Nikki Haley: The Happy Surprise

Nikki Haley: The Happy Surprise

by Whitney Ahn

         Nikki Haley should have been one of the most ineffective and incompetent members of President Trump's generally ineffective and incompetent cabinet. Alongside Ben Carson, her appointment was criticized as unusual and ill-fitting her resume. She had always been nationally agreed upon as someone with bipartisan leadership skills and solid conservative but not extremist credentials, but never has she ever been considered a leader in foreign policy. And yet, she has evolved into the strongest and most effective member of Trump's entire administration, let alone his cabinet. In fact, former chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs and current Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) said that her committee opts to send letters on foreign policy matters to Amb. Haley as opposed to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

         Firstly, let it be said that Donald Trump has a history of equating the value of women to their attractiveness, and Ambassador Haley is certainly a beautiful woman. Through a bat of her eyelashes, Amb. Haley has an ability that is afforded to no other member of Trump's mostly male cabinet: the ability to seem unthreatening. Through this, she is able to make more forceful statements that contradict the president's words and thoughts without putting herself in the line of fire. She also seems to be able to use her Southern charm to help form relationships with fellow ambassadors in the United Nations.

         She also is one of the few members of the Trump administration with a fully functional and completed staff. This allows her to set meetings, know her goals for these meetings, and use her time effectively. Her chief of staff, Steven Grove (formerly of the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation) is her most important advisor, and the much more seasoned Sen. Lindsey Graham reportedly also helps to advisor her. No other major sector of the executive branch has filled the positions necessary for those at the top to do their jobs as well as they should, with the possible exception of Mattis' Department of Defense.

        Nikki Haley continues to come out in front of both the President and Secretary of State on matters of foreign policy, establishing herself as, shockingly, the most important voice in American diplomacy today. She has taken it upon herself to speak out about the Chechen genocide of gay and bisexual men, the Syrian government's horrific actions against its own people, and the annexation of Crimea. Here's hoping she gets to keep her job long enough to stave off a major nuclear war.

Why a 9/11-Style Commission for Trump-Russia Ties is a Bad Idea

Why a 9/11-Style Commission for Trump-Russia Ties is a Bad Idea

by Whitney Ahn

      The connection between the President, the Trump Campaign, and Russia is a complex, tangled web that most agree should be investigated so that the American people can gain clarity of the web. The investigation is so unanimously supported among the political leadership of both Democrats and Republicans alike, save the presidential subject of the investigation, that the main point of contention is not the subject matter of the investigation but the investigators themselves.
       Can the Senate and House Intelligence Committees be trusted to produce a convincing report that gives the American people and our leaders a full picture of what happened regarding the 2016 election and related events? Some say yes; some say no; some say the Senate, yes, but the House, no.
      Those that say no generally call for an independent commission, similar that created for the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. The idea of ensuring independence from partisanship in an investigation so political nature is both positive and necessary. However, upon researching further, one may find that this is not the best route forward.
    Firstly, there is the problem of funding. The White House and Congress must together agree upon an appropriations bill to fund the theoretical commission. Even if the White House would agree to fund this commission, it seems unlikely that they would approve a large enough sum to fund a through and quality investigation.
     This appropriations bill would also require both sides agree to details like the scope of the investigation, as well as whether or not to put a deadline on it. Giving the White House that much power over what would likely be the most trusted investigation into its own self seems to be troubling at the very least.
     Then there is the issue of membership. The 9/11 commission had 10 members, 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats, appointed by the House, the Senate, and the White House. To suggest that the Democrat leadership would not place their most zealous members, such as Rep. Maxine Waters or Rep. Pramila Jayapal, on the committee is as ridiculous a notion as the suggestion that Republican leadership would not place their own most zealous members, such as former Gov. Mike Huckabee or Rep. Jack Kingston. The parties may do so for no other reason than they suspect that the other side will do the same.
    While an independent and Congressionally-authorized special committee or commission would most certainly be ideal for the sake of the validity and trustworthiness of the investigation's ultimate results, whatever they may be, it is very important that the 9/11 style of commission not be copied, and that partisanship plays no role in the investigation.

