Dispatches from
STEPHEN LENDMAN
U nderstanding presidential aspirants requires knowing who they surround themselves with and what they represent. Hillary and Trump rely on a rogue’s gallery of neocon hawks for advice on national security, intelligence and militarism – indicating dirty business as usual continuing no matter who succeeds Obama, a deplorable situation.
I’ve repeatedly stressed Hillary is most dangerous. Her despicable public record since the 1990s gives her away. Trump can only be judged on his rhetoric and advisors, indicating how he’ll govern.
It’s not a pretty picture, cause for great concern. The geopolitical difference between both candidates suggests Trump is less likely to confront Russia and China militarily. With Hillary as president, it’s too great a risk to tolerate.
The possibility of her launching nuclear war should automatically demand voter rejection. With Trump, the worst of all possible imperial policies may be avoided – though virtually certain endless US wars will continue.
Hillary’s national security/foreign policy team includes former CIA director, US-led NATO Afghan war commander, CENTCOM head General David Petraeus – sacked for incompetence, a man former peers and superiors accused of brown-nosing his way to the top.
Former Bush Homeland Security head hardliner Michael Chertoff joined Clinton’s team. So is former acting CIA director Mike Morell – weeks earlier outrageously accusing Trump of being an “unwitting (Putin) agent.” He called for assassinating Russians and Iranians in Syria.
Hillary chose former NATO commander Admiral James Stavridis as an advisor. He favors escalated US militarism in Syria and Iraq, along with confronting Russia and Iran aggressively.
Former top Pentagon intelligence official, CIA operative, head of Obama’s drone war (mostly killing civilians) Michael Vickers is a Hillary advisor.
Trump’s team is no better, headed by hawkish Senator Jeff Sessions (R. AL). It includes neocon uber-hawk former CIA director James Woolsey, strongly urging greater US militarism than already.
Joseph Schmitz is a former Defense Department inspector general, former Blackwater USA paramilitary contractor official.
Retired General Keith Kellogg formerly was a top CACI International official, involved in so-called “national security missions,” sued for involvement in torture, along with crimes of war and against humanity in Iraq.
George Papadopoulos (not the former Greek coup d’etat president by the same name) is a neocon Hudson Institute research fellow.
Walid Phares formerly advised Lebanese Philangist death squads responsible for massacring thousands of Palestinian Sabra and Shatila refugee camp victims in 1982 – directed by then Israeli Defense Minister Aerial Sharon.
Council on Foreign Relations member, earlier its international affairs fellow, former Merrill Lynch investment banker Carter Page joined Trump’s team.
National security/foreign policy teams advising Hillary and Trump indicate no change forthcoming in Washington’s imperial agenda no matter who succeeds Obama – its permanent war policy continuing, polar opposite what the world needs most.
STEPHEN LENDMAN lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." ( http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html ) Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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