Well, your statement is simplistic, and owing to that particular fact, is not quite right, if you include:
1. Military operations initiated by Presidents
2. Wars started by other Presidents but were not stopped by the President in question.
3. Presidents who did not launch full scale wars..
Trump, like a few other presidents, did all three of the above, so insofar as 'standing out among presidents' as we shall see, below, not by a long shot:
So, with that in mind, who else fits in Trump's category?
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) - Reagan engaged in various military operations, including the invasion of Grenada (1983), but did not start a full-scale war
Bill Clinton (1993-2001) - Clinton did not start any full-scale wars, but he did engage in military interventions, such as in Somalia (1992-1995), Haiti (1994), and Kosovo (1999).
Barack Obama (2009-2017) - Did not start any new full-scale wars, but continued military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and engaged in military intervention in Libya (2011).
But, Trump did engage in a number of military operations and did not start any full-scale wars,, like Clinton, Reagan, and Obama, but like Obama, allowed a war to continue and did not stop it.
So, considering these facts, I see NOTHING special about Trump
During his tenure as President, Donald Trump engaged in several military interventions and operations. Some of these include:
- Syria: In April 2017 and April 2018, Trump ordered airstrikes in response to alleged chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian government. U.S. forces also continued to fight against ISIS in the region.
- Afghanistan: Trump increased the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2017 and continued the ongoing military operations against the Taliban and other militant groups. In 2020, the Trump administration signed a peace deal with the Taliban, which included a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. However, the withdrawal was not completed during his term.
- Iraq: Trump continued military operations against ISIS in Iraq. In January 2020, a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, which led to heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
- Yemen: The Trump administration continued to support the Saudi-led coalition fighting against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. This included providing intelligence, logistical support, and arms sales.
- Somalia: Trump authorized an increase in drone strikes and special forces operations against the Islamist extremist group Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Now then, a bone to pick about Trump's dealing with the Taliban, to wit:
There were several criticisms and concerns regarding Trump's agreements with the Taliban, the invitation to Camp David, and the sidelining of the Afghan government during negotiations. Some of the main criticisms include:
- Exclusion of the Afghan government: Critics argue that excluding the Afghan government from the initial U.S.-Taliban negotiations undermined the legitimacy of the elected government and weakened its bargaining position in subsequent intra-Afghan talks. This may have contributed to the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and security forces in the face of the Taliban offensive in 2021.
- Invitation to Camp David: Trump's plan to invite the Taliban to Camp David for peace talks around the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Critics argued that it was inappropriate to host the group on U.S. soil, especially near such a significant date. The invitation was eventually canceled.
- Insufficient enforcement mechanisms: The U.S.-Taliban agreement contained provisions related to a reduction in violence, the release of prisoners, and counterterrorism assurances. However, critics argue that the deal lacked strong enforcement mechanisms, allowing the Taliban to violate the terms with few consequences.
- Impact on the Biden administration: The agreement signed by the Trump administration set the stage for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. While President Biden could have chosen to renegotiate or delay the withdrawal, doing so would have risked a resurgence in violence and potentially jeopardized the safety of U.S. forces. In that sense, the Trump administration's agreement may have limited Biden's options.
The chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, which led to the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and security forces, resulted in loss of lives and left many Afghan allies and U.S. citizens behind. It is difficult to determine to what extent the Trump administration's actions directly contributed to this outcome. However, critics argue that the U.S.-Taliban agreement and the sidelining of the Afghan government during negotiations played a role in the eventual outcome.
Add to the mix the video of him acting like a lunatic in the video, I'd say he goes from 'not special' to 'substandard'.
Add to that his 4th grade vocabulary, and the vast list of despicable things he's done and said, the epic corruption that rotted the presidency and diminished it greatly, including high crimes and misdemeanors and two impeachments for which his cronies in the senate lacked the courage to indict him, and add on top of that his attempt to overturn the election and his refusal to acknowledge the he lost the last election, and add on top of that his continuing to spread the lie that 'Democrats stole the election without a stitch of proof, that puts Trump not only the worst president in history, but a threat to US National security, and add to that the criminal investigations, indictments of many of his surrogates and staff, and now indictments of himself, it is clear that this man belongs behind bars, and hopefully the 24 women who have yet to sue him for sexual predation, will muster the courage along with E. Jean Carrol, and sue the shit out of the bastard for all he is worth.