Wesley Clark: Trump doesn't understand role of commander in chief

[mia]

...But if Trump struggles with his role’s rites and rituals, there are deeper issues with his command. His blustering and combative diplomacy on Korea, cozying up with a potential adversary who has consistently worked to undermine the United States, and his pattern of insulting friends and disrupting allies are all deeply unsettling to the middle-grade and senior officers who plan and execute U.S. policy. They need steady, consistent, reliable leadership. The bobbing and weaving may work in a small family office, but he is now leading one of the largest, most structured organizations in the world — and certainly the most powerful. It needs a steady hand, not just at secretary of defense, but also at the very top.

What actually drives Trump’s policies and actions as commander in chief? On what basis does he make the decisions that could separate us from our families, and send us to war? By all reports he doesn’t like to read, doesn’t suffer long briefings, doesn’t want to study, doesn’t seem to want much of the experience of the generals closest to him.

We honor the chain of command, so we trust him with the most central issues of our time — war, peace, the nuclear button. But Russia is still bullying, North Korea is still polishing up its nuclear force, China is strengthening its position in the South China Sea, and Iran and the Islamic State are still there in the Middle East, while our oldest allies are cringing and disheartened.

In his campaign, Trump promised that only he knew how to lead America. In the field of national security the jury is still out.

https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2018/11/19/wesley-clark-trump-doesnt-understand-role-of-commander-in-chief

[riversedge]

1. That is probably an understatement

[mia]

6. National security is the most important issue of all.

Trump doesn't get this. He's so busy looking after his own financial interests that he doesn't have the ability to comprehend the big picture.

[renate]

2. thanks for finding this!

Where's it from? The first part of the link is missing and I'd like to read all of this.

[elleng]

3. WaPo too.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016220435

[renate]

4. thank you! :D

[mia]

5. Thank you.

I fixed the link in the OP. It's also on the Washington Post, but I don't subscribe and couldn't access their article.

[WePurrsevere]

7. I don't subscribe either but recently I learned a cool trick so...

I can read most sites.

Just right click (or click and hold on a tablet) and select to open the link in a private browsing tab. You should be able to read articles on most sites like WaPo and NYTimes using that.

[mia]

10. Thank you!

I'll try that.

[brooklynite]

8. I completely disagree with geberal Clark...

His statement suggests that Trump has an understanding of some other part of the job...

[Bradshaw3]

9. Even if he did, it wouldn't matter

He doesn't care about the "niceities" of the law and the consitution. He thinks he has the right to do whatever he wants, in any situation. If he had his way he would be a dictator.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

11. Trump thinks he can run this country the way he ran all of his businesses.

Hire and fire at will. Stiff vendors. Abruptly change direction.

He thinks that having people terrified of him is a good thing. He's wrong, of course, and it shows in all of his many business failures.

He thinks it doesn't matter at all if he brings this country down. He'll just walk away after collecting a large payout.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. This is THE General