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.

    2,606 replies 6,320 retweets 36,766 likes
  2. Retweeted
    19 minutes ago

    This is an impressive bipartisan Congressional initiative to help rebuild the Foreign Service and to reaffirm America’s commitment to diplomacy. Joint Statement on the House Diplomacy Caucus — Foreign Policy for America

    11 retweets 25 likes
  3. 31 minutes ago

    This is what happens when the United States abandons principled diplomacy. Trump’s relationship with Erdogan has undercut any serious effort to nudge Turkey in a more constructive direction. As in most other areas of foreign policy at the moment, it’s only getting worse.

    16 replies 96 retweets 260 likes
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  4. 31 minutes ago

    8. And … Turkey once again threatened to kick the U.S. out of Incirlik airbase in the event Washington chooses to push back on Turkey's purchase of Russian missiles and longstanding pattern of conduct SECDEF rightly calls "spinning out of NATO's orbit."

    3 replies 60 retweets 129 likes
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  5. 31 minutes ago

    7. Turkey together with Iran and Russia through its "Astana process" condemned Israel's defensive measures in Syria and what it called "illegal seizure and transfer of oil revenue" by US-backed forces. (Trump has unforutnately invited the latter point.)

    3 replies 40 retweets 98 likes
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  6. 31 minutes ago

    6. Erdogan announced the Turkstream gas pipeline will be inaugurated with Putin on January 8 in Turkey. (Congress in the NDAA just voted to sanction this project.)

    Putin plans to visit Turkey on Jan. 8 to launch TurkStream gas pipeline, will hold talks with Erdoğan on Syria, S-400
    3 replies 47 retweets 103 likes
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  7. 31 minutes ago

    5. After which, Turkey denied it had approved NATO defensive plans for eastern Europe, plans Turkey has held hostage until NATO's 28 other allies declare the Kurdish YPG a terrorist organization (which NATO won’t do).

    1 reply 45 retweets 113 likes
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  8. 31 minutes ago

    4. Erdogan provided an immediate briefing on NATO meetings to Vladimir Putin. (Kremlin readout: “The Turkish president briefed Vladimir Putin on his meetings at the recent NATO summit in London.”)

    Telephone conversation with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan
    1 reply 59 retweets 117 likes
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  9. 31 minutes ago

    3. Turkey concluded a Mediterranean "sea grab" with the beleaguered GNA of Libya absent any consultation and in direct conflict with NATO ally Greece and U.S. allies Israel and Egypt.

    2 replies 52 retweets 121 likes
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  10. 31 minutes ago

    2. Erdogan called on Muslims to “unite against the west” at the very moment Turkey is hosting US-designated-terrorist Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in Istanbul.

    3 replies 72 retweets 143 likes
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  11. 31 minutes ago

    1. Erdogan again threatened to repopulate the border region in NE Syria with over one million Syrians not native to the area (a process that has reportedly already begun).

    4 replies 61 retweets 148 likes
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  12. 31 minutes ago

    Quick thread / update on the still unfolding consequences of Trump’s appeasing Erdogan while asking for absolutely nothing in return. Two weeks ago, recall, Trump feted Erdogan at the WH for no apparent reason. Since then, what's happened?

    31 replies 332 retweets 500 likes
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  13. Retweeted
    Dec 5

    Brett McGurk who served in senior national security positions for Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, shared his insights into presidential decision making at times of war at event in the Irvine Auditorium on December 3.

    1 reply 19 retweets 47 likes
  14. Dec 7

    Great news on the release of . Congratulations to everyone involved in what surely was a difficult exchange. We are fortunate to have the to manage the files of our wrongfully imprisoned citizens. They all need to come home.

    Statement of Hua Qu, wife of Xiyue Wang: Our family is complete once again. Our son Shaofan and I have waited three long years for this day and it’s hard to express in words how excited we are to be reunited with Xiyue. We are thankful to everyone who…
    5 replies 39 retweets 152 likes
  15. Retweeted
    Nov 26

    CNN on the ground in Northern Syria after Trump pulled U.S. troops reports

    31 replies 173 retweets 226 likes
  16. Nov 25

    Ten days after Erdogan visits Trump in the White House, Turkey flies NATO aircraft to test its new Russian S400 missile system, as Turkish-backed extremists reportedly continue operations in NE Syria. Embarrassing.

