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Thread: Commander in chief

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    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Commander in chief

    I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that someone who has no military or government experience and who doesn't care about intelligence has a botched raid as his first experience as commander in chief. I can only imagine the howls from conservatives if Clinton had been the president who failed in this manner.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-us...-idUSKBN15G5RX

    "U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations."

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    Wasn't a botched raid held up as Carter's golden star for being such a bad president?

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    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    The story as represented seems a bit unlikely...

    I've already got my table booked for this year's CIA awards dinner, so I'll ask around, it's not until a bit later in the year however...

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    Who knows how many botched events will be up for awards by the time of your awards dinner....

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    More than most areas of endeavor, military operations are subject to hindsight and second-guessing by the uninvolved. If Trump authorized the mission based on Centcom's best advice, It's hard for me to consider the call he made particularly outrageous.

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    Is the contention here that Trump made this decision single-handedly? That seems implausible to me. And if Trump was more of a rubber stamp if that, then it doesn't make the point that is trying to be made.
    Trees don't grow on money

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    Senior Member Miss Cellane's Avatar
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    The way he is acting, I think he wants to go to war. With whom, I have no idea. And probably neither does he.

    But the angry, violent language he uses. The desire for tanks and other military vehicles at his inauguration parade. Wanting a flyover of many aircraft at the inauguration. His reportedly belligerent language to the Mexican president. And now, this reportedly half-cocked mission.

    His need to win everything. In his eyes, you either win, or you loose. There is no middle ground, no detente, no consensus, no compromise. And he has to win. All the time. Always.

    It's like he *has* to throw his power around, regardless of the consequences. Everyone must be looking at him, praising him, agreeing with him. And if you don't, he will squash you. Whether you are a person, a corporation, or a country.

    It's like he's a kid, playing at war. But with far more deadly results.

    I hope I'm wrong; I really do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bae View Post
    The story as represented seems a bit unlikely...

    I've already got my table booked for this year's CIA awards dinner, so I'll ask around, it's not until a bit later in the year however...
    If this is true then how is it you are asking about the meaning of security clearance?

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    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore View Post
    Is the contention here that Trump made this decision single-handedly? That seems implausible to me. And if Trump was more of a rubber stamp if that, then it doesn't make the point that is trying to be made.

    According to the article:

    "A White House official said the operation was thoroughly vetted by the previous administration and that the previous defense secretary had signed off on it in January. The raid was delayed for operational reasons, the White House official said."

    But OTOH,

    “The decision was made ... to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected,” that official said."
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    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by frugal-one View Post
    If this is true then how is it you are asking about the meaning of security clearance?
    What is "the Socratic Method"?

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