AFGHANISTAN: Trump Surges Into the Graveyard of Empires By ramping up US troop levels in Afghanistan, Trump is alienating many supporters. (Photo: DoD/USAF Tech Sgt Brigitte N Brantley. Source: Wikicommons)Miles Elliot 21st Century WireOn Monday night, US President Donald Trump made a speech in which he outlined his long-awaited new strategy for the war in Afghanistan. As predicted by 21WIRE in July, Trump will undertake a fourth US  surge  in Afghanistan, building up US troop levels in the country just like Bush and Obama did before him.However, to say that he outlined a new strategy in his speech is being very kind to Trump. He did very little outlining and what he did present does not exactly qualify as new, or as a strategy.One of the most notable features of his speech was his refusal to disclose troop numbers or timescales for their deployment. Granted, publicising those aspects of the US presence in Afghanistan did not create a win for Obama; the former president promised to pull out all the troops by 2014, but left office in January 2017 with over 8,500 US military personnel still stationed in the country. For Trump to keep such details from the American public, particularly the troop numbers, goes against basic democratic principles of transparency and accountability. As Finian Cunningham says: America s overseas wars are not just expanding under Trump; they are going secret and unaccountable. Furthermore, simply sending more troops and beefing up military deployments to Afghanistan is not a new strategy. George W Bush deployed a  quiet surge  to Afghanistan in 2008, and Obama presided over two separate surges in early and late 2009, none of which won the war. See 21WIRE s recent article which points out fundamental flaws and problems with the US strategy and modus operandi in Afghanistan; doubling down on these flaws with more personnel, money and weapons may only amplify them.The war was probably unwinnable from the outset anyway. There is a reason Afghanistan is referred to as the Graveyard of Empires. Justin Raimondo s latest article responding to Trump s announcement alludes to it: So I studied Afghanistan in great detail and from every conceivable angle,  [Trump] claims. Really? Did he study it enough to realize that no one has ever conquered Afghanistan? Did he contemplate the storied history of that unforgiving land, which caused even Alexander the Great to turn back? Or for a more lighthearted approach, the following tweet plays on the seeming endlessness of the Afghan war in American political life.I made this political cartoon in 2010. Enjoy! https://t.co/fSosAGURCW pic.twitter.com/jyfQIZOFzY  Matt Bors (@MattBors) August 22, 2017Another interesting feature of Trump s speech was its focus on Pakistan, which he sharply criticized for harboring terrorists and allowing them  safe havens . However, as Michael Krieger points out in his excellent analysis: Guess which country he didn t mention? The greatest sponsor of Islamic radicalization the world has ever seen: Saudi Arabia. This once again proves that Trump represents the same old tired thinking that s been running the U.S. economy and society into the ground for decades. This is now a 100% establishment Presidency, which will be completely defined by establishment thinking. In other words, imperial collapse is coming. It seems an obvious point that talking about combating terrorism without addressing its primary causes and sources of support is somewhat foolish. However, it appears that Trump and his administration need a reminder.By far the most striking aspect of Trump s announcement, however, is that it represents a 180  U-turn, totally reversing the attitude he had to US involvement in Afghanistan since before he even began campaigning to become President. The following is just one of many tweets dating back quite a few years in which Trump complains about the US being in Afghanistan.When will we stop wasting our money on rebuilding Afghanistan? We must rebuild our country first.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2011Trump s announcement is already alienating much of his political base, especially supporters who wanted him to prioritize American jobs and infrastructure over globalist projects such as trade deals and foreign wars. More than that, it is unlikely to be popular with the overall US electorate, who are on the whole opposed to continuing the war. On the other hand it is no surprise that the announcement is gaining praise from neocons and lawmakers such as Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).Does it even need to be said that the US has had troops deployed to Afghanistan for 16 years? This might make Afghanistan one of the only truly inter-generational wars the US has fought.Met a man today who served in Afghanistan 16 yrs ago -now says his son serves there. Let that sink in as you support perpetual war  Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) August 22, 2017There is of course a question as to how much of this plan is coming from Trump himself as opposed to from his advisers,  deep state  handlers or other influences. As Finian Cunningham argues below, there is reason to believe that Trump has been compromised by the  deep state . Many even believe that  soft coup  has occurred and that Trump is no longer really in charge. Yet others question whether Trump had any authenticity to begin with; on the left especially some people perceive Trump to be thoroughly dishonest and merely a representative of robber-baron, capitalist  fascism .These issues are part of the larger question of Trump s authenticity, but unfortunately we can t provide those answers here. Whatever one s