Looks like Mattis is the grown up in the room

(Editorial Comment)

This is a very young Mike Pompeo when he was a first year cadet at West Point in 1983.  He concentrated his study there in Mechanical Engineering and graduated first in his class.  By the time he graduated the war in VN was long over.  He served just enough time to repay his service debt to the army, then resigned his commission to go to law school.  So, he never served in combat.  War is an abstraction to him.  In other words, this is probably a game for Pompeo, a power game played on a global map board.

DJT in announcing Pompeo's nomination to the WH lawn press corps stressed that he and Pompeo had "great chemistry" and that they share the same view of the world.  In other words, Pompeo never disagrees with Trump.    Pompeo is well known for his hard line anti-Iranian views and his unshakable sympathy for Israel.  DJT professes the same views.

At the UN Nikki Haley has now specifically threatened Syria and Russia with attack if the Syrian government does not halt its offensive in East Gouta and the Yarmouk camp. Both are near Damascus.  These two places are mainly defended by jihadis, the largest group of which is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, the Al-Qa'ida branch in Syria.  You remember Al Qa'ida.  They were the people who attacked us on 9/11.  Her threat is for retaliation for use of chemical weapons (chlorine)or just plain old "inhuman suffering" inflicted on the "Syrian People."  This does not seem an idle threat given the number of times she has repeated it.  Someone is telling her to say this.  Haley has cabinet rank and does not answer to the State Department.  My guess is that she is listening closely to AIPAC and the neocons like John Bolton.

At the same time Russia has made it clear that they will fight to protect their ally and interests in Syria.  They have been quite plain spoken about that and they included both US aircraft and ships in the threat.  I note that the Admiral Essen, a Russian missile shooting frigate sortied from Sebastopol today.

I think that Pompeo's nomination and his eventual confirmation brings the world closer to a US-Russia war.  If that happens it will be difficult if not impossible to keep the war from escalating toward the use of nuclear weapons.  Israel wants war, a wrecking war with Iran.  Israel wants the US to win that war for Israel.  IMO Israel would be wrecked in such a war whatever the outcome.  This is an August, 1914 moment.  pl

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-tillerson-ousted-20180313-story.html 

Comments

[fanto]

Colonel,and Harper,
how is the AUMF discussion figure in this warmongering by Nikki Haley and her managers (pupetteers ? is that the correct description of her 'handlers')

[Peter AU]

Three more videos with english subtitles on the East Ghouta chemical weapons facility.
https://twitter.com/HadiNasrallah/status/973631948978642945

[Account Deleted]

@snarwani and other brave people like her, seem to be the best chance to derail the single track 'Assad/Russia uses chemical weapons' narrative.

[JamesT]

So Trump has picked the woman who destroyed the CIA torture tapes to be the new head of the CIA. The destruction of those tapes sounds like obstruction of justice to me. I wonder if he is trying to put his critics in a bind where they have to demand that the head of the CIA also be prosecuted for obstruction of justice if they go after Trump for obstruction of justice. Presumably she will feel that she is in the same boat as Trump.

[JohnsonR]

The UK and Israeli elites undoubtedly count among the second order "influencers" that I mentioned, but in the end the US can't use them as excuses. They are only allowed to "influence" the US so strongly because it suits so many powerful people in the US for them to do so, and the "influence" certainly goes both ways, in Britain's case at any rate.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". Israel has been manipulating US policy and culture for decades, and Britain has been doing so for a century and more. However, it's a bit absurd to pretend that the scope and scale of British "influence" has even approached that of Israel and its lobbies, certainly in recent decades. British "influence" is nowadays mostly just being useful for particular factions within US politics and government.

[Flavius]

Trump is President today because in the Republican primaries he faced a fractured slate, many of whom, like Trump, had no business thinking they should be President; and in the election, he faced a corrupt government grifter without political talent whose only salient asset was that she was the wife of a former President, the one who destroyed the bully pulpet. Without the Clintons, there is no Trump.
Trump assumed office with no political friends, with some good ideas that resonated with old line Democrats and people who were tired of 16 years of a disastrous over militarized foreign policy and aimless failing or failed interventions; but unfortunately he had neither tactics, strategy, or personnel to carry those ideas forward; and as if these deficits weren't enough, through some combination of misfeasance and malfeasance, the outgoing Administration, the Intelligence swamp, and the Democratic Party extremists combined to cripple him with a hastily concocted crisis in our relations with Russia. Finally, Trump did not help himself by surrounding himself with Generals and family members, something he had not signaled he would be doing during the campaign.
Trump tapped Tillerson for State precisely because it was reasonable at the time to believe that Tillerson could be instrumental in restoring correct relations with Russia. Alas, it was not to be: neither Trump nor Tillerson were up to steering out of the maelstrom. Still, Trump did not serve himself well by the chickenshit way he got rid of Tillerson.
So how are things now lining up: Trump; Mattis; Pompeo; a career bureaucrat from an undistinguished time frame (to say the least) at CIA: and the perfectly awful, hopelessly unqualified, ranting fool, Nikki Haley. Over in GB, Theresa May lays down a 24 hr ultimatum: does this idiot know what an ultimatum is and what it means and where it leads? Is there a .300 hitter in the bunch?
August 1914? We're getting there,

[Harry]

Totally agree - thought it very interesting that one particular new hypersonic weapon is in use in the Southern District. Which seems to me that US Navy assets in the Med or Gulf are not safe from a MIG31 with clearance to use Iranian air space.

