Nicholas Kristof on the selection of Michael Flynn as national security advisor...

[babylonsister]

https://www.facebook.com/kristof/?fref=nf&pnref=story
33 mins ·
Nicholas Kristof
43 mins ·

This is sad. I've known and admired past national security advisers, Republicans as well as Democrats (starting with the legendary Brent Scowcroft, a Republican). And now it looks as if the next national security adviser will be a man widely regarded in foreign policy circles as a nut, who was fired from his last government job for incompetence, who has so little handle on intelligence that he tweets fake articles, who promotes Islamophobia, and who concealed that Turkey was paying him as he promoted its official line. There are many smart Republican strategists out there, but Mike Flynn isn't one of them. He's an embarrassment.


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/us/politics/donald-trump-administration.html?_r=0
Trump Is Said to Offer National Security Post to Michael Flynn, Retired General

[LeftInTX]

1. He's a lap dog for Turkey's Erdogan

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-l-phillips/lt-gen-michael-t-flynn-gu_b_13013248.html

Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, a Trump national security adviser, has been paid by Turkish money laundered through a Dutch company to lobby on behalf of the Turkish government. More than bad judgement, Flynn’s egregious conduct raises ethical questions. It also casts doubt on his suitability for public office.

The Flynn Intel Group signed a contract with the Dutch company, Inovo BV, on September 15. The contract requires Flynn to lobby on appropriations bills for the departments of State and Defense. Flynn’s duties also include keeping his client informed about “the transition between President Obama and President-Elect Trump.”

Inovo BV is thinly capitalized and operates in deficit on an ongoing basis. Did Flynn vet Inovo BV before signing his deal? Was he willfully ignorant about where the money was coming from?

Inovo BV is a front organization for Inovo Turkije, which profits from contracts with the Turkish government. Ekim Alptek, a close associate of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, founded both Inovo BV and Inovo Turkije. Alptekin is chairman of the Turkish-American Business Council, an arm of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey, whose members are designated by the Economy Minister and the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

snip......

and from article that he wrote in his own words on Nov 8th

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/foreign-policy/305021-our-ally-turkey-is-in-crisis-and-needs-our-support

Our ally Turkey is in crisis and needs our support
By Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn

It is fair to say that most Americans don’t know exactly what to make of our ally Turkey these days, as it endures a prolonged political crisis that challenges its long-term stability. The U.S. media is doing a bang-up job of reporting the Erdoğan government’s crackdown on dissidents, but it’s not putting it into perspective.

We must begin with understanding that Turkey is vital to U.S. interests. Turkey is really our strongest ally against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), as well as a source of stability in the region. It provides badly needed cooperation with U.S. military operations. But the Obama administration is keeping Erdoğan’s government at arm’s length — an unwise policy that threatens our long-standing alliance.

The primary bone of contention between the U.S. and Turkey is Fethullah Gülen, a shady Islamic mullah residing in Pennsylvania whom former President Clinton once called his “friend” in a well circulated video.

snip.......

[mopinko]

10. we need to give all these guys nicknames, like the yam likes to do.

i say we start w mike "the turk" flynn.

[still_one]

2. Try to stay out of the Army with these guys in charge

[sheshe2]

3. Is it okay if I start to hyperventilate? nt

[still_one]

5. you may need a paper bag or you might pass out. I know, it is making me nervous also

[sheshe2]

6. I have the paper bag.

also my anti-anxiety pills. Both may work.

[still_one]

7. Just do whatever you need to do to hang in there sheshe. Take care

[uponit7771]

8. yeap

[MrScorpio]

4. The incompetence and malfeasance of the Trump administration will be legendary

I would imagine that he'd make bad decisions on just about everything.

[babylonsister]

9. That's where I'm at, too. nt