'John Bolton must go'

[sToRmR1dR]

John Bolton Should Resign or be Fired

Written by Adam Garrie on 2019-01-08

While the 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq remains universally reviled across the world, far too many politicians and political advisers who supported the war remain in positions of power throughout much of the US and UK. Donald Trump’s current National Security Advisor John Bolton is one of the most prominent examples of a man whose vociferous advocacy of the war on Iraq and his subsequent advocacy of similar policies makes him uniquely unqualified to be anywhere near a position of influence over American foreign policy.

But it is one thing when Bolton advocated for harsh stances against Americans adversaries and quite another when he exhibits the same rough and gruff mentality against a longstanding NATO member and US partner. In this sense, there is little doubt that Bolton’s threats towards the DPRK, China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and others were appalling and counter productive in respect of creating a more peaceful global atmosphere. But when approaching Turkey in the same way in which he approached nations with traditionally more difficult relations with the US, it is fair to say Bolton has finally piled on the straw that has broken the camel’s back.

 

[angelburst29]

Now that US President Donald Trump has finally been cleared of the ridiculous Russia Collusion charge, his top priority should be to reduce tensions with Moscow sensibly - and the place to start doing that is to fire John Bolton, his national security adviser at once.

March 29, 2019 - Trump Must Fire Bolton – To Save the Peace of the World
Trump Must Fire Bolton – To Save the Peace of the World

The case for this is urgent and the preservation of world peace will depend upon whether Trump renews his courage and acts accordingly or lets himself once more be passively manipulated along the road to new endless wars and war crimes as the previous Republican President George W. Bush was by Bolton and his neocon friends.

All the signs are that, on the contrary, Bolton - along with his lifelong close friends Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Special Envoy to Restore Democracy in Venezuela Eliot Abrams have Trump still completely in their pockets. And that they remain determined to topple the legitimate democratically elected government of Venezuela, despite the grave warnings from Moscow to stop doing so.

On March 20, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov met Abrams In Rome and flatly warned him Moscow would not tolerate any direct US military intervention in Venezuela to topple President Nicolas Maduro and replace him with America’s farcical puppet fake President Juan Guaido. As Finian Cunningham wrote in the columns of Strategic Culture Foundation, “The encounter in Rome… was described as ‘frank’ and ‘serious’ – which is diplomatic code for a blazing exchange.”

Ryabkov said after the meeting, “We assume that Washington treats our priorities seriously, our approach and warnings.”

But did Abrams honestly and accurately give his boss, the President of the United States an accurate and honest report of Ryabkov’s very serious warning?

We should seriously suspect this never happened but that, on the contrary, Abrams, and his master Bolton “protected” the man they are supposed to loyally serve from this “inconvenient truth.”

This certainly seems to be the case: For on March 27, Trump told reporters after meeting with Guaido’s wife in Washington that Russia had to get out of Venezuela, When asked how he would make Russia leave, Trump said: "We'll see. All options are open.”

Earlier, the same day, Vice President Mike Pence, who is no fool but who has prospered mightily from often pretending to act like one, called on Russia to abandon its support for Maduro and “stand with Juan Guaido.”

It is clear, therefore, that Trump – and Pence – have not taken Ryabkov’s warning, conveyed through Abrams – if in fact he conveyed it at all – seriously for a second.

It must again be stressed: Behind Abrams stands John Bolton: The two men worked together like Siamese twins in orchestrating the bloody suppression of the Mayan peoples of Central America under President Ronald Reagan. Then, they worked overtime together to help orchestrate the invasion of Iraq in 2003 under President George W. Bush. Now they are at it again and the legitimate government of Venezuela is in their sights.

Bolton was implacable in his determination to scrap the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between the United States and Russia and he continues to crush all possibilities for strategic arms control and cooperation in his fanatical and unrelenting grip. Trump has supported him enthusiastically on this at every step and shows no signs whatsoever of regret or second thought.

Bolton and Trump were obviously in full accord on recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights – a move that is certain to drive Syria and Iran closer to Moscow than ever and that can only motivate Damascus to poise new challenges for both Israel and the United States in retaliation as soon as possible.

