Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration’s attempt to insert federal military (or Guard) force into major American cities has triggered a cascade of courtroom pushbacks. What looked like a bold posture on law and order is increasingly turning into a legal war of attrition. The administration, frustrated by injunctions and restraining orders, is…
The Arab States’ Moral and Strategic Test: Why They Can’t (or Won’t) Enforce Peace in Gaza
Every time the guns fall silent in Gaza, the world exhales like a nervous parent whose toddler finally stopped screaming. The diplomats dust off their talking points, the news anchors smile a little wider, and everyone starts asking the same hopeful question: “Who’s going to keep the peace this time?” Predictably, the answer that floats…
Bombs, Boats, and the Battle Against the Bad Guys
President Trump recently decided that enough is enough when it comes to the drug cartels flooding our streets with fentanyl, cocaine, and all manner of misery. He’s officially labeled these cartels as “unlawful combatants,” a fancy legal way of saying, “We’re treating them like terrorists, not just criminals.” Under this new policy, the U.S. military…
Tariffs as a Foreign Policy Tool: Strength or Strategic Overreach?
When President Trump announced plans for a 100% tariff on Chinese imports, the usual suspects on Wall Street gasped like they’d just seen the national debt clock explode. But while the markets hyperventilated, Main Street folks nodded and said, “Well, it’s about time somebody stood up to China.” And that’s the heart of the debate…
The Idol of Government: When We Trust the State More Than God
The government’s closed, the paychecks are paused, and somewhere between the Capitol and the cable news crawl, panic is setting in. Federal workers are anxious, politicians are grandstanding, and Americans everywhere are discovering just how much of their daily peace depends on whether Congress passes a spending bill. But this shutdown — messy as it…
The Test of True Peace: Why Hamas Must Lay Down Its Arms
President Trump’s diplomacy has won an important and dramatic pause: Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of a ceasefire plan that promises hostage releases, humanitarian corridors, and an initial Israeli withdrawal. This is a relief worth noting, but it’s not, on its own, an assurance of lasting peace. The reason is…
The Comey Arraignment
When James Comey stepped into that Virginia courthouse to plead not guilty today, the headlines focused on one man, but the deeper story is about a nation wrestling with the meaning of justice itself. For nearly a decade, Comey has been a symbol, loved by some, loathed by others, and distrusted by almost everyone in…
When Paychecks Become Pawns
According to reports, the White House has floated the idea that furloughed federal workers might not automatically receive back pay when this shutdown finally ends. You’d think that in a country that can send billions overseas at the drop of a hat, paying our own employees would be the easy part. Yet somehow, common sense…
Whose Guard Is It Anyway?
When armored trucks and camo uniforms roll down city streets, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of unease, even for those of us who appreciate law and order. Over the past few months, National Guard convoys have appeared in a few urban battlegrounds, all under orders from Washington. Governors are suing, federal lawyers are…
From Portland to Chicago: Is Federal Force the New Normal?
When the National Guard starts showing up in your backyard more often than the Amazon delivery guy, you start to wonder: is this just another bad news cycle or is it the new way we do government? Let’s recap the last few weeks. President Trump sends troops to D.C. to clean up the mess that…
The Independent Christian Conservative 