Military Policy

Donald Trump Has Gone Bonkers By His Action To Withdraw US Forces Fighting ISIS In Syria

Ronald 5 Comments

The absolutely worst moments of Donald Trump’s Presidency are upon us.

Trump, totally ignorant and clueless on American foreign policy, has ordered the complete, rapid withdrawal of all US forces from Syria, at a time when ISIS is still a threat, and many enemies gain by our withdrawal.

Russia, Iran, Turkey, the murderous regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, and the terrorist group Hezbollah all gain.

The NATO allies–Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada and the rest–, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Kurdish allies who are anti Turkish and anti Assad, all are major losers.

Total disarray and gains for authoritarian governments is the result, and we will rue the day that we decided to leave the fight against ISIS, which is not yet totally defeated.

This is all part of a clear plan by Trump to help his friend Vladimir Putin, and Turkish dictator Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and ironically, the major enemy of Israel and Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Our President is clearly a menace, and many Republicans, including Senators Bob Corker of Tennessee, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Jeff Flake of Nebraska, are coming out of the woodwork to express their disgust and disdain of what the President is doing.

This is the time for James Mattis, Secretary of Defense; Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State; and John Bolton, National Security Adviser, all of whom were strong supporters of remaining in Syria, to announce their mass resignation, and call for Donald Trump to resign.

As I finish this essay, Mattis has announced his resignation, making ever more dangerous the reality that there are no real “adults'” advising Trump on military policy.

Meanwhile, the stock market has been in free fall, and it looks as if the government will be shut down over Christmas, due to the insistence of Donald Trump that there be a 2,000 mile built across our boundary with Mexico, an insane and wasteful idea that will not guarantee security.

It is time for Vice President Mike Pence to speak out against the President, and show some guts and courage to speak his mind.

The White Working Class And Donald Trump, The Ultimate P T Barnum!

Ronald 3 Comments

Donald Trump, a billionaire, the wealthiest Presidential candidate in American history, has particular support from the white working class, which has become victims of corporate influence in politics, including the effects of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and other free trade agreements, which have been supported by the vast majority of both Democrats and Republicans, going back to the Bill Clinton Presidency.

So many jobs have gone overseas in the past few decades, limiting the ability of the white working class to gain high wage jobs, and on top of it, the growing immigration issue of undocumented immigrants, heavily from Latin America and Asia, and the insecurity felt about the reality of minority groups collectively moving toward a majority of the population by the 2040s, fuels the Donald Trump support.

But it is truly ironic that Trump employs immigrants for his hotels and other properties over native born workers, in order to save money!

The white working class is totally with its head in the sand, not realizing that Trump is a phony, who says what they want to hear, but has no real clue on the issues, and has avoided specifics on domestic and foreign policy, other than to talk about a wall on the Mexican border; to ban all Muslims from entrance to the United States; to promise everything will be fine in the future and that the world will come to “respect” us again, while having intelligence and foreign policy experts warn that he has no clear perception of the challenges of military and foreign policy!

If someone rails against the politicians, and yet provides examples of promising what is not possible to achieve, then indeed such a person is a “used car” or “snake oil” salesman, misleading ill informed voters, and one can be sure that the ultimate disillusionment will be far greater as a result, when the white working class realizes they have, once again, been bamboozled by a true PT Barnum character!

Modern Presidents Who Were Peace Oriented Or Anti Military Engagement In Their Time In Office

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Modern American Presidents who have taken us to war or promoted American intervention or expansion gain a lot more attention, and are more looked upon as role models, than those who attempt to avoid war, oppose expansion and promote peace where possible.

As one examines our 19  Presidents since 1901, the following six stand out as either peace oriented or anti military engagement as a major motivation:

Warren G. Harding—promoted the Washington Naval Agreement of 1921-1922.

Calvin Coolidge—promoted the Kellogg Briand Pact of 1928

Herbert Hoover—promoted the Stimson Doctrine of 1932

Jimmy Carter—promoted diplomacy over war, and refused to use force, except an attempt to rescue hostages in Iran in 1980

Bill Clinton—promoted diplomacy over war, and avoided commitment of troops in the Balkans in 1995 and 1998

Barack Obama—ended war in Iraq and dramatically cut military forces in Afghanistan, and avoided commitment of troops to fight terrorism in the Middle East.

For these standards and principles, the three Republican Presidents of the 1920s have been portrayed as weak and ineffective, but not only for foreign and military policy, but also domestic policy.

Many critics have portrayed Carter and Obama as weak and ineffective in foreign and military policy, as much as Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover, but Bill Clinton has managed to survive some criticisms of his foreign and military policies, although now his wife Hillary Clinton is being bitterly attacked in that regard in the present competition for the Presidential Election of 2016, and some of those criticisms have started to cause a reassessment of Bill Clinton’s Presidency.