All efforts to portray the US president as still eager to improve relations with Russia and avoid potentially catastrophic clashes with Moscow must therefore be rejected. As Sigmund Freud rightly said, often the obvious explanation is the correct one: Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. If Bolton looks, acts and sounds like a dangerous warmongering fanatic that is because he is a dangerous warmongering fanatic.

If Trump remains at all serious about the courageous declarations of wanting to improve ties with Russia that he made repeatedly during his 2016 presidential campaign, he should therefore celebrate his total exoneration on Russia collusion charges by Special Counsel Robert Mueller by firing Bolton immediately and seeking to start a serious constructive dialogue with Moscow. No such dialogue is remotely possible while Bolton stands at Trump’s right hand, endlessly deferential to him and whispering in his ear, determined to prevent it.

Bolton must go. The security and survival of the United States and indeed of the entire human race demand it.

 

[angelburst29]

May 15 2019 - Report: Trump Considering Replacing Bolton

US President Donald Trump is considering replacing his hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton over his plans to push the United States towards a military conflict with Iran, Venezuela and North Korea, according to a report.

Bolton “is headed for the exits, having flown too close to the sun on his regime change efforts for Iran, Venezuela and North Korea”, The National Interest reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

“Hearing that Trump wants him out,” a former senior Trump administration official told the magazine.

There is speculation in Washington “that there’s now daylight between Trump and Bolton”, the report added.

The fighting also expanded to include US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to officials. A State Department official and a former White House official both report that Bolton and Pompeo are “fighting all the time”.

A former senior official in the State Department noted that Pompeo is enthusiastic about isolating Iran, but fearful of an actual war that might engulf much of the Middle East.

“John Bolton is the problem … Trump’s national security adviser is getting dangerous...particularly to the president’s ideals,” Douglas Macgregor, a Bolton rival and would-be successor, writes in Spectator USA.

The United States has been ratcheting up economic and military pressure on Iran, with Trump recently urging Tehran to talk to him.
"What I’d like to see with Iran, I’d like to see them call me," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

But then he stated that he would not rule out the possibility of military action in Iran amid escalating tensions before slamming former secretary of state John Kerry for his involvement in the issue.

His remarks came after Bolton said on Sunday that the United States was sending an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran.

The Pentagon announced on Friday that the US was deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to bolster an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers already sent to the Persian Gulf.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

BREAKING:

Trump Announces on Twitter That He Fired National Security Advisor John Bolton Over 'Disagreements'

The shock announcement came amid media reports suggesting that the US president and his national security advisor had major disagreements over the invitation of the Taliban to Camp David for peace talks. Trump, however, denied the reports...

sputniknews.com

US National Security Adviser John Bolton resigns

National Security Advisor John Bolton, one of the most prominent war hawks in Donald Trump’s administration, has handed in his resignation, the US president has announced.

www.rt.com

 

[Ca.]

Still ranting......from the swamp to the unemployment line.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1171443971958034434

Reminder: Trump, Not Bolton, is the President

Why is the commander-in-chief suddenly forced to restrain his own national security advisor from aggressive impulses?

www.theamericanconservative.com

By W. James Antle III • May 15, 2019
Why is the commander-in-chief suddenly forced to restrain his own national security advisor from aggressive impulses?

Unsatisfied with the direction of U.S. foreign policy? You’re not alone. The Washington Post describes a “frustrated” Donald Trump who feels he has been “misled” about how easy it would be to oust Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.

“The president’s dissatisfaction has crystallized around national security adviser John Bolton and what Trump has groused is an interventionist stance at odds with his view that the United States should stay out of foreign quagmires,” the Post reported on May 8.

Channeling pop star Carly Rae Jepsen, Trump may be beginning to recognize that his administration’s stance toward Iran is crazy and that Tehran should call him, maybe. “What they should be doing is calling me up, sitting down; we can make a deal, a fair deal. …We’re not looking to hurt Iran,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I want them to be strong and great and have a great economy. But they should call, and if they do, we’re open to talk to them.”

Trump dismissed a New York Times report that the White House was reviewing a plan to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East—”military plans against Iran, in echoes of Iraq war”—as “fake news.”

“It used to be that the staff around the president were the counterweight to some of his more aggressive impulses. Now it seems as if the situation has reversed itself,” former Trump official Fernando Cutz told the Washington Examiner. “The president is the counterweight to some of his more hawkish staff members, particularly Bolton.”

