He states he is a Military man by training.So what does he think of the long list of Military men that have departed the Trump admin because they think he is dumb etc etc.
Where does that make Pompeo
3
When Pompeo's takes shots at Obama he demeans bimself. Combined with Pompeo's smug, pompous manner, such gratuitous criticism deflects attention from legitimate criticisms he might make; it makes him look petty.
4
Perfect example of a feckless, leaderless administration with no clear vision or policymaking of their own. Easier to try and blame the ills of the world on their predecessors. No different than a child who grows up to be a loser and blames his parents and teachers for messing up his life!
2
Trump works to delineate Obama's legacy but in reality he elevates Obama into the pantheon of the greats with his own unique Trump incompetence. He is so busy erasing Obama's legacy forgetting his own ignorance and incompetence is enhancing Obama the legend. In the end the Joke is on Trump.
5
Trump’s foreign policy has been disastrous—rejected by our enemies and allies alike. America no longer has much leverage. The next president, whether Republican or Democratic, will re-enter the Iran nuclear agreement, the Paris Accords, ITP, and most other agreements that other countries now continue without US involvement.
2
@MJfromCA “America is a force for good in the Middle East. Period.” So let's get in there and find those WOMDs. Probably still in Iraq or Iran. Maybe Yemen. It's over we won!
2
Obama, Clinton and Bush are long gone. Anything/Everything is now on Trump's watch. No excuses, no finger pointing at long gone past days. The so-called "red States" my be fooled, but the majority of the population knows better.
The 18-45+ voter are waiting for 2020 to send the old Bull Elephants a clear message.
When will Trump start finding first line people for first line positions in Government?
2
The etymology of the latin root "pompa" includes (from Church Latin) a worldly display or vain show. True to his name, that's what Secretary Pompeo's speech amounted to. With a healthy dose of petulance mixed in, without which no Trumpian policy pronouncement would be complete.
2
Pompeo is a bald-faced liar, worse than Trump, because it isn't clear that Pompeo is actually mentally impaired. When Pompeo lies, you are reminded of all the other American liars like Reagan and the Bushes, lying about anything to justify their support for dictators and their campaigns of terror against their citizens and their international enemies.
You should read his speech. It is both pathetic and terrifying at the same time. Pompeo celebrates the new breed of dictators he and his corporate bosses are working with to oppress their people and turn a profit - Sissi, MBS and apparently Asad, if he co-operates by turning on his Iranian allies - the people who actually kept him in power.
This speech is actually part of the build up to Trump's "election stunt" war - a criminal war to be launched without a declaration of war or with any legitimate excuse. Trump wants to run for re-election as a "war president" - it is his only strategy, his only hope, for winning a second term. It will start with a stealth attack on Iran's nuclear facilities - using the bunker buster bombs that SAC was crowing about on Twitter a couple of weeks ago. Obviously they are already training and planning for the attack.
Trump is going to throw the whole world into chaos in the hope that if he kills a lot of people and has a lot of gun cam footage on Fox News, he can use American "patriotism" to get him over the line in 2020. This is America at it's worst, a fascist state run by a criminal gang.
2
Trump and his administration feel so inferior to President Obama, that every chance they get, they try to attack him, his foreign policy, and his relationship with everyday people all over the world. After all, President Obama served this country for 2 terms proudly, without scandal and received Nobel peace prize. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks. The president administration leaves a trail of turmoil wherever they go. No one likes or respect them besides Israeli and Saudi Arabia. As Mr. Obama said, enough people have been fired, resigned, in prison, and indicted from this administration to form a football team with, and it hasn’t even been 2 years since he was elected. I add to that, a dysfunctional team that doesn’t know how to play.
19
At least w Obama and his administration America was led w dignity, intelligence and integrity. One believed President Obama made decisions w primary concern for the country’s best interest. Not so this dishonest faker, who leads only w his own interest first and is enabled by sycophantic minions who eventually will turn tail and run - we hope never to be heard from again in American politics.
17
The Trump Administration wants to go to war with Iran. That’s the whole point of this tour by Pompeo. John Bolton has agitated for regime change there forever, and now he and Trump, and Bibi, and Mohammed Bone Saw, are plotting how they’re going to get rid of the mullahs so they can remake the Middle East in their own image, with Israel as a Middle Eastern U.S., dominating everything that happens in the region without allowing any self-determination on the part of repressed Muslim populations.
Obama, of course, took the correct course: You have to talk to these people, not isolate them. There’s no chance that the US is going to be able to defeat Iran; it’s not Iraq or Libya. It would be the mother of all quagmires.
Pompeo is not in any way a competent secretary of state. He is simply Donnie and Johnny’s errand boy, and his job is to make sure the autocrats are on board when we launch some sort of attack on Tehran.
That’s where we’re going, and we’re not going to be able to stop it.
23
Granted the difficulties of trying to define something that doesn't exist (in this case a coherent US MidEast policy) I had thought (mistakenly it seems) that Pompeo might at least try to act as Secretary of State on his trip abroad. But no SecState worthy of the name would give a speech like this. The clear target was Obama and his administration, and the clear audience was the Trumpie base back home. This was the speech of a third-rate hack politician trying to curry favor with the hand that feeds him,and hoping for a pat on the head.
21
Maybe it's good for the ordinary people of the Middle East to see our foolishness so that they will begin to take matters into their own hands (where it belongs).
2
"..Mr. Pompeo declared that “when America retreats, chaos follows,”..
Based on the last 17 years, it seems far more accurate to state, that when America INTERVENES, chaos follows - as exemplified by the disasters in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria!
5
Pompeo is on a fanatical bender! First, it appears that minus any coordinated or planned policy we are seeing chaos at work as every man within the administration acts blindly from the others. Second, left to his own messianic impulses Pompeo reveals his impulse toward evangelical belief in the Revelations! This is a guy who actually wants to see world wide destruction! His bio and beliefs should be getting much more attention. Also, what exactly is the plan!? Are we going to war with Iran?
2
Great speech to begin to repair of the damage caused by the previous anti-American president. Those confused by the current policy only pretend to comprehend it. Those who admonish the Trump administration only pretend to understand the business style execution that does not involve catering to swamp politics and socialist antics of the left.
1
Who would have thought Custer could have finally been supplanted as the worst West Point graduate?
1
“When America retreats, chaos follows. When we neglect our friends, resentment builds. When we partner with enemies, they advance.”
He should know. The Trump administration does all of things things every chance they get.
1
Obama “underestimated the tenacity and viciousness of radical Islamism.” ?!
What about, Cheney, Libby, and W's overestimation in 2003 of how easy it would be nation-build in Iraq? In the aftemath of that failure their criticism morphed into 'we lost in Syria' because Obama wanted to pull out, exactly what President Tantrump just said he wants to do now. Are they really so blind to the consequences of their own actions and deaf to the blatant contradictions they espouse? Or just feeding on the revisionism that nourishes their neverending resentments?
2
Pomeo's getting fatter and fatter. He sweats a lot. I'm hoping Trump will ease him out "for health reasons" and appoint one of his kids as Acting Secretary of State. That might actually improve things.
3
Hmmm ... I wonder who Iran's biggest enemy is in the Middle East. Hmmm ...
If you said Saudi Arabia, you would be right.
The same country that supplied 15 of the 9/11 terrorists. But has enough money to buy off our corrupt administration.
7
All talks and no action, an opposite of Obama era's understated efforts
1
I’m just stunned that so many people think trump is needed. Even GOP senators are willing to ignore the absolutist stupidity of his administration and the people he wants to use to destroy our standing in the world.
The GOP is a morally bankrupt entity that I hope will be steamrolled in 2020. I don’t get my hopes up though. Just 30% of Americans voted for the GOP senate majority. Trump will be crushed but Mitch lives on.
3
Trump and Pompeo. Two very large peas in a pod.
4
Superlative journalism as usual from Declan and David.
Makes very clear that the Trump Aministration's motivation is shame-avoidance by irrational, ill-considered blaming of others better informed, more intelligent, more empathic, more honest, authentic and consistent than themselves.
Fortunately the new House of Representatives is well-aware of this and it appears likely that even the now more Trumpian Supreme Court will be serving as a slow enforcer of the Democratic majority's aims to contain the damage inflictable on the world by shameless White House rhetoricists.
1
Sure, put down a nearly universally popular ex-US president, And bow before Putin, Kim and MBS Who can respect us? Not even the high fiving MBS and Putin.
4
Umm ... Pompeo can't even get on the same page as his boss. Should we refer to this as the "Pompeo Doctrine" or maybe the "Bolton Doctrine"? Who is running this clown show?
3
Character assassination and coddling up to dictators hardly amounts to a manifesto.
4
What was strange about the speech I heard Mike Pompeo give was that I had thought is was a self reflection on the lack of any progress made by Donald Trump and his administration.
It sounded more like Mike Pompeo was not only bowing down and licking Donald Trump's boots, but was bowing and scrapping to impress MBS .
What I find even more repulsive is this phony is supposed to be an evangelical Christian who keeps an open bible on his desk at all times, well he missed one of the ten commandments....Thou Shall Not Lie.
6
"the age of self-inflicted American shame is over"
Quite the contrary. It started two years ago.
4
Reducing the US forces by 2000 men , contrary to the military wishes is a retreat!
2
Pompeo and Bolton seem to think that the U.S. can forcefully resolve all of the problems in the Middle East by enforcing it’s will. The difficulties would not exist if the U.S. would use an iron hand. By using allies like Mohammed bin Salman or Erdogan or the President of Egypt, just kill and destroy until victory is achieved. Simple. Obama was a bad actor because he sought the kind of solutions which worked for the world for seven decades but which have annoyed people who hate dealing with other countries who have differing interests.
1
“The age of self-inflicted American shame is over.”
Meanwhile, in the real world, we’re entering the third week of a pointless government shutdown over a useless border wall that Trump swore Mexico would pay for, and you can sing along to Trump’s Mideast policy with the old Clash song “Should I Stay or Should I Go.”
1
Did I miss the part where Pompeo explained why the Secretary of Defense abruptly resigned in protest over Trump's decision to immediately withdraw troops from Syria and his foreign "policy", in general?
4
With comments like this:
Pompeo: “When America retreats, chaos follows. When we neglect our friends, resentment builds. When we partner with enemies, they advance..." Having said that, I'm surprised Trump had not already canned Pompeo (of course Trump would have had to have read about it first).
America retreating, causing chaos, neglecting friends (actually picking fights with them) and partnering with enemies (putin it mildly), is Trump's foreign policy in a nut shell. Be ready for a new Secretary of State pretty soon.
1
In a speech last year to the Heritage Foundation, Pompeo is quoted:
"the Heritage Foundation has shaped my thinking on matters of the world and public policy issues".
'Nuff said.
6
We owe reparations to Iraq. Period. You have no ethical bone in your body if you disagree with this statement.
3
Pompeo on his apology tour, apologizing for American actions under Obama. where is faux news' anger?
2
Pompeo’s legacy will be an international policy cleanup effort by future Administrations. He uses Trump’s Presidency to prop himself up. Just another actor in the Trump tragedy. Primadonnas are what we used to call these guys.
1
Sad to note, but Donald Trump is beginning his third year as president, and he and his rent-a-cabinet are still trying to scrub away the legacy of the last president. The more they try, the brighter President Obama looks.
3
"While Mr. Obama appealed to ordinary Muslims, with citations from the Quran and flowery tributes to Islamic culture, Mr. Pompeo spoke squarely to a smaller group: the kings, princes and military rulers who have ensured American influence for decades and who were crucial to countering Iran."
