Image: U.S. President Donald Trump sits behind his desk as he announces a bilateral trade agreement with Mexico to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
The Hill: Trump war strategy takes one-two punch
President Trump’s strategy in Syria and Afghanistan took a one-two punch on Tuesday, first from his own intelligence officials and then from the Senate’s top Republican.
The top intelligence officials offered a contradictory assessment of Trump’s statement that ISIS has been defeated, warning that thousands of the terrorist organization’s fighters remain in Iraq and Syria and that the group is “intent on resurging.”
The warning was delivered by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA Director Gina Haspel in a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee and an accompanying report on worldwide threats.
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WNU Editor: Democrats are also getting involved .... Dems reintroduce bill to prevent nuclear first strike without congressional approval (The Hill). As to what is my take on this split between the White House and the intel community/top Republicans. The Washington foreign policy/Pentagon/intel establishment is what got the U.S. into quagmires like Afghanistan and the Middle East, and it will not be these same people who will get the U.S. out. President Trump was elected as an outsider to shake things up, and to confront this status quo. And while I do not know if he will succeed, he has certainly made those who run Washington very nervous and worried.