Current Events Paper

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Kaitlyn Delamer (559 Words)

2/23/17

Period 4

Bayne

Current Events Paper

With the resignation of Michael Flynn fresh on the minds of the American people, Donald Trump had to act fast in choosing his replacement for the National Security Advisor. When choosing this new member of the White House Staff, Trump had to evaluate character, political ideology, experience, and relevance to the position. Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster, also know as H.R. McMaster, seemed to be a good candidate for the job. With his military experience, McMaster is, in fact, a prime candidate. However, his lack of political experience causes many Americans to question his ability to make diplomatically sound decisions.

The job of the National Security Advisor is crucial to the success of the new President's foreign policy and McMaster is an ideal candidate for the job. Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster is said to be "a well-read, and take-charge man" by a close, personal friend, who served alongside McMaster at multiple posts. This has proven to be useful at each of his command posts both at home and abroad. McMaster has even managed to gain approval from the opposite party of the administration under which he serves. Life-long Democrat, Adam Schiff, interviewed by National Public Radio, stated that McMaster is a "very bright man" and has "a lot of integrity" (Schiff Interview). Donald Trump, when announcing his new National Security Advisor, described McMaster as "a man of

tremendous talent and tremendous experience," referring to his experience as a military leader in the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the War on Terror (Miller Newspaper Article). Trump, as well as many others, is confident in McMaster, the newest addition to the White House Staff.

Although he is a great military leader, with vast experience in that regard, McMaster worries some due to his lack of experience in the political arena (Schiff Interview). Diplomatic capability is a key element of the position he now holds, and some wonder if he has what it takes. If McMaster does not live up to the expectations