Iran turned down opportunity after opportunity to forgo its nuclear enrichment, and, just as the International Atomic Energy Agency reported Iran was in non-compliance with its non-proliferation obligations, yet again, Iran declared it was opening up yet another enrichment facility. All this as Iran’s leadership pledges to liquidate Israel.

Iran has taken American hostages and killed Americans by the hundreds—from Beirut to Khobar, to Iraq to Israel. It has attempted to assassinate Donald Trump and several of his cabinet officials not to mention American journalists living here.

Ignoring all this political irresponsibility and blood lust would, itself, be irresponsible. When Israel took out Iraq’s nuclear capabilities in 1981, the world denounced Israel when it should have thanked her. Given Iran’s threats and actions, Israel acted as it did in 1981—and will be denounced again. But given Iran’s continued tote board of killing, war declarations and actions, this was a peace mission and Israel should again be thanked.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The basic duty of government is to maintain public order and safety while protecting the rights of its citizens. The government of Los Angeles and the state of California have failed miserably—and repeatedly—on both points.

Mismanagement and dereliction of duty led to the destruction of the Palisades and Alta Dena in January. Actual malice today toward federal authority and law enforcement by LA’s mayor and city council threatens to burn down the rest.

When ICE began detaining criminal illegal aliens, Bass and her council roared in anger, inciting mobs to attack federal agents enforcing the law. This week, the council tried to order its police chief to expose these agents to further danger by revealing operations before they took place.

When Chief Jim McDonnell warned that would constitute a crime, the council’s president scoffed—calling the arrests “abductions.”

LA’s leadership believes they’re above the law of the country in which they exist. They are radicals bent on national destruction, not responsible officeholders interested in public order and safety.

I’m Ed Morrissey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Religion had a good week at the Supreme Court. The justices ruled unanimously in favor of a Catholic group. They held that Wisconsin improperly discriminated based on religion when it denied Catholic Charities a tax exemption.

Catholic Charities Bureau in Superior, Wisconsin, cares for disabled people. It was denied the tax exemption routinely given to religious organizations. Shockingly, lower courts actually justified the denial on the grounds that the organization provides services without proselytizing—and serves non-Catholics!

Justice Sotomayor wrote that the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s interpretation of the state’s tax exemption discriminates between religions along theological lines. Catholic doctrine requires caring for all those in need without condition.

This decision vindicates the American constitutional right to religious freedom and free exercise — as well as common sense.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.