Trump has said as much himself. “I actually temper John,” he recently advised reporters. “I have John Bolton and I have other people that are a little more dovish than him and ultimately I make the decision.”

Who are these doves? And when will the president of the United States make a decision that overrides a rogue national security team ideologically committed to policies that are nearly the opposite the ones he campaigned on in 2016? Those are the fateful questions that could determine the course of a presidency—and the country.

For even on Iran, long an unprincipled exception to Trump’s “America First” skepticism of regime change in the Middle East, there have been signals that the president is reluctant to do Iraq 2.0. “We are not going to war in Iran,” said White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a group of Iranian-American community leaders that the administration wasn’t contemplating military intervention, asserting, per Axios, “We’re careful not to use the language of regime change.” Pompeo also sought to distance the White House from Bolton’s and Rudy Giuliani’s dalliances with Iranian resistance groups.

But things certainly seem to be moving in a more warlike direction and Trump’s personnel choices seem a poor fit for his stated policy preferences. When something similar happened under Ronald Reagan, conservative admirers of the president exhorted his aides to “Let Reagan be Reagan.” The columnist Joe Sobran eventually quipped, “Let someone else be Reagan.”

“Let Trump be Trump” is a battle cry of the 45th president’s populist admirers. (It’s also the title of a book by Trump campaign veterans Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie.) The columnist Ann Coulter is probably ready to say, if she hasn’t already, “Let someone else be Trump.”

There are two key differences here, however. First, Reagan was himself when he ignored his more hawkish advisers and boosters at the tail end of the Cold War. On many critical foreign policy decisions, he was right and they were wrong.

Second, this president is already letting someone else be Trump—Bolton on foreign policy and Jared Kushner on immigration. The results are different than what his supporters voted for and could be disastrous for the republic.

Either way, the buck does ultimately stop with the president, as Harry Truman said. Trump could have allowed Congress to reassert its constitutional war powers. Instead he vetoed the Yemen resolution, arguably the greatest bipartisan antiwar legislative triumph in a generation.

It is understandable that some George W. Bush retreads would make it into the next Republican administration. It is inexplicable that Never Trump neocon Elliot Abrams has been pulled from retirement to oversee Venezuela policy.

Trump has sought to end two wars—Afghanistan and Syria—without starting a major new one, unlike his two immediate predecessors. If he does not soon remind Bolton and company who is in charge instead of acting like an innocent bystander in his own White House, his foreign policy legacy will be very different—and the American people will likely let someone else be commander-in-chief.
W. James Antle III is editor of The American Conservative.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1171467370944032770

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1171504166063095808

Ends @ 15:00 minute mark.

 

[angelburst29]

BREAKING:

Trump Announces on Twitter That He Fired National Security Advisor John Bolton Over 'Disagreements'

The shock announcement came amid media reports suggesting that the US president and his national security advisor had major disagreements over the invitation of the Taliban to Camp David for peace talks. Trump, however, denied the reports...

sputniknews.com

TOUCH-DOWN!

Who would think - cleaning up the environment and reducing the carbon "foot print" in Washington - could lead to "Climate Change"?

Trump dismisses US national security advisor John Bolton

© EPA-EFE/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

The decision came last night, the US President's twitter reads.

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2019 - US President Donald Trump has asked National Security Advisor John Bolton to relinquish his duties, the US leader said on Twitter on Tuesday.

"I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning," Trump wrote.

The president also informed that he would name the new national security advisor in the near future. "I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week," Trump said.

Bolton responded to Trump’s statement via Twitter as well. "I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, "Let's talk about it tomorrow," he wrote.

U.S.'s Pompeo, Mnuchin, Bolton to brief media on Tuesday: White House

FILE PHOTO - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, walks with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin as they are followed by White House Advisers Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, as they arrive for a news conference by President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, at Blue House, in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, June 30, 2019, before heading to the Demilitarized Zone. Photo taken June 30, 2019. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON September 10, 2019 - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House national security adviser John Bolton will hold a media briefing at 1:30 p.m. (1730 GMT) on Tuesday, the White House said.

