The Return of History in Southwest Asia
Source: Law & Liberty
by Ibrahim Al-Marashi
“The third Gulf War is the latest in a long line of fumbles in the region.” (04/16/26)
https://lawliberty.org/the-return-of-history-in-southwest-asia/
Category: Opinion
You don’t need to live in China to experience China’s censorship
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Sarah McLaughlin
“You’re most likely reading this article from a country that is not China. So, naturally, you might think that China’s censorship laws have nothing to do with you. Not so fast. The interconnectedness of global commerce has created crevices for authoritarian censorship to seep in, and the latest news out of the Victoria and Albert Museum offers a perfect illustration of how it unfolds. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the United Kingdom’s famed art institution, joins the growing list of institutions that have consented to censorship rules imposed by the Chinese government in order to print goods more affordably in the country.” (04/16/26)
Hegseth excoriates media, likening them to “Pharisees”
Source: Fox News
by Rachel del Guidice
“Secretary of War [sic] Pete Hegseth ripped the media Thursday, likening them to Pharisees in the Bible who ‘were only there to explain away the goodness in pursuit of their agenda’. ‘A note to the press, to the press corps, to the American media, as I just can’t help but notice the endless stream of garbage, the relentlessly negative coverage, you cannot resist peddling, despite the historic and important success of this effort and the success of our troops,’ Hegseth said during a press briefing on the war with Iran, at the Pentagon. … He went on to say that it was difficult to ‘figure out what side’ some of the press was on. ‘It’s incredibly unpatriotic,’ he said.” (04/16/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/media/hegseth-excoriates-media-likening-pharisees-trump-defense
Getting The Bureaucracy Out of Broadband
Source: The Daily Economy
by Satya Marar
“Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer recently signed an executive order directing state and district agencies to work together and expedite permits for broadband and other infrastructure projects. The order aims to expand statewide internet connectivity and keep Delaware businesses competitive by reducing regulatory bottlenecks. It’s one of many state and federal initiatives to remove barriers to the deployment of next-generation broadband. Delaware has the right idea.” 904/16/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/getting-the-bureaucracy-out-of-broadband/
The Problem With Trump’s War Bombast
Source: The Dispatch
by Geoffrey S Corn
“A U.S. president has suggested that he may order the destruction of an entire civilization. This is the same president who stated in an interview that he’“doesn’t need’ international law and the same president who appointed as his secretary of defense someone with a record of disparaging the importance of law and the role of legal advisers in relation to U.S. combat operations. … These laws matter. They matter because they strike a logical balance between the necessities of war and humanitarian protection. But they also matter because they protect our own forces — not just from what may happen if they fall into enemy hands, but by enabling them to live with the consequences of their actions.” (04/16/26)
Iran: A Longer View
Source: Town Hall
by Victor Davis Hanson
“The prognosis of the Iran War is now so couched in politics and so warped by the American Left that the public has grown tired and wants it all to go away. But in truth, the situation is so fluid that any accurate prediction is impossible. Yet there is good reason to believe in an eventual outcome quite favorable to the U.S. and one far better than the status quo ante bellum. Prior to President Donald Trump’s most recent announcement that the United States would first blockade and then reopen and control traffic through the Strait, only a few ships were going through, mostly those aligned with Iran, opposed to the U.S., or neutral. Thus, the Strait was disrupted to a far greater degree than during Iran’s earlier efforts at closure during the ‘Tanker War’ phase of the Iran-Iraq War, as well as its chronic harassment of shipping in 2018-19. And now?” (04/16/26)
https://townhall.com/columnists/victordavishanson/2026/04/16/iran-a-longer-view-n2674575
Two Lessons from Hungary for 2026 and 2028
Source: Liberal Currents
by Alan Elrod
“Our system is wildly different from Hungary’s. The story of our last decade and a half is different, as well. But what Sunday did show us is that, so long as a toehold of democracy remains, a people can come together to throw off authoritarian rule.” (04/16/26)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/two-lessons-from-hungary-for-2026-and-2028/
Trump’s “Great Healthcare Plan” To Replace Obamacare Isn’t Much of a Plan
Source: Reason
by Peter Suderman
“For the better part of a decade, Republicans ran on a single mantra when it came to health care: repeal and replace Obamacare. When the slogan was conceived, it made political and strategic sense. But Republicans never had a plan for what to replace it with. … In January 2026, Trump finally delivered something he dubbed ‘The Great Healthcare Plan.’ Whether it’s great might be a matter of debate. But it is in no way, shape, or form an actual plan.” (for publication 05/26)
https://reason.com/2026/04/16/trumps-great-healthcare-plan-isnt-much-of-a-plan/
Keep the Kurds Out of the Iran War
Source: The American Cosnervative
by Nicholas Spyridon Kass
“It’s good for the U.S., and for them too.” (04/16/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/keep-the-kurds-out-of-the-iran-war/
The Iran War Exposes the Emptiness of American “Strength” in East Asia
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Joseph Solis-Mullen
“For decades Washington has advertised its air and naval supremacy as the indispensable guarantor of global order. Recent events have shown this to be little but increasingly expensive theater. The 2026 Iran War has paused not with Iranian capitulation but in a cascade of humiliations that have permanently altered the strategic landscape. Washington’s vaunted power-projection capabilities proved unable to shield even its own forward bases, depleted critical munitions stockpiles, and ultimately ceded effective control of the Strait of Hormuz to Tehran. These lessons will not be lost on Beijing or Taipei.” (04/16/26)