Stereo opinion echo - Donald Trump and his dangerous policies
A guest editorial and reader response from the Addison County Independent newspaper, located in Middlebury, Vermont and also in other state newspapers.
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| Donald Trump is a danger to the world! He should be impeached and put in prison. |
There is absolutely no way to explain much of what Donald Trump does nationally or internationally, largely because he changes his mind so often on so many things. What can be said is that his actions are almost invariably consistent with the goals of Russia. Equally, up until this moment, there is absolutely no way to know what the motivation for his policies truly is.
Some have speculated that he is motivated by his own personal economic goals. He would like to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Others have speculated that his past dalliances in Moscow have compromised him and that he has been blackmailed into his current behaviors. It is further speculated, given his clear admiration of and support for today’s worst world dictators, that his goal is to become one of their colleagues, changing this country forever. He has, after all, spoken (jokingly?) of serving for an additional 16 years.
To be fair about this, let’s look at Trump without partisan political speculation. What policies has he followed that have favored the Russians?
In order to fully understand this, we have to have a reasonable assessment of Russian motivation in the world. It is clear that Putin, a former committed KGB colonel, deeply mourns the death of the Soviet Union. He has said a number of times that it was one of the greatest tragedies in history and that it is his wish that the USSR return to Russia.
So, what has Putin done that would support that goal?
The guest editorial by former CIA station chief Haviland Smith was excellent (Addison Independent, Sept. 9). In straightforward terms, it highlighted Trump’s relationship (or infatuation) with Putin, and his foreign policy activities. As the author said, this is outside the left-right arguments about which way to move the country. This is a leader who is completely flipping the relationships that have been in place for years. Trump’s preference for dictators is obvious on multiple fronts.
Trump must go. He has damaged democracy by his dictatorial style of leadership. The chaos and the politicizing of all operations of the government has made us less secure and less stable. His base-oriented actions and his personal traits (“nasty”) have made our daily lives less enjoyable and more dangerous. The political divide is worse, the societal dialogue is worse, the respect for truth and honesty is less, the trust in the media is hyper-divided, and two of the heavyweights in Trump’s world are TV personalities (like himself). Decency and respect for others are on the decline.
Trump and his minions do not want democracy. Trump has expressed desire to be president for life, and there is legitimate worry about what happens if the 2020 election is close and Trump loses. This is on top of gerrymandering, voter suppression and foreign influences.
Trump must go and it is not a left right issue anymore. It is a democracy or dictatorship question. Sorry to be so stark, but that is how it appears to me.
Van Talmage, Lincoln, Vermont
To be fair about this, let’s look at Trump without partisan political speculation. What policies has he followed that have favored the Russians?
In order to fully understand this, we have to have a reasonable assessment of Russian motivation in the world. It is clear that Putin, a former committed KGB colonel, deeply mourns the death of the Soviet Union. He has said a number of times that it was one of the greatest tragedies in history and that it is his wish that the USSR return to Russia.
So, what has Putin done that would support that goal?
Recognizing the ongoing power and influence of the United States in the world, he has done everything humanly possible to weaken the U.S. both internally and internationally.
Internally, he has interfered in our 2016 elections and continues to do so today. Whether it was his doing or not, Putin has an American President who has attempted and often succeeded in overturning just about everything his predecessor did to try to make this country a fairer, safer place.
One of the results of this policy is that it has further exacerbated the deep political divisions that exist in our country. Trump has basically destroyed the effectiveness of much of the Federal Government. The State Department, the Intelligence Community, and the regulatory agencies (particularly the Environmental Protection Agency) have all been denigrated and humiliated. Critical substantive jobs requiring real expertise have been purposely left unoccupied or occupied by Trump sycophants. Top management jobs are often left “acting,” leaving true power to the president.
Internationally, he has treated European heads of state with disdain and occasional rudeness. He has spoken against the European Union, NATO and just about every other western originated international agreement. He has shown his distrust for our involvement with international agreements by withdrawing from the Trans Pacific Partnership (PTT), The Paris Climate Accord, The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear agreement.
None of these moves have strengthened the United States and in the process of acting out his disdain for international cooperation, he has gone a long way toward removing us from our decades-long preeminence in international affairs and limiting our ability to positively influence world affairs.
One further clue to his motivation could be Trump’s admiration for and support of some of the world’s most conservative, autocratic leaders, starting with Russia’s Putin who clearly occupies a special place in Trump’s heart. From there we go on to North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, Xi Jinping of China, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, the Saudi Royal family and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela. In the past, Trump has even had kind words for Saddam Hussein.