Trump-Russia Ties Infographic

Names to Know: Most to Least Concerning Trump Advisors

Names to Know:

Most to Least Concerning Trump Advisors

by Whitney Ahn

Steve Bannon: Senior Counselor, Chief Strategist

        He was the editor of Breitbart, which ran articles and pieces that were racist, sexist, homophobic, and everything else. Regardless of your opinion on "PC culture", Breitbart is and was the basis of the case in its favor.

Stephen A. Miller: Senior Advisor

         He is extremist at best, and an insane and sociopathic Russophile at worst. His influence over the President is strong, as shown throughout the Trump campaign, which is what makes him so dangerous.

Reince Priebus: Chief of Staff

         Priebus is not crazy, but is so inexperienced that his occupation of this important position becomes to entire administration's detriment.

Kellyanne Conway: Counselor

         She's really more of a PR expert than a policy advisor, and has shown signs of multipolarity with regards to her general sanity. Her loyalty to President Trump is undying, but several outlets

K.T. McFarland: Deputy National Security Advisor

         She opened the Deputies Committee by limiting everyone to two minutes, because she's "from TV". Beyond that, McFarland is surprisingly qualified, despite having not served since the Reagan administration.

Jared Kushner: Senior Advisor

         He is (probably) not crazy. However, his presence brings up concerns of nepotism and his occupation of an official rule is potentially a breaking of laws that were designed to prevent this sort of thing from happening, though communications officials in the White House have made the argument that fits into a legal loophole.

Ivanka Trump

         She is (probably) not crazy. However, her presence, like Kushner's, brings up concerns of nepotism. The difference between her and her husband is that she does not hold any official position.

Dina Powell: Senior Counselor for Economic Initiatives

         She has yet to show any signs of being completely crazy, and has the ear of Ivanka Trump, who is also (probably) not crazy.

H.R. McMaster: National Security Advisor

         He's definitely not crazy. So there's that.

What Even is the Principals Committee?

What Even is the National Security Council?

by Whitney Ahn

        The National Security Council, aka NSC, aka Principals Committee, was established right after WWII to ensure that every administration had access to a solid national security policy-making process. Until Trump, it included, among others the President, Vice President, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the National and Homeland Security Advisors, UN Ambassador, and Secretaries of State, Defense, the Treasury, Homeland Security, and Energy (there's a longer list on Wikipedia).

        Donald Trump has decided to, for better or for worse, up-end this entire system by removing the DNI, former Senator Dan Coats (R-IN) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, and adding the Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon. This effectively removes the sole military and intelligence advisers from the NSC and replaces them with Steve Bannon.

        Many Republican policymakers, notably including Sen. McCain, have criticized this move, saying that the move was confusing and unprecedented. In defense of Bannon's addition to the council, some have said that past people with Bannon's position, such as the Bush administration's Karl Rove and the Obama administration's David Axelrod, have attended the NSC. However, neither served in any official capacity on the NSC and both have stated that they were barred from entering any meeting regarding national security issues, to keep a chasm between politics and national security.

        Some could argue, however, that both of the removed positions are rendered redundant by Trump's other administration picks. By selecting former DIA director Mike Flynn as his National Security Advisor, intelligence officials are represented. And, via Flynn and other former generals like Secretary Mattis and Secretary Kelly, some could even argue that the military realm is almost over-represented.

What do you think of the NSC changes? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.

Names to Know: Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner, David Friedman, and K.T. McFarland

Names to Know: Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner, David Friedman, and K.T. McFarland

by Whitney Ahn

These are shorter pieces of our Names to Know series, for officials either less prominent or for whom there is less information about.

