Former US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster Criticizes President Trump's Afghan Peace Efforts. Says Terror Groups Are Now More Stronger Than On 9/11

Former US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster

CBS 60 Minutes: H.R. McMaster says Trump policy in Afghanistan partners with Taliban against Afghan government

"He, in effect, is partnering with the Taliban against, in many ways, the Afghan government," McMaster said of the president's plan in Afghanistan. See the full interview with the former national security adviser, Sunday on 60 Minutes.

Withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and partnering with the Taliban has made the United States less safe, says H.R. McMaster, President Trump's former national security adviser. The retired lieutenant general speaks to Scott Pelley in his first interview about his new book on the 53rd Season Premiere of 60 Minutes, Sunday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT on CBS.

McMaster calls the drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan a big mistake and writes in the book, "Battlegrounds," that the region is a hotbed of terrorism. "Terrorist organizations who pose a threat to us are stronger now than they were on September 10, 2001. Those who perpetrated the mass murder attacks of 9/11 were the mujahideen-era alumni of the resistance to Soviet occupation in Afghanistan," he tells Pelley. "Today, we are facing an Al-Qaeda and an ISIS alumni that is orders of magnitude greater than that mujahideen-era alumni ever was. And they also have access to much more destructive capabilities," says McMaster.

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Update: H.R. McMaster rebukes Trump over Taliban talks (Politico)

WNU Editor: I do not agree with H.R. McMaster's claim that ISIS and Al Qaeda are more stronger today than what they were almost 20 years ago. Al Qaeda use to have thousands of fighters in Afghanistan pre-9/11, today not so much .... Pompeo: Less than 200 Alqaeda Left in Afghanistan (Khaama Press). I am also skeptical that they now have access to much more destructive capabilities. But I do know that involvement in forever wars do not serve America's long term interests, and staying in Afghanistan will only be a waste of blood and treasure.

How the Underground Press Will Thwart The Media And Re-Elect Donald Trump

Jack Cashill, American Thinker: How the Underground Press Will Thwart the Media and Re-Elect Donald Trump

As the saying goes, the difference between the New York Times and the old Soviet Pravda is that Pravda readers knew they were being lied to.

To circumvent the Soviet mainstream media, dissidents created what they called the "samizdat," their word for the clandestine copying and distribution of literature banned by the state.

To circumvent our mainstream media, conservatives have created their own samizdat, an unorganized network of blogs, public forums, news-aggregators, online publications, talk radio shows, citizen-journalists, and legal monitors such as Judicial Watch, a truth force that one Second Amendment blogger aptly called "a coalition of willing Lilliputians."

Despite repeated attempts by Big Tech to thwart the samizdat, the internet has given the Lilliputians unprecedented reportorial power, and social media — Facebook and Twitter most prominently — have given them an ability to distribute their message in ways Soviet dissidents could only imagine. It was the samizdat that carried Donald Trump to victory in 2016 and, barring massive vote fraud, will carry him again in 2020.

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WNU Editor: Will alternative media help President Trump win re-election in November? Maybe .... maybe not. But as this blog learned two months ago, mainstream media and America's tech giants know the role that alternative media can play, and they are ready .... It Appears That Google Has A Black List Of Conservative Sites (War News Updates Is On The List) (July 22, 2020).

President Trump Has Fired His National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster. John Bolton Will Be His Replacement

Daily Mail: BREAKING NEWS: Trump FIRES his national security advisor H.R. McMaster and brings in Bush's U.N. ambassador John Bolton in another White House shake-up

* Trump's second national security advisor, three-star Army general H.R. McMaster is finally out after months of speculation
* John Bolton, a hawkish conservative who was George W. Bush's ambassador to the United Nations will replace him April 9
* Trump called McMaster, whom he has clashed with repeatedly 'a friend' and said: he as 'very thankful' for his service
* Bolton is the son of a Baltimore firefighter who's known in Washington for his brush-like moustache and his curmudgeonly Fox News Channel appearances
* He is a fierce opponent of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal but a cheerleader for Bush's Iraq war – which Trump has called a waste of blood and treasure
* Bolton's afternoon visit to the West Wing on Thursday was followed by a flurry of activity as press aides drafted statements and Trump was delayed a half-hour from a scheduled speech in the East Room

President Donald Trump will replace National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster with John Bolton on April 9, the White House announced late Thursday.

