The Pompeo speech is consistent with how much of the Trump orbit -- Bannon, Kushner, admin-friendly think tanks like @HudsonInstitute, @FDD, @SecStudiesGrp and others -- sees the admin's policy in the Middle East: contra both W and Obama. 1/2
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This set's view, broadly: Bush = pro democracy promotion, tough on radical Islam but the former fueled the latter Obama = "anti war" but pro democracy promotion and weak on radical Islam, particularly Iran. Trump = tough-minded, anti democracy promotion and anti radical Islam.
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Tl dr the Trump admin beef with Iran isn't so much that it isn't a democracy, like Bush's was with Saddam, but that the Iranians are real theocrats. Erdogan and Turkey are a soft version of Iran -- its leadership class a little more democratic and less theocratic than Tehran.
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In this view, US should have embraced Saddam. Convenient because that's also POTUS' view. Indeed, the MEK, friendly with Bolton, actually opposed the invasion of Iraq (though Bolton, ofc, supported it- confusing). All this bears well for Assad's rehabilitation- secular autocrat.
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Assad would need to pretty heavily decouple from Iran, for the Republicans, and Russia, if the Democrats take the White House. But recent embassy reopenings and flirtations with Saudi demonstrate: Bashar Assad is back, if he every really went away.
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Replying to @JackPosobiec
The view on Erdogan is most complex. Erdogan is seen by many as a softer, Sunni version of the Iranians-- less theocratic and more democratic than the Mullahs. But some hardliners, particularly in Israel, worry they overemphasized on Iran. Turkey could be a bigger long term deal
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Replying to @CurtMills @JackPosobiec
Oh, also, Trump and Erdogan get along (see sudden Syria pullout, among other examples). And they're a NATO ally. Messy.
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