one on the whole list. Vince included "It Won't Be The Same This Year" on his Let There Be Peace on Earth holiday album, which he dedicated to his half-brother, Bob. Bob was in a severe car crash at the age of 22, when Vince was only 11, and suffered severe brain damage as a result. He continued to struggle for the rest of his life, ultimately losing contact with his family, and as Vince sings, "it won't be the same this year" without him, as Bob passed away in 1993. If you're missing a loved on this Christmas, definitely give this song a spin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryqg4NxlH20 "If We Make It Through December" — Merle Haggard An all-time great Merle Haggard song, this solo write became one of the beloved and signature songs of his career, and peaked at #1 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart. "If We Make It Through December" was the lead single for his 1973 album Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present, and became the the title track to a non-Christmas album four months later. "Blue Christmas" — Loretta Lynn The late, great Loretta Lynn included her version of "Blue Christmas" on her 1966 eighth solo studio album and first Christmas album, Country Christmas. It's definitely a bit more upbeat than the others on this list, but Mrs. Loretta certainly nailed her version of the song Elvis first made famous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugV0Lvgkib0 "Pretty Paper" — Willie Nelson Willie Nelson penned this one based entirely on an incredible and true story, but it was first made famous by Roy Orbison, when his version peaked at #15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Willie later recorded his own version of the song in 1964, and again in 1979, for his own Christmas album. It's become a Christmas standard, and is easily one of my favorites to listen to this time of year. "Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)" — John Denver Written by Bill and Taffy Danoff, "Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)" was originally recorded by the late John Denver and included on his 1975 Rocky Mountain Christmas album, after it was initially on his Farewell Andromeda record. The narrator begs his dad not to get drunk on Christmas so his mom doesn't cry. I guess it could be seen as more light-hearted and funny in a certain way, depending on how you want to look at it, but the beautiful thing about music is that it's up for interpretation. In my opinion, if your mama's cryin' on Christmas, that's pretty damn sad... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3DQdGMI2vo "Please Come Home For Christmas" — Koe Wetzel Last year, Koe Wetzel released his first Christmas EP Koe Wetzel Presents… Wetzel’s Wonderland, and he just put out the second installment Chapter 2 a few weeks ago. Still, his rendition of  "Please Come Home for Christmas" from the first edition remains a standout. The original was written in 1960 by Charles Brown and Gene Redd, and released the same year by Brown. It peaked at just #76 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, but has become a classic over the years. Koe's reimagined version definitely has a lot of his signature Texas flair, and I think his voice sounds absolutely fantastic here. Definitely check it out if you haven't yet, it's one of the best covers of this song I've ever heard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPXXzTMqy70 That'll do it for my list, what are some of your favorite sad country Christmas songs?