Bolton, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is a hawkish conservative with a pugnacious streak – and a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel.

He is also a fierce opponent of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal.

At one time a vacillating potential presidential candidate, the curmudgeonly Bolton will be the third person to be Trump's chief national security aide in his 14-month presidency.

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WNU Editor: Was this the final reason for the firing? ..... Who Leaked President Trump's Briefing Papers To The Press? (March 21, 2018). And so much for the promise last week from Chief of Staff Kelly that everyone's job in the White House was safe .... Kelly Tells White House Staff Their Jobs Are Safe (Bloomberg).

More News On President Trump Firing His National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster

HR McMaster replaced by John Bolton as national security adviser — live updates -- CBS
McMaster out, Bolton in as Trump’s national security adviser -- AP
Trump ousts McMaster, taps Bolton as national security adviser -- Reuters
McMaster to Resign as National Security Adviser, and Will Be Replaced by John Bolton -- NYTimes
John Bolton to replace HR McMaster as national security adviser -- Politico
Gen. HR McMaster resigning as national security adviser -- ABC News
Trump replaces HR McMaster as national security adviser with John Bolton -- CNN

Report: President Trump Has Decided To Remove H.R. McMaster As His National Security Adviser

Washington Post: Trump decides to remove national security adviser, and others may follow

President Trump has decided to remove H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser and is actively discussing potential replacements, according to five people with knowledge of the plans, preparing to deliver yet another jolt to the senior ranks of his administration.

Trump is now comfortable with ousting McMaster, with whom he never personally gelled, but is willing to take time executing the move because he wants to ensure both that the three-star Army general is not humiliated and that there is a strong successor lined up, these people said.

The turbulence is part of a broader potential shake-up under consideration by Trump that is likely to include senior officials at the White House, where staffers are gripped by fear and un­certainty as they await the next move from an impulsive president who enjoys stoking conflict.

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WNU Editor: The White House is denying these reports .... White House denies Trump is giving HR McMaster the boot (Washington Examiner)

More News On Reports That President Trump Has Decided To Remove H.R. McMaster As His National Security Adviser

Trump has decided to remove his national security adviser: Washington Post -- Reuters
US Military Aircraft With Seven Service Members Crashes In Iraq -- AFP
McMaster out? Trump is 'now comfortable' with plans to remove his national security adviser in the latest shake up of his administration, officials say... but the White House denies the claims -- Daily Mail
Sources: Trump ready to replace H.R. McMaster as national security adviser -- CNN
Trump to remove McMaster as national security adviser: report -- The Hill

A New U.S.National Security Adviser?

NBC: White House preparing for McMaster exit as early as next month

WASHINGTON — The White House is preparing to replace H.R. McMaster as national security adviser as early as next month in a move orchestrated by chief of staff John Kelly and Defense Secretary James Mattis, according to five people familiar with the discussions.

The move would be the latest in a long string of staff shake-ups at the White House over the past year and comes after months of strained relations between the president and McMaster.

A leading candidate to become President Donald Trump’s third national security adviser is the auto industry executive Stephen Biegun, according to the officials.

Biegun, who currently serves as vice president of international governmental affairs for the Ford Motor Company, is no stranger to the White House. He served on the National Security Council staff from 2001 to 2003, including as a senior staffer for then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.

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WNU Editor: The White House is denying these reports .... HR McMaster 'Isn't Going Anywhere' Despite Reports from Top Security Adviser: White House (Newsweek).More here .... White House denies McMaster is leaving; Biegun, Bolton seen as possible replacements (Military Times/AP).