Mike Flynn
        Former Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn grew up in a blue-collar family of Democrats, and grew up to be every Democrat's worst nightmare. Donald Trump selected him to be his National Security Advisor, the highest-ranking security official in America that doesn't have to be confirmed by the Senate. He co-wrote (though some say his role in authoring it was limited) an interesting and extremely well-publicized paper about American intelligence agencies, saying that they fail to think about cultural context and the lot as much as they should. This paper, and its publicity, lead to his appointment as the director of the DIA, the military equivalent of the better-know civilian agency, the CIA. In 2014, Director Flynn said that the United States is at a greater risk of terrorism than it was before 9/11. Shortly after, mostly in part due to his incredibly troubled reign at the DIA, he was forced to resign. He was essentially laughed out of Washington, and no one ever expected to hear from him again. But becoming one of the few Republican figures willing to work with Trump early on, Flynn gained the now-President's ear and trust, and is now back in D.C. His support for Trump was so fiery that he became a demouge-like figure to the left after his speech at the Republican National Convention, where he shouted that Hillary Clinton should be locked up. After all, he had no positive reputation in Washington to lose, and the power of this endorsement could not be nearly as effective if it were for any other candidate.

Jared Kushner
        Being named as a high-ranking advisor to Donald Trump caused Kushner, his son-in-law, to be the target of a number of questions regarding its legality in relation to nepotism laws. Kushner is best known as a real estate investor and husband of the much more prominent and widely beloved Ivanka Trump. For some reason, possibly because he is Jewish and Mr. Trump has a history of appointing people to jobs they are inexperienced for because their race or religion is perceived as being relevent to issues the job surrounds (see neurosurgeon Ben Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development), Kushner is expected to be working on brokering peace between Israel and Palestine, as opposed to his Secretary of State pick, oil tycoon Rex Tillerson, or Ambassador to Israel, bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman, whose jobs now place this issue directly into their responsibilities. Speaking of...

David Friedman
        David Friedman handled Donald Trump's abnormally large number of bankruptcies and in return, he has been nominated to be the American Ambassador to Israel. Friedman is yet another controversial pick, due to comments he made that compared any Jewish person who is not a conservative to Jews who helped the Nazis in the Holocaust. This obviously angered the more left-leaning, as well as moderate, members of the government. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is widely known as one of the most right-wing heads of state in the world, publicly expressed support for the nominee for the ambassadorship.

K.T. McFarland
        K.T. McFarland is Donald Trump's Deputy National Security Advisor, which is not a Senate-confirmed position, and is notable for being one the few administration officials who undebatably have qualifications that are specific to her job. She received the highest civilian honor possible from the Department of Defense, the Distinguished Civilian Award. She has served in the Kissinger and Reagan administrations, and has commentated on Fox News. She's not considered by some major foreign policy figures such as Kori Schake (a Republican, and former advisor to John McCain), but all the same, she has more experience than the typical Trump nominee.

Names to Know: Rex Tillerson

Names to Know: Rex Tillerson

by Whitney Ahn

We're back! And just in time for the inauguration of Donald Trump. Regardless of your opinion on him, he still gets to choose who will fill the key roles across government. Because we have a whole new administration of people to look at and analyze, our Names to Know series gives profiles of various major figures in foreign policy and national security, starting with the Trump cabinet and major advisors. Editor-in-Chief Whitney Ahn has begun our Names to Know series with Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson.

        Rex Tillerson is the CEO of ExxonMobil, and Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of State. Donald Trump's press releases suggest the primary reason for selecting Mr. Tillerson for this key diplomatic role, despite his utter lack of policy-making experience, is his extensive role in making foreign deals, in places such as Iran, Syria, and Russia, all of which the United States clearly has interests in (with regards to nuclear weapons, ISIS, and Ukraine).

       These deals also have lead to relationships with foreign nations that some describe as troubling, especially Russia. In 2013, Vladimir Putin awarded Tillerson the Order of Friendship, the highest civilian honor Russia gives. Tillerson also has a personal friendship with Igor Sechin, the man who makes the Kremlin's military policy and the second-most powerful man in Russia. His third tie to the former Soviet nation is his ownership of $15,000 worth of stock in the Russian technology company Yandex, which he would likely have to sell upon or prior to confirmation.

