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, Persecution, and the Cross
Yesterday’s U.S. strike against Islamic State–linked militants operating in Nigeria, reportedly carried out with the approval and cooperation of the Nigerian government, landed with the kind of moral thud that foreign-policy decisions rarely avoid. President Trump framed the action in part as a response to violence that has included the targeting of Christians, a claim…
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…
Strength, Justice, and the Need for Honest Leadership
Yesterday was quite the day for headlines — from military shake-ups to foreign-policy gambles to federal agencies throwing elbows — and each story points to the same underlying truth: America desperately needs clarity, character, and courage from its leaders. Not perfection (only God has that résumé), but a steady moral compass in a moment when…
Peace, Principles, and the Perils of Political Amnesia
Some weeks in politics feel like a three-ring circus, and lately the lions, clowns, and tightrope walkers have all shown up at once. On one side of the world, we’ve got a draft peace plan for Ukraine that asks them to hand over territory to Russia like it’s a neighborhood potluck. On the other side…
Why President Trump’s New Refugee Cap Isn’t the End of American Compassion
Well, the media is howling again. This time it’s over President Trump’s decision to set the refugee admissions cap at 7,500 per year, the lowest in U.S. history, and to prioritize white South Africans (Afrikaners) who’ve faced targeted violence back home. You’d think, from the headlines, that Lady Liberty herself just packed up and left…
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…
East Timor Joins ASEAN: A Small Country with a Big Lesson for the World
East Timor just made history by becoming the 11th member of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. That might sound like bureaucratic alphabet soup, but it’s a big deal, both for Asia and for anyone who still believes in freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination. This marks ASEAN’s first expansion since the 1990s, and it welcomes…
Trump’s 10% Tariff Threat Over Ontario’s Reagan Ad: Smart Leverage or Overreaction?
Sometimes it feels like President Trump is one headline away from dropping a tariff. This weekend’s flare-up with Canada proves the point. While flying aboard Air Force One to Malaysia, Trump posted on Truth Social that he’s planning to raise tariffs on Canadian goods by another 10%. The reason? A television ad from the province…
The Independent Christian Conservative 