Jeb Bush’s advisers: Wolfowitz, Chertoff, Hadley, Porter Goss, Michael Hayden (What could go wrong?)

[kpete]

Bush is casting a wide net for advice on national security. An aide provided to Reuters a diverse list of 20 diplomatic and national security veterans who will be providing informal advice to Bush in the coming months.

Many of them are from past Republican administrations, including those of his father and brother as well as that of Ronald Reagan.

The list includes people representing a wide spectrum of ideological views in the Republican Party, from the pragmatic to the hawkish. It includes James Baker, known for his pragmatism in key roles during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies, and former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, a hawk as deputy defense secretary who was an architect of George W. Bush's Iraq policy.

Among others are two former secretaries of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff, former national security adviser Stephen Hadley and a deputy national security adviser, Meghan O'Sullivan, as well as two former CIA directors, Porter Goss and Michael Hayden.



http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/us-usa-politics-bush-jeb-idUSKBN0LM06F20150218

[TwilightGardener]

1. It's like Glenn Close popping up out of the bathtub.

It's never really over with these people, is it? You can't turn your back.

[Octafish]

2. PNAC Parade of Stars

http://www.publiceye.org/pnac_chart/pnac.html

[Avalux]

8. If at first you don't succeed, try try again.

With Jebbie at the helm, they may finally realize their dream.
.

[Octafish]

23. ''A Brave New World Order Thing''

Bartcop coined the term "Bush Family Evil Empire" to denote the 60-year pre-eminence of one family in the formation of the political philosophy in the United States, that of the War Party. At least three generations have held high national office, while also making big money off war and looting the public Treasury. The last president of the United States, a man who wasn't elected fair and square by any stretch of the imagination, actually said: "Money trumps peace" at a press conference. For some reason, not a single "journalist" had the guts to ask him what he meant by that.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. It would be helpful if the news media were to provide a synopsis for each one of these

war-hawks to remind everyone why we wouldn't want them circling over a presidential hopeful.

[salin]

4. grand.

Trying to recall who the arrogant, while ignorant, underling of Wolfowitz was? He seems to be the only one of the crew missing, the only one whose professional stock actually suffered. Douglas Feith.

Also surprised Richard Perle isn't listed.

[lutefisk]

13. Perle: "Walker strikes me as the most interesting"

Perle finds his magic works best with not-so-bright amoral sociopaths, so Walker is looking promising to him.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is suddenly a hot Republican presidential prospect, may be getting hotter. Though some consider Walker's lack of foreign policy credentials a hurdle to a nomination, he has earned praise from a prince of neoconservatives, Richard Perle.

"Of all the people identified as candidates, Walker strikes me as the most interesting, who potentially would bring some rare qualities to the presidency," Perle said in an interview.

A former top Defense Department official under President Ronald Reagan and a leading national security hardliner, Perle said he hasn't met the Wisconsin governor but is intrigued by what he has seen, especially Walker's tough stance on public employee unions. "Unlike many politicians he seems to stick with what he believes when it looks like he's heading to victory," Perle said, "and stick with it when it looks like he may be headed to defeat."

Perle infers from this record that a President Walker "would not be easily pushed around by our adversaries."

Link- Cap Times, Madison, WI

[Cali_Democrat]

29. Perle slithered out of his hole to praise Walker?

Ugghhh.....

[OnyxCollie]

5. Heil, Heil! The Gang's all here. nt

[Javaman]

6. getting the old gang back together for one more time!

I can hear the excuses for invading the small oil nation of their choice now.

[Brother Buzz]

7. I noticed Condoleezza Rice was MIA until I discovered she....Oh my!

Condoleezza Rice leads potential 2016 U.S. Senate hopefuls in California

(Reuters) - Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice polled at the head of a crowded pool of potential candidates to succeed long-time Senator Barbara Boxer, according to a Field Poll released on Wednesday.

The poll showed that when likely California voters were asked whether they would vote for or against 18 prominent possible candidates in 2016, 49 percent of likely California voters said they would be inclined to support Rice, a Republican.

