February 28, 2017
Trump just blamed the military for the botched Yemen raid. That's a disgrace.
Most Americans thought little of President Harry Truman when he ascended to the White House in April 1945. Six months later, they thought even less, as the nation’s economy slowed at the end of World War II and the nation woke up to the dangers of the Cold War. To encourage the new president, and remind him of the awesome responsibility for the nation that rested atop his shoulders, an old friend sent Truman a sign made by federal prisoners in Oklahoma, emblazoned on the back with “I’m from MISSOURI,” and on the front with “The BUCK STOPS here!”
Seventy-two years later, perhaps we should play Taps for the notion that the buck stops on the president’s desk. In an interview with Fox & Friends Tuesday, President Donald Trump refused to accept responsibility for the risky special operations raid in Yemen earlier this month that resulted in the death of Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens.
Never mind the fact that Trump personally approved and ordered this flawed raid; never mind the fact that he personally signaled during his campaign that he wanted to order more aggressive counterterrorism actions like this. When things went bad, it was the fault of the military — not Trump.
Read the full article at Vox.
More from CNAS
-
How DOD missed its opportunity to counter extremism in the ranks
Commentary
It is clear that extremism in the ranks still poses a challenge, and we are in desperate need of an administrative nerve center capable of addressing it....
By Samantha Olson
-
Jack Teixeira pleads guilty to leaking military documents
Video
Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty Monday to leaking highly classified military documents containing national security secrets. Scott MacFarl...
By Katherine L. Kuzminski
-
The Ukraine war and the myth of a permanent all-volunteer force
Commentary
When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, many heralded a new era of warfare. Short wars waged by small professional forces seemed to be the way of the future. Authoritarian actors,...
By Andrew Spafford
-
Countering Domestic Violent Extremism in the Ranks: Barriers to Recruitment Screening
Commentary
Lawful interaction with the technology sector, including social media platforms, is essential to effectively address national security threats, foreign and domestic....
By Carrie Cordero & Katherine L. Kuzminski
