dChan - Q Origins Project Archive

The Hawks Are Winning

H.R. McMaster and James Mattis are steering the Trump administration away from “America First.”

Looking at left leaning Snippets:

Optimistic observers like Wall Street Journal columnist Gerald Seib have found hope in the ascendance of National Security Adviser (and Army Lt. Gen.) H.R. McMaster, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Defense Secretary James Mattis. Others have taken comfort in the more mature structure and process established by McMaster at the National Security Council. These moves matter, and will likely help reduce the drama within the White House around national security matters. But the ascendance of the likes of McMaster and Mattis may also create a more hawkish administration, one driven by establishment aides who favor the use of force and for whom “America First” means something completely different than it does to Bannon or his minions. On Feb. 20, Trump picked McMaster to replace Flynn. Shortly thereafter, McMaster began to make changes at the NSC by moving key deputies around to build a trusted team. Later, he ejected Bannon from regular membership and succeeded in pushing out K.T. McFarland from the crucial deputy position.

At the same time, Defense Secretary James Mattis began to unfurl the appointments of key policy aides to help steer the Pentagon. Tillerson traveled across the world as the nation’s chief diplomat, earning criticism but also solidifying his grasp on the department and its far-flung outposts. Having been confirmed on March 15, former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats settled in as director of national intelligence alongside CIA Director Mike Pompeo. These experienced operators stepped into the policy vacuum left by a vague presidential campaign (what, exactly, does it mean to “Make America Great Again” in the foreign policy context?) and Bannon’s missteps. In turn, Trump would increasingly come to rely on them for their advice, guidance, and support.

Consider the team. McMaster, a senior Army general, has kept his political cards close in keeping with the professional ethic of a military officer. However, in his writing, he has called for a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy, particularly with respect to Russia, China and Iran. Mattis is famously hawkish on Iran and Middle Eastern issues, with decades of experience fighting wars (or planning to fight them) in the Middle East. Tillerson doesn’t bring a long resume on military matters, but in his work as Exxon Mobil’s CEO, he illustrated realpolitik in action. At the CIA, Pompeo brings an aggressive stance towards ISIS as well as to other threats like Russia and Iran.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/04/h-r-mcmaster-and-james-mattis-are-steering-trump-away-from-america-first.html