Like a stopped clock, Trump may be about to do something right

Like a blind squirrel finding an acorn, Trump may be about to do the third correct thing in his presidency.

The first thing he did right was deliver the coup de grace on TPP.
The second thing was his decision to end funding for CIA-backed rebels in Syria.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump was shown a disturbing video of Syrian rebels beheading a child near the city of Aleppo. It had caused a minor stir in the press as the fighters belonged to the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, a group that had been supported by the CIA as part of its rebel aid program.
The footage is haunting. Five bearded men smirk as they surround a boy in the back of a pickup truck. One of them holds the boy’s head with a tight grip on his hair while another mockingly slaps his face. Then, one of them uses a knife to saw the child’s head off and holds it up in the air like a trophy. It is a scene reminiscent of the Islamic State’s snuff videos, except this wasn’t the work of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s men. The murderers were supposed to be the good guys: our allies.
Trump wanted to know why the United States had backed Zenki if its members are extremists. The issue was discussed at length with senior intelligence officials, and no good answers were forthcoming, according to people familiar with the conversations. After learning more worrisome details about the CIA’s ghost war in Syria—including that U.S.-backed rebels had often fought alongside extremists, among them al Qaeda’s arm in the country—the president decided to end the program altogether.

Of course the MSM hated his decision to stop arming and funding head-chopping terrorists.

President Trump may be on the verge of making his third correct decision, and if he does it will be the best decision he's made so far.

Reservations in the White House on troop levels in Afghanistan have reportedly led the Trump Administration to a point where it is considering withdrawing U.S. troops from the beleaguered country altogether, contrary to recommendations from the Pentagon.
...One unnamed senior administration official was quoted as saying that the question of U.S. commitment in Afghanistan is a fundamental one for the White House. “It doesn’t work unless we are there for a long time, and if we don’t have the appetite to be there a long time, we should just leave. It’s an unanswered question,” they said.

After 16 years of futile and pointless war, we are no closer to winning than when we started.
The Pentagon asked for 4,000 more troops, even while saying only “we want to get the strategy first. That’s what we’re working on right now.”
That was 6 weeks ago. The Pentagon still has no strategy.

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detroitmechworks's picture

and they have to have a playground for their new toys.

They're tired of playing with the same boring soldiers, ever since they started breaking when pushed for too hard and too long. They now want robot soldiers and nifty auto bombs that play the game for them, and they never have to worry about losing one of them!

And now Uncle Trumpy is saying they don't get to play any more in ONE playground! WAAAAAAAH! I'm GONNA TELL UNCA MCCAIN AND AUNT PELOSI!!!!!

/snark

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

ggersh's picture

and certainly more than we ever would've gotten from
her heinous the war monger.

Now he needs to keep his word on jobs, SS, and healthcare
should he do that, I'll start believing again.

after all he's the one man that wants his face on Rushmore
more than anything else, even an aircraft carrier

EDIT:I'm no fan of Trump but shouldn't we take victories whether
small or large, considering her heinous was the default.

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Big Al's picture

@ggersh Seriously there is no victory here and there will be none with Trump. I can't believe people still might think that after what he has done. As far as health care, he has said clearly he wants to make it even worse and his lies about SS and jobs were just that, lies.

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ggersh's picture

@Big Al @Big Al her heinous as prez. If she were do you not think
that Syria would be nothing but rubble, albeit it's just
one step above, might we not already be at war with Russia
and Iran, might not she have already signed a grand bargain
with the R's you know like the one O wanted and wouldn't TPP
be back on the table after a bit of triangulation?

And if just if he keeps his word on SS and maybe healthcare
to which her heinous said no never, ain't gonna happen then
yes it's a victory.

Now saying all that the man is just the other side of the
coin shared with her heinous

EDIT: BTW I believe like you that the whole system needs to be torn down
but until it is fighting the one we have now and taking small victories
wherever one can is what we have.

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Not bad for a blind squirrel. I doubt that Hillary could have found either one of them.

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native

thanatokephaloides's picture

@native

That makes two very tasty nuts he's found.

Not bad for a blind squirrel. I doubt that Hillary could have found either one of them.

Or that she'd hang onto either of them if she did!

