For The Federalist I explore three key national security and foreign policy myths the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy exposes — and seeks to overturn.
In challenging these myths, the administration also challenges the progressive Wilsonian internationalist worldview that underlies them, which is essential because flawed premises lead to failed policies.
If we are to imbue our policies with the Jeanne Kirkpatrickian core of the Trump administration’s strategy of “principled realism,” we will truly have a safer, more secure and more prosperous America.
I’ve summarized my piece in a Twitter thread unraveled below.
Why are Trump’s most ardent critics found in the NatSec & foreign policy space — in particular Obama admin officials and holdovers in the bureaucracies? Precisely bc his agenda drives a spike through the heart of their worldview, social status, livelihood https://t.co/DtmUQMofW9 https://t.co/xPvfaJOmCA
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 27, 2018
Trump's NatSec Strategy #NSS challenges the myths of the NatSec/foreign policy establishment's Wilsonian progressives — myths based on flawed premises generating failed policies. Its Kirkpatrickian core would make the US stronger and more secure. THREAD👇https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
The pol establishment is aghast over Trump's brash style, lack of conventionality and political incorrectness — with its over-the-top revulsion serving as a form of virtue-signaling. On NatSec/foreign policy, the difference is truly substantive. https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
Trump's National Security Strategy #NSS challenges the very premises of the establishment's prevailing progressive Wilsonian internationalist orthodoxy. Its "principled realism" rejects the elite worldview/challenges elite credentials, standing, influence https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
This in part explains the vociferous Resistance among ex-Obama admin officials. It isn't just that a Trumpian NatSec/foreign policy would overturn their entire agenda of appeasement and submission — it would put them out of business https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
There are 3 myths Trump's #NSS strikes at that've been at core of our NatSec/foreign policy for yrs, to our detriment:
-Econ liberalization –> pol liberalization
–#Israel is the root of ME maladies
-The "violent extremists" who threaten us are "nihilists" https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
Reality #1: Econ liberalization does not guarantee pol liberalization, but our belief it does is exploited by authoritarian regimes to strengthen them against their people and us (see #China, #Russia). We ignore the nature of our adversaries at our peril. https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2 pic.twitter.com/G36zsVpThJ
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
Reality #2: It's laughable on its face that the free, pluralistic, Silicon Valley-esque nation of #Israel, surrounded by lands perpetually enmeshed in Sunni-Shia civil war, intra-tribal conflict and monarchic squabbles is the root cause of ME maladies https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2 pic.twitter.com/Nh5bby1fk8
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
Reality #3: Jihadists, not “violent extremists,” are the enemy, and they seek to make us submit to Sharia law. Nothing could be less nihilistic than the doctrinal basis of Islamic supremacist militancy. We've ignored this and faced deadly consequences https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2 pic.twitter.com/HVs0BpTvJw
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
A NatSec/foreign policy in US national interest must
-Recognize that different peoples are driven by different things
-Understand what motivates our enemies free of our own biases
-Forthrightly face challenges facing us
-Challenge convention when it fails https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
The Trump #NSS provides a critical road map for once again putting America's national interest — our safety/security — first, while enabling us to thrive as a free, dynamic, vibrant society that stands as a model to which all the world should aspire https://t.co/7vddqX5MC2
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) January 26, 2018
Leave a Reply