Albright on Trump: Bannon 'pulling the strings'

[highplainsdem]

Source: Politico

Referring to him as President Donald Trump's puppet master, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright condemned the placement of Steve Bannon on the National Security Council.

"I think he’s the person that’s pulling the strings," she said of Bannon during an appearance Sunday on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" alongside Stephen Hadley, former national security adviser to President George W. Bush.

-snip-

"The influence generally of Mr. Bannon is passing strange," she told Zakaria, noting a reputed fondness on Bannon's behalf for Vladimir Lenin.

Hadley, while not as critical of the appointment as Albright, pointed out that Bush rejected the idea of Karl Rove sitting in with the National Security Council as it might appear security decisions were being made on a political basis. He did note that President Barack Obama did allow David Axelrod to sometimes attend as an observer.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/albright-bannon-trump-puppet-234663

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Bannon shows it is possible to go lower than duck hunter dick

[Hortensis]

4. You might save some resistance for the right, Mika.

That's where huge threats to democracy, and promises of genocide, are coming from.

Just what do you imagine Bannon has in mind when he speaks of ERADICATING islamists? Not islamist leaders, islamist believers in a great planetary war for Christian ascendance. Muslims here in the U.S. are less than 1% of the population. Very vulnerable, and how well would we be able to protect them, not just against a badly corrupted right but against those from the far left who find Trump's authoritarianism appealing?

And "President Bannon" has already had written up plans for and ordered the construction of more holding areas on the southern border for when roundups and deportations begin. They wouldn't be enough, they wouldn't be humane, and ultimately people will die in those camps if that goes forward as Bannon's Christian nationalist faction and Trump plan.

And if that still doesn't seem worse than the Democrats to those farther left, perhaps knowing that both liberalism and SECULARISM are in Bannon's cross-hairs might be alarming? That's right. Non-Christians and everyone on the left, not just Democrats, are to be eradicated as political and social forces, along with the constitution we evil liberals foisted on this unfortunate nation over 2 centuries ago.

[GliderGuider]

5. You're right on the money, Hortensis.

Liberalism, secularism and Islam are co-enemies in "Bannon's War". Trump may be mentally ill, but Bannon is starting to look like a true monster. It seems like he aspires to be Trump's Martin Bormann, Reinhard Heydrich and Adolf Eichmanm all rolled into one toad-like body.

[Hortensis]

10. We can see scary-clear how "it" happened in Germany now.

Also that it really could happen here--citizens literally voting to destroy their democracy, and all that might come after.

Both our current right-wing nationalist extremists and the extremists hiding behind the "movement conservatives" label are now wooing the far left to join them, and as in Germany in the troubled 1920s and 30s, many are going to be very easy pickings.

[starshine00]

19. I think a number of people did vote for Trump

because he sounded like he would take on islamic terrorism. He's not doing that though, I do not believe any of what he is doing will have any deterent effect whatever on islamic terrorism. That is a battle for intelligence agencies, and deporting responsible, hard-working, educated people is not contributing to that end, as a matter of fact it is the opposite of that. It righteously sucks that the people who voted for him for this reason will take what he is doing as proof he is fulfiling campaign promises which he is not, and this policy in fact could open us up to more terrorism.

[Hortensis]

21. Yes. Guaranteed, ISIS leaders cheered when Trump was elected.

They are end-times fanatics and want nothing more than to fulfill their god's plan by engaging in a final war with us--which they'll win, of course.

Btw, Pew once said 30 million Americans, the vast majority conservatives, are also expecting the final battle at any time--with varying degrees of eagerness. In fact, many of our good, worthy citizens match the murderous commitment of their counterparts in Islam. Others, discussing it when I was there, actually sounded a little sad about the inevitability of murdering 1.5 billion Muslims, but, hey, it's god's will. Gotta be.

[starshine00]

22. bleh

I had a monster of a bad trip one time where God showed me the end times happening. The 'armageddon' and the devil taking over the world and all that. And God (one of the deities, I am a polytheist) made it as clear as could be that this is NOT something that MUST happen, as the abrahamists so salivate for, it is something that will happen only if those of us who are enlightened people do not stand up and do what it needed to prevent it from happening. The scary part is the universe is some kind of vibrational instrument onto which our thoughts are projected and thus produce reality like playing a note on a guitar or soemthing, and if the opposite of 'positive thinking' bears fruit then you can imagine the outcome of a couple billion people in both of these abrahamic faiths constantly envisioning, meditating on, and doing their best to bring about this final battle, the battle of the haplotypes, which is what eugenicist monotheistic abrahamic death cults ultimately boil down to, preference of one haplotype over another, i.e. racism. So I am trying very hard to change my ways and be a more positive and contributory person to the universe...because just what i saw in that trip was so scary and I don't even mean the warfare and destruction just the feeling of living in a place where a dark entity was in control and there was no hope & no evidence of divinity anywhere. I honestly believe the 'rapture' or armageddon of the bible was also some kind of similiar trip to this that some biblical writer had but back then when you had a good or bad drug experience you eliminated the drugs and just wrote it down as a factual happening or angel visit or 'god spoke to me' or whatever...god spoke to me that time and i don't ever want to feel that kind of fear and hopelessness ever again. Honestly 30 million makes me feel more positive I had thought the number was in the billions if you combine both christianity and islam...just in millions is a step in the right direction.

