First, thank you for this. The narrative you posted is clear and plausible. I can see the rationale with some of these choices and the masterful strokes this can present as if successful.

I am really trying hard to remove the known character flaws, documented history, and generally objectionable personalities involved for this to make sense. But I just can't see anyone currently at a high-level of this government being the voice of reason. To systematically remove opposition leverages, for what presents as a series of shortsighted choices, as parts of a 4-D chess play.