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Andrew J. Bacevich, retired Army colonel and professor emeritus at Boston University, returns to comment on Trump's about-face on Syria and related issues.Bacevich's recent important book, America's War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History is now out in paperback. His recent commentaries mentioned are here and here.
The report by retired MIT Prof. Ted Postol is here. Robert Parry's report is here.
We open with a review of recent reports challenging White House claims of "evidence" that Syria was responsible for the April 4 chemical incident at Khan Skeikhoun: Postol's rebuttal of White House claims, Robert Parry's article mentioning a scenario involving a drone linked to Israel and Saudi Arabia, and Assad's own denial of responsibility. Bacevich supports an investigation and skeptical thinking, but isn't ready to label it as a contrived event.
Bacevich expresses concern that many of Trump's advisors are from the military, and their biases and worldviews will tend toward military responses. He also thinks Trump's unpredictability is not an asset in today's world, and cites the buildup in tensions with North Korea as a potential flashpoint.
Bacevich mentions that the US dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan today, and criticizes Congress for its refusal to honor its war powers responsibilities.
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