you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 139 points 7 months ago (17 children)

This week, Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iranian oil infrastructure and desalination plants — the facilities that keep civilian populations alive. When critics pointed out that deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime under international law, the White House waved them off. The President, his spokesmen assured us, was engaging in tough diplomacy.

But the man wasn’t bluffing. He’s got an almost obsessive attraction to the idea of maiming civilians. I know. I’ve personally heard him propose the most inhumane acts.

There’s a particular kind of horror that comes from watching a powerful man describe, in clinical detail, how he wants to hurt innocent people and realising that the only thing standing between his fantasy and its execution is a room full of aides, scrambling to remind him what is illegal and what is not. That’s the horror I experienced in late 2018 and early 2019, when I was helping to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Donald Trump.

  • source
  • hideshow 17 child comments
  • [–] 77 points 7 months ago

    There’s a particular kind of horror that comes from watching a powerful man describe, in clinical detail, how he wants to hurt innocent people and realising that the only thing standing between his fantasy and its execution is a room full of aides, scrambling to remind him what is illegal and what is not. That’s the horror I experienced in late 2018 and early 2019, when I was helping to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Donald Trump.

    And that was in his first term, when that room full of aides still existed. Now they've all been replaced by ghouls just as monstrous as he is.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 56 points 7 months ago (15 children)

    When is someone going to get fed up enough and [ Removed by Reddit ]?

    I'm sure there are thousands of people unhinged enough to be willing to try that. If I read the news of that happening I'd celebrate, but I'm not personally trying to throw my whole life away for that.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 15 child comments
  • [–] 16 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    One of his generals, aids or advisors need to stand up, bring honor to our country and [Removed by Reddit] for our nation, for the world and to be on the right side of history.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    The aides and advisors are as sick as he is. The generals are the picture in the dictionary/encyclopedia for the 'people who are focused on the day to day tasks that have been placed before them so they can continue to exist in their status quo.'

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (8 children)

    Someone did. They missed by inches. I would imagine they beefed up security a bit since then...

    And, in most cases, it's a good thing that our head of state is well-protected. Otherwise, we'd have a new president every week and the executive branch would be a mess...oh....hmmm....

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
  • [–] 16 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    Still not sure it was a real attempt or staged.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (4 children)
  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (3 children)

    Only reason I disagree is because of the father that died right behind Trump.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments