National Security Council

[leftyjace]

I know, I know, a political post… and yes, I get it about the banning of immigrants and refugees, and the other bazillion semi-nuts things this president is doing.

But this specific matter is concerning to me, and I want to discuss.

Yesterday Trump removed the Director of National Intelligence and the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the National Security Council.

He also decided to add a “strategist and advisor” (Steve Bannon, a former media and finance executive).

Does this concern anyone? Or is it just me?

[SkinyUte]

It’s concerning for two reasons:

1.  The simple fact that we now have a white supremacist, someone who is on record as wanting to destroy the federal government, and someone with zero security experience in a key advisory role specifically around security

2.  The DNI Chief and Joint Chiefs were in place to provide non-partisan input on national security.  Now that we’ve replaced that with Trump’s partisan “yes men”, all bets are off.

I have a bad feeling that yesterday’s bulls**t EO was just the tip of the iceberg.

[User Suspended]

Once drumpf selected Obannon as top adviser the road America would take was all but sealed.

The Tea party movement has taken over power and IF we somehow survive the next three four years, it will take decades to re establish  our reputation as a free Democracy.

 

 

 

[AZswayze]

Is your avatar Real World Puck?

[UtahFanSir]

Yes.

[Milton Vanderslice]

After well over a decade of war and killing brown people, maybe he wanted to go a different direction.

[SkinyUte]

After well over a decade of war and killing brown people, maybe he wanted to go a different direction.

OK, let’s say that’s the case.  He replaced the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the highest ranking member of the US Military) and the Director of National Intelligence with a guy who, prior to the election, was running a far-right website.

I’m curious how, in any possible scenario, Bannon is better qualified to advise on matters of national security than those two?

[Milton Vanderslice]

I don’t have any inside information, but I assume it’s because Trump trusts Bannon’s ability to smell bull s**t and not be afraid to call bull s**t.

[Stradlater]

bull s**t

[PDXUteFan]

Maybe as an editor for relatively obscure “news” outlet….as a chief intelligance strategist….not a f**king chance. I’m sorry, this guy has never worked a single day in his life in the intelligance community or in the foregin relations field, he has no f**king clue what is bulls**t and what isn’t bulls**t. He’s now in a position to dictate how we respond to intelligance directives regarding incredibly dangerous situations across the entire globe and, again, he’s never been in a position where he’s been exposed to such things. That doesn’t terrify you in the least amount possible? That’d be like making me the leader of the LDS church, it literally makes no sense to anyone who has rational, critical thinking skills. 

[SkinyUte]

Oh, I have no doubt Bannon will be suddenly claiming to smell lots of bulls**t.

And ALL of it will come at the expense of people who are brown and/or non-Christian.

[HoosierUte]

Judging from the content of Bannon’s site over the years, he can not only smell BS but loves to roll around and cover himself in it. This move is baffelling and quite frankly insulting to the military.  Replacing the JCOS for this guy?

[User Suspended]

Do you know who Bannon is and what he represents?!?  might be time to educate yourself. Then again, never mind – Bannon now rules this country.

American (especially minorities) is screwed.

 

 

[ironman1315]

And I’m done. I don’t think trump will destroy America but holy balls I gotta do something to mitigate the damage trump can do.

[Utahute72]

If you have the Sec Def in the room do you really need the JCS in there too?  Sometimes government meetings become so bloated it’s difficult to get anything done.  My question on the DNI, is who is representing that piece of the puzzle.  DNI would seem to be the most reasonable choice, but maybe he’ll designated someone on the intelligence side.  Also if there is a particular discussion it doesn’t preclude bringing in anyone who would add to the discussion, they just may not be a permanent member of the council.

[SkinyUte]

That’s just it though.  If Bannon was brought to the table in addition to the Chief of JSC and DNI Director, then, while I still wouldn’t like it, I could see it as another voice the POTUS trusts adding to the discussion.  It’s when he’s brought there in lieu of the others that makes this move extra sketchy.

[leftyjace]

That is a fair point.

I would think the purpose of having the JCOS in there is simply to address readiness and resource allocation to a degree that the SecDef wouldn’t quite get to. It does seem somewhat reasonable to surmise that there is some redundancy there.

But I simply don’t understand not having the Intelligence Director in there. Don’t they report directly to the President?

[Utahute72]

We’ll have to see how that group functions.  If Bannon is being brought in to help set up implementation of the actions that’s one thing, streamling the process.  If he’s actually involved in policy development that is another.

 

[Riot West]

This is how I imagine the meetings with Trump and Bannon go.

[KiYi-Ute]

Ukraine is not weak!

[leftyjace]

So an update to this.
Trump has amended his decision.=
He is adding the Director of the CIA to his National Security Council.
This just gets weirder and weirder by the minute.

[SkinyUte]

Trump’s plan to put Bannon on the National Security Council may have hit a slight snag. According to the law

(a) Establishment; presiding officer; functions; compositionThere is established a council to be known as the National Security Council (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Council”).The President of the United States shall preside over meetings of the Council: Provided, That in his absence he may designate a member of the Council to preside in his place.The function of the Council shall be to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the military services and the other departments and agencies of the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security.The Council shall be composed of—
(1) the President;
(2) the Vice President;
(3) the Secretary of State;
(4) the Secretary of Defense;
(5) the Secretary of Energy; and
(6) the Secretaries and Under Secretaries of other executive departments and of the military departments, when appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve at his pleasure.

Bannon would need to go through a public Senate confirmation hearing. Heck, I almost think it’s worth the risk of approval for that to happen.

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