Dave Patterson

After the handshakes, pats on the back, and celebration of the final approval of the Declaration of Independence, July 4 turned into July 5. Now what? Now that the barking dog has caught the car, what does it do with the rolling tire? A relatively small group of signers, 56 in all, put their lives on the line. They knew full well that acknowledging their willingness to sever ties with England would be seen as treason. These courageous men signed a declaration that could serve as their death warrant should the colonists fail to break free.

It's been a long time coming, but NATO appears on the brink of greater investment in Europe's defense The story, in brief

President Donald Trump's patience with Iran is at an end – and the ceasefire/Memorandum of Understanding is over. On July 7, the US president ordered a resumption of the bombing of Iranian military and infrastructure complexes. The deliberate and continued missile and drone attacks have brought payback time for Tehran's leadership, which Trump referred to as “scum” at a press availability during the recent Ankara NATO Summit.

When attempting to prompt good behavior from a recalcitrant child, the objectives are to reinforce desired behavior and discourage undesirable behavior. If ever there were a recalcitrant geopolitical child, it is Iran. The United States offered to reinforce its desired standards of good behavior through good-faith negotiations with Iran. However, the leadership in Tehran answered by breaking the ceasefire and attacking commercial cargo, crude oil, and liquefied natural gas tankers. It seems President Donald Trump is taking action to bring Iran to heel.

Poland and the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia believe they are the targets of Russian hybrid warfare. Russia is, in fact, at war with these countries, each of which has an eastern border ripe for an invasion similar to that which took place in April 2014 in the Ukrainian Donbas region and Crimea. Prior to the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Kremlin troops in February 2022, Russia carried out a campaign of disinformation, sabotaging Ukrainian infrastructure and cyberattack operations.

The Iran-sponsored Houthis, a Yemeni militant terrorist organization, control much of northern Yemen and remain a persistent problem in the Middle East. Houthis are engaged in regional upheaval using asymmetric attacks, including cruise missiles, drones, anti-ship missiles, and general maritime harassment. On July 20, the Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi oil exports from Yanbu, located halfway up the western Saudi Arabian coast along the Red Sea, through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into the Gulf of Aden. Saudi officials have pledged to protect their shipping. Will the United States get dragged into this conflict? That is the question.

President Donald Trump's Department of Energy has signed a 30-year civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. The nuclear accord, referred to as the Section 123 agreement, is accompanied by a bilateral safeguards document that establishes mechanisms to manage non-proliferation risks. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman jointly signed the agreement on July 22, 2026. President Trump believes the deal will be approved, but there is one last hurdle to leap first. The deal is contingent on Saudi Arabia becoming a member of the Abraham Accords.

New phase in US air attacks expands number and type of targets. Jul 27, 2026 New phase in US air attacks expands number and type of targets.

President Trump has let it be known that he is not putting up with Tehran's negotiating games. In response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's (IRGC) surprise attack, launching numerous ballistic missiles at American military facilities in Jordan on Tuesday night (July 28), America's commander-in-chief said the strikes would be answered with ferocity. All incoming missiles were intercepted, and no damage was done, nor were US service members killed or injured. What the attack did accomplish, however, was to motivate the US president to act decisively. As Fox News reported: “The United States resumed airstrikes inside Iran Wednesday night in retaliation for Tehran's attempted surprise ballistic-missile attack on American forces, as an Iran expert warned that the regime has become increasingly willing to test Washington despite its weakened military capabilities.”

A key part of President Donald Trump's comprehensive 20-point peace plan for Gaza was the establishment of the Board of Peace. It appears the international organization has made progress. Trump announced a breakthrough in the negotiations with the terrorist group Hamas on July 30. In what is being called a “landmark agreement,” Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions in Gaza have agreed to complete disarmament.