Brett McGurkVerified account

@brett_mcgurk

Payne Distinguished Lecturer . Foreign Affairs Analyst /. Former Presidential Envoy. Served under Bush, Obama, Trump. Dad. .

Palo Alto, CA
cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/people/brett-m…
Joined April 2013
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  1. Pinned Tweet
    31 Dec 2018

    Today was my last day at the State Department. I wish my former civilian and military colleagues well as they work under extremely difficult circumstances to protect the interests of our great country. It was a privilege to serve alongside them.

    2,183 replies 6,040 retweets 34,704 likes
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  2. Retweeted
    5 hours ago

    President Trump is about to make major, consequential mistake in Syria. Sources say US is tonight informing its Syrian Kurdish allies that US is withdrawing from positions on Turkish border, abandoning so-called “security mechanism,” to allow an invasion by Turkish forces...

    458 replies 2,821 retweets 3,338 likes
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  3. 1 hour ago

    Bottom line: Trump tonight after one call with a foreign leader provided a gift to Russia, Iran, and ISIS. FWIW, I warned of this here in — and recommended alternatives given the hard realities on the ground and in this White House.

    44 replies 175 retweets 264 likes
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  4. 1 hour ago

    There’s a similar defect at the core of US foreign policies across the board: maximalist objectives for a minimalist president combined with no process to assess facts, develop options, or prepare contingencies. Our personnel are left exposed at the slightest moment of friction.

    7 replies 63 retweets 158 likes
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  5. 1 hour ago

    Trump made a similarly impulsive decision when I was managing the policy. I resigned over it and stand by every word in this op-ed. Tonight is a sad replay but seems even worse as US officials had since convinced the SDF that we planned to stay.

    8 replies 113 retweets 171 likes
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  6. 1 hour ago

    Indeed, US officials signed the SDF up to a “security mechanism” plan by which it removed all defensive barriers on the Syrian side of the border to forestall a Turkish incursion. EUCOM issued this just yesterday. Was Trump ever even briefed on this plan?

    0:27
    U.S. and Turkish militaries are executing concrete steps as part of the security mechanism framework to address Turkey’s legitimate security concerns. The Department of Defense will be transparent as each phase of the…
    6 replies 74 retweets 120 likes
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  7. 1 hour ago

    The Turkish proposed “safe zone” would effectively extend Turkey’s border 30km into Syria, including areas of Christians, Kurds, and other vulnerable minorities. Our diplomats were working on a plan to forestall such a debacle. Where’s Pompeo?

    Earlier this year in , I noted that Erdogan’s “safe zone” is really a plan to extend Turkey’s southern border 20 miles into Syria (left). Today before the UNGA, he confirmed as much with a map (right).…
    26 replies 154 retweets 207 likes
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  8. 1 hour ago

    Turkey has neither the intent, desire, nor capacity to manage 60k detainees in al Hol camp, which State and DoD IGs warn is the nucleus for a resurgent ISIS. Believing otherwise is a reckless gamble with our national security. Background here👇

    14 replies 127 retweets 193 likes
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  9. 1 hour ago

    The WH statement tonight on Syria after Trump spoke with Erdogan demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of anything happening on the ground. The “United States” is not holding any ISIS detainees. They are all being held by the SDF, which Trump just served up to Turkey.

    16 replies 167 retweets 229 likes
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  10. 1 hour ago

    Donald Trump is not a Commander-in-Chief. He makes impulsive decisions with no knowledge or deliberation. He sends military personnel into harm’s way with no backing. He blusters and then leaves our allies exposed when adversaries call his bluff or he confronts a hard phone call.

    100 replies 340 retweets 482 likes
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  11. Oct 5

    Will stand up for American personnel deployed in Syria on his orders? Or is he looking for an excuse to pull them all out? A Turkish attack will increase risks to our people, fracture the SDF, and enable ISIS’s resurgence. Clear picture.

    Turkey is ready to start a military operation in northern Syria to retake areas from American-backed Kurdish forces and may act “as soon as today or tomorrow,” President Erdogan said on Saturday
    236 replies 581 retweets 844 likes
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  12. Retweeted
    Oct 4

    Watch break down the stunning text messages between Trump-appointed diplomats and explain how they suggest quid pro quo in the Trump-Ukraine controversy. Weighing in: , , and

    5 replies 19 retweets 36 likes
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  13. Oct 4

    To paraphrase Eisenhower: good process does not always lead to good policy; but bad process, or no process, "can easily lead to disaster." Ukraine demonstrates that the foreign policy process is in disarray, thereby increasing risks that manageable problems become true crises.

    2 replies 12 retweets 40 likes
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  14. Oct 4

    Our military leaders holding the line report Iran's behavior is indeed getting worse, not better, as the max pressure policy continues to take effect. That will increase the risks of another scenario in which the president must either respond or back down.

    3 replies 10 retweets 25 likes
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  15. Oct 4

    Iran is now further lifting limits on its nuclear program and likely planning additional provocations in the region. It may be prepared to risk duck-walking the U.S. into a conflict Trump clearly doesn’t want and is ill-prepared to see through.

    3 replies 7 retweets 17 likes
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  16. Oct 4

    Also in Syria, 60,000 detainees including hardened ISIS terrorists in a camp increasingly out of control. DOD and State Inspectors General warned that the arbitrary troop cut made it impossible to deal with this serious problem, which is worsening.

    20 replies 39 retweets 51 likes
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  17. Oct 4

    Continuing threats from Turkey to invade northeast Syria, which could trigger abandonment of the ISIS campaign. The president should stand up for our personnel on the ground. He hasn't done that; instead, he cut their resources in half at the worst time.

    2 replies 19 retweets 34 likes
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  18. Oct 4

    Swelling protests in Iraq sparked by a sudden reassignment of a popular general in the ISIS war, but w/deeper roots. Requires urgent diplomacy with all stakeholders. We have an excellent AMB in place, but nearly his entire staff was withdrawn this year.

    2 replies 6 retweets 19 likes
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  19. Oct 4

    Ukraine is a microcosm of systemic policy malfunction. Important reminder: the U.S. confronts multiple national security challenges that require a coherent policy-making process to assess, analyze, and manage. In the Middle East alone, where U.S. personnel remain in harm’s way –>

    12 replies 24 retweets 55 likes
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  20. Retweeted
    Oct 4

    Coming up on : Join us at 1 PM EST on ! 🧠

    10 replies 6 retweets 17 likes
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  21. Oct 3

    Bill Taylor is a former colleague and national treasure: West Point grad, Vietnam Veteran, career ambassador, swore multiple oaths as a soldier and diplomat to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. No surprise he’s asking the appropriate questions.👇

    36 replies 352 retweets 1,074 likes
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