Archive Post from 2016: Foreign Policy Experts Warn of Dangerous Trump Incompetence

 I am printing tonight a  letter from one hundred twenty-two Republican foreign policy experts who gave compelling reasons for their opposition to the candidacy of  D. Trump in March of 2016.  This document -- now nearly four years old -- details the reasons why this particular individual was unsuited to the Presidency of the world's greatest democracy.

So much here rings true now.  From the vacillating statements to out-right lies, OML was accurately described before he was ever installed in the Oval Office.  And let us be clear -- he was installed;   Not by the people but by self-interested moguls intent on getting their way.

I am presenting the following at this perilous time for our country and our democracy in order that you the reader may be reminded specifically why this person -- whom we call OML here -- is so dangerous.


via the foreign policy web site War on the Rocks -- 


We the undersigned, members of the Republican national security community, represent a broad spectrum of opinion on America’s role in the world and what is necessary to keep us safe and prosperous. We have disagreed with one another on many issues, including the Iraq war and intervention in Syria. But we are united in our opposition to a Donald Trump presidency. Recognizing as we do, the conditions in American politics that have contributed to his popularity, we nonetheless are obligated to state our core objections clearly:

His vision of American influence and power in the world is wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence.

His advocacy for aggressively waging trade wars is a recipe for economic disaster in a globally connected world.

His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable.

His hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combating Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world making significant contributions to the effort. 

Furthermore, it endangers the safety and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims.

Controlling our border and preventing illegal immigration is a serious issue, but his insistence that Mexico will fund a wall on the southern border inflames unhelpful passions, and rests on an utter misreading of, and contempt for, our southern neighbor.

Similarly, his insistence that close allies such as Japan must pay vast sums for protection is the sentiment of a racketeer, not the leader of the alliances that have served us so well since World War II.

His admiration for foreign dictators such as Vladimir Putin is unacceptable for the leader of the world’s greatest democracy.

He is fundamentally dishonest. Evidence of this includes his attempts to deny positions he has unquestionably taken in the past, including on the 2003 Iraq war and the 2011 Libyan conflict.

We accept that views evolve over time, but this is simply misrepresentation.

His equation of business acumen with foreign policy experience is false. Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs.

Mr. Trump’s own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world.*   Furthermore, his expansive view of how presidential power should be wielded against his detractors poses a distinct threat to civil liberty in the United States. Therefore, as committed and loyal Republicans, we are unable to support a Party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head. We commit ourselves to working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office.

Ken Adelman
David Adesnik
Michael Auslin
Mike Baker
Christopher Barton
Kevin W. Billings
Robert D. Blackwill
Daniel A. Blumenthal
Max Boot
Ellen Bork
Anna Borshchevskaya
Joseph A. Bosco
Michael Chertoff
Patrick Chovanec
James Clad
Eliot A. Cohen
Gus Coldebella
Carrie Cordero
Michael Coulter
Chester A. Crocker
Patrick M. Cronin
Seth Cropsey
Tom Donnelly
Daniel Drezner
Colin Dueck
Eric Edelman
Joseph Esposito
Charles Fairbanks
Richard A. Falkenrath
Peter D. Feaver
Niall Ferguson
Jamie Fly
Richard Fontaine
Aaron Friedberg
Dan Gabriel
Greg Garcia
Jana Chapman Gates
Jeffrey Gedmin
Reuel Marc Gerecht
James K. Glassman
David Gordon
Christopher J. Griffin
Mary R. Habeck
Paul Haenle
Melinda Haring
Robert Hastings
Rebeccah Heinrichs
Francis Q. Hoang
Rachel Hoff
Jeffrey W. Hornung
William C. Inboden
Jamil N. Jaffer
Ash Jain
Marc C. Johnson
Myriah Jordan
Robert G. Joseph
Tim Kane
Kate Kidder
Robert Kagan
Rep. Jim Kolbe
David Kramer
Stephen Krasner

