The new normal ....

On Wednesday, August 1, CNN carried a breathless report sourced to “U.S. officials” that our beloved Nobel Peace Prize recipient in the Oval Office “has signed a covert directive authorizing U.S. support for Syrian rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad.” According to the story, which was picked up by dozens of other outlets within hours, “The secret order, referred to as an intelligence ‘finding,’ allows for clandestine support by the CIA and other agencies.”