Trump’s decision to assassinate the top military leader in Iran is tantamount to a declaration of war in the eyes of the Iranian government. It is incredibly reckless and could easily escalate into another major war in the Middle East as well as endanger the lives of people everywhere. Can you imagine the consequences if this practice becomes normalized?

That it happened comes as no surprise. It’s a continuation of a policy of threats, aggression, economic boycott, and belligerence of Trump and his advisers — not to mention the most aggressive groupings of U.S. imperial capital — against the Iranian people and government with the aim of regaining singular dominance in this region of the world. His decision to withdraw from the joint nuclear accord of the two countries was but the opening of larger goal of regime change.

What also isn’t surprising is its timing. It is hard not to think that Trump who finds himself in the middle of an impeachment process and facing a very challenging reelection at year’s end, hopes to rally the country around and wrap himself up in the flag in the face of these challenges to his presidency.

This is a terrific speech, delivered on New Year’s day in Boston. Deserves reading and circulating. Had I not contacted Working Families Party earlier to volunteer to work on Warren’s campaign here in New York, I would probably have done so upon reading this inspiring speech. WFP endorsed Warren a while back. Hopefully she will win the nomination, but if that doesn’t happen, I will, without bellyaching, do whatever I can to support and get the vote out for whoever the nominee is.

If you’re feeling dispirited, read this; if you’re not, still read it!

John Bellamy Foster is an interesting and insightful analyst of capitalism. His work on its ecological crisis is notable. But his strategic and tactical skills seem limited. In a recent (rather long) interview, he insists that the immediate task is to “unite the revolutionary left” and to effect “no compromises with neoliberalism.” This strikes me as really wrongheaded, given the fact that the main challenge at this moment is to unite a broad and diverse democratic front/coalition to check the immediate danger of white nationalist, mysogynist, xenophobic, anti-democratic and anti-working class right wing authoritarianism from consolidating and extending its power over state and society in the coming elections.

I wouldn’t pay any attention to Foster’s prescriptive advice were it not for the fact that some others on the left seem to share this view. Thus it can’t be ignored entirely.

That said, I don’t think it should take up too much of our oxygen in the coming months. There is a much bigger world out there to win.

It was only a few weeks ago that Hillary took a lot of heat for saying that people shouldn’t be fooled by Tulsi Gabbard. Last week TG voted present on two impeachment articles. Advantage Hillary!