More News On Reports That U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster Is Leaving

McMaster could leave the White House by the end of the month -- CNN
National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster's job is in jeopardy -- CBS
Staying afloat? National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster considers his White House future with a paddleboarding session in California as rumors swirl he is on his way out -- Daily Mail
H.R. McMaster is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated, and it's fueled speculation he could be on his way out -- Business Insider
Pentagon Explores New Job for Trump Aide McMaster -- Bloomberg
Trump and McMaster have seemed anxious to part but so far remain together -- Washington Post

U.S. National Security Adviser McMaster Warns Of Growing Network Of Iranian 'Proxies' In The Middle East

Newsweek: McMaster: Iran Is Growing Network of Proxy Forces In Syria, Yemen and Iraq, National Security Adviser Warns

Iran is cultivating a network of proxy forces and militias in countries like Syria, Yemen and Iraq that could turn against their own governments, National Security Adviser HR McMaster has warned.

Addressing the annual Munich Security Conference Saturday, he said the time had come to “act against Iran.”

Iran is feeding increasingly powerful weapons to these proxies, he told the conference, saying: “What’s particularly concerning is that this network of proxies is becoming more and more capable, as Iran seeds more and more ... destructive weapons into these networks.”

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More News On U.S. National Security Adviser McMaster's Remarks At The Munich Security Conference

U.S. Calls for Action to Halt Iran's Growing 'Network of Proxies' -- Reuters
McMaster to allies: Track your investments and stop funding Iran's proxy militias -- Defense News
Iran applying Hezbollah model to other Arab countries: McMaster -- The National
McMaster talks tough on Iran funding, Russia meddling -- Stars and Stripes
McMaster says Syria using chemical weapons, warns of growing Iranian influence -- Middle East Eye
Public reports 'clearly show' Assad's use of chemical weapons: McMaster -- Reuters
McMaster says it's "time for all nations" to hold Syrian regime accountable -- CBS News

The World According To President Trump’s National-Security Adviser H.R. McMaster

Yuri Gripas / Reuters / The Atlantic

Uri Friedman, The Atlantic: The World According to H.R. McMaster

Why is he so worried about North Korea?

Why is H.R. McMaster so alarmed by North Korea? Why does Donald Trump’s national-security adviser insist—more vigorously than any administration official except the president himself—that Kim Jong Un must be denied the capability to place a nuclear warhead on a missile that can reach the United States, even if this requires initiating a military conflict with the North that could devolve into a cataclysmic war?

While Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis are focused on diplomatic efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear program, McMaster “is arguing more vocally, publicly and privately, that military options need to be considered,” The Wall Street Journal noted on Tuesday. The Trump administration, it reported, is debating whether to give Kim a “bloody nose” by conducting limited strikes against North Korean targets in retaliation for further nuclear or missile tests.

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WNU Editor: There are some reports that National Security adviser H.R. McMaster may be leaving .... Trump's national security adviser and top counsel might be eyeing the exits (Business Insider).

US National Security Adviser HR McMaster: Qatar and Turkey Are New Sponsors Of Extremist Islamist Ideology

Joshua Roberts / Reuters

The National: US national security adviser: Qatar and Turkey are new sponsors of radical ideology

General HR McMaster attributed the rise of the Justice and Development party in Ankara to Turkey's growing problems with the West.

US national security adviser HR McMaster condemned Qatar and Turkey for taking on a “new role” as the main sponsors and sources of funding for extremist Islamist ideology that targets western interests.

“Radical Islamist ideology is a grave threat to all civilised people,” Gen McMaster said.

The US national security adviser said this threat has been identified “myopically” in the past.

“We didn’t pay enough attention to how it’s [radical Islamist ideology] being advanced through charities, madrassas and other social organisations."

While Gen McMaster made reference to Saudi Arabia's support for some of these organisations decades ago, he singled out Qatar and Turkey as main supporters at present. “[It] is now done more by Qatar, and by Turkey," he said.