Rice's support was significantly stronger among likely Republican voters, with almost three-quarters saying they would back her. The next closest Republican candidate, former State Senator Phil Wyman, saw only 51 percent support from Republicans.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris, who is a Democrat and the only person listed in the poll who has formally announced they are running, saw the most support of any Democrat, with about three-quarters of likely voters in her party saying they would back her.

<more>

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/us-usa-politics-california-candidates-idUSKBN0LM1AT20150218

[BrotherIvan]

10. How can that be???????????????

I doubt she will win here and I'd love to see the protests whenever she speaks. If she wants to pull herself out of her ivory tower, she deserves everything she gets. Being from California, the thought of that war criminal becoming a Senator gives me the deep shudders. Are these people zombies? Why do they keep coming back??????

[Brother Buzz]

14. California's pesky 'Top Two Candidates Open Primary' thingy is going to be tested

Even money says she doesn't even run, but the dynamics of a Neocon running for president stumping for a Neocon running for a senate seat in a blue state could be interesting in a demented way.


Oh, the wacky poll also points out Villaraigosa trails Jackie Speier and John Garamendi, both on my short list for senator. Villaraigosa, Hillary's pick, appears to be the odd man out.

[BrotherIvan]

19. I'm so glad

I am not a Villaraigosa fan and think he's only in it for himself. He just uses his Latino cred to get votes and then doesn't do anything but photo ops.

I wanna see a fighter. We should have someone equally as dynamic as Warren or Sanders from California. I'm glad to see Boxer going as she has been a placeholder for quite some time. And DiFi can't get out of there soon enough. Which tells you where the state party is in terms of corporate love/wealth protection.

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. 31% of Democrats would think about supporting Rice?

Fools.

http://www.field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/Rls2495.pdf

They could say they would be inclined to vote for as many or as few possible candidates as they wanted. Rice and Harris both get 74% from their own party; but Harris just gets 10% from Republicans (no Democrat gets above 16%), while Rice gets 31% from Democrats! That seat ought to be a shoe-in for a Democrat - if there weren't some potential turncoats.

[BrotherIvan]

30. What the hell?

Those aren't Democrats that's for sure. They need to be educated and fast. What the hell??????? Do they not KNOW who she is? AHHHHHHHHHH!

[Kingofalldems]

9. Some of the world's most disgusting chickenhawks there.

[BrotherIvan]

11. I'm nothing like my brother...

Or my one term father... but we have all the same friends. Totally different...you know, worse. I haven't figured out what country to invade yet, but it's probably going to be Iran. Gotta go big suckers. And since we will no longer have public education, Social Security, income or food assistance, or an social services, we'll have plenty of new war toys to go play with for a few decades!

But I won't raise taxes proles, so vote for me!!!!!!!!

[JHB]

12. Let's not forget Jeb was a signatory to the PNAC Statement of Principles

http://web.archive.org/web/20020407145529/http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm

[KamaAina]

21. Don't think for a minute that PNAC went away

It merely morphed into the Foreign Policy Initiative.

http://www.foreignpolicyi.org

[JHB]

26. Just compare mission statements:

The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) is a non-profit, non-partisan tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code that promotes:

- continued U.S. engagement--diplomatic, economic, and military—in the world and rejection of policies that would lead us down the path to isolationism;
- robust support for America’s democratic allies and opposition to rogue regimes that threaten American interests;
- the human rights of those oppressed by their governments, and U.S. leadership in working to spread political and economic freedom;
- a strong military with the defense budget needed to ensure that America is ready to confront the threats of the 21st century;
- international economic engagement as a key element of U.S. foreign policy in this time of great economic dislocation.

http://www.foreignpolicyi.org/about


Project for a New American Century Statement of Principles, dated June 3, 1997

Our aim is to remind Americans of these lessons and to draw their consequences for today. Here are four consequences:

• we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global
responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;

• we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values;

• we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;

• we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.

Such a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be fashionable today. But it is necessary if the United States is to build on the successes of this past century and to ensure our security and our greatness in the next.

http://web.archive.org/web/20020607135927/http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm

Reads like the "change the order and reword some things" method of scholarship.

[KamaAina]

28. Good work!

Also note the presence of Bill Kristol and Bob Kagan on the board of PNAC, release 2.0.

[Scuba]

15. "The list includes people representing a wide spectrum of ideological views in the Republican Party"

'Cause if the Republican Party is known for anything, it's a diversity of opinion. Yeah, that's it.

