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[[File:Donald Trump Syrian Military Strike April 2017.jpg|right|350px|thumb|]]

[[File:Donald Trump Syrian Military Strike April 2017.jpg|right|350px|thumb]]

The '''National Security Council''' ('''NSC''') was created in 1947 for coordinating and implementing [[national security]] and [[foreign policy]]. By law, the President. the [[Vice President]],<ref><small>[[President Truman]], who signed the National Security Act of 1947 into law, was kept in the dark about the development and existence of the [[atomic bomb]] while serving as Vice President, and only learned of it after being sworn into office upon President [[Franklin Roosevelt]]'s death. Prior to the National Security Act, vice presidents had little or no statutory duties in any administration other than their constitutional office as President of the Senate. For the first time a law was enacted giving the vice president duties and obligations within an administration, granting him access to its most classified secrets, and making the vice president an integral part of decision making.</small></ref> [[Secretary of State]], [[Secretary of Defense]], [[Secretary of Energy]], Chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], [[Director of National Intelligence]], and the Director of National Drug Control Policy are members.  

The '''National Security Council''' ('''NSC''') was created in 1947 for coordinating and implementing [[national security]] and [[foreign policy]]. By law, the President. the [[Vice President]],<ref><small>[[President Truman]], who signed the National Security Act of 1947 into law, was kept in the dark about the development and existence of the [[atomic bomb]] while serving as Vice President, and only learned of it after being sworn into office upon President [[Franklin Roosevelt]]'s death. Prior to the National Security Act, vice presidents had little or no statutory duties in any administration other than their constitutional office as President of the Senate. For the first time a law was enacted giving the vice president duties and obligations within an administration, granting him access to its most classified secrets, and making the vice president an integral part of decision making.</small></ref> [[Secretary of State]], [[Secretary of Defense]], [[Secretary of Energy]], Chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], [[Director of National Intelligence]], and the Director of National Drug Control Policy are members.  

Beyond statutory requirements, each president is free to structure his administration as he sees fit. In the Trump administration,<ref>''Federal Register'', Vol. 82, No. 65, Thursday, April 6, 2017 </ref> the White House [[Chief of Staff]], White House Counsel, [[National Security Advisor]], Director of Central Intelligence, [[Attorney General]], [[Treasury Secretary]], [[OMB]] Director, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy are also members of the NSC or invited to attend meetings.

Beyond statutory requirements, each president is free to structure his administration as he sees fit. In the Trump administration,<ref>''Federal Register'', Vol. 82, No. 65, Thursday, April 6, 2017</ref> the White House [[Chief of Staff]], White House Counsel, [[National Security Advisor]], Director of Central Intelligence, [[Attorney General]], [[Treasury Secretary]], [[OMB]] Director, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy are also members of the NSC or invited to attend meetings.

The NSC and its staff now consists of a Principals Committee of decision makers, known as policymakers, and a Deputies Committee charged with analysis, recommendations, and  implementation.

The NSC and its staff now consists of a Principals Committee of decision makers, known as policymakers, and a Deputies Committee charged with analysis, recommendations, and  implementation.

With the Trump administration a level of professionalism returned to the National Security Council staff which had been lacking during the eight years of Obama. Many Obama holdovers throughout the Executive Branch and within the Intelligence Community however, sought to derail and block President Trump's foreign policy and national security agenda articulated on the 2016 presidential campaign trail. Through surreptitious, illegal, and blatantly abusive misuse of America's covert intelligence gathering agencies they were largely successful.  

With the Trump administration a level of professionalism returned to the National Security Council staff which had been lacking during the eight years of Obama. Many Obama holdovers throughout the Executive Branch and within the Intelligence Community however, sought to derail and block President Trump's foreign policy and national security agenda articulated on the 2016 presidential campaign trail. Through surreptitious, illegal, and blatantly abusive misuse of America's covert intelligence gathering agencies they were largely successful.  

===Principals Committee===

===Principals Committee===

In the [[Trump administration]]<ref>https://fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspm/index.html </ref> the Principals Committee is convened and chaired by the National Security Advisor and consists of the Secretary of State, [[Secretary of the Treasury]], Secretary of Defense, [[Attorney General]], Secretary of Energy, [[Secretary of Homeland Security]], White House Chief of Staff, Director of National Intelligence, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of Central Intelligence, National Security Advisor, Homeland Security Advisor, and Representative to the United Nations.  

In the [[Trump administration]]<ref>https://fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspm/index.html</ref> the Principals Committee is convened and chaired by the National Security Advisor and consists of the Secretary of State, [[Secretary of the Treasury]], Secretary of Defense, [[Attorney General]], Secretary of Energy, [[Secretary of Homeland Security]], White House Chief of Staff, Director of National Intelligence, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of Central Intelligence, National Security Advisor, Homeland Security Advisor, and Representative to the United Nations.  

The White House Counsel, Deputy Counsel for National Security Affairs, and Director of [[OMB]] may attend all meetings.

The White House Counsel, Deputy Counsel for National Security Affairs, and Director of [[OMB]] may attend all meetings.