[Oilman2]

From watching Russian responses, they seem to go in other than conventional direction. Assuming their new MAD weapons work as advertised, is it within the realm of possibility that Russia would respond to our tactical nukes with their own conventional and kinetic weapons? That would certainly change the worldview of everyone watching.

Colonel?

Others?

[Jony Kanuck]

Colonel,
Rus FM spox Maria Zakarova just addressed Brit PM May: "You do not give a nuclear armed power 24 hours"!

[kooshy]

I can’t figure out what the hell is going on these days in UK, are they looking are they looking to exit the Europe only or the rather exit out of the world. What do they really want? Do they really think they can isolate Russia out of Europe? Would that bring more security for UK? IMO, they must be crazy if they think American population will allow or come to protect them again, while the two-ocean security no longer is viable in era of ICBMs. As colonel predicts a pre-war condition is forming on the two far ends of our outdated two ocean protection.

“No British outlet will work in Russia if London shuts down RT - Foreign Ministry”
https://www.rt.com/news/421190-british-outlet-rt-shut-zakharova/

[RC]

I agree with you all that replacing Rex Tillerson, who could not be brow-beaten all the time, with Mike Pompeo, "who agrees with me," further isolates the Trump Whitehouse and makes the world that more dangerous.

But, am I alone in noting a tendency of President Trump to fire his staff without warning, at considerable distance, and to deny that anything he might have done was a reason for poor polling?

The first time we saw this was the dismissal of Corey Lewandowski, the man who was with Candidate Trump 24 / 7 for 18 months of Primaries. Corey arrives at his desk in Trump Tower at 6:00 am and is asked to join Trump Jr. He reaches Jr.'s office and is assigned a security guard to vacate his office. "What have I done?" he asks and Jr. does not reply. On 5th Avenue he calls Trump's personal number. The Donald says that "They are killing us." and hangs up. Corey is persuaded to meet Dana Bash of CNN and is extremely loyal to his former boss, while saying he has no idea about the firing. On leaving the studio, Trump calls him to say how proud he was of Corey. A nice gesture, but inadequate given Corey's personal sacrifice. (Let Trump Be Trump -- Lewandowski and Bossie 128 - 133.)

We will probably never learn why President Trump turned on Rex Tillerson. If we ever do, it may be because Neocons are furious reality refuses to bend to their fantasies.

[JW]

One significant thing that I can see is that Tillerson did not issue any warnings in his departure speech, which I suggest he would have if he suspected that time was running out.

A second is that Syria has not declared an ADIZ for all or parts of it's airspace, which would be the first step in escalation, and a mark of Putin's willingness to use a comprehensive Russian/Syrian IADS against air threats - which interestingly would also have implications for the Turkish AF. A breached ADIZ would most certainly lead to a contest for airspace with Russian air power.

The other 'good' news is that even this in the case of US aircraft / munitions it would be a long way from the use of defensive tactical nukes, and even further from a fallback from tactical nukes to strategic nukes.

The wildcards are of course Israeli and Iranian wildcards.

[kooshy]

A very meaningful head line by Izvestia on Potomac, WP. For WP editors, a victory for legal army of Syria in their own country’ is defying the INTERNATIONAL order. One wonders who are these International community, are Russians, Chinese, Iran and many others part of this community? Or this so-called community is another of US’ international country clubs. Too bad, i think the international community should just STFU and live with it.

“Syrian military pushes for victory in Ghouta, defying international outcry”
https://goo.gl/StPpjp

[Bandit]

You are obviously a troll, so climb back in your troll hole and leave the considerate commentary to others. If you had been a part of this commentary, then you would have known there is no evidence of "Russia" interference in the recent election. And further note that the US has been the real aggressor and provocateur in the ME and Eastern Europe.

[catherine]

That 2005 AIPAC investigation was actually started in 2001. According to Condoleezza Rice she was told about the investigation soon after President George W. Bush began his first term of office.
The FBI was clearly looking for a big fish, much bigger than Satterfield, Rosen, Weisserman and Larry Franklin.

Laura Rozen covered it and reported the FBI was very, very pissed when their investigation was leaked to AIPAC, effectively shutting it down.

How it got leaked is very interesting...someone told Franklin to call Adam Ciralsky,the producer of Leslie Stahl's 60 Minutes program for whatever reason. Ciralsky was a Jewish guy who was fired from the CIA in 1999 for unreported contacts with Israelis and failing polygraph tests when questioned about his meetings with Israelis.
Leslie Stahl had interviewed him about his firing and antisemtism, then he ended up being hired by 60 Minutes as a producer. Shortly after the Franklin call to Ciralsky the investigation was blown and Stahl did a 60 Minutes program on the AIPAC investigation.
The FBI was alleged to have thought that Ciralsky tipped off AIPAC after the Franklin call.
The FBI never got their big fish.