[spanone]

16. that's a plus for our side...most people are still reeling from the bush disasters..more of the same

[bemildred]

17. All the old failures wanting another chance. nt

[Vinca]

18. It's pretty much of a list of people who should have been tried for war crimes and

who should be sitting in a prison cell. Where's John Bolton? Hope Jebbie doesn't forget him.

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. Jeb Bush’s foreign policy team is eerily familiar, in one Venn diagram

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/02/18/jeb-bushs-foreign-policy-team-is-eerily-familiar-in-1-venn-diagram/

[MohRokTah]

22. But, but, but, there's not a DIME'S worth of difference between the parties!!!!

I'm THROUGH voting for the lesser of two evils!!!!

[JHB]

25. And just to remind people who McCain and Romney were listening to...

Campaign '08: McCain's Foreign Policy Advisers
The McCain campaign's foreign policy coordinator is Randy Scheunemann, a former top legislative aide for Republicans on Capitol Hill, including two former leaders of the Senate, Trent Lott and Bob Dole. Former Congressional Budget Office chief Douglas Holtz-Eakin coordinates economic policy. On national security issues, McCain receives advice from several generations of Republican strategists and former top foreign policy officials such as Henry Kissinger and Richard Armitage, often grouped in the realist camp of foreign policy, as well as William Kristol and Robert Kagan, leading neoconservative voices. The campaign lists Kagan as a leading foreign policy adviser, as noted below, along with State Department veteran Richard Williamson, former top defense and national security official Peter W. Rodman, and former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, who advises on national security and energy issues.

Media following the campaign have reported on jockeying for influence between the groups. The New York Times reported in April 2008 about concerns expressed by pragmatists advising McCain that more conservative Republicans and neoconservatives are gaining increasing influence. But other campaign advisers downplay any schism. Scheunemann, Kagan, and Kristol are project directors of the Project for the New American Century, an organization formed when Democrats controlled the White House in 1997 around what many analysts say are neoconservative ideals. The project says on its website it aims to promote U.S. leadership in the world and "rally support for a vigorous and principled policy of American international involvement and to stimulate useful public debate on foreign and defense policy and America's role in the world." The organization's statement of principles says the United States needs to "increase defense spending significantly," "strengthen ties to democratic allies," "promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad," and "accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles."

http://www.newsweek.com/campaign-08-mccains-foreign-policy-advisers-91033

‘Quite Far To The Right': Meet Mitt Romney’s Foreign Policy Team
Mitt Romney turned attention to his foreign policy this week, with a largely substance-free and fact-challenged speech on Tuesday and a European tour that will eventually take him to Israel. While Romney has gone to great lengths to avoid talking national security, it’s no secret that neither Romney nor his advisers appear capable of outlining a clear vision of a Romney administration’s foreign policy. What little specifics we do hear sound suspiciously like the Obama administration’s positions. So for those wondering what a Romney presidency might mean for U.S. troops and diplomats, there’s not much to go on.

But what’s troublesome about Romney on foreign policy is what’s cooking behind the scenes. Gen. Colin Powell recently complained that Romney’s foreign policy team is “quite far to the right.” Indeed, veterans of the Bush/Cheney administration “pepper” Romney’s foreign policy team and the so-called “Cheney-ites” are reportedly winning the presumptive GOP presidential nominee’s ear. Here’s an in depth look at some of the key advisers a President Romney will hear from on foreign policy and what we might come to expect in a Romney administration: (for each adviser has been left out to stay within DU copyright guidelines. See the link after the excerpt box for the full text)
John Bolton
Eliot Cohen
Cofer Black
Walid Phares
Michael Hayden
Dan Senor
Max Boot
Eric Edelman

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/07/25/576331/romney-foreign-policy-advisers/

[napi21]

27. I would never have voted for Jebbers, but

I didn't realize he was THAT BAD until I saw those names from the past. I can only HOPE that the Dems will point out just who Jebbers hangs out with that would make him a clone of his brother! NOBODY wants another SHRUB!

[Takket]

31. i wouldn't trust any of those bozos to advise me on how to lock my car doors

[napkinz]

32. K&R

nt