A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows that Americans hold an increasingly negative view of the situation in Iraq. The number who believe “things are going badly” has reached what Gallup calls a “record high” of 71 percent, up from 64 percent in October. Conversely, according to the Jan. 5-7 survey, fewer Americans feel the situation is going well—28 percent compared to 36 percent last fall.
In a show force over the Pacific, the U.S. conducted separate bilateral exercises with South Korea and Japan in response to North Korea’s May 24 ballistic missile test. The North’s test reportedly included an intercontinental ballistic missile, launched while President Joe Biden flew home from the region. Also on May…