Paul Cobaugh is a veteran national security expert. I recently discovered his blog, “Truth About Threats.” He is nonpartisan and level-headed. This post is informative.
Okay, please follow my train of thought on this topic and exclusively from a national security point of view.
My two favorite and most credible news sources, AP and Reuters, both buried this story. I consider that a disservice to well-informed readers. At this point in our history, not totally unlike the runup to the US Civil War, what the President said in his speech was not only accurate, but legitimately a dire warning. The MAGA wing of the Republican party is a national security threat.
When I returned to the army, after 26 years as a civilian, I spent the overwhelming majority of my time in the CT, the Counter-Terrorism community, and at many levels but primarily deployed and in a tactical environment. When not deployed I helped put together major programs for USSOCOM regarding CVE, Countering-Violent Extremism and more. I have researched and studied extremism for decades now. POTUS was correct last night, the MAGA movement is a textbook example of an extremist movement, with a violent extremist wing.
Now, let me make a critical distinction as did POTUS last night. No, he did not condemn all Republicans, nor have I in my writings these past couple of years. President Biden said precisely what I have said in this time period, that the MAGA wing of the Republican party, controls the party. Their behavior has been textbook extremism and as we have seen in multiple cases of violence, especially January 6th, 2021, has crossed the threshold into violent extremism.
This in NOT my political view. It is a professional assessment of the evidence. Let’s talk for just a minute about the two major parties. During my youth, in the 60s and 70s, the “left” was the bulk of US violent extremism, especially during Vietnam. Now, the roles have turned, 180 degrees with the right being the dominant, violent extremism that is most dangerous. Americans have been conditioned to put their party allegiance into their identity as a defining aspect of their identity. Both parties have done this. In truth, this is un-American. The constitution doesn’t mention partisanship and George Washington, a personal hero and our only real independent POTUS, warned us of this moment in his Farewell Address after leaving office, after his second term.
If the current form of the Republican party wishes to be seen differently, it is up to the “principled conservatives” to take back their party from the violent extremists. It is in fact, no one else’s job. Until that time, I’m afraid that POTUS is spot on. My friends span the political spectrum and I thoroughly enjoy discussing these issues with them and respect their opinions, whether I agree or not. That my friends is the American Way.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Both parties have done this.” While I agree with the assessment Mr. Cobaugh presents, I would take exception to the above statement. Democrats in 1967 responded to the street violence with a commission to determine what was going on to send crowds of people into the streets. They did not, and they never have, condoned violence. They have never promulgated a narrative that suggests false information. They have never accepted behavior from their leaders that is obviously corrupt (please contrast what democrats did with Al Franken with the republican response to Donald Trump).
Many democrats were disgusted with the personal immorality associated with Bill Clinton and his proclivities. This led to widespread cynicism toward the party. Much worse behavior on the part of Trump has produced in the modern Republicans, indeed mostly within the ranks that once framed themselves as the “moral majority,” a blind loyalty unlike anything in the Democrats.
Perhaps the Democrats wish their base would act like the Republicans, but their base never does.
I don’t recall any Democrat presidents calling up an ally and saying, “I’ll send you that military aid if you announce an investigation of my opponent’s son.” I don’t recall any of them asking Russia to hack his opponent’s email or repeatedly calling for the U.S. to get out of NATO. I don’t recall any of them withdrawing from the Open Skies and INF Treaties at the very time when Putin was fielding new hypersonic nuclear missiles. I don’t recall any of them saying that they have not business in Russia when two of their children are telling people that the family business is rolling in money from the Russians. I don’t recall any Democratic president confusing a dementia test for an IQ test. I don’t recall any of them trying to substitute fake electors for the actual ones. I don’t recall any of them trying to prevent the certification of an election by encouraging a mob to storm the Capitol. I don’t recall any of them taking documents with the highest levels of classification, ones containing information that, if revealed, would cause enormous harm to the country, to their freaking beach houses and then LYING to the government when it tried to get them back.
