Report of Russia bounties on US Troops in Afghanistan is shocking but not surprising. There was intel on their arms transfers and support of the Taliban months ago.
Putin wants payback for our actions against their forces in Syria and for us supplying the Muj in the 1980s. 1/
Putin wants payback for our actions against their forces in Syria and for us supplying the Muj in the 1980s. 1/
The fact that no action was taken is also shocking, but not surprising with this administration.
The process of sound diplomatic engagements, application of strategy & policy, and use of all elements of national power is broken.
But it's not just with Russia. 2/
The process of sound diplomatic engagements, application of strategy & policy, and use of all elements of national power is broken.
But it's not just with Russia. 2/
The multi-year strategy to address N.Korean missiles still simmers, and seems more dangerous than ever...
usnews.com/news/world-rep… 3/
usnews.com/news/world-rep… 3/
The engagements with China - on trade and their military expansion - have been sophomoric.
militarytimes.com/news/your-mili… 4/
militarytimes.com/news/your-mili… 4/
Our actions and strategy regarding protests in Hong Kong and with the concentration camps holding Uighurs have violated our national values and put into question on where we as a nation stand on the world stage
nytimes.com/2020/06/21/us/… 5/
nytimes.com/2020/06/21/us/… 5/
The last administration's start of a road toward more peaceful engagement with Iran has turned that area into another hot spot that is now also simmering.
express.co.uk/news/world/129… 6/
express.co.uk/news/world/129… 6/
The twitter diplomacy that re-started the NATO turmoil suggests we should pull troops out of Europe that are contributing to a larger strategic effort is mind-numbing.
wsj.com/articles/trump… 7/
wsj.com/articles/trump… 7/
The back-and-forth with a duly elected Venezualan president has confused our allies in South America, with no apparent explanation from the US on what we are trying to accomplish.
aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/t… 8/
aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/t… 8/
The EU has seen our actions to fight COVID as an embarassment, and many governments in Europe are wondering what has happened to once-strong US processes to fight (and lead in fights) against disease.
abcnews.go.com/US/coronavirus… 9/
abcnews.go.com/US/coronavirus… 9/
And below the noise, we're falling behind in standing for democratic values.
washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/styl… 10/
washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/styl… 10/
Leadership makes a difference, and while most of America is focused on what is happening with COVID19 and race relation issues, the rest of the world sees more.
Our friends are distressed and confused, and our enemies are attempting to take advantage.
Our friends are distressed and confused, and our enemies are attempting to take advantage.
Back to Russia...a unified stand against their actions Ukraine, in E. Europe, in the Baltics and in the UK has not happened. The US often leads in the actions to defend democracy and we are MIA.
No surprise they would act to further confuse and sow division. 11/end
No surprise they would act to further confuse and sow division. 11/end
