John Bolton – owner of the finest moustache in American politics since Teddy Roosevelt – has been appointed Donald Trump’s new national security adviser. He replaces the outgoing HR McMaster, a veritable survivor who managed to last 395 days at the White House. That’s two terms plus a recess appointment in MAGA years.
Hysteria is now the default mode of American politics so it was inevitable that Bolton’s appointment would be reported like a newly discovered post-script to the Book of Revelation. Even so, we should try to gain some perspective on the man who will be guiding President Trump’s national security policy (to the extent Trump has a national security policy or can be guided).
The first thing to understand about neoconservative ideologue John Bolton is that he’s not a neoconservative ideologue. ‘Neocon’ is bandied around as a term of abuse to mean everything from ‘Bush-era hawk’ to ‘power-hungry Jew’.
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