The Trump Presidency

Let me go one step further.
Suppose 9/11 was treated as a criminal offense tried in courts rather than a military one precipitating almost 20 years of war.

Let's again employ Obama's proverbial car in the ditch
 
57Brave said:
Let me go one step further.
Suppose 9/11 was treated as a criminal offense tried in courts rather than a military one precipitating almost 20 years of war.

Let's again employ Obama's proverbial car in the ditch
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I think this calls for a novel
 
After gutting Iraq, there are no good solutions or from where I sit no good outcomes
Be they for the Obama Administration or Trump Administration
 
believe it or not I started a 9-11 alternative history novel over 10 years ago...I wrote the start and the ending...but got stuck on how to connect the two...some recent events have given me some ideas...maybe I will resume writing it
 
Krgrecw said:
I’ve always supported Trump on the majority of his decisions but this withdrawal baffles me. Obama pulling out of Iraq, gave ISIS a safe space to grow and shelter. Everyone can see that now, or I hope liberals could admit that. Pulling out of Syria will have worse consequences in the long run. It’s gives Iran breathing room and Syria will become a puppet state for Russia.
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I agree that Obama's Iraqi drawdown was premature, but that was at least discussed for months before it was decided upon. I don't know what to make of the reported phone call between Trump and Erdogan, but it's almost like within a week, Trump (might) make a decision based on a conversation with a foreign leader and then tells his staff what's going on. At this point, I don't know why anyone outside of his family or someone cynically trying to parlay a connection to Trump into something bigger down the road (or desperately trying to stay in the public eye) would want to be part of this administration.
 
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I don't see how pulling out of Syria deals an inherently traitorous/crippling/overtly wounding blow to the Kurds. We've funded them, armed them, and trained them. And we'll no doubt continue to do the same (as well as to support the other regional factions). A majority of our in-country operations were embedded with them, our footprint being light to begin with.

Is it the symbolism that you guys are worried about? Because I can't think of a single alternative element which would provoke this kind of hang-wringing.

More concerning to me is taking boots off the ground at a moment when there is a profoundly clear power vacuum in Syria - the door being left open for the usual, less than ideal cohorts to assume mantles of power.
 
Hawk said:
I don't see how pulling out of Syria deals an inherently traitorous/crippling/overtly wounding blow to the Kurds. We've funded them, armed them, and trained them. And we'll no doubt continue to do the same (as well as to support the other regional factions). A majority of our in-country operations were embedded with them, our footprint being light to begin with.

Is it the symbolism that you guys are worried about? Because I can't think of a single alternative element which would provoke this kind of hang-wringing.

More concerning to me is taking boots off the ground at a moment when there is a profoundly clear power vacuum in Syria - the door being left open for the usual, less than ideal cohorts to assume mantles of power.
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And you know this how? If (and it's a big if) Trump has handed Syria over to Erdogan, you actually think Erdogan is going to spare the Kurds?

Assad is back in charge and while it may continue to be a challenge for him to maintain his legitimacy throughout Syria, he's got some pretty big friends so he won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
 
Splitting With Trump Over Syria, American Leading ISIS Fight Steps Down

"Brett McGurk, the special presidential envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State, has accelerated his resignation, telling colleagues this weekend that he could not in good conscience carry out President Trump’s newly declared policy of withdrawing American troops from Syria.

Mr. McGurk, a seasoned diplomat who was considered by many to be the glue holding together the sprawling international coalition fighting the terrorist group, was supposed to retire in February. But according to an email he sent his staff, he decided to move his departure forward to Dec. 31 after Mr. Trump did not heed his own commanders and blindsided America’s allies in the region by abruptly ordering the withdrawal of the 2,000 troops."
 
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Trump didn't know who his ISIS envoy was in middle east. Excuse was he was an Obama appointee.

Trump forcing Mattis out immediately instead of waiting til February, putting Deputy Sec in charge asap.


It's things like this as to why people like myself are worried. It has less to do with withdrawing but more to do with Trump making impulse decisions like this where clearly no serious thoughts were given.
 
the basic problem consists of two things

what he is: dishonest, impulsive, uninformed, immature, self-dealing, untrustworthy

what he isn't: intelligent, willing to listen and learn, reflective, civic minded, strategic, wise

other than that everything is hunky dory
 
Individual-1 said:
Trump didn't know who his ISIS envoy was in middle east. Excuse was he was an Obama appointee.

Trump forcing Mattis out immediately instead of waiting til February, putting Deputy Sec in charge asap.


It's things like this as to why people like myself are worried. It has less to do with withdrawing but more to do with Trump making impulse decisions like this where clearly no serious thoughts were given.
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That's it in a nutshell for me and it pretty much spans the breadth of Trump's decisions. There doesn't seem to be a decision-making process, but there are a lot of decisions.
 
Individual-1 said:
It's things like this as to why people like myself are worried. It has less to do with withdrawing but more to do with Trump making impulse decisions like this where clearly no serious thoughts were given.
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Yes, but it's sad that one has to point out that this isn't about the policy of withdrawing troops or gun laws; it's all about Trump doing something his base can point to as a positive to keep them ignoring the tsunami of legal trouble bearing down on him. He governs with only one objective in mind - what's best for Donald Trump.

Related:
Bob Corker Blasts ‘Made Up’ Shutdown ‘So The President Can Look Like He’s Fighting’
“It’s juvenile. The whole thing is juvenile,” the retiring Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman said of Trump’s push for a wall.
 
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Trump fires Mattis, who had already officially quit.

Hold onto your hat. The USA vs Trump Show is just cranking up.
 
Trump said a while ago that it would take some big event for the country to unify and come together.

Is he purposely trying to tank the economy so in his mind he can be the savior and get people to vote for him again in 2020.
 
Individual-1 said:
Trump said a while ago that it would take some big event for the country to unify and come together.

Is he purposely trying to tank the economy so in his mind he can be the savior and get people to vote for him again in 2020.
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presidents don't matter much except in times of crisis: civil war, world war, extreme financial and economic dislocations.

fortunately those don't come along often...i doubt trump himself will bring on a major crisis...most likely we'll muddle through the next two years and be done with what has been the single biggest mistake made by the american electorate...he is by far the most irresponsible choice the american voter has ever made...at least at the presidential level
 
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