Establishment Hawks Go To War Against Steve Bannon, But They’re Weaker Than Ever
Patrick Howley
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This article by Patrick Howley originally appeared at The Daily Caller:
The national security establishment responsible for the last four administrations’ foreign policy disasters is clearly on its way out. The elevation of White House chief strategist Steve Bannon to the National Security Council marks a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a real change of direction in our foreign policy, and an incredible chance for peace.
Bannon is the torch-bearer of the populist nationalist movement, which aims to strengthen America economically and militarily while opting for diplomacy on the world stage. The populist nationalist vision seeks to repair, perhaps even atone for, the record of needless intervention and hubristic nation-building registered by the Clinton-Bush-Obama axis of incompetence. The populist nationalist agenda will fight terrorism without further de-stabilizing countries like Iraq, Syria, and Libya for craven profit.
President Trump has dismissed the State Department’s senior leadership to pave the way for the rationalist foreign policy of his Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson. He has dismissed the “Fake News” about alleged Russian “election-hacking.” He has nominated men like General James Mattis and General Mike Flynn, who are committed to fighting better, not bigger. He is following through on his campaign theme of “America First.”
The populist nationalist movement is gearing up to fight for its rightful place in U.S. foreign policy. This is not a battle between Republicans and Democrats. This is a battle between Trump and Bannon’s shared vision of peace through strength, and the dark twisted view of a military-industrial complex playing a global game predicated on the marginalization of the American people in their own affairs. That corrupt crowd, including leaders of the so-called “intelligence community” (an Orwellian term if ever there was one) will do everything it can to cling to power. But, let’s be honest: they are completely losing their minds. And their clout.
Look at what Trump is tweeting about RINO-saurs John McCain and Lindsey Graham, those untouchable GOP heavyweights who are nothing more than glorified Democrats now. Look at the boldness! Look at the high energy!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/825823217025691648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fdailycaller.com%2F2017%2F01%2F31%2Festablishment-hawks-go-to-war-against-steve-bannon-but-theyre-weaker-than-ever%2F
Kristol is aiming for the heads of Bannon and White House adviser Stephen Miller, a brilliant populist nationalist visionary who comes from Senator Jeff Sessions’ vaunted policy shop (incidentally, the Southern Poverty Law Center is also taking aim at Bannon and Miller at the same time. Yay bipartisanship!)
9. Best way symbolically to emphasize that: Announce Stephen Miller (who has no national security background) won't have role in this area.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) January 30, 2017
What, exactly, can Kristol do at this point? He already showed his hand during the election and he went bust. When I was working as a reporter under Bannon for Breitbart News, covering the #NeverTrump movement, Kristol’s allies tried incessantly to get me fired from the news organization, but failed to make any progress. After I left Breitbart immediately after the election to start a new advocacy group, a Weekly Standard staffer and other neoconservative operatives falsely implied on Twitter that they got me fired. I didn’t really appreciate that, to say the least. Kristol’s resignation from the editorship of the Standard came soon after.
Wall Street Journal neocon Bret Stephens is also doing what he does best: mischaracterizing people’s statements to score petty political points on behalf of the Establishment:
If Kristol and Stephens are the last line of defense for the Deep State, then the G-Men are in trouble.
There is one solid, foolproof way for Bannon supporters to back up their torch-bearer at this moment of great conflict and illusory power-mongering. Bannon supporters must preach to the Left.
Progressives have been fighting since the Bush administration to overthrow the neoconservative Deep State and to withdraw from follies like Kristol’s Iraq War. But the Left seems oblivious to the tremendous anti-establishment progress being made by Trump and Bannon. Instead, leftist coalitions agitate against Trump on behalf of politically correct taboos.
As long as the Left is marching in lockstep, the Trump White House will have to continue to play ball with Paul Ryan, McCain, Lindsey Graham, and other members of a Republican Establishment that wants to undermine the Republican president.
Progressives must learn how Kristol and his allies flipped on a dime from Republican to Democrat in a bid to get Hillary Clinton elected over Trump. Progressives are still sore about Trump’s Access Hollywood tape featuring Billy Bush, but who leaked that tape? Multiple insiders told me in no uncertain terms that Paul Ryan’s adviser Dan Senor was integrally involved. Jeb Bush promoted the tape. Why would these Republicans support a Democrat like Hillary Clinton so easily?
It is time for progressives to wake up from their pro-P.C. protests and appreciate the winds of change: the establishment in both parties is on its way out. The two-party system is going down, and the Deep State is moving to the retirement home.
It is time for Bannon supporters to finally break the progressive coalition once and for all, free the Bernie brigades from its confused ideological stupor, and explain the REAL terms of the war waging behind the Washington scenes.
Go! Now! Go! Go! Go!
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