       Tillerson also has relationships with Africa and the Middle East. ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Infimum, made 53.2 million dollars in Iran, 1.1 million dollars in Syria, and .6 million dollars in Sudan, from 2003-2005. In 2011, in direct violation of Iraqi law (at this point Iraq was not yet a failed state), Tillerson signed a deal with Iraqi Kurdistan. America has a strong relationship with the Kurds, but a key ally in the region, Turkey, does not. In fact, some have argued (myself included) that Turkey is more focused on defeating the Kurdish rebel groups in Iraq and Syria than ISIS. Strong relationships with the Kurds would likely upset the Turkish government, without a delicate touch and strong negotiation skills.

       Tillerson and Trump have serious policy differences on a number of issues. For example, he said in a confirmation hearing on January 11th that the United States should take strong actions to deter Russia from further expansion in Ukraine, and that Barack Obama did not go far enough in his initial reactions. He also said that is a "fair assumption" that Putin was aware of Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 American presidential election. Both of these are sharp breaks from Donald Trump's policy of a cozier relationship with both Russia and Vladimir Putin specifically. However, Tillerson would not say whether or not he believes Vladimir Putin is a war criminal when pressed by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). Unlike Donald Trump, Tillerson does not believe climate change is hoax, but also thinks that scientific ability to predict its effects are highly limited. Again breaking from Trump's general patterns, given that Trump has made a series of comments many in Mexico's government have found offensive, Tillerson praised Mexico, calling the nation "a long-standing... friend of" the United States. Prior to the Senate committee hearing, Tillerson publicly expressed support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, whereas Donald Trump built his campaign around vitriol against trade agreements like the TPP.

       Despite the many concerns about Tillerson, he has received endorsements from an impressive number of major American foreign policy officials, such as former Secretary of State James Baker, who said he had the "management and negotiation skills, and... the international experience" necessary for the job. Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley called it a "strong choice", and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called it an "excellent choice". Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said he has "vast knowledge" and experience dealing with "governments and leaders in every corner of the world," and he also received endorsements from former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Assistant Secretary of State Robert Charles, Suzanne Maloney (of the notoriously liberal-leaning Brookings Institute), and Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint.
       Trump's nominee faces an unusually steep pathway to confirmation, more than likely will be the next American Secretary of State. The policies he will implement are largely mysteries. No one really knows how the policies he advocated for, to benefit ExxonMobil, will impact the policies he will advocate for, to benefit America. One thing is clear: If he can separate himself fully from the interests of Exxon and only focus on the interest of America, we will have a powerful advocate. If not, except America's global standing to fall. Now, it's Congress' turn to decide if the great risk is worth the great reward.

What this Election means for U.S.-Cuba Relations

What this Election means for U.S.-Cuba Relations

by Daniela Gomez

             Since November 2014, Obama has made it a mission to bring the US and Cuba closer together. The steps he has taken to get closer to the small island country have been exalted and criticized in equal measure, but the tentative relationship the US has with Cuba now may be in danger as soon as President-elect Trump takes office. Through his preferred method of social media communication, Trump tweeted that he would halt relations with Cuba if he didn’t get a “better deal”.

 Follow

Donald J. Trump 

✔@realDonaldTrump

If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal.

