Amid ongoing hostilities with Iran, Democrats brushed off past calls from some figures in their party for U.S. armed forces to “refuse illegal orders,” even as they broadly maintained that President Donald Trump’s use of the military is on shaky footing without lawmaker approval. “The troops are in no way to blame for this illegal war. Responsibility lies solely and simply with the president,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.,...

A former lead hostage negotiator under the first Trump and Biden administrations warned that the Iranians are tougher negotiators than the Russians, Chinese and even the Taliban, noting that several Americans are still wrongfully detained in Iran and should be included in any peace talks.  Roger Carstens, the U.S. former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, said in an interview with Fox News that six American citizens are...