Trump warns of impeacement if Democrats win the midterms, a warning that may help boost Democrats.

 

Kamala Harris has publicly opposed the Iran war, saying that Americans really don't want this war. She is absolutely right. If she were our president right now, we would not be at war with Iran. In the last election, Trump won with 49.9% of the vote to 48.4% for Harris, so a difference of 1.5%. Hillary Clinton in the 2020 matchup with Trump, actually won the popular vote by that same margin, 1.5%, but lost in the Electoral College, giving Trump his first foray into national politics, something very unfortunate for our nation and for the entire world. Donald Trump will certainly be rememberd in the history books, but not in the way he would want to be remembered.

Major polls, including The Economist and CNN, have reported approval ratings for Trump of 36%–38% and disapproval ratings reaching 58%–61%.

Neither Harris nor California Governor Gavin Newsom is polling particularly well right now either, so Democrats may need some new faces for the next presidential election.

Donald Trump has not ruled out a military draft. 

If so, there will be a record number of conscientious objectors. He also warns that he'll be impeached if Republicans don't win the midterms, a message that may actually invite votes for Democrats.  

Wash. Post, As oil prices soar amid war in Iran, G-7 decides not to tap emergency stockpiles

Rising oil prices are shaking global stock markets and pushing gas prices toward $4 a gallon. .

Gas prices have been rising fairly steadily in our small town, but with some ups and downs.

Iran picks Ali Khamenei’s son, a powerful regime insider, as its next supreme leader

Khamenei's son is selected as Iran's supreme leader; 7th U.S. service member dies

Mojtaba Khamenei is deeply intertwined with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His selection sends a strong message of defiance to President Donald Trump.

Iran's new leader is age 56. Trump has called him "unacceptable," but he appears to be very popular right now with Iranians.

Wash. Post, War with Iran spreading economic damage far beyond oil and gas markets

Other economic sectors in Iran are already being affected and the damage is also spreading to other countries.

Wash. Post, Early Iran strikes cost $5.6 billion in munitions, Pentagon estimates

Wash. Post, Intel report warns large-scale war ‘unlikely’ to oust Iran’s regime

Donald Trump has said that he is just waiting for Iran to "cry uncle" but that looks rather unlikely, as Iranians' support for their new leader appears to be growing. Most Iranians seem to have greatly increased their support of the leadership just since the US attacks, something not really so surprising. 

Trump blames Iran for the destruction of the girls' school where at least 175 people were killed, including children and teachers. Does that really look like something Iran would have done? Isn't attacking a school a war crime? 

Classified Reports Shows Iran’s Weapons-Grade Uranium Could Be Recovered Despite Trump Claims Nuke Site Was Annihilated: NYT

Many questions remain. Both American and international support for Trump's Iran war appears to be shrinking by the day, but Trump may dismiss that as just more "fake news," his favorite label for any news he doesn't like.

Russia seems to be a major beneficiary of the war. Netanyahu also seems to be off-the-hook, at least for now.

Is a negotiated settlement with Iran still possible? Iran seems to be in an even stronger position than ever before, with both increased citizen and international support. Is any other country even supporting the US in this war? Israel may be supporting the war--or is that only Netanyahu? Russia seems to actually be benefiting the most.

There is a discussion on Reddit about anti-semitism: 

Israel is the primary beneficiary of this war against Iran, while America bears the costs.

Is any implied criticism of Israel automatically considered anti-semitic? Is this a lasting legacy of the Nazi era in Germany? 

NYTimes, 

Newsom Compares Israel to ‘Apartheid State,’ Questions Military Support

Newsom's comments Tuesday came after he sharply questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration. Netanyahu, Newsom said, "has got his own domestic issues. He’s trying to stay out of jail and he’s got an election coming up. He’s potentially on the ropes. He’s got folks, the hard line, that want to annex the West Bank,” with Newsom adding about Israel that some “are talking about it appropriately as sort of an apartheid state.”

Some acadamic commentators have characterized Israel as an aparthied state, as has Amnesty International.

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Tillis calls on Miller to depart White House: ‘Out of his depth’

While Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will soon depart her Cabinet-level post, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also wants White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to leave as well. Tillis told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday that Miller, a longtime adviser to Trump dating back to his first presidential campaign, is “out of his depth” and has been “repeatedly responsible for embarrassments” for the administration. When Tapper asked whether Tillis thought Miller should be relieved of his duties, the retiring senator replied, “Oh, of course I do.” Tillis is not seeking re-election, so is now speaking out freely.

Many of us also would like to see Miller leave the White House.

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After being imprisoned for 19 years, then at 2 am on Wednesday 8 February 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots, wrote her last ever letter. Addressing her brother-in-law, King Henri III of France, she told him, "I am to be executed like a criminal at eight in the morning."

So then, just a few hours later, it was "off with her head."

Her letter, written in French, is now on display at the Perth Museum in Scotland.