WH not tamping down tensions after Bolton seen holding notepad: "5000 troops to

[pepperbear]

Colombia"

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/01/28/politics/white-house-bolton-colombia/index.html

SNIP

Colombia's foreign minister reacted to Bolton's notes Monday evening, saying he was unaware of the thinking behind them.

"Colombia does not know the reasons behind these notes and it is unaware of the real extent of them," said Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo in a statement. "Colombia will continue to carry conversations with the United States on several topics and cooperating with the U.S. in any bilateral topics."

SNIP

[dlk]

1. Bolton's Reveal of His Notes was Intentional

He was testing the water.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Standard denial

Won't play so well back home, I imagine.

[RockRaven]

3. It was done on purpose, to inflame and distract... so of course they aren't tamping down tensions.

Tamping down tensions would be contrary to the purpose of the obvious manipulation ploy they are engaged in.

Is the WH more engaged in distracting from the shutdown or from Mueller/Stone? That's where the uncertainty lies, imo.

[defacto7]

4. a stupid ploy...

[struggle4progress]

5. "We'll happily drench grandma and her grandkids in gas and set them ablaze,

if it distracts you from our other crimes!"

[moondust]

6. War as reelection strategery?

Worked for Dubya so it may be standard GOP playbook now. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that the Venezuela "conflict" is heating up just as the 2020 race begins.

[pepperbear]

7. Exactly