As for Mr. Obama's approach, we know how that ended: Mr. Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize in advance for peace he did not bring. The only winner of that approach was Mr. Obama and certainly not the ordinary Muslim of the Middle East (especially if they lived in Syria in places like Aleppo).
As for addressing leaders, like it or not they usually establish policy and execute it (or not). Obviously neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Pompeo should prepare formal wear for a Nobel ceremony.
1
The most tragic and presumably long lasting effect of the Trump administration will be the international perception that the US can’t be trusted; that whatever one administration advocates and negotiates, the next will take an opposite position and speak ill of the previous administration.
And as DJT might say: sad.
4
The blokes at BBC today recognized that Pompeo's targeted audience was Trump and his base.
This is how low the administration can sink -- sending the SoS on a trip abroad to transmit propaganda back to the US that amounts to little more than "owning the libs" in an attempt to make Trump look strong.
But, as always, Trump's divide and conquer strategy is weak, weaker and weakening.
3
This speech was not worth the paper it was printed on. Pompeo would have us believe that this administration has a coherent vision and accompanying strategy for the Middle East. It doesn't exist. And there hasn't been one for over two years.
You will have to excuse me for being very confused here but I thought that Jared Kushner was the designated point person for a Middle East peace plan. Has he been reassigned? We don't even have clarity as to who speaks for the United States on Middle East issues. If past is prologue, the only plan that will exist for the Middle East is the president's tactic of the moment.
If anyone doubts that, put in a phone call to Erdogan.
44
America siding with the poor and downtrodden masses in the Muslim world has never worked out well. One has only to think of the disaster with Nasser and the loss of the Suez Canal when Eisenhower did not back the British and French. One can see how parts of Obama`s speech encouraging human rights etc. could be very unsettling to the Saudis, Kuwaitis etc. Because the US has no energy policy other than to burn as much oil as possible, is mired in litigation that makes nuclear unusable, no sense or interest in scientific policy the US remains completely dependent on the Saudis for the "American way of life." That this won`t change is emphasized by the recent report of DeGolyer and McNaughton. The Saudis own the US and probably our entire Congress and Executive. Without Saudi oil on the world market the US would become a third world country faster than it is now.
1
The perception in the Middle East used to be that the US is a country run by institutions that does not change policies with changing governments. No more, by attacking President Obama the Trump regime provide ample evidence that the US policies are inconsistent and incoherent with multiple voices making contradictory statements and that new policies will come with the next President. In a region whose history span thousands of years, the Iranians can certainly wait it out for two more years. For the Saudis, the thought of a democratic win come 2020 should be terrifying.
15
Pompeo, a man who claims to keep and opened bible on his office desk, should take care and read the opened book's comments about lying.
It was GW Bush administration that set alight the Middle East, not President Obama. Clearly, President Obama showed poor judgement in not punishing Assad for using poisonous gas, but overall, President Obama tried to defuse the problems.
26
Ronald Reagan would have disagreed strongly. The idea of LEAVING Mohammar Qadafi in charge, my God. What they want do for their Nativist base.
10
Gee I guess he forgot about the invasion of Iraq, and the creation of Al Qaeda & ISIS. .. He also conveniently leaves out the fact that it's Iran that stabilized Iraq and helped rid Syria of ISIS. Plus they were invited in by Syria as well as the Russians. ... They ( Pompeo, Bolton, the Saudis & Netanyahu ) want to start a war with Iran. They want regime change but have no idea what would actually take place in Iran after a collapse. Honestly it is sheer madness what these people push for. Lord, the sooner we are rid of them the better, Hopefully before they can cause much more damage. " The Middle East gets in chaos after we leave " .. yea right .. it's the other we around. What absolute fools .......
27
Pompous Pompeo. How’s Trump’s war in Afghanistan going? Put your hand in the glowing orb. Embrace the autocrats. Slaughter some more innocent children in Yemen. Be so proud.
20
At least Pompeo is consistent---Egypt / Saudi Arabia--he should have invited the rest of the Trump administration friends and family---Duarte/ Putin/ Kim Jun.
These are America's new friends.
The more we support those that sit on the garbage can of human suffering---the more we will be hated and be less safe.
15
Am I getting this right Pompeo, Obama screwed up the Middle East after Bush's invasion of Iraq had set the region on a peaceful and productive path?
19
My guess is that Pompeo is one of those republicans with a foreign money problem that will come out with the Mueller investigation.
6
An American secretary of state speaking in a foreign country addressing a foreign audience chose to denigrate an American President. We may have differences of opinion among ourselves but I always thought we are united as Americans. This man and his behavior is UnAmerican. We don't need enemies as we are own worst enemy. If we don't respect ourselves why would they care for what we have to say. Was this speech necessary? What purpose did it serve? The only reason they sat through that speech is because we are the most powerful country in the world. This would be an example of our power and not power of our example.
16
@SridharC there is no overstating the animus Trump and his sorry minions have toward Obama for having the nerve to be an even-keeled, decent, BLACK man. The sheer indecency of Pompeo's remarks doesn't even demonstrate power; rather is demonstrates a fawning obsequiousness, yet again, in the face of thuggery.
Mike Pompeo is an evangelical who proudly proclaims that he has a bible open on his desk. That’s great. He’s well qualified to be a televangelist in Kansas. But he’s patently unqualified to be the Secretary of State.
His speech today demonstrates that. But worse yet it demonstrates to every other foreign government to not seek deals with the US. The US was already going down the tubes with Trump; but when people in positions to actual do things and not just tweet from their bathrobe, it’s absolutely devastating. If I had kids, they’d be learning Mandarin.
14
The past 2 1/2 years have repeatedly shown the world that the words of Trump’s surrogates are meaningless as their boss consistently undercuts them with his tweets.
10
What was said yesterday is not what we say today and tomorrow we will say something different. Our words mean nothing. Trump administration motto.
7
Anyone from this mis-administration who tries to blame American shame on Obama is completely disconnected from reality. I was never more proud of my country as when Obama was in office & never so ashamed as I am now. We are now, in the eyes of the world, dishonest, disloyal, & dysfunctional. The U.S. is no longer trustworthy. The only thing pompeo got right was "self-inflicted," but that's now & not prior to 11/8/16.
12
"Self-inflicted American shame," as Pompeo bloviates, is a direct result of the spectacular incompetence of the Bush-Cheney regime in the Middle East. You'd have reason to think that having studied the history of war at West Point this important point wouldn't be lost on him. But perhaps scholarship isn't his strong suit. We've already seen North Korea make a complete fool of him.
Until the Republicans own this mess of their own making and renounce the perpetual war they insist on waging with what now amounts to the rest of the world, they will never be able to crawl out from the long shadow cast by the Middle East.
7
The Neocons are determined to get us into a war with Iran. I fear they will succeed. Sheldon and BiBi are winning.
8
We lose all Middle East wars. Remember Reagan fleeing Lebanon and now disaster in Iraq, ISIS, the ongoing Afghanistan debacle. Our Syria, Yemen, Libya policy an unmitigated failure.
We are an impotent ineffectual nation and you all know it.
Sincerely, Vietnam veteran who intimately knows failure.
10
Pompeo is not qualified to carry President Obama’s coat.
14
Pompeo is another pompous Conservative playing politics rather than formulating good policy. The GOP are past masters at cheap shots, #45 for a solid example and now Pompeo.
7
How rich that Pompeo would talk about ANY other presidency and use the term “self-inflicted shame.”
8
I prefer a SoS taking shots at a former president for his flawed and destructive vision of the world than a president taking cheap shots at his own country while speaking in a foreign country.
1
Playing to the Fox News crowd of deplorables, it's shameless. History is not going to be kind to trump, nor anyone in his cabinet. And that fact makes me happy.
11
Memo to Pompeo and Trump: "Barack has left the building.
7
Somebody tell this man that this childish swordplay is how we got entangled in Iraq in the first place. The religious nature of these autocratic thugs is sickening (theirs as well as ours).
6
Disgustingly kowtowing to murderous autocratic regimes. Right on brand. As are the lies, distortions, willful attempts to refute the evidentiary record. Pompous Pompeo standing in for the King of Dunning-Kruger.
7
“Who could’ve believed a few years ago that an Israeli prime minister would visit Muscat?” he said. “Or that a Roman Catholic pope would visit this city to meet with Muslim imams and the head of the Coptic faith?”
Uh, anybody who knows that John Paul II did just that in 2000.
Ignorance or mendacity?
12
These old white men, Pompeo included sure are rattled by Obama's ghost. Let's see Obama has been gone since January 2017.They are still exorcising the "White House".
6
I guess living in Trump's unhinged universe really does send people mad. Pompeo has become as unglued as his master.
10
Typical of this administration. One hand has no idea what the other hand is doing, words and actions don't match, "policies" have a half-life of 24 hours, blame someone else, and maintain a vigorous ignorance of its role in America's lost credibility. Isn't there one professional in the room?
America is crazy.
8
Trump's bungling with the December 19th Syria withdrawal announcement and its aftermath point to inexperience and incompetence. Two public revisions by Bolton and now Pompeo, and the three resignations of Mattis, McGurk, and Sweeney are embarrassing proof. At this point some former allies must just being polite expecting that in a couple of years the U.S. will return to a state of normalcy. In this latest blast from Pompeo he steps on Trump's withdrawal message as if it was never made. Aside from that who believes that the U.S. has the wherewithal to “expel every last Iranian boot”?
6
“the age of self-inflicted American shame is over”
Nope. We elected Trump president, didn’t we? (And then he picked Pompeo for Secretary of State.) If that isn’t self-inflicted shame, I don’t know what is.
21
I would think that Pompeo is smart enough to realize- in sharp contrast to his boss- that , while actions speak louder than words, words matter. To hear this representative of an administration that has devastated our country's reputation around the world and destabilized so many ares with the twitter based, finger to the wind foreign policy denigrate our previous president on foreign soil, openly mocking him and his policies like Obama was the head of a rival gang back home, underscores the complete lack of professionalism, standards, protocol and yes, true patriotism, of this administration. They are of, by and for trump and money. They care nothing for our country or its citizens. And they fool no one.
10
Trump is no Obama.
And, no matter what, he never will be.
For starters, he just doesn't have the capability, know-how, eloquence, compassion, stability ... or anything, really.
26
The US and UK long long ago co-opted Sunni Islam to achieve strategic goals and continues to do so. Piety is good for bloodshed of your enemies.
In recent years the US has successfully co-opted religion itself, and managed to unite Israel and Saudi Arabia, uniting two religions with a long history of discord.
2
"When we neglect our friends, resentment builds," Pompeo asserted. "When we partner with enemies, they advance.” I can't think of a more succinct indictment of Trump's foreign policy.
14
Looks to me like preparation for another "emergency", a war with Iran (just in case the president-dictator wants or needs it).
6
Did anyone tell Pompeo that 1. Trump doesn't know what a manifesto is, 2. Trump doesn't think that far into the future about anything, 3. Pompeo won't be there long enough for a manifesto to manifest itself?
19
So we are going to be more engaged and activist by withdrawing and becoming more isolationist? Pomp seems to be smoking some of that high end stuff from Colorado.
10
This speech is so emblematic of Trump and those around them. They are incapable of just doing things, be it good or bad. They just have to take a dig at their predecessors.
10
If Obama's policies were misguided, what are this administration's? Clueless, I would say. So.... with our allies, America is a force for good. Which allies are those? Saudi's MBS I guess is who he means. More than enough harm has been done to our relationships with Canada, France, and the UK, etc. for a generation.
11
Just three weeks ago, Trump announced that the U.S. would abruptly pull troops out of Syria with the admonishment that "we shouldn't be the world's policeman." Now, Pompeo say we're going to take a much more active role in the Middle East.
