Mattis is out

Мэттис подал в отставку. Его resignation letter ниже. "Вывод войск из Сирии" стал последней каплей.

Что можно сказать по этому поводу...

(1) Все так называемые adults, которые были в администрации Трампа, gone. Эта идея adults, удерживающих Трампа от наиболее безумных решений, всегда выглядела не особенно серьезной, но на данный момент никаких adults просто не осталось.

(2) Правые комментаторы -- Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham и т. д. -- имеют больше влияния на Трампа, чем любые специалисты на самых высоких постах в администрации.

(3) Даже если вы считаете правильным вывод войск из Сирии... Подумайте, как было принято это решение. С кем Трамп посоветовался? Мы знаем, что не с министром обороны. Или вы считаете, что Трамп обладает достаточными... просто базовыми знаниями, для того, чтобы принять такое решение самостоятельно?

(4) На США становится невозможно положиться. К примеру:

Defense officials tell me Mattis went to the White House to discuss Syria & that he was livid after reading reports that Turkey's Defense Minister threatened to kill US-backed Kurds & put them in ditches once the US withdrew. He was incensed at this notion of betrayal of an ally.

(5) GOP. Вот видео с ответами Коми на вопросы журналистов после очередных слушаний в Конгрессе пару дней назад. Я его привожу ради того, что Коми говорит во вступлении:

So, another day of Hillary Clinton's e-mails and the Steele dossier. This, while the president of the United States is lying about the FBI, attacking the FBI and attacking the rule of law in this country. How does this make any sense at all?

Republicans used to understand that the actions of the president matter, the words of the president matter, the rule of law matters, and the truth matters. Where are those republicans today?

At some point someone has to stand up and in the face of fear of Fox News, fear of their base, fear of mean tweets stand up for the values of this country and not slink away into retirement, but stand up and speak the truth.

Письмо Мэттиса. Как сказал об этом письме супруг Kellyanne Conway: "The nicest line: “Dear Mr. President.”"

Dear Mr. President:

I have been privileged to serve as our country's 26th Secretary of Defense which has allowed me to serve alongside our men and women of the Department in defense of our citizens and our ideals.

I am proud of the progress that has been made over the past two years on some of the key goals articulated in our National Defense Strategy: putting the Department on a more sound budgetary footing, improving readiness and lethality in our forces, and reforming the Department's business practices for greater performance. Our troops continue to provide the capabilities needed to prevail in conflict and sustain strong U.S. global influence.

One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships. While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies. Like you, I have said from the beginning that the armed forces of the United States should not be the policeman of the world. Instead, we must use all tools of American power to provide for the common defense, including providing effective leadership to our alliances. NATO's 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America. The Defeat-ISIS coalition of 74 nations is further proof.

Similarly, I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours. It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model - gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic, and security decisions - to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense.

My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. We must do everything possible to advance an international order that is most conducive to our security, prosperity and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by the solidarity of our alliances.

Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. The end date for my tenure is February 28, 2019, a date that should allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Department's interests are properly articulated and protected at upcoming events to include Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February. Further, that a full transition to a new Secretary of Defense occurs well in advance of the transition of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in September in order to ensure stability Within the Department.

I pledge my full effort to a smooth transition that ensures the needs and interests of the 2.15 million Service Members and 732,079 DoD civilians receive undistracted attention of the Department at all times so that they can fulfill their critical, round-the-clock mission to protect the American people.

I very much appreciate this opportunity to serve the nation and our men and women in uniform.