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Pluto's Republic's picture

@native

I wonder.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
thanatokephaloides's picture

@Pluto's Republic

If Hillary had won, were would the Left be?

I wonder.

Exactly where it is now.

Hillary is Trump in a girl suit. Trump is Hillary in a boy suit.

Wink

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Pluto's Republic's picture

@thanatokephaloides

…Democratic Party the power party instead of the party in disarray. Even though they are not taking advantage of it, the Left have room to maneuver and stake out new territory. They would have been silenced and on the outside looking in if Hillary had won. Many who have been through here would have been reabsorbed. C99 would be an outpost with the disgruntled taking pot shots at President Hillary. Single payer health care would still be a silly idea that will never, ever happen. The Democrats would be the first folks to tell you that. Hillary wouldn't have the House or the Senate, domestic politics would be Obama redux — fighting off the Republican agenda. And the expanding wars would trigger deployments galore. The Left would be lost.

That's my take.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato

We're only a few years short of the gold watch!

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There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

"the president who lost Viet Nam". That was a selfish mistake that cost 50,000 lives. I am amazed to think that Trump could be less selfish.

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On to Biden since 1973

that would result if Trump closed up shop in Afghanistan. And all the gallons of neoliberal tears that would be shed. Would he really have the guts to do that? I kind of doubt it.

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native

@native
I would say the odds are against him pulling out, but it's still not very long odds.
Something like 40-60

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@gjohnsit

…double down on Afghanistan. That gives the newbie president some "buy-in," which will likely keep him mired there for the rest of his term. Besides, it's opiates-central, and that gives the CIA their own budget.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Big Al's picture

rag to credit Trump with a supposed decision (only reported by propaganda sources using unnamed sources) in Syria?

"Don’t be Fooled, the CIA was Only Half the Problem in Syria"

If true, it was purely a tactical decision.

"The news that President Trump has halted the CIA program to arm and train rebel groups in Syria should be viewed with caution, as the CIA program only represented half of US involvement in Syria. Even if we take this information as completely accurate, and the CIA will cease to be involved in any covert programs in Syria, there is still a giant arm of US imperialism that is going to be heavily involved in the Syrian conflict for the foreseeable future; namely, the Pentagon."

https://journal-neo.org/2017/07/31/don-t-be-fooled-the-cia-was-only-half...

Trump shouldn't get credit for a damn thing, it doesn't change the overall agenda at all.

"The plan to Balkanize Syria is well on its way, and the Pentagon is leading the charge. How Russia positions herself in the coming months will be crucial for the future of Syria."

Linking to the Weekly Standard, the neocon "standard", for news about Syria? The writer of that article is Thomas Joscelyn, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, another propaganda center and advocate for U.S. imperialism. That article is full of lies.

So is the article about Afghanistan, what bullshit, that they're "mulling strategy" on how to best secure the country. That is not true, they're not there to spread democracy or secure the country, that was NEVER the case. That is false narrative propaganda that reveals nothing about the real reasons for the U.S. war in Afghanistan, in fact it lies to cover the reasons.

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@Big Al

The Weekly Standard? You're linking to a neocon propaganda rag to credit Trump with a supposed decision (only reported by propaganda sources using unnamed sources) in Syria?

Did Trump cut off aid to CIA-backed rebels?
Then the only question is: why?
I find the answer believable.

it doesn't change the overall agenda at all.

Actually it does, without a doubt.
Already rebel forces are starting to surrender. We may still want regime change, but the Trump Admin has admitted that it won't happen soon.

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Big Al's picture

@gjohnsit and continue to give cover for regime change and country balkanization. The story of arming "moderate" rebels by the CIA was proven false from the beginning, there were no moderate rebels and all that does is make people think it's some kind of civil war and the good ole USA is just trying to help the "moderates" fight for their country, which is just BS.

The Weekly Standard and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies exist to spread war and foreign policy propaganda.

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Big Al's picture

@Big Al

"Washington Post's article appears to be a final attempt to salvage long-exposed disinformation, misinforming the public about the true nature of both the Syrian crisis and the alleged "opposition" fighting it on the West's behalf. The article concludes, claiming that US programs to arm militants in Syria are drawing to a close, and that the US is "leaving Syria in Russia's hands."