Trump’s current crusade on behalf of his Russian friends appears to be the reinstatement of Russia in the G7. Russia was expelled from that organization when it annexed the Crimea in 2014. It is fascinating that just this week, Trump announced that he would not sign off on the $250 million in U.S. military aid to the Ukraine, already approved by Congress, which was designed to help the Ukraine confront the Russian occupation.
Trump appears to be the only elected leader in the United States who thinks Russia can do no harm and who believes that Russia is a friend rather than the often-hostile rival she has traditionally been.
Even without knowing why he takes that position, it can be said without equivocation, that is no position for any President of the United States to take, particularly a Republican. He is not making the world a safer place in which to live, but he is certainly helping the Russians.
Haviland Smith is a retired CIA Station Chief who served in East and West Europe and the Middle East, as Chief of the Counterterrorism Staff and as Executive Assistant in the Director’s office.
Internally, he has interfered in our 2016 elections and continues to do so today. Whether it was his doing or not, Putin has an American President who has attempted and often succeeded in overturning just about everything his predecessor did to try to make this country a fairer, safer place.
One of the results of this policy is that it has further exacerbated the deep political divisions that exist in our country. Trump has basically destroyed the effectiveness of much of the Federal Government. The State Department, the Intelligence Community, and the regulatory agencies (particularly the Environmental Protection Agency) have all been denigrated and humiliated. Critical substantive jobs requiring real expertise have been purposely left unoccupied or occupied by Trump sycophants. Top management jobs are often left “acting,” leaving true power to the president.
Internationally, he has treated European heads of state with disdain and occasional rudeness. He has spoken against the European Union, NATO and just about every other western originated international agreement. He has shown his distrust for our involvement with international agreements by withdrawing from the Trans Pacific Partnership (PTT), The Paris Climate Accord, The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear agreement.
None of these moves have strengthened the United States and in the process of acting out his disdain for international cooperation, he has gone a long way toward removing us from our decades-long preeminence in international affairs and limiting our ability to positively influence world affairs.
One further clue to his motivation could be Trump’s admiration for and support of some of the world’s most conservative, autocratic leaders, starting with Russia’s Putin who clearly occupies a special place in Trump’s heart. From there we go on to North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, Xi Jinping of China, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, the Saudi Royal family and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela. In the past, Trump has even had kind words for Saddam Hussein.
Trump’s current crusade on behalf of his Russian friends appears to be the reinstatement of Russia in the G7. Russia was expelled from that organization when it annexed the Crimea in 2014. It is fascinating that just this week, Trump announced that he would not sign off on the $250 million in U.S. military aid to the Ukraine, already approved by Congress, which was designed to help the Ukraine confront the Russian occupation.
Trump appears to be the only elected leader in the United States who thinks Russia can do no harm and who believes that Russia is a friend rather than the often-hostile rival she has traditionally been.
Even without knowing why he takes that position, it can be said without equivocation, that is no position for any President of the United States to take, particularly a Republican. He is not making the world a safer place in which to live, but he is certainly helping the Russians.
Haviland Smith is a retired CIA Station Chief who served in East and West Europe and the Middle East, as Chief of the Counterterrorism Staff and as Executive Assistant in the Director’s office.
The guest editorial by former CIA station chief Haviland Smith was excellent (Addison Independent, Sept. 9). In straightforward terms, it highlighted Trump’s relationship (or infatuation) with Putin, and his foreign policy activities. As the author said, this is outside the left-right arguments about which way to move the country. This is a leader who is completely flipping the relationships that have been in place for years. Trump’s preference for dictators is obvious on multiple fronts.
Trump must go. He has damaged democracy by his dictatorial style of leadership. The chaos and the politicizing of all operations of the government has made us less secure and less stable. His base-oriented actions and his personal traits (“nasty”) have made our daily lives less enjoyable and more dangerous. The political divide is worse, the societal dialogue is worse, the respect for truth and honesty is less, the trust in the media is hyper-divided, and two of the heavyweights in Trump’s world are TV personalities (like himself). Decency and respect for others are on the decline.
Trump and his minions do not want democracy. Trump has expressed desire to be president for life, and there is legitimate worry about what happens if the 2020 election is close and Trump loses. This is on top of gerrymandering, voter suppression and foreign influences.
Trump must go and it is not a left right issue anymore. It is a democracy or dictatorship question. Sorry to be so stark, but that is how it appears to me.
Van Talmage, Lincoln, Vermont
Labels: Addison County Independent, CIA, Haviland Smith, Lincoln Vermont, Van Talmage
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