Games of Nations
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
By Kenneth Allard
Even if f you have been diligently playing the Game of Nations these last three days, then you might not completely grasp what happened. Donald Trump turned his back on lesser and more recent presidential performances; outraged his base by saying one thing while doing another; executed a strategic deception plan for the ages and maybe, just maybe, accomplished more in a single, frenetic weekend than his last two Democratic predecessors did during their twelve years of maladministration.
Even if you thought that felonious Donald Trump was fit only for indictment and prosecution, escaping sudden death in Butler by a millimeter’s momentary head fake, you have to wonder Who is fighting his battles? Who indeed could seduce Washington, where no secret is safe for five seconds, that its media and open-source geniuses should fix their gazes and gazetteers due west – even while the massed formation of B-2 bombers and their escorts closed on Iran from the east.
More than anything, intelligence officers hate being caught “to the left of Boom” when you have no idea what’s hitting you, how often or even where it came from: Yet that is exactly where the hapless Persians found themselves last Saturday evening. You might have even heard the prayers for deliverance being raised as the bunker-busters found their mark. Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, “Blessed are you, Lord our God…” Or as that line from Genesis puts it: “I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curses thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3 KJV)
Having been raised as a Preacher’s Kid, I understand how even proximity to religion causes some people to swoon in discomfort and unbelief. If that’s you, then please consider these eloquently secular judgments posted on Spectator by Scottish columnist Stephen Daisley: “It was Trump who recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital while brokering normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states…It was Trump who tore up Barack Obama’s naive and dangerous Iran deal and took out terror chief Qasem Soleimani. It was Trump who declared Communist China’s systematic destruction of the Uyghurs a genocide and who convinced India and Pakistan to back down from their recent stand-off. Now it appears to be Trump who has prevented the rise of a nuclear Iran.” His heretical conclusion: “Trump is making the world a safer place.” https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/trump-is-making-the-world-a-safer-place/
No matter how reasonable these conclusions, they are anathema to two groups of people: Democratic thought leaders (e.g, the Squad, Representatives Crockett and Castro of Texas, virtually all Democratic Senators) and naturally the media: (e.g., the ladies of The View, Tom Friedman, Christiane Amanpour, Saturday Night Live, CNN (are they still in business?) and the Push-Me/Pull-You desk at the New York Times. All are single-minded in their disdain for President Trump, can be depended upon to make statements seeming to arise directly from the fertile minds of The Babylon Bee: but rather than satire, these folks are dead-serious.
It is only the shortest of steps from these unfrocked Democrats to Washington’s Official Thinkers, who are often called upon to issue oracular judgments confirming the expert view of Donald Trump as an out-of-control rube. Apparently wanting to explore satire for themselves, Politico recently invited eight well-known experts from the foreign policy community to speculate on how the US might actually bomb Iran. The resulting “wisdom” was what you might expect, “What matters is the objective and how it is publicly framed” said one expert. Another sensibly added, “It is much easier to start wars than to end them.” Reliable middle ground was staked out with that old saw, “There is no military solution to the conflict between Israel and Iran.” And after so much boring centrism, it was refreshing to see one expert dive off the deep end, “Tehran will ultimately pick the path of diplomacy.” https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/06/18/us-attacks-iran-expert-predictions-analysis-00413901
But what few experts suspected was that the attack on Iran, when it did come, would display the synchrony of teamwork and operational sophistication that has become a hallmark of American military art. The triad of stealth, precision weapons and global reach represent the latest evolution of the “extended weapon system” that has been the principal focus of our armed forces ever since Desert Storm. While we can be grateful for the growth of technical sophistication in our armed forces, it is not matched by corresponding levels of understanding that can bridge the political spectrum. Sadly, the Democratic left is casting itself more and more as a permanent outlier, a vagabond collection of cliches and superficiality, utterly unprepared to manage the hard skills of national security leadership. Democracies die hard in delusion!
Colonel (Ret.) Ken Allard is a former draftee who became a West Point professor, Dean of the National War College and NBC News military analyst.
Read some of this article, "Supreme Court allows Trump's third-country deportations, in major test for president", https://www.foxnews.com/person/d/breanne-deppisch, which aside from being a victory for the administration unveiled the hidden danger of even SCOTUS. In Sotomayor's descent she exposed two points, 1) that she thinks lower courts should be doing high stakes international negotiations, and 2) that this is an abuse of "abuse of the Court’s equitable discretion". The first item is absurd and shows no understanding of separation of powers, and the second admits to ignoring the law in favor discretion. The courts are not there for opinion of to exercise discretion, but to ensure that the law is followed. They don't make the law and they should not operate outside the law but here we have a Supreme Court justice that's is advocating that very thing simply because she would like to see things done differently than the law allows. What a disgrace which this time at least did not become the law of the land.
In these critical times, the U.S. military stands resolute in its mission: to deter our nation’s adversaries and, when necessary, to fight and win our wars. This dual objective of warfighting and deterrence is not just vital; it is the bedrock of our national security and the safety of every American. Our ability to maintain credible deterrence is fortified by having the world’s most powerful military and a Commander-in-Chief—President Donald J. Trump—who possesses the competence, resolve, and unwavering will to utilize this force when necessary.
This credible deterrence is essential for thwarting adversaries and keeping our nation out of unnecessary conflicts. Under President Trump, U.S. foreign policy has returned to the principles championed by former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. The "Weinberger Doctrine" emphasizes that military power should only be committed when vital national interests are threatened, that it should be used overwhelmingly with the intention to win, and that it should be employed only as a last resort with clear political and military objectives.
It is no surprise that a clear majority of Americans voted for President Trump, recognizing his commitment to these principles. Yet, in recent days, we have witnessed a small number of individuals—countable on one hand—who lack the competence to engage in meaningful discourse. Instead, they attempt to gaslight the public with a left-biased narrative that is not only anti-American but also borders on anti-Semitic and seditious.
Since November 4, 1979, the American people have been justifiably wary of the military adventures of the Iranian regime. Today, we stand united behind our esteemed 47th President, Donald J. Trump, who enjoys a clear majority in both the U.S. Congress and the Senate. It is heartening to see our Commander-in-Chief dispatch the USS Nimitz, a vessel that played a significant role in Operation Eagle Claw.
Let us not forget the lessons of history. The failed attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran in 1980 under the Jimmy Carter presidency was mismanaged and, as Ronald Reagan aptly put it, conducted in a "Max Brothers fashion." Today, we witness a meeting with destiny as the USS Nimitz, scheduled for decommissioning in 2026 after decades of distinguished service, participates in operations against the evil and barbaric regime of the ayatollah. This ship will finish its service with honor, a testament to our military's resolve and our nation's commitment to standing firm against tyranny.
Together, we will continue to support our military and our President as they work tirelessly to protect our freedoms and uphold our values.