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Friday, January 3, 2020

US Military Kills a Terrorist, Left Not Pleased

From the story: President Trump ordered a game-changing U.S. military attack that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force, among other military officials at Baghdad International Airport early Friday, the Pentagon confirmed (Fox News). From Noah Rothman: In a dramatic escalation, demonstrators loyal to the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia laid siege to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, trapping its diplomats and staffers in guarded safe rooms and directly threatening the American presence in Iraq. The Pentagon intercepted intelligence suggesting further Soleimani-directed attacks on U.S. diplomats were imminent. The president acted preemptively (Commentary Magazine). Trump tweeted a threat, Iran responded “you can’t do anything” (Twitter). According to the White House, “General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region” (Twitter). From the Heritage Foundation: This strike against one of the world’s most odious terrorists is no different than the mission which took out Osama bin Laden – it is, in fact, even more justifiable since he was in a foreign country directing terrorist attacks against Americans (Twitter). The strike forced Netanyahu to shorten his Greece trip and return to Israel (Jerusalem Post). Background on Soleimani from 2013 (The New Yorker). But the Washington Post tweeted: Breaking news: Airstrike at Baghdad airport kills Iran’s most revered military leader, Qasem Soleimani (Twitchy). Actress Rose McGowan tweeted “Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us” (Twitter).

Conservatives Respond to Attack

From Senator Ben Sasse: “This is very simple: General Soleimani is dead because he was an evil bastard who murdered Americans” (Washington Examiner). From Dan Crenshaw: Soleimani, the world’s pre-eminent sponsor of terrorism, is now dead. He spent decades spreading death and destruction across the region, including engineering and providing IEDs to Shia militias in Iraq that were used to kill hundreds of Americans (Twitter). From Ben Shapiro: Trump’s Soleimani airstrike is utterly righteous. Soleimani was one of the worst human beings on the planet. America had to re-establish deterrence after Obama’s appeasement. This will not be the end of the story — Iran will continue to lash out. But they’re certainly on notice (Twitter). In a thread, David French explains why “separate congressional authorization was not necessary” as some have insisted and includes this: “Iranian-backed militias attacked U.S. troops lawfully present in a combat zone under valid legal authorities. Moreover, America’s military response isn’t limited to immediate self-defense or tit for tat. It can act to remove the threat. That threat includes enemy commanders” (Twitter). From Sebastian Gorka: One of the most evil men in the World is dead (Twitter). From Erick Erickson: I’m not an Iran expert, but the Ayatollahs tried to kill my dad and my family when I was a kid, so good for you @realDonaldTrump (Twitter).

Democrats Condemn Killing of Terrorist

Of those running for president, Joe Biden called it “a hugely escalatory move in an already dangerous region” (Twitter). Elizabeth Warren complained it is a “reckless move” (Twitter). Bernie Sanders called it a “dangerous escalation” (Twitter). Of those not running for president, Pelosi and Schiff, known for regularly leaking information, were upset they weren’t told ahead of time (Fox News). From Democrat Ilhan Omar: So what if Trump wants war, knows this leads to war and needs the distraction? (Twitter).

Castro Ends Presidential Run

From Jim Geraghty: With effort, you can feel a molecule or two of sympathy for Castro, as he did everything Democratic presidential candidates are told to do, but it never worked for him (National Review). From another story: In a crowded 2020 Democratic field originally featuring cringeworthy candidates such as Beto O’Rourke and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the former housing and urban development secretary still managed to run the most insufferably woke presidential campaign of this cycle (Washington Examiner). Meanwhile, Marianne Williamson has gutted her staff (Washington Times). Bernie Sanders is outraising the Democratic field (ABC News). And some people are bewildered that youth not only don’t like Buttigieg, but they appear to loathe him (Politico).

Anti-Semitism Grows in NYC Suburbs

And, as this story reveals, it continues on social media as thugs find encouragement in the recent attacks (Channel 4 New York). Meanwhile, from another story: The daughter of a man critically hurt in a machete attack during Hanukkah is pleading with the public to “stand up and stop this hatred” (ABC News). From David Harsanyi: There have been a number of repulsive articles over the past few weeks blaming New York’s Jews for precipitating violence that is, um, “seen by some” as anti-Semitic. Yet, this piece by NBC News, which insinuates that icky ultra-Orthodox Jews bring some of this misery on themselves by having the temerity to move to the suburbs, might be the most tone-deaf of them all (National Review).

Republicans Ask Supreme Court to Reconsider Roe v Wade

From the story: A bloc of more than 200 Republican lawmakers on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider two of the Court’s landmark abortion rights cases, calling the current precedents unworkable, and encouraging the justices to reconsider the “right to abortion” found in 1973’s Roe v. Wade decision.

Law and Crime

No Charges Filed Against Father Who Beat Pedophile Caught in Toddlers’ Bedroom

The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s department decided against filing charges.

Washington Examiner

Article Calls for Banning Private Schools

An unnamed person in an article the outlet calls “views that Americans are scared to share with their friends and neighbors.”

FiveThirtyEight