McMaster Fires Another Iran Hawk, While Doing His Best to Protect Obama Holdovers

Derek Harvey is a Middle East expert who had been on the National Security Council. He had pushed for a "more belligerent" line on Iran -- in accordance with Trump's, but apparently not McMasters', wishes.

Obviously, then, he had to go.

Harvey was apparently a strong advocate of Trump's decision to bomb a Syrian airfield in April in retaliation for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons on civilians days earlier. Harvey also supported a more bellicose Iran strategy than either Tillerson or Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Mattis, in particular, had strong disagreements with Harvey. Sources told the Standard that Mattis raised his concerns with National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who was the one to fire Harvey on Thursday morning. Harvey, a long-time intelligence professional with wide knowledge of the Middle East, played a critical role in the administration's Iran, Syria, and Iraq policies. He has extensive experience as an intelligence officer and analyst for the military, embassies, and the Defense Intelligence Agency.

McMaster meanwhile continues fighting to keep Obama's Team in place.

Harvey was closely involved in president Trump's efforts to rid the National Security Council of Obama holdovers, who were suspected of leaking national security secrets to the press. After extensive research, Harvey compiled a list of suspected leakers and reportedly delivered it straight to the president, who then took his list to McMaster. Even though President Trump asked McMaster to fire the individuals on the list, the NSC chief refused the president's directives to get rid of the Obama holdovers. This comes as Congress continues to sound the alarm about the national security implications of a White House that can't control the release of classified information. And as the classified leaks continue to spill into the public domain at a record-high rate, the National Security Council remains staffed with a shockingly high percentage of holdovers from the Obama era. Reached for comment, a White House official estimated that well over fifty percent of the National Security Council staff are Obama holdovers. But instead of firing the Obama holdovers, McMaster has purged several conservative Trump supporters from the ranks of the NSC.

Obama's holdovers are invested in keeping the "Iran Deal" alive, one imagines. Right?

You know, establishment types ooohed and aahed over the Mattis and McMaster nominations while people I consider more credible -- that is, Deplorables with some subject-matter expertise -- told me both were weak and more aligned with Obama.

They turn out to have been right.

So I guess the question for the "principles" braggarts is this: You supposedly were against the Iran deal. Yet the establishment-blessed men you say are the Adults in the Room seem to be determined to keep it.

So, have your principles been corrupted by your tribal loyalties to the establishment/RINO wing?

Do you really oppose the Iran deal, or do you oppose it like Lisa Murkowski opposes Obamacare?