Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Here.

Re: “Americans among 19 dead in Syria suicide bombing”:

Innocents were no doubt killed by a malignant ideology that’s far from defeated. Our forces can be effective enablers of peace and stability, but they need to be properly used and then backed up by stable leadership, and a coherent diplomatic and military strategy.

Sadly, during the Trump presidency we can’t be assured our troops are appropriately deployed and supported. The status of our current presidential leadership is highly uncertain. Virtually no evidence supports the premise that President Donald Trump is thoughtful or informed, or that he has a competent team integrated into his decision making.

Trump goes out of his way to parrot Kremlin talking points and hide his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Whether Trump is just incompetent or a wholly owned subsidiary of Russia is the real national-security crisis, not some stupid border wall.

Jeremy Watt, Seattle

Many people are saying that the Mainstream Media will have a very hard time restoring credibility because of the way they have treated me over the past 3 years (including the election lead-up), as highlighted by the disgraceful Buzzfeed story & the even more disgraceful coverage!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019

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Here.

Here.

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A scene from today's bike ride. Click to enlarge.

As special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election appears to be in its final stages, it seems increasingly likely that President Trump will be implicated in a federal crime. If so, Congress must act; members must abide by their oath to support and defend the Constitution by holding Trump accountable through impeachment proceedings. The oversight responsibility, designed to guard against tyranny, has held since ratification more than 230 years ago. Whether it will continue to hold is entirely up to the 116th Congress.

It can be argued that not since the Civil War has there been as serious a threat to the structure of our government, as it was envisioned by the Framers. President Lincoln, credited with having saved the Republic, spoke with eloquence and solemnity about the sacrifices made by those who died defending our constitutional democracy “to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” Since then, countless other Americans, on too many battlefields to count, also gave the last full measure defending our freedoms. Allowing Trump to preside over the subversion of the Constitution without accountability would render the system of checks and balances purposeless and desecrate the graves of the fallen.

Jim Paladino

Tampa

Why would Nancy Pelosi leave the Country with other Democrats on a seven day excursion when 800,000 great people are not getting paid. Also, could somebody please explain to Nancy & her “big donors” in wine country that people working on farms (grapes) will have easy access in!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2019

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Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1973). Straight-ahead rock and roll.