WASHINGTON – Have you noticed that since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran, that Jeffrey Epstein has disappeared from reporting by America’s major news organizations?

I have.

Therefore, I wonder whether the mainstream media simply can’t multi-task or if those in charge of America’s legacy news organizations are complicit happy idiots. Certainly, inquiring minds are rightfully questioning the motives behind the decision by President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Iran. Will Trump and Netanyahu declare “Mission Accomplished!” even before any intended clear military strategic and tactical objectives have been met?

We don’t know yet because still, we kill. So, while Epstein isn’t part of the news cycle anymore, it’s time to consider what this war has cost people, the planet and our treasury – and the ongoing threats it poses to Mother Earth and her people.

This war poses the greatest threat generated to our nation by Donald Trump during his time as president, which is saying a lot considering the January 6, 2021 Storm on the Capitol.

It is an embarrassingly revealing moment of President Trump’s failed planning and policies as he begs other nations – our allies – to help him out of the jam he is in because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. It is no surprise that European nations, whom Trump has ridiculed and bullied, say “No” to this horrid misadventure – which Trump executed without even consulting the same nations he now asks for help.

It is a domestic disaster for Trump as we watch gasoline prices skyrocket. The ripple effects – quite predictable – are crippling our economy, which was already on crutches.

Worse, it is a threat to world peace. It presents a significant security threat to the United States in the Homeland and abroad. It has turned into a regional war. One more miscalculation by the Trump Administration could lead to World War III and the use of nuclear weapons.

It puts our troops in harm’s way without Congressional approval; no Declaration of War or approval of the War Powers Act have been enacted. Domestic turmoil is sure to be exacerbated as the American people, already polarized, are now debating the morality of the war. It is an ecological disaster. It is a human catastrophe.

The United States is arguably guilty of war crimes because, as an Amnesty International investigation reports, the “US (is) responsible for a deadly attack on a school packed full of children, killing 168 people.” It adds, “Video footage, satellite imagery, and interviews with three independent sources with direct information about the situation in Minab indicate that an air strike hit Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School on the morning of 28 February 2026, killing and injuring civilians, including children, parents, and teachers, and causing extensive damage and destruction. Both girls and boys attended the school and were taught on separate floors.”

Amnesty International asserts that an “In-depth investigation finds US violated international humanitarian law by failing to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm.” It adds, “US authorities must ensure that the investigation is transparent, thorough, and that the results are made public.”

We would demand the same if such an attack had occurred on our soil.

Yet, don’t hold your breath for any investigation that might lead to the truth, and ultimately justice.

The same is true with the “Epstein files.”

Coincidence? You decide. One thing is certain. The silence is deafening about Epstein from our president, Congress and the Fourth Estate. That is quite a high price to pay to protect pedophiles – if that is the objective.

© Michael M. Barrick, 2026. Joe Rollins cartoon used with permission.

Editor’s note: I am quite aware – from conversations with friends, acquaintances and military veterans, in particular Major Wright of Caldwell County – that the war against Iran is nuanced. In short, there is support for it among reasonable people. In an upcoming article, I will explore the history between the United States and Iran over the past 75 years or so, the dangers posed by the Ayatollahs for nearly 50 years through their terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East, and very concerning and legitimate questions about Iran’s uranium enrichment program.