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WNU Editor: Qatar has been on everyone's sights in the past few years for being a supporter of extremist groups .... its support of radical Syrian rebel groups comes to mind. But the case of Turkey is slightly more complicated. That country is being run more on the whims of Turkish President Erdogan .... especially on foreign policy.

President Trump Defends NSA Adviser H.R. McMaster Amid Calls That He Should Be Fired

CBS: Trump defends national security adviser H.R. McMaster amid calls for his firing

President Trump is standing up for his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, calling him a "good man" amid calls for his ouster by conservatives.

In a statement to CBS News on Friday, the president said, "General McMaster and I are working very well together. He is a good man and very pro-Israel. I am grateful for the work he continues to do serving our country."

Mr. Trump first issued the statement to the New York Times in a story reporting that critics on the right were angered by McMaster's move to push out several conservative staff members on the national security team who had been brought on by Michael Flynn, McMaster's predecessor.

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WNU Editor: I guess calls for the removal of National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster was having an impact on both H.R. McMaster and President Trump .... hence the public endorsement from President Trump today.

More News On National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster

Trump praises H.R. McMaster after growing calls from conservatives -- USA Today/AP
'A Good Man.' Donald Trump Defends National Security Adviser Amid Criticism -- TIME
Donald Trump defends national security adviser amid criticism from conservatives -- ABC News Online
Trump backs National Security Adviser McMaster as it emerges he gave Obama-era predecessor Susan Rice continued access to classified information -- Daily Mail
Trump vouches for McMaster: We 'work very well together’ -- Politico
Trump and Kushner Push Back on Right-Wing Campaign to Fire McMaster, for Now -- NYMag
As Calls for McMaster's Firing Escalate, Trump Defends His Embattled NSC Advisor in Statement to NYT -- Independent Journal Review
Trump national security adviser stresses North Korea threat -- Washington Post
McMaster: Threat of North Korean nuclear weapon strike "impossible to overstate" -- FOX News
McMaster: Trump has made 'a number of decisions' on Afghanistan -- The Hill

Why Is The U.S. National Security Adviser At War With Other Members Of The White House?

Joshua Roberts / Reuters

Daily Beast: McMaster Goes to War—Against His White House Enemies

The national security adviser is purging the Trump White House of hardliners. But the ‘nationalists’ are quickly moving to strike back.

Empowered by a new chief of staff and goosed by a president angry over a lack of progress, National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster is sweeping out some of the White House’s most fervent ideologues and Trump loyalists.

But McMaster has to move fast, senior administration officials tell The Daily Beast. The hardline nationalists at the core of Trump’s political base have declared war on the president’s top national security aide, and his own role is by no means secure.

“The president hasn’t liked the plans he’s been presented on Iran, Afghanistan, or ISIS,” one of the officials told The Daily Beast. “The process hasn’t worked like it should,” to produce the innovative plans President Donald Trump tasked his team with crafting—plans that look different from what the Obama administration, or even the Bush administration, tried before.

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Update: Kelly gives McMaster cover in West Wing battles (Politico)

WNU Editor: The role of a National Security Adviser is to give the President advice and information on national security issues. If the above reports are true .... purging dissenting points of view because you believe they are obstructing and/or impeding your agenda .... this does not sit well with me. It is by listening to dissenting points of view that one can learn something new .... case in point .... I know personally I have benefited tremendously over the years by reading dissenting points of view in this blog .... even though I may disagree 90% of the time with what is written, that 10% makes it worthwhile.

Why Did President Trump's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster Authorised Susan Rice's Security Clearance?

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

CIRCA: A letter from H.R. McMaster said Susan Rice will keep her top-secret security clearance

Almost one month after it was disclosed that former President Obama's National Security Adviser Susan Rice was unmasking members of President Trump’s team and other Americans, Trump’s own national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, sent an official letter giving her unfettered and continuing access to classified information and waiving her “need-to-know” requirement on anything she viewed or received during her tenure, Circa has confirmed.

