After Tillerson: How the U.S. Government Mimics Russia’s
Washington is becoming eerily similar to Putin’s government of FSB cronies.
March 14, 2018
Donald Trump’s preference for strong-man government is becoming clearer by the day. It is yet another troubling sign of how much he really admires Vladimir Putin. After all, he is fashioning his own government ever more in Putin’s mold.
Washington is becoming eerily similar to Putin’s government of FSB cronies. No wonder Rex Tillerson was forced out right after criticizing Russia for murdering Russian expats in the UK.
Tillerson’s replacement, Mike Pompeo, may have graduated first in his class at West Point. But way beyond being considered a hawk, he is an anti-government apostle of Ayn Rand — much like House Speaker Paul Ryan. When Pompeo served in the U.S. Congress, he did so with financial support from Koch Industries.
A Trump echo chamber
Pompeo is a Trump echo chamber, not a diplomat. As such, he is not likely to improve the Trump administration’s negotiation skills.
If you staff your government with generals and spy chiefs, everything looks like a fight. Peace, treaties, trade agreements and the like are so boring.
That is the mindset of Donald Trump. He claims to be a natural negotiator. In reality, he has mostly gotten the United States OUT of treaties and international agreements, and has disparaged international institutions (including NATO).
A man as commander-in-chief who lacks the attention span to read even a one-page security-brief needs anything but yes-men around him. But Pompeo was chosen precisely because he is a yes-man.
Takeaways
Pompeo is a Trump echo chamber, not a diplomat. As such, he is not likely to improve the Trump administration’s negotiation skills.
A man as commander-in-chief who lacks the attention span to read even a one-page security-brief needs anything but yes-men around him.
If you staff your government with generals and spy chiefs, everything looks like a fight. Peace, treaties, trade agreements and the like are so boring.