However, in the long run, the image of  the three Democratic Presidents—Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama— as Commanders In Chief, will be likely to rise as time goes by and passions cool!

 

 

Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Nativism, Homophobia Must Be Fought In Favor Of Inclusion, Tolerance, And Diversity!

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What has made America a great nation is the inclusion of all kinds of ethnic, national, and religious groups in American life, the promotion of diversity and tolerance!

But we also have always had an ugly strain of xenophobia, misognyn, racism. nativism, and homophobia which has permeated America!

Donald Trump is bringing out the worst elements in America, and he has stained the Presidential campaign with his promotion of fear and demagoguery!

The man is NOT a conservative; he is NOT a Republican; he is NOT a liberal; he is NOT a Democrat—he is truly a “Trumpite”, who has hijacked the Republican Party and the conservative movement and is, effectively, destroying both the party and the movement, as the situation, which is presently existing, insures a complete disruption of the political ideologies and political parties that have been part of the tradition of American history.

Donald Trump is a ‘loose cannon”, a demagogue who is arousing the worst elements of American life, and even without winning, he is undermining the possibility of dealing with the major issues this nation faces!

Trump knows nothing of foreign or military policy!  Trump knows nothing about everyday life for most Americans! Trump has no developed ideas to deal with terrorism, the economy, or climate change!  Trump is a “Know Nothing” in the worst way one can describe that term!

Donald Trump is a reckless and uncouth “wild card” who will help to transform American politics in a negative fashion, undermining the long term future of America!  Bigotry, bluster, bullying, and insulting undermines the whole concept of being the leader of the “free world”, and is unacceptable as a new trend in American politics and history!

Donald Trump And The World: How Can He Possibly Be A World Leader With His Insults And Crazy Statements?

Ronald 2 Comments

The most important job a President has is to keep his country safe, to know how to conduct diplomacy and deal with military matters.

On that subject, Donald Trump gets a big “F”, as his rhetoric, including insults and crazy statements, endangers American foreign policy!

Witness:

Trump has insulted Mexico and other Latin American nations, with his comments on building a wall at the southern border, and his anti immigrant assertions.

Trump has proposed banning all Muslim immigration, which only emboldens ISIL (ISIS) in its anti American attacks, and is, as Hillary Clinton said yesterday, a great recruitment video!

Trump has insulted German Chancellor Angela Merkel with his attacks on her governing decisions, after she beat him out for Time Magazine Person of the Year!

Trump has been so supportive of Russian President Vladamir Putin, who praised him this past week, and in so doing, makes light of Putin’s dictatorial actions, including murder of journalists, abuse of gays and lesbians, and imprisonment of dissidents.  It sounds like Trump is unwilling to accept that what Putin has done is not admirable, and to imagine the Republican Party nominating him after praise of Putin and Russia defies history!

Trump has shown lack of class, lack of judgment, lack of knowledge, and lack of awareness of how his insults and crazy statements endanger American foreign and military policy.

Trump is a danger to the security of the United States, and cannot be allowed to become our Commander in Chief!

Finger On The “Nuclear Button” And Commander In Chief: Can One See Many Republican Candidates For President In That Role?

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It is extremely crucial that a President of the United States be someone who has a stable personality, an open mind, and is not issuing rhetoric about other nations, foreign policy, and military intervention that demonstrates a lack of balance regarding the burden of having the finger on the “nuclear button”.

On that basis, many of the Republican Presidential candidates are worrisome, as they show a lack of responsibility and seriousness, and seem to think that acting like a “bully” is something the American people desire in their leadership.

Do we wish to worry every day of a four year term that we have a President who is “trigger happy”, who is reckless, who is bellowing threats, and trying to prove his “manhood” by flexing his muscles, and promoting jingoism and super nationalism, and being too willing to send more of our sons and daughters into another ill advised conflict?

So, simply by their rhetoric and persona, the following GOP Presidential candidates are not fit to be our next President:

Donald Trump
Ted Cruz
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
Scott Walker
Rick Perry
Chris Christie
Lindsey Graham
Rick Santorum

That leaves slim pickings, as one notices, and this is the sad reality of the Republican Party and foreign and military policy in 2015!

Proper Policy Change: Letters Of Condolence From President Obama To Families Of Soldiers Who Commit Suicide!

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An important change has been made to military policy, regarding Presidential letters of condolence to families of soldiers who die in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan.

With the suicide rate of soldiers who have served arising at an alarming rate, it is appropriate that the President of the United States send letters of condolence to the families of those tragically taking their own lives, as it is the stresses of combat that led to such suicides.

It is important that the American people recognize that soldiers are not only victims of physical injuries, but also of mental illness arising from their patriotic service, and they should be appreciated and mourned for their sacrifices for this nation!

More must be done to assist soldiers in dealing with the mental strains of combat zones, as we owe it to them with their decision to serve our nation in wartime!