President George W. Bush was quite adamant when we went to war in 2001 against radical Islamic terrorists that we were not going to war against Islam.
President Barack Obama has echoed that mantra ever since.
So, who does the president-elect bring in as national security adviser, the guy who’ll advise him on how to fight groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State? A retired Army three-star general who calls Islam a “cancer” and says Americans’ fear of Islam is “rational.”
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, moreover, apparently has ties with multiple foreign governments.
Flynn is now the target of groups asking Donald J. Trump to rescind Flynn’s appointment as national security adviser. They cite concerns over Flynn’s statements about Islam, Iran and whether his views would jeopardize a hoped-for peaceful settlement of the ongoing dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/michael-flynn-trump-appointment-advocacy-groups-232208
I don’t expect the president-elect to heed their call.
Indeed, Flynn is a noted hothead. He’s a brilliant military tactician. He also has the kind of personality that would clash immediately and often with the likes of retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, who is Trump’s pick to be the secretary of defense; I will add that Gen. Mattis is a well-chronicled hothead himself, someone known to speak his mind freely.
The issue, though, is Flynn and whether he’s a good fit to become national security adviser.
The advocacy groups asking Trump to rethink his appointment believe he is a terrible fit.
I happen to agree.
The national security adviser is a staff position and, thus, is not subject to Senate confirmation. Gen. Flynn’s status rests solely with the president he would serve.
Get rid of him, Mr. President-elect.
Gah, here’s hoping you’re right. As the poopstorm of PEOTUS’ ramp-up to the inauguration continues, I’m hopeful that his whole presidency goes to pot and we as a nation can hit the reset button.