Foreign Policy

Cowboy And Racist And Nativist Donald Trump Picking Fights With Major Allies, Including Great Britain And Canada!

Ronald 51 Comments

Donald Trump is a “loose cannon”, and most dangerously, is demonstrating his ignorance of foreign policy, and in so doing, alienating our closest allies, including Great Britain and Canada!

British Prime Minister David Cameron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have both condemned Trump’s proposal of a Muslim ban, and his loose language about nuclear weapons, NATO, and his cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Trump is not, seemingly, concerned that he is alarming nations that have been part of the close and stable friendships that have kept the world on an even keel since World War II.

There has been debate and consideration in the British Parliament and the Canadian Parliament about banning Trump fron entering their nations, although that is highly unlikely to happen, but for the new London Mayor, a Muslim, to condemn Trump for his hate mongering, is not good at all for international relations, as we need to keep a close friendship with other nations.

We cannot afford to have a “cowboy” in foreign affairs, a “Lone Ranger” who will upend the whole international scene, and many inteligent Americans understand that Trump is a very dangerous man, who seems to think that making his business deals somehow qualifies him to engage in diplomacy that includes insulting other nations in the process, and promoting an America First attitude.

If somehow Trump is elected, America is at a greater danger than it has ever been since 1945!

Imagine A President Trump Confronting Speaker Paul Ryan, The Intelligence Agencies, And The Military Hierarchy!

Ronald 6 Comments

Imagine just for a minute a President Donald Trump and a Speaker Paul Ryan, and the constant clash they would be engaging in for ultimate control of domestic and economic policy!

Trump has no clue as to how Congress works, and he fails to understand that the Speaker of the House wields great power over anything that goes through the House of Representatives.

So be assured that Paul Ryan would not allow any kind of mass deportation of Muslims, or the building of a Mexico wall, along with many other ideas that Donald Trump has!

And be assured that the intelligence agencies and the military would never follow through on what a President Trump wanted to do in foreign and military policy, and this has already been made clear by people in the intelligence agencies and the military hierarchy! This includes David Petraeus, Michael Hayden, Leon Panetta and John Brennan, and many others!

President Dwight D. Eisenhower discovered that he could not “bark orders” and get things done, as had been true in the military!

Donald Trump would discover that he would be put in a “strait jacket” in both domestic and foreign policy, and the likelihood of an impeachment is likely, since he is a very dangerous man, with his ignorance and shortcomings in both domestic and foreign policy are massive.

The greatest danger would come from the “mob psychology” of the crowds who come to cheer him on, thinking they are at a football game or some such event.

But even scarier is the image of the Nuremberg rallies where Adolf Hitler spewed for this antisemitism and his belligerent war threats, as Trump’s “minions” are totally terrifying.

Trump represents an evil that must be overcome, and this idea of disillusioned voters staying home creates perfect conditions for a Trump victory, and an attempt at a Trump dictatorship, which would turn the American nation upside down and inside out, far worse than the threat of Richard Nixon!

Republican Party Split Begins Around Presumptive Nominee Donald Trump!

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The Republican Party is deteriorating before our eyes, as they face the threat of Donald Trump.

George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham all reject him.

So does Erick Erickson, Bill Kristol, most of the Weekly Standard and National Review conservatives, and most US Senators and Congressmen of the party.

Others such as John McCain and Susan Collins and Kelly Ayotte are steering clear of him, while not repudiating him.

Many Republican Senators running for reelection are in a no win situation, including McCain, Ayotte, Rob Portman, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, and Mark Kirk.

Many Wall Street Republicans, and much of the Wall Street Journal group, and even elements of the Fox News Channel crowd, reject Trump’s candidacy.

Neoconservatives in the party are infuriated with Trump’s foreign policy views.

Social conservatives cannot accept Trump’s support of limited abortion rights and LGBT rights, including transgender bathroom issues.

And Speaker of the House Paul Ryan stating his inability to support Trump at this point is totally stunning!

There is a sense of desperation, and the belief we are in the midst of a revolution in the party system!

The White Working Class And Donald Trump, The Ultimate P T Barnum!

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Donald Trump, a billionaire, the wealthiest Presidential candidate in American history, has particular support from the white working class, which has become victims of corporate influence in politics, including the effects of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and other free trade agreements, which have been supported by the vast majority of both Democrats and Republicans, going back to the Bill Clinton Presidency.

So many jobs have gone overseas in the past few decades, limiting the ability of the white working class to gain high wage jobs, and on top of it, the growing immigration issue of undocumented immigrants, heavily from Latin America and Asia, and the insecurity felt about the reality of minority groups collectively moving toward a majority of the population by the 2040s, fuels the Donald Trump support.

