John Bolton A Great Addition to Team Trump
Ambassador John Bolton will be a welcome addition to Team Trump and the White House as US National Security Adviser.
First, John Bolton is a Yale-trained lawyer with a mind like a 'steel trap,' forty-years-experience serving several US Republican Presidents, and a 'conservative hawk.' There is nothing 'slow pitch' about John Bolton. He has served as US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and UN Ambassador among many other posts. Bolton knows Washington, DC, like the back of his hand, can navigate the US national security community and apparatus like few others, and has very well defined and known policy views on both national security and other public policy matters. Ambassador Bolton is tough, ruthless, and not afraid to express his opinions no matter how unpopular on any issue, meaning any ambiguity in US national security and foreign policy are about to end. Friend and Foes alike will be able gauge with great certainty exactly what and how John Bolton will advise President Trump.
Second, it is fair to say that Ambassador Bolton is distrustful of diplomacy, endless arms control negotiations, and supremely confident in American military and economic power to achieve US national security and foreign policy objectives. Bolton is a strong believer in 'Hard Power' and use of force to achieve US objectives. He favored regime change in Iraq and Libya and has never back away from his past positions on both as others have done. Ambassador Bolton fully supports regime change in Iran and North Korea and believes that force could be used against both to the end and render safe their nuclear programs. Bolton supports preemptive military action and preventative war options and can forcefully articulate both. He is very distrustful of both China and Russia and makes no bones about his views, and something that may bring him into conflict with President Trump. Bolton's ant-Russian and Putin views will likely help straighten the spines of others around the President to resist Trump's go soft approach with Vladimir Putin.
At the end of the day, the presence of John Bolton in Trump's inner circle will strengthen US national security, deterrence, and the credibility of American military power and North Korea, Iran, Russia and China beware.