==Obama administration==

==Obama administration==

Barack Obama went through an unprecedented 4 Secretaries of Defense in 8 years,<ref>https://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/11/26/is-white-house-micromanagement-scaring-off-likely-defense-secretaries/ </ref> and all came away with similar complaints of their advice being ignored and a lack of professionalism and discipline by the White House National Security staff. The Obama years saw major global upheavals in the standards of conduct of a great power, and the return and acceptance of slavery,<ref>http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/georgetown-professor-defends-islam-slavery/comment-page-1/ </ref> kidnappings,<ref>http://www.news.va/en/news/africanigeria-christian-girls-kidnapped-and-islami </ref> and beheadings to enforce [[shariah]] law.<ref>https://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2015/257517.htm </ref> Major civil wars instigated by Obama's NSC staff created massive humanitarian refugee,<ref>http://inthesetimes.com/article/18592/new-clinton-emails-expose-collaboration-with-media-on-benghazi-coverag1 </ref> migrant, demographic shifts, and cultural clashes globally.<ref>http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/09/09/national-insecurity/ </ref>

Barack Obama went through an unprecedented 4 Secretaries of Defense in 8 years,<ref>https://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/11/26/is-white-house-micromanagement-scaring-off-likely-defense-secretaries/</ref> and all came away with similar complaints of their advice being ignored and a lack of professionalism and discipline by the White House National Security staff. The Obama years saw major global upheavals in the standards of conduct of a great power, and the return and acceptance of slavery,<ref>http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/georgetown-professor-defends-islam-slavery/comment-page-1/</ref> kidnappings,<ref>http://www.news.va/en/news/africanigeria-christian-girls-kidnapped-and-islami</ref> and beheadings to enforce [[shariah]] law.<ref>https://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2015/257517.htm</ref> Major civil wars instigated by Obama's NSC staff created massive humanitarian refugee,<ref>http://inthesetimes.com/article/18592/new-clinton-emails-expose-collaboration-with-media-on-benghazi-coverag1</ref> migrant, demographic shifts, and cultural clashes globally.<ref>http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/09/09/national-insecurity/</ref>

It also saw the institution of a presidential "kill list" for persons – including US citizens – deemed Obama's enemies by a surreptitious process that likely violates US constitutional law<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cia-killlist-idUSTRE79475C20111005 </ref> and most assuredly violates international law.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/07/07/obamas-new-executive-order-on-drones-means-the-u-s-may-still-violate-international-law/ </ref> Having disposed of international agreements, the [[Russia]]n government and others felt obliged to do the same.<ref>https://www.rt.com/news/putin-rt-interview-full-577/ </ref>

It also saw the institution of a presidential "kill list" for persons – including US citizens – deemed Obama's enemies by a surreptitious process that likely violates US constitutional law<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cia-killlist-idUSTRE79475C20111005</ref> and most assuredly violates international law.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/07/07/obamas-new-executive-order-on-drones-means-the-u-s-may-still-violate-international-law/</ref> Having disposed of international agreements, the [[Russia]]n government and others felt obliged to do the same.<ref>https://www.rt.com/news/putin-rt-interview-full-577/</ref>

Def. Sec. [[Robert Gates]] told [[NPR]]:<ref>http://www.npr.org/2014/01/11/261711869/transcript-former-defense-secretary-robert-gates-interview-with-npr </ref>

Def. Sec. [[Robert Gates]] told [[NPR]]:<ref>http://www.npr.org/2014/01/11/261711869/transcript-former-defense-secretary-robert-gates-interview-with-npr</ref>

{{Quotebox|I worked in the White House on the National Security Council staff and as deputy national security adviser for nearly nine years under four presidents. And I had certain ideas about how the national security staff and how the White House staff ought to comport themselves in discussions on national security and military issues. And let's just say that the way it worked in the Obama White House was not anything like I had seen before.<br>

{{Quotebox|I worked in the White House on the National Security Council staff and as deputy national security adviser for nearly nine years under four presidents. And I had certain ideas about how the national security staff and how the White House staff ought to comport themselves in discussions on national security and military issues. And let's just say that the way it worked in the Obama White House was not anything like I had seen before.<br>

...domestic politics had a role in the debates about national security issues that I had not previously experienced.}}

...domestic politics had a role in the debates about national security issues that I had not previously experienced.}}

Def. Sec. [[Leon Panetta]] said:<ref>http://www.fpri.org/article/2016/10/national-security-decisions-made/ </ref>

Def. Sec. [[Leon Panetta]] said:<ref>http://www.fpri.org/article/2016/10/national-security-decisions-made/</ref>

{{Quotebox|[P]roximity is everything when you’re operating at the White House. The person that’s closest to the president has greater influence than even a cabinet member, who may be located elsewhere in a department...Staff people tried to read, 'what is it that the president wants?' And then try, through the back door, [to] influence the direction of policy. What that does is, it undermines the very process...}}

{{Quotebox|[P]roximity is everything when you’re operating at the White House. The person that’s closest to the president has greater influence than even a cabinet member, who may be located elsewhere in a department...Staff people tried to read, 'what is it that the president wants?' And then try, through the back door, [to] influence the direction of policy. What that does is, it undermines the very process...}}

Def. Sec. [[Chuck Hagel]] reiterated;

Def. Sec. [[Chuck Hagel]] reiterated;