But it is truly ironic that Trump employs immigrants for his hotels and other properties over native born workers, in order to save money!

The white working class is totally with its head in the sand, not realizing that Trump is a phony, who says what they want to hear, but has no real clue on the issues, and has avoided specifics on domestic and foreign policy, other than to talk about a wall on the Mexican border; to ban all Muslims from entrance to the United States; to promise everything will be fine in the future and that the world will come to “respect” us again, while having intelligence and foreign policy experts warn that he has no clear perception of the challenges of military and foreign policy!

If someone rails against the politicians, and yet provides examples of promising what is not possible to achieve, then indeed such a person is a “used car” or “snake oil” salesman, misleading ill informed voters, and one can be sure that the ultimate disillusionment will be far greater as a result, when the white working class realizes they have, once again, been bamboozled by a true PT Barnum character!

Hillary Clinton Best Qualified To Take Oath Of Office Since George H. W. Bush

Ronald 13 Comments

Presidents come from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences, and some come ill equipped to deal with foreign policy and or domestic issues.

It is often said that learning on the job is the best experience, but that puts the nation at greater risk.

So the question arises: Since World War II, what Presidents came to office fully qualified to take the reigns of power?

This judgment is not one of approval or disapproval of the President and his record, but simply his qualifications when he took the oath of office.

It is clear that three Presidents came to office very qualified to be President, and they would be, chronologically, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and George H. W. Bush!

Harry Truman was ill prepared; Dwight D. Eisenhower had never taken an interest in politics; John F. Kennedy was very challenged in his first year in office; Gerald Ford had years of experience but no real ambition to be President; Jimmy Carter had limited experience in government, as did Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, as being governors of southern states did not prepare them for national leadership; Ronald Reagan had a very narrow view of national government and its importance; and Barack Obama had limited experience in national affairs, having only served four years in the US Senate.

On the other hand, Lyndon B. Johnson had been in government for thirty years and was a master legislative strategist, although foreign policy was certainly not his forte.

Richard Nixon had been Vice President for eight years, as was also with George H. W. Bush, and those years plus foreign policy expertise set them up well to be President.

Hillary Clinton is, without a doubt, the best equipped since the elder Bush to be President, as her years in the White House with her husband; her Senate years; and her four years as Secretary of State, even with problems, made her known worldwide, and she has the respect of foreign governments.  She is likely to be more activist in domestic affairs than her husband, which would also be a plus!

99 Years Since America Entered World Affairs In A True Sense, And The Future!

Ronald 1 Comment

99 years ago, on April 6,1917, the United States Congress declared war on Germany, and America entered “The Great War”, World War I.

Woodrow Wilson, by asking for a war declaration on April 2, took a fateful step that put America on the world stage, and committed us to sending American troops overseas.

It began a century in which America would be engaged in seven wars, and face the headaches and responsibilities of world leadership.

Now, we are hearing candidates, including Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, who wish for us to retreat from that commitment to world affairs, as there is total disillusionment with our foreign policy under both Democrats and Republicans.

The world is a dangerous place, and trying to figure out what is best for America’s future in a world of nuclear weapons being spread, and of terrorism a threat all over the globe , is daunting!

We tried a return to isolationism in the 1920s and 1930s, and it was an utter failure and a disaster.

But at the same time, we were drawn into wars that could not be won, including Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

So we are in a quandary, with no easy or simple solution as to what our future relationship with the world should be!

The Cory Lewandowski Incident Tells Us Legions About Donald Trump, And Why He Is So Dangerous!

Ronald 12 Comments

Cory Lewandowski is the campaign manager for Donald Trump, and he has great problems in controlling his hands and his emotions.

He, clearly, grabbed journalist Michelle Fields and bruised her arm at the end of a Trump press conference, but refuses to admit it, and apologize, so a case of battery has been brought by the Jupiter, Florida police department, which has video evidence of what happened.

So a court case has begun, and Trump fully backs his abusive aide, who has shown temper in the past, and tells his aide to fight it all the way in court.

This is a sign of just how dangerous Donald Trump is.

He argues he does not want to ruin the life of his campaign manager, but he could tell him, just admit the transgression, apologize, and move on, as that is all Michelle Fields would ask.

But no, Trump is incapable of admitting any faults or errors, and also wants to sue, and hints at a counter suit against Michelle Fields!

This proves how crazy Trump, an entitled inheritor of wealth is, and he needs his comeuppance, and this, hopefully, along with his crazy statements about foreign policy, and his statement that women who have abortions should go to prison, will help seal his fate!

It is disturbing how no possibility of apology or admission of error ever comes from his mouth!  What will happen, god forbid, if he is President, and a blunder occurs, which he will be unwilling to confess to, and people will die, as a result?