Trump is an agent or asset of the Russian government, and he is extremely dangerous. Lord knows how much our country has been compromised by him already.
But, hey, Barack Obama wore a tan suit after Labor Day, and Michelle once wore a strapless gown.
I don’t recall any Democratic president unilaterally, over the wishes of ALL his senior military people, withdrawing from Northern Syria, leaving it to Asaad and the Russians and totally abandoning our allies, the Kurds.
Well said. Today’s GOP aligns more with Putin than Lincoln. They have enabled and nurtured extremism.
And I do not recall the Trump base ever holding him responsible for any of the actions he has taken, at least not in the same way Democrats have criticized their own.
No, but they did hold Liz Cheney accountable for criticizing Trump.
So I guess that counts for something, right?
Tge claim that “Both parties have done this” is supposed to gain him credibility among Republicans.
For some odd reason, one must now preface criticisms of one’s own party with the claim that the other side also does it or the other side once did it.
First of all, tge fast majority of the resistance to tge Vietnam war was actually NONjviolent.
Second, the implication that all or most the actual violence (which was mostly isolated incidences) was perpetrated on the left until fairly recently is just false. In fact, some of the most violent acts by far have been perpetrated by tge right for decades. (Let, Oklahoma City Federal building bombing in 1995 , by Tim McVeigh, to give just one example). And by tge way, what about the violence perpetrated by right wing e Grenier President Richard Nixon who sent in tge heavily armed national guard to quell a peceful protest at Isn’t state which resulted in tge murder of 4 students?
But quite apart from those two facts, criticisms of one side or another can and should stand on their own.
They should not have to be prefaced with statements that “the other side does it”
Roy, perhaps I misunderstood Mr Cobaugh. He spoke of street violence in the ‘60s and ‘70s especially with regard to the VNWar. But his “Both parties have done this” followed the statement “Americans have been conditioned to put their party allegiance into their identity as a defining aspect of their identity.” My memory of those years is still strong, and there was no allegiance to either Republicans or Democrats—much less as a defining aspect of one’s identity– among either the violent or the peaceful protestors against the VNWar. We identified the Democrats as having initiated our involvement under JFK (D) and escalated it under LBJ (D), then Nixon (R) prolonged it, and expanded it into Cambodia.
I agree with your assessment.
In the wake of Watergate, the Republican Party began its inexorable march to the right by electing Reagan, considered an anathema during the time a decade earlier.
It is astonishing to me what leaders in the Republican Party will now condone. It condoned a President who clearly acted as an asset of a foreign power (Russia), wanted the U.S. out of NATO, separated babies and toddlers from their parents, called for SHOOTING unarmed asylum seekers and for violating posse comitatus by sending federal troops against protestors, thought that doctors should tell people to take horse tranquilizer and inject disinfectant, thought that stealth airplanes were actually invisible, tried by several concurrent means to overthrow the incoming government of the United States, and now, now, defend egregious violations of national security.
Some of the documents that Trump took to his freaking beach house and had lying around his office and in unlocked rooms and closets are of a level of security indicating that they could be used to identify and murder agents and assets of the US government, to build or compromise weapons systems, and even worse (yes, even worse). Imagine a city blowing up because information fell into the wrong hands, and the owners of those hands used it to bring about that end. That’s the level of security we are talking about here. It is completely INSANE that this man is not in prison NOW, and that the whole place is not being swept and everyone connected to it investigated. Same with sweeping of other Trump residences. Video has recently emerged of bunches of file boxes being unloaded from Trump’s plane at various of his golf clubs over the past year. This is as serious as it gets. I’ve said this before. I’ll say it again: a judge who delays action on this is not a serious person, and neither are those who defend Trump’s shocking behavior–lying to the DOJ about these documents, obstructing their investigation, making them disappear God knows where.
What does it freaking take??!! Is there any depth of depravity and criminality to which Republicans won’t follow this slimeball?
cx: Is there any depth of depravity and criminality and seditiousness and traitorousness to which Republicans won’t follow this slimeball?
