When the American President Donald Trump decided to take sides in the gulf row in June 2017, I was quick enough to conclude in one of my articles that this was one issue he shouldn’t have tweeted about. But, this time around, Trump chose the most diplomatic and honorable stage in the world to deliver, perhaps, the most undiplomatic speech by a US president. But, who cares, anyway.
On September 19, President Trump delivered a UN speech that the far-right and the ultra-conservatives in the United States and Israel would surely be cherishing. Jubilation, I’m sure, will last long enough. If you missed the speech, you’ve surely missed a treat. When Trump referred to ‘radical Islamic extremist’ the joy on the face of Netanyahu was a sight to behold. He was as ecstatic as he’s ever been.
And why would he not be happy. From ‘radical Islam’ to ‘America first’ and from equating Hezbollah with Al-Qaeda to threatening to go all out against Iran and North Korea, President Trump did all he could to please the far-right. Considering Trump’s inherent animosity towards Iran, many might have seen this coming. “That deal is an embarrassment to the United States and I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it, believe me,” Trump said about the nuclear deal with Iran.
Counterterrorism is one area the POTUS seems to have no clue about. Equating Hezbollah with Al-Qaeda shows his lack of knowledge on international terrorist outfits. And, in terms of terrorism, his remarks at the UN were all too expected. He stated: “We will stop radical Islamic extremism.” I can only wish he knew more about insurgencies and the art of warfare.
Trump’s speech at the UNGA was something that the world’s diplomats couldn’t relate to. You’re supposed to be as diplomatic as you can be. You’re supposed to exude calmness, and you’re supposed to be unflappable. But, unfortunately, the President of America didn’t seem to possess any of these attributes
But this Trump episode wasn’t over yet. On the floor of the UN, he threatened to annihilate North Korea. He declared: “The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.”
He added, “The Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The United States is ready, willing and able. But hopefully this will not be necessary. That’s what the United Nations is all about. That’s what the United Nations is for. Let’s see how they do.”
Trump’s first UN speech must have gone down extremely well with far-right nationalists. Netanyahu’s statement just sums it up perfectly, he stated: “In over 30 years in my experience with the UN, I never heard a bolder or more courageous speech.” I can only wonder if that’s what you call courage and boldness.
The fortunate thing about Trump is that he rarely walks the talk. If he were to do so, the entire world would have been panic-stricken by now. Remember his campaign trail? He spoke out against NATO on multiple occasions, but consider the current U.S. relationship with the military alliance. They’re teaming up well in Afghanistan, and also getting along well in other regions.
Trump was adamant that he’d scrap the nuclear deal with Iran no matter what. But, the deal stands. He declared that North Korea wouldn’t be able to build nukes that can directly threaten his country’s sovereignty. But, current developments in the Korean Peninsula suggest otherwise. So, you just can’t be sure about the current American President. He also promised big changes in the war against the Islamic State (IS), but what has changed since his taking office?.
Trump’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was something that diplomats from around the globe couldn’t relate to. You’re supposed to be as diplomatic as you can be. You’re supposed to exude calmness, and you’re supposed to be unflappable. But, unfortunately, the President of America didn’t seem to possess any of these attributes while delivering his maiden UN address. That’s why you’ve got be extra-cautious with the far-right mentality.
Here’s the trick: Don’t let the far-right overpower your mind. Stick to rationality, stick to logic, stick to creativity. You’ll be good to go.
The writer is a counter terrorism and security analyst
Published in Daily Times, October 8th 2017.