position on this, however, none of the possible options lets the President off the hook. In all cases, he is the man responsible, it s his name on the door, and it is his responsibility to either make good on his promises to the American people or at the very least to keep them informed. In light of his announcement on Afghanistan, neither one appears to be happening.SEE ALSO: AFGHANISTAN: Forgotten, But Not GoneMore on this from RT  US Army soldiers in Afghanistan. The country has been called the Graveyard of Empires for being notoriously hard to conquer (Photo: US Army. Source: Wikicommons)Finian Cunningham RTIf one moment stands out as the clearest signal yet of US President Trump turning his back on supporters, it was his announcement this week to re-escalate American military intervention in Afghanistan.His signature campaign promise of putting  America First  and ending the folly of overseas wars launched by previous administrations was shredded on prime time television when he gave orders for thousands of more US troops to be sent to Afghanistan. The already 16-year war in that country   America s longest   will now go on indefinitely longer.The Huffington Post headlined:  Trump s vague new Afghanistan strategy continues an endless war. Not only that, but this president is refusing to give any public information on force numbers or timescale. America s overseas wars are not just expanding under Trump; they are going secret and unaccountable.This surge in militarism is precisely what candidate Trump said he would not do when he campaigned for votes among blue-collar workers in the Rust Belt states, vowing instead to channel US economic resources to revive  forgotten  communities at home. Recall his blustering inauguration speech on January 20 when he bemoaned the  American Carnage,  at home and abroad.As the Huffington Post writes:  When Obama was still in office and overseeing a massive troop presence in Afghanistan, Trump repeatedly bashed the operation as a waste of money and called for a quick withdrawal from the country. How s that for a U-turn? This is at a time when support among Trump s voter base in the Rust Belt states has plummeted. There is weakness in the heartland, reported NBC, because workers fear Trump is reneging on past commitments to revitalize their livelihoods. Their concern is that this president is too interested in giving tax breaks to corporations and kowtowing to the Pentagon.Ironically, Donald Trump likes to portray himself as an  alpha-male  who is his own boss. It is abundantly clear now that Trump is a mere manikin who sits in the White House taking orders from his generals.When Trump ousted Stephen Bannon, his staunchest ally in the White House, it was under the orders of the military figures who are now dominant in his administration. Trump s chief of staff, former Marine General John Kelly, wanted Bannon out because of his contrarian views.When Bannon gave a surprise interview last week contradicting the militarist policy on North Korea that was the last straw. Bannon said there was no military option in solving the North Korea standoff, which flew in the face of what the Pentagon has been advising Trump, with  all options on the table.  Only days later, he was kicked out.Bannon has now returned to edit Breitbart News, the nationalistic website which has in the past served as a media booster for Trump. Following the announcement on Afghanistan, Breitbart News declared:  Trump reverses course  and blasted his speech a  flip-flop,  as reported by Politico.Bannon had been a vigorous counsel to Trump against overseas militarism and in particular about Afghanistan. He is thought to have been the primary influence behind Trump s economic nationalism of America First.It is no coincidence that Trump decided to get rid of Bannon while huddled with military generals and intelligence chiefs at Camp David last weekend. Then three days after his departure from the White House, Trump delivers his U-turn on re-escalating the military involvement in South Asia, exactly as the Pentagon top brass had been urging.With little or no policy achievements so far, Trump is emerging as a blowhard who is all too willing to toe the line to survive   even if that means stabbing his supposed allies in the back. This is a president who has a big mouth and big ego, and not much else. All the promises to his voter base are being seen to be cruel hoaxes, perpetrated by one who is always denouncing others over hoaxes.The rise of the generals in Trump s administration, alongside a weak-kneed figurehead president, should surely be cause for concern for its sinister constitutional implications. But disturbingly, the drift toward a military government in the US hardly causes a public ruffle; indeed, it is actually welcomed by prominent news media.In an editorial last weekend condemning  The Failing Trump Presidency,  the New York Times seems to be oblivious in its endorsement of military control over the White House.It states:  One measure of the despair caused by Mr. Trump s behavior is that we find ourselves strangely comforted by things that in any normal presidency would be cause for concern  Americans accustomed constitutionally and politically to civilian leadership now find themselves relying on three current and former generals   John Kelly, the new White House chief of staff; H. R. McMaster, the national security adviser; and Jim Mattis, the secretary of defense   to stop Mr. Trump from going completely off the rails. Last week, too, when the five Joint Chiefs of Staff roundly rebuked Trump over his ambiguous comments on racial violence, the US media widely saw that intervention by the Pentagon as a welcome  disciplining  of the president.It s a sobering reality-check on how the supposed radical, populist president who promised to return governing power to the ordinary citizens is now firmly in the vice of a corporate-military cabal.Look at Trump s cabinet. Apart from the three generals, Kelly, McMaster and Mattis, the other key posts are run by an ex-oil CEO, Rex Tillerson at the State Department, and former Wall Street executives, Steven Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary, Gary Cohn as national economic adviser, and Wilbur Ross as Commerce Secretary.This combination of military and industrial corporatism at the executive level of government is a definition of a fascist state. Combine that with a malleable megalomaniac who is willing to betray his allies and voter base, and that makes for a dangerous cabal.Trump s readiness to go to war in Venezuela, North Korea, and Iran and to give license to the Pentagon to step up its air force slaughter in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen are all signals of how far this presidency has degenerated.But it is Trump s brazen backtracking on Afghanistan that most transparently shows his unscrupulous character and just how much the Pentagon has taken control over this presidency.Last November, the American people voted for a radical change, one that would deliver economic revival and jobs at home, while implementing more peaceful foreign relations.Today, Americans have got the opposite of what they were calling for when they elected President Trump. The implications are blatant and disconcerting. American democracy no longer exists, if it ever did. The will of the people has been subverted by the will of the military-industrial complex. Trump is but a pathetic puppet who is taking orders from the generals and his oligarchic friends in Wall Street.The so-called  exceptional nation    the one that never tires of proclaiming its lofty democratic virtues to the rest of the world   has degenerated into a military-corporatist state. Trump s betrayal is complete and stands out as one of the biggest cons in modern political history.READ MORE AFGHANISTAN NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Afghanistan FilesSUPPORT 21WIRE   SUBSCRIBE AND BECOME A MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TVUS_News
afghanistan trump surges into graveyard empires by camping us troop levels afghanistan trump alienating many supporters photo tech sgt brigitte n bradley source wikicommons miles elliot century iron monday night us president donald trump made speech outlined new strategy war afghanistan as predicted july trump undertake fourth us surge afghanistan building us troop levels country like bush obama say outlined new strategy speech kind trump he little outlining present exactly qualify new notable features speech refusal disclose troop numbers timescale deployment granted publicising aspects us presence afghanistan create win obama former president promised pull troops left office january us military personnel still stationed country for trump keep details american public particularly troop numbers goes basic democratic principles transparency accountability as final cunningham says america overseas wars expanding trump going secret accountable furthermore simply sending troops being military deployments afghanistan new strategy george w bush deployed quiet surge afghanistan obama presided two separate surges early late none war see recent article points fundamental flaws problems us strategy modus operandi afghanistan doubling flaws personnel money weapons may amplify war probably unwinnable outset anyway there reason afghanistan referred graveyard empires justin raymond latest article responding trump announcement alludes so i studied afghanistan great detail every conceivable angle trump claims really did study enough realize one ever conquered afghanistan did contemplate storied history forgiving land caused even alexander great turn back or lighthearted approach following tweet plays seeming endlessness afghan war american political made political cartoon enjoy https matt born matters august interesting feature trump speech focus pakistan sharply criticized harrowing terrorists allowing safe havens however michael trigger points excellent analysis guess country mention the greatest sponsor islamic radicalization world ever seen saudi arabia this proves trump represents old tired thinking running economy society ground decades this establishment presidency completely defined establishment thinking in words imperial collapse coming it seems obvious point talking combating terrorism without addressing primary causes sources support somewhat foolish however appears trump administration need far striking aspect trump announcement however represents totally reversing attitude us involvement afghanistan since even began campaigning become president the following one many tweets dating back quite years trump complains us stop wasting money rebuilding afghanistan we must rebuild country first donald trump realdonaldtrump october announcement already alienating much political base especially supporters wanted prioritize american jobs infrastructure loyalist projects trade deals foreign wars more unlikely popular overall us electorate whole opposed continuing war on hand surprise announcement gaining praise neurons lawmakers john mccain mitch mcconnell house speaker paul ryan even need said us troops deployed afghanistan years this might make afghanistan one truly wars us man today served afghanistan yrs ago says son serves let sink support perpetual war brian karen briankarem august course question much plan coming