# John Bolton Out as National Security Advisor **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 10, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992 "2019-09-10T16:18:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/41 "2019-09-10T21:32:23Z")
Love the Huffington Post headline: QUACK HAWK DOWN It will be difficult, even for Donald, to find someone worse. Bolton has an ideology: he fucking loves war. Especially against Muslims. I don’t think Donald has an ideology. Foreign policy is just an avenue to get more attention for himself. Bring the troops home, send more away, bomb some non-white people, he honestly doesn’t give a shit. But publicly disagree with him- them’s fightin’ words. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/42 "2019-09-10T21:40:31Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Nah, Trump really really REALLY wants a Nobel Peace Prize. After all, that awful nasty man Obama has one, so Trump has to one-up him. He thought he could get one with North Korea, but yeah, not so much. So, let’s try with the Taliban? > > But bottom line, on the one hand I think he would gladly nuke Iran, but on the other hand he wants the Nobel, and IMHO that is a bigger motivator for him. So, no wars! Yay! (And we all KNOW Hillary would have started wars all over the place, right?) > > Regarding Bolton, once Trump figured out that he was going to stand in his way getting the Nobel, well, that’s an easy decision. That probably explains why Trump revoked the instruction on counts of civillian deaths by US drone strikes being published. Don’t want to let everyone know he’s beaten Obama on that count. Ron Paul in 2017 reported this: > **[Trump Has Killed More Civilians with Illegal Drone Strikes in 9 Months Than...](http://www.ronpaullibertyreport.com/archives/trump-has-killed-more-civilians-with-illegal-drone-strikes-in-9-months-than-obama-did-in-8-years)** > > During @BarackObama 's 29 months at helm of ISIS war we tracked 855 alleged civilian casualty events which likely killed 2298-3398 civilians pic.twitter.com/RUVvcy5zX9 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/43 "2019-09-10T21:50:11Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Gonna be hard to find someone more batshit that John “We HAVE an army, why don’t we use it?” Bolton. At least Bolton never suggested using the Army to fight a hurricane that he insisted was headed for Alabama. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/44 "2019-09-10T21:56:02Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > He knows goddamn good and well that George W. Bush’s legacy was utterly ruined by his war - indeed, he campaigned on it himself. And while he may SAY that _he_ could fight a war better than his predecessors, there is no way in hell that he’s going to try, because he knows the consequences of failure would be too damaging to his own ego. That is another good point. Trump campaigned on isolationism, so a desire to avoid wars is consistent with that philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/45 "2019-09-10T22:47:45Z")
> [@pool](#): > > He probably fired him cause he wouldn’t shave that atrocious mustache. That actually probably was a good 65% of it. Trump is very fixated on “out of Central Casting” appearances for all those associated with him. The other 35% was some combination of ‘not sycophantic enough’ and ‘actually criticized ME!!!1!’ and ‘I won’t get the Nobel with this guy urging war all the time.’ > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Trump has the best ideas. Everyone says so. Just the other day, a general came up to Trump and said “Sir, Mister President Sir, you have the best ideas, and everyone in America knows it.” Was the general crying manly tears? I bet he was crying manly tears. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > I see a dual role appointment for Mike Pompeo in the near future. Yes, I think this is the most likely development. There’s precedent: Henry Kissinger was both SoS and NSA. And Pompeo gives Trump the exact brand of toadying flattery\* Trump likes. More of that will be just to Trump’s taste. \*the kind with religious underpinnings: Trump being The Chosen One, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/46 "2019-09-10T23:11:48Z")
I figure given the trajectory that Trump with trot out Erik Prince next. ---
**Author:** ![cutman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@cutman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cutman74)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/47 "2019-09-10T23:35:27Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The press? You mean “The enemy of the people” We all know that Trump is full of fantastic ideas, the best. And it’s only “The Press” who talks them down all the time. > > Trump has the best ideas. Everyone says so. Just the other day, a general came up to Trump and said “Sir, Mister President Sir, you have the best ideas, and everyone in America knows it.” And his eyes were brimming with tears while he said this. Great big guy. Believe me. ---
**Author:** ![cutman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@cutman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cutman74)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/48 "2019-09-10T23:44:46Z")
Fuck! ninja’d by EP:) ---