I call it Trump's yo-you doctrine of Middle Eastern affairs.
13
I must have watched a completely different speech by the Secretary. I watched it live on BBC - uninterrupted.
He never once mentioned the 44th or his administration.
If anything, he was most gracious about all America has accomplished together in the Middle East.
Preceding that was his press conference with Egyptian foreign minister in which he again reiterated America's commitment to that part of the world. I also watched it live and in full.
Even the Egyptian foreign minister (not sure if he is Muslim but his name sounded he is) used words : radical Islamic terrorism -the world is facing.
And while our secretary did not list anyone but ISIS or Daesh, the Egyptian listed them all including Muslim Brotherhood.
And I might add - the Egyptian switched to English and added these remarks after our secretary had finished - unprompted.
So, to label our secretary's speech as taking a dig at the 44th and nothing more - is unfair to him.
I thought his stirring words were what America means to the world.
I am rephrasing:
"We mean good for the world. We are a liberating force. We do not occupy lands. We liberated Iraq and we will leave."
Incidently, before Egypt - our Sectretary was in Iraq.
It's president pleaded with Secretary not to leave Iraq.
And the one who left Iraq in haste or gave orders for was the 44th.
There are enough folks smearing and denouncing America around the world.
There is no need for us to join this crowd.
3
How far we have fallen. The State Department, once the home for our best diplomats, is now led by a political hack.
17
Are you talking about Obama’s state Department under Hillary that brought only chaos to the region?
4
Nope.
Well, Pompeo has gotten the religion of ad hominem attacks, learned at the feet of the master. Distract and deflect. The irony, of course, is that Obama won't be running in 2020. Even if we had dirty laundry, why call the world's attention to it? This is 5 year old, playground stuff.
4
Love the brutal honesty of this speech. All of those trying to shame Pompeo or the administration obviously does not have any stake in the wars or those deployed in the Middle East.
3
@Nature Voter
No, the USA does not have a legitimate stake in these ill advised foreign interventions.
6
I can't really be mad at Mr Trump. He has a personality disorder, at the very least, and is not in total control of his faculties. The men and women who enable him, however, are an entirely different deal. When this chapter of our history is finally written the descendants of those men and women, like Pence, McConnell and Pompeo will have reason to feel ashamed. What a disgrace. Everything for politics. Nothing for the citizen and patriot. I don't even know what season or episode of this reality show we're in now. It just keeps going and going. Even though reality shows have predictable ends. What about reality? The unnecessary suffering just continues until when? Until who? Until what?
5
One has to wonder how long it’ll take the Trump administration to figure out that Obama isn’t president anymore...
4
The paper tiger roars and the world rolls its eyes.
114
@TDC
No, no. It laughs. To his face. At the UN General Assembly.
3
I thought the Secretary of State's job included being a diplomat, a statesman charged with easing tensions in a hostile world. My bad.
10
This man named Pompeo has not accomplished anything since he has been appointed. Except perhaps lying about the Middle East, about the Saudi Prince and now about what he has "accomplished." Frankly he is just a parrot for Trump.
18
I used to think President Obama was a somewhat mediocre President. Obama's greatest historic strength is being sandwiched between Bush Jr. and Donald Trump.
How much I miss an intelligent, thoughtful President who's first instinct wasn't to break something.
21
Mike Pompeo knows that his puppet President is the shame of this country. Everyone in Europe and across the world misses President Obama for he was a real President.They hate the man with the raccoon eyes, the small hands and the fake hair. If President Obama missed things on the Middle East it's because he had to deal with a contrary Congress. Does anyone remember Mc Connell saying in 2008 that his goal was to see President Obama fail? Well now we have a President who not only is inept, corrupt, mean and baseless, but is someone who fails at every turn without Congress having to lift a finger. What a joke! I hope this president we have right now fails on the Middle East just as he has failed on every thing else.
11
Pompeo is part of the Trumpian age of shamelessness.
He's a cartoon-like figure who shows his contempt for all
who question him, especially our Congress.
You say there are no contradictions in our various Syrian strategies of the last month? If you say so, Mr. Secretary.
You see nothing wrong with Trump's private meeting with Putin at Helsinki? You insist that YOU know what went on?
Okay, Mr. Secretary, if you say so.
You - the former CIA Director - say there is nothing in the CIA intelligence pointing to Crown Prince MBS's involvement in Khashoggi's murder? If you say so. And thank God you're no longer in charge of the CIA.
You're all in, Secretary Pompeo, because you've sold out.
All in with taking our country downhill in order to prop up
President Trump.
11
What can we make of Pompeo's speech but hubris and a desire to pick a fight with Iran. The Trump administration has made a shambles of U.S. Foreign Policy. It will take decades to recover after this administration leaves the scene.
114
Pompeo can puff up with confidence to his heart’s desire, but I remember the same spiel from W’s warmongering experts about Iraq, and subsequently, not accord to plan, but as inevitable as the sun rising in the east, what unfurled was chaos, violence, corruption, and terrorism. A pompous Pompeo the United States does not need. We have enough of that rude trait with the other one.
12
Pompeo is another clown in the Trump clown car swerving around the curves and throwing hate at Obama.
9
The never-ending humiliation of having to watch these ignorant cretins represent my once-proud country . . .
12
How embarrassing. Pompeo, Trump and Bolton are fools and the entire world knows it. Their ideas of beating the world into submission will fail. I at least hoped when America's Republican experiment ended it would be valiant. Instead history will record the whimper along the mutterings of these idiots.
9
Gosh, Mike, strawman much?
3
Trump/Pompeo have policies?
Could have fooled me.
A Tea Party wannabe, a Kansas carbettbagger who was Trump's pet dog at the CIA for 15 months. A graduate of the USMA with a degree in engineering management who has a basic understanding of Islam and its variants?
You have got to be kidding Mike. What a pompous fool.
8
"Stupid is as stupid does". Forest Gump
9
It is a bizarre set of beliefs from one with a proven record of academic acievement; one does not graduate at top of class at West Point by accident. Perhaps a text book example of religious nuttery and ideology/ambition prevailing over intellect, facts at hand, and common sense.
14
Pompeo turned out to play the role of the idiot savant. Trump seems to be taking orders from Putin not his military and the clueless one keeps talking. Syria is dominated by Russia and Iran and has moved advanced missiles that are aimed at Israel and the idiot savant wants to retreat to have a policy of appeasement. The US is losing credibility in foreign policy, and Trumps henchmen will be looked upon as traitors in two years.
9
What?! He didn’t blame Hillary’s emails too?
10
What...?
We leave Syria, but are going to become more involved in the region...
We have self inflicted shame?” How did Obama do that to us? The shame of America is the daily madness, ignorance, and outright fantasies pushed by the Trump Administration! It’s bad enough to have it at home - but to call out and diss our own former Presidents, and spout complete garbage as our foreign policy, is beyond Insanity!
We are now like one of those select few rogue nations that makes weird statements, rages about everything and everyone, then goes off and does something really drunk and disorderly on the world stage!
Why does Congress allow Trump to continue to damage the nation, and trash our reputation overseas?
8
Pompous Pompeo, now our rep on the dictator circuit for Mr. Sisi and the new autocrat in Brazil.
Gutting American values is the Trump way. Horrible.
8
Obama's philosophy, as I understand it, was that none of these entities are worth much effort. They are all corrupt and not likely to make much progress. Trying to get Iran to denuclearize made sense in this context. I imagine that the people who inhabit these countries are just like anyone else. They want freedom to do what they want. They are repressed by a combination of governments and religions that want to limit freedom in order to maintain control and wealth. Change at the top will not come from our efforts, good or bad. Obama, I think, realized that this is a quagmire the requires containment, not our support.
14
Bertrand Russell said: “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser men so full of doubts.” It is truly shameful that an ignorant, fanatical US Secretary of State who knows nothing about the Middle East apart from what Arab autocrats and his friend Netanyahu tell him goes to Cairo and criticizes a former intelligent, thoughtful and learned US president. Pompeo has the audacity to speak of human rights and religious freedom standing next to a military dictator who butchered thousands in Tahrir Square to topple the first elected president in Egypt’s entire history. He praised religious moderation while his bone-saw wielding friend presides over the most radical and fundamentalist regime that has spread Wahhabism in many Islamic countries and in the West, and where no one is allowed to build a church. Saudi Arabia was responsible for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Afghan Mujahedin, and the Nusra Front. Pompeo said: “the age of self-inflicted American shame is over.” Sadly, the source of self-inflicted American shame sits in the White House surrounded by disgraceful cronies like Pompeo. America deserves better.
49
@Frank 95 And do not forget the Prince.
4
Its very patriotic of Pompeo to go overseas and criticize past Presidents with a nasty personal tone. Especially since we don't have a foreign policy right now, we just have a 7 year old with a twitter account.
28
Want to end the age of self inflicted American shame? Vote Dem 2020.
11
I feel shame as an American having this president and his equally monstrous secretary of state.
13
It’s as if a palooka machine shop operator was the Secretary of State.
7
An American goes to another country and attacks another American. What diplomacy!
15
remember the good old days when foreign policy talks were on you know....foreign policy and putting out our dirty wash was left to the laundry pros...like a deutche bank
7
No matter what this trump, fox network,gop cretins do it just gets worse and worse- will this never end!
8
'A Fool in the service of a Fool' is the nicest term that comes to mind.
10
"Shots at Obama"nicely sums up the poverty of ideas of the Trump administration.
13
"... seeming contradiction". Laughing out loud. NYT euphemism for incoherent, impulsive, inconsistent, and deceitful foreign policy - if this can be called policy.
5
So Pompeo went to Israel to receive instructions from Netanyahu.
14
Trump and Pompeo promote fascism. Fascism is the opposite of democracy. Time for both of them to go.
8
Get out of the Middle East. I voted for Trump to get us out of these wars. Now I urge him to summon his grit against the defense establishment, the neocons of both parties and his own administration. We do not have a prayer of bringing peace and democracy to the Middle East. We are not capable. Listen to Dirty Harry, "A man's gotta know his limitations.". Our track record of these military ventures of the last 55 years has been terrible.
5
We may lose our democracy here because of Trump so it won’t matter either way.
4
@Christian Miller
You voted for Trump? Thanks.
8
Self-inflicted shame is when you pull out your troops and abandon your allies.
5
How dysfunctional is this administration? Trump says we should not be the world's police and we should leave Afghanistan and Syria and put America first. The next week , Pompeo says we are going to get more involved in the region and increase American involvement (and it is still Obama's fault the world is not perfect). They can't keep their lies straight and they are incompetent!
9
So it was Obama's policies that caused ISIS not the war on Iraq?
Alternative facts are our newest export.
8
When you have no foreign policy to offer, by all means create a straw man stand-in for the previous administration and mindlessly attack that.
6
U.S. leadership? That exited when the electoral college bypassed the will of the people and installed the craven, incompetent one.
5
Trump & Co clearly feel they can’t build themselves up without tearing someone else down. Obama just comes out looking even better after these petty and false attacks.
7
Despite the President's long list of inane actions and policies, his instincts when it comes to dealing with the Middle East is much more grounded in reality than the naivete of Obama. Obama encouraged the Arab Spring which led to Egypt falling into the hands of Islamists until Gen. Sisi saved it from that hellish future. Does Sisi have warts? Of course, but he is a far preferable option for the secular, Coptic and educated segments of Egypt comprising the majority of that country than Mohammad Morsi was. The truth is that the Arab world lacks the necessary bones to have functioning liberal democracies.
3
Still waiting for that plan to bring peace in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians.
10
Way to go Pompeo! Get America back on track, off the course of humiliation set by Obama in 2009.
1
While I had issues with Obama's Mideast policy, in that it seemed to be kind of rudderless, at least there were efforts to be guided by morality and decency. The Trumpeo policy is to stake absolute sides with nations regardless of how they treat people. "If you're aligned with the U.S., we're with you if you murder and dismember your own citizens, if you jail and execute thousands, and if you use highly disproportionate force against the less fortunate." As both recent and ancient history have shown, this is probably the world's most troubled region, and to believe that Trumpeo's absolute policy is "the answer" is obviously ridiculous.
8
Two simple questions about this:
"He vowed to “expel every last Iranian boot” from Syria" – question one: How much will it cost us per boot?
Question Two: What's your end game? (If you don't know what the results look like - don't get into the game.)
4
This speech is, thus far, the most tragically hilarious ever uttered by anyone officially representing the United States of America sans the surname of Trump. Surely even Pompeo can't miss the irony of a speech in which he pretends we are committed to ridding Syria of ISIS. America hasn't done anything but retreat and withdraw under this unorganized, uninformed and uninspired administration. Most of the world, including the United States, understands that the "age of self inflicted shame" began the day these self-deluded, self-demeaning, ineffectual, incompetent sycophants took power in support, solely, of their amoral, pitiable, lying solipsistic leader.
To the scuttling soulless like Pompeo it seems that the dismantling of our liberal democratic republic is the correct price to pay to Trump's benefactor, Putin, for help in the election. Their impotence at achieving this sordid remittance comforts me.
The Russian best able to describe them is Dostoevesty: "The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love." Mr Pompeo has sacrificed loads. His words sound as" clanging cymbals."
Fortunately, to borrow words from Gerald Ford,"Our long national nightmare is (almost) over." November 2020 can't come soon enough: VOTE!!!
9
Pompeo, his military experience? he received a degree in systems analysis and in his 5 years, was never promoted above his entry rank of captain (equivalent to lieutenant). he is just a dangerous bag of wind.
9
Talk about a laughing stock!
unfortunately, this administration is not only a clown car, it's one without functioning steering & brakes.
3
The neocons hate and fear train ran off the tracks with Trump. They spent two decades making this train and feeding it with right wing news propaganda for the safety of America. So here we are...
Will the republic survive the power hungry executive branch fed by years of justifying more power?
3
What does the US plan to do if, say, a US journalist is chopped up at a Saudi embassy because the Saudis don't like what he is saying? I know, it sounds far-fetched...
9
Well said!
1
No bad act was more self-inflicted by the United States than the Iraq War.
Mike Pompeo is a Harvard Law graduate reading the script from "Full Metal Jacket."
7
You are the shame to America and the military, Mr. Pompeo.
Your braggadocio is only exceeded by your president trump.
You, Trump, and Bolton can't even agree on what to say let alone set meaningful policy.
9
Repubs. You’ve been in complete power for two years. Stop blaming Obama for everything.
5
Shameful speech. Shameful man.
4
It is sad, and shameful, that the current secretary of state takes upon himself the 'duty' to attack Obama, unjustly, for the Middle East conundrum...while remaining a parrot to Trump's awful trampling of diplomacy and his jerky attitude depending on the time of day, and in full support of the despots trying to dislodge the U.S. from the Middle East. And further, Pompeo's pomposity in seeking scapegoats to justify his own neglect and complicity in doing whatever a most ignorant and arrogant president decides to do....no doubt, prompted by the 'Fox Noises' out there. Just witness Pompeo's complicity with Saudi's prince Salman, a killer, seemingly at pleasure with an ongoing 'business as usual' with Pompeo's boss. Remember Truman? He was a real man, and took responsibility of his office by his famous 'The buck stops here'!
6
Mike Pompeo has today shown America and the world his bona fides—more accurately, his lack thereof. His speech today in Cairo was standard Trump misdirection and tastelessness: when you have nothing meaningful to say, badmouth Barrack Obama. It’s almost as pathetic as all the Republicans who to stand mute while Trump and his doleful apparatchiks continue to embarrass the USA and abandon its ideals.
6
“American retreats ... chaos follows”.
Funny, the evidence suggests American attacks ... chaos follows.
10
The domestic mess that is the Trump Administration--Russia, the shutdown, massive debt--will be "solved" for the Trump administration when it declares a national emergency (suspending many legal protections) and declares war on Iran. All of this speechifying by Pompeo and others is just the pre-fight battle to divert attention away from all of the problems besetting Trump and company. The war against Iran will be a colossal failure and Trump will be chastened when American hostages are taken around the world by Iranian minions and held far longer than the hostages held while Carter was president.
2
Pompeo and Bolton--two people who define what it means to be an anti-diplomat--in charge of Middle East policy is like asking toddlers to put away the fine china. So when Pompeo says 'new beginning,' that's not comforting, it's ominous.
Let's review: The Trump campaign received offers of help with hacking from the Saudis and UAE--both enemies of Shia-dominated Iran. They somehow last year got Trump to try to publicly isolate Qatar, again, an adversary of UAE and Saudi Arabia. Our key 'diplomat' with the Saudis is Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has no experience in diplomacy (and for all we know, communicates with a magic slate). Trump sells the Saudis weapons that they use on Yemen's Houthi population, to the point where Yemen has become one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet. Guess who is considered culpable for supporting the Saudi coalition, and guess what that means in terms of extremist groups and their attitude towards US foreign policy? Pompeo and Bolton are in that extremist fringe that has blamed Iran for everything since the hostage crisis and Khomeni years. Which was the culmination of 25 years of repression by the US and Britain-backed Shah, installed after a CIA/MI5-led coup.
Let's not forget that 15 of the 19 9/11 highjackers were Saudi, and there's not even time to get into MBS (Mohammed Bin Salman or Mr. Bone Saw, your choice).
'New Beginning??' With these clowns? They couldn't even figure out which end of the pig gets the lipstick.
12
When you make people afraid of you, they will find a way to stop you. Secretary of State Pompeo may enjoy the support of autocrats and the military industrial complex but in time all of his works will be washed away as the masses get fed up and take to the streets and halls of government. The Shah of Iran had every bit of US support and plenty of weapons and in the end ordinary Iranians took to the streets and the Shah ran away. What President Obama understood and despite his own clumsiness will prove to be true, human beings will suffer abuse for a while and then finally put a stop to it. Iran is not the evil Pompeo declares and Muslims know it and they do see the US as just another pest interfering in their lives. All this arrogant intervention by foreign powers has happened before and the Islamic community endured and was intact after their tormentors went back home.
9
Secretary of State Pompeo, a true Trump Troll, doesn't instil any confidence in his statements or demeanor, standing behind the podium. He reminds one of a professor who forgot his notes and is winging it before the class. The fact that he is Trump's purveyor of lies and dissembling speaks volumes about his integrity and character. Long live the Trump banana republic.
5
What is it about President Obama that gets under the skin of conservatives in general and this administration in particular. Let be venture a guess--it class---yes, President Obama and his family was just class acts---smart, professional, and empathetic--all the traits missing from this administration. I would add, I understand Sec. Pompeo was first in his class at West Point---proving that test smart doesn't translate well into real world smart.
6
If current Administration foreign policies are not working out, then go to the old playbook and blame predecessors. This Trump leadership on display for allies to continue to criticize.
3
“It is a truth that isn’t often spoken in this part of the world, but I’m a military man by training, so I’ll put it bluntly: America is a force for good in the Middle East. Period.”
This is a contradiction in terms: for how America can be a force for good and does not support human and political rights in the Region? The fact that Obama failed to deliver on his promise does not mean that the promise was wrong, or misplaced. Standing with the autocrats and dictators is a betrayal of its values, and will only sow failed development with all its ugly manifestations of poverty, instability, hatred, and terrorism.
8
So the Pompeo Doctrine is:
1. Ally the US with brutal Middle East dictators -- the more autocratic the better -- because they keep the lid on dissent;
2. Israel is de facto supreme among all Middle East countries;
3. Whatever the governments of (1) and (2) decide regarding Iran is US policy;
4. America is great when it brutalizes all other countries into submission.
Elements of the Pompeo doctrine have been in place since 1945. It is a primary reason why the region is so unstable today.
10
Egypt is a dictatorship that US supports.
It is weird and yet appropriate that a senior Trump administration official give a speech outlining US policy in such a venue.
It is also standard Trump playbook that Obama administration get blamed for current problems in the same speech.
2
I watched the full speech of Mr Pompeo. This was not a speech to the middle east opinion leaderss, the decision makers or "the people" in the middle-east
It was a speech to Mr Trump. As if Mr Pompeo sat in a job interview with the president.
Embarrassing.
8
Wait a minute - I'm confused. Doesn't Pompeo's assertion that the U.S. will take a more activist role in the Middle East contradict tRUMP's "America First -- We Are Not the World's Policeman" rantings? The so-called president has pulled the U.S. out of worthy global alliances (Paris Climate Accord, Trans-Pacific Partnership, etc.), but here's the Secretary of State saying America won't retreat from the Middle East. Does that mean that our rejection of "self-inflicted American shame" will result in tRUMP and Pompeo finally confronting Kushner-pal MBS over the murder of Jamal Khasogghi?
5
Big talk will likely lead to big failure.
3
Another round of the blame game. Obama did this or Bush did that. What's crystal clear to me is there is little in the middle east that is clear. And what the right and best answer for America in that part of the world is clear as mud. And whatever we do, from completely exiting and leaving the lunatics in charge of the asylum, or sending more military support to our "friends", only history will tell us whether we made the right choices. What would be refreshing though is a discussion about who our friends are, who our enemies are, and why.
5
This administration's foreign policy, as near as I am able to understand it as a policy, consists of presidential chest thumping in front of the cameras, accompanied by retreats from every aspect of foreign relations that benefit America and the West while advantaging the Kremlin, and sundry despots.
2
The reason Pompeo is in the Mid-East right now is to clean up the mess Trump has made with his erratic comments.
1
Although Trump always seems to find somebody worse, e.g. Matt Whitaker, when faced with the firings and resignations at the top of his administration, it would be hard to find worse than Mike Pompeo, for incompetence, glibness, and obsequiousness. Pompeo’s mile-wide grin and enthusiastic hand clasping with MBS only days after Jamal Khashoggi’s death will forever remain in my mind as one of the lowest moments of this presidency (so far), although trashing Barack Obama on official US business abroad certainly comes a close second.
As much as I am fervently praying for Donald Trump to be gone from the Oval Office, I also hope it will lead to “ the last days of Pompeo.”
3
I'm puzzled by two lines in particular in the speech:
"Our eagerness to address only Muslims and not nations ignored the rich diversity of the Middle East and frayed old bonds. It undermined the concept of the nation-state, the building block of international stability."
What does this refer to? What does it mean? With the way that Trump administration officials throw the term "nation-state" around like a talisman, I'm apprehensive that they're cooking up something around the ideas behind Israel's recent "nation-state" law. But if anyone knows what these lines of the speech are about, please share. Thank you
1
It is possible that President Obama's Mid-East policy, inherited from Bush's M/E fiasco, could have been more effective. But the ideas presented by the new Bombast in charge of State, clearly identifies him as no more than a waterboy for Trump, Netanyahu and MBS. Maybe Pompeo is intelligent, probably over rated, but clearly doesn't possess the chops for the position. At least Mattis was man enough to stand up to "agent orange".
2
So, now we learn the truth: Promise to get the US out of other countries to win elections, then promise your buddies in Saudi-Arabia and other middle East autocracies that the US has no intention of leaving. Trumpism at its best. Trump is getting us out of our foreign entanglements by getting us even deeper in bed with suppressive regimes, who don't like us and want us to do their dirty work for them.
5
What do we take away from this besides hubris and a desire to pick a fight with Iran?
