Tackling Tehran
 
The same critics who for the past two years have been insisting that warmongering Trump would get us into a war are continuing to attack him as "erratic" for not getting us into a war last week with Iran.    
 
If the president had ordered strikes that resulted in a wider conflict, these same newspapers, commentators and critics would be leading anti-war marches on Washington, D.C.  No matter what the president does, it is wrong in their view.
 
Over the weekend, President Trump responded to his critics, saying:
 
"Everybody was saying I'm a warmonger and now they say I am a dove.  I think I'm neither if you want to know the truth.  I'm a man with common sense and that is what we need in this country -- common sense."
 
I think it is fairly obvious that Iran is trying to goad the U.S. into war.  Its provocative acts are the regime's efforts to change the reality it now faces.  U.S. sanctions have deeply damaged Iran. Public discontent is rising in Iran. 
 
Today the president ratcheted up the pressure with more sanctions targeting the vast wealth of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 
 
The ayatollah is desperate to unite his own people and to split Europe from the United States on the issue of sanctions.  Reasonable people can disagree, but in my view, the president was correct to step back, demonstrate restraint and not fall for the bait. 
 
But if Iran continues to escalate the situation, particularly with attacks aimed at U.S. personnel, the president will respond forcefully.  During an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd yesterday, the president was clear, saying, "I'm not looking for war and if there is, it'll be obliteration like you've never seen before."
 
Meanwhile, the president did respond to Iran's aggression with cyberattacks against the regime's missile control systems.
 
 
 
Trump Derangement Syndrome
 
Trump derangement syndrome might seem like a joke, but, sadly, it is a real thing.  Last week several liberal media outlets ran stories saying that some observers were very worried that Trump would refuse to leave the White House if he lost the 2020 election.  (Here, here and here.)
 
These reports are more fake news, and the president used the opportunity to demonstrate his sense of humor.  He tweeted a brief video that concluded with "Trump4EVA," mocking the idea he wouldn't leave. 
 
Donald Trump, a billionaire businessman and former host of a hit reality TV show, understands mass communication better than most. 
 
 
 
2020 Update
 

• Retired admiral and former Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak joined the 2020 Democrat primary yesterday.  According to Fox News, Sestak is the 25th Democrat to jump into the race. 

• The 20 Democrat candidates who have qualified will appear for two nights of debates, hosted by NBC News, on Wednesday and Thursday night. 

 
 
Left vs. Left
 
It's often been said that the left frequently ends up eating its own.  It is impossible to manage the various victim classes that all qualify for special status under the left's ideology.  For example, in St. Paul, Minnesota, there is a growing dispute involving a Muslim city councilman and members of the homosexual community. 
 
Kassim Busuri (D) is a city councilman in St. Paul.  Last week, he was the lone dissenting vote against a resolution recognizing June as "Gay Pride Month," claiming Islam does not support homosexuality. 
 
Homosexual rights activists have uncovered past social media posts by Busuri which they claim are homophobic, and they are demanding he resign immediately. 
Busuri isn't backing down, and says that efforts by his LGBTQ critics to force him out amount to Islamaphobia. 
 
So it appears we have a case of homophobes versus Islamaphobes, and everyone involved is a liberal!