It’s no secret that national security policy isn’t Donald Trump’s strong suit. But his lack of basic knowledge during a town hall with veterans on Tuesday was startling. It was classic Trump: despite a friendly moderator, softball questions and an adoring crowd the Republican nominee bungled a national security Q&A Tuesday, just one day before a primetime special on some of the same topics.
After supporter and retired general Mike Flynn asked carefully crafted questions, Trump delivered incoherent answers, non-sequiturs and straight-up untruths as he tried to explain what he would do as commander-in-chief if elected. Trump’s biggest advantage has been rhetoric: big promises—even unrealistic ones—without any specifics or any reasonable ways to accomplish them...
Trump also fired up the crowd with pure fiction and lies. He furthered the misconception that illegal immigrants—who are not eligible for welfare, food stamps and most other forms of public assistance—are being treated better than veterans are; and he also made the dizzying claim that ISIS is better equipped than American troops. At other times, Trump answered questions with total nonsense.
The Republican nominee, near the beginning of his remarks, was asked by Flynn about the health treatment that female veterans receive. Puzzlingly, Trump responded, “We are going to do procedures that they’ve never done.” These are words, but they don’t have meaning.
And then came a rambling, explanation of the Iran-Iraq war, which has to be read to be believed: “They’d fight fight fight. And then Saddam Hussein would do the gas,” he said at one point.
Tuesday’s discussion proved what Trump has amply demonstrated in previous national security speeches—that he’s in way over his head.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...-and-lies-his-way-through-vets-town-hall.html
After supporter and retired general Mike Flynn asked carefully crafted questions, Trump delivered incoherent answers, non-sequiturs and straight-up untruths as he tried to explain what he would do as commander-in-chief if elected. Trump’s biggest advantage has been rhetoric: big promises—even unrealistic ones—without any specifics or any reasonable ways to accomplish them...
Trump also fired up the crowd with pure fiction and lies. He furthered the misconception that illegal immigrants—who are not eligible for welfare, food stamps and most other forms of public assistance—are being treated better than veterans are; and he also made the dizzying claim that ISIS is better equipped than American troops. At other times, Trump answered questions with total nonsense.
The Republican nominee, near the beginning of his remarks, was asked by Flynn about the health treatment that female veterans receive. Puzzlingly, Trump responded, “We are going to do procedures that they’ve never done.” These are words, but they don’t have meaning.
And then came a rambling, explanation of the Iran-Iraq war, which has to be read to be believed: “They’d fight fight fight. And then Saddam Hussein would do the gas,” he said at one point.
Tuesday’s discussion proved what Trump has amply demonstrated in previous national security speeches—that he’s in way over his head.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...-and-lies-his-way-through-vets-town-hall.html
