When David French Doesn't Condemn Trump's Actions, It's Worth Noting

I’ve long respected David French’s work, though I’ve certainly not always agreed with him. Yes, yes, I know — he’s very NeverTrumpy. Well, so was I during the 2016 election. What’s changed for me since then is that I’ve morphed into what I’ve previously referred to as a “TrumpSkeptic.” I don’t hate everything Trump does and I don’t love everything he does. I don’t suffer from “TDS,” nor do I deify him. I think he’s an extraordinarily and very visibly flawed human being but I also recognize that, from a policy and result standpoint, he’s often singing my song. He’s surprised me on that — pleasantly.

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I noted the benefit of this vantage point last night, as the news of Qassem Soleimani’s being taken out made the rounds and the Twitterverse erupted in celebratory jigs or handwringing (depending on which “side” one happens to favor):

My colleagues here have already covered some of the embarrassing shows made last night and this morning by the left-leaning smart set.  (READ: Liberals Lose Their Minds After Trump Kills Iran’s Qassem Soleimani; Iranians, Iraqis Are Celebrating Trump Taking Out Soleimani, but WaPo Calls Terrorist Leader ‘Most Revered’; Pelosi, Schiff, and the Media Position Themselves to Maximize the Political Opportunity Soleimani’s Death Provides.)

But what caught my eye last night was David French’s analysis of the legality of the strike. French took to Twitter and provided the following insight:

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French’s conclusion about the legality of the strike? In a nutshell:

Suleimani was an evil, evil man. There is much American blood on his hands. And he was killed lawfully, in a properly constitutionally-authorized conflict. There is much risk and peril to come, but Trump’s action was constitutionally legitimate, and that matters. A lot. /End

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French later went on to analyze the possible repercussions.

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I won’t recap the whole thing – hopefully readers can follow it through the tweets. But, to sum up, French ends with:

Bottom line — the Trump administration has taken a bold, justifiable action against Iran. But the next steps are vital, requiring strategic vision and tactical agility. I feel real joy at Suleimani’s demise. I feel real concern about what comes next. /end

That’s a thoughtful analysis and pretty measured response from someone who has no qualms about calling Donald Trump on the carpet.

To those who are so blinded by their disdain for President Trump that they can only decry his taking out of a terrorist leader who posed an ongoing threat to our personnel and interests — an act they would, no doubt, have applauded had it emanated from President Obama — I can only say:  When you’ve lost David French….

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