Taking the Offramp: President Trump took the signal from Iran and backed away from war. 

  Speaking at the White House yesterday after Iran thumped two US air bases with a volley of missiles, the President said, “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”

  He didn’t say he was abandoning his pledge to hit back if Iran strikes. Evidently no one was injured or killed, so Trump decided to let Iran have a small public relations victory for the home audience.

   Trump is not letting them get completely away with it. He said new “punishing” economic sanctions will be heaped on the already hurting Iran and that, “These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior.”

  The President said, “For far too long — all the way back to 1979, to be exact — nations have tolerated Iran’s destructive and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East and beyond. Those days are over.” 

  Trump opened his speech with a pledge that, “As long as I am President of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.”

  Never missing a chance to trash his predecessor, Barack Obama, Trump said, “Iran’s hostilities substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013, and they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash.”

  Iran was not “given” money. Impounded money was released back to Iran as a reward for signing the deal to stop developing nuclear weapons. 

  Finally, though, Trump signed off with an olive branch for the Iranians: “We want you to have a future and a great future — one that you deserve, one of prosperity at home, and harmony with the nations of the world. The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.”

The Debrief: As Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham emerged from a briefing praising the decision to kill Iran’s Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, his Republican colleague Mike Lee called the session the “worst briefing I’ve had on a military issue in my nine years” in the Senate.

  The members of Congress were discouraged from asking questions. The Utah senator called the way the situation was handled “un-American” and “completely unacceptable.”

  Congress was not notified or consulted about the pending attack. Lee told reporters he couldn’t give an opinion on the justification for killing Suleimani because the briefers didn’t give specifics about the attacks planned by Soleimani used as justification by the President.

  Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee said, “They tried, unsuccessfully, to conjure up a rationale for the president’s reckless decision. It was sophomoric and utterly unconvincing. I left the room more troubled than when I went in.”

Modern Family: Britain’s Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan Markle announced that they are stepping back from Royal duties and carving out a life for themselves, splitting time between England and somewhere in North America, maybe Los Angeles.

  The couple wrote on Instagram that, “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.”

  They have long been reported to be in a rift Harry’s brother William and there’s little chance Harry will ever be king. They spent Christmas in Canada instead of being with the extended family.

  Harry and Meghan also announced that they intend to be financially independent from the fabulously wealthy royal family. Harry was always the rebel.

Armchair Quarterback: Conservative columnist George Will posted on Twitter the following prediction for the trial of President Trump in the Senate: “What’ll happen: House sends over articles. Senate adopts McConnell’s rules on party line vote, convenes as court of impeachment. House managers make case, show need for witnesses, seek to call them. CJ Roberts agrees. His ruling upheld by 47 Dems + ~ 12 Reps. Bolton testifies.”

  We’ll see.

The Bulletin Board: The crash of a Ukrainian airliner outside Tehran killed 176 people from seven countries, including 63 from Canada.  — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg announced she is “cancer free,” after beating the disease four times. The latest was pancreatic cancer. — Two skiers were killed Tuesday and five injured in an avalanche at Silver Mountain Resort in the Idaho Panhandle town of Kellogg. 

The Obit Page: Don Howison, a Navy veteran who was the last living officer and oldest remaining survivor of the USS Indianapolis sunk in a torpedo attack  at the end of World War II, has died at age 98.

  Three quarters of the crew of the heavy cruiser Indianapolis died in the attack and later in the water where they waited for rescue for 3 ½ days. Only 316 out of 1,195 survived. Howison told an interviewer, “I decided I would survive no matter what. You had to have determination. Once you gave up, you weren’t long for the world.”

Ticked Off: Singer Justin Bieber announced that he has Lyme Disease, the ailment born by ticks. He didn’t say that he has too many tattoos.

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