Syria Envoy LIES to Commander-in-Chief: Is that the whole story?
This is definitely the top news story for Thursday, Nov 12. If you haven't heard any coverage or read the piece, go do so.
The headline says it all: "Outgoing Syria Envoy Admits Hiding US Troop Numbers; Praises Trump's Mideast Record." Whether or not you agree with Trump's military and Middle East policies, this story points out a fracture of trust in the government bureaucracy and whether the title "Commander in Chief" holds any weight anymore. Also note the repetition of the term "stalemate" in the latter half of the article. I'm not sure if it means anything, but the line "stalemate is stability" is a very depressing outlook on foreign conflict to me. (screenshots attached below with highlights)
The secondary thing to note with this article is that they (author Katie Bo Williams) puts a lot of effort in to bury the lead. The secondary focus of the article, "Praises Trump's Mideast Record" is secondary. However, it inhabits approximately 2/3 or so of the article. And it serves as a convenient segue from any deeper discussion about the implications of direct lies from a Special Presidential Envoy to the president, additionally in the context of the major controversy and the 500-700 US military lives in Syria that this now includes.
It's still a good piece. Give it a read. Suffice it to say, I'd hestitate before going to play a game of Diplomacy with Jim Jeffrey.
