The UN estimates that of the almost half million people who've been killed in the Syrian civil war, tens of thousands have been children. We've been seeing news reports, pictures and video of this for years.

Why are we now suddenly outraged into action? Because of the use of chemical weapons? As RL points out, that's nothing new.

A few weeks ago...hell, a few *days* ago, Trump didn't give a shit about beautiful babies in Syria. We can't slam him *too* hard for that, though, because roughly 60 million of his fellow Americans didn't give a shit about them either. But now, suddenly, he's assuming responsibility for the well-being of those foreign babies?

Some thoughts. First, Americans don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to children being shot. We certainly can't point an accusing finger at anyone over that, as America has repeatedly demonstrated that it's ok with kids being gunned down. We've left ourselves no choice but to hold our bile until children are killed by weapons we don't like, instead of weapons we do like.

Second, Trump's admin needed a distraction. Bigly. As if on cue, an atrocity in Syria that left kids dead--with the necessary absence of bullet holes--became that distraction. As a bonus, Trump could also look like he's breaking it off with Putin. (It's interesting to note, though, that the Russians decided not to use an available anti-missile system against the American assault. Should we ask Ivanka if that makes them look complicit?)