@davidhogg111 -- Go on offense = risk being a target for threats, possible vendetta actions
For example, threats still cover up a gross Trump misfeasance 2018 - 2020.
He feared bad press if Ebola made the jump.
So he dumped federal pandemic response on the hapless states.
Ebola never got here. SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 makes up for its absence.
The system Trump had John Bolton destroy had been implemented originally, very basically in 1955. A gift from Eisenhower's SEATO alliance.
Eastern Asia = 144 deaths-per-million
Trumped:
USA = 2,364 DPM
What Bolton eliminated ranged from
-- The top manager, Adm. Riemer
-- Non-military staff
-- Liaison positions between WH and Agencies
Together with:
-- Border quarantine
-- Nat'l Tracking Corps
-- Antivirals/antibiotics
-- Positive pressure PPE
As COVID became a national emergency in China, 21-Jan-2020, Trump Administration went over into denial.
"Like magic, it will disappear."
Thousands of deaths in Hubei province induced no additional connection with reality.
The system we lost in 2018 would have responded automatically beginning 12/31/2019:
-- Border quarantine
-- National Tracking Corps
-- EMT enhancements
-- Antiviral support
-- Positive pressure PPE for hospitals
Also liaison positions to National Guard and the Agencies.
This Eisenhower-to-2018 system came over from SEATO in Asia.
Enhancements were added steadily. Same for renamings and false claims of ground-up reinvention.
The same basic system has Asia under 150 deaths-per-million today.
The system we lost in 2018 would have responded automatically:
-- Border quarantine
-- National Tracking Corps
-- EMT enhancements
-- Antiviral/antibiotic support
-- Positive pressure PPE for hospitals
Also liaison positions manned to serve National Guard and the Agencies.
This Eisenhower-to-2018 system came over in a barebones version. Then enhancements were added in just about every Administration.
And each renaming was billed as a ground-up reinvention.
The federal system had been implemented originally, basically in 1955. A gift from Eisenhower's SEATO alliance. Works best-of-show versus COVID.
Eastern Asia = 144 deaths-per-million
Trumped USA = 2,364 dpm
What Trump had Bolton eliminate:
-- The top manager, Adm. Riemer
-- Non-military staff
-- Liaison positions for Nat'l Guard and Agencies
Together with their projects:
-- Border quarantine
-- Nat'l Tracking Corps
-- Antiviral/antibiotic support
-- Positive pressure PPE
We have yet to see a risk assessment that combines offense and defense.
Whole countries still make choices based on denying the both of them. We went from top tier to Worst in the World.
USA Senators objected to the 2018 actions. Bolton hid deletions with bogus security tags.
Destruction started with personnel:
- Top managers
- Non-military staff
- Liaisons to Nat'l Guard and Agencies
Killing projects:
- Border quarantine
- Tracking Corps
- Antivirals/antibiotics support
- PPE
Done to dump any Ebola jump on the states. And bad-mouth the Governors.
@Comey -- In May 2018 Democratic Senators sent complaints that Trump had used Bolton to remove the leaders of the federal pandemic response system.
Soon forgotten.
Today we know that the US had a top-tier system. Degraded by Trump to the Worst in the World. #crimeofthecentury
Ebola stayed away.
SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 makes up for it.
The federal system had been implemented originally, very basically in 1955. A gift from Eisenhower's SEATO alliance, based on fighting plague & dengue.
Eastern Asia = 144 deaths-per-million
Trumped USA = 2,364 dpm
What Trump had Bolton eliminate:
-- The top manager, Adm. Riemer
-- Non-military staff
-- Liaison positions to Nat'l Guard and Agencies
Together with:
-- Border quarantine
-- Nat'l Tracking Corps
-- Antivirals/antibiotics
-- Positive pressure PPE
Trump feared Ebola. Tough questions from media. His ignorance of basics coming out with lives on the line.
He ordered HR McMaster to eliminate federal pandemic response. Answer = obscene
Bolton was brought in. Gutless POS got right on it, first task as NatSec Advisor. 2018.
Congress learned about Adm. Riemer going.
Agency Liaisons went too. But that was concealed behind security walls. Same for Bolton deleting the detail files off NSA computers: border quarantine, Tracking Corps, materials to order, et. al.