Did Trump Trade Afghanistan for Obamacare Repeal?

Trump: Ok, fine. You get one more chance.
Mattis: I'll see you in hell.

From my latest blog post:

Breitbart published an exclusive yesterday explaining in gory detail the plan to repeal and replace Obamacare being shopped by Senator Lindsay Graham (Uniparty-SC).

The plan itself, in outline form, is a vast improvement over Obamacare. And, while this is a net good, it is the bigger picture I’m more interested in.

Just before recess John McCain (MIC-AZ) dramatically voted down the latest attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare. An act that was absolutely a slap in the face to President Trump.

Graham’s plan, which likely can get the backing of a majority in the Senate according to him, creates a Federalized ‘block grant’ structure that will distribute collected taxes and allow each state to implement a health care system that they want. And the Federal Government will, supposedly, stay out of the way.

I’ll believe that when I see the actual bill. But, taking Graham at his word what this means is that the whole repeal vote was nothing more than a set up, because in no way could they have put this together in the last few weeks.

Therefore, this was held back from Trump and the rest of Congress for the purpose of finalizing a number of foreign policy initiatives that Trump was hostile to, namely expanded sanctions on Russia and Iran and a troop surge in Afghanistan.

For Steemian Eyes Only

This is the kind of dirty quid pro quo that makes me sick to have to chronicle. But, this is what we have. This is the world we have and the people who run it. Lindsay Graham is a virtue-signaling quisling of the Deep State and a vile excuse for a human being.

There is no military solution in Afghanistan that doesn't involve bringing the Taliban into the equation. As Adan Garrie pointed out in yesterday's article at The Duran, the Pashtun majority backs the Taliban while we back the Muslim minority government in Kabul.

It's more war, more opiod production and more antagonizing Russia, China and Iran. Pakistan is livid with the guts of Trump's speech. Now, it's clear Trump has also cut their aid packages to both the military and the intelligence agencies, which is fine with me.

But, publicly boosting India's profile is nothing more than shifting that money from Pakistan to India to try and influence events on the ground in Afghanistan and destabilize Pakistan. The Russians and Chinese will not stand for this. It puts the entire Belt and Road Initiative into question, something Trump can be sold on as part of the Brzezinski Doctrine, but it won't stop it.

We don't have the money, clout or moral authority in the region anymore to achieve any of these goals. Putin understands this and will continue working the angle that he, Xi, Rouhani and Erdogan have been working on for nearly a year now, which is what I outlined above. Afghanistan will only be 'stable' if you allow them to create whatever government they want and leave them alone.

The best I can say is Trump made this deal to kick the can and get the domestic wins he needs to have more wiggle room after the 2018 mid-terms to change policy. I'm not sure I'm buying this line of bullshit I'm slinging... just laying out the possibilities.