Good morning, and welcome, and congratulations. You made it to Friday. I’ll bet you didn’t think you would, on Monday. Got several inches of snow on the ground here. Time to become re-acquainted with my emotional support snow shovel. (sigh)
Today in History:
1493: Christopher Columbus, having been discovered by people he called Indians, leaves for Spain to report back to Ferdinand II on his investment in exploration. It was a few years later that Pedro Álvares Cabral actually found the path to India that Columbus was searching for.
1605: Miguel de Cervantes publishes the first in a series of books on Don Quixote.
1832: Charles Darwin lands in the Cape Verde Islands, the first landing of his voyages on The Beagle.
1919: The 18th Amendment, prohibiting alcohol, is ratified.
1938: Benny Goodman plays Carnegie Hall, the first Jazz concert there.
1941: Vice Admiral Patrick Bellinger warns of an assault on Pearl Harbor. He was about a year early.
1951: World’s largest gas pipeline opens (Brownsville, Texas, to 134th St, New York City).
1965: The Searchers’ “Love Potion Number 9” peaks at #3.
1974: Benchley’s novel Jaws is published.
1976: Peter Frampton releases Frampton Comes Alive. It went on to spend 10 weeks at number one on the Hot 100 Albums.
1979: Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi flees Iran for Egypt during the Iranian Revolution. Interesting how that and more recent events in Iran fall at the same time of year.
1992: Clapton’s Unplugged is released. It became the best-selling live album of all time, one of the few that actually eclipsed the aforementioned Frampton Comes Alive.
Birthdays today include: Tire-maker André Michelin; Anne Frank’s mother (Edith); Frank Zamboni, who invented the ice smoothing machine; Ethel Merman; pundit Norman Podhoretz; Racer AJ Foyt; Jim Stafford, Dr Laura Schlessinger of talk radio fame, James May of Top Gear and Grand Tour, and Supermodel Kate Moss.
* * *
I see Lazar Berman, a diplomatic/Christian affairs correspondent at the Times of Israel, saying on X that The New York Times has done an about-face about any action from us against Iran. Berman has been writing for the Times of Israel for the last few years, and he has a pretty strong background in security studies. Has a degree in the field, as I understand it. He’s also an IDF Reserve captain. So when he notices the ground under the little paragraph factory in Queens shaking like a wet dog, his observation has some serious cred behind it.
Says he:
NYT editorial board:
– Blasts ‘mayhem and death’ Iran has spread through ‘terrorist proxies’ Hamas, Hezbollah
– Praises effectiveness of Israel’s operations since Oct 7
– Says Obama approach to Iran has failed
– Does not oppose a US military strike on Iranhttps://t.co/DUKFm9unSH— Lazar Berman (@Lazar_Berman) January 15, 2026
For the New York Times editorial board to be printing this kind of editorial is astounding to me. Don’t mistake me; it is quite correct on all these points Berman lists.
But that’s just it: For as long as I’ve been alive, The New York Times has had the well-deserved reputation of making the wrong choice every time a choice was to be made, particularly when that choice involved a Republican President, as this situation does.
Consider: The New York Times praising Israel’s military actions, after spending decades condemning them at every opportunity? Issuing what can only be considered a very strong rebuke of Obama’s policy in the region, after spending every ounce of effort since 2009 in praising it and issuing pro-Iranian op-eds?
I’m telling you, those were NOT on my Bingo card. I suppose it’s possible, however unlikely, that the Times’s editors have come to understand that making a lot of noise in support of your chosen pol does not make their policies a success. This Op-ed might be taken as a confirmation that they’ve learned that lesson. In reality, I doubt they’ve learned a damned thing.
I have to wonder, for example, if they’ve canned Ben Rhodes, who was among the strongest supporters at the Times of Obama’s disastrous policies vis-à-vis Iran. Yeah, I don’t think so, either. More likely, this op-ed is the old leftist playbook move of getting out in front of the lynch mob and pretending it’s a parade you’re leading.
The sharper among you will note that I’ve not quoted the Times piece at all. That’s because, as a rule, I don’t source from there unless I have no other choice. It’s proven itself so unreliable (perhaps more correctly, it’s been so reliably bad) as to earn the permanent corner stool with the pointed hat. I won’t quote it or send it any traffic.