trump opposed advisers deep state handlers influences as final cunningham argues reason believe trump compromised deep state many even believe soft coup occurred trump longer really charge yet others question whether trump authenticity begin left especially people perceive trump thoroughly dishonest merely representative capitalist fascism issues part larger question trump authenticity unfortunately provide answers whatever one position however none possible options lets president hook in cases man responsible name door responsibility either make good promises american people least keep informed in light announcement afghanistan neither one appears also afghanistan forgotten but not gonemore rt us army soldiers afghanistan the country called graveyard empires notoriously hard conquer photo us army source wikicommons final cunningham tif one moment stands clearest signal yet us president trump turning back supporters announcement week american military intervention signature campaign promise putting america first ending folly overseas wars launched previous administrations shredded prime time television gave orders thousands us troops sent afghanistan the already war country america longest go indefinitely huffington post headlined trump vague new afghanistan strategy continues endless war not president refusing give public information force numbers timescale america overseas wars expanding trump going secret surge militarily precisely candidate trump said would campaigned votes among workers rust belt states vowing instead channel us economic resources revive forgotten communities home recall clustering inauguration speech january bemoaned american carnage home huffington post writes when obama still office overseeing massive troop presence afghanistan trump repeatedly based operation waste money called quick withdrawal country how this time support among trump voter base rust belt states plummeted there weakness heartland reported nbc workers fear trump renewing past commitments revitalize livelihoods their concern president interested giving tax breaks corporations kowtowing donald trump likes portray boss it abundantly clear trump mere mankind sits white house taking orders trump ousted stephen cannon staunchest ally white house orders military figures dominant administration trump chief staff former marine general john kelly wanted cannon contrarian cannon gave surprise interview last week contradicting militarily policy north korea last straw cannon said military option solving north korea standoff flew face pentagon advising trump options table only days later kicked returned edit breitbart news nationalistic website past served media booster trump following announcement afghanistan breitbart news declared trump reverses course blasted speech reported vigorous counsel trump overseas militarily particular afghanistan he thought primary influence behind trump economic nationalism america coincidence trump decided get rid cannon muddled military generals intelligence chiefs camp david last weekend then three days departure white house trump delivers military involvement south asia exactly pentagon top brass little policy achievements far trump emerging blowhard willing toe line survive even means stabbing supposed allies back this president big mouth big ego much else all promises voter base seen cruel hoaxes perpetrated one always denouncing others rise generals trump administration alongside figurehead president surely cause concern sinister constitutional implications but disturbing drift toward military government us hardly causes public rule indeed actually welcomed prominent news editorial last weekend condemning the failing trump presidency new york times seems oblivious endorsement military control white states one measure despair caused trump behavior find strangely comfort things normal presidency would cause concern americans accustomed constitutionally politically civilian leadership find relying three current former generals john kelly new white house chief staff master national security adviser jim mantis secretary defense stop trump going completely rails last week five joint chiefs staff soundly rebuked trump ambiguous comments racial violence us media widely saw intervention pentagon welcome disciplining covering supposed radical populist president promised return governing power ordinary citizens firmly vice trump cabinet apart three generals kelly master mantis key posts run ceo rex tillerson state department former wall street executives steven mnuchin treasury secretary gary con national economic adviser wilbur ross commerce combination military industrial corporation executive level government definition fascist state combine malleable megalomaniac willing betray allies voter base makes dangerous readiness go war venezuela north korea iran give license pentagon step air force slaughter iraq syria yemen signals far presidency trump broken backtracking afghanistan transparent shows unscrupulous character much pentagon taken control november american people voted radical change one would deliver economic revival jobs home implementing peaceful foreign americans got opposite calling elected president trump the implications blatant disconcerting american democracy longer exists ever the people submerged complex trump pathetic puppet taking orders generals oligarchic friends wall exceptional nation one never tires proclaiming lofty democratic virtues rest world degenerated state trump betrayal complete stands one biggest cons modern political more afghanistan news at century wire afghanistan filessupport subscribe and become a member
