Is President Trump’s intel share that bad?
President Trump has taken an extraordinary amount of flack in the international Press, and beyond, for his recent foreign policy controversy, when he shared intelligence information with Russia regarding laptop security issues on planes for flights in key areas.
To be sure, President Trump is a naive player on the political scene. He was elected by the American People primarily based on his experience as a businessman and entrepreneur, not as a career politician. In fact, he’s never held political office, other than the Presidency. So it’s to be expected that his learning curve will be steep, and his methods and solutions will differ from those of experienced politicians working under similar circumstances.
His refusal to embroil himself in political intricacies is both admirable, and problematic. Politics is clearly a science with the aim of solving the nations problems, and promoting the welfare of The People, in the long run. However, since World War II, the world has been greatly and negatively influenced by the Cold War. As the two Super Powers vied for control and dominance on the world stage, politics got dirtier and dirtier. It’s no wonder President Trump doesn’t want to play the conventional game. However, to achieve one’s goals politically in this complicated world, a certain amount of deference to the system is needed to get things done.
The issue is compounded by Trump’s personality. He seems to have disdain for the opinions of others, particularly those who disagree with him. His personality has been described in terms ranging from arrogant to sociopathic. But it’s clear he’d much rather trust his own instincts, informed by years of business experience, in order to solve the complex problems the U.S. faces. Arguably this strategy, taken to the extreme, is flawed, and it would be best if Trump abandoned it in favor of a more inclusive and balanced management style.
However, does the President’s leadership style, and even his gafs, warrant the level of criticism that’s been levied in recent days? If you listen to many news outlets, President Trump’s actions are criminal, tantamount to treason, and impeachment proceedings should commence as soon as possible. This level of hyperbole isn’t justified by the facts. Shouldn’t there at least be a thorough investigation BEFORE an impeachment of a sitting President?
The President has wide powers of discretion when it comes to declassifying documents, and other forms of national security data. So the disclosures, right or wrong, were legal. That should settle the impeachment issue, since the litmus test is “high crimes and misdemeanors.” A proper investigation would help sort out exactly what happened, and determine the severity.
In addition, Russia, though widely viewed as a U.S. adversary, is technically a collaborator in the fight against ISIS. It’s therefore a logical choice to keep Moscow informed of recent developments. This may defy the conventional wisdom, but the middle east, and ISIS, are tricky places. Do we really know and understand everything that’s going on? Can we afford to ignore the input and help of a powerful nation that’s grappled with its own terrorist threats?
Journalist Greta Van Susteren (MSNBC) recently broadcast from Mosul, and discovered that ISIS was using chemical weapons to attack civilians. But we don’t hear about this on the evening news. Why not? Perhaps the conventional news media is missing some important points. Could they be too eager to “get Trump” that they don’t take into consideration all the facts, nor cast a broader net of questions to better elucidate those facts? Only time will tell.
