Irritated with the criticism and fallout from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ resignation, President Donald Trump on Sunday pushed the Pentagon chief out the door two months earlier than planned, an acrimonious end to a tense relationship that had been eroding in recent months.It seems to be rather clear that Trump didn’t bother to read Mattis’s resignation letter. (As I had suspected.) His “chopper talk” remarks about Mattis “retiring” showed that.
And:
A top US official in the fight against so-called Islamic State group has quit over President Donald Trump's decision to pull troops from Syria.Erdogan of Turkey wants the US out of Syria so the Turks can get to slaughtering the Kurds. Putin wants the US out of Syria to demonstrate to the world that the Americans cannot be trusted to stand by their allies.
Brett McGurk, the US special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat IS, brought his departure forward from February. ... In early December he told reporters: "We want to stay on the ground and make sure that stability can be maintained in these areas."
He went on to say: "It would be reckless if we were just to say, well, the physical caliphate is defeated, so we can just leave now. I think anyone who's looked at a conflict like this would agree with that."
Trump, who seems to get along famously with autocrats, has been only happy to oblige. Besides, when Putin speaks,Trump jumps to attention, at least as quickly as his bone spurs will let him.
Ya want war? Killing and maiming our own kids? Then Congress needs to declare war and let it be on them. The war machine, including the generals, want eternal war because it is big business. Bring home the troops.
ReplyDeletePerhaps now would be a good time to pass Barbara Lee's repeal of the AUMF and pass a new one. It made it out of committee last year, but Ryan killed it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if McConnell is as concerned about Mattis' departure as he says he is, he'll let it get a vote in the senate after the Democratic house passes it, so we can all see the Republicans there kill it again.
-Doug in Oakland
So, back to the 1920’s and 1930’s? Statements of non-recognition of acts we disagree with but an unwillingness to get involved, check. Back to the 1970’s? Abandonment of allies who we encouraged to start fighting, check. Back to the 1980’s? Proxy battles through third parties, check. We all know how well these decisions worked out. The simple reality is that the United States assumed the role of the 600-pound gorilla post-WWII, and now is shedding that role at warp speed. We are facing a new, multipolar world with the Russians, the Chinese, the Indians and (perhaps) the EU duking it out for the Iron Throne, as the U.S. crawls into a fetal position and sucks on its nukes. You cannot overestimate the danger of the period we are now entering, and history will not be kind.
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