Mistermix and Adam have already discussed the Kurdish disaster, but just a few extra points. If it is not immediately obvious what has happened here, President Geoffrey Baratheon, a narcissist and imbecile of the first order, got on the phone and just blabbed his fat mouth and completely gave up the farm without having ANY idea what he was talking about or ANY idea what the ramifications of this would be. As a narcissist of the first order, he thinks he knows everything, and combined with his insatiable greed and inability to think more than a half step down the road, thought there is nothing in it for us (and by us, I mean Trump Inc.), and just said whatever it takes to get Erdogan to flatter him.
Because our unscripted and uninformed imbecile does these calls alone while hopped up on adderall and lounging on silk sheets littered with double cheeseburger wrappers, none of the people who actually know things were informed of the call and allowed to offer input prior to our during the call. Once again, blabbermouth completely blindsided the pentagon and DOD, anyone and everyone in national security and foreign policy, as well as, you know, the Kurds. So blindsided were they that Sec. Def. initially tweeted and released a statement that the DoD does not agree with the President. It has since been removed.
It’s worth noting that we just forced the Kurds to bulldoze their defense position with the promise that we would defend them.
So, yeah. Solid work, Republicans. I have no idea how we dig our way out of this mess, but I imagine we’ll start to hear a lot of Obama blaming because, you know, why not?
The Dangerman
Feature, not bug.
Martin
Turkey already have jets over the previous no fly zone. This might already be unrepairable.
NotMax
Little Don Trump
Sat on a lump
Screwing the Kurds his way
trollhattan
If Obama had not started ISIS none of this would have been necessary. Or did Hillary invent ISIS while playing RISK?
patrick II
It’s also worth noting that our word is worth spit to any potential future allies. This is going to hurt for a long, long time.
NotMax
@trollhattan
FDR. In the conservatory, with the candlestick.
japa21
Graham is already stating this is like the way Obama left Iraq which had disastrous results. Only one major problem with that statement. It is nothing like the way Obama left Iraq.
There were only two ways Obama could have kept US troops in Iraq. The first was agreeing to all the terms Iraq wanted, which no US President would do or, essentially once again declaring war on a sovereign nation and becoming an occupying force all over again.
Joe Falco
If this turns into yet another genocide committed by Turkey, I hope both Trump and Erodgan share a cell in the Hague one day.
schrodingers_cat
What T promise Modi?
hueyplong
Are we nearing the point in Goodfellas when the (Russian) gangsters burn down Trump’s restaurant?
jl
@japa21: Someone should remind Graham that GW Bush administration left Obama a very weak hand in negotiating a withdrawal from Iraq. The critical parameters were negotiated by the GW administration.
NotMax
@schrodingers_cat
The Dakotas.
Dolt 45: “Indians are Indians. right?”
//
hilts
Sen Lindsay Graham (Asswipe – SC):
h/t https://www.npr.org/2019/10/07/767904589/shocking-trump-is-criticized-for-pulling-troops-from-syrian-border
clay
@japa21: Also… the Iraq withdrawal agreement was in place before Obama was elected. Damn him and that time machine again!
jk
@japa21:
Lindsay Graham is a pathetic bed wetting liar.
Mary G
I am so horrified by this. I was wrong – I pooh-poohed all the WASF when he was elected – I thought America, and particularly the Republican Party, would keep a leash on him to some extent. The systems of checks and balances would hold him back. Foolish, naive Mary G.
Raoul
Trump is in the burn it down phase. Julia Davis (and others) are saying Trump is planning to pull out of Open Skies, the agreement that lets countries do verification.
Even if he is just an unwitting, self-misdirected and ultra-stupid asset, he is totally doing Putin’s business. His goal of destroying NATO is one step closer.
Saw a thread this morning on twittbox that it may take decades for the US to recover from 3 to 4 years of Trump. It’s true, but in part because this rot stated before him, and involves an entire political party.
hells littlest angel
I’m sure Vlad was kept in the loop.
Yutsano
@schrodingers_cat: Modi is brown. I can guarantee you any promise was forgotten as soon as the conversation was over.
Chyron HR
Well, maybe the Kurds should have voted for Bernie in the 2016 primary.
germy
Cheryl Rofer
Excellent analysis, John!
