Daily Times

Temperament and character count. America was fixated last week on President Donald Trump’s performance at the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) annual meeting in New York and the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. In both cases, the president and the judge displayed temperament and character flaws that normally would be disqualifying for high office. But this is America described by Washington Post’s David Ignatius as “living under a volcano”.

As many Americans were riveted on these spectacles, more serious discussions were taking place in Tehran and the Regional Security Conference with Russia, China, India, Afghanistan and Iran participating. Did anyone in the United States take note of this conference and its focus on countering terrorism and resolving the seventeen year old war in Afghanistan? The answer is no.

To unintended laughter and ridicule, Donald Trump boasted to the world and its leaders how his accomplishments were greater than any of his predecessors’. Depending how one defines accomplishments, Mr. Trump might be right. He rejected global American leadership for making American great again and America First policies-whatever they mean. He has criticized America’s closest allies and embraced its adversaries, even defending Vladimir Putin of interfering in America’s elections while accusing China of the same.

At Yale, Brett Kavanaugh was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity often referred to as the “Drunken Dekes” I speak first hand. Many decades ago, I had been a Deke. On most campuses, Dekes had a reputation both as an elite fraternity and for its parties

Under the former reality TV host, America has withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership; the Paris Climate accord; the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons; and embarked on trade wars with China and other U.S. partners. These surely are a record for any president capped by a round of cynical and dismissive laughter in New York by many UNGA participants–the first and only time an American president has been so treated by that body.

Meanwhile, under huge emotional pressure to defend his reputation against allegations of sexual assault dating back 36 years, Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony was tear filled and often inarticulate claiming a ‘left wing’ conspiracy to bring him down. While having no opinion about Judge Kavanaugh’s legal fitness to serve on the high court, his temperament and presentation were troubling. If confirmed to the High Court, in future cases, would Judge Kavanaugh’s emotions and use of politicised arguments be disqualifying in assuring objectivity in reaching balanced decisions?

Indeed, at times, the judge seemed transported three and a half decades into the past as if he were a teenager struggling to answer charges of misbehaviour levelled by his school teachers at Georgetown Prep. Despite the agonising emotional strain of these destructive allegations, the judge displayed anything but grace under pressure.

In terms of analysing foreign and national security policy, this column has argued that our major failures were in large part due to lack of knowledge and understanding. Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are among the most notable failures. This absence of knowledge and understanding likewise applies at home and to these hearings.

It might sound trivial. But one data point in the judge’s past has been ignored. Perhaps the FBI investigation will correct this failure.

At Yale, Brett Kavanaugh was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) fraternity often referred to as the “Drunken Dekes” I speak first hand. Many decades ago, I had been a Deke.

On most campuses, Dekes had a reputation both as an elite fraternity and for its parties. This was well known before Judge Kavanaugh’s time. But I did enjoy one or two Deke parties in New Haven and I doubt that much had changed.

Perhaps the FBI will question some of the judge’s Yale fraternity brothers under oath. It is possible that the entirely contradictory descriptions of the judge’s character and conduct would be repeated. It is also possible that more dispositive information could be obtained to support or reject these allegations of misconduct.

America is increasingly less a respected country and, today, tragically more a reality TV show. Given the potentially explosive crises abroad whether in Syria or the South China Seas or economically at home regarding unaffordable and growing debt now exceeding twenty trillion dollars, the temperament character of the president is not reassuring. And the Senate hearings to confirm Brett Kavanaugh make one wonder if America can any longer govern itself less lead the world.

Dr Harlan Ullman is Chairman of two private companies; senior adviser at the Atlantic Council; and Distinguished Senior Fellow and Visiting Professor at the US Naval War College in Newport Rhode Island.  He can be reached @harlankullman on Twitter

Published in Daily Times, October 3^rd 2018.