The renewed debate over presidential war powers, sparked by Vice President J.D. Vance’s dismissal of the War Powers Resolution as “fake” and unconstitutional, exposes more than a technical disagreement about statutes. It reveals a deeper conflict over authority, restraint, and accountability in the exercise of force. At stake is not merely how wars are authorized,…
Power Without Righteousness Is Not Strength
Yesterday’s closed-door briefing to lawmakers on U.S. actions in Venezuela did little to resolve the most troubling questions raised by the operation. If anything, it exposed a widening gap between executive power and moral clarity. Members of Congress emerged divided not merely over tactics or outcomes, but over first principles: who authorizes force, what limits…
Power, Precedent, and the Perils of Unilateral Force: The High-Risk Gamble of Capturing Maduro
The U.S. military strike on Venezuela and the announced capture of Nicolás Maduro mark one of the most dramatic assertions of American power in the Western Hemisphere in decades. The operation will likely stand alongside the most consequential unilateral interventions of the modern era, not only because of its immediate tactical audacity but because of…
Syria, Sacrifice, and the High Cost We’re Too Quick to Call “Waste”
The deadly attack on American personnel in Syria—and President Trump’s pledge of a decisive response—has once again forced the country to confront a question we never seem to settle: What is worth the cost? Every time U.S. service members are killed abroad, the debate begins almost instantly. Why are we there? What are we gaining?…
Mixed Signals in the War on Drugs
The U.S. scored a hard-fought win with the guilty plea of Joaquín Guzmán López — son of infamously brutal cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán — a leader in the cartel faction known as “Los Chapitos.” He admitted overseeing massive trafficking of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and other narcotics into the United States. That’s the kind…
America’s Security Strains, Congressional Shakeups, and the Search for Serious Leadership
If the last week of news has taught us anything, it’s this: America is juggling more security concerns and political reshuffling than a circus clown with stage fright. From Afghan nationals making threats on TikTok to a loyal Trump-aligned congressman hanging up his boots, the moment feels… busy. And not the peaceful, sipping-sweet-tea-on-the-porch kind of…
When the World Feels Like It’s Smoldering
Sometimes the news hits you like a three-alarm fire, a Beltway ambush, and a political meltdown all at once. And lately? We’ve had all three. From a devastating shooting near the White House, to a horrific high-rise inferno in Hong Kong, to Ukraine’s top presidential aide stepping down amid corruption raids, the world feels like…
Faith, Security, and Common Sense: Three Things America Could Use a Lot More Of
So, there were two interesting headlines yesterday. First, we’ve got Pope Leo XIV touring Turkey to honor the ancient roots of Christianity. On the other, we’ve got an Afghan evacuee — supposedly a vetted U.S. “ally” — allegedly ambushing National Guardsmen near the White House. If that combination doesn’t describe the moment we’re living in,…
The Moral Weight of America’s Return to Nuclear Testing
When President Trump tells the Pentagon to dust off the old test tunnels in Nevada, you can almost hear the collective gasp echo from Washington to Geneva. After more than three decades of quiet on the nuclear front, the United States is preparing to “match Russia and China” by restarting nuclear weapons testing. That’s not…
Why America’s Naval Move in the Caribbean Deserves Both Support and Scrutiny
When President Trump ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group into the Caribbean to combat narco-terror networks, the world took notice. The decision—backed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—wasn’t just a routine show of force. It was a declaration that America will no longer tolerate cartels poisoning our children, destabilizing our neighbors, and infiltrating…
The Independent Christian Conservative 