[notlurking]

Agreed....that being said what are the odds Pompeo will be around say till the end of the year....

[J]

IMO Trump did the right thing in dismissing Tillerson.

[J]

Appears CIA nominee was involved in torture.

https://qz.com/1227879/who-is-gina-haspel-the-first-woman-nominated-to-run-the-cia-destroyed-evidence-of-us-torture/

[turcopolier]

notlurking

Trump will react to Mattis alone as a rival. pl

[Green Zone Café]

Nikki is aligned with but not controlled by the neocons. Her screeching is preparation for an eventual presidential run. There's a recent Foreign Policy article up about her.

Her warmongering against Iran is a product of Christian Zionism among her evangelical political base in South Carolina and in the Republican Party base generally. She thinks she can ride the Iron Lady for Israel horse to the White House.

The other element is an echo of south Asian subcontinental wars between Hinduism and Islam. Remember her birth name is Nimrata.

[Anna]

"They screwed around in our election..."
Any evidence that the Russians have influenced perceptibly the electoral process in the US? Or you are a believer in the “Indictment of Trolls” that made the US into a laughing stock? Mueller was intimately involved into Uranium One. How do you like this deal and the money involved?
Under Mueller’s watch the US cybersecurity had received a black eye from Awans’ family. Still OK? How about the dereliction of duty and incompetence?
And do not forget the “defensive” war in Iraq. The price tag is somewhere around $6 trillions plus the traumatized, mutilated American boys and girls that believed in a war with pernicious Al Qaeda (add the hundreds of thousands of "collateral damage"). Today it is the US & Israel that care for and support Al Qaeda in Syria. “Al-Nusra and Al-Qaeda fighters are attacking Syrian military positions important for the defence of Syria and of the Arab nation from Israeli aggression. These Al-Nusra and Al-Qaeda attacks would not be possible without air support from Israel. Indeed, Israel has admitted many times that it supports these terrorists, whom it calls “moderate rebels.” http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/how-america-armed-terrorists-in-syria/
What is your agenda? – support the MIC and the Lobby in their nefarious activity? The US military has been zionized. Guess it warmth your heart to read these insulting words: “US Commander: ‘US Troops Prepared to Die for Israel’ http://www.renegadetribune.com/us-commander-us-troops-prepared-die-israel-war-syria-hezbollah/

[J]

Speaking of....

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-03-13/krieger-its-impossible-overstate-how-terrible-mike-pompeo

[restless94110]

One point that may have already been commented on:

If that pic was of him in his first year in the 80s? The Vietnam War was over in the 70s. So I sure hope that the VN war was over by the time he graduated.

I guess for some the VN was never over.

[Jason]

I cannot see how the US de-escalates if a US carrier group is sunk.

I read an article some time ago (I cannot find it again or I would link it) on how China might conduct a similar carrier-sinking and at least have some hope it might not escalate. In present circumstances, I expect it would run something like this:

1) sink or seriously damage the carrier quickly with as much deniability as possible.

2) quickly rescue any survivors and treat them extremely well - not as POWs but as survivors, repatriating them ASAP.

3) loudly criticize the US for the poor ship handling, terrible maintenance, and/or other failures that let such a tragedy occur.

4) blame the attack on either/both: an accident caused by negligence or a terrorist group - the latter via sabotage, a suicide boat/sub, or shore-launched anti-ship missile.

If done well, the mass media will be showing video of injured US servicemen being treated by friendly Russians, while sinister figures take credit for the attack in Arabic. An attack on Russia under such circumstances would not be impossible, but getting the public on board would be very, very difficult.

Ye the message would still be very clear. All the informed players would be reasonably certain of what had actually happened, but proving it, much less doing so convincingly in a short span of time, would be nearly-impossible. At least, without making up evidence to support the call to war, which is something the American public is likely to react very poorly to.

[confusedponderer]

Bandolero,
maybe Haley's repetition of her threats is along Cato the elder's "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam".

Cato said it all the time whenever he was speaking (speaking about anything - weather, rain, sunshine, frogs, flies, slaves, taxes, tomatoes, marmelade, wine - and then adding his inevitable carthago addition).

Point is that he eventually got his way and carthago was destroyed. Maybe Haley and her heroes like Bolton are just as "cato-ised".

That written, Trump's cruise missile strike on Syria should be seen as a reminder to the limits of US power, despite all that firepower.

The Russians, having been held the Tomahawk at the head for three decades, saw the US use them happily throughout the middle east, and they have taken it serious and learned about it and improved their air defence.

Babbling "Carthaginem esse delendam" all the time has practical consequences beyond feeling good for a second. It comes with a price.

Whether Trump, Haley or Bolton or Pompeo see that, or even care about that price, is another thing - likely they don't see the price for belief in invulnerability and being high on their belief of unmatched US super power. So ... : Ahead with full throttle!