[Hortensis]

23. :) Reminds me of an old line from something,

"Some trip!" Sounds like an unusually worthwhile one, though.

Your vision also reminds me of Yeats' own in his The Second Coming, which someone recently posted here. ..."when a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight:..." Created out of the world spirit. I think you're wise and Yeats proving prescient yet again.

The Second Coming

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

[riversedge]

12. +1

[starshine00]

20. the way I understand the current lingo

a muslim is someone who follows islam, while islamist is terminology that progressive and secularist activist moderate muslims and ex-muslim activist apostates came up with to describe people who believe that islam is the true religion and should be enforced world-wide. The 'ist' on the end refers to political islam and is short for 'islamofascism', a far right political movement with much the same aims as evangelical christianity. Muslim and islamist are not interchangeable terms, one is religious, the other political religionism that believes in enforcing its own law system (sharia) and calls for the establishment of a caliphate when a critical mass of believers in an area has been reached. Islamists also support the death penalty for apostasy (leaving islam).

[PSPS]

6. That's actually Stahl's quote and the figure has been debunked

See here: https://psmag.com/the-iraq-sanctions-myth-5b05f6712df5

[ret5hd]

7. But Ms Albright DID agree it was a price she was willing to pay.

[yardwork]

11. Putin doesn't like Albright; there are a lot of lies about her on the internet.

[ret5hd]

13. But still, Ms Albright DID agree it was a price she was willing to pay.

[yardwork]

14. Yeah, she's horrible. Just as bad as Trump. /sarcasm

[ret5hd]

15. I'm glad your reading comprehension is improving.

Better luck on your next alert.

[Hortensis]

9. Of course, it's nonsense, and the eagerness of some to believe

Last edited Sun Feb 5, 2017, 07:23 PM - Edit history (1)

things so outrageously and obviously untrue, that simply cannot be true and will have been disproved, is a very basic litmus test of judgement and orientation.

And, no, rat5hd. Btw, the first people hurt by political slandering are those indulging. As we see too clearly on the right, embracing lies that please, instead of truths--no matter what they are, destroys judgment and the ability to understand one's world. People do not seem to return from that mental sinkhole once addicted to its unending "delights."

Those indulging should also worry--big time--about being seduced by the right. (Who wouldn't want an alternative that will protect innocent children from murderous and sexually depraved Democrats, don't you know? This is sarcasm, btw.)

Right-wing extremists like the Kochs and Mercers have already been investing vast fortunes and tremendous technical and social media expertise in designing just the right lies to get vulnerable illiberals on the left into their bed. They're flooding social media with lies, which are being read by the vulnerable and posted here on DU right now.

[ret5hd]

16. From wikipedia:

I think this is a very hard choice, but the price — we think the price is worth it.
Stated on CBS's 60 Minutes (May 12, 1996) in reply to Lesley Stahl's question "We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?" Albright was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations at the time.

So it's not a lie.

[Hortensis]

17. Yes, brushing aside context and meaning

to interpret statements in the worst possible way IS lying. Worse, as I said, it is lying to one's self, an eager and ultimately helpless victim.

Liberals are the most rational and the most tolerant, open-minded, accepting, and caring group toward a large range of "others" that the human race has. We are the anti-authoritarians. That has been proven many times over over hundreds of years. Our concepts of equality of all men and government of, by, and for the people are both intrinsically liberal and arise from the liberal mind.

Allbright is a good woman who had a job that required her to make tough choices in situations she did not control. I feel you should know that. But in an imperfect world, when there are only bad choices to choose from, it is easy for those prone to self deception--of any orientation--to pick and choose whatever information they need to support their biases.

Uhuh. Liberals support mass murder of children. Sure, I know I do--the more the better.

That's how it has become only a short step for many on the illiberal left, who feel an overweaning righteousness and superiority over liberals--and critically, a more passionate hostility toward liberals than they do conservatives--to work themselves up into deciding Trump, or perhaps some other (authoritarian) leader arising on the left or right, is their best hope for our nation's future. (This and a number of other shared characteristics with those on the far right.) A mountain of warnings ignored just to indulge a need to oppose the liberals.

[ret5hd]

18. Our inability to admit any shortcomings is why we are where we are.

[heaven05]

3. bout time

the truth starts trickling out from prominent people.

[Scarsdale]

8. Explain

President Bannon HAS to go to these meetings, so he can explain to tRump what is being proposed, and translate it into what HE wants. We should be thankful tRump did not get Ivanka approved, to sit on his lap during these meetings. His sons, Beavis and Butthead would not understand what was being said at the meetings. They are as clueless as their daddy.