Difference between revisions of "H.R. McMaster"
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==Afghanistan== | ==Afghanistan== | ||
| − | McMaster's next assignment was to examine the roots of a growing insurgency in [[Afghanistan]] where he found a very different war. | + | McMaster's next assignment was to examine the roots of a growing insurgency in [[Afghanistan]] where he found a very different war. Lack of popular support for the government of [[Hamid Karzai]] was predicated on corruption exacerbated by massive amounts of foreign aid dumped into the country. The abuse of official positions of power for personal gain, McMaster told interviewers, “is robbing Afghanistan of much-needed revenue, undermining rule of law, degrading the effectiveness of state institutions, and eroding popular confidence in the government.” The ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' published an article saying that trying to stop corruption in Afghanistan is like trying to stop the tides. McMaster noted that view is seen as “bigotry masquerading as cultural sensitivity.” |
==National Security Advisor== | ==National Security Advisor== | ||
Revision as of 17:33, April 28, 2017
Lt.Gen. H.R. McMaster is the current National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump.
Soldier-scholar
McMaster holds a Ph.D in American History from the University of North Carolina. His dissertation is a harsh criticism of President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, and the Joint Chiefs conduct of the Vietnam war. With a clear reference to Vietnam-era news reporting, McMaster answered punctiliously how journalists' thinking fits into strategic thinking after the Battle of Tal Afar in 2005, “body counts are completely irrelevant.” [1]
His dissertation was turned into a book, Dereliction of Duty, which was recommended and widely read in the Pentagon by the next generation of combat leaders.
Iraqi insurgency 2007-2008
- Main article: Troop surge
CBS News commented, "Aside from David Petraeus himself, probably the most celebrated soldier of the Iraq War has been Col. H.R. McMaster."[2] From August 2007 to August 2008 McMaster was part of an "elite team of officers advising US commander" General Petraeus.[3] Eurasia analyst Lauren Goodrich[4] described McMaster as one of the chief architects behind CENTCOM strategy in the Iraq insurgency, and for Afghanistan and Syria.[5]
Afghanistan
McMaster's next assignment was to examine the roots of a growing insurgency in Afghanistan where he found a very different war. Lack of popular support for the government of Hamid Karzai was predicated on corruption exacerbated by massive amounts of foreign aid dumped into the country. The abuse of official positions of power for personal gain, McMaster told interviewers, “is robbing Afghanistan of much-needed revenue, undermining rule of law, degrading the effectiveness of state institutions, and eroding popular confidence in the government.” The Wall Street Journal published an article saying that trying to stop corruption in Afghanistan is like trying to stop the tides. McMaster noted that view is seen as “bigotry masquerading as cultural sensitivity.”
National Security Advisor
Upon his appointment he received a congratulatory tweet from former Obama National Security Advisor Susan Rice:
- “Hope you will be able to choose your team, have direct reporting and daily access to POTUS, and can eliminate Strategic Initiatives Group.”
The Strategic Initiatives Group was headed by Steve Bannon,[6] who was ousted from the National Security Council staff within weeks, and Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland's departure was announced days later.
See also
References
- ↑ https://leftistcritic.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/body-counts-are-completely-irrelevant-h-r-mcmaster-the-new-national-security-advisor/
- ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/col-mcmaster/
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/28/iraq.usa
- ↑ https://www.stratfor.com/content/lauren-goodrich
- ↑ https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/54/5492063_re-insight-iraq-afghanistan-general-observations-.html
- ↑ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/20/susan-rice-urges-hr-mcmaster-get-rid-stephen-banno/