I've tried to keep an open mind about how Trump's unorthodox foreign policy strategies might produce tangible security and economic results for the benefit of the American people. Just days before voting ends, its time assess results. THREAD 1/
At times, I gave Trump the benefit of the doubt. I praised his bombing of Syria. I kept an open mind about engagement with North Korea. I applauded parts of the Trump administration diagnosis of the China threat. Some Trump critics chided me for doing so. 2/
But aspiration is not achievement. We must judge leaders by their results. On almost every major foreign policy issue, Trump did not deliver on what he promised. 3/
Trump failed to denuclearize North Korea. 4/
Trump failed to coerce Iran into signing a better nuclear deal. If the goal actually was regime change, Trump failed to achieve that as well. 5/
After 4 years of courting Putin, Trump did not do one single deal with Russia. Not one. He even failed to extend the New START Treaty. 6/
On China, Trump signed a minor trade deal (Phase I), and failed completely on even starting, let alone concluding, the bigger trade deal (Phase II). 7/
And then there are a whole list of foreign policy objectives in the US interest that Trump didn't even try to advance. See the full list here. "Trump’s foreign policy report card is full of failing grades" 8/ END THREAD washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/…

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More from @McFaul

22 Oct
ICYMI: "Malicious Russian actors still have two possible plays left. First, they could seek to disrupt voting on Election Day, by freezing up computers with voter registration lists or disrupting infrastructure used for ballot processing and counting."

link.medium.com/vwen1JjjKab
"To succeed, such attacks do not need to have a substantial influence beyond creating the perception of voting irregularities. At a moment when Americans are primed to distrust the electoral results, a small cyber incident could have an inordinate impact." 2/
"A second ... play is amplification of voter fraud claims. This disinformation operation would occur on Election Day and afterwards, especially if the vote is close." 3/
Read 5 tweets
20 Oct
Rudy said we shouldn't care about the sources. So lets for a moment not care. The "smoking gun" is this alleged claim that Hunter arranged a meeting for a Ukrainian businessperson with his dad. Biden's staff denies the meeting. No one has proven such a meeting took place. THREAD.
But even if it happened, one meeting is NOT the reason Shokhin was fired. The OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, not Biden personally, was seeking to push Shokhin out. So was the EU, IMF & Ukrainian anti-corruption civil society activists. Shokhin was fired for NOT investigating corruption.
Trump & Rudy have tried for years to manufacture dirt on Biden from Ukraine. He was impeached for trying so hard. But there have never been any facts to support this crazy conspiracy. Emails allegedly on a Hunter laptop add nothing new to this kooky story. Nothing.
Read 4 tweets
18 Oct
Doing some research today about American development aid and stumbled on this article in @ForeignAffairs from 1995 about U.S. assistance to Russia, which I had not seen in decades. THREAD 1/
“The United States, in sum, has no national interest in promoting economic reforms in Russia that are not accompanied by a transformation of the political system. " 2/
"America’s greatest national security nightmare would be the emergence of an authoritarian, imperialist Russian regime supported by a thriving market economy.” 25 years later, that's what happened (though not "thriving"). The parallels to the current China debate are striking. 3/
Read 4 tweets
17 Oct
Congrats @souza! #TheWayISeeIt was just fantastic. Miss those days. And thank you for all the terrific photos that you gave me to remind me of the incredible honor of serving @BarackObama. Posting a few now.
Read 8 tweets
16 Oct
Please remember, Giuliani's closest partner in Ukraine for propagating various crazy, unsubstantiated stories is Andrii Derkach, who was sanctions by the TRUMP administration!
home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel… THREAD 1/
"Treasury designated Andrii Derkach (Derkach) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848 for his efforts to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election." 2/
"Derkach, a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, has been an active Russian agent for over a decade, maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services." 3/
Read 8 tweets
15 Oct
Biden: "The Trump Administration must tell Azerbaijan that it will not tolerate its efforts to impose a military solution to this conflict. It must make clear to Armenia that regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be occupied indefinitely" joebiden.com/2020/10/13/nag…
I have seen a single word on this conflict from Trump. If I missed it can you send it to me?
I also have not heard Trump say anything on Belarus. If I missed it can you send it to me?
Read 6 tweets

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