It is also disturbing how he continues to promote disrespect of women, as he is a misogynist, and believes use of force in interpersonal relations, as well as foreign relations, is perfectly normal and acceptable!

Trump is out of control, and is the most dangerous Presidential candidate in all of American history!

I am publishing an article on History News Network to this effect on April 11, and it will be put on the blog under “Articles” shortly after for my readers who do not wish to access the History News Network website (hnn.us).

Donald Trump And Foreign Policy Knowledge: An “Empty Suit”!

Ronald 4 Comments

Donald Trump has now demonstrated that he is totally lacking in foreign policy knowledge and expertise, and still has no announced foreign policy advisers of repute!  This comes out of his interviews with the New York Times and Washington Post Editorial Boards!

His suggestion that NATO is out of date is preposterous, and his willingness to create unnecessary tensions with China, Japan, Mexico, and the Islamic world is terrifying.

His willingness to use torture and waterboarding, and to consider nuclear attack against ISIL (ISIS), is reprehensible.

The fact that Great Britain had a discussion about banning Trump, and that he is causing embarrassment with our European allies by his isolationist rhetoric, is shocking.

This man has no clue on foreign policy, and is truly an “empty suit”!

We cannot afford to make this narcissist Commander in Chief, and even those involved in our national security have stated that he would be dangerous, and might have to be disobeyed if he gave orders that made no sense!

So said Michael Hayden, former head of the CIA and NSA, and such a warning should sober all of us as to the craziness of electing Donald Trump President of the United States!

Modern Presidents Who Were Peace Oriented Or Anti Military Engagement In Their Time In Office

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Modern American Presidents who have taken us to war or promoted American intervention or expansion gain a lot more attention, and are more looked upon as role models, than those who attempt to avoid war, oppose expansion and promote peace where possible.

As one examines our 19  Presidents since 1901, the following six stand out as either peace oriented or anti military engagement as a major motivation:

Warren G. Harding—promoted the Washington Naval Agreement of 1921-1922.

Calvin Coolidge—promoted the Kellogg Briand Pact of 1928

Herbert Hoover—promoted the Stimson Doctrine of 1932

Jimmy Carter—promoted diplomacy over war, and refused to use force, except an attempt to rescue hostages in Iran in 1980

Bill Clinton—promoted diplomacy over war, and avoided commitment of troops in the Balkans in 1995 and 1998

Barack Obama—ended war in Iraq and dramatically cut military forces in Afghanistan, and avoided commitment of troops to fight terrorism in the Middle East.

For these standards and principles, the three Republican Presidents of the 1920s have been portrayed as weak and ineffective, but not only for foreign and military policy, but also domestic policy.

Many critics have portrayed Carter and Obama as weak and ineffective in foreign and military policy, as much as Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover, but Bill Clinton has managed to survive some criticisms of his foreign and military policies, although now his wife Hillary Clinton is being bitterly attacked in that regard in the present competition for the Presidential Election of 2016, and some of those criticisms have started to cause a reassessment of Bill Clinton’s Presidency.

However, in the long run, the image of  the three Democratic Presidents—Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama— as Commanders In Chief, will be likely to rise as time goes by and passions cool!

 

 

Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Nativism, Homophobia Must Be Fought In Favor Of Inclusion, Tolerance, And Diversity!

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What has made America a great nation is the inclusion of all kinds of ethnic, national, and religious groups in American life, the promotion of diversity and tolerance!

But we also have always had an ugly strain of xenophobia, misognyn, racism. nativism, and homophobia which has permeated America!

Donald Trump is bringing out the worst elements in America, and he has stained the Presidential campaign with his promotion of fear and demagoguery!

The man is NOT a conservative; he is NOT a Republican; he is NOT a liberal; he is NOT a Democrat—he is truly a “Trumpite”, who has hijacked the Republican Party and the conservative movement and is, effectively, destroying both the party and the movement, as the situation, which is presently existing, insures a complete disruption of the political ideologies and political parties that have been part of the tradition of American history.

Donald Trump is a ‘loose cannon”, a demagogue who is arousing the worst elements of American life, and even without winning, he is undermining the possibility of dealing with the major issues this nation faces!

Trump knows nothing of foreign or military policy!  Trump knows nothing about everyday life for most Americans! Trump has no developed ideas to deal with terrorism, the economy, or climate change!  Trump is a “Know Nothing” in the worst way one can describe that term!

Donald Trump is a reckless and uncouth “wild card” who will help to transform American politics in a negative fashion, undermining the long term future of America!  Bigotry, bluster, bullying, and insulting undermines the whole concept of being the leader of the “free world”, and is unacceptable as a new trend in American politics and history!