Trump's missile strike on Syria is not a sign he's succumbed to the siren call of internationalism or that he thinks the U.S. should be the world's policeman. Rather, it shows that he and his team understood the situation well enough to craft a response that served U.S. interests without putting U.S. concerns at risk. The precision strike Trump approved is not going to start a war with Russia, nor did it commit the U.S. to extensive involvement in Syria – but it did hurt what Assad cares about most: the military power that keeps him alive and in charge. By striking at a key element of Assad's military, his air force, and avoiding damage to Russians, Trump managed to achieve American objectives – deterring further chemical weapon use and signaling that the U.S. is willing to take action when it perceives it necessary – with no risk to American lives, with no risk of significant escalation, and without committing the U.S. to cleaning out the...(Read Full Post)