Daddy's little girl Ivanka as chief US war adviser; Mrs May tries to distance her government from the madness

President Trump and Complexity 

On April 8 The Sun (U.K.) reported, Trump’s dramatic U-turn on air strikes in Syria ‘was sparked by daughter Ivanka’s heartbreak after gas attack. The next day the Express (U.K.) picked up on the same news: "Donald Trump carried out Syria missile strike ‘after being convinced by daughter Ivanka’: Donald Trump’s decision to rain down 59 Tomahawk missiles on a Syrian air base was sparked by ... Ivanka’s 'heartbroken' response to Assad’s chemical attack, insiders have claimed."  

But without any verification to back it up the shocking claim had to be considered hearsay. Then, on April 10 The Telegraph (U.K.) published verification of the claim from none other than Eric Trump, one of Ivanka's brothers:

[Eric] also confirmed that President Trump’s decision to bomb a Syrian airbase to punish President Bashar al-Assad for a nerve gas attack last week was influenced by the reaction of his sister Ivanka, who said she was “heartbroken and outraged” by the atrocity.

[...]

Mr Trump said his father was “deeply affected” by the television images in the aftermath of the Syrian chemical attack of children being “sprayed down by hoses to keep their skin from burning.”

[...]

 Mr Trump rejected claims his father had acted impulsively after seeing the images, saying the President was “a great thinker, practical not impulsive.”

He added: “I’m proud he took that action and believe me he thinks things through.”

But how could Eric's father "think things through" when he is incapable of comprehending even the most elemental aspects of an investigation of chemical weapon signatures? 

(The same observation would apply to Ivanka Trump.)

How can I be certain that President Trump can't process the kind of information that would help him make an informed decision in that circumstance?

Because if he'd been capable, he would have known that it would take weeks if not several months to ascertain the type of chemical used, how it was used, and get a fix on who might have deployed it.

Until then any military retaliation would be shooting blindfolded in the dark, which is exactly what Trump did at the cost to the United States of tens of millions of dollars and the cost of Syrian lives -- including civilians -- and Syrian military materiel and infrastructure.

All because a nation's president and commander-in-chief decided to make his completely unqualified daughter his chief military adviser! All questions about the legality of Trump's decision to launch a missile strike pale in comparison to the horror of that revelation.

And while the British government is too polite (and perhaps too scared) to come right out and say what I have, I don't think it's a coincidence it was the British press that broke the news of Ivanka's influence on her father's decision to launch a missile strike.

In any case the British leaders -- who do grasp how complicated it is to assign blame for a chemical incident -- have leaped to disengage from Mr Trump's dangerously impulsive cowboy act on the world stage:

THERESA DISTANCES FROM DON
Split opens between Washington and London over Syria after Theresa May refused to back new strikes on Assad

By Tom Newton Dunn, Political Editor
10th April 2017, 1:16 pm
Updated: 10th April 2017, 2:27 pm

The Sun (U.K.)

US government has threatened to launch a fresh round of missile strikes on the regime if it uses nerve gas again

A SERIOUS split has opened up between Washington and London over Syria after Theresa May refused to back any new air strikes on tyrant Bashar Assad.

The US government has threatened to launch a fresh round of missile strikes on the regime if it uses nerve gas again.Theresa May refused to back US threat of further airstrikes.

Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser HR McMaster and his ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley have both warned the US is “prepared to do more” to enforce an international red line on chemical weapons.

But Downing Street refused to back President Trump’s tough stand when repeatedly pressed today.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman would only say the question was “hypothetical”, adding: “Our focus is on building international support for a political solution to end the conflict and bring lasting peace and stability to Syria”.It is a serious split between Washington and London over the issue

No10 also said Theresa May has no plans to go back to the House of Commons to ask for approval for the UK to stand alongside the US and join future strikes on Assad.

A vote by MPs in December 2015 only authorises the RAF to join attacks on ISIS in Syria.

[END REPORT]

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