dagblog - Comments for "Surprise Erdogan/Trump deal on Syria"

Yeah, my comment implied he

PeraclesPlease — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 11:57:53 +0000

In reply to He is simple, not complicated

Yeah, my comment implied he just gives rationalizations after he's done something - not one, but 3-5 until one of them seems to succeed.

He is simple, not complicated

ocean-kat — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 11:24:36 +0000

In reply to I lean more toward Cammerer's

He is simple, not complicated

That's the way I see it. He's not even playing chess. He's clueless. He didn't consider the pieces on the board when he made his move. Because he doesn't have a clear picture of what pieces are on the board. He didn't consider how his move would affect Assad and Syria, Iran, Russia, Turkey. There was no analysis of the possible scenarios of how it might play out. There was no if I do this then they do that etc. Because he has no idea what any of the other players might do. He moves willy nilly without any deep thought or sophistication.

He's a master of post-hoc

PeraclesPlease — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 06:58:41 +0000

In reply to I lean more toward Cammerer's

He's a master of post-hoc rationalization & declaration of victory.

He's still in that "Mommy, I did a poopy - I be best" stage.

related, his "Art of The Deal

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 06:43:10 +0000

In reply to I lean more toward Cammerer's

related, his "Art of The Deal" ghost writer, last week:

For years I believed Trump knew when he was lying. Now I believe he is simply blinded by his rage.
— Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) October 3, 2019

I lean more toward Cammerer's

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 06:37:57 +0000

In reply to Surprise Erdogan/Trump deal on Syria

I lean more toward Camerer's interpretation over Krugman's in this twitter exchange:

He desperately wants to be liked (1), is innumerate (2 can’t count), and ignores history (3).
Will then happily agree (1) to giant concessions, thinks they’re small (2), surprised people are shocked how dramatic events are (3)

He is simple, not complicated https://t.co/iADBDpoey5
— Colin Camerer (@CFCamerer) October 8, 2019

The SDF suffered thousands of

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 04:34:51 +0000

In reply to Surprise Erdogan/Trump deal on Syria

The SDF suffered thousands of casualties in the Raqqa battle. Not a single American life was lost. Trump later expanded the operation down the ERV. He touts these operations in political rallies but without apparent thought as to who did the fighting and dying.
— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) October 7, 2019

Mitt Romney re-tweets Lindsey

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 04:13:44 +0000

In reply to Whatever the opposite of 3-D

Mitt Romney re-tweets Lindsey Graham:

The President’s decision to abandon our Kurd allies in the face of an assault by Turkey is a betrayal. It says that America is an unreliable ally; it facilitates ISIS resurgence; and it presages another humanitarian disaster. https://t.co/Tu8ARa8Pmp
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) October 7, 2019

Chris Murphy & Mitt Romney statement tweeted by Romney:

Barring a reversal of this decision, the Administration must come before Congress and explain how betraying an ally and ceding influence to terrorists and adversaries is not disastrous for our national security interests. My statement with @ChrisMurphyCT→ https://t.co/LF4TkowJZC
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) October 7, 2019

Yup, extensive evidence: @

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 03:44:14 +0000

In reply to Now this sounds to me like

Yup, extensive evidence: @ 'POTUS went rogue': Trump's Syria move blindsides national security leaders

The White House announcement bucked views by top officials that Turkey's threat of an incursion against the Kurds was a bluff.

By Wesley Morgan @ Politico.com, Updated: 10/07/2019 06:33 PM EDT Daniel Lippman and Quint Forgey contributed to this report.

Proof he's a stable genius at

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 01:17:21 +0000

In reply to Surprise Erdogan/Trump deal on Syria

Proof he's a stable genius at: absolutely nothing. Could lose a big part of the right-wing Christian fan base for pulling out of a religious war:

Pat Robertson: Trump Will Lose His ‘Mandate of Heaven’ if He Pulls Out of Syria

The ultra-conservative televangelist on Monday joined a growing chorus of Republican critics of Trump’s decision on Syria.

@ DailyBeast.com, Oct. 7

More and more it's looking like he puts ego strokes from dictator-types over "ratings" with the fans. Clearly doesn't consider the benefits to the latter when he makes decisions. Goes by seat of pants and then spins delusions about what he did later if it doesn't work out with the fans.

[Later edit to correct typo}

Politico current headline:

artappraiser — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 01:14:40 +0000

In reply to Whatever the opposite of 3-D

Politico current headline: Congress pressures Trump to back down on Syria 'betrayal'

The gears are already turning in the Republican-controlled Senate to force Trump to reverse himself

By Burgess Everett, Updated: 10/07/2019 05:17 PM EDT

[....] Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is reminding Trump of supermajorities supporting a U.S. presence in Syria. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is threatening sanctions against Turkey in partnership with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). And a bipartisan pair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee members are demanding administration officials testify before Congress.

"The president’s decision to abandon our Kurdish allies in Northern Syria in the face of an assault by Turkey is a betrayal that will have grave humanitarian and national security consequences," said Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). "We will be working with committee leadership to assure that the administration appears before the committee as soon as possible."

The Republican Senate has already shown a willingness to confront Trump on Syria and other foreign policy matters, and the gears are quickly turning in Congress to force Trump to back down.

Graham said Monday he will put forward a Senate resolution asking Trump to change course, predicting it “will receive strong bipartisan support.” In February, 70 senators supported a nonbinding amendment backing U.S. operations in both Syria and Afghanistan.

Lawmakers will also have multiple chances to weigh in on Trump’s foreign policy in the coming weeks and months, as Congress must pass its annual defense legislation as well as spending bills to fund the government.

In a rare statement chiding Trump, McConnell referenced the amendment adopted earlier this year, noting “the conditions that produced that bipartisan vote still exist today.” [....]