The White House provided no details on the topic of the briefing in it's announcement.

Bolton, Netanyahu ‘lured Trump into killing JCPOA,’ says Iranian top diplomat
MOSCOW, July 9, 2019 - White House National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talked US President Donald Trump into ripping up the nuclear deal with Iran, having learnt nothing from previous negotiating experiences, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Tuesday.

"Bolton & Netanyahu killed [the] Paris agreement signed between EU3 & Iran in 2005 by insisting on zero enrichment," Zarif tweeted. "Result? Iran increased its enrichment by 100 times by 2012," he posted on Twitter.

Tehran’s top diplomat further tweeted that both politicians learnt nothing and "now they've lured Donald Trump into killing [the] JCPOA through the same delusion." Furthermore, Zarif cautioned in his tweet that "B_Team hasn't learned. But the world should."

In 2005, there were negotiations between Iran and the EU3 [France, Germany and the UK] on the Iranian nuclear program. The parties managed to ink an agreement mainly because Tehran insisted on its right to independently enrich uranium, which the European countries opposed.

Bolton and Netanyahu repeatedly opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program that was signed in 2015, being among the key supporters of Washington's unilateral pullout from the nuclear deal in May 2018.

Bolton’s resignation may improve chances for New START extension — Russian MP

John Bolton © AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

Bolton, in Russian MP's words, is a staunch advocate of tough approaches in the US policies.

MOSCOW, September 10, 2019 - A senior Russian lawmaker said on Tuesday he doesn’t rule out that US National Security Adviser John Bolton’s resignation may improve the chances for the extension of the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty).

"The hope that the New START Treaty will be extended is alive as long as it is in force, i.e. till February 2021. And [after Bolton’s resignation] chances that the agreements could be reached in time and quite smoothly are at least in place or may even improve," Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of Russia’s Federation Council upper parliament house, told TASS.

Bolton, in Kosachev's words, is a staunch advocate of tough approaches in the US policies. "He has always been against agreements in the sphere of strategic stability and arms control obviously thinking that they lay too many restrictions on the United States not letting it demonstrate its superiority," he said.

"I don’t know if that was the reason why [US President Donald] Trump has fired Bolton but I know that this is why I am not going to be sorry for his resignation," he added.

 

[syldan]

Enough is enough! - sorry for the noise but this is one of President Trump's best decisions, IMO...

 

[Ennio]

I suppose I should feel a bit of happiness around this, but I don't. Given the very large number of politicians, pundits, Israel-firsters, think-tankers, military arms dealers, Pentagonians, Big Bankers, intelligence agencies, lobbyists, etc., etc., etc. - who all have a vested interest in maintaining, and even escalating, the types of crazed policies that Bolton was championing, I don't think that Trump's administration has a chance of implementing any kind of lasting co-existence with the world given the pressures and manipulations he is under. And while it may be that Trump has delayed a certain amount of conflict and carnage from occurring, it just seems to me that a lot of pieces are now further in place to make an even greater mess of things vis a vis Iran, Lebanon, Venezuela, China, and so on.

Plus, choosing Bolton as his National Security Advisor was a terrible decision to begin with, unless one thinks that Trump did it to keep his 'enemies close", or was playing '5D chess', or whatever.

 

[Cosmos]

Everyone knows that Bolton is about as crazy as it can get. Another good move by Trump to kick this blood thirsty BS artist out... A day to celebrate.

 

[miguel angel]

MOSCOW, September 10, 2019 - A senior Russian lawmaker said on Tuesday he doesn’t rule out that US National Security Adviser John Bolton’s resignation may improve the chances for the extension of the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty).

"The hope that the New START Treaty will be extended is alive as long as it is in force, i.e. till February 2021. And [after Bolton’s resignation] chances that the agreements could be reached in time and quite smoothly are at least in place or may even improve," Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of Russia’s Federation Council upper parliament house, told TASS.

I find it excellent news. Maybe I am over happy with this information and exceeding my wishful thinking but what about if this annoncement in 9/11's eve sounds like some kind of signal either to the universe or to the PTB?