In reality, the US will only leave Syria once its options have been fully confounded and exhausted by Syria and its allies. While it may not be able to continue funding terrorists in Syria's northwest, it still maintains a military presence with US troops and proxies in the nation's east. It openly plans to occupy these regions - and from them - incrementally expand them until eventually Syria is either dissolved as a unified state, or regime change can eventually be achieved."

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/

It basically admits the idea of a moderate rebel opposition to the Assad government was fiction.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Big Al
to change in Syria. This country is settling down for a long while Syria is carved up in segments.
There are at least 10 US bases being built to be able to operate anywhere they want to inside the country.
Only this country would have the balls to invade countries and take over like it has countless times.
I'm sure that we know what the reaction would be if any country tried doing that here.
What would happen if Russia and the Syrian military decided to stop the USA from building its bases there?

Plus we saw what happened when the first ceasefire was put in place. The pentagon killed Syrian troops after they had spent over a year trying to take back an airport from ISIS or the Syrian rebels. It's hard to keep track of who are the good guys and the bad guys over there.
The one thing that is true, is that none of this would be happening if Obama hadn't sold out to the neocons and started this fiasco.

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Big Al's picture

@snoopydawg The thing people have to understand is it's all been written. They've told us what they want to do and what they're going to do thru the think tanks, institutes, organizations, papers, and other oligarchy instruments. They still do.
I don't think it's selling out to neocons personally, I think it's a universal mindset of what the U.S. role in the world MUST be and agreement on what has to happen to keep it that way. No one wants to challenge that which is why we see the 412-10 and 98-2 votes.

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@Big Al

When they wrote their plan, Russia was a failed state being picked apart by American corporations and other predators. It was never supposed to come back to life. That's why the NaziCons have lost their shit over Putin and have pulled out all the stops to make the case to Americans for war with Russia.

Things are not moving according plan. The US is jumping from landmine to landmine and making it up as they go. But Russia is a wildcard. So is China. And Iran was supposed to be dead in the sand.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Big Al's picture

@Pluto's Republic resurgence from Russia and China, particularly since they helped with their global capitalist New World Order. They couldn't have expected the New American Century and Greater Israel to be a cakewalk, but maybe some did. Many things are going according to plan and the overall plan for balkanizing Syria is still the priority.
But certainly things are much more complicated now, and dangerous.

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@Big Al @Big Al

…which as you might say was on 9/11, they didn't waste any time, starting two major wars in the first three years. It could be they were racing against the possibilities of challengers to the unipolar world. Putin was just getting his footing and distracted by Chechen. China was making plastic trinkets and can openers. Who could have expected them to move so fast? Or, perhaps who could expected it to take so long to take down the Middle East?

Right now they are banking on the American people remaining ignorant and indifferent to what is going on — until they secure Empire globally.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
snoopydawg's picture

@Big Al
when he said that this country was going to invade 7 countries in 5 years?

They've told us what they want to do and what they're going to do thru the think tanks, institutes, organizations, papers, and other oligarchy instruments.

Global Warfare: “We’re going to take out 7 countries in 5 years: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan & Iran..”

AMY GOODMAN: Well, for the rest of the hour, we’ll hear General Wesley Clark in his own words on the possibility of a US attack on Iran; the impeachment of President Bush; the use of cluster bombs; the bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo War under his command; and much more. I interviewed General Clark on Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.

I knew why, because I had been through the Pentagon right after 9/11. About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in. He said, “Sir, you’ve got to come in and talk to me a second.” I said, “Well, you’re too busy.” He said, “No, no.” He says, “We’ve made the decision we’re going to war with Iraq.” This was on or about the 20th of September. I said, “We’re going to war with Iraq? Why?” He said, “I don’t know.” He said, “I guess they don’t know what else to do.” So I said, “Well, did they find some information connecting Saddam to al-Qaeda?” He said, “No, no.” He says, “There’s nothing new that way. They just made the decision to go to war with Iraq.” He said, “I guess it’s like we don’t know what to do about terrorists, but we’ve got a good military and we can take down governments.” And he said, “I guess if the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem has to look like a nail.”

