by Marc Chandler
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Marc Chandler In Bloomberg
I was on Bloomberg TV earlier today, chatting with David Gura about how to try to make sense of new Trump Administration. I suggest that the decision-making style and practical concerns have created two wing to the Administration.
There is a populist-nationalist wing that is home to America First ideas. The other wing is much more rooted in American political tradition. Many things, for example, that Treasury Secretary Mnuchin has said could have been said by former Treasury Secretaries, including Jack Lew,the last Treasury Secretary under Obama.
Syria’s use of chemical weapons violates international agreements. Previously, Trump had warned several times that it was not in the US interest to get involved in Syria militarily. Saying that the US does not seek regime change may have been a powerful signal to Asaad and and Russia. It may embolden them to test Trump’s resolve.
David Gura used the Washington Post’s David Ignatius piece to tee off our discussion. Ignatius claim that the strike on Syria is a victory for Trump is strange to me. The strike does not change the facts on the ground. Reports suggest the airfield is back in use. Ignatius claims the strike was generally praised at home and abroad. However, he left unsaid, was that many foreign officials, especially in Europe were more afraid of US isolationism, which a wing of the Trump Administration seems to advocate, than US unilateralism. It seems naive to think that Russia withdraw support for Assad. Rather than a success, the missile strike in Syria shows that there is not well thought out strategy. That is what is needed.
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