Photograph Source: The White House – Public Domain

In 1947, the U.S. Congress passed the National Security Act, which created the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Central Intelligence Agency.  These institutions were often misused during the worst days of the Cold War and, more recently, in the Global War on Terror.  Nevertheless, there are historical records on the decision making that took place, and there were successes in such fields as arms control and disarmament as well as the building of national security alliances in Europe and Asia.

The Trump administration has essentially neutered these agencies and created something far worse—the appointment of unqualified individuals with loyalty to Trump and not to the national security interests of the country.  These misfits have influential power in decision-making, and and they have consistently made poor, and even illegal, decisions.

A perfect example of the failure of decision-making is U.S. actions in the Middle East, particularly the war against Iran and going to war aligned with Israeli forces.  In doing so, the Trump administration bypassed the........

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