The undated and unclassified letter from McMaster was sent in the mail to Rice's home during the last week of April. Trump was not aware of the letter or McMaster’s decision, according to two Senior West Wing officials and an intelligence official, who spoke to Circa on condition that they not be named.

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WNU Editor: WTF?!?!?! Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice is the subject of several ongoing investigations .... to let her keep her clearance and to waive her ‘need-to-know’ requirement raises a whole slew of questions .... the big one being why? To say that I am surprised is an understatement .... President Trump himself asserted that Susan Rice’s unmasking activity was inappropriate, and that she should be held accountable. The fact that he was kept out of the loop when his own National Security adviser authorised her to keep it ..... I just do not know what to say. This clearance also completely undercuts the administration's case that other officials inappropriately used these "unmasking" powers to investigate Trump officials .... if it was inappropriate, why give Susan Rice clearance? National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster has a lot of explaining to do. As to why is this leak happening now .... President Trump's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster has been purging the National Security team .... White House Purging Key Officials In The National Security Council (August 2, 2017) .... this looks like "pay-back".

Is National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster Being Undercut By The White House?

CNN: How McMaster is being undercut in and outside the White House

(CNN)National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster is increasingly isolated in President Donald Trump's administration, congressional and administration officials tell CNN, finding himself in conflict with senior White House officials, Cabinet members and the President himself.

A congressional source tells CNN that McMaster is at odds with President Trump on many key national security issues. McMaster has also found himself undercut by others in the President's orbit like chief strategist Steve Bannon and he has clashed with Defense Secretary James Mattis, according to congressional and administration officials.

McMaster's dust-ups with the President and his team have bubbled up over a long-delayed plan for Afghanistan, where the President has yet to sign off on a McMaster-backed strategy that would increase the number of US troops deployed to bolster America's longest war.

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WNU Editor: I guess the media coverage is over National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster's position on Afghanistan .... Trump refuses to sign off on McMaster's plan to send more troops to Afghanistan (Business Insider). And this does not help .... McMaster Removes Flynn Pick Derek Harvey From National Security Council (NBC). More here .... More Turmoil at the National Security Council (The Atlantic).

At The White House Briefing Room, National Security Adviser McMaster Denies Reports That President Trump Disclosed Any Vital Intelligence Secrets

The Hill: McMaster: Trump didn't know where intel came from

National security adviser H.R. McMaster on Tuesday said President Trump did not jeopardize intelligence assets by revealing highly sensitive information to Russian officials, adding that Trump did not know where the intel came from.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, McMaster disputed the “premise” of media reports that Trump put intelligence sources in jeopardy by disclosing the information, saying it was “wholly appropriate” for the president to discuss.

"The president in no way undermined sources or methods in the course of this conversation,” he said.

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Update: National Security Adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster to brief press -- live updates (CBS).

WNU Editor: The media are upset that National security adviser H.R. McMaster is denying their reports that President Trump jeopardized intelligence assets by revealing highly sensitive information to Russian officials, and that the premise of the entire Washington Post story is wrong. Here is an easy prediction .... his denials are not going to change the main stream media's narrative.

Will The U.S. Have A New National Security Adviser In The Near Future?

President Trump with Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, his new national security adviser, last month. General McMaster is shifting the National Security Council’s focus from military operations and tactics to strategic issues. Credit Al Drago/The New York Times

Eli Lake, Bloomberg: Washington Loves General McMaster, But Trump Doesn't

The national security adviser has lost sway. The White House says everything's fine.

For the Washington establishment, President Donald Trump's decision to make General H.R. McMaster his national security adviser in February was a masterstroke. Here is a well-respected defense intellectual, praised by both parties, lending a steady hand to a chaotic White House. The grown-ups are back.

But inside the White House, the McMaster pick has not gone over well with the one man who matters most. White House officials tell me Trump himself has clashed with McMaster in front of his staff.