    611 replies 5,037 retweets 8,670 likes
  17. Nov 20

    That’s all in the last week. Ukraine is one piece of a dysfunctional foreign policy system under Trump. It’s disconnected from declared American interests. Diplomats can’t speak for our country even on established policies. Adversaries and competitors sense and seize advantage.

    19 replies 72 retweets 181 likes
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  18. Nov 20

    5. Back in the Middle East, as we hand military facilities to Russia (the other great power competitor) and Iran restarts its nuclear program, Saudi Arabia, recently attacked by Iran, reads the tea leaves and conducts joint naval exercises with China.

    10 replies 74 retweets 143 likes
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  19. Nov 20

    4. South Korea, confronted with the new reality of an unpredictable and unreliable United States under Trump, signs an unprecedented defense pact with China, our primary great power competitor as defined in Trump’s own national security strategy.

    4 replies 59 retweets 109 likes
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  20. Nov 20

    3. Canceled military exercises in South Korea, essential for our own readiness and aimed apparently to appease Kim Jong-Un, were only met with further defiance from North Korea. (That’s generally how appeasement works.)

    North Korea snubs Trump, saying he hasn’t earned a new summit to "brag about"
    3 replies 57 retweets 111 likes
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  21. Nov 20

    2. Trump’s own national security strategy was geared towards “great power competition,” yet we’re shaking down and alienating our closest Asia-Pacific allies, our main comparative advantage against China.

    2 replies 46 retweets 85 likes
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  22. Nov 20

    1. State/DOD IGs confirm what we already know: that Trump’s green light to Erdogan and abrupt withdrawal from Syria has been a total disaster that’s only getting worse, benefitting ISIS, Iran, and Russia.

    18 replies 134 retweets 190 likes
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  23. Nov 20

    The predictable result is a shambolic foreign policy and weakening of our country. In the last week alone, five examples, across two theaters:

    2 replies 29 retweets 57 likes
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  24. Nov 20

    Here is the entire essay, which is worth reading. The effectiveness trap, banishment of expertise, impugning the reputations of those who tell the truth, and the resultant chilling effect amongst serving officials, all read like modern-day lessons.

    5 replies 42 retweets 79 likes
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  25. Nov 20

    George Packer, in his brilliant “Our Man” about Richard Holbrook, cites a ‘68 essay by a former assistant who worked for years on Vietnam and described why officials so often refuse to speak up or throw red flags when they know they should. Seems very relevant today:

    9 replies 137 retweets 301 likes
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  26. Retweeted
    Nov 17

    Tonight 10pm ET tune into for the latest episode of with - - if you can’t join us live set your DVR.

    61 replies 398 retweets 800 likes
  27. Retweeted
    Nov 16

    Massive attacks underway against the kurds in northern syria. No ceasefire. Total nonsenses there is. US military officials tell me they are ashamed, “sickened.” It’s cold now outside. What about the families, and kids, out of their homes?

    3,234 replies 34,888 retweets 56,006 likes
  28. Nov 15

    Kobani is a predominantly Kurdish area and site of the turning point against ISIS in 2015. This military facility was later critical to the defeat of ISIS’s so-called caliphate. Unfortunately for the Kurds, there’s no oil in the area.

    215 replies 2,418 retweets 5,102 likes
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  29. Nov 15

    Today in Syria: Russia takes control of main U.S. military facility abandoned earlier this week by American forces on Trump’s orders. This area is south of Kobani and went to Russia under the Putin-Erdogan deal. Russia now also owns the airstrip we built.

    3,729 replies 19,479 retweets 23,653 likes
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  30. Nov 14

    Pompeo says the to defeat ISIS that formed in 2014 is “one of the most successful multilateral undertakings of the century.” Agree!

