[Default] Paul Szypula <privatemail@protonmail.com> typed:
https://www.usatoday.com
Lie site not read
Paul Szypula wrote:could
How do Trump's extraordinary betrayals stand up against history? He
be the worst.understand his
Putting Trump in context is the best way to highlight and
betrayals. History is the highest court, and its verdict can't beappealed.
David Rothkopfa
Opinion columnist
It is not a small thing to call the president of the United States
traitor. But it is an even greater offense to fail to call him oneif he
has betrayed his country as often and as egregiously as DonaldTrump has
done.clear in
As the depth of Trumps active collaboration with Russia became
2016 and 2017, as he was revealed to be surrounded by men who wereof his
compromised by their ties to Russia, as he orchestrated a cover-up
wrongdoing, fired and impeded those who would investigate it andserially
rewarded Russia for its efforts on his behalf, it was not uncommonto hear
critics apply strong labels to what the president had done. Trumphimself
has applied the word "treason" almost casually to hispolitical enemies.
But treason is very narrowly defined by the Constitution. ArticleIII
specifies, Treason against the United States, shall consist only inthem aid
levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving
and comfort. While it is undoubtedly true that Trump has adhered toa
foreign adversary, Russia, and has given it much aid and comfort,the
courts have determined that an enemy can only be a country againstwhich we
have declared war. That is an antiquated idea in a time duringwhich
undeclared wars are far more common and cyber conflict, forexample, may be
an almost permanent feature of an international relationship. Butit is
binding.betrays
Trump has repeatedly betrayed US
That said, the dictionary definition of a traitor is a person who
a friend, country or principle. There is no doubt that Trump hasbetrayed
the country time and time again. It is a matter of public recordthat he
encouraged our Russian adversaries to become involved in the 2016election.
When the intelligence community provided evidence of the threatposed by
Russia, we saw Trump dismiss it, ignore it, fail in his duty topreserve,
protect and defend.celebrate the
We have seen him use the power of his office to reward and
Russians and to condemn Americans in the CIA and the FBI andelsewhere who
would seek to impede the Russian attacks on our democracy. We havewatched
him undermine the rule of law in the United States and alter U.S.policy in
ways that empowered the Russians and, specifically, enabled them toand sow
interfere yet again in our elections.
Relentless adversary:Russia never stopped trying to sway elections
mistrust. Best thing to do is vote.And since
The Russia betrayal is the original sin of the Trump presidency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin helped Trump win office, not aweek has
gone by that we have not been confronted by its consequencesattacks on
our allies, classified information handed over in the Oval Office,hacks
put atop the intelligence community to suppress warnings aboutRussia,
messages from the president validating Putin propaganda over thefindings
of U.S. national security professionals, embracing Russianpositions on
issues like Ukraine, giving Russia a free hand in Syria, pullingout of the
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in a way to give Russiamore
freedom to develop its defenses.close
Investigations into this betrayal have been quashed. But the facts
ties between Trump and his team with Russians and (in the case ofpeople
like Paul Manafort and Rudy Giuliani) direct interaction with knownRussian
intelligence operatives have been established.Arnold to
Cover of 'Traitor: A History of American Betrayal From Benedict
Donald Trump,' by David Rothkopf, published Oct. 27, 2020.despots who
There have been other betrayals, of course: Rewarding foreign
might benefit Trump businesses. Every corrupt act of placingself-interest
ahead of the national interest. Seeking to pressure Ukrainians intohelping
defeat a potential political adversary, the act that led to Trumpsand
impeachment. Placing personal political fortunes ahead of the lives
well-being of hundreds of thousands of Americans, now victims ofthe COVID-
19 catastrophe.a
Trump has betrayed the country again and again. And there has been
massive effort by him and his political allies to quash this truth,to
cloud perceptions with disinformation, to claim critical elementsof it
were a hoax. To defend the country, to ensure the survival of ourdemocracy
and to ultimately undo the damage Trump and Putin and theirenablers and
cronies have done, it was essential that the facts be brought tolight.
But how could that be done in a way that would stand up to scrutinyand
stand out amidst the daily outrages of the Trump presidency? As ahistory
historian and a student of the presidency and of power, I know that
is the highest court, that its jurisdiction knows no boundaries andthat
its final verdict cannot be appealed. Further, I understood that itwas
essential not to allow Trumps serial betrayals to become somehowpolitical
normalized or devalued in the acid back and forth of our daily
debate.and the
Trump in historical context
The best way to convey the extraordinary nature of Trumps abuses
damage he has done is to let the facts speak for themselves againstthe
backdrop of history. It is essential to objectively ask, how do hisacts
compare with those who have come before him? Where does he standalongside
Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, Jefferson Davis, John Brown, theRosenbergs,
Aldrich Ames, Robert Hanssen?before he
Each of their stories is different (Brown, convicted and hanged for
treason, was a mistreated hero; Arnold was an American war hero
became our most notorious traitor). But by placing Trump amongthem, as I
have done in my new book, Traitor: A History of American Betrayalfrom
Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump, we can see what he has done incontext,
dispassionately, set apart from the spin and the apologists.America and
Retired Marine generals:Trump's dangerous isolationism weakens
strengthens our adversariesreelect
The 2020 election presents us with an existential choice. If we
this wannabe authoritarian, this puppet of foreign autocrats, heand they
will be not just validated but empowered. Whatever Trumpsmotivation, we
have seen him remake our judiciary and undermine our system ofjustice. He
has degraded America on the global stage and profoundly weakenedus.
All that is the price of his betrayals to date. Should he be givenfour
more years to carry them forward, our democracy might neverrecover. We
must see him for the traitor he is and see that because of the highoffice
he held and his complete absence of character or care for thecountry, he
may well be the worst of all those who have betrayed America in thepast.
out-even-next-to-benedict-arnold-column/6040603002/
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