Unbelievable..... Perhaps President Obama said it best. Recently he was asked again for his response to Trump's comments during the recent "Commander and Chief" forum sponsored by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. The President again repeated his previous statement that in his view Trump was completely unqualified to serve in the Office of the Presidency and then he added, "and every time he speaks he proves it." This forum - once again - demonstrated the accuracy of President Obama's observation and revealed the superficial, narcissistic, uninformed, and autocratic/fascist personality that hides behind the smile of Donald Trump.
In what has to be the worst and most outrageous 30 minutes on record in any modern Presidential race, Donald Trump took the cake. After intentionally "leaking" his most recent CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING by his magical "reading" of "their body language", and inferring that career professional intelligence briefers would violate their sworn information-sharing function and breach the confidentiality of their classified function, he contented that they "indicated" their displeasure with President Obama and former Secretary Hillary Clinton. The short of it is that The Donald, in possession of CLASSIFIED INFORMATION for the first time in his life, just could not wait to share it with millions of TV viewers - our enemies included - and violate the first rule of these briefings - secrecy. Do you wonder as I do whether he and the other candidates entitled to be in those CLASSIFIED briefings had to take an oath or sign an agreement not to divulge the CLASSIFIED information received with any other person or persons, media or new outlets both here and around the globe? Is a violation of that trust, a "crime"? Unlike the Hillary e-mails where FBI Director Comey found no reason or basis for a prosecution essentially because, as he explained, that there was no "intent" to violate the law and/or to compromise US intelligence, is this proof that Donald Trump - intentionally - violated the classified nature of these briefings? Perhaps there should be a Congressional Investigation of the Trump Trap in sharing classified information broadly and intentionally. Maybe a "Special Prosecutor" - another Republican favorite smear tactic - should be appointed to investigate this obvious breach of federal law? Don't hold your breath.
Aside from Trump's intentional "leaking" of classified information from the most recent intelligence briefings, he went on to praise Putin, an arch-foe of the United States, as a "great leader." When challenged on this and offered an opportunity to clarify or modify his comments by Matt Lauer who noted that Putin, a former KGB agent, had violated International Law, invaded Ukraine, seized the Crimea area, is threatening other NATO allies, interferes in elections in Europe and now in the US, jails and kills opponents, is our international adversary, and rules as a dictator, Trump doubled-down. He quoted some polls in Russia that have Putin's approval in the 80+% (Hello, Natasha? Secret Police calling.... so you like Vladimir?), and that, according to Trump, he called Trump "brilliant." As an aside, Putin has said that did not happen and what he said was that Trump was smart and a FLAMBOYANT, COLORFUL leader (does that mean clown?). In any case, Trump went on to say that when Putin "says good things about me, I'll say good things about him." Huh? Sounds like the apologists for Hitler in the 1930s..... appeasement all the way and at the very time that Republicans have complained that President Obama has not been tough enough in responding to the Putin threat.
If Putin is complementary toward Trump, it should come as no surprise. After all, Trump has said that we could consider recognizing that Crimea is a part of Russia. He has questioned NATO's value in the future and suggested that we re-visit the entire relationship that we have with our long-time allies. Trump has balked at the suggestion that, as a member of the NATO Alliance, we would come to the aid of its members - especially the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. He even threw Poland under the bus as yet another nation who's defense is not necessarily in our best interests. He is essentially dis-assembling the alliance system that has kept the European world largely at peace for much of the past 70 years. If abandoning alliances in Europe and the Far East is the Trump Foreign Policy agenda, then he should clearly say that and let the electoral votes fall where they may. Arm Japan and South Korea with Nuclear weapons? Let Pakistan do the same so it could do a face-off with neighboring India, already bristling with nuclear bombs? "Bomb the S#*%T out of them"? Out of who? All Muslims? Take the Far East oil (in violation of US Military policy and international treaties)? But, hey, he was against the war in Iraq from the start, right? Nope. In the year of the Congressional votes to authorize military action in the Middle East, he clearly stated on the Howard Stern radio show that he was FOR the war. Two-three years later, when public opinion turned and we discovered that there was no WMD held in Iraq, Trump changed his story - once again proving that he will say whatever you want to hear, whenever you want to hear it to get your vote.
OH... and, if your concern is about the substantial number of rapes in the military, estimated at around 26,000 and the fact that only 236 convictions have been adjudged, Donald's tweeted comment is, "what did the geniuses expect when they put men and women together?" Like Gary Johnson and his "what is Aleppo" question, what the hell is Trump thinking? This certainly isn't levelheaded, thoughtful, mature, and deliberative leadership. The Trump campaign of snarl and sneer, loaded with conspiracy theories, gross errors, bigotry, misogyny, and uninformed commentary that is an international embarrassment and, in fact, poses a real threat to national security and our status around the globe.
Trump, commenting on the status of the US Military, stated that the Generals had been "reduced to rubble", disparaging the senior career military rank of the US Armed Services. When asked what his plan to defeat ISIS might be and who he would listen to if elected, Trump again hinted that he had a secret plan and, in addition, that he would tell the Generals to develop a plan to defeat ISIS and report back in 30 days. Noting that in his previous comments he said that he "knows more about ISIS than the Generals, believe me", Trump was asked whether he would go ahead with his plan or that of the Generals? He said, "we'll see." Pressed on the competence of the Generals, he said that he would get rid of them and replace them with others who, presumably, just follow his orders. "Off with their heads", said the Queen of Hearts... and repeated, the Mad Hatter.
Are we really going down the "lock 'em up", "off with their heads", "throw 'em out", "pull up the drawbridge", leader to leader "deals" instead of open negotiations on the international scene? Is the US on the brink of transforming our Democracy to one of an Oligarchy led by millionaires and billionaires? I hope not. Are Putin and Trump really "Perfect Together"???? Maybe Trump should move to Stalingrad, build yet another Trump Tower, get his KGB Supporter ID Card, and join other ex-pats who admire the "Strong Man" theory of governmental leadership. That style is right up Trump's alley.
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