Tensions certainly ramped up this week with Assad using chemical weapons. What a horrible, evil act, especially with so many children involved. Obama drew a "red line" that Syria crossed in 2014 after the rebels claimed the chemical weapons were used against them, but Russia intervened and eventually the U.S. backed off as long as Russia and Syria agreed to get rid of its remaining arsenal. Assad used them again this week, but now Trump is president, and he said he will address it. http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/05/politics/trump-syria-comments-response/

Russia is allied with Assad and making excuses that the chemicals came from the rebel side. How Putin and Russia could back someone who could do something so horrible is a mystery. So Assad + Russia looks like a dire situation. We can't do nothing and if we do intervene, it could mean war.

Then we have North Korea making threats and testing missiles after Trump said he would deal with them, with or without China's help. China's Xi is meeting with Trump in Florida on 4/6 for the first time. China has made some interesting moves in the last week--they agreed with Russia to dump the U.S. dollar and switch to a gold-backed currency and China has used some stern language warning Trump not to impose tariffs as he promised throughout his campaign. http://constitution.com/financial-war-america-china-russia-team-dump-dollar/

Kim Jong-Un has been making really intense threats about using nukes against the United States, and this week, a defector from North Korea said Kim would, in his opinion, use them and that the world should be ready. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korean-defector-tells-lester-holt-world-should-be-ready-n741901

So Russia, Syria, North Korea and China are all positioned opposite the United States on some very sensitive issues. In addition to that, our country seems to be divided down the middle. The left seems to be losing its mind with Trump. Hopefully our redemption is at the door.

Steve M