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: AFGHANISTAN: Trump Surges Into the Graveyard of Empires By ramping up US troop levels in Afghanistan, Trump is alienating many supporters. (Photo: DoD/USAF Tech Sgt Brigitte N Brantley. Source: Wikicommons)Miles Elliot 21st Century WireOn Monday night, US President Donald Trump made a speech in which he outlined his long-awaited new strategy for the war in Afghanistan. As predicted by 21WIRE in July, Trump will undertake a fourth US  surge  in Afghanistan, building up US troop levels in the country just like Bush and Obama did before him.However, to say that he outlined a new strategy in his speech is being very kind to Trump. He did very little outlining and what he did present does not exactly qualify as new, or as a strategy.One of the most notable features of his speech was his refusal to disclose troop numbers or timescales for their deployment. Granted, publicising those aspects of the US presence in Afghanistan did not create a win for Obama; the former president promised to pull out all the troops by 2014, but left office in January 2017 with over 8,500 US military personnel still stationed in the country. For Trump to keep such details from the American public, particularly the troop numbers, goes against basic democratic principles of transparency and accountability. As Finian Cunningham says: America s overseas wars are not just expanding under Trump; they are going secret and unaccountable. Furthermore, simply sending more troops and beefing up military deployments to Afghanistan is not a new strategy. George W Bush deployed a  quiet surge  to Afghanistan in 2008, and Obama presided over two separate surges in early and late 2009, none of which won the war. See 21WIRE s recent article which points out fundamental flaws and problems with the US strategy and modus operandi in Afghanistan; doubling down on these flaws with more personnel, money and weapons may only amplify them.The war was probably unwinnable from the outset anyway. There is a reason Afghanistan is referred to as the Graveyard of Empires. Justin Raimondo s latest article responding to Trump s announcement alludes to it: So I studied Afghanistan in great detail and from every conceivable angle,  [Trump] claims. Really? Did he study it enough to realize that no one has ever conquered Afghanistan? Did he contemplate the storied history of that unforgiving land, which caused even Alexander the Great to turn back? Or for a more lighthearted approach, the following tweet plays on the seeming endlessness of the Afghan war in American political life.I made this political cartoon in 2010. Enjoy! https://t.co/fSosAGURCW pic.twitter.com/jyfQIZOFzY  Matt Bors (@MattBors) August 22, 2017Another interesting feature of Trump s speech was its focus on Pakistan, which he sharply criticized for harboring terrorists and allowing them  safe havens . However, as Michael Krieger points out in his excellent analysis: Guess which country he didn t mention? The greatest sponsor of Islamic radicalization the world has ever seen: Saudi Arabia. This once again proves that Trump represents the same old tired thinking that s been running the U.S. economy and society into the ground for decades. This is now a 100% establishment Presidency, which will be completely defined by establishment thinking. In other words, imperial collapse is coming. It seems an obvious point that talking about combating terrorism without addressing its primary causes and sources of support is somewhat foolish. However, it appears that Trump and his administration need a reminder.By far the most striking aspect of Trump s announcement, however, is that it represents a 180  U-turn, totally reversing the attitude he had to US involvement in Afghanistan since before he even began campaigning to become President. The following is just one of many tweets dating back quite a few years in which Trump complains about the US being in Afghanistan.When will we stop wasting our money on rebuilding Afghanistan? We must rebuild our country first.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2011Trump s announcement is already alienating much of his political base, especially supporters who wanted him to prioritize American jobs and infrastructure over globalist projects such as trade deals and foreign wars. More than that, it is unlikely to be popular with the overall US electorate, who are on the whole opposed to continuing the war. On the other hand it is no surprise that the announcement is gaining praise from neocons and lawmakers such as Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).Does it even need to be said that the US has had troops deployed to Afghanistan for 16 years? This might make Afghanistan one of the only truly inter-generational wars the US has fought.Met a man today who served in Afghanistan 16 yrs ago -now says his son serves there. Let that sink in as you support perpetual war  Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) August 22, 2017There is of course a question as to how much of this plan is coming from Trump himself as opposed to from his advisers,  deep state  handlers or other influences. As Finian Cunningham argues below, there is reason to believe that Trump has been compromised by the  deep state . Many even believe that  soft coup  has occurred and that Trump is no longer really in charge. Yet others question whether Trump had any authenticity to begin with; on the left especially some people perceive Trump to be thoroughly dishonest and merely a representative of robber-baron, capitalist  fascism .These issues are part of the larger question of Trump s authenticity, but unfortunately we can t provide those answers here. Whatever one s