Why Restricted Visas From Chad? Experts Puzzled

[struggle4progress]

by RACHEL ELBAUM

LONDON —... Trump’s decision to include Chad in the latest travel ban has baffled experts ...

"It’s a head-scratcher and also strange for diplomatic reasons," Michael Shurkin, a senior political scientist at analysts RAND Corporation, said. "In terms of security, Chad is actually relatively capable" ...

"Here you have a country that in terms of the most important political issue in Africa, terrorism, is on the right side. It is one of the poorest countries in the area. American airports are not overwhelmed by Chadians arriving. You put all this together and I fall back on incompetence" ...

"Chad is the most stable partner for the West in the Sahel," Ryan Cummings, director of risk management company Signal Risk, said. "This could isolate one of the West’s best partners in countering terror. They have been involved in more regional security operations than other countries. It’s almost nonsensical" ...

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/travel-ban-why-has-trump-restricted-visas-chad-experts-are-n804466

[spanone]

1. probably some personal vendetta trump has....

[DFW]

2. It may be simpler than we all think

Maybe Trump wanted a country in there whose name he could both spell and remember without assistance.

[haele]

6. Or perhaps he's equating the country with some flunky - a caddy or someone - with the same name...

"Hey you, Chad! This isn't a 9-iron! You're an idiot! You're fired! And any of you other clowns with the name of Chad - you're getting it too! You're all fired! Get out of my club!"

Sad...

Haele

[DFW]

10. Or he hated the Chad Mitchell Trio when he was a teenager? n/t

[haele]

11. Didn't they do the "I am not a Nazi Polka?"

I could be mistaken, but for some reason I associate them with that song. If so, another reason for him to hate the name Chad.

Haele

[DFW]

14. They did indeed do that, but this one was even more relevant

[malaise]

3. You're lucky he didn't ban folks from Nambia

[demmiblue]

9. At the very least, their covfefe should be banned!

[Wounded Bear]

4. I think the "reason" is right there in the quoted article...

Here you have a country that in terms of the most important political issue in Africa, terrorism, is on the right side. It is one of the poorest countries in the area.

All of the administration's most vociferous attacks have been against our allies, not our opponents. This is very much more of the same. It would not surprise me if there isn't a Putin connection for this decision. Trump and those working with him are as anit-American as anybody in history.

[delisen]

8. That is is a Putin objective seems plausible.

[JenniferJuniper]

5. Chad bullied Trump in military school

He's never forgiven him.

[oasis]

7. The racial makeup of Chad may have something to do with Trump's ban.

[delisen]

12. Chad slapped Exxon with 74 billion fine last year.

Although Exxon settled with Chad this spring for a lesser amount, the inclusion of Chad may have to do with oil.

[bettyellen]

13. So Tillerson is strong arming them for Exxon. I've no doubt he never stoped working for them.

[treestar]

15. I thought it was

Why Chad. How is it exceptional? As opposed to other poor African countries?