But do not underestimate the power of war in the hands of a good demagogue. IMO one possible motivation for some of the head scratching foreign policy moves is that war is exactly what Bannon is after. If you are a hard core nationalist and you're looking to close ranks around you in a mob mentality kind of way, then war is one of your best options (of course it takes a complete disregard for the value of life, which I hope will not turn out to be true). Another possibility will be a terrorist attack - chances are we will have one at some point over the next few years, and that should turn the propaganda machine up to full tilt. Those are the types of things that will provide the best opportunity for Trump's autocratic tendencies to gain popular support, and to potentially push the Constitutional envelope.

During the transition period a spokesman for the Trump PAC reportedly cited Japanese Internment camps as a "precedent", like in Common Law, for notions like a Muslim registry. That was something - maybe the greatest source of national shame this side of slavery, and a member of a pres-elect team cited it like its a good idea.

Because I think the Bannon Administration might think things like that are a good idea. And I would not underestimate his abilities - for a demagogue extraordinaire, war can be a good thing.



[Post edited by hoolstoptheheels at 02/04/2017 10:57AM]