According to Wikipedia:

John Bolton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Bolton is known for his strong support for Israel.[228][229] Bolton opposes the two-state solution of creating an independent Palestinian state alongside the existing state of Israel.[230] Bolton supported moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in accordance with the Jerusalem Embassy Act,[231] and he testified in front of Congress in 2017 on the matter.[232] In 2010, Bolton co-founded the Friends of Israel Initiative with 12 other international figures [233].

After having read From Yahweh to Zion thread I cannot avoid thinking these are great news to humankind. We will have to wait & see the next natural steps: who is the chosen one by Trump and which will be the next step by Israel/Mossad/etc.

I suppose I should feel a bit of happiness around this, but I don't. Given the very large number of politicians, pundits, Israel-firsters, think-tankers, military arms dealers, Pentagonians, Big Bankers, intelligence agencies, lobbyists, etc., etc., etc. - who all have a vested interest in maintaining, and even escalating, the types of crazed policies that Bolton was championing, I don't think that Trump's administration has a chance of implementing any kind of lasting co-existence with the world given the pressures and manipulations he is under. And while it may be that Trump has delayed a certain amount of conflict and carnage from occurring, it just seems to me that a lot of pieces are now further in place to make an even greater mess of things vis a vis Iran, Lebanon, Venezuela, China, and so on.

Wait and see. At least, I cherish a hope that help is on the way; It could well be in the form of common sense arriving suddenly into some brains (including mine) or some kind of Intelligence pouring into the planet and allowing the not so psycophatic elite to make decisions like this. (I prefer to forget the meteors at the moment)

 

[angelburst29]

Plus, choosing Bolton as his National Security Advisor was a terrible decision to begin with, unless one thinks that Trump did it to keep his "enemies close", or was playing "5D chess", or whatever.

Maybe Trump has been doing "both" and Bolton is just the latest "to fall from grace"?

It's obvious, the elite establishment and the neo-cons were completely against Trump from the very beginning of his Presidency. Trump had to know what he would be up against? One of the first things he did, as President, was sign "a bunch of indictment's" which were then "sealed". I reason, he couldn't have done that without some sort of pre-planned blueprint to follow - a game plan of his own?

Trump may have acted like "he acquisitioned to the pressure" and let the neo-cons have their way but in reality, he's allowed them - to dig their own hole and when it gets deep enough where they have perjured themselves - he calls them out, discredits them and opens the door.
Their career's ruined - by their own actions and deeds.

Political maneuvering might only be one part of a larger plan - that of exposing and interrupting the International syndicates that provide financial funding, through elicit acts (drugs, prostitution, etc.). Trump may have had a hand in the timing and arrest of Jeffery Epstein?
Epstein's activity and connections to Israel may have further weaken Netanyahu's prospects for re-election?

Tensions over Afghan talks ended with Bolton's exit: sources

U.S. President Donald Trump and adviser John Bolton were always unlikely foreign policy allies, with Bolton skeptical of Trump's outreach on North Korea and efforts to woo Russian President Vladimir Putin and supportive of an Iraq war hated by his boss.

With Bolton out the door - do you think his side-kick Pompeo is seeing the writing on the wall? Brute (force) never wins out to Brawn (intelligence).

U.S. President Trump could meet with Iran's Rouhani at U.N. with no preconditions: Pompeo

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump could meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the upcoming United Nations meeting, with "no preconditions".

The grand Spymaster's Dynasty is hanging by a thread and losing it's grip. Netanyahu is desperately trying to hold onto Power. Promises no longer hold weight and everything is going backwards. During a scheduled election rally, Netanyahu's speech was interrupted by rocket sirens. In anger, he bombed Gaza, again.

Explainer: Israel's election - will Netanyahu survive?

Israelis vote next week for the second time in less than six months in a election that could see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win a record fifth term - or end his decade-long dominance of Israeli politics.

Israel's Netanyahu announces post-election plan to annex West Bank's Jordan Valley

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention on Tuesday to annex the Jordan Valley, a large swathe of the occupied West Bank, if he wins a closely contested election just a week away.

Israel strikes Gaza after rocket sirens force Netanyahu off stage

Israeli aircraft struck in Gaza on Wednesday hours after rockets from the Palestinian enclave triggered sirens that forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu off the stage at an election rally in Israel.

