Chicago Steering Foreign Policy

For John, BLUF:  There is the "Wag the Dog" theory of politics, the idea being that one creates a foreign policy uproar to distract from other actions.  In this case it is a city, albeit a large city, is playing this game.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel suddenly concerned Trump may...invade Venezuela

There is a warning, not for this blog, but for the linked article, for language use.

From The American Thinker, by Ms Monica Showalter, 21 September 2018.

Here is the lede plus three:

With all of Chicago's problems and scandals, from its Caracas-level violence to its financial straits to its corrupt and sex-harassing pols to its Obama library sweetheart deal to its issues with illegals to even Catholic Church scandals, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is concerned about...Venezuela – and, more specifically, the prospect that President Trump might invade it, which, in his mind, could only be for political gain.

CNBC's John Harwood reports:

Rahm Emanuel, the former top aide to President Barack Obama who is now Chicago's mayor, is publicly warning that the mercurial commander-in-chief may blow past the hesitation of national security advisors in search of a rally-around-the-flag political boost.  He wants Congress to flash caution lights.

"We have a phrase in this country: the October surprise," Emanuel, Obama's first White House chief of staff, told me in an interview.  "I think in this situation he is looking to do anything and will do anything."

I think the problems in Chicago have gotten to Mayor Emanuel and it has caused him to go off the rails.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff