With Bannon Gone, Trump Loses Key Anti-War Aide
White House chief strategist Steve Bannon was weary of further American military involvement, and with his departure, President Donald Trump looks to be the only dove left in the West Wing.
Bannon supported Blackwater founder Erik Prince’s plan to use military contractors in the war in Afghanistan and was against National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster’s plan to deploy tens of thousands of more troops to the Afghan conflict, according to a source with knowledge of the deliberations.
While saying he would “bomb the s**t” out of ISIS, Trump ran on a largely non-interventionist campaign. He attacked President Bush for invading Iraq and cautioned against toppling the Assad regime in Syria.
His White House, however, is not populated with like-minded thinkers. Even the most Trump-like senior adviser left, Stephen Miller, was a strong supporter of the Iraq War and primarily focuses on domestic policy issues.
Trump does have the habit of speaking to outside advisers on the phone and calls with Bannon and Roger Stone might be the only times Trump hears war-weary voices.
posted by Satish Sharma at
10:26