6:02 AM - 28 Nov 2016

 
•  24,67224,672 Retweets
 
•  84,03384,033 likes

             Of course, it’s hard to know Trump’s position on anything, he flip-flops too much, but it is possible that he does nothing in the near future to try to change Cuban-American relations. His tweet shows if anything a lack of understanding about how these diplomatic moves are made. The relationship both countries have right now is an accumulation of different strategic moves and deals, not just one treaty or deal that can be rewritten. Not to mention Trump has been supportive of normalizing US-Cuba relations in the past, only saying that he would have made a “stronger deal” as president instead of the steps taken by President Obama. This lack of understanding or position could force him to simply keep relations where they are right now, if not continue to open up to the island nation. Unfortunately, Cuba may sense that the American president knows little to nothing about international diplomacy and try to take advantage of that.Not to mention, Trump has been supportive of normalizing US-Cuba relations, in the past, saying only that he would've made a "stronger deal" as President, as opposed to the steps taken by President Obama. This lack of understanding or position may force him to keep relations where they are now or continue upon the path set by Obama before him. Unfortunately, Cuba may sense how little the President-elect knows about international diplomacy and try to take advantage of that.
             What most likely will happen is that President Trump will leave dealing with Cuban relations to Congress, which holds a Republican majority and will probably push toward a tougher stance on the nation and try to re-add it to the list of States that Sponsor Terrorism. Interestingly enough, House Speaker Paul Ryan was at one point in favor of lifting the embargo against Cuba, saying it was a failure, so he may be more open-minded as to maintaining and working to continue open relations with the country. The best that can be expected is that nothing much happens in the next two years (until midterm elections in which the Democrats have a chance to retake at least the Senate).
            Trump’s election has thrown a lot of questions in the air, especially about foreign policy. Trump’s inexperience and immature appearance to the rest of the world is much to our disadvantage. Though Trump said he would be America’s strongman, he gives off quite the opposite effect to other countries, who sense weakness in a president who has no government experience and who sees no problem in tweeting retaliatory and insulting comments at 3 AM in the morning. This appearance might be the most damaging for American foreign relations, especially with Cuba, with whom it is important to appear open but firm and strong. Trump so far has mastered neither, and it seems unlikely he will do so in the coming years. However it is important to look at how much the House and Senate are involved in fostering these good relations, especially when the president may not be able to do much good about them. Hopefully, Congress will serve as a check to Trump’s blatant lack of experience or governmental knowledge, and therefore preserve some of the progress that has been made in the last eight years, especially relating to Cuba, but that remains to be seen. Hopefully in these next four years, they will counteract the racist and anti-foreign policy image that Trump espouses. So, hopefully, the Washington insiders that Trump so despises will play a significant role in keeping him from ruining American foreign policy in the indefinite future.

How Foreign Leaders and Officials are Reacting to Trump's Election

How Foreign Leaders and Officials are Reacting to Trump's Election

by Whitney Ahn

          Harjit Sajjan, the Canadian Minister of National Defence, said he was "looking forward" to Donald Trump's inauguration, something commonly said about most new President-elects by foreign officials. However, Donald Trump is not most President-elects.

          Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, offered a mixed tone, saying she'd be willing to work with Donald Trump because German-American relations are essential to her country. The deputy chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, however, was far more blunt, saying that "Trump is a trailblazer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement."

          Another international major figure, former Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqan, has also come out with negativity. Today at the Halifax International Security Forum, said of anti-Muslim rhetoric that "harm has already been done... people who like me can't help you."

          Similarly to Merkel, Federica Mogherini (the European Union's foreign affairs chief) tweeted her reaction to Trump's victory: "EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics." This implies that she has some fears that Trump will cause a major shift regarding American politics towards Europe. Martin Schulz, the president of the European parliament, called Trump's elect "a protest vote" similar to Brexit.

          NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that he was looking forward to working with Trump, but emphasized that "it is important that the transatlantic bond remains strong." Trump has repeatedly called for pulling out of funding for NATO unless other countries agree to pay more.

          Theresa May congratulated Trump on his victory. After Brexit, the UK is trying to maintain positive relationships with as many countries as possible. Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, went in an opposing route, calling for Trump to prove he "will be a president for everyone in modern, multicultural America."

          In France, President François Hollande said that Trump's win "opens up a period of uncertainty." Hollande had previously endorse Secretary Clinton in the presidential race. He emphasized that "certain positions taken by Donald Trump" put many things in jeopardy, saying that "what is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East... economic relations, and the preservation of the planet." However, Marine Le Pen, a major opposition figure globally known for her controversial rhetoric regarding ethnic and racial minorities considered offensive by many, has shown the utmost support for Trump. Trump has returned the favor by going so far as to prioritize conversations with Le Pen above even talking to the French president, and many other world leaders.

          Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to Trump (yes, they still do that), congratulating him. At a ceremony at the Kremlin, he said that "it's not our fault that Russian-American relations our in such a poor state," but expressed optimism that under Trump, the two nations can come closer. Putin clearly sees an opportunity to connect with Trump, and hopes to increase co-operation between the two. In Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko met with the US ambassador on Wednesday, and claimed that he remained optimistic that "the US administration would remain a reliable partner in the struggle for democracy."

          Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump, and was extremely enthusiastic about his election. One of his ministers, Naftali Bennett, declared that Trump's victory meant that "the era of a Palestinian state is over." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbasaid expressed serious caution but optimism. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Trump's "elections marks the beginning of a new era," and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the election has no impact on Iranian policies.

          Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto expressed a willingness to work with Trump, after being criticized heavily within his country for having dialogues with him while he was still a candidate. Former presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that Mexico is "a free independent, sovereign country," that it is neither a colony nor a protectorate, and that Mexico depends on no foreign government.

          China's President Xi Jinping congratulated Trump, and Lu Kang, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said that they were looking forward to working with him. Joko Widodo, the president of Indonesia (the world's largest Muslim nation), said that he "thinks there will be no change." President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, known for mass murders and insulting Barack Obama (he called him a "son of a whore" earlier this year), extended warm congratulations

          Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump, and expressed cautious optimism, a tone that seems to be struck by the vast majority of foreign leaders and officials.

Trying to be Optimistic: The Positives of Donald Trump and The Sun Came Up Today

Trying to be Optimistic:

The Positives of Donald Trump

by Whitney Ahn

Donald Trump is a racist. He is a sexist. He is a homophobe. He is ignorant. He is rude. He is arrogant. He is self-centered. He has no humility. He’s also the next President of the United States. We have to move forward, so unless a coup or impeachment occurs, it’s important to look at the positives of his future presidency. Allegedly, some exist.

Firstly, there’s his character. His arrogance leads to his constant need and desire to show off his strength. Holding all the power, means he will want to show all the power. Perhaps he may end up being too hawkish, but coming off of an Obama presidency, it could provide a neutralizing effect on America’s reputation in the world.
Secondly, there’s his ties to Russia. These make him more willing to work with the Russian government and thusly relationships could see serious improvements. Yes, we may end up subservient to Russia, but we could also end up with a more cordial relationship with the former Soviets.
And... that’s it. That’s all that I can really think of. Let’s all pray we make it through these next four years alive and that Trump doesn’t win re-election.

The Sun Came Up Today

by W.H. Paulson

Well, the sun came up today. Contrary to popular belief, the world didn't end in a roaring tide of fire and eternal brimstone. If you are wondering why and how Donald Trump got elected, there is a reason. If you look at the way the left has treated people in the middle or on the right, it becomes very obvious. Over the past year, the divide between the people that support him and the people that despise him has only grown, primarily because of the left's antiquated ideology that if you're not with them, you’re against them. This divide has shown the vitriolic hatred that the left have towards anyone who doesn't agree with them.

For example, while attending a local Trump rally, I’ve been spit on, cursed at, and had my safety threatened. All that just because I listened to a man speak. After seeing this, I realized why Donald Trump won, because the left gave up any kind of political moderation and tolerance. Instead, it has transformed from a party of understanding and compassion into a group of marxists and fascists.

The new left now believes that if you disagree with them, you are part of the problem. This hatred of differing beliefs is the reason why things like Brexit and Duterte have happened, and is why the radical right in France will be elected next year. People are sick and tired of being called a homophobe, a racist, and a bigot because they have differing opinions. This is the reason Donald won; people are sick of being hated for their beliefs. I think that we as Americans we have lost all hope in humanity. If we have faith in one thing only, at least let it be that.