The United States fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase last night in retaliation for a chemical attack blamed on the Syrian government. The Syrian government previously declared U.S. troops and military operations in its country to be an invasion of the country. With the expansion of military operations, including troops on the ground, I thought it was worth reposting the recent column on undeclared wars that have become the norm for the United States. Of course, the only thing rising faster than our military intervention is congressional hypocrisy as Democrats express outrage over the failure to secure a declaration of war or authorization. These are the same members who remained silent as President Obama routinely launched missiles at targets in a variety of nations and took this country to war in Libya without even consulting Congress. As on the filibuster issue, the Democrats frittered away any high ground years on the issue years ago.
Continue reading “Trump Strikes Syria As America’s Undeclared War Expands”
While the United States government often discusses the threat of Iran in spreading Islamic extremism, it is often silent on the same influence of our close allies in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and other countries. Pakistan is reportedly moveing to eviscerate any remaining separation of mosque and state buy making Quran education compulsory in not just public but private schools.
Hairdresser Annette O’Connor has been awarded for something that has happened to many diners. When O’Connor was shown a table in The Mullingar Park Hotel restaurant, she sat down and hit her knee on the leg of the table. Since the leg was not covered by the table cloth, 
Iran this week celebrated its National Women’s and Mothers’ Day and Ayatollah Khamenei held forth on his demented view of the ideal Islamic women. Khamenei denounced the very concept of women’s rights and gender equality as a Western plot against all women.
There is a chilling and tragic case out of East Sussex, England where Shana Grice, 19, was found dead with her throat slit. Months ago, Grice was fined by police for wasting their time in accusing her ex-boyfriend, Michael Lane, 27, of stalking her. Lane is now standing trial for her murder.
Yesterday’s press conference by White House Spokesman Sean Spicer seemed uncomfortably close to a Saturday Night Live parody as Spicer spared with CNN and other news outlets over President Trump’s wiretapping allegations. I actually was sympathetic with Spicer on one point: the media continues to take a literal meaning of Trump’s reference to “wiretap.” Some after the first tweet, I stated on CNN that I did not believe that Trump was speaking literally and that he likely meant “surveillance.” I have written and litigated in the field of surveillance over the course of decades and the use of “wiretap” to mean surveillance is a common, if inartful, practice — particularly among older Americans. That does not mean that Trump’s allegation of surveillance is true or supportable. That should be the focus, not this recurring rhetorical point. However, there has been a truly shocking lack of discipline among high-ranking Trump staffers in their public comments, including comments that have undermined the immigration orders. A good example of that ongoing problem is the suggestion that British intelligence surveilled Trump for Obama. This allegation had no place in a White House briefing and led to a reported embarrassing apology from the Administration to the British and a promise not to repeat it. It appears that there was no James Bond contract to surveil and the Administration is again shaken not 
It appears that if you are an authoritarian tyrant everyone looks like a Nazi when they oppose your will. 
I have been a long critic of Germany’s criminal speech laws, including its long criminalization of Nazi symbols. Now, Sven Pohl, 37, is 