position on this, however, none of the possible options lets the President off the hook. In all cases, he is the man responsible, it s his name on the door, and it is his responsibility to either make good on his promises to the American people or at the very least to keep them informed. In light of his announcement on Afghanistan, neither one appears to be happening.SEE ALSO: AFGHANISTAN: Forgotten, But Not GoneMore on this from RT  US Army soldiers in Afghanistan. The country has been called the Graveyard of Empires for being notoriously hard to conquer (Photo: US Army. Source: Wikicommons)Finian Cunningham RTIf one moment stands out as the clearest signal yet of US President Trump turning his back on supporters, it was his announcement this week to re-escalate American military intervention in Afghanistan.His signature campaign promise of putting  America First  and ending the folly of overseas wars launched by previous administrations was shredded on prime time television when he gave orders for thousands of more US troops to be sent to Afghanistan. The already 16-year war in that country   America s longest   will now go on indefinitely longer.The Huffington Post headlined:  Trump s vague new Afghanistan strategy continues an endless war. Not only that, but this president is refusing to give any public information on force numbers or timescale. America s overseas wars are not just expanding under Trump; they are going secret and unaccountable.This surge in militarism is precisely what candidate Trump said he would not do when he campaigned for votes among blue-collar workers in the Rust Belt states, vowing instead to channel US economic resources to revive  forgotten  communities at home. Recall his blustering inauguration speech on January 20 when he bemoaned the  American Carnage,  at home and abroad.As the Huffington Post writes:  When Obama was still in office and overseeing a massive troop presence in Afghanistan, Trump repeatedly bashed the operation as a waste of money and called for a quick withdrawal from the country. How s that for a U-turn? This is at a time when support among Trump s voter base in the Rust Belt states has plummeted. There is weakness in the heartland, reported NBC, because workers fear Trump is reneging on past commitments to revitalize their livelihoods. Their concern is that this president is too interested in giving tax breaks to corporations and kowtowing to the Pentagon.Ironically, Donald Trump likes to portray himself as an  alpha-male  who is his own boss. It is abundantly clear now that Trump is a mere manikin who sits in the White House taking orders from his generals.When Trump ousted Stephen Bannon, his staunchest ally in the White House, it was under the orders of the military figures who are now dominant in his administration. Trump s chief of staff, former Marine General John Kelly, wanted Bannon out because of his contrarian views.When Bannon gave a surprise interview last week contradicting the militarist policy on North Korea that was the last straw. Bannon said there was no military option in solving the North Korea standoff, which flew in the face of what the Pentagon has been advising Trump, with  all options on the table.  Only days later, he was kicked out.Bannon has now returned to edit Breitbart News, the nationalistic website which has in the past served as a media booster for Trump. Following the announcement on Afghanistan, Breitbart News declared:  Trump reverses course  and blasted his speech a  flip-flop,  as reported by Politico.Bannon had been a vigorous counsel to Trump against overseas militarism and in particular about Afghanistan. He is thought to have been the primary influence behind Trump s economic nationalism of America First.It is no coincidence that Trump decided to get rid of Bannon while huddled with military generals and intelligence chiefs at Camp David last weekend. Then three days after his departure from the White House, Trump delivers his U-turn on re-escalating the military involvement in South Asia, exactly as the Pentagon top brass had been urging.With little or no policy achievements so far, Trump is emerging as a blowhard who is all too willing to toe the line to survive   even if that means stabbing his supposed allies in the back. This is a president who has a big mouth and big ego, and not much else. All the promises to his voter base are being seen to be cruel hoaxes, perpetrated by one who is always denouncing others over hoaxes.The rise of the generals in Trump s administration, alongside a weak-kneed figurehead president, should surely be cause for concern for its sinister constitutional implications. But disturbingly, the drift toward a military government in the US hardly causes a public ruffle; indeed, it is actually welcomed by prominent news media.In an editorial last weekend condemning  The Failing Trump Presidency,  the New York Times seems to be oblivious in its endorsement of military control over the White House.It states:  One measure of the despair caused by Mr. Trump s behavior is that we find ourselves strangely comforted by things that in any normal presidency would be cause for concern  Americans accustomed constitutionally and politically to civilian leadership now find themselves relying on three current and former generals   John Kelly, the new White House chief of staff; H. R. McMaster, the national security adviser; and Jim Mattis, the secretary of defense   to stop Mr. Trump from going completely off the rails. Last week, too, when the five Joint Chiefs of Staff roundly rebuked Trump over his ambiguous comments on racial violence, the US media widely saw that intervention by the Pentagon