U.S. foreign policy process
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John Kiriakou has laid out several observations about the legal and practical machinery behind U.S. foreign policy.

Syria

Kiriakou states there are only three legal bases for a U.S. military presence in another country: having been attacked by that country, an invitation from its government, or approval from the UN Security Council. He says none of these apply to U.S. special forces troops stationed in Syria, ostensibly to protect oil fields that, as he notes, are not American oil fields.

The Pelosi Taiwan trip

Discussing Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, Kiriakou describes the formal congressional travel-clearance process, a CODEL, or congressional delegation notification, that governs when members of Congress travel overseas. He says this process contradicts Pentagon and White House claims that they had no advance knowledge of the trip.

U.S.-China economic interdependence

Kiriakou notes China is one of the largest holders of U.S. government debt, arguing that this economic interdependence, where a Chinese economic collapse would also hurt the U.S., and vice versa, makes antagonizing Beijing, as with the Pelosi trip, strategically unwise.

See also

- John Kiriakou
