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We “rethink the week” with Ron Abramson, immigration attorney from Manchester, NH; Dean Spiliotes, Professor and Civic Scholar at Southern NH University; and Mark Fernald, attorney and former gubernatorial candidate in New Hampshire.
WEREN’T THE KURDS OUR ALLIES? We discuss Pres. Trump’s unadvised and ill-advised decision to abandon the Kurds, who had fought (and died) so valiently as our allies in the struggle against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Even many Republican leaders – who had supported Trump in many other troublesome decisions – seem to have reached a tipping point and are now criticizing him. Foreign governments, too – including the Israelis who had formed a close bond with Trump – have been highly critical of Trump’s sell-out of the Kurds. Now that many besieged ISIS fighters have escaped and gone elsewhere, government officials and others are concerned that the freed ISIS fighters could weak havoc in the middle east, Europe or even the U.S.
IS THIS ANOTHER IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE? We speculated about whether the Turkey/Kurd/Syria fiasco might become another ground for Congress to impeach the president. On the one hand, it could set a problematic precedent if a president could be impeached based on a foreign policy decision, something uniquely within the president’s constitutional powers and something that could force political considerations to become part of foreign policy issues that could have complex and dangerous world-wide consequences. On the other hand, an impeachable offense could plausibly be framed around *the process* that Pres. Trump followed in making his decision: he acted alone; impulsively; in secret; not even informing much less discussing the consequences with any of his cabinet, the Pentagon, or his personal advisors; seemingly oblivious to the long-term (or even the short-term) ramifications of his actions.
WHITHER THE DEMOCRATS AFTER ALL THIS? We also discuss the Democratic presidential debate tomorrow night, and the effect of recent events on shaking up that race. What will be the fallout after Bernie’s heart attack and Biden’s becoming distracted by Trump’s false Ukraine smears? Will one or more of the “second-tier” candidates be able to boost their support among voters and donors? Will Biden still be the front-runner (assuming he is now), after he responds to questions about his son, the Ukraine, and the fossil fuel industry? Stay tuned!