Yes, traitorousness. One who aids and abets enemies of the United States and those attempting to overthrow the government of the United States is a traitor. Clearly, Trump aided and abetted citizens’ militias who were trying to overthrow the incoming government of our country and were calling for the murder of the sitting Vice President.
You said it, Bob. Sane, law-abiding people in positions of public service must realize & understand just how dangerous Trump & his supporters & followers are to this country. It makes no sense that supposedly patriotic elected Republican officials defend this damaged, selfish narcissist who obviously cares for no one or nothing that doesn’t favor his interests only. It is so blatantly a CULT, and all clear thinking, patriotic people must fight against it and stop trying to convince & convert the cult members of their wrong-doing.
Preach, loved2!
Come on , Bob
You know that all these people (Garland and the rest) are Very Serious People.
How else would they have gottdn their job to begin with?
Haaaaaa!
If I am not mistaken, when you accept a job like AG, you have to repeat an oath that you are a Very Serious Person.
It’s called the Oath of Very Serious Offices
But maybe done of them thought they were taking an oath to a Very Serious Putin
Thank you, Mr. Cobaugh!!! For your service and for your important warning.
MAGA
Moscow’s Asset Governing America
It’s so freaking obvious, and the fact that the criminal has not been brought to justice yet is the greatest intelligence and law enforcement failure in our history.
MAGA means Making Attoneys Get Attorneys.
LOL. That’s hilarious. Yeah, Trump is having a hard time getting attorneys these days because all his attorneys end up needing attorneys.
In America, it’s attorneys all the way down.
I saw a post somewhere suggesting—Let’s assume that everything Trump says is true and he’s being persecuted, railroaded & set up. If that were so, why haven’t the best lawyers in the country flocked to defend a billionaire, innocent former president being screwed over by the corrupt FBI & DOJ??? What a great payday they could get from this billionaire, along with the prestige of defending an ex-president? But…..crickets! Not one high-priced, powerful lawyer has stepped up to defend this poor victimized, innocent Dear Leader of millions of MAGA worshippers. I wonder why??????
Because 1) they know he doesn’t have any money
2) they know that even if he did have money, he wouldn’t pay them because he has a history of not paying tge people who do work for him
So, it has nothing to do with whether they believe he is innocent or not.
MAGA threatens the very foundations of our country.
National security won’t matter if there are no freedoms left to secure.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/13/republicans-keep-showing-us-who-they-are-graham-introduces-federal-abortion-ban
People like Lindsey Graham will stop at nothing. They want complete control over the most intimate aspects of the lives of women in this country. The American Taligraham.
“Overturning Roe was never about giving power back to states—it was about controlling our bodies and our personal autonomy. We cannot let this happen.”
People like Graham are just cruel.
Anyone who votes for that guy had better hope and pray that there is no Hell.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/13/despicable-show-cruelty-graham-dismisses-womans-story-nonviable-pregnancy
In ‘Despicable Show of Cruelty’, Graham Dismisses Woman’s Story of Nonviable Pregnancy
Because if there is and God is anything like what they believe, they already have a room reserved for them.
And if there is a Heaven and folks like Lindsey Graham are going, I pray that I don’t go there.
Because in that case, it is obvious that God has mixed up the signs
Swapped Signs?
If Heaven’s Hell
And Hell is Heaven
How you tell
Is “where is Graham?”
Where is Trump?
Will also tell
If Heaven’s a dump
Then go to Hell
I am happy that Lindsey Graham introduced this bill before the election, and that it is even more restrictive than those he introduced 5 previous times as Senator. This should put the kabosh on the nattering nabobs of know-nothings who continue insisting that SCOTUS decision merely placed the issue back into the state legislatures ‘where it belongs.’
The title of your linked article is spot-on: “Republicans keep showing us who they are.” Hopefully this move will get plenty of MSM attention, and will be highlighted by Dem contenders for House & Senate.
