Conflict, Defense, Middle East, United States A Strategy for the Mideast That Has Even Trump’s Allies Scratching Their Heads

John Gans, Perry World House's Director of Research and Communications, is quoted in this piece on U.S. President Donald Trump's strategy in the Middle East.

If even the Pentagon does not know whether it is coming or going in Iraq, it might be hard to blame the rest of the world for being a little confused about President Trump’s strategy for the Middle East. As Iranian missiles fell on bases with American troops on Tuesday in retaliation for the drone strike last week that killed Iran’s most powerful general, the administration has scrambled to explain its mission and goals in the region amid a chaotic brew of conflicting statements, crossed signals and mixed messages...

“The messy process explains the messy day after — sloppy explanations of the threat, disorganized public statements, and hasty diplomatic and military efforts,” said John Gans, a former chief Pentagon speechwriter and author of “White House Warriors,” a history of the National Security Council. “And it arguably limited the effectiveness of the policy and made it far riskier for the country and president.”

Read more in The New York Times >>