President Trump’s foreign policy appointments have frequently been difficult to reconcile with the views he has often expressed. The most disappointing was the appointment of John Bolton as National Security Advisor.
Bolton is a longtime and very vocal advocate of regime change and military initiatives overseas – particularly in the Middle East and certainly regarding our presence in Syria. He signed the Project for the New American Century’s 1998 letter advocating the invasion of Iraq and overthrow of Saddam Hussein. In spite of subsequent events, he continues to support the decision to invade Iraq. He has also sought the preemptive bombing of both Iran and North Korea.
As the President’s closest foreign policy advisor, much of a National Security Advisor’s advice is confidential. Prevarication, poor advice, or failure to bring important issues to the President’s attention are not always apparent to outside observers.
Two important Bolton failures have recently been widely reported.
In the first instance, President Trump was meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G-20 in early December to discuss trade policy. At the same time, and unbeknownst to President Trump, Bolton asked Canada to arrest Meng Wanzouh, one of China’s most important business executives, as she changed planes in Vancouver. The Chinese have reacted furiously to her arrest and have begun to arrest Canadians in retaliation. At a minimum, Bolton’s failure to make the President aware of his actions denied the President the option of delaying any request for her arrest until a later date.
The second incident was President Trump’s telephone call with Turkish President Recep Erdogan discussing the situation in Syria. Ending our presence in Syria has been among President Trump’s most important foreign policy objectives and is, presumably, a subject he and Bolton frequently discuss. It is telling that, when President Erdogan asked why American troops were still in Syria even after ISIS had been defeated, President Trump turned to Bolton, who was listening to the call, and asked if that was true. Bolton (knowing that President Erdogan was listening) was forced to respond that it was.
President Trump was elected, at least in part, because he was seen as a decisive leader who could, at the very least, fire someone who wasn’t doing a satisfactory job. Since becoming President, however, he has appeared reluctant to fire those he’s been unhappy with. Trump’s recent decision to hasten Secretary Mattis’ departure is a welcome sign that the President recognizes he’s in charge.
Bolton may have been very careful until recently, but it is now clear that he has little regard for the President and the President’s priorities. It is difficult to believe he didn’t recognize his obligation to keep the President informed during delicate trade talks. Failing to share the knowledge, recognized by most of the world’s armed forces, that ISIS had been defeated in Syria can only have been intentional.
John Bolton’s already had two strikes. With the stakes so high, why wait for a third? President Trump should fire Bolton. It’s difficult to imagine any successor not being an improvement.
Reprinted from The Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity.
Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t listen much to news, nor It is suspected read daily briefing reports; he likes to tweet from the hip. How is he to know anything except through the hired hands? This is the dilemma of an ignorant and illiterate president. For this reason he will be treaterd with contempt by his hirelings.
Fox is his news of choice and Fox NEVER tells the truth about Russia’s and Iran’s role in defeating ISIS.
Fox News is to the Right what CNN is to the Left: Fake News. Not much balanced news or truth coming out of either source.
The evening lineup is very good.
Trump is hopeless. After meeting with Lindsay Graham today it appears that Trump is reversing his decision to withdrawal troops from Syria “quickly”. Graham (and others?) have convinced Trump to go slow which means the troops are staying. The neocons and their allies in the region will create a provocation to ensure that Trump commits US troops to Syria indefinitely. I fear that US troops are in grave danger of an ambush by actors in the region intent on keeping the U.S. bogged down in Syria.
“With the stakes so high, why wait for a third?”
The search for his replacement may already be underway.
The Gatestone Institute has an infinite supply of Israel Firsters.
Ha. Trump appears to be unaware that Bolton and Dunford are in charge of an alternate Syria policy.
On your media point, Trish Regan on Fox has one a source of foreign policy commentary and only one source – Gen. Jack Keane. You would think there is possibly one other knowledgeable person south or west of Martha’s Vineyard capable of saying something other than Russia Iran Russia Iran Russia, but you would be wrong. It’s the “Shia Crescent” and “Beware the Ides of Putin” all day every day from that gent and she can’t get enough of it. The AUMF from Gallipoli is all she knows about.