    .: This …has been one of the most successful multilateral undertakings of the century. We beat back a jihadist dream – a would-be terror state in the center of the Middle East – and we saved millions of people from tyranny. Watch here:
    54 replies 175 retweets 487 likes
  31. Nov 13

    I worked with Amb Taylor. With his remarkable record of service, personal courage, and integrity, he was like an EF Hutton of diplomacy: when he spoke, best to listen carefully.

    1:18
    Amb. Taylor: "Following the call with President Trump, the member of my staff asked Ambassador Sondland what President Trump thought about Ukraine. Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares…
    26 replies 639 retweets 1,952 likes
  32. Nov 13

    Senior US officials keep trying to clean this up, claiming US troops are really staying in Syria due to ISIS, but the troops are there on Trunp’s orders, and he keeps saying this (“only for the oil”) — which is totally illegal.

    1:13
    Trump, with Erdogan next to him, on Syria: "We are keeping the oil. We have the oil. The oil is secure. We left troops behind only for the oil."
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    518 replies 4,407 retweets 8,126 likes
  33. Nov 13

    At bottom: No NATO ally defies American values and interests like Turkey under Erdogan. Turkey is a great country, and its democracy will outlast its current leader. Until then, it’s best to be honest about what’s happening. None of it’s normal, and appeasement makes it worse.

    74 replies 360 retweets 858 likes
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  34. Nov 13

    15. Why do you continue to insist on expanding the influence of extremist groups known to harbor al Qaeda and responsible for war crimes? Are any of these groups now in NE Syria using American weapons? Do they operate under US-controlled skies?

    30 replies 335 retweets 785 likes
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  35. Nov 13

    14. Why did your state-backed media hail an “operation” to brutally murder a Kurdish woman until realizing it was (indeed) a probable war crime and then deleted any trace of the story? Has anyone been held accountable?

    Turkish state-backed media hails a “successful operation” to “neutralize” an unarmed 35-year old woman working to unite Arabs, Christians, and Kurds in NE Syria. Ms. Hevrin Khalef was reportedly dragged from a vehicle and…
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    21 replies 476 retweets 913 likes
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  36. Nov 13

    13. Why did you start making specific military threats against NE Syria — which culminated during your October 6 call with Trump — on the very day you took delivery of the S400 missile system from Russia? Was that a big coincidence?

    What a surprise! On the day Turkey takes delivery of advanced Russian missiles in defiance of NATO, it renews threats to US personnel and its partner forces in NE Syria. This has always been a cynical game in Ankara. Now transparent.
    12 replies 305 retweets 665 likes
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  37. Nov 13

    12. When you threaten to send 2-3 million refugees into NE Syria, where will the people who already live there go? Do you agree with Trump that Kurds can migrate from their traditonal areas to a remote oil region?

    0:25
    Erodgan, talking about northeast Syria with TRT yesterday, said: "The most suitable for this area are Arabs. These areas are not suitable for the lifestyle of Kurds."…
    11 replies 355 retweets 731 likes
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  38. Nov 13

    11. Why did your government become the world’s largest sanctions buster on behalf of Iran with illegal proceeds, according to SDNY court filings, lining the pockets of senior Turkish officials? Where has all that money (billions) gone?

    14 replies 327 retweets 700 likes
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  39. Nov 13

    10. Why, as a NATO ally, an alliance built on shared interests and values, do Turkish citizens who criticize your policies, particularly on Syria, routinely wind up exiled, purged, or jailed? (Why is a NATO ally the world’s largest jailer of journalists?)

    13 replies 373 retweets 801 likes
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  40. Nov 13

    9. Why, despite years of effort, hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars, and deployment of our best military planners to Ankara, were the Syrian opposition groups you insisted on supporting to fight ISIS found far too extreme for U.S. troops to partner with safely?

    11 replies 289 retweets 709 likes
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  41. Nov 13

    8. Why did you agree to joint patrols with Putin and Russian forces in Syria but rejected joint patrols in adjacent areas with American troops, and then placed our troops in grave danger with an unprovoked attack that ceded 2/3 of NE Syria to Russia and Assad?

    17 replies 319 retweets 773 likes
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