On policy, the faction of the White House loyal to senior strategist Steve Bannon is convinced McMaster is trying to trick the president into the kind of nation building that Trump campaigned against. Meanwhile the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, is blocking McMaster on a key appointment.

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WNU Editor: General H.R. McMaster was not President Trump's first choice for national security adviser .... nor was he his second. When the announcement was made that he was to become President Trump's national security adviser .... I felt the decision was made too quickly, and that it was done more to placate those who felt that President Trump was too slow in selecting key people for his administration. When the story from the Wall Street Journal broke out that McMaster had called his South Korean counterpart to assure him that the president's threat to make that country pay for a new missile defense system was not official policy .... I was surprised. Even I know why President Trump said that .... he wants to position the U.S. to negotiate a better deal in the future .... but apparently Gen. H. R. McMaster saw it differently. My prediction .... if they do not get on the same page in the coming months .... the days of Gen. H. R. McMaster being President Trump's National Security adviser are going to be brief.

U.S. National Security Adviser H. R. Mcmaster: All Options On The Table For North Korea

CNN: McMaster: All options on table in regard to North Korea

Washington (CNN)National security adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster said Sunday "all our options are on the table, undergoing refinement and further development" in reaction to the North Korean nuclear program.

"The President has made clear that he will not accept the United States and its allies and partners in the region being under threat from this hostile regime with nuclear weapons. And so we're working together with our allies and partners, and with the Chinese leadership, to develop a range of options," McMaster told ABC's "This Week."

He said the National Security Council is working with the Pentagon and the State Department, and intelligence agencies are working on providing options "and have them ready" for President Donald Trump "if this pattern of destabilizing behavior continues."

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More News On U.S. National Security Adviser H. R. Mcmaster Remarks On North Korea

Trump ‘will take action’ to end any North Korea threat to US: top security adviser -- ABC News
Trump national security adviser: ‘Range of options’ being developed to respond to North Korea -- Washington Post
Top US security official says 'all options are on the table' when it comes to dealing with North Korea -- The Independent
Trump's National Security Adviser Says All Options on the Table for North Korea -- Sputnik
U.S. national security adviser says North Korea missile test provocative -- Reuters
N. Korea behavior 'can't continue', says US security adviser McMaster -- AFP
McMaster: Trump orders 'full range of options' on N. Korea -- Korea Herald
North Korea missile test: US, China discussing response to 'threatening behaviour', Trump adviser says -- ABC News Online
U.S. Says Consensus Reached With China To Stop North Korea Missile Tests -- RFE
H.R. McMaster after North Korea failed missile test: Trump 'will take action' to protect US -- Washington Examiner

U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster In Afghanistan For Crucial Talks

VOA: Top US Security Official in Afghanistan for Crucial Talks

ISLAMABAD — U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster arrived in Kabul Sunday for talks with Afghan leaders on security matters and to assess the situation for American troops on the ground.

McMaster’s visit follows calls by U.S. military commanders for adding “a few thousand” more troops to the existing strength of around 8,400 American troops in Afghanistan.

President Afghan Ashraf Ghani's office welcomed McMaster's visit to Kabul and thanked him for continuous U.S. support to Afghanistan.

Ghani and McMaster discussed "bilateral ties, security, counterterrorism, reforms and development," said a brief presidential palace statement issued after the two met.

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More News On U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster In Afghanistan For Crucial Talks

National security adviser in Kabul for talks days after U.S. dropped massive bomb on ISIS forces -- Washington Post
Trump's National Security Advisor visits Afghanistan for talks after MOAB bomb drop killed 94 -- AFP
Top U.S. Security Official Visits Kabul After Massive Bomb -- RFE
Senior Trump aide visits Afghanistan amid questions over strategy -- Reuters
US National Security Adviser Arrives in Afghanistan Days After MOAB Strike -- Sputnik
Afghan president meets visiting US security adviser -- Global Times
McMaster Speaks Out About Situation In Afghanistan -- Tolo News

U.S. National Security Adviser H R McMaster Will Visit Afghanistan To Assess The Security Situation

Trump announces Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his National Security Adviser at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach Thomson Reuters

Business Insider: Trump Is Sending National Security Adviser H R McMaster To Afghanistan

President Donald Trump is sending his national security adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to Afghanistan, according to Military Times.

