What Does General Flynn Think is the Key to Bring America Back Under Trump?
General Flynn was on Though Leaders with Jan Jekielek recently.
More of an overview of his vision for America, it avoided
specifics about what Flynn’s role will be in the new administration. He paid a
heavy price for his support, and ultimate role in Trump’s first term. As
National Security Advisor, he was sidelined immediately by Obama’s outgoing apparatchiks.
They had the FBI run him through the same lawfare trap that Trump went through.
Flynn had less money to fight the charges and was ruined. He never even got started
in the critical role. He was gone before the inauguration. Likely he knew too much about how the intelligence agencies work. They had to cancel him.
Borrowing From Reagan
He's miraculously positive about the future of the country,
but aware of the inherent problems of an oversized bureaucracy. He talked about
the strength of the country as a means of projecting to the world. This is
familiar language to anyone who grew up in America during the Reagan years. The
president thought “Peace Through Strength” a critical strategy for stability. It probably sounds like an aggressive doctrine
to those who didn’t.
Over the last 20
years the idea of “Peace Through Strength” has been bastardized. It used to mean
that a strong military was the key to economic growth and freedom in the United
States. Reagan used it on the world’s stage to counter the debilitating effect of
socialism on a country. In essence, we are better than the Soviet Union because
we’re free and secure. But after the long experiment in Afghanistan, Iraq and
much of the Middle East, it’s taken on a different meaning.
Agreement With Russia
We are less secure and less free but still manage to send our
military all over the globe despite its significant depleted strength. Whether this
was intentional or just the result of bad policies, it has hurt our capabilities
to defend the homeland. In that spirit, the general highlighted a few core
principles for the country to get back to stability. Stop pretending Russia is the
same big bad country from the post World War II days. They’re a regional power
but a diminished one, China is the bigger threat. We can and should come to an
agreement with Russia to avoid nuclear war. He didn’t give details, but it’s clear
the Biden administration set diplomacy back to dangerous levels. We’re on the
brink of war with a nuclear power and no one is talking.
Country First Leaders
Flynn mentioned leadership multiple times. I never got the sense that he thought the world could be a peaceful utopia, free of wars. But he’s also against poking the bear, especially when our military isn’t ready for another conflict. That part is my own editorializing. He didn’t say we couldn’t fight a big war. I’m confident he believes it though. Leadership means cooler heads. It means trying to be diplomatic despite the inherent frustration it brings. It means service to country and not self. Too many of the leaders in positions of authority are corrupt to the core and as a result, think only of themselves. This is particularly true of the intelligence community. They use blackmail and intimidation to get their way. Or, to stave off attacks against their pet projects.
Organizing American Principles
Our federal system
works like a cartel. Multiple agencies and multiple interests all looking out
for their special projects, corners, power centers. Effective leadership cuts through
the graft. When you hold a few powerful people accountable, the rest will fall
into line without a lot of fuss.
Lastly, he mentioned the importance of understanding the “organizing
principles” around which the country is arranged. No details were given. I
think he means that leaders should understand the core values that made us
great. Government is necessary but far from the reason we have a prosperous country.
The founders recognized a God given right of individual freedom and enshrined
it into the Constitution as a protection against the state. Leaders that act to
thwart free people are the problem. The word “freedom” has also been
bastardized by those hoping to legalize drugs or avoid taxes. It was always
about speech, religion and commerce and what the government could compel.
Conclusion
The influence of communism on the United States since World
War II has changed the culture enough that capitalism is a dirty word for many.
We must get back to local control and local leadership and that starts with
schools and city councils. I’ve summed up most of Flynn’s answers as I remember
the interview. I’m sure he’ll have a position with the administration in some
capacity. I thought he might have had enough of the legal stuff the last time
around, however. He may want to be an informal advisor and nothing else.
No one would blame him for that, certainly not Trump. General Flynn is still a giant in the MAGA movement.
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