143 Comments
User's avatar
Karen Young-D’Angelo's avatar

Department of Defense vs. Department of War. We defend our nation, our people, our constitution. We defend other countries as needed. The very name Department of War suggests a bullish demeanor, that there is no negotiation. The title was correct in its time with Washington - we were in a position to fight for our own liberty. I have the old song playing in my head…”War! Good God y’all!What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!”

This is indeed a very ominous time for us.

Warden Gulley's avatar

Trump is picking a fight. He wants a war. He needs a war. Every authoritarian needs an enemy in order to legitimize his repression at home. There is not only an enemy within. There is an enemy without. Which is exactly the case with Venezuela. It will be the enemy without military capability. What a perfect enemy for the bully to intimidate. He's still trying to join the ranks of Xi, Vladimir and Kim. Even though they reject him as a wannabe.

Mark Rodin's avatar

America needs this like it needs a luckencup (translation from Yiddish: a hole in your head). I smell the distinct aroma of Epstein diversion justified by the Monroe Doctrine, Charlie .

JaneJ's avatar

I think that there's almost no cabinet member who will cling to power as tightly as Sec. Makeup Studio given that he's only in his 40s with umpteen children. He'll never again be as relevant as he currently is w/ this pres. in power, and he'll never again have access to as many taxpayer-funded perks, like round the clock security for his enormous family. It's very dangerous to have a person in charge of the largest, most lethal military in the world to be bound so tightly to one particular man, rather than the American people/Constitution.

Mesomachines's avatar

Wonder if US warships are in South America to interdict cargo ships from China buying soybeans from Argentina and Uruguay rather than from US farmers

Nancy Ulin's avatar

Auggie's photo: Travels with Charlie. The Seal Team 6 story: a really good read.

Linda Oliver's avatar

Ya know, some people might consider attacking a ship full of fishermen an act of war. Good thing some people don’t take that personally.

Geraldine Brown's avatar

Create a war so he can declare a national emergency and really increase surveillance and decrease movement of civilians. Wash away Epstein.

BabsPHL's avatar

Wow! George Will finally goes back to real world! Hope David brooks, Douthat wake up!

Duane Pierson's avatar

Our Warrior-in-Chief, aka Prez Bonespurs, is stirring up the waters (literally) south of the border. Maybe getting ready to put our military in harm's way, something that was way too much to ask of him while he was hobbled w bonespurs.

And, BTW, one man Trump admired bigly, Rodrigo Duterte - the former prez of the Philippines, has been surrendered by the Philippines to the custody of the ICC for murder charges for his summary executions of alleged drug dealers.

NLTownie's avatar

What a smooth move for someone expecting to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Duane Pierson's avatar

Hell hath no fury like Trump scorned! Anyway, is there a better place to launch the Duterte approach to drugs than from a "floating island of garbage" as a MAGA comedian refers to it?

Stay tuned.

JA's avatar

One never hears Trump say the word - PEACE! It is the fist raised at all times and at all appearances. He always is looking for a battle, and every battle turns into a WAR!

Cascadian's avatar

"The executive order states that Hegseth may use 'Secretary of War' as an 'additional secondary title' ....”

Or just call him "the SOW" for short.

Janice's avatar

You know it’s bad when the conservative congress loses George Will.

t4Ms's avatar

Expanding one’s vocabulary is usually a good thing. However, in the case of “tumescent”, I rather wish I hadn’t looked it up :/

Diane Battista's avatar

Everything that Trump and his followers do and say is about viciousness like that’s proof of being manly. It is the most emotionally immature, small petty minded arrested, emotional development ever. The lowest level of thinking. Always this thuggery talk.

Oh my gosh, you put the way Barack Obama could / can articulate and carry on a conversation next to this stuff and there is such a start contrast.

Does it appear that he is trying to start World War II? Orchestrating it.?

Picking fights ?

Diane Battista's avatar

Is the next executive order going to be to get rid of every windmill that is used to produce energy?

How about the dripping water in the showers?

Diane Battista's avatar

Excellent compilation again, Charlie