If you want to see a grown man cry, just watch my eyes when they play “taps” at a military funeral.

As an existentialist, I don’t grieve for the veteran, as death is only one side a coin . . . one side with pain and one without.  Of course, as a human, I do grieve for the family and loved ones of the veteran, as they must slowly fill that hole in their hearts and in their lives.  As an economist, I must also think about the wasted resources to raise, educate and train the veteran, as well as the taxes he will never pay.

However, as an American, I grieve because every veteran is an important part of the fabric that makes us a great country.  I will miss them!  I will miss the opportunity to show my appreciation!  And, the thought that makes me sick-to-my-stomach is that any commander-in-chief could ever forsake them.

IF it is true that Putin paid money to the Taliban for each American they killed, and IF it is true that our President knew about it, and IF it is true that our President did nothing about it, then our President should “man-up” and at least try to explain it.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Russian “realpolitik” has assassinated a person in the third country, but this is different.  Putin was not killing Russians in a third country.  He was killing Americans.

Hopefully, the President did not know, in which case he still needs to explain why he didn’t know . . . and what he has done since he learned.