Now I can pack it in for the night.
Raoul
@germy: And it is an open question wether Boris can finish dragging the U.K. over to the Axis of Idiot.
JPL
@japa21: Well it is if you consider the riots occurring now. Truthfully, I though Graham was going to blame France because they didn’t take the ISIS prisoners.
Yutsano
@Cheryl Rofer: MOAR KITTEH SKRITCHES!!!
@Raoul: Well he has officially 12 days to get a new deal with the EU. Or resign. Or break the law and say fuckitall. Because he’s already said he’s not asking for an extension and the opposition is a bunch of stupid knuckefucks who are more interested in undercutting Corbyn rather than trying to find a rational way out of this mishegas.
jl
Democrats need to move boldly and quickly on impeachment. I can’t see any other check on Trump, who is mentally lurching out of control.
Need to put GOP on the spot and keep them there, challenging them to justify and explain Trump’s apparent insanity.
Every Democrat should quote a few of Trump’s most outrageous brags and fantasies and lies he tweets out to the faces of the GOP at every opportunity and ask them whether they support this frightening madness.
debbie
Not by name, but I did hear this clip a few minutes ago: “It was supposed to be a quick hit, just a quick hit. This has been going on for years and years, but it was supposed to be a quick hit.”
David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch
@jl: I’m all for impeachment because he deserves the stain of history and it will serve as a deterrence to future occupants who aren’t as deranged. But I don’t see how that will check Dump’s future behavior. If anything, he’ll act more nutz, just to pee off the libs.
debbie
How many times has the U.S. screwed the Kurds? I know it’s more than a few.
debbie
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch:
Agreed. Which is why it would be nice to get a censure instead.
jl
@David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: I don’t think we know whether Trump is acting out because he feels cornered or because he feels invulnerable and unchecked. Or, is it just Trump being Trump. Or because Putin wants some results before the 2020 election, and Trump feels pressed. Trump has been issuing outrageous big talk since the day he entered office, now he has to act for the promised help for 2020 won’t come.
I don’t think we know. Trump does have a habit of folding when confronted.
@debbie: Need to consider any measure that will check Trump.
TS (the original)
@patrick II:
As it should. Who would trust such a “friend”. Some still remember when Germany turned on Russia.
And for all the GOP attacks on Obama, he held & accepted all the treaties/promises etc made by GW Bush – including leaving Iraq – getting non-stop attacks from people like Ms Graham
John Revolta
IIRC Obama asked the Iraqis if we should stay a bit longer and they were “Nah, thanks but no thanks, see ya around, come again when you can’t stay so long”.
Mary G
Another bonehead-screw-the-allies move:
Good question:
jl
@Mary G: As I suggested above, Putin has ‘deliverables’ similar to what Trump had for Ukraine, in return for help with the 2020 election. That is my best guess. Trump has’t been able to deliver on the big talk he made when he took office. Now he has to deliver what he can.
debbie
@Mary G:
Because he, and more importantly Putin, knows those phone transcripts will be public sooner rather than later. “Too late! Already done!”
Viva BrisVegas
I don’t what Geoffrey Baratheon has gotten up to lately, but I suspect it’s President Joffrey Baratheon that’s the worry.
jl
@debbie: Wonder if the GOPer honchos will say Trump was just joking when he reversed US policy and OK’d Turkish invasion.
Wonder if the corporate media will push back at GOP BS, because they love the US waging war, the here the US is stepping back and letting another country do the war stuff.
Like Graham, corporate media cheer leading for US doing war, and disappointedly pouting when it steps back, is a mindless reflex, so has zero informational content on whether Trump’s sudden decision is wise. They are like stopped clock that tells the right time twice a day.
Mary G
@debbie: Screwing the Kurds goes way back. I found this in the Christian Science Monitor:
I knew Kissinger is a monster, but I did not know about this episode.
ETA: I’m surprised they fought with us again so many times.
Raoul
@jl: As much as the people in v.1 and v.2 of his admin were not really ‘adults in the room’, they did to some extent check his worst impulses. He has 100% yes men (and women) around him now.
Anything he wants, they just work to make it happen. Even if it’s insanely destructive.