The reason Trump is not getting attorneys jumping on his band wagon is the same reason you don’t see many helping out the political prisoners in the DC gulag–they are afraid that they will become fodder for the DOJ and their companies will be destroyed.
Look at the number of lawyers who have been put in jail or who are currently being investigated. I can think of 4-6 They are being drug out of their homes at gun point during the night as their homes are sacked…or they are shackled on an airport tarmac and drug in without their lawyer for hours of answering questions. These people have lawyers who can accept summons and have their clients appear whenever the government wishes. The DOJ goes overboard with gestapo tactics of humiliation. Add to this the fact that Trump is a difficult client who doesn’t listen well to his attorneys—he shoots his mouth off! He is hard to control. I think that some might be overly intimated by him.
CIA Agents Betrayed?
In October 2021 — ten months after Trump took Top Secret documents home with him — the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had to send a cable to all its overseas offices warning them that an unusually high number of CIA undercover agents were being captured and/or killed.
A coincidence?
nytimes.com/2021/10/05/us/politics/cia-informants-killed-captured.html
Who don’t we just say it?
Besides being a racist, an insurrectionist, and a seditionist, Trump is a traitor to the Constitution and the American Republic.
Anyone who has supported or still is supporting him is in the same camp.
Democracy, you left out one important role TFG play: Russian agent.
Yes, Diane, Trump is a Russian asset. As the Senate Intelligence Committee reported in Volume V of its investigation into the Russian ratf*cking of the 2016 election,
“the Russian government engaged in an aggressive, multifaceted effort to influence, or attempt to influence, the outcome of the 2016 presidential election…Manafort’s presence on the Campaign and proximity to Trump created opportunities for Russian intelligence services to exert influence over, and acquire confidential information on, the Trump Campaign. Taken as a whole, Manafort’s highlevel access and willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services, particularly Kilimnik and associates of Oleg Deripaska, represented a grave counterintelligence threat…Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian effort to hack computer networks and accounts affiliated with the Democratic Party and leak information damaging to Hillary Clinton and her campaign for president. Moscow’s intent was to harm the Clinton Campaign, tarnish an expected Clinton presidential administration, help the Trump Campaign after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, and undermine the U.S. democratic process…While the GRU and WikiLeaks were releasing hacked documents, the Trump Campaign sought to maximize the impact of those leaks to aid Trump’s electoral prospects. Staff on the Trump Campaign sought advance notice about WikiLeaks releases, created messaging strategies to promote and share the materials in anticipation of and following their release, and encouraged further leaks. The Trump Campaign publicly undermined the attribution of the hack-and-leak campaign to Russia and was indifferent to whether it and WikiLeaks were furthering a Russian election interference effort.”
Click to access report_volume5.pdf
Cobaugh wants us the believe that it’s just one faction of the Republican party that is tge problem?
Really? Is that why virtually anyone with tge party of disagrees with tge way tge party is headed is ostracized?
it is up to the “principled conservatives” to take back their party from the violent extremists.”
“Principled conservatives”?
Like the ones who have been trying for decades to overturn Roe VWade and return women go their “rightful” place: barefoot and pregnant in the home?
Like the ones who have been calling climate change a hoax for decades?
Like the ones who have been trying to eliminate social security for decades?
Like tge ones whose goal it has been to eliminate all environmental regulations and the EPA for decades?
Like tge ones whose goal it has been to shrink tge size of thd Federal government so that it can be drowned in a bathtub ?
Principles conservatives like those?
Just because one has principles doesn’t make one honorable and admirable
. After all, . Hitler also had principles.
And Cobaugh makes it sound like it’s just a small faction within tge Republican party that is tge problem. But the extremism started long before MAGA. People like Timothy McVeigh and anti abortion bomber Eric Rudolph were operating long before MAGA was a twinkle in Trumps eye.
The truly principled Conservatives that I know (my parents, for example) actually left the Republican party — and long before Trump (whom they never would have even considered voting for), when George W. Bush invaded Iraq. Because they had principles.