as a welcome  disciplining  of the president.It s a sobering reality-check on how the supposed radical, populist president who promised to return governing power to the ordinary citizens is now firmly in the vice of a corporate-military cabal.Look at Trump s cabinet. Apart from the three generals, Kelly, McMaster and Mattis, the other key posts are run by an ex-oil CEO, Rex Tillerson at the State Department, and former Wall Street executives, Steven Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary, Gary Cohn as national economic adviser, and Wilbur Ross as Commerce Secretary.This combination of military and industrial corporatism at the executive level of government is a definition of a fascist state. Combine that with a malleable megalomaniac who is willing to betray his allies and voter base, and that makes for a dangerous cabal.Trump s readiness to go to war in Venezuela, North Korea, and Iran and to give license to the Pentagon to step up its air force slaughter in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen are all signals of how far this presidency has degenerated.But it is Trump s brazen backtracking on Afghanistan that most transparently shows his unscrupulous character and just how much the Pentagon has taken control over this presidency.Last November, the American people voted for a radical change, one that would deliver economic revival and jobs at home, while implementing more peaceful foreign relations.Today, Americans have got the opposite of what they were calling for when they elected President Trump. The implications are blatant and disconcerting. American democracy no longer exists, if it ever did. The will of the people has been subverted by the will of the military-industrial complex. Trump is but a pathetic puppet who is taking orders from the generals and his oligarchic friends in Wall Street.The so-called  exceptional nation    the one that never tires of proclaiming its lofty democratic virtues to the rest of the world   has degenerated into a military-corporatist state. Trump s betrayal is complete and stands out as one of the biggest cons in modern political history.READ MORE AFGHANISTAN NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Afghanistan FilesSUPPORT 21WIRE   SUBSCRIBE AND BECOME A MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TVUS_News
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: afghanistan trump surges into graveyard empires by camping us troop levels afghanistan trump alienating many supporters photo tech sgt brigitte n bradley source wikicommons miles elliot century iron monday night us president donald trump made speech outlined new strategy war afghanistan as predicted july trump undertake fourth us surge afghanistan building us troop levels country like bush obama say outlined new strategy speech kind trump he little outlining present exactly qualify new notable features speech refusal disclose troop numbers timescale deployment granted publicising aspects us presence afghanistan create win obama former president promised pull troops left office january us military personnel still stationed country for trump keep details american public particularly troop numbers goes basic democratic principles transparency accountability as final cunningham says america overseas wars expanding trump going secret accountable furthermore simply sending troops being military deployments afghanistan new strategy george w bush deployed quiet surge afghanistan obama presided two separate surges early late none war see recent article points fundamental flaws problems us strategy modus operandi afghanistan doubling flaws personnel money weapons may amplify war probably unwinnable outset anyway there reason afghanistan referred graveyard empires justin raymond latest article responding trump announcement alludes so i studied afghanistan great detail every conceivable angle trump claims really did study enough realize one ever conquered afghanistan did contemplate storied history forgiving land caused even alexander great turn back or lighthearted approach following tweet plays seeming endlessness afghan war american political made political cartoon enjoy https matt born matters august interesting feature trump speech focus pakistan sharply criticized harrowing terrorists allowing safe havens however michael trigger points excellent analysis guess country mention the greatest sponsor islamic radicalization world ever seen saudi arabia this proves trump represents old tired thinking running economy society ground decades this establishment presidency completely defined establishment thinking in words imperial collapse coming it seems obvious point talking combating terrorism without addressing primary causes sources support somewhat foolish however appears trump administration need far striking aspect trump announcement however represents totally reversing attitude us involvement afghanistan since even began campaigning become president the following one many tweets dating back quite years trump complains us stop wasting money rebuilding afghanistan we must rebuild country first donald trump realdonaldtrump october announcement already alienating much political base especially supporters wanted prioritize american jobs infrastructure loyalist projects trade deals foreign wars more unlikely popular overall us electorate whole opposed continuing war on hand surprise announcement gaining praise neurons lawmakers john mccain mitch mcconnell house speaker paul ryan even need said us troops deployed afghanistan years this might make afghanistan one truly wars us man today served afghanistan yrs ago says son serves let sink support perpetual war brian