Donald Trump, in a few short months, has abandoned America’s world leadership role. In the process he has swopped American exceptionalism for America the victim. He has bartered world wide win - win trade agreements with the promise that America, on its own, can “win so much” that his base will cry, “Please stop winning, Mr.President”. He has traded the greater good of the planet for an America First policy that is guaranteed to eradicate America’s dominance on the world stage with uncertain economic consequences and projected earthly carnage. He has surrendered America’s custodianship as the shepherd of world morality for an unashamed self serving amoral rag bag of totalitarian policies. In executing this bedlam he has displayed an irrationality and narcissism hitherto not seen in a liberal democracy.
Worse of all this non stop flow of destructive drivel shows no sign of slowing down with a shower of tweets from downright racism to the Mayor of London to attacking his own Justice Department. He showered the internet world with comments on his travel ban decreasing his chances of achieving victory in court. Kelly Conway, who was brought out from the cold to salvage the unsalvageable, had this to say - “There is an obsession of covering what he says on twitter”! Does Kelly advocate that we stop listening to the POTUS?
POTUS DOESN’T HIDE HIS DISASTERS
All the POTUS’S retrogressive actions haven’t been implemented discretely. He has pointedly opted out of North American Trade Agreements, souring relationships with his immediate neighbors. He has ostentatiously not pledged himself to Article 5 of the postwar NATO Alliance which would regard an attack of any ally as aggression against America, thereby acting as a deterrent against the marauding Putin. It has been reported that his National Security team, Tillerson, (State), Mattis, (Defense) and McMaster, (Security Advisor) had insisted that he pledge support of Article 5 and only learned that he had backed off while listening to his speech. Amidst great fanfare, pomp and ceremony he has needlessly withdrawn from a non binding world wide agreement on climate change. The purpose of his ruinous gesture had nothing to with carbon emissions but it was a symbolic move to tell the world to go to hell.
In so doing Trump has not only set America back, he has thwarted world wide co operation and progress. He has swopped trade and collaboration for isolationism, not caring that the former not only advances mankind it prevents war. You are less likely to wage battle if you are trading and partnering as opposed to retreating into a xenophobic, self-serving and paranoid corner.
WORLDWIDE POPULIST MOVEMENT HALTED
In addition the vain hope that America would still retain its prominence by leading a world wide nationalist populist movement has been stopped dead in its tracks by election results in Europe. Adding insult to injury Angela Merkel of Germany and Emmanuel Macron of France have humiliated him and declared him a lost cause and irrelevant. Merkel, his sycophant Press Secretary claimed, is someone with whom he had “an unbelievable relationship”. Macron, a whippersnapper, has taken him on by offering sanctuary to American liberals unable to live in a Trump world, and by lumping him with tyrants and dictators. The attack evoked a WhiteHouse response that they were “bewildered” at these outbursts.
Trump’s only achievement in over a hundred days in office is relegating America to the dustbin of history. He has insulted traditional American allies and praised totalitarian monsters. It will not be easy to undo this perfidy and why would anyone trust an American President again?
THE PERPETRATORS AND VICTIMS OF WORLD WAR 11 TAKE OVER THE STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY.
The recent resounding defeat of France’s Marine Le Pen, a standard bearer of the world wide right wing revolution that has desires to change the world order has brought to a halt the train of victories this philosophy had achieved in the USA and Britain. Who might have thought that seventy years after liberating the world from the specter of racism and totalitarianism America and Britain would be retreating into their shells. In so doing they are leaving the solution of modern day problems created by populism, nativism, xenophobia, refugees and globalism to the occupied allies lead by France and the perpetrators of the second world atrocities, Germany and Austria. These countries are now taking up the cudgels for inclusiveness while the former champions of togetherness retreat into aloneness.
Once again the Russians are playing a role. In the second great war they were forced onto the side of right by their former ally Hitler declaring war on them. Russia, in the post war period was ideologically defeated by the efforts of the former standard bearers of freedom and their allies. The latter had become even more inclusive and powerful by the forming coalitions such as NATO. They formed the nidus of multiple international bodies and trade thereby proceeding to break down boundaries and move towards making the planet a global village.
