Update Iran
Let’s start with Iran today. We still don’t get the whole policy decision here.
We were clear in that we questioned why it was our fight if the countries of the tankers attacked were “unsure” it was Iran who did it. Why was it our fight if Iran was blocking the strait? We are energy independent.
Someone responded here that it was because we are part of NATO. Really, that’s it? Well then, how about first these countries admit Iran is the culprit, and second pay their agreed to share of NATO costs?
Then the President sent ships, planes, drones and troops to the area. We disagreed with that. Once you put them in harms way, harm can come. So if you make that move, then you must be prepared to act if attacked.
We were attacked. The President promised swift action. Then he cancelled it. The ramifications:
– When you draw a position and fail to act you lose respect for what you say.
– When you build your reputation on decisiveness and toughness and fail to act you lose respect.
– Then you embolden other bad actors to test you.
The bottom line is that Trump is anti war and knows any action in the middle east is never ending. His instinct is to avoid conflict. His mistake was to take control of allies who refused to see wrong and send the ships, planes, drones and troops.
His backdown did him nor us any good. If he thought Iran would suddenly be happy he was wrong. Look at their parliament yesterday chanting “death to America”.
His actions this weekend on cyber activity, adding sanctions and sending Pompeo to put together a coalition, could have been done without our losing a $130 million dollar drone.
What’s next?
Expect our “allies” to continue to waiver. Expect Iran to act again.
immigration raids
The President also backed down and called off the raids after a conversation with Nancy Pelosi.
Now let’s cut through the liberal and MSM noise of what was planned. From the Washington Post:
“President Trump has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct a mass roundup of migrant families that have received deportation orders, an operation that is likely to begin with predawn raids in major U.S. cities on Sunday, according to three U.S. officials with knowledge of the plans”.
So it was directed at people who had received a court order to leave the country. Did you know that? A minor fact they failed to tell.
The President tweeted this:
“The people that Ice will apprehend have already been ordered to be deported. This means that they have run from the law and run from the courts. These are people that are supposed to go back to their home country. They broke the law by coming into the country, & now by staying.”
Now does that sound like a crazed round up?
Yet we halted that, as if suddenly the dire situation will be recognized and congress will act. Let’s hope.
I think people don’t realize this President wants to get along and wants people, (even opponents) to like him, and he is more than willing to compromise.
Politics
Roy Moore announced he is running for the Republican nomination for senate in Alabama again.
Are you kidding Roy? You had no defense of the charges a year ago and now you want to cost the party a seat again? We think the Republican voters will have more sense this time.
In Queens NY, the home of AOC, there is a primary race for District Attorney tomorrow. (The winner of the primary is assured of election in November). It is between a “traditional” Democrat and an AOC backed socialist. One traditional liberal NY Democrat backed out to back a party candidate because of the AOC challenge.
Tiffany Cabán, is the AOC backed candidate. She pledges to “prosecute” ICE, end cash bail and legalize prostitution. She wants to close Rikers Island while opposing any new jail openings.
In addition to AOC she has scored endorsements from presidential hopefuls Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.).
Now they call Caban’s opponent “traditional”. Here’s a summary of a recent study of the Queens DA office:
According to data provided by the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, more than one-third of people charged in Queens with either homicide or robbery were on probation, parole or had a pending case at the time of their arrest. These numbers indicate that the criminal-justice system is not keeping the public safe, because people already known to be dangerous are roaming free.
But given the field of candidates vying to become Queens district attorney in Tuesday’s primary election, it seems likely that whoever gets the job will only make the problem worse.
The picture that Cabán paints of New York City and state — punitive governments, over-incarcerating legions of nonviolent offenders — bears little resemblance to reality. Less than 2 percent of NYPD arrests result in a prison sentence, and only about 10 percent of NYPD arrests result in a jail admission. Between 1999 and 2016, the state’s prison population decreased by 31 percent; between 1998 and 2018, the city’s jail population fell by about 50 percent.
According to Cabán, that’s not good enough — more inmates need to go free. The problem, though, is that the only way to expand decarceration in New York any further is to start turning loose the most violent and chronic offenders. Unfortunately for Queens residents, Tiffany Cabán seems willing to do that. She wants to close Rikers Island while opposing any new jail openings.
The Democratic debates begin Wednesday.
It will be interesting to watch how Beto and Warren handle each other in their debate, and then how the others go after Biden in the second.
How about this in Virginia?
Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said Thursday that he is ‘very hopeful about the future’ and ‘thinking very seriously’ about a gubernatorial run in 2021.
“Fairfax, who faces sexual assault allegations by two women, said the scandal has raised his public profile for good. Many people a year ago would not have recognized me, now they really do”, Fairfax said. “People come up to me at gas stations, they say, Hey, we recognize you. We love you. We know what they are saying about you is false.”
Did you hear about his in SF? From the Washington Times:
Historical images of George Washington’s life will soon vanish from San Francisco’s Washington High School over accusations of racism.
“It is a racist mural. My history should not be racist but it is. I came from slaves,” said Virginia Marshall with the Alliance of Black School Educators.