I do note that it put the editorial Berman points out behind a paywall. That placement seems indicative. Why paywall it? The editorial board must be trying to minimize the damage to its self-image, is the only thing I can figure. I do note that, in the editorial, it suggests our action in Venezuela was not judicious (a totally laughable assertion), so I suppose it’s not completely come out of its fantasy world yet.
Another possibility for the New York Times issuing this op-ed now is that it senses a change in the air. There is certainly that sense in the last few days.
Admittedly, my resources on the mechanics of Middle Eastern affairs have usually been limited, but even with that lack, I have begun to see a pattern. My perceptions of that pattern were confirmed over the last 24 hours or so:
Bret Baier: “Fox News can tonight confirm military assets are moving toward the Middle East after a recent withdrawal of Navy firepower in the region.”
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 16, 2026
None of this is surprising, but it’s nice to have the confirmation of what my instincts have been screaming for over a week now. The delay after the U.S. threat of military action against Iran strikes me as the amount of time needed to get the proper assets into the region. We’ve seen these delays in previous actions for that reason. By the nature of the thing, this would require coordination between the United States and its partners in the region. That takes time, as well. And the Fox story above, as well as indications from other sources, tells us that’s now happening.
I think we can also take this as a sign that Trump is listening, really listening, to the advice of the joint Chiefs. He’s always been the type to give his people a task and then trust them to do it. The tactic usually works, whoever is applying it.
As an example of more specific indicators, I’m seeing some reports that the U.S. carrier Abraham Lincoln and its strike group are moving from the South China Sea to within striking distance of the Middle East. VIN News:
At typical cruising speeds, the transit across the Indian Ocean to the Arabian Sea is expected to take approximately one week, positioning the group for arrival in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility by late January.
No U.S. carrier strike group is currently operating in the Middle East, a rare gap in naval presence highlighted by recent fleet trackers. The Lincoln, which had been conducting routine operations including F-35C flight ops and live-fire drills in the South China Sea, represents the closest available asset.
Between that and reports of a serious, if expected, spike in air and undersea activity, there’s some obvious preparation happening here.
I note that Trump is carefully making it obvious. Always less than completely specific, but the message he’s sending is clear: He wants Iran to know, both the regime (You’ve done it now) and the people (Help is coming).
Consider the message from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which I’ll quote in part here:
Our message to the Iranian people is clear. Your demands are legitimate. You are protesting for a noble cause. The United States supports you and your efforts to peacefully oppose the regime’s mismanagement and brutality.
Our message to the Iranian leaders is also clear. U.S. Treasury knows that, like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world. Rest assured, we will track them and you. But there is still time if you choose to join us. As President Trump has said, stop the violence and stand with the people of Iran.”
Some see the military moves being made at the moment as preparing for an extended conflict, but I rather suspect we’re simply being smart and preparing for all possible contingencies, not a main plan. I think it was Alexander Graham Bell who said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
I expect to see more details as the assets fall into place.
So, is the New York Times editorial Board simply sensing which way the wind is blowing and writing its editorials to accommodate the shift? Given its history, that doesn’t seem likely.
What does seem likely — indeed, a lock-sure bet — is that we are about to be subjected to paid anti-war protestors ripping up our cities again, very soon. I suspect that such protests will be about as popular as males in women’s sports and defunding the police. Oh, and speaking of unpopular, should we mention that these “protesters” will be the very same who were out in force against ICE raids? Yeah. Well, they gotta make their money somehow, I guess.
Bottom line: I’m not panicking. There’s no reason to.
Watchful? Of course.
Worried? No.
Recommended: Iranian Culture Is Not American Culture
Thought for the day: “Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.”
– Booker T. Washington
Take care of yourselves. Do me a favor, tell your friends about us here. Every hit helps. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Things are starting to move on many fronts. It’s at times like these that being informed is a serious advantage. We can help — become a VIP Member. Not only do you support the reporters and writers who support YOU, but you also get 60% off the regular price by going to this link and using the promo code FIGHT. Do it today.
And as always, your comments are welcome.
