Saturday, August 12, 2017

Who Is Standing Up To The Generals In The White House?

When Donald Trump's administration put together its controversial executive order on immigration, it was Steve Bannon -- the populist firebrand fast emerging as the president's right-hand man -- pushing a hard line. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Politico: Breitbart's war on McMaster bites Bannon

The chief White House strategist is increasingly isolated in the West Wing as new chief of staff John Kelly tries to clamp down on negative news stories.

The conservative news site Breitbart has waged a nonstop campaign against national security adviser H.R. McMaster, but so far it seems to have done the most damage to someone else: Steve Bannon.

A Wall Street Journal editorial earlier this week accused Bannon of using the right-wing media to go after his ideological foes, questioning his loyalty to the president and placing blame for White House dysfunction squarely on his shoulders.

The attacks on McMaster have put Bannon in an especially awkward position with his new boss, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, who has been increasingly defensive of McMaster, a longtime friend and fellow general, according to interviews with 10 administration officials and people close to the White House. McMaster, who pushed Bannon off the National Security Council principals’ committee, hasn’t spoken to Bannon in weeks, one senior administration official said.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Someone within the government has to push back against the consensus view in the Pentagon and in the National Security establishment that policies like increasing the U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan is the best approach to solving conflicts. If it is news organisations like Breitbart and Steve Bannon .... so be it, because no one else (with the exception of the President .... so far) .... are doing that.

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