Trump Rejected Militarys ISIS Strategy Because It Was Too Similar to Obamas [View all]

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http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/07/trump-rejected-isis-plan-because-it-was-similar-to-obamas.html?utm_campaign=nym&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=s1

July 5, 2017 5:38 pm
Trump Rejected Military’s ISIS Strategy Because It Was Too Similar to Obama’s
By Eric Levitz


snip//

Now, you can’t kill a violent, anti-American ideology by dropping American bombs in the Middle East. And you can’t prevent disaffected, psychologically damaged young men from seeking meaning in acts of spectacular violence. So lone-wolf terrorists provided Trump with plenty to demagogue about in 2016. But to the extent that sheer force can solve a problem like ISIS, the Obama administration’s approach was working just fine:


Trump’s changes to the campaign [against ISIS] so far have been tactical—namely, giving the military more autonomy to strike, including special operators. But the effectiveness of the current Obama-era strategy of attacking ISIS via local forces together with allies calls into question whether there’s a need for more dramatic revision.

That’s presented a dilemma for those working on the Trump anti-ISIS strategy and slowed its public unveiling, U.S. officials tell The Daily Beast. The White House has asked defense officials to come up with new ideas to help brand the Trump campaign as different from its predecessor, according to two U.S. officials and one senior administration official. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive debates.


To review, the Trump administration’s vision for fighting ISIS differs from its predecessor’s in two key ways:

1) This White House believes in giving greater autonomy to its military commanders, thereby enabling them to make the best tactical decisions, unencumbered by petty political concerns.

2) It also believes in asking its generals to alter their strategic plans, not because the administration doubts their military efficacy, but solely because it finds them difficult to “brand.”

Can’t you just feel America being made safe again?