Diplomats spend careers learning to say nothing in as many words as possible. On Monday, President Donald Trump did the opposite. Asked about Oman’s role in the Strait of Hormuz negotiations, the president told Fox News that if Muscat “gets in the way,” the United States would “bomb the s*** out of them.” It was […]
Imagine buying a piece of property, being ordered by the government to clear it of fire hazards, and then being handed a nearly million-dollar bill by that same government for doing exactly what it asked. It sounds like a dystopian satire of bureaucratic overreach, but for Matthew Bernard and Lynn Warner, it is a harrowing […]
The Trump administration believes that by placing increasing pressure on Iran’s oil sector, it will enhance its leverage over Tehran. Since the ceasefire talks have come to a standstill, Washington states that it can continue its naval blockade indefinitely, thus worsening the economic situation of the Iranian regime. However, a decrease in oil revenues does […]
Since 2002, Maryland has led the nation in one unfortunate respect: partisan gerrymandering. Maryland helped pioneer the modern aggressive gerrymander, dividing communities and diluting voters’ voices. This August’s special legislative session continued that tradition. Fortunately, two credible legal challenges have already been filed to protect the Maryland Constitution from legislators seeking to undermine it. Until […]
The Levant and Persian Gulf are drifting into a dangerous delusion. Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait increasingly embrace a fraudulent “non-aligned” posture. This stance claims independence but effectively tilts regional power toward a dangerous alignment: the Muslim Brotherhood pole and the Iranian axis. The threat remains immediate. Israel’s recent tactical airstrikes on Syria’s Abu al […]
Things aren’t going well with the war on Iran, six months after President Donald Trump commenced Operation Epic Fury at the urging of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu and his Mossad director painted a rosy scenario in which a combined U.S.-Israeli air campaign would quickly topple the weakened Iranian regime. Enamored by the success […]
Within a matter of days, Washington produced three snapshots of the hidden bill from the Iran war. The Pentagon signed a $22.9 billion contract to expand Tomahawk production. The Navy dispatched the USS George Washington from the Western Pacific to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln after a punishing deployment. Then, President Donald Trump said he […]
Common sense tells us that the enemy of our enemy is our friend, and as well the converse: the friend of our enemy is our enemy. In dealing with Iran, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz, abiding by these simple truths would largely solve America’s issues and restore political viability to the conflict. President Donald […]
This week, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll has President Donald Trump’s approval rating at an abysmal 33%, a new low in his presidency. Trump started his second term with a 91% approval rating among Republicans, but that support has dwindled to 79%. While that number looks high on paper, it is significantly lower than the average […]