Raven Onthill
“I have no idea how we dig our way out of this mess,”
I don’t think we do. This what diplomats call a fait accompli and the rest of us call an irreversible mistake.
MomSense
I’m still furious about what we did to the Hmong. This is going to be a catastrophe.
Ascap_scab
Has anyone considered that Erdogon may have blackmailed Trump on the call? If Trump can strong arm Ukraine, who’s to say Erdogon said get out of Syria cause it’d be a shame if something were to happen to Trump Tower Istanbul.
PeakVT
The President has succeeded…
…in distracting us from his Ukrainian high crimes by betraying our proxies in Syria.
And it’s only Monday.
Ladyraxterinok
@debbie:
BushI promised them all sorts of things during 1st Iraq War. Zero follow through!
Zelma
I decided to take a mental health day today and stayed away from the news. When I logged on the BJ, the first thing I saw was the Trump tweet about Turkey. My reaction, like that of any sane person was, “No. That has to be a joke. Rubio’s right. Trump is just a big jokester.” But the joke is on the United States of America. We are over. I guess the Republicans and the Trumpistas don’t care. But we will pay a big price for this.
Sloane Ranger
Most Americans don’t know much about foreign policy, hell most people everywhere don’t know much about it!
When he was running Trump promised to get the troops out. At least part of his motivation may be that he wants to run on a promises made, promises kept agenda during the election. He knows Impeachment is bad and may hope that getting US troops out of harm’s way will play well with independents who might cool on him as more and more comes out during the Impeachment enquiry.
It might also be intended as a warning to Pelosi and the Democrats, proceed with this and I’ll do even more damage to US foreign relations
Then add his admiration for strong men leaders and his need for them to reassure him he’s a member of the club in good standing and you have a toxic mix.
Ohio Mom
@Zelma: I’ve been taking mini-mental health breaks throughout the week, and when I come back to reading the news, I almost always have the same first reaction you did, refusing to believe whatever it is I’ve just read. It’s all so ludicrous, shocking and scary.
Mike in DC
@Sloane Ranger: I think pulling out of NATO would actually hasten his impeachment. Even Republican senators have a limit.
Chris Johnson
@hells littlest angel:
I wonder. What if this is Trump being abandoned by Putin, and McConnell/Graham/Pence etc etc etc are still very much working for Putin, but Trump is off the reservation and no longer acting in accordance with Putin’s wishes?
Sort of like a ‘don’t you abandon ME! You come back and you help me fix my domestic political problems, or I’ll fuck everything up all across the globe! I will break shit unless you show you’re still supporting me, Donald Trump!’
I really do think he’s gone beyond what Putin wants to help him through. He’s meant to be thrown to the wolves now. He is not going quietly, so he’s making a stupid mess that might not be really serving Putin’s interests. And maybe that’s the point. All he CAN do is fuck things up, but to some extent he can find shit to do that is really alarming to anyone (on whichever side) who has coherent goals. Putin doesn’t use coherent tactics, but does have coherent goals.
If he really REALLY pissed off Putin, he’s a dead man walking.
Sloane Ranger
@Mike in DC: Possibly, but so far, they haven’t given any evidence of this. Isolationism was very popular among Conservatives between the wars. They only supported NATO to stop the evil Godless Commies.Now said evil Godless Commies have become good Capitalist Christians it’s a waste of money. Oh not all will take that view but most will, especially if Trump keeps telling the base that our (your) troops are being put in harm’s way to protect a lot of foreigners who are not only to weak and lazy to protect themselves but said protection is being paid for by the US taxpayer. (them).
Raoul
@Sloane Ranger: I have my reservations about Tom Nichols, but he suggested that this was more about Bolton’s staff staying on even after Bolton left, and that they have likely been pushing for these changes. Not everything is Putin-directed, even if much of it benefits Russia’s positions.
Aleta
‘Outrage’: New Video Shows Bulldozers Destroying America’s Most Iconic Cacti to Build Trump’s Border Wall
https://earther.gizmodo.com/outrage-new-video-shows-bulldozers-destroying-americas-1838787163
J R in WV
@Aleta:
Don’t want to see the destruction of those iconic rare desert plants. So beautiful in such a harsh environment.
These folks will bulldoze anything for their maniacal leader.
Fuck ’em! Despicable monsters.