Trump announced the move during a press conference with NATO Secretary Gen. Jans Stoltenberg. McMaster’s trip will focus on assessing whether more U.S. forces are needed to turn around the war in Afghanistan, which has been ongoing since late 2001.

In February, Army Gen. John Nicholson told Congress he needed a “few thousand” more troops in order to break what he called a “stalemate” with the Taliban.

There are about 8,400 U.S. troops there, along with 5,000 from NATO allies.

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Update #1: Amid calls for more boots on the ground, Trump will send top adviser to Afghanistan (Military Times)
Update #2: Afghan officials seek clues on Trump as adviser heads to Kabul (Reuters)

WNU Editor: I would not be surprised if National Security Adviser H R McMaster also visits this country (among a few others) .... U.S. NSA McMaster likely to visit Pakistan (Business Standard).

Is U.S. National Security Adviser McMaster The Right Man For The Job?

U.S. President Donald Trump announces his new National Security Adviser Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster (L) at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida U.S. February 20, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Gabriel Elefteriu, The Telegraph: General McMaster knows where the West went wrong, and can help President Trump make it right

It has become fashionable in some quarters to see President Trump's election as somehow constituting a terminal blow to the Western-led liberal international order. The problem with this is that it allows chronic errors at the heart of Western strategic thinking to continue to go unaddressed.

There are, however, exceptions to this – and none more relevant today than the new US National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen. McMaster. In one of his last public engagements in his previous role as the Army’s chief “futures” thinker, delivered at Policy Exchange three weeks ago, General McMaster laid out a potential blueprint for America’s strategic approach to global security challenges.

Even before the new administration came into office, some key military thinkers like McMaster were clear on just how precarious the West’s strategic situation had become. At Policy Exchange, the General said that, against a background of “sophisticated strategies devised by Russia and China”, we are facing “the highest chance of war for the past 70 years.” The idea that “we need to start winning again” was already in the ether before President Trump adopted it as a campaign slogan. This, at least, is one area of consensus between the White House and the broader US national security establishment.

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Previous Post: Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials On National Security Adviser Nominee General H.R. McMaster (February 21, 2017)

WNU Editor: This is my must read post for today. As to what is my take .... Lt. Gen. McMaster was President Trump's 3rd choice for U.S. National Security adviser .... that is not a great position to be in when starting a new job ..... especially this job. But he has the job .... he will probably be confirmed unanimously ..... and more importantly .... he now has the ear of the U.S. President. I did not know who was General McMaster until this past weekend .... but after reading his bio, commentaries from those who know him, his war record, and more importantly .... his own analysis and thinking on what strategic direction the U.S. should take ..... I have to wonder why he was not President Trump's first choice. This is why I like the above analysis by Gabriel Elefteriu .... he has pinpointed what has been a long term weakness in U.S. foreign policy .... and that is a lack of strategic thinking and direction. Lt. Gen. McMaster definitely has the brains, wisdom, temperament, and experience to provide this strategic thinking and direction .... we can now only hope that he will be able to provide it to President Trump for the next 4 years.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials On National Security Adviser Nominee General H.R. McMaster

Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst: Trump's brilliant choice of McMaster

(CNN)President Donald Trump's appointment of Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to be his national security adviser is a brilliant decision.

McMaster, 54, is the smartest and most capable military officer of his generation, one who has not only led American victories on the battlefields of the 1991 Gulf War and of the Iraq War, but also holds a Ph.D. in history.

McMaster is, in short, both an accomplished doer and a deep thinker, a combination that should serve him well in the complex job of national security adviser.

