Mattis

(ANTIWAR.COM) — The Pentagon is indicating that they are about to announce a new deployment of US ground troops into Afghanistan, though they offered no specifics on the exact timing of the announcement, nor the specific size of the deployment.

(COMMONDREAMS) — A new investigation shows that President Donald Trump’s bombing campaign against ISIS (the Islamic State) over several months has already led to nearly as many civilian deaths as those overseen by the Obama White House over several years.

There should be a lower level to the statements by a US Secretary of Defence.
There should be a debunking of the unethical behaviour that repeatedly state that there is only a political solution to Syria and continue to use only violence.
There should be a discussion about international law here.
There should be a discussion of what is morally defensible in this case, even assuming for the sake of argument that President al-Assad is the worst guy on earth.

Dead comments, life halos and comedy wildlife + this day in history w/Deep Throat and our song of the day by The Charlatans on your Morning Monarchy for May 31, 2017.

by Gaius PubliusWe've written recently about the destabilization of the State under the pressure of the current situation (see "A Nation in Crisis, Again"). Lawrence Wilkerson, retired U.S. Army colonel, former chief of staff to Colin Powell, and frequent commenter on U.S. foreign policy, adds more.

(RPI) By the end of this month, Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Advisor HR McMaster will deliver to President Trump their plans for military escalations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. President Trump would be wise to rip the plans up and send his national security team back to the drawing board – or replace them.

 “Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war" (image source).by Gaius Publius“What I do is I authorize my military.

Troop movements, strategic assets & a friendly phone call + this day in history w/U-2 shot down and our song of the day by Matthew Sweet on your Morning Monarchy for May 1, 2017.

(ANTIWAR) Ongoing efforts by President Trump to delegate more and more of his war-making powers directly to the military leadership took a major new step on April 20, when he signed a classified memo delegating all decision-making on US troop levels in the global war against ISIS to Defense Secretary James Mattis.

(ANTIWAR) With the region still reeling after last week’s US missile attacks on Syria, top administration officials continue to threaten further attacks against the Syrian military, with the White House saying President Trump retains the option to attack Syria whenever he thinks it’s “in the national interest.”