Brief and to the point.
Was the killing of Qassem Soleinani intentional or accidental?
To hear Trump, it was planned. The U.S. had to get him. He was planning to do further harm to U.S. personnel and interests.
Trump however is not speaking about the incident with the same bravado he normally does. I think the death was part of an unusually harsh retaliatory action. The dead man had nothing to do with it.
U.S. responses proportional? I don’t know. Everyone shooting and killing. However, the U.S. doing most of the killing.
Khomenei promises “harsh retaliation.” It will come. Trump has unreasonably treated Iran since he “cancelled” the U.S./Iran 2015 agreement.
Are we at war? You tell me. Assume Vice President Pence was intentionally or inadvertently killed at the Toronto Airport by Iranians. Would we then be in an open war with Iran? A declared one? Of course.
I am concerned Trump’s bombing which resulted in Soleinani’s death was not authorized or decided upon following consultation with Congress. Only Congress has the right to declare war. It’s in the Constitution. I forget. Trump pays no attention to the Constitution.
The Middle East has been a boiling cauldron for years. Wars everywhere. Not the “big one,” however. This could be the beginning. Iran has the capacity/influence to bring other Middle Eastern countries together in some sort of jihad against the U.S.
Nuclear bombs dropping all over the place.
An Apocalypse.
Found a parking place yesterday and was able to lunch at Harpoon Harry’s. Grabbed the only seat at the bar. Fortuitous. Sitting next to me was Devon Callahan.
Devon is my Chart Room friend. He is a snowbird. Owns a home here. Visits several months a year.
Love speaking with Devon! A source of knowledge. Important information.
Devon and his brother operate a large farm in northwestern Illinois. Soybeans, wheat, corn and the like. All sold through brokers. Generally to China.
Devon has been getting killed the past 2 years. Trump’s sanctions. He told me things are getting a bit better. Corn is beginning to move. Not yet soybeans.
He and his brother are getting hurt. However they are large enough to sustain the downturn in cash flow. As compared to many smaller farmers who have gone under.
He continues to be patient and wait. Nothing he can do. Not a happy camper.
Syracuse fans are in town. Don and Chris from Syracuse, Dan and Lisa from Skaneateles. We are going to watch the Syracuse game tomorrow at 4. Against Notre Dame.
All die hard Syracuse fans. Love watching the games with them!
Paul Pasqualoni is one of the nicest guys I have met. Soft spoken, easy going, a gentleman.
I knew Paul when he was Syracuse football coach back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.
Not the best, not the worst as a coach. Better than most in recent years. His Syracuse record was 107 wins, 4 Big East titles, and 7 AP top 25 finishes.
Pasqualoni announced his retirement from football recently. The past few years, he has been defense coordinator for the Detroit Lions.
I wish him well in retirement.
I noted somewhere that former Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey has been designated THE Syracuse Football Player of the Decade. He was. A great quarterback. He could run as well as pass.
Trump has mentioned on occasion he would like to be President forever. He admires world leaders who rule forever.
On this day in 1925, Benito Mussolini declared himself Dictator of Italy. He appointed himself Prime Minister forever. Forever lasted to 1943. Eventually his own Italian people shot him and his mistress, took them to a gas station, and hung their bodies upside down from a metal gas station pole.
Another “leader forever” was Mussolini’s friend Adolph Hitler. He was handed the Chancellorship of Germany on a civil platter. In effect begged to become Chancellor. One year later, he was designated Fuhrer.
Hitler did not waste time securing his position. He had the Reichstag pass the Enabling Act which gave Hitler’s cabinet power to enact laws without the consent of the Reichstag for 4 years and also the power to deviate from the German Constitution.
Hitler was Germany’s #1 from 1933 to 1945. In 1945, Hitler committed suicide and his body was burned together with Eva Braun’s outside the bunker in Berlin.
The Wright Brothers were the first to successfully fly. The year 1903.
Others previously tried. All failed.
One of the earlier attempts was by Leonardo da Vinci. He tried on January 3, 1496.
Everyone considers da Vinvi to have been only an artist. He had other talents. In addition to designing a plane of sorts, he worked on a tank, concentrated solar power, and an adding machine.
I frequently mention the blind cannot see. In those instances, I am making reference to people who refuse to understand what is real, what is truth.
My comment not original. I learned this morning that da Vinci is given credit for it. He wrote, ” There are three classes of people: Those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.”
A 30 year old English town counselor wanted all government owned facilities to be gender neutral. He was referring to gender neutral toilets. Campaigned on the issue.
He was recently arrested. Charged with 9 counts of sexually touching a child. He resigned his position immediately.
Some persons are fortunate to work in a field where everything they do creates/inspires happiness and joy. Such a person was Jerry Herman. The Broadway legend. The Broadway composer.
Hello Dolly one of his biggest hits.
Herman died December 26.
I mention him because he was once a Key West resident. Lived at 626 William Street. Composed music while residing there. Also had another source of income. He purchased dilapidated homes, renovated them, and then sold them.
May he rest in peace.
Jean and Joe Thornton have returned. I am meeting them at 5:30 at the Chart Room and then going to dinner with them later.
Enjoy your day!
Trump kills terrorist. Trump bad.
Trump doesn’t kill terrorist. Trump bad.
Trump IS bad. That is sufficient.
People always killing other people. People bad.
Sure sounds similar to the time when Obama was in office and there were drone strikes in Yemen killing terrorists and Republicans were going batsh*t.
What goes around comes around you hypocrites!
You guys complain out of both sides of your mouths
so you support drone strikes?
In an interview during the Obama years Trump accused Obama of going to war with Iran to win an election. Trump often uses psychological projection.
The last time Congress approved a joint resolution saying that a “state of war” existed was During WWII on June 5, 1942. Since then, the US has used the term “authorization to use military force”, as in the case against Iraq in 2002. US Presidents now commit forces under the authority of the War Powers Resolution, which requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action.
Probably most of Lou’s readers are too young to remember when we attacket targets as a retaliation to protect American interests; which led to gun-boats attacking US ships; which led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution; which led to 10 years of war and 58,318 Americans killed in action… all without a declaration of war.
..and a war we lost.
Not much of an airport there– Did not know the was a drown above it–or were the tower men going along with it all?
Maybe CIA.
You don’t believe any of this crap, do you?
Some say that the Tonkin incident was bogus.
I’m one of those. I was there and it did NOT happen, trust me!