As the New York Times reports, bring on the ‘stache:
Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, the battle-tested Army officer tapped as President Trump’s national security adviser last year to stabilize a turbulent foreign policy operation, will resign and be replaced by John R. Bolton, a hard-line former United States ambassador to the United Nations, White House officials said Thursday.
General McMaster will retire from the military, the officials said. He has been discussing his departure with President Trump for several weeks, they said, but decided to speed up his departure, in part because questions about his status were casting a shadow over his conversations with foreign officials…
…Mr. Bolton, who will take office April 9, has met regularly with Mr. Trump to discuss foreign policy, and was on a list of candidates for national security adviser. He was in the West Wing with Mr. Trump to discuss the job on Thursday.
Bolton will be Trump’s third National Security Adviser in 14 months. Trump made the official announcement via Twitter.
As David Rothkopf writes for CNN, this is probably not good:
Bolton has distinguished himself as one of America’s most hawkish and ineffective diplomats for decades. He is known as an architect of the Iraq War, an enemy of multilateralism and foe of the United Nations, where he served during the George W. Bush administration through a recess appointment when he could not win Senate confirmation. He is also a harsh critic of the Iran nuclear deal and of North Korea, and is seen as someone who might promote conflict in both cases.
Few prominent national security figures are as ill-suited to the job of national security adviser as Bolton when you consider his views, his temperament and his ability be an honest broker. In fact, he is actually one of the few people on earth who would be worse than Mike Flynn, who was the worst national security adviser of all time.
Yup. Not good.
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Oh great! Not satisfied with just starting a trade war, now Trump can start a real war, with tanks and missiles and nukes, oh boy!
Worrisome
On the bright side, I’m not nearly worrying now as much as I was earlier about my 401K . . .
. . . or retirement.
So when Trump says he will only hire the best people, he really meant the WORST.
Mr. Bolton's mustache seems to have been tamed a bit since this .gif was created.
I'll bet all the Jill Stein supporters must really be pleased with themselves right now.
If they even fucking get it.
Where is Dust Puppy and that other idiot who supported Jill Stein and pops in here from time to time?
Well, so much for that “madman-in-the-White-House” theory . . .
. . . we’re on to beta-testing now!
With Trump additions to his legal team AND Bolton I think drugs and alcohol are going to be consumed in large quantities this weekend
The James Baker Institute issued a report on the National Security Advisor and staff in 2017. In one part of the report, it examined Administration successes and failures, including the failure of the Iran-Contra scandal of the Reagan Administration. It highlights the Tower Commission's recommendations for reform of the NSC, centered on the role of the NSA
Anyone think John Bolton will pursue ANY of these goals?
John "Push the button" Bolton?
It's fricking chilling. Two bright spots: One – Policywise, Bolton's not in sync with Nikki Haley. She wants to present a much more mainstream and compassionate, interventionist UN foreign policy. And she's the UN ambassador. Of course, Bolton wants to get rid of the UN.
Two, Bolton has his own corruption and money scandals which will likely creep up on him, even as he trumpets his crusade to clean up the UN. Bolton helped cover up the drug running in Iran Contra; and he, like Mike Flynn, has been an unregistered. foreign agent – in Bolton's case, for Taiwan.
Like all of Trump's cabinet, Bolton has strong Russian ties – in his case, to a "gun rights" group. He reportedly functioned as a bridge from Russian to America gun industry lobbyists.
And he even has a really icky sex scandal! Warning – brain bleach may be required.
So cheer up. Maybe he'll last only as long as Trump's other cabinet picks, and will resign before he starts World War III.
So call your Senators and tell them to oppose Bolton’s nomination – for all these reasons.
Senator Bennet: DC (202) 224-5852 Denver 303-455-7600
Senator Gardner: DC (202) 224-5941 Denver (303) 391-5777 Yuma (970) 848-3095
If we're lucky, he'll beat out Flynn for the title of shortest ever NSA office-holder. I wonder if he can get a security clearance…
Thanks for reminding me, MJ…….I vaguely remembered the Plato's Retreat story!
He checks off all the boxes. The UN is taking away all our freedoms. (Think Dan Maes and those B-Cycles in Denver.) Unregistered foreign agent. Ties to Russia AND the gun industry. (A bridge between Putin and Dudley Brown.) And Icky sex scandal to boot.
Why national security advisor? This man should be Trump's Sec of State.
Unfortunately, calling your senators will do no good. I don’t believe national security advisor requires confirmation.
National Security Advisor doesn't go through Senate confirmation.
The NSA Director does not require Senate confirmation, so I don't know what calling Bennet and Gardner will do. And, relying on our UN ambassador to protect us is laughable.
I appreciate the attempt to cheer us up, mama, but I'm sticking with V today —
Be afraid, be very afraid.
If you are going be afraid, let it motivate you to organize and vote.
The Trumpublcan party must be utterly crushed at the polls in November.
Oh, yeah! Headed to the Arapahoe County Dem convention tomorrow, then hopefully to the Denver march.
My message: VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!
Perhaps we can oust Coffman this time.
I'll bet Haley isn't long for her job, either. She'll be replaced by a warmonger too.
Tom Tancredo. He’s tanned, he’s rested, and he’s a real Trumpian diplomat!
A war would get everyone's mind off of Russia, Comey and McCabe's firings, and Stormy Daniels.
And if it goes well – or even it doesn't go well but he can convince enough people that it is going well – Trump can run for re-election as the man who made America feared and respected around the world.
My kingdom for a Reichstadt to burn!
Bolton is in clear opposition to Trump on Russia. He has called Russian interference in US elections a casus belli–in other words, he's willing to go to war with Russia over it.
Stopped clocks and all, but you can't say Bolton isn't anti-Russian.
Additional character witness testimonials for Bolton: