Sandy Shanks
Gold Member
- Jul 10, 2018
- 3,550
- 1,025
We should all remember that Vladimir Putin wanted Trump to be our President, and he helped Trump a great deal in 2016. In terms of dividing America, Trump is doing more than any Russian agent from the FSB (Russian intelligence). Putin is enormously pleased with Trump's performance, not the least of which were Trump's efforts to isolate America and cut us off from our traditional Western allies.
Vladimir Putin must be enormously pleased with Trump as it appears from multiple sources that Trump is ordering still another retreat while in the process of weakening the incoming American President by withholding the transition process.
ABC News reports, "The Pentagon is expecting orders by the end of this week that will reduce troop levels to 2,500 in Afghanistan and 2,500 in Iraq by mid-January, according to two U.S. officials.
"President Donald Trump is expected to issue the orders for the reduction in troop levels in both countries later this week, according to both U.S. officials."
Now we know why Trump fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.
The Post reports, " After consulting with senior military officers, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper sent a classified memo to the White House this month expressing concerns about additional cuts, according to two senior U.S. officials familiar with the discussion. Conditions on the ground were not yet right, Esper wrote, citing the ongoing violence, possible dangers to the remaining troops in the event of a rapid pullout, potential damage to alliances and apprehension about undercutting the negotiations.
"Days after Trump lost his reelection bid, he fired Esper. Trump, refusing to concede the election, has since allowed a purge of other top officials for policy and intelligence at the Pentagon serving under Esper, with several hardened loyalists to the president taking their place."
The troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq were to be down to 2,500 each by Jan. 15
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley said recently, "We are unique among armies, we are unique among militaries. We do not take an oath to a king or queen, or tyrant or dictator, we do not take an oath to an individual. No, we do not take an oath to a country, a tribe or a religion."
The top commanders, including CENTCOM and the joints chiefs, agree with Esper. The likely possibility is that the Pentagon will drag its feet -- military withdrawals don't happen overnight -- and, when the President-elect takes office on Jan. 20, he will rescind the order and establish his own policies regarding Afghanistan and Iraq.
In any case, commanders will not be in any hurry to comply with an order with which they sharply disagree and is likely to cost the lives of American troops.
Vladimir Putin must be enormously pleased with Trump as it appears from multiple sources that Trump is ordering still another retreat while in the process of weakening the incoming American President by withholding the transition process.
ABC News reports, "The Pentagon is expecting orders by the end of this week that will reduce troop levels to 2,500 in Afghanistan and 2,500 in Iraq by mid-January, according to two U.S. officials.
"President Donald Trump is expected to issue the orders for the reduction in troop levels in both countries later this week, according to both U.S. officials."
Now we know why Trump fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.
The Post reports, " After consulting with senior military officers, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper sent a classified memo to the White House this month expressing concerns about additional cuts, according to two senior U.S. officials familiar with the discussion. Conditions on the ground were not yet right, Esper wrote, citing the ongoing violence, possible dangers to the remaining troops in the event of a rapid pullout, potential damage to alliances and apprehension about undercutting the negotiations.
"Days after Trump lost his reelection bid, he fired Esper. Trump, refusing to concede the election, has since allowed a purge of other top officials for policy and intelligence at the Pentagon serving under Esper, with several hardened loyalists to the president taking their place."
The troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq were to be down to 2,500 each by Jan. 15
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley said recently, "We are unique among armies, we are unique among militaries. We do not take an oath to a king or queen, or tyrant or dictator, we do not take an oath to an individual. No, we do not take an oath to a country, a tribe or a religion."
The top commanders, including CENTCOM and the joints chiefs, agree with Esper. The likely possibility is that the Pentagon will drag its feet -- military withdrawals don't happen overnight -- and, when the President-elect takes office on Jan. 20, he will rescind the order and establish his own policies regarding Afghanistan and Iraq.
In any case, commanders will not be in any hurry to comply with an order with which they sharply disagree and is likely to cost the lives of American troops.