THE PROBLEMS OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY HAVE ALTERED THE POST WAR EQUILIBRIUM
Of late pressures of the third millennium have lead to different responses from the erstwhile allies, their original opponents and Russia. In general there has been a rejection of conventional politicians amid an emergence of ‘populism’ which has resulted in a world wide threat to liberal democracy and all expressions of globalism.The issues that have been central to precipitating this phenomenon include immigration, terrorism, refugees, unemployment, xenophobia and nationalism. Crudely, those in the new movement claim that their particular country is being invaded by the “other” resulting in unemployment and the change of the identity of the nation. The “other”, as a group, is collectively responsible for terrorism. Ironically although they spurn dilution of their own nationalisms they cheer each other on as if seeking validity in the spread of their brand,
The movement was fueled, particularly in Europe, by terrorist attacks from Muslim extremist groups. The mood was exacerbated by a growing indigenous Muslim population that had originated from former colonies whose presence added to unemployment. The temperature rose with the influx of refugees from Syria and Africa. The ongoing civil war in Syria has resulted in five million displaced. Not only has the arrival of hundred of thousands of the displaced produced fear and shock, the argument against their acceptance is the threat of terror. While there have been several European instances of mayhem most of these acts have been perpetrated by the fringe of indigenous populations and not the refugees.
It is this climate that a wave of right wing politicians and their parties have flourished. These all claimed an allegiance to one another. While these were most prominent in Europe the first, and thus far the only, successes of the ‘movement’ were in Britain and America.
In the American election the problem was the Muslims and the Hispanics. In the United Kingdom it was the threat of large scale Muslim refugees that their association with European Union could allow. Russia has supported these populist movements by destabilizing elections in their favor. Cynically the Russian KGB puppet master believed the neutered Russia could once again become a player. Flushed with success at the outcome of the American elections he has reveled in the confusion and unravelling of the former alliance of liberal democracies.
This new set of circumstances calls for considered, caring and mature discussion, consultation and debate, not manifestos of hate.
AT THE END OF THE DAY
Whatever the reason there has been a dramatic shift in the role that individual nations are enacting on the world scene. America and the UK have opted to “go it alone”. America has positioned itself to relinquish its world role as an economic and moral leader. China is poised to fill the vacuum in the economic sphere and the moral leaders are destined to be Germany and France. Russia is going to parley their Machiavellian principles to increase their empire and influence to the greatest possible extent. The stage has already been set for them to achieve their objectives with the withdrawal of America from military as well as economic alliances. In addition as matters stand Putin will be aided and abetted by Trump allowing Russia to be the biggest beneficiary of America abandoning it’s role as the world’s policeman. Russia’s ultimate international role is thankfully limited by its weak economic position being ranked twelfth in the world. All that is standing in the way of this scenario is whether or not Trump is able to survive Russia - gate.
Whatever transpires America’s status in the world has been irreparably harmed. At best Trump has not irreversibly tarnished its reputation. It can no longer be relied on to follow through on its obligations and promises. A century of carefully earned trust and leadership has been cavalierly tossed aside. So it is adios to America’s supremacy for the foreseeable dark future. If Trump and Bannon have their way it is forever.
There is always hope. American pop diva Ariana Grande returned to the scene of terror in Manchester for a benefit concert, “One Love Manchester - We Stand Together”. The beneficiaries were the victims of the attack that took place at her concert two weeks ago. Joined, spontaneously, by an all star American cast including Kate Perry, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Coldplay, they illustrated leadership and defiance in the teeth of the terror attacks in the United Kingdom. Their adoring screaming fans indicated that they, too, bravely chose living, in the face of cruel anarchy. All the entertainers were visibly moved by the occasion showing that the answer to hate is not political expediency and cheap opportunistic tweets, but giving and loving.
"Covfefe"
Covfefe to you.
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