Donald Trump’s Admiration of Putin’s Ruthless Use of Power

[riversedge]

Putin and Russia seem to off the radar last several days.



Donald Trump’s Admiration of Putin’s Ruthless Use of Power

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/us/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin.html?_r=0

By JOHN HARWOOD


SEPT. 13, 2016


............“He sees a man who, aspirationally, he would like to be like,” said Danielle Pletka, who directs foreign and defense policy studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. Referring to Mr. Trump, she added: “His instincts are authoritarian, and dangerous.”

Peter D. Feaver, a Duke University professor who served on the National Security Council under President George W. Bush, described Mr. Trump’s admiration as “deeply troubling.” He recently joined 49 other Republican foreign policy veterans in a public letter that condemned Mr. Trump for lacking “basic knowledge about, and belief in, the U.S. Constitution, U.S. laws and U.S. institutions.”

Mr. Trump has publicly urged Russian hackers, whom American intelligence officials believe broke into Democratic Party computers, to gain access to Hillary Clinton’s email account. He notes that he could team up with Mr. Putin, who “says great things about me,” to wipe out Islamic State terrorists.

“Putin is playing him” for his own reasons, Mr. Feaver said. Those reasons, he added, include the Russian leader’s hope that Mr. Trump will weaken NATO, reduce America’s role in global affairs, and leave Moscow a freer hand.....................

[Portland_Anni]

1. There can be no toleration of a meglomaniac like Drumft/Trump.

This guy qualifies for the presidency about as well as a butcher is ready to do delicate brain sugery.

[Portland_Anni]

2. Trump has no qualification for the presidency.

This guy qualifies for the presidency about as much as a butcher is ready to do delicate brain surgery.

[arcterex]

3. How else will he govern?

He's insulted numerous GOP senators: McCain, Graham, Cruz.

Arizona GOP Senator Flake doesn't support him; neither does Nebraska GOP senator Sasse. I believe Utah Senator Mike Lee and IL senator Kirk don't support him. With his own party turned against him and likely united opposition from Democrats, is there not a real concern he will attempt a power grab if elected in order to salvage his Presidency if not his ego, if the consequences of his own behavior means he can't effectively govern? With people who've operated within the system and gotten ahead through consensus, you worry about that less. For someone who got to where he is because it's a personality cult, anything seems possible.

His whole thing about replacing the generals is a window into just one kind of crisis: civil-military; as it's not up to the US President to handpick generals. Earlier, the fmr CIA director said Trump's insistence on torture would lead to a civil-military crisis. That he doesn't understand the boundaries of a President's power could become very dangerous for the country; leaving long-lasting after-effects just like his elevation of AltRight will have years of after-effects, long after he's gone from the political scene.

His praise of Putin and Kim-Jong Un gives the impression he thinks this role is ideal. People will say he's just talking about how dedicated they are to their people, but his admiration shows. During our limited preview into his style during the election cycle, he clearly doesn't know how to lead by consensus. That really only presents one other option.