karen briankarem august course question much plan coming trump opposed advisers deep state handlers influences as final cunningham argues reason believe trump compromised deep state many even believe soft coup occurred trump longer really charge yet others question whether trump authenticity begin left especially people perceive trump thoroughly dishonest merely representative capitalist fascism issues part larger question trump authenticity unfortunately provide answers whatever one position however none possible options lets president hook in cases man responsible name door responsibility either make good promises american people least keep informed in light announcement afghanistan neither one appears also afghanistan forgotten but not gonemore rt us army soldiers afghanistan the country called graveyard empires notoriously hard conquer photo us army source wikicommons final cunningham tif one moment stands clearest signal yet us president trump turning back supporters announcement week american military intervention signature campaign promise putting america first ending folly overseas wars launched previous administrations shredded prime time television gave orders thousands us troops sent afghanistan the already war country america longest go indefinitely huffington post headlined trump vague new afghanistan strategy continues endless war not president refusing give public information force numbers timescale america overseas wars expanding trump going secret surge militarily precisely candidate trump said would campaigned votes among workers rust belt states vowing instead channel us economic resources revive forgotten communities home recall clustering inauguration speech january bemoaned american carnage home huffington post writes when obama still office overseeing massive troop presence afghanistan trump repeatedly based operation waste money called quick withdrawal country how this time support among trump voter base rust belt states plummeted there weakness heartland reported nbc workers fear trump renewing past commitments revitalize livelihoods their concern president interested giving tax breaks corporations kowtowing donald trump likes portray boss it abundantly clear trump mere mankind sits white house taking orders trump ousted stephen cannon staunchest ally white house orders military figures dominant administration trump chief staff former marine general john kelly wanted cannon contrarian cannon gave surprise interview last week contradicting militarily policy north korea last straw cannon said military option solving north korea standoff flew face pentagon advising trump options table only days later kicked returned edit breitbart news nationalistic website past served media booster trump following announcement afghanistan breitbart news declared trump reverses course blasted speech reported vigorous counsel trump overseas militarily particular afghanistan he thought primary influence behind trump economic nationalism america coincidence trump decided get rid cannon muddled military generals intelligence chiefs camp david last weekend then three days departure white house trump delivers military involvement south asia exactly pentagon top brass little policy achievements far trump emerging blowhard willing toe line survive even means stabbing supposed allies back this president big mouth big ego much else all promises voter base seen cruel hoaxes perpetrated one always denouncing others rise generals trump administration alongside figurehead president surely cause concern sinister constitutional implications but disturbing drift toward military government us hardly causes public rule indeed actually welcomed prominent news editorial last weekend condemning the failing trump presidency new york times seems oblivious endorsement military control white states one measure despair caused trump behavior find strangely comfort things normal presidency would cause concern americans accustomed constitutionally politically civilian leadership find relying three current former generals john kelly new white house chief staff master national security adviser jim mantis secretary defense stop trump going completely rails last week five joint chiefs staff soundly rebuked trump ambiguous comments racial violence us media widely saw intervention pentagon welcome disciplining covering supposed radical populist president promised return governing power ordinary citizens firmly vice trump cabinet apart three generals kelly master mantis key posts run ceo rex tillerson state department former wall street executives steven mnuchin treasury secretary gary con national economic adviser wilbur ross commerce combination military industrial corporation executive level government definition fascist state combine malleable megalomaniac willing betray allies voter base makes dangerous readiness go war venezuela north korea iran give license pentagon step air force slaughter iraq syria yemen signals far presidency trump broken backtracking afghanistan transparent shows unscrupulous character much pentagon taken control november american people voted radical change one would deliver economic revival jobs home implementing peaceful foreign americans got opposite calling elected president trump the implications blatant disconcerting american democracy longer exists ever the people submerged complex trump pathetic puppet taking orders generals oligarchic friends wall exceptional nation one never tires proclaiming lofty democratic virtues rest world degenerated state trump betrayal complete stands one biggest cons modern political more afghanistan news at century wire 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