A lot of people will be pleased by the firing of John Bolton, who as a national security adviser clearly posed a danger to humanity. It seems that the best thing Trump can be credited with, however, is correcting the mistake of hiring a right wing ideologue to occupy a position that demands unclouded objectivity. The conclusion is also inescapable that both the hiring and firing had nothing at all to do with Bolton's capabilities and judgment and everything to do with Trump's need to be at the center of uncritical attention.
In regard to the circumstances surrounding Bolton's dismissal it is also clear that Trump bungled what he saw as a great opportunity to be at the center of an historic deal in the ending of the eighteen year conflict in Afghanistan. It appears that an agreement had been largely hammered out by the diplomats and all that was really needed to complete the deal was an announcement that would sit comfortably with all parties including the Afghan government. Instead, Trump went for grandstanding at Camp David, which wasted the opportunity as well as losing support even in his own party.
So, while there may be an outside chance that Trump could stumble into doing something to benefit the country and the world, the likelihood of his turning any scenario into a disaster through his narcissism and unpredictability is just too great to tolerate.
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| Smithsonian Mag |
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