1
No, socket puppet Pompeo has it wrong. “The age of self-inflicted American shame is over” has just begun. It will take years to repair America's standing in the world.
2
If “the age of self-inflicted American shame is over” is true, shouldn't Trump step down?
1
There are no vital interests in the ME today. We used to require the uninterrupted supply of oil as a vital interest. Now that is not needed and even the Trump Administration is restricting oil from the ME with suctions on Iran. Israel may exist as a "strategic interest, but not a vital interest. Therefore, our policy must be relatively benign.
No doubt the Republican policy in the ME over the last 70 years is an unmitigated disaster in hindsight in every aspect of foreign policy.
Pompeo is just a Trump sycophant that is ignorant of our history.
Obama tried to get us to the benign position, or acting with allies in a helpful way but relying on ME partners to solve their own problems
.
I see they are still blaming Obama. Real classy. If the Trump administration actually has a Middle East policy, nobody seems to know what it is. But no doubt the policy is “great”.
3
RE: “Whenever/wherever U.S. interferes, chaos, repression and resentment follow”
Holy moly. I never thought that I'd agree with a politician from the Islamic Republic from Iran, at least when we interfere MILITARILY.
4
Pompeo and Trump have pledged the US to an endless Crusade own death and destruction. This evil Crusade will further weaken the economy of the United States, letting China and India become the top two economic powers.
3
Pompeo is really off track with the Obama shots. He and the Trump administration have achieved nothing diplomatically, and have actually damaged U.S. Foreign Relations to the degree it could take decades to repair commencing upon this administration's ultimate and inevitable demise.
2
‘Self-inflicted shame’, coming from someone in the Trump administration? In contrast to the Obama administration?
It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.
2
What national purpose is served by this petulance? Pompeo could have made the same points without referencing Obama or any previous Administration. It's petty, counter-productive and embarrassing.
The Trump regime is doing lasting damage all over the world, not just in the policy realm, but in its childish, churlish and infantile public face.
151
I guess Pompeo didn't bother to read the memo every iother Secretary of State tried to observe - partisan politics ends at the border.
6
The bureaucrats ('meant' appreciatively) at the Defense Dep't, the Generals and the troops must be so pleased to be led by an "Acting" (indeed!) Sec Def who, with a military-service free background and naught but the experience gained as a Boeing sales manager and inventory 'specialist,' knows nothing of what to do about anything for which The Pentagon is responsible -- except in respect of 'procurement' and 'built in' cost overruns.
BUT HEY!!! The diplomats @ State get a leader like Pompeo, who didn't give evidence proving the efficacy of The Peter Principle theory until 'elevated' by trump -- whereas so many others in trump's cabinet gave such evidence years and years ago (and trump himself never did a 'job' well enough to ascend that 'first step' w/o which the principle is w/o any necessary 'basis point').
2
What did we learn from all this?” Pompeo said. “When America retreats, chaos follows. When we neglect our friends, resentment builds.
Here is what we should have learned – when the US planned, funded and executed a violent, murderous, coup d’ état of a legitimate, elected government in Iran in 1953 and installed and backed a US puppet ruler for 25+ years, in support of “our friends”, resentment and chaos followed.
Today, America is losing thousands of lives, has spent trillions of borrowed dollars supporting “our friends” and chaos and resentment of the US is deeply embedded, and it continues to grow in the ME and throughout the world!
We must find a way to hold self-interested and self-enriching Elected Politicians, government officials, their staffers and operatives from both parties personally and financially liable, responsible and accountable for the lies and half-truths they have told US, their gross mismanagement of our county, our $22 T and growing national debt (106% of GDP), and our $80 T in future, unfunded liabilities they forced on US jeopardizing our economic and national security, while benefiting themselves, their staffers, their party and special interest donors
4
Just a short while ago, when Trump announced an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from Syria, he said the U.S. shouldn't be the world's policeman. Now, Pompeo has contradicted Trump's pronouncement. Who to believe? The administration has forfeited its credibility.
23
Pompeo looks to be just one of several independent foreign policy amateurs in the administration, each heading in a different direction. This American 'herd of cats' will almost certainly not be helpful in any meaningful strategic sense.
Avoiding lasting harm will be the best outcome possible until professionals can take the reins.
17
In the long run the average Middle Easterner won't be better off with authoritarian governments backed by American troops and weapons (the Pompeo doctrine) Sure, peace is better than conflict. But peace at the point of a gun is not much better than living in a well run prison.
Fundamental reforms are needed throughout the region. Things like religious tolerance, full women's rights, multiculturalism, a vibrant and responsible free press, reasonable trans-border migration, and modern educational systems to rival the West all offer a better return on investment and far more than the illusion of safety until the next terror attack or military conflict. In many ways the Middle East needs a religious reformation and an enlightenment (minus several hundred years of religious warfare).
The US can help provide security, but, to the extent necessary, we should encourage the region to modernize under liberal democratic principles. We shouldn't be reassuring autocrats that we'll always have their backs if they buy our weapons or maybe sneak money into our elections.
My main criticism of Obama is that he didn't intervene more forcefully in Syria to prevent civilian atrocities by the air forces of Assad and Russia. Interestingly, Pompeo was in congress when it failed to back US military force in response to Syrian chemical weapon attacks. But that was during a Democratic administration that most wanted to fail regardless of consequences.
8
I understand that Pompeo is talking to the republican base, but he should have the sense to realize that others are listening. In particular what are foreign governments to make of this? Perhaps that any agreement with the USA is good only until the next election?
22
Lunacy! Harvard should revoke his degree! We need Obama back!
52
@John Mardinly The man that overthrew the government of Libya, the man who ordered our troops into Syria, the man who kept us in Afghanistan? Neocons are in both parties.
2
@John Mardinly He went to West Point as well, even more embarrassing.
1
Do you miss the Arab Spring that much? Obama caused it by stirring a can of worms. I do not miss him at all.
2
What a bunch of losers always "blaming" Obama. You see people like this all your life. They can't take responsibility for anything themselves. Every failure or law breaking comes with a "they did it first" response true or not.
89
@Tom Bush, Obama, Trump: each very different but each campaigned against our senseless wars; each had the unilateral authority to end these wars, but did not/has not.
1
Oh goody gumdrops, we are getting ready for another useless war in Asia -- how nice for the weapons merchants!
24
I'm fairly sure that in the future, having a position that supported the Trump agenda will be an unsupportable stain.
At this time, Pompeo is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame.
It's too bad there is a two term limit for Potus. I think Obama, although initially shackled with an economic meltdown, grew into the position each year, and was only reaching an effective level at the end of his term limit.
What followed is a lesson to America, that being the "vote" actually is what makes America great.
I actually have to thank Trump for waking America up to the value of the vote.
19
I want to thank trump for waking me up.
Pele, possibly the greatest soccer player, in our time, earned world-wide respect, for being the best. At 78 years old, ... well, I'm trying point out that trump will never make America great again because, despite our dents and dings, we have always been great. trump, of course, is failing as a leader and a man of honor. But the great news is that America will survive ...
3
@GP
Honestly, I have to thank Trump too. He and his administration made me rekindle my interest in reading books about public policy, foreign policy, American history, and the Constitution. I’m afraid they are all books Trump has never read.
4
The hubris and arrogance of this Trump Administration never ceases to amaze. Speaking of Shane, this administration’s non-response to the Saudi killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is hands down, the single most shameful American foreign policy position in my lifetime.
41
Someone please remind me why Mr. Pompeo has any credibility at all?
30
I'm surprised, that Pompeo was even received in Cairo. The current dictator seems to be more diplomatic, than his Turkish counterpart. As for a new and improved American role in the Middle East...there is no such thing. The US picked a friend (Israel) and an enemy (Iran). Call it black and white, if you will.
In reality, the world is anything, but.
17
A few observations here:
1. Unfortunately the era of the self afflicting shame for our country started again on January 20 2017 after an 8 year break.
2. We are inserting ourselves in a centuries long religious conflict between different fractions of Islam. The Middle East needs democracy and secularism in order to end this conflict. We are supporting one religious fraction against the other and backing totalitarian autocratic regimes fighting each other. It is like supporting Mussolini to fight Hitler. We need to stand for democracy and civil rights and help those people, civic and religious leaders in the Middle East who support our stand.
3. Where is the strong force for good in the Middle East? Name one? I am not an expert on the region, but can't see one since 2017.
4. I do recommend a two series documentary on Frontline 'Our man in Tehran'. It is very educational about the life and minds of the people of Iran. This should be a must see for all Department of State employees.
5. Military men and foreign policy advisers have to educate themselves on the history, old and recent of the Middle East. Bible thumping is not enough to make you an expert on the region and is not a successful diplomatic approach in resolving conflicts.
26
@ELB it took hundreds of years for christians to stop fighting in europe I assume our country will be totally bankrupt before the wars we're in now are settled or finished.
“Taking a more activist role” = a dog whistle for war. Wait and see.
15
There’s that swagger!
3
Pretty much anything that goes wrong in this administration, and any poorly made act or decision, is eventually blamed on others: President Obama, John Kelly, Paul Manafort, Democrats, Jesus, alien beings from outer space, etc.
There isn’t any shame in telling these lies, and therefore no accountability for poor performance. It’ll be interesting when Donald blames Melania for collusion with the Russians.
21
Graduated 1st at West Point...5 years service...out as a Captain. Why did such a smart guy gain higher rank...at least Major? Oh, and where oh where is Jared and his Middle East strategy document? It must be on T's "reading pile"...of course, he can't read. He's counting on Israel, Saudi and Turkey to bail out their non-strategy with their highly reliable and well-coordinated military forces.
14
Pretty amazing that Republicans still criticize President Obama for his approach to the Middle East, when his 'cardinal sin' was really putting America first, not Netanyahu first.
34
trump continues to surround himself with those whose Obama obsession is the prevailing feature.
10
Trump & Co. can keep trashing Obama and lying about him.
Nobody cares.
It doesn't diminish President Obama's greatness or his stature in the world.
Nor does it intrude on the fact that Barack Obama is beloved by millions. And the longer Trump is president, the greater Obama looks.
You don't know what you've got til it's gone...
45
Such low class. Why not just introduce your new policy without having to denigrate previous administrations. No wonder Trump likes Pompeo. Both low class swamp dwellers. Pompeo makes me wonder about our military academies, considering he was top of his class. Hard to believe.
32
Trump/Pompeo Manifesto:
“Expel every last Iranian boot” from Syria, at the same time "that the small American force of 2,000 troops is scheduled to get out.”
Not only misguided but flat out nonsensical.
16
@Mike Edwards What was, what is, what will be our mission in Syria? ISIS; Iran; Assad; Israel; Russia; Kurds. Them them all duke it out. We have no strategic interests in that sand box.
We now have a schizophrenic foreign-policy run by fourth string hacks. To call it a policy at all is a stretch. It's more like a series of knee jerk responses to stimuli both real and imagined. I long for the days of the Obama presidency and it's methodical approach to foreign-policy decisions. Sure, mistakes were made but Obama was handed a hot mess by the previous incompetent administration and did an admirable job under the most difficult circumstances. Pompeo is way out of line and way out of his league.
18
when you hear terms like assertive leadership that means more phony Wars are coming
8
The CIA and its grip on a US foreign policy, we hitch includes its rogue indulgence in hian rights abuses, is a main reason the US is hated throughout the world. I was no fan of the Obama Administration and its failures in the same area, but for Pompeo who once led the CIA to dismiss Obama is a sadly laughable irony of a pot name calling a kettle.
4
Trump's "strategy" in the ME just happens to coincide with Putin's. Go figure.
14
Let me see... my memory tells me that George W. Bush invaded Iraq which started the cahin reaction in the Middle East. If Pompeo want to blame someone for his incompetence, at least be through in the blaming game.
16
Incredible. Mr. Pompeo's statements are absurd. The hubris in Pompeo's remarks echo the image of the imperialist in Kipling's poem, The White Man's Burden. Pompeo works for a president who who takes Ann Coulter's advice on world events. Why does he even need Pompeo?
15
This is the same Pompeo that could not get himself to condemn Saudi Arabia for killing and dismembering Khashoggi.
Sometimes shame is an appropriate response.
The US has plenty to be ashamed of in the Middle East.
16
man·i·fes·to
/ˌmanəˈfestō/
Noun. A public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate.
Israeli parliamentary election, 9 April 2019
Omani legislative election, 2019
Qatari legislative election, 2019
United Arab Emirates legislative election, 2019
1
Take a more active role in the region?
After surrender to Russia in Syria, are there other plans to surrender to Russia that Trump is working up.
Or perhaps he will surrender again to North Korea somewhere in the middle east. Where are his mapps?
3
Sounds like more of that Trump specialty: a blustery retreat.
3
Nothing works better than an administrative official from the US traveling to the middle east and telling everyone that what the US wants for the middle east is what everyone wants. Steamrollers will be distributed soon…
7
I thought this US administration didn't want the US to be the world's policeman anymore and its military taken advantage of? No where is there a greater likelihood of this than in the middle east.
8
President Obama's Cairo Speech touched off the Arab Spring. These pages cheered what the great orator brought forth and the social media driving the Spring. Turmoil throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Hundreds of thousands have died. A million refugees to Europe. Americas wars spread to Syria and Yemen under Obama.
Trump, Status quo, some cooling off and word that we are out of Syria.
1
Sigh! Will it be possible to re-write history to eliminate all reference to the trump "presidency" - could we all go to a fantasy world where the awfulness of the last two years did not happen? Can we please have a do-over?
6
"Mr. Obama later conceded that his administration had done a poor job of turning the lofty rhetoric of that speech into action..."
Pretty much sums up his 8 years.
2
American arrogance may play as strength in some circles but is more likely to read as overcompensation, insecurity and bluster. Giving up human rights as integral aspect of American foreign policy in favor of cozy alliances with strongmen will only perpetuate the cycle of repression and rebellion which is effective incubator of terrorism. While Obama's policy was perhaps not always forceful in execution, American leadership was still respected during his watch. It is unfortunate he had to deal with the impact of the financial meltdown and the destruction of Arab Spring movements for Democracy. Right wing and authoritarian ideology, emanating from Middle East to Europe, Brazil and Burma, Israel, Russia and China and the Republican Party uses populism to distract us from the socially and environmentally destructive agenda of crony capitalism. command and control.
6
What’s striking is that there is nothing in Pompeo’s speech that Trump agrees with, but Pompeo will not get in trouble with Trump because he was smart enough to make the speech a personal attack on Obama.
12
Americans should not be fooled that Obama actually supported human rights in the Middle East even if he claimed to do so in his rhetoric. Self-interest has always trumped human rights in US foreign policy in the ME. Those slogans about democracy and human rights and America being a force for good mean absolutely nothing to an Arab war.
5
The decision to invade Iraq was a Bush/Cheney decision enabled by the likes of Rumsfeldt, Wolfowitz & Co, the whole sick neo-con crew. Does Trump even understand what Pompeo is proposing?
One thing you can say for the Bush admin, they were systematically wrong and consistently wrong for comprehensibly wrong reasons. With Trump you get chaos, not only in the White House and the capital, not only in the areas of national policy, but on the international stage as well.
Are we going? Are we staying? Are we sort of leaving but not really staying because we're kind of going to be there for a long time but we're pulling out right away?
It's one thing to confuse your enemies. It's another to be more confused by your own actions and reasoning than they are.
8
The Trump "Mideast doctrine" is basically pay for play. Pay him as have Russia, Turkey and Israel (through Sheldon Adelson) and your goals become US policy. No matter that they will cause more serious and long lasting problems than Bush's misguided Iraq adventures. Trump will have retired and be visiting Putin in his condo above the Trump branded Moscow tower. Or so he thinks. Its soon Mueller time!
4
It seems Pompeo has reversed Trump's "Out of Syria now!" demand (or soon! or whenever!), subject to our contingent of 2,000 Special Ops ridding Syria of Iranians. No Kurd general with any brains would go along with that since we would then leave and the Kurds would be at the mercy of Erdogan. Pompeo must have been doing some heavy drinking the night before this announcement.
3
Here is a guy totally upending and reversing his boss' foreign policy - i.e. tweets - and then has the nerve to criticize Obama.
5
Mike Pompeo, John Bolton and Donald Trump have decided to continue the almost century-long abuse of Iran by the USA. Obama tried to divert us from that course, but it’s a lot easier to stay on the old course than to change it. And it’s easier to expect the worst - you’re never disappointed.
We should listen to the opinions of the current administration in that context - always hate Iran and always reject Obama. As I said, it’s easier to expect the worst.
6
Could we please stop blaming President Obama for everything? Given the terrible international relations this president has had with friends and foes alike, I think many of us would like Obama back. Never before has a president referenced his predecessor so negatively and so often while doing so much harm himself.
Enough!
15
Never before has one administration and one President caused so much damage to our country. When the country compares the thoughtfulness and honesty of the Obama administration against the inability of anyone in the Trump administration to put together a thoughtful policy. Rather than build on the good of the last administration and work on the parts that need improvement, the Trump administration's game of blame is just not good for america
14
Pompeo is at a willing disconnect from reality.
The US President abruptly announces that all US troops will be out of Syria, mission accomplished. The Kurds, aghast, almost immediately asked the Syrian government for protection.
A few days later, the US Secy of State gives a speech vowing to "expel every last Iranian boot" from Syria.
The Syrian government indisputably owes its hold on power to valiant efforts by Iran and Russia.
How exactly does the US plan to "expel every last Iranian boots" from Syria, especially when the 2,000 US troops are being removed??
While he's at it, why doesn't he promise to remove Iranians from Iraq?
4
Mike Pompeo is continuing the Trump doctrine of zero-sum gamesmanship on steroids. For anyone to “win”, not only can no one else have anything, but an “opponent” must also be utterly destroyed in the process. The only way to truly destroy Obama’s legacy is to rewrite the history books. Will Trump soon claim that he alone killed Osama bin Laden? Somehow this is not difficult to imagine.
With Obama, one never had to wonder where his loyalties were. Whether one agreed or disagreed with his policies, one had the sense that he was making educated, historically informed decisions that he believed were in the best interest of the U.S. That cannot be said about the current president or his administration.
13
How do Pompeo's statements align with Trump's, who has been saying he wants to end our presence in the Middle East? Seems they are at odds?
1
Does anyone else find Pompeo's assertion that the U.S. is taking a stronger role in the Middle East patently absurd in the face of President's Twitter based policy making of retreat in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere. The complete disconnect of the Secretary of State from the President's actual directives and statements is just one more symptom of the incredible dysfunction within this administration. Are either one of these individuals aware that everything they say or tweet is catalogued, analyzed and inspected by the press, allies, adversaries, etc.? The inconsistency would be comical if it wasn't so damaging to our standing in the world.
14
Should it not go without saying that "US support of authoritarian government in the middle east is precisely why Iran is where they are today? The best, perhaps only, way the US will ever be free of the threat of terrorist attacks is to quit meddling in middle east affairs.
1
I think we've got the scent: a strong presence in the middle east equals kind words for autocrats and radio silence for gross human rights abuses and proxy wars that decimate civilian lives. American values extend mainly to actors who have the cash to buy or weapons. Human rights and democratic norms are now afterthoughts. It's good to know that a man who favors a christian caliphate at home is representing our foreign policy on the world stage.
6
I want to know why second rate Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, is taking shots at a first rate President Obama in front of a foreign audience filled with authoritarian leaders. It seems un-American to me. This speech may have sold well at the Heritage Club, but should not have been recited in Cairo.
24
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo laid out a new manifesto for American action in the Middle East on Thursday, telling a university audience here that "I'm working for a directionless, incurious leader who is only interested in his own self-interest and is easily swayed by whatever comes out of Fox and Friends, so I'm launching plan B - blame the prior incumbent."
2
There are two different parts.
First, Trump and his policies fail to pass the laugh test.
Second, although I am a hard-core Democrat, Obama's approach to the Mid-East was also a complete failure, despite good intentions.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
2
Nobody strengthened Iran's hand or disrupted the Middle East more than George W. Bush.
164
Mr.Pompeo may have forgotten that just before Bush launched Iraq 2, a group of Rebublican business leaders took out a full page ad in [the NYT??], predicting that if we went ahead, the Middle East would become a recruiting ground for terrorists. Indeed it has.
Blaming the last administration for everything is not a policy. And doing so at an event such as this is childish, unprofessional, unproductive, and embarrassing, and only reinforces that we do not have a policy.
A policy, especially one of critical importantance to the future of the world security, is developed through deliberation, while consulting with experts in the field, and with a long-term vision. This administration has none of these.
18
@ DebbieR.
Completely agree. The ONLY winner coming out of the Bush/Cheney Iraq war is Iran.
12
@ad rem Well... US Defense contractors and antiquities smugglers did pretty well
11
Yes, I think Trump's foreign policy in the Middle East is wonderful. Just look at how well he's done with Israel, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran. He's really solved all those problems and gotten things on an even keel.
And Pompeo is right, Obama's policies didn't work out so well in many ways. Wonder why he didn't mention the policies of Bush?
Remind me again, what precisely is the Trump Middle East Policy?
67
@jjs Don't forget the Ukraine.
@jjs You would have to ask "the hidden genius."
1
This is the Trump vision of world leadership. Don’t do anything, or, if you do, undo it shortly thereafter. Instigate uncertainty, fear and chaos. Blame Obama, Democrats, Clinton. Express admiration for dictators. MAGA
169
@Dagwood Who said anyone wants us as a world leader? We invade everything that moves, are the unhealthiest country in the world and are on the verge of bankruptcy. This silly old idea about exceptionalism is over. Pull the troops out. Pull them all out.
2
@Dagwood
I refer you to Machiavelli.
1
I love this part: "We learned that when America retreats, chaos often follows. When we neglect our friends, resentment builds."
How can Pompeo utter this with a straight face?
Obama's policies were criticized but you're going to claim Trump wiped out ISIS in two short years? No, Obama's ME policy, over eight years, as flawed as it was, had SOMETHING to do with it.
The only purpose slamming Obama serves is to assuage the massive petulant ego of DJT. This is the most counter-productive administration in my memory.
224
Bush/Cheney did pretty well in that department. Even better I'd say...so far.
8
@ad rem
Obama authorised far more drone strikes than Bush, eliminated more Taliban leaders, and got the guy Bush never really went after because he was more valuable to them alive than dead. (We can debate whether any of this was good or bad, but the record shows a lot more action by Obama than Bush.)
5
@mercedes
I think the reference to the retreat and chaos was a reference to the 2011 pullout from Iraq, after which ISIS started its rapid rise. The pullout back then, it wasn't the then president's fault, however.
2
The Trump-Pompeo-Bolton foreign policy troika brings me back in time to The Three Stooges. Have these three guys actually met? Do they speak with each other before talking to the world?
Calling Dr. Howard. Calling Dr. Fine.
Dr. Howard?
Dr. Fine?
80
Unfortunately, many, many lives are in the balance.
