Author Topic: After Bush & Obama mess - how has Trump fared in the Middle East and the yonder?  (Read 3383 times)

Offline Nefertiti

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Bush 1 evicted Saddam from Kuwait in 91. This was provoked by Saddam.

Bush 2 invaded Afghanistan after 911. Then invaded Iraq over fictional WMD.

Obama wrecked Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Syria and nearly brought Egypt, Bahrain to their knees in the hare-brained Arab Spring project. After killing 100s of 000s it spread into the European Spring. Arguably Obama incited Brexit. Unilaterally deserting an Iraq still in turmoil largely aided ISIL - the brutal Daesh remnants of the Ba'ath Army.

Trump... he has been a hands-off kind of man. Aloof or don't care. The open pandering to Israel over Palestine, to Saudi Arabia over Iran, etc - are way worse than absconding the Paris Climate Accord and other strategic copouts. Trump's hallmark foreign policy was the trade war with China - but today I am watching the protests demanding that US troops withdraw from Iraq during the anniversary of Iranian General Qassam Suleimani. Despite years of US sanctions with the harshest from Trump, Iran seems more powerful than ever, with a stranglehold on Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Yes, Iran has prevailed over yet another passing cloud! an Iran official twitter handle declares.

I can't help but wonder: does China even feel our sanctions? Have they not consistently aided Iran and ignored us? Did they not impose a national security law on Hong Kong despite our protests? Have the Europeans not embraced them in new trade deals at our expense? From Israel, Palestine, Iran, China to Europe - have we not lost the world?
♫♫ They say all good boys go to heaven... but bad boys bring heaven to you ~ song by Julia Michaels

Offline Nefertiti

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♫♫ They say all good boys go to heaven... but bad boys bring heaven to you ~ song by Julia Michaels

Offline Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants

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I'd say with Trump, it's a mixed outcome.  While he was reckless with Iran, he was never going to war.  Because a major war requires attention, planning and execution.  Attributes few can fault Trump with.  The North Korean loon was able to buy time and ramp up his nukes simply by massaging Trump's ego.  He gifted Syria to Russia leaving a fully stocked base to fall into their hands in a huff.  We are on the homestretch, but the man is still capable of damage, especially on the national security front.  Last I heard, he is selling pardons for a tidy price.
"I freed a thousand slaves.  I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."

Harriet Tubman

Offline Nefertiti

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Yes pardons and executions are in vogue.
♫♫ They say all good boys go to heaven... but bad boys bring heaven to you ~ song by Julia Michaels

Offline RV Pundit

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Trump was great...US sometimes interferes too much..UN should do the job that US arrogate itself.Give UN and UNSC the muscle..and of course remove the veto powers..UNSC should have equal vote and the resolution enforced..after a vote has been taken

Offline Arcadian_Dreamer

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Trump was great...US sometimes interferes too much..UN should do the job that US arrogate itself.Give UN and UNSC the muscle..and of course remove the veto powers..UNSC should have equal vote and the resolution enforced..after a vote has been taken

Of course you would say that, you and Robina have been solidly MAGA last four years. In reality Obama was better, he started the whole get out of the Middle East movement. Libya was the responsibility of Hillary Clinton, Sarkozy and Cameron. Obeezy was on the side lines. He only did surgical strikes to prevent ISIS from committing complete genocide on Yazidis and over running Kurdish enclave in the North of Iraq, he refused to get drawn into Syria quagmire.

I like parts of Trump's economic policies. Give him his due, he started decoupling the American economy from China.

Sleep is good, death is better; but of course, The best would be never to have been born at all.