For those of you who just can’t when it comes to watching Trump speak. I bit the bullet, had arm restraints applied and downed a shot of whiskey to brace myself to watch the whole speech. My ultimate reaction ranged from bemusement to horror, I’ll give you the high/lowlights.
The speech was held at an Army Base, Ft Myer, near Arlington Cemetary in Washingon, D.C. The crowd was mostly military personnel, the President’s Cabinet and family were there. Notably the Secretary of Defense was absent for what’s that worth. When the President entered they played a recording of, “Hail to the Chief” which I have to spend a minute on.
Photo: bostonglobe.org
The song, “Hail to the Chief” was adapted around 1812 from an old Scottish song and was occasionally played for Presidents over the years. When James K Polk became President, the last man elected to the position before him, William Henry Harrison was seen as a manly man, an Indian fighter, and physically tough. All the things that Polk was not. It didn’t serve Harrison all that well because he died of pneumonia a month into office but that didn’t keep Polk from appearing a wimp. Polk’s wife, Sarah Childress Polk decided it would add to his stature to have the song played at formal events when the President entered a room. A prop to give him the appearance of manliness. I noticed about a week ago when Trump made a brief statement in one of the smaller rooms in the White House that they played, “Hail to the Chief.” It’s the prerogative of the President as to when it’s played. Given the need for praise of this President, expect to hear it played now when he enters the bathroom. But I digress…
Photo: democracynow.org
Trump began his speech giving praise to those in the military in which he never served (he got four deferments). He talked about the need for the country to come together “in unity” in a weak-hearted attempt to glide past the events in Charlottesville and his Neo-Nazi, Klan, White Supremacist supporting response. He then glossed over his previous public statements about Afghanistan which had always been some form of “get out and stop wasting money.” He got around to saying that America shouldn’t get out and that he wouldn’t tell our enemies what he was planning (also not our allies and the American people) and that we would leave not on any timeline but after we see certain unstated results. He ceded all decision making authority to the military (which he’d done months ago but they knew his treacherous ass and wouldn’t accept it without an official policy to document it). He more or less decided to keep following the policy of the previous administration while of course blaming the previous administration. He almost got through the speech without upsetting the world order except for this next part.
India and Pakistan are two nuclear powers that border each other, pretty much hate each other. They’ve been at war multiple times in my lifetime and are never more than one bad mood away from another. In what is a departure from American policy in recent history. Trump decides to publicly blast Pakistan (who we depend on to resupply our troops in Afghanistan) and kiss up to India. No good can come from this! Yes, Pakistan harbors terrorists but is starting a war between nuclear powers really the answer? Afghanistan leaders pretty much hailed the speech, ignoring the part that cited their own corruption because they hate Pakistan as well and get to keep our troops. All in all, the world once again is a less safe place because Trump is President. In one week Trump comes close to starting a race war at home and a nuclear war in Asia. BTW, the State Department hasn’t staffed any of the positions in that part of the world that normally focus on diplomacy. There is good news in that he didn’t elect to pay Betsy DeVos’s brother, $10 Billion a year to sub contract the war.
Tonight he goes to Arizona for a Trump rally where he may pardon Joe Arpaio. How could that go wrong?
Featured Photo. breitbart.com
