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The Morning Rant: J.V. Edition

Remember Iran? The country that ORANGE MAN BAD was so mean to? The country to which our wonderful, perfectly-creased pants former president sent lots of money and relaxed sanctions and tried like hell to welcome them back into polite society, because after all, they love peace and America and apple pie and have no malign intent when it comes to Israel!

Yeah...that Iran. Scoping out political opponents and surveilling Jewish organizations is what all of our friends around the world do!

Is Tehran spying on Southern California? Feds say O.C. waiter and 'Chubby' from Long Beach were agents of Iran

The men’s goal, authorities say, was to conduct surveillance on Israeli and Jewish facilities in the U.S., and to collect information on members of the Mujahedin Khalq, MEK, an Iranian exile group that has long sought to topple the regime in Tehran and enjoys newfound support among members of the Trump administration.

Within the span of a year — from the summer of 2017 to the spring of 2018 — authorities say the men crisscrossed Orange County and the United States, videotaping participants at MEK rallies in New York and Washington, D.C., and photographing Jewish centers in Chicago.

Iran is the world's foremost purveyor of terrorism, so the discovery of two of their agents doing advance work for what is obviously terrorist action is both unsurprising and chilling. Luckily we have an adult in the White House, and he takes this stuff seriously. White House Sought Options to Strike Iran after those mortar attacks in Baghdad last year. And that is as it should be. An attack on an American embassy or installation is an attack on America, and should be met with resolve.

And tighten up the damned border! I don't know, maybe a wall, and heightened screening of Iranians (entering and already here), and sharks with frikin' laser beams attached to their heads!

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Venezuela isn't some shithole backwater without the means to support itself. Imagine squandering the world's largest oil reserves and having to import gasoline! Amazing, isn't it? Clearly they just don't have the right people running things.
Can The Venezuelan Disaster Be Contained?
Yes, it can be. Get rid of the socialist dictator and his cronies and Venezuela will rapidly return to being a somewhat functional South American country (that's not saying all that much) because of its incredible advantage of an endless supply of cold hard cash, in the form of oil. Dump Maduro, reform the political structure that he and his vile predecessor twisted into a socialist pretzel, and the emigrants will return, and the country will recover...at least somewhat.
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German homeschoolers consider appeal after human rights court decision

Today, the European Court of Human Rights announced its judgment in the case of Wunderlich v. Germany. The ruling stated that the German authorities' actions were not in violation of the Wunderlich family's fundamental rights.

"We are extremely disappointed with this ruling of the Court. It disregards the rights of parents all over Europe to raise their children without disproportionate interference from the state. Petra and Dirk Wunderlich simply wanted to educate their children in line with their convictions and decided their home environment would be the best place for this. Children deserve this loving care from their parents. We are now advising the Wunderlichs of their options, including taking the case to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights," said Robert Clarke, Director of European Advocacy for ADF International and lead counsel for the Wunderlich family.

I'm surprised the kids weren't forced to join the Freie Deutsche Jugend.

[Hat Tip: BCochran1981]

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