Bolton Actively Supporting Terror Groups: US Political Scientist

“John Bolton hasn't met a right-wing terrorist group or state he doesn't like. He actively supports (paid by) the MKO and was one of those US officials that successfully got the MKO off the US Department of State list of terror groups,” Beau Grosscup, California State University Professor Emeritus of Political Science, told the Tasnim News Agency.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Tasnim: US President Donald Trump has announced he is replacing his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, with John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the UN and a military intervention hawk. What is your take on the replacement?

Grosscup: John Bolton is one of the most hawkish of the Neoconservatives whose agenda is and has been 'regime change' in countries that are not US satellites. He is very friendly to the Shah of Iran's son and is actively supporting the overthrow of the current Iranian government in order to return the monarchy to rule Iran. Bolton favors military action over diplomacy. While never having served in the military, he will send the sons and daughters of others to fight his 'regime change' wars without hesitation. He is an extreme jingoist with fascist tendencies. He is very likely to play to President Trump's ignorance of foreign policy and his penchant for 'quick solutions' by pushing the military and aerial bombing as the weapon of choice.

Tanim: Bolton has said the US should act pre-emptively against North Korea and Iran nuclear programs. Do you believe that his arrival makes it more likely the US will drop out of the Iran nuclear deal?

Grosscup: Bolton is the perfect person to support Trump's very public desire to either end the Iran nuclear deal or render it useless via 'renegotiation.' Bolton has publicly supported Trump’s claim that the Iran Nuclear Agreement is a bad deal for the US.

Tasnim: McMaster’s replacement comes amid a period of uncertainty involving Trump’s national security team. Just recently, Trump axed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and named CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him. What do you think?

Grosscup: Trump has surrounded himself with Tea Party and Neoconservative jingoist warmongers who will play to his worst instincts that assume 'pre-emptive (preventive) wars on Iran and North Korea using US airpower can be easily won.

Such an agenda will be met and hopefully/probably countered with powerful elements urging caution within the institutions of the National Security State, (NSS) in particular the Pentagon and Armed Services. Trump has surrounded himself with people who are not part of the NSS establishment and are thought of as 'crazies.'

Tasnim: What is your take on Bolton's ties with terror groups, including the MKO?

Grosscup: John Bolton hasn't met a right-wing terrorist group or state he doesn't like. He actively supports (paid by) the MKO and was one of those US officials that successfully got the MKO off the US Department of State list of terror groups. He has supported any terror group that is anti-Russia, in particular, the Ukrainian Neo-Nazis now in the Ukraine government. He actively favored the attempted 2002 coup in Venezuela to overthrow President Hugo Chavez, actively supports Saudi Arabia's terrorism on Iran and Israeli state terrorism, along with Israeli 'settler' terror against the Palestinians.

He very much favors 'strongman' pro-capitalist state terror in Philippines, Bahrain and the anti-Russian dictators in the Central Asian ' five 'stans' of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.