1
President Obama thoughtfully included several mid eastern countries in his Middle East policy where Trump and the bullies he sides with will make more enemies with his plan. Look at the way Trump stirred up so much fake fear over the Mexicans at our southern border. Bullies like Trump and all his GOP will never have parades given to them after they leave office because they are just mean politicians who only know one way to lead my way or the highway. A true failed doctrine.
21
The speech of Pompeo in Cairo is an absurd muddle of half-truths, ideological slogans and selfaggrandizements. However, the analytical flaws, bloody mistakes and violations of international law in the US Middle East policies actually go back to both Democrats and Republicans. Obama at least tried to do better.
43
@C.O. Pompeo
Has the nerve to criticize Obama after the last administration left him chaos and mess!
8
One of the least qualified Secretaries of State that we’ve ever had. What does a Tea Party hack minted by the Koch Brothers know about international diplomacy? Dudes like this should be busy bankrupting mega-churches not representing our country abroad.
262
@Dudesworth
Well said.
6
"When America retreats chaos follows." What a crock of baloney!!!! When America invades and puts puppets (The Shah of Iran, Saddam Hussein to name two) in place that's when chaos follows. Has Pompeo ever studied the history of this region and the damage the US has done to it?????
123
So Mike Pompeo has been Secretary of State since April 2018 and he still hasn't figured out who the patsy is?
Actually I think he has figured it out but is just parroting his boss. The stable genius.
34
The constant juxtaposition against President Obama's 8-yr term, is a constant reminder that trump hates President Obama and hates that President Obama is STILL loved and highly regarded, even during trump's residency.
History has documented that presidents of both parties lied to us about Vietnam.
History has documented that the Bush W administration lied to us about Iraq, Saddam Hussein, the Taliban and ISIS.
History has documented that Bush W et. al. often embarked on actions against direct opposite recommendations from boots on the ground officials with far more knowledge than they.
Obama sought to find a political solutions to growing nuclear threats and violent wars that created violent terrorist groups and millions - millions of refugees. President Obama sought to find ways to end wars, bring opposition parties to a table, and if/when successful, bring our troops home.
trump and pompeo seek none of these things. The only arrows in their quiver are the ones they keep shooting at President Obama.
The end game is to discredit President Obama: the real war that trump is fighting.
138
@LivingWithInterest - agree. It's so obvious that this admin is highly insecure about their own power and decisions. People who have confidence in their decisions, vetted through truthful analysis, don't need to blame anyone. They observe and offer productive, realistic solutions.
20
@LivingWithInterest ~
Well, Trump has to follow the leadership of Rush and Hannity and such ... who all despise President Obama and Democrats and liberals and most of the GOP who aren't Trump lemmings.
15
@YReader
But the lack of simple, common decency and maturity is what continues to astonish me. I want to ask, who were these people's parents?
8
I'm beginning to see the outline of the Trump foreign policy:
Trump makes an idiotic, impulsive announcement via a 140-character medium.
Trump's foreign policy experts in Security, Defense and State issue statements that run counter to Trump's announcement, and are either fired or not, depending on Trump's mood or timely analysis he sees on Fox, or both.
Foreign policy experts give sentimental speeches to an audience of dictators while taking potshots at previous U.S. foreign policies.
I'm getting the drift...
18
What do countries in the Middle East and other regions think about the Trump Administration in light of the Syria mess? If they are reasonable, they think that it is unreliable, ignorant and self-absorbed; and, consequently, they distance themselves from it quietly, to avoid unpleasantness and reduce the chances of tantrums and Tweet-storms.
6
Constraining the 1st Amendment in order to permit a foreign nation to pursue illegal actions against an occupied country... is a gross violation of the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of US Citizens.
Making it a crime to boycott Israel is an obscenity.
14
@macdray
"...permit a foreign nation to pursue illegal actions against an occupied country... "
There was never a country by the name "Palestine".
We should invent the future. Not the past.
1
Whom does Pompeo "speak for"? Obviously, not his Boss. But then again it's only Thursday, and our Fake President could have a 180 degree change of crucial foreign policy in accordance with what his "gut"" directs him to do in the next minute, hour, day, week, etc. The imbeciles are running the asylum. Pray, and often, for America.
28
I keep wondering whether those who shill for Trump -- the most ignorant and unprincipled president in our history -- can go any lower. Making a partisan attack on a former president while on foreign soil is a shameful spectacle. Pompeo, like his boss, degrades his office and the country..
175
Okay, so President Obama's polices were 'misguided'?
This from a hack who praises trump as a 'stable genius'??
Pompeo, for the love of God, hush.
68
Pompeo is spouting Donald Trump' s ignorance and lies. Trump does not understand the numbers or he is ignoring them, but he is being disgustingly bad when he speaks of our past relations with a world power, yes, a power greater than the US, Russia, and China combined.
The truth is in the numbers. The conflict is between two Muslim factions that together account for one fifth of the world's population,
It is a fight between the Sunni's and Shia Muslims. The Sunni's outnumber the Shia by 4:1 and they have a billion man recruitment base. President Obama always used the term ISIL (Iraq, Syria, and the Levant). He had a purpose for saying that. During its time the Levant covered half the globe. The Shia were not part of the Levant and were confined to Iran. Israel was a part of the Levant and the Jews got along with the Sunni's for hundreds of years.
If you study the principles in the conflict they are either Sunni or Shia. backers. Assad is a Shia, The Syrian Kurds are Shia. Both are soon to go.
3
American leadership? Wikipedia has it that after USA / Russia, Middle East countries are 5 of 8 of the top oil producers in the world. Who’s leading whom, Pompeo? Can’t wait til this charlatan diplomat’s boots are expelled from DC.
6
The Obama Administration HAD a Middle East strategy? Nice to know.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
3
Does Stephen Miller write all the administration's speeches?
30
If the best the Trump administration can do is cast aspersion on Mr Obama, they are showing their true colors especially this pompous barely a human being. Anyone who supports Trump is already tainted with his incredible political stink..
14
Pompous Pompeo. I like the ring of that.
1
@Franklin
I agree completely. Almost all of what Trump does is distraction from his incompetence, racism, ignorance and Russian involvement (aka TREASON). It will continue as long as The Dotard has any voice, along with all the other prisoners who are innocent.
1
A defender of the murdering MBS takes potshots at anyone else’s policies? That’s rich.
84
The US has only cared about one thing in the Middle East: OIL
8
Pompeo reprimanding someone about "misjudgments" is a tragicomedy.
This jerk condoned torture, hates the U.N., grovels at the feet of Trump, and only recently on Twitter made Trumpian remarks about the way the NY judge looks - making fun of her weight - because he didn't like the final judgment re Trump University.
This administration is a national disgrace.
55
@Jbugko: I think you could bump it up to International disgrace at this point.
1
Just what Israel told him to say.....
Stop funding Israel and watch the entire mid east picture change!
11
@Kevin Bitz
I can't agree completely but what Trump is doing a creating a totally untenable situation in Israel along with Netanyahu, a crisis that will eventually force us into a nuclear conflict with Iran and most of the Arab world. Israel will be destroyed, Pence will have his salvation and Putin will smile as he dictates terms to what is left of the United States.
2
Mr. Pompeo meet Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump this is Mr. Pompeo.
Wow.
Total disconnect.
Are these two guys from the same country?
You won't run into either of them at your next Mensa Meeting.
Calling Dr. Howard.
Calling Dr. Fine!
Dr. Howard?
Dr. Fine?
5
hhahahahaaaa These clowns in the White House crack me up.
Does anyone know what the other is doing?
Pompeo best talk to his boss first whilst we still have troops surrounding Iran.
What a circus.
11
Please someone correct me if I am mistaken but I do not recall administration officals or cabinet secretaries in the Obama administration sniping at GWB two years into Obamas first term, although there was a profusion of material they could have taken him to task for. Republicans are simply vulgar and lacking common courtesy or decency. Such trash.
92
If ever there was an incompetent who deserved pot shots for that very incompetence, it's Mike Pompeo. The Trump team (if you can call them that) will go down in history as the worst group of people to ever "not" serve the American people. I hope Mr. Pompeo is relentlessly pursued by Congress after all the corruption and his failed tenure comes to light.
62
Why not pursue Pompeo now? Dems in the House, who took the majority in large part because of promises of oversight and accountability, should start bringing him and almost every other Cabinet secretary in for committee hearings on a regular basis to account for their incompetence and misbehavior.
2
It seems to me that it would be in our countries best interest to reach some kind of raproachment with Iran. Iran has an aspirational middle class and a kind of theocratic democracy.
The Iranians, not the mullahs and the Republican guard, are more like us than the Saudi’s.
34
Not true. Somebody read to Pompeo the speech Condi gave in Cairo in 2005:
We should all look to a future when every government respects the will of its citizens -- because the ideal of democracy is universal. For 60 years, my country, the United States, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region here in the Middle East -- and we achieved neither. Now, we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people.
As President Bush said in his Second Inaugural Address: "America will not impose our style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, to attain their own freedom, and to make their own way."
"We know these advances will not come easily, or all at once. We know that different societies will find forms of democracy that work for them. When we talk about democracy, though, we are referring to governments that protect certain basic rights for all their citizens -- among these, the right to speak freely. The right to associate. The right to worship as you wish. The freedom to educate your children -- boys and girls. And freedom from the midnight knock of the secret police."
https://2001-http./2009.state.gov/secretary/rm/2005/48328.htm
Good try at blaming Obama for the failed revolution in Egypt.
15
Our current American leaders are practicing politics without using facts or smarts or even expert advisors. Kansas did not prepare Pompeo for international geopolitics. This will not turn out well for America. Just sayin...
19
You can get whiplash from this Administration
Trump says the USA won’t be the world’s police, he ran on that. And just last month said he was delivering on his campaign promise getting our troops out of Syria.
Pompeo proclaims “the United States would take a far more activist role in the region”.
What a mess. You might had disagreed with Obama’s policies (I didn’t) but at least you knew what those policies were.
8
The members of this administration constantly contradict one another.
5
"Pompeo Calls Obama’s Mideast Policy Misguided"
At least he had a policy...
11
@JDB Trump has a very sound and effective Policy for the Middle East, it is based on milking the Saudis and the Emiraties to improve Trump Enterprises's cash flow.
1
Wow, Mike Pompeo says he's a military man and understands the Middle East. Wasn't George W Bush a "military" man as was Dick Cheney? How did that work out for the Middle East with the Iraq war with hundreds of thousands dead, thousands of American soldiers killed or wounded, and trillions in cost.
16
Yes in return for a two billion dollar payout to Jared the foreign policy of the United States was delivered to the murderous dictator MSB. Trump has created chaos in our foreign relations as it is his erratic nature coupled with his ignorance of international relations and history . Trump appears to be under the thumb of Putin and wishes to rule as he does a corrupt dictator. Under TRump's policy considering the free press as the enemy of the people signals to the world's dictators to feel free in murdering journalists they don't like, could that happen here , yes.
8
Criticizing an American president in foreign land by a current Secretary of State. Are we all our decency? Make America Decent Again.
18
Pompeo is spouting Donald Trump' s ignorance and lies. Trump does not understand the numbers or he is ignoring them, but he is being disgustingly bad when he speaks of our past relations with a world power, yes, a power greater than the US, Russia, and China combined.
The truth is in the numbers. The conflict is between two Muslim factions that together account for one fifth of the world's population,
It is a fight between the Sunni's and Shia Muslims. The Sunni's outnumber the Shia by 4:1 and they have a billion man recruitment base. President Obama always used the term ISIL (Iraq, Syria, and the Levant). He had a purpose for saying that. During its time the Levant covered half the globe. The Shia were not part of the Levant and were confined to Iran. Israel was a part of the Levant and the Jews got along with the Sunni's for hundreds of years.