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WNU Editor: The only commentary that I have been able to find that is not singing the praises of National Security Adviser nominee General H.R. McMaster is this one .... McMaster isn’t the visionary U.S. foreign policy needs (Darrell Delamaide, Market Watch)

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials On National Security Adviser Nominee General H.R. McMaster

Trump Just Hired the Army’s Smartest Officer -- Fred Kaplan, Slate
McMaster May Not Be What Trump Expects -- Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report
New National Security Adviser Differs From Trump on Key Issues -- Newsweek/Reuters
Trump’s new national security adviser: A soldier who can say ‘No, sir’ -- Greg Jaffe and Joshua Partlow, Washington Post
McMaster’s Challenge: Donald Trump's new national security advisor's uphill battle. -- Max Boot, Commentary
Trump's new national security adviser is hawkish on Russia — a big reversal from Michael Flynn -- Alex Lockie, Business Insider
H.R. McMaster: What we've learned from Trump's new national security adviser -- Aaron Mehta, Defense News
Trump fans, foes agree: McMaster for NSA is a masterstroke -- William Goldschlag and Dan Janison, Newsday
Book excerpt — national security advisor at war: McMaster as a colonel in Iraq -- Thomas Ricks, Foreign Policy
Who Is Trump’s New National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster? -- NBC
How Trump's New Security Adviser HR McMaster Became a Soldier's Soldier -- Jeff Stein, Newsweek
Is McMaster The Anti-Trump As A Leader? -- Jeff Kauflin, Forbes
Can McMaster Stabilize Trump’s Foreign Policy Team? -- Jonathan Stevenson, NYT
How HR McMaster's military rank could affect his role as national security adviser -- Luis Martinez, ABC News
What to Know About President Trump's New National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. HR McMaster -- TIME
What You Should Know About H.R. McMaster, Donald Trump’s New Security Adviser -- Geoff Colvin, Fortune
McMaster's takeaways: Don't lie, don't blame the media, don't rely on an inner circle -- Bryan Bender, Politico
Why McMaster is only one step toward ending Trump's intel wars -- Howard lafrancji, CSM
H.R. McMaster: Did Trump make a good choice for national security adviser? -- Amanda Hoover, CSM
McMaster Is an Improvement, but He’s Going to Be Cleaning Up After Trump Like Everyone Else -- Joshua Keating, Slate
Trump’s choice of McMaster as national security adviser is reassuring -- Denver Post editorial
HR McMaster: Who is Donald Trump's new national security advisor? -- The Independent
Who Is HR McMaster? -- Voice of America
The Best From Gen. HR McMaster -- Washington Free Beacon
10 Things You Didn't Know About H.R. McMaster -- Sara Clark, US News and World Report

President Trump Has Named Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster As His New National Security Adviser

Washington Post: Trump taps Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser

President Trump on Monday named Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn — a move meant to help put the White House on firmer footing after missteps on multiple fronts.

Trump called McMaster “a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience” while introducing him to reporters at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida before returning to Washington.

“He is highly respected by everyone in the military, and we’re very honored to have him,” Trump said of McMaster, a widely respected military strategist.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who has been serving as acting national security adviser, will become the National Security Council chief of staff, Trump also announced.

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More News On President Trump Naming Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster As His New National Security Adviser

General known for sharp questions will be Trump's new top security adviser -- Reuters
Trump taps military strategist as national security adviser -- AP
Trump names H.R. McMaster as national security advisor -- AFP
Trump selects Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as national security adviser -- FOX News
Trump Names Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as New National Security Adviser -- NBC
Trump picks Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as new national security adviser. -- CNN
President Trump weighs options for next national security adviser -- ABC News
Trump names Lt Gen HR McMaster as national security adviser -- BBC
Trump picks Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to be national security adviser -- Politico
Trump names McMaster new national security adviser -- The Hill
Trump just made a fantastic choice for his new national security adviser -- Paul Szoldra, Business Insider
Who is HR McMaster, Trump's new national security adviser? -- BBC
Who is Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, Trump's new national security adviser? -- CNN