In the event, Netanyahu loses this election on September 17, who will U.S. Congress and other lackeys answer to? Is the check in the mail?
Who will supervise - the sheep?

U.S. senators expect Congress to reinstate aid for Ukraine even if Trump cuts it

Republican and Democratic senators said on Tuesday they expected the U.S. Congress would pass legislation restoring $250 million in military aid for Ukraine if President Trump goes ahead with plans to block the assistance.

House committees launch probe of Trump, Giuliani and Ukraine

Three U.S. House of Representatives committees said on Monday they had begun "a wide-ranging investigation" into reports that President Donald Trump, his lawyer Rudy Giuliani and possibly others pressured Ukraine's government to assist Trump's re-election campaign.

 

[angelburst29]

Tensions over Afghan talks ended with Bolton's exit: sources

U.S. President Donald Trump and adviser John Bolton were always unlikely foreign policy allies, with Bolton skeptical of Trump's outreach on North Korea and efforts to woo Russian President Vladimir Putin and supportive of an Iraq war hated by his boss.

Russia says exit of Trump adviser Bolton unlikely to help ties: RIA

Russia does not expect its ties with Washington to suddenly improve following the exit of U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, RIA news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Wednesday.

Iran says Bolton's departure will not push Tehran to talks with U.S.
Iran said on Wednesday the firing of John Bolton as U.S. national security adviser will not push Tehran to reconsider talks with the United States.

With Bolton's departure, an Iran hawk leaves the chessboard

John Bolton's departure from the White House removes an obstacle to the possibility of U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks, but the odds of such a dialogue leading anywhere remain low, current and former U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

North Korea could warm up to talks after removal of 'war maniac' Bolton

Having once branded John Bolton a "war maniac", North Korean officials could see U.S. President Donald Trump's removal of his national security adviser as a chance to resume denuclearization talks without facing an unyielding hawk on the other side.

 

[Ant22]

I have little hope that his successor is going to be a peace loving angel but with Bolton gone, good things started to happen instantly. Oil price fell by 2% since yesterday.

Oil prices fall after Trump fires national security adviser Bolton

www.ft.com

Oil took a more than 2 per cent round-trip on Tuesday, tumbling after President Donald Trump fired national security adviser John Bolton. Brent crude, the global benchmark, erased a 1.9 per cent gain to trade as much as 0.4 per cent lower, before bouncing back to be up 0.5 per cent at $62.90 a barrel. That has kept oil hovering at its highest level in a month, as renewed hopes of a speedy resolution to the US-China trade war and receding concerns about a recession have tempted investors back to riskier and growth-sensitive assets. Saudi Arabia’s removal over the weekend of its powerful energy minister who was replaced by King Salman’s son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, also boosted oil prices in recent days. West Texas Intermediate, the US oil benchmark, was down 0.2 per cent at $57.71 a barrel. It had been up as much as 1.9 per cent before the announcement of Mr Bolton’s departure and dropped to be down as much as 1 per cent.

Oil slides after Trump's firing of National Security Adviser John Bolton calms war fears

President Trump announced National Security Adviser John Bolton's departure from the White House on Tuesday.

markets.businessinsider.com

Oil prices sunk on Tuesday after President Trump announced National Security Adviser John Bolton would be leaving the White House.

Futures fell as much as 1% to $57.30 a barrel following the announcement. Bolton's leave likely eased worries that the US might take military action as tensions continue to boil in the Middle East and Asia.

"I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration," Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday.

He continued in another tweet: "I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week."

Bolton rose to become a controversial figure in the Trump administration, and at times has advocated for preemptive military strikes against North Korea and Iran.

The losses erase some of the gains oil posted yesterday after Saudi Arabia's new Energy Minister signaled OPEC and its allies might continue to lower output.

 

[DianaRose]

I have little hope that his successor is going to be a peace loving angel but with Bolton gone, good things started to happen instantly. Oil price fell by 2% since yesterday.

Oil prices fall after Trump fires national security adviser Bolton

www.ft.com

Oil slides after Trump's firing of National Security Adviser John Bolton calms war fears

President Trump announced National Security Adviser John Bolton's departure from the White House on Tuesday.

markets.businessinsider.com

It's probably just the lull before the storm though. Obviously, I wish genuine good things would happen, but oh well.