If you study the principles in the conflict they are either Sunni or Shia. backers. Assad is a Shia, The Southern Syrian Kurds are Shia. Both are soon to go.
2
Pompeo must be another word for pompous. His vision appears to have no connection with what Trump says on any given day. Obama's middle east policy was not perfect, but far better than Pompeo/Trump's policies. For one thing, Obama did not put so much faith in Saudi Arabia as a primary ally--a medieval style kingdom that sponsors ultra conservative islamic schools throughout the world. Obama was also more even handed with the Israelis.
9
There are two options available to the United States when it comes to devising a Middle East Police:
1. Supporting the Despots & forgetting the people
2. Supporting the People and forcing the Despots to accept the will of the People.
Of the two options, (1) is by far the easiest. You empower the Despots to suppress any aspiration by their People for a Democratic and Just system of government and plunder the States wealth, whatever it may be, and fall in line with the US. The second option is difficult and messy. It requires superior understanding of the local peoples, their histories and cultures, and an expertise in Diplomavy, non of which can or may be expected from Mr. Trump and his State Department. Needless to say that Option (1) will inevitably lead to uprisings and revolutions that will topple the Despots and replace it with an Islamist Regime a la Iran. And that is when the fun begins. Of course, by then neither Mr. Trump nor Mr Pompeo will be of any relevance but an old proverb says that: "an idiot can throw a stone into a deep well such that a 100 wise men can not retrieve it"
5
Pompeo is spouting Donald Trump' s ignorance and lies. Trump does not understand the numbers or he is ignoring them, but he is being disgustingly bad when he speaks of our past relations with a world power, yes, a power greater than the US, Russia, and China combined.
The truth is in the numbers. The conflict is between two Muslim factions that together account for one fifth of the world's population,
It is a fight between the Sunni's and Shia Muslims. The Sunni's outnumber the Shia by 4:1 and they have a billion man recruitment base. President Obama always used the term ISIL (Iraq, Syria, and the Levant). He had a purpose for saying that. During its time the Levant covered half the globe. The Shia were not part of the Levant and were confined to Iran. Israel was a part of the Levant and the Jews got along with the Sunni's for hundreds of years.
If you study the principles in the conflict they are either Sunni or Shia. backers. Assad is a Shia, The Southern Syrian Kurds are Shia. Both are soon to go.
Reportflag
1
Not saying much. US "policy" in the middle east has been "misguided" for about 70 years...
2
America is a force for good in the Middle East, period? Did Pompeo sleep through the Iraq invasion and its bloody fallout?
8
First, why after two years of undoing everything must this Administration discuss Obama? Still in need of a foil?
Second, to some degree this statement reeks of a rationalization as to why we support MBS.
Secretary of State Pompeo, SAD!
17
Pompeo says "the age of self-inflicted American shame is over."
OMG, what did I miss? Did Trump resign?
86
Former President Obama deserves to be on the Supreme Court.
Pompeo, who condoned torture a/k/a "enhanced interrogation techniques" and is a two-faced lying coward, when confronted by the people he's insulted (e.g., Senator Feinstein) is a pathetic, morally bankrupt failure.
10
It really seems ridiculous that trump's most incompetent, chaotic and unstable administration, in history, should criticize a two-term, scandal free and successful Presidency like Barack Obama. Of course when you are constantly failing at most of what you do, you blame someone else. That is what trump always does. The buck has never stopped at trump unless it has ended up in his pocket.
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@Rich -
"Scandal free and successful Presidency like Barack Obama" ? Now that is a parallel universe and the exact opposite way I would describe it.
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@brian nelson
Please compile a list of scandals perpetuated by the Obama administration and its inability to turn around the economy. I'll be waiting
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@brian nelson. Name a scandal. Then I will cite all the public statements by republicans whose sworn goal in public service was to make Obama's presidency a failure. Then I'll cite a legislative record achieved despite that.
Go ahead, I'll wait.
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Pompeo’s right, we’ll now exert more influence in the Middle East -- and the world -- in absentia.
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So we assert American leadership the week after we announce we are abandoning our allies in Syria and Afghanistan? Good luck with that.
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If you want to talk about misguided policies in the Middle East, you can plainly lay that one at the GOP's door. Anyone remember the Iraq War, which was based on false premises, unleashing even more Islamic fundamentalism and upsetting the balance of power that led Iran to becoming more of a threat? But count on politicians and a willfully uninformed populace to forget that, along with how the 2008 Recession was a result of GOP policies and Obama's policies helped forestall what some predicted would be a Depression or, at the very least, a 10-year recession. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
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When I read an article like this. where a senior state official points to a previous Administration and admonishes them for actions and policies, it tells me this. They're running scared and are fully aware of the weaknesses and failings of the strategies they themselves initiated.
Withdrawal from Syria is a classic example of an ad hoc action to satisfy the Presidents fragile ego. And one that placed in harms way our Kurd allies.
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The problems that America confronts in the Middle East today all stem from Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld misguided war in Iraq and its totally predictable outcome. The regional instability that has ensued, as well as the understandable though toxic reluctance resident in US policy in its aftermath, have all lead to the untenable position we are in now. Iraq has left a stain on perceptions of the US's intentions, motivations and reputation, one that will take a generation or more to relieve or remove. Trump, Pompeo and Bolton seem to be working to make that stain indelible. Like it or not, it's not an area of the world we can afford to abdicate or ignore. Syria and the exodus it generated toward Europe is stark evidence of that.
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@John Figliozzi Never forget it was the US that openly encouraged Iraq's war with Iran. Back in the 80's under Reagan. A war that empowered both countries and eventually lead to an Iraq being stiffed by the US attacking Kuwait, the rest is the history of the lady 40 years. Our Middle East troubles have always reeked of Republican incompetence and now they still do.
So the lying and misrepresentation doesn't only reside with Trump. Pompeo may just be the worst Secretary of State this country has ever seen -- and that's saying a lot.
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Somebody is talking complete nonsense. Maybe everybody.
Even if Trump would let him try, nothing Pompeo could propose could possibly fulfill those wild promises. So that's nonsense.
Bolton is nonsense. The guy backs MEK, and took money from them. A loon.
Trump? Either its stopped clock time, or a clean sweep for nonsense.
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@Mark Thomason Speaking of nonsense, what does this statement by Pompeo mean: “the age of self-inflicted American shame is over”?
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An 'era of self-inflicted shame is over.' I think a lot of people in Kansas were saying that after Pompeo left his Congressional seat in Kansas. Not just because of Pompeo, but because of the governance trainwreck he so aptly represented.
And now we have a lack of civility at the head of the State Department. One can only assume Pompeo's narrow ideology prevents him from even understanding the complexities of Middle East geopolitics. But he knows how to throw down a crude insult his boss will retweet.
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But he’s a good Christian.
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Pompeo is an ignorant and small uniformed man working for a boss who abhors intelligence and factual information. However, this policy speech won't be contradicted by the boss as we often have seen. Trumps only angst here will be that he didn't give the speech and have the occasion to slam Obama himself.
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@Jon
It’s opposite of what Trump has said.
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@Jon Pompeo is the perfect man for the job during the Trump Administration. Notice the adults in the room have all been replaced by Pompeo clones. Trump's chaos problem solved, slavish adoration was the answer. We should have realized this is what Trump wanted from watching his rallies.
Obama’s policies in the Middle East were mixed. He was correct about Iran (we’re safer with the nuclear deal) and Israeli settlements (they are illegal and represent the quashing of Palestinian rights). He was Bushian regarding Libya (no plan for aftermath) and wrong about supporting the Saudis in Yemen (for many now obvious reasons).
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@Tim
Agreed. But at least you knew what the policies were. Who knows Trump policies: Go - Stay / Draw down troops - Add more troops / Friends, we’ll support you - We’re leaving, you’re on your own.
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@Tim
True. Except he gave more money and weapons to Israel than any of his predecessors and thus indirectly extended the occupation and continued theft of Palestinian land with your and my money.
Also the net result of his Cairo speech although one of this best, resulted in the chaos of Syria and ISIS and Libya.
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@banzai Obama's speech resulted in the "chaos of Syria and ISIS and Libya"? I remember that speech, and I must have severely underestimated it's power. And he wasn't even president. Wow.
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When we think about how awful Trump is, let's not forget how awful Pompeo is. Asking other countries to rally behind us against Iran just weeks after Trump appeared to abandon the Kurds, our best allies who died fighting ISIS. Why should anyone expect him to care about human rights, when our government is backing Saudi Arabia who didn't just murder an American resident and journalist, they cut his body up into little pieces, and that same country is going to starve multitudes in Yemen. The Trump administration doesn't vary from bad to worse, with the recent departures of a few decent ones. It is uniformly, unimaginably horrendous. It is hard to see a future where any democratic country that cares about decency respects us or is willing to follow out lead.
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And he and his congressional supporters are responsible and WE chose them.
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@Jerry S a minority of us chose them. The Senate in particular is highly undemocratic.
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Pompeo going overseas and delivering withering criticism of the former American president is shabby at best. But, shabby is really the best the trump crowd can do.
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So well put!!!
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@MJfromCA
I suppose when you are arrogant enough to assume you will never be off the stage in terms of power and legacy you don't need to worry about how shabby you are.
This is all very, very dangerous.
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@MJfromCA
Anti-diplomacy characterizing the State Dept. We're not in Kansas anymore, are we Mike?
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Being a proud member of the Trump administration reduces anything Pompeo says to much to do about nothing.
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It's hard to disagree that Obama's Middle East policy was at best misguided, and at worst catastrophic.
From Libya and Egypt to Yemen and the massive debacle in Syria, Obama's policies didn't work.
The problem with Pompeo's announcement is the problem that hounds all of the current administration: what are the chances Trump announces tomorrow something that completely contradicts his Secretary of State's comments today? HIGHLY LIKELY.
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Please stop believing that America has much say of how things go down in the Middle East.
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@BrainThink The US is the largest arms supplier in the Middle East, contributes more FDI to the region than any other nation, and has historic ties to the main regional powers, Israel and Saudi Arabia, that date back over 70 years.
So, YES, the US does indeed have a major say in what happens in the Middle East.
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@JOHNNY CANUCK
Really?
That seems another one of these poorly informed and misguided reactions Americans are so famous for.
It is either “Kick them out, Overturn their regime, Threaten them and threaten all countries that treat them like another sovereign country over which we have nothing to say, Find some local dictators of which there are many in that region starting with Saudi Arabia and have them start a war for us with our help, which they have been and still are doing, Or bomb them until they are fully obliterated”.
These are America’s Republicans and right wing extremist favorite and only tactics and Pompous Pompeo is just doing that again and again, thereby playing the dictator role himself as well.
Of course President Obama did NOT use that empty loudmouth rhetoric, instead he talked to them, negotiate with them, that is what real politicians are suppose to do, not warmongering as what has happened non-stop since the end of world war II.
And of course you and many of your friends with the same uninformed mindset disagree with him.
The main reason that the Middle East has beenseemingly endless at war, is America’s emporial greed of wanting for themselves what is in the grounds of many sovereign nations there.
America, their own corporate dictators, have never shown any respect for any of these middle eastern countries when it comes to the richness of the Middle East. America’s motto has been and still
is ‘All riches belong or have to be shared with America’
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It's about time that someone stated the truth about countering Iran's terror empire in the Middle East, instead of dreams of utopian brother/sisterhood.
Why did it take a personality-disordered buffoon in the White House before someone would state the truth?
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@Michael
Many Middle East countries aspire to their own terror networks, none of which stabiilizes anything. The US supports some and not others. We are not on the moral high ground.
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President Obama’s plan was working and is still working!!!!!
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@Michael
And what is this truth you speak of, omniscient one?
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