Tales of exaggeration and outright
lies by this president are not new. In 1974, the New York Times did a
profile on the young Trump. He claimed he was worth $200 million when
his taxable income then was $2,200 a week; that he was of Swedish
heritage; that he had graduated at the top of his class at Wharton!
Claims of high intelligence are repeated often, and an assurance of how
he would get better deals abroad.
Which
brings us to his foreign policy. His campaign promoted America First, a
doctrine earning its name before WW2 when proponents wanted the US to
stay out of another European war. Roosevelt thought otherwise and the
Japanese ended the issue.
Since the
election, however, the only isolation Mr. Trump has initiated is in the
unintended alienation of allies. Against foes, he has been quite
belligerent. He has threatened to annihilate North Korea; he ordered
missile strikes against Syria when the evidence of its culpability was
vague; the stepping back from the Iran nuclear deal and his clear
backing of the Saudis place him in the Sunni camp against the Shias.
While
closely aligned with Netanyahu, he claims to be pushing for a peace
deal. He certainly has of a different source. Beset by the new
Trump-Netanyahu-Saudi alliance, the Palestinian factions Hamas and PLO
have agreed to peace (at least a truce) and power sharing.
He has sent an additional 6,000 troops to Afghanistan, a drop compared to Obama's efforts, which failed. They have made no difference and the Taliban control half the country.
If all of this constitutes foreign policy, its strategy remains a mystery while it has all the makings of a mishmash response to events in ways ill-informed even thoughtless.
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