Whether or not Trump’s “America First” policy was intended to alienate our friends and allies does not matter, it has had that effect. He acted against the advice of the military, guided by those seasoned statesmen Mike Pompeio and Mike Pence. Pence, I guess, was able to draw on his experience of Near Eastern Indiana, and Pompeio learned a lot, I’m sure, when he was trying to destroy the CIA. I’m sure Trump did not need a lot of persuading, for if there is any wrong-headed and immature advice to be had, Trump will find and follow it. Trump’s murder of Soleimani was so stupid, so naive, so inflammatory, that even our good friends the Israelis are keeping their distance.

So now, Trump, all alone (except for P and P, and Giulliani) on the Empire State Building is pounding his chest and firing off one grave threat after another, scared shitless of Iranian retaliation. He’s even going to bomb Iran’s cultural sites, a war crime … Trump probably did not know it is a war crime, but now that he knows it surely doesn’t matter.