Perhaps it's my biased hearing, but Jake Sullivan, the president's National Security Advisor, seems positively ebullient that the U.S. will be sending cluster bombs to Ukraine. He's in his element, somehow.
Sullivan, notably, is one of the chief purveyors of the Russia collusion hoax. He smeared Trump, and he also lied to Congress about Michael Flynn, whose job he now holds after helping to push him out of it.
No one ever asks Sullivan about that -- or why anything he says about Russia should be considered credible, since he lied about Russia so egregiously, and simply for political gain, in the past.
He has, however, been asked about cluster bombs. The justification keeps changing: first we were told it would help the Ukrainian offensive; now it is a "bridge" because artillery shells are out.
The latter point is really significant: the Ukrainians no longer have ordinary shells, and nor do we. Sullivan says that far-more-deadly (to civilians) cluster munitions are a stopgap "bridge" in the meantime.
As to objections by the UK and others, Sullivan has tried, several times, to minimize these, describing them as a process of checking the legal boxes for signatories to the Oslo treaty banning the bombs.
What happened to the promises of diplomacy? What's the prospect of using these munitions -- a weapon of last resort -- to achieve any kind of battlefield success that translates into diplomatic gains?
I'm not opposed to cluster bombs in certain situations. I just think that there is no real prospect of getting past the stalemate in eastern Ukraine, and it's time to get the sides talking, not just shooting.
This is the final edition of THE AGENDA -- finished a few days early!
This week's portion elucidates some of the first laws and principles of the Torah that follow the Ten Commandments, including -- a message particularly relevant to freed slaves -- the Jewish restrictions on indentured servitude.
God also provides the basic civil laws of Jewish society, governing almost every area of life -- in this one portion! -- as well as several basic principles of faith and religious observance. Moses then ascends Sinai for 40 days.
One of the laws God gives is the law against taunting a foreigner. This is different from allowing people to enter your land illegally; it is about showing respect, however, for people from other lands and other groups.
I am reminded of the importance of this principle because of the rhetoric lately attacking Elon Musk, a fellow South African-turned-American, for his foreign roots -- often by people who favor illegal immigration, ironically.
...
Since the Palisades Fire on January 7, my posts have been fairly sparse. I have just been so busy -- fighting the fire, covering the fire, helping neighbors, and launching a new podcast, "Three Homeless Guys," with two local friends.
Things are up and down. My family is still displaced, and we haven't resolved our living situation. We are awaiting answers from the insurance company (State Farm) on what they will cover, including alternative living expenses.
There are some incredible opportunities opening up -- more on that later -- and our kids are generally doing well, though this has been hard for them as well (especially the two middle kids, who miss their friends and their house).
The emotion of it all hit me yesterday. Today I feel wrung out. But I also feel that, in a way, going through the fire has been a process of refinement, of re-casting in a new mould, to face new challenges. And to win each new day.
So much to talk about, once again, as the Trump administration continues at breakneck pace. From DOGE chewing through the federal bureaucracy, to Marco Rubio heading out on his first missions for Trump, there's so much...
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on the L.A. fires and reforming CA insurance
Matt Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on DOGE and confirmations
Jamie Paige -- founder of the Westside Current, on L.A. politics and the fires
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Rubio and Russia/Ukraine
Rob Hersov -- South African commentator, on SA's fight with the White House
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call in: 866-957-2874
