However evil Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad Assad may be, by most accounts he is a shrewd operator. So why would he order the use of horrific Sarin gas to kill innocent civilians, including scores of tiny babies only days after the United States gave clear signals that ousting him was no longer a priority? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

What makes far more sense is that the attack was a false flag intended to return the United States to its previous hard core position and quite possibly provoke an attack. Such false flag chemical attacks have been alleged before and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who also has nothing to gain from such a gas attack, insists that this attack was not carried out by Syrian or Russian forces. If it is a false flag, it appears to be working. The usual group of saber rattlers are calling for military strikes and a visibly shaken President Trump has said that it has caused him to rethink and reverse his position on Syria and he has virtually promised a military response is coming.

As horrific as we can all agree that such a vile act took place, should we not make sure that we know the absolute truth is before we take actions that will put us into conflict with both Syria and Russia and risk destabilizing Syria to the point that another radical Muslim regime takes over which is much more hostile to the United States? The same as has happened in Libya and for awhile happened in Egypt?

While the rest of us cringe at the images of dying and suffering children, somehow I imagine members of the "Deep State" toasting drinks and giving each other high fives.