This is by far my favorite end-of-year list to create. At the end of each year, we review the incredible moments in country music, from our favorite records to the best collaborations, our favorite discovered artists, and songs we wish came out as singles. It's a great way to look back, celebrate the year, and remember every moment. While we patiently wait for the big reveal of the Whiskey Riff Top Albums of 2024 list, I like to reflect on a part of records that are sometimes overlooked—the album art. F-1 Trillion, Post Malone Post Malone's debut country record, F-1 Trillion, kicks things off on this list. Released in August, the video truck took social media by storm when the record was announced. Shot by Gonzalo Lebrija, the album artwork shows the country with a twist style of music that Malone featured throughout the tracklist. Let's be honest, too—it's just cool. Seeing this truck seemingly levitating over a body of water with a scenic backdrop captures fans' attention before they even listen to the record. https://www.instagram.com/p/C8xF9_6J0C6/ Rhinestoned, Maggie Antone https://www.instagram.com/p/C72Je0hPEVh/?img_index=1 Twisters: The Album, Various Artists This record was hands down the best soundtrack of the year. Not only did it feature a laundry list of country music's best talent, but each song on the record featured songs that stayed true to the artists featured while still fitting the electric tone of Twisters, the film. Given they paired this record artwork with the lead single, Luke Combs' "Ain't No Love In Oklahoma," it sets the tone for the fast-paced, thrilling film. https://www.instagram.com/p/DCHiSxIPS6l/ Leavin' This Holler, 49 Winchester https://www.instagram.com/p/C-LWcr7ukGH/?img_index=1 Survived, Lost Dog Street Band I love everything about this album cover. The vintage feel of the image featuring Benjamin Tod and his wife perfectly matches their old-timey, classic country twang. Given that Tod draws a lot of inspiration for his songwriting from historical events, often expanding on real people's stories and tales, looking at this album cover feels like you are looking back in time. It's rugged and a little eerie, and you do not know who these two people were on the cover; you'd think they have seen and lived quite a life and could fill novels full of stories. While Tod has lived many lives and gone through events most folks won't, that description isn't too off. https://www.instagram.com/p/C6PSnQrv7XZ/?img_index=1 Made By These Moments, Red Clay Strays Made By These Moments is a clean, straightforward cover representing everything the Red Clay Strays stand for. They don't have many frills during their shows, stand on business, and are the real deal when it's time to perform. It's clean and simple and lets the incredible piece of work behind the art speak for itself. https://www.instagram.com/p/C7RmYEVI-AI/?img_index=1 9 Lives, Koe Wetzel 9 Lives was more than a record for Wetzel as he entered a new chapter of music. Wetzel shared with fans a vulnerable side we had not seen much of until this record's release. Koe also lets fans into his past through artwork highlighting the record. The house featured on the front of 9 Lives is where Koe used to live. During a sit down with Dale Brisby, Koe said: "So that's where I grew up. That was the house I grew up in. We shot the video for 'Damn Near Normal' and that was inside the house. And you know there's so much nostalgia and stuff. You know, growing up it was the biggest house in the world, you know? Now, going back in, like it's crazy small it is, because it's a single-wide house.  We weren't set on the album cover yet; we had a couple of ideas." Wetzel then asked his photographer, JP, to take a picture of the house, as he felt it was the perfect day with the sun going down. Once JP sent Koe the image, he knew it had to be the cover for the record. https://www.instagram.com/p/C9lCARmRBai/?img_index=1 $10 Cowboy, Charley Crockett https://www.instagram.com/p/DCKI5qSvP8U/ Welcome to The Plains, Wyatt Flores Wyatt Flores is known for his stellar album and EP artwork, and Welcome to the Plains is no exception. The Oklahoma native really leaned into his Red Dirt roots during this project, and the artwork flawlessly reflects that. Snippets of historical events are placed throughout the cover, using a clip art style, to show the rich history of the land he calls home and how it's changed, burned, and thrived over the years. This is the type of album artwork you could spend hours looking at and still find new aspects of- like a "Where's Waldo?" page but better. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QhD8BRWJT/?img_index=1 Thus Spoke The Fool, Pony Bradshaw https://www.instagram.com/p/C8cULRYOdM9/ Trail Of Flowers, Sierra Ferrell 2024 was the Era of Sierra, so it would be wrong not to include her at the top of this list. When the Trail of Flowers album artwork was unveiled, it was left speechless. Not only does this look like a piece of hanging art as it is, but it represents Sierra Ferrell fully. It's vintage feeling, whimsical, complex, and leaves you wanting more- just like Ferrell's music often leaves her fans feeling. This album artwork was hands down my favorite from the year and is a perfect representation of who Sierra Ferrell is. I'm unsure how Ferrell and her creative team will top this record art, but I know she will also blow the next out of the water. Trail of Flowers gets a chef's kiss. https://www.instagram.com/p/C40djHAuk2Z/

Both chambers of Congress have passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025.  This 2025 NDAA provides for a defense budget of $895.2 billion, which includes a base Pentagon budget of $850 billion, as well as an additional $33.5 billion for nuclear weapons and $11.6 billion for defense activities in agencies other than the Department of Defense. The NDAA passed the Senate on Wednesday by a margin of 85–14. In total, 11 Republicans and three Democrats voted against the bill. The NDAA had earlier passed the House by a margin of 281-140, with 10 members not voting. The nay votes, consisting of 124 Democrats and 16 Republicans, including progressive such as Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Alexandria Occasio-Cortes (D-NY), as well as conservative realists such as Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Andy Biggs (R-AZ). Part of the controversy surrounding the NDAA this year was owing to the inclusion of a provision prohibiting gender dysphoria treatments that could lead to sterilization for children under 18 for children under Tricare, the military’s healthcare service. The bill also includes an amendment suggesting that AI be used to achieve a clean audit of the finances of the DoD. This comes in the aftermath of the Pentagon failing its seventh consecutive audit last month. The bill also provides for a 14.5 percent pay rise for junior enlisted personnel and a 4.5 percent raise for all other military personnel.  The post NDAA Passes Congress appeared first on The American Conservative.

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