Matthew Kroenig
Frank Lavin
Philip I. Levy
Philip Lohaus
Mary Beth Long
Peter Mansoor
John Maurer
Matthew McCabe
Bryan McGrath
Richard G. Miles
Paul D. Miller
Charles Morrison
Michael B. Mukasey
Scott W. Muller
Lester Munson
Andrew S. Natsios
Michael Noonan
Tom Nichols
John  Noonan
Roger F. Noriega
Stephen E. Ockenden
John Osborn
Robert T. Osterhaler
Mackubin T. Owens
Daniel Pipes
Everett Pyatt
Martha T. Rainville
Stephen Rodriguez
Marc A. Ross
Nicholas Rostow
Michael Rubin
Daniel F. Runde
Benjamin Runkle
Richard L. Russell
Andrew Sagor
Kori Schake
Randy Scheunemann
Gary J. Schmitt
Gabriel Schoenfeld
Russell Seitz
Kalev I. Sepp
Vance Serchuk
David R. Shedd
Gary Shiffman
Kristen Silverberg
Michael Singh
Ray Takeyh
Jeremy Teigen
William H. Tobey
Frances F. Townsend
Jan Van Tol
Daniel Vajdich
Ruth Wedgwood
Albert Wolf
Julie Wood
Dov S. Zakheim
Roger Zakheim
Sam Zega
Philip Zelikow
Robert B. Zoellick
Laurence Zuriff

Number of Signatories: 122

The statement above was coordinated by Dr. Eliot A. Cohen, former Counselor of the Department of State (2007–8), and Bryan McGrath, Managing Director of The FerryBridge Group, a defense consultancy. They encourage other members of the Republican foreign policy and national security communities wishing to sign the declaration to contact them.

*  Italics added

Atlantic Magazine Describes Possibilities for Election Chaos Starting on Election Night

Rush Post --

Atlantic Monthly Article Begins to Make Sense of Election Night Worries 

more later

 

Explosive But Unsurprising Comments from Our Military Leader

 Although I am unable to present a complete piece just now, I did want to comment briefly on the utterances of Our Military Leader (OML) today about the November election.  In answer to a question about a peaceful transfer of power after the election the President gave an evasive answer -- one in which he failed to commit to a peaceful transfer of the Presidency should he lose the election.  

This answer was a set-up if every there was one.  The President and his henchmen are discussing ways to get around the people's choice in the November vote.  This, according to The Atlantic monthly article published today. Apparently herds of lawyers are being sent out into these our United States, to try to suppress the vote in every way possible. These human faggots* of incendiary madness will try to set a match to our democratic vote. 

In response, experts on cable news gave a beginning answer as to how to deal with this power play, which -- let us be clear -- would be on the side of evil, decidedly so.  "The people have a role to play," the commentator said, and indeed they do.  What he was referring to was peaceful protest in the streets.  

I also recommend contacting legislators and expressing your outrage of even a hint by the sworn President, that the results of the election could be shredded.  But this is indeed where we are now.  We are at a crosswords in American and world civilization.  As a friendly minister friend of mine said this evening, "This is nothing to play around with."  She meant it with all due seriousness.  Let us emulate her candor.  

*For English language learners a faggot, or fagot is a bundle of sticks used for kindling a fire. 

Dr. Naomi Wolf Interviews Greg Palast Regarding Vote Suppression

 

Quick link —

https://youtu.be/pqNAZ9RDmug

PTSD Expert Names Trump a Psychological Abuser

From Salon -- 

 

Our Military Leader, says a PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) expert, is patently dangerous as a psychological abuser.

His accusation is sobering and convincing.   

 

 PTSD Expert Declares OML a Menace

 

A special quick link from The Musical Patriot

American Quality of Life Ranked No. 28 in the World and Dropping

 According to a New York Times article today, the United States has slipped dramatically in rankings issued in the Social Progress Index.  First issued in 2011 the Index ranked the U.S. at No. 19.  The latest Index ranks our country at No. 28.  Indications are we are still slipping.

The index rates some 50 metrics of well-being in areas such as education, access to health care, and even tolerance for and treatment of minorities.  

With this new index the United States is behind the well-known Western nations, running on a par with Albania by some measures.  We can be sure that America is not the country some people think it is. 

The Media's Sins of Omission

The fault with the press and media lies not so much in what is reported, but on what is left out.  An honest reporting of the work of internationally known journalist Greg Palast in the area of voter suppression would be a good place to start.

Mr. Palast has been working assiduously on this matter for at least twenty years -- ever since the Bush v. Gore fiasco.  Now comes Palast's new book on "How Trump Stole 2020."  Let's hope the tongue-in-cheek title remains a dream of OML, and not reality.

The world is asking for elucidation first, then dedication.   Elucidation from outlets like this one, and dedication from citizens and voters everywhere.  The world depends on the leadership of the United States.  We must not let people of the Earth down.