(Clark wouldn't name the person who he was speaking with)

So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, “Are we still going to war with Iraq?” And he said, “Oh, it’s worse than that.” He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, “I just got this down from upstairs” — meaning the Secretary of Defense’s office — “today.” And he said, “This is a memo that describes how we’re going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran.” I said, “Is it classified?” He said, “Yes, sir.” I said, “Well, don’t show it to me.” And I saw him a year or so ago, and I said, “You remember that?” He said, “Sir, I didn’t show you that memo! I didn’t show it to you!”t

Again, in a sane world, this plan would have been prosecuted for premeditated war crimes, crimes against humanity and for 1st degree murder.
This goes against the Geneva convention and international law. The only reason for going to war is IF ONE'S COUNTRY IS THREATENED OR ATTACKED.
None of those countries did either of them.

What's the chance that we can win a war with Iran? Don't our leaders understand that Iran isn't just going to sit there while we rain bombs on them? And what will Russia and China do if they do attack Iran?
This madness is just so understandable to me.

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Big Al's picture

@snoopydawg "Which Path to Persia", or white papers from the Heritage foundation and the Rand Corporation, the letters to the president from AEI, PNAC, WINEP, etc., Council on Foreign Relations policy papers, the Wolfowitz Doctrine, the Oded Yinon Plan, the real deep state that controls how the government works. If people would look behinds the scenes, they're telling us exactly what they're doing and it's very clear what it's all about.

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orlbucfan's picture

Libya and Iraq. That is hopefully all they will accomplish. Rec'd!! @snoopydawg

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Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

@snoopydawg
it's going to be real hard to keep those bases in Southern Syria. I don't expect those to last.

The bases in Syria Kurdistan have more potential, but Turkey and Damascus will have a say in that.

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snoopydawg's picture

@gjohnsit
in Syria is so they could use them when they attack Iran?
I'd rather you be right about this than me.
It's time to do what Smedley suggested in 1933. Close all of our foreign bases, bring our troops home and use the navy and the coast guard to patrol our waterways only 200 miles from our shores.
Just think of the amount of money we could save and what we could spend it on.

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@snoopydawg Didn't he also suggest that the Rent A Goons we hire should only be paid the same as a real soldier doing the same job?

Still a good idea.

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They say that there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway
They say that life's a game and then they take the board away
They give you masks and costumes and an outline of the story
And leave you all to improvise their vicious cabaret-- A. Moore

@snoopydawg

... Only this country would have the balls to invade countries and take over like it has countless times. ...

Personally, I'd spell that one 'gall'...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

snoopydawg's picture

a nice ride home in a convertible? Or any other scenario that ends with his no longer being president?
I think that even if Trump was able to pull the troops out of Afghanistan the pentagon and the CIA might fund Prince's mercenaries. The trillions in minerals was conveniently found around the time we invaded Afghanistan. TPTB aren't going to let any other countries have access to the minerals.

Was the boy who they killed the one that was pictured in a red shirt a few years ago?

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Alligator Ed's picture

@snoopydawg

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snoopydawg's picture

@Alligator Ed
The CIA isn't going to give them up. They are an endless stream of money for their black ops they do all over the world.

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said back then that they expect straightening out Afghanistan would take at least 40 yrs, maybe 60. However much opium is grown there.

Really? Quit half-way through?

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Orwell: Where's the omelette?

Pluto's Republic's picture

@jim p

However much opium is grown there.

Afghanistan's massive harvest is only part of the picture. Fed Ex is now a major US defense contractor — one that conveniently moves strategic goods through civilian airports all day long. They're all over Afghanistan and the Middle East and the World delivering the "mail."

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
strollingone's picture

twice a day. If this is the third time maybe a new day is dawning?

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We have ~10,000 troops there now. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/asia/mattis-afghanistan-militar...">Trump gave Mattis the authority to determine how many more will be deployed.

Possibly 1500 to 5000 more this summer, for a total around 13,000.

There is no strategy.
There is no mission, no victory conditions.

Trump might tweet tomorrow morning that he is pulling all troops out of Afghanistan, and it won't mean a damn thing except that he wants people to be talking about that, rather than his and his family's corruption.

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@mj55

…boots on the ground we have there. Contractors have outnumbered troops many times over for for some time.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Strife Delivery's picture

If I remember correctly, didn't Mattis state that we were "just getting started" in Afghanistan?

16 years in and just getting started.

Yikes.

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because heroin.

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