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Monitor Daily Intro for May 9, 2017
David Clark Scott
If there鈥檚 a Trump global doctrine, it may not be 鈥淎merica first.鈥� Rather, it might be that a path to peace must be preceded by a show of power.
The latest evidence: Today鈥檚 news reports that President Trump is weighing plans to increase the US military presence in both Syria and Afghanistan. Sending more US soldiers to Afghanistan would be a major reversal of former President Barack Obama鈥檚 policy of withdrawal from America's longest-running war. Supporters argue Mr. Trump鈥檚 move is designed to force the Taliban into peace talks.
It might be too strong to call these steps a 鈥渄octrine,鈥� but they are suggestive of a pattern of thought. Trump orders a cruise missile attack on Syria, he says North Korea is "looking for trouble," he threatens to cancel NAFTA, he calls NATO "obsolete" 鈥� and China a "currency manipulator." His opening salvos 鈥� rhetorical and actual 鈥� seem intended to put adversaries on uncertain footing. And then, often, a more moderate position emerges. Understanding the pattern helps reporters, and citizens, not to overreact.
Here are our five stories for today.