**Author:** ![cutman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@cutman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cutman74)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/49 "2019-09-10T23:46:46Z")
Sorry ninja’d by Sherrerd. Been drinkin’ ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/50 "2019-09-11T00:10:05Z")
> [@boblibdem](#): > > love the huffington post headline: Quack hawk down nice 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/51 "2019-09-11T00:51:16Z")
I don’t know whether to be happy or relieved. The number of nuts have been reduced by one, but the replacement might be another nut, only better at kissing up. > [@pool](#): > > He probably fired him cause he wouldn’t shave that atrocious mustache. But that was his only good point! I wish I could grow a mustache like that. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/52 "2019-09-11T01:01:23Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Cue Nelson Muntz laugh: > > Ha Ha! > > What a dumbass, what a maroon you were, John Bolton, for thinking you could trust or have any real influence on Trump. Glad to see him on his ass. In 100% agreement on this. When I first heard the news I started laughing out loud with glee. Bolton is war-mongering Islamophobic egomaniac. Getting fired by Trump is a major blow to his ego and I love it! > [@Velocity](#): > > So I’m curious. Was Bolton too hawkish for Trump, or not enough? I suspect the President was drawn to Bolton’s tough talk on various Fox shows prior to his appointment. But Trump is a blowhard who talks tough but is really a spineless chickenshit when it comes to actual confrontation. I would bet POTUS started looking for a way to dump Bolton as soon as he realized the nutty war talk was for real. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/53 "2019-09-11T08:42:53Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > That is another good point. Trump campaigned on isolationism, so a desire to avoid wars is consistent with that philosophy. Trump campaigned on both sides of every issue (except, maybe, The Wall). It’s easy to point at something he said on the campaign trail to justify every possible action. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/54 "2019-09-11T08:49:49Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The CNN coverage I’m seeing right now makes it sound like Trump made a bad decision by firing Bolton. CNN has never met a warmongerer it didn’t like. They were upset at Trump’s _ok starting a shooting war over a drone is a bad idea_ epihany. Which led to the frankly bizzare spectacle of ex-military types on social media and Twitter telling journolists that _no going to war is a good thing_. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/55 "2019-09-11T10:23:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Trump escalated bombing in Iraq and Syria is a savage & criminal way (bombing that was already savage & criminal under Obama) but, in almost 3 years in office, he’s started no new wars. Sorry, but that’s just a fact. Good riddance to Bolton. > > > Ezra Klein @ezraklein A bit like saying Lyndon Johnson didn’t start new wars? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/56 "2019-09-11T11:20:31Z")
If someone ism opposed to the ouster of an individual who advocated going to war over a drone, that person is insane. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/57 "2019-09-11T12:25:39Z")
One theory holds is that he was fired for leaking the nuking hurricanes idea. Glad we won’t see his gross mustache any more. Seriously, every bite of food he eats gets brushed by that repulsive piece of fur. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/58 "2019-09-11T13:36:32Z")
I came here to mention the same theory **BobLibDem** just mentioned. [Three different high-placed sources confirm that Trump’s firing of Bolton was in response to him](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fires-john-bolton-his-services-are-no-longer-needed-at-the-white-house/) or his aides leaking Trump’s wacky ‘Nuke the Hurricane’ idea, thereby embarrassing the dotard. This makes sense. The Trump is no policy geek, and has never fired anyone over a policy difference — it’s always personal. Trump probably liked having a warmonger in such a high post: needle the libtards and make Trump seem statesmanlike in comparison. But he couldn’t tolerate what seemed like personal effrontery. ---
**Author:** ![mjmlabs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mjmlabs/32/69_2.png) [@mjmlabs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmlabs)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/59 "2019-09-11T15:57:14Z")
[Bemusement, Apathy & Horror] Man, if someone had told me 25 years ago that today I’d be worried because John Bolton got fired, I’d have laughed in their face. Strange times are these, indeed. [/BAH] ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992/60 "2019-09-11T23:05:41Z")
> [@cutman74](#): > > Sorry ninja’d by Sherrerd. Been drinkin’ Hey, at least you spelled my name right. I’m impressed! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-bolton-out-as-national-security-advisor/839992.md?page=4)