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Burnley123 · 41-45, M
Yes and this shows you two things.
1) Typical US foreign policy has always been one-sided its interests and aims in the region. I mean this as no disrespect to my American friends on here but then the US Government is (like Britain) an imperial power which acts in its own self-interest.
2) The Trump administrations foreign policy is not much different from standard US foreign policy. Yes, there is the flirting with Russia and the lunatic brinkmanship with North Korea but there is no pacifist populism in what Trump does. Much as with his economic policy, its a standard hard-right Republican agenda. He gutted the EPA and passed an elitist tax cut. He bombed Syria and he sucks up to Israel. The neo-cons run things behind the scenes as Trump re-tweets NAZIs.
1) Typical US foreign policy has always been one-sided its interests and aims in the region. I mean this as no disrespect to my American friends on here but then the US Government is (like Britain) an imperial power which acts in its own self-interest.
2) The Trump administrations foreign policy is not much different from standard US foreign policy. Yes, there is the flirting with Russia and the lunatic brinkmanship with North Korea but there is no pacifist populism in what Trump does. Much as with his economic policy, its a standard hard-right Republican agenda. He gutted the EPA and passed an elitist tax cut. He bombed Syria and he sucks up to Israel. The neo-cons run things behind the scenes as Trump re-tweets NAZIs.
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Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@CopperCicada That is interesting and it is my impression from what I have read of Trump voters. TBH some of the ones who comment on politics of SW are nuts but then I know that they are not representative.
I remember seeing a video of his final election ad, which was anti-war and anti-elitist.
I remember seeing a video of his final election ad, which was anti-war and anti-elitist.
Northwest · M
@Burnley123 [quote]TBH some of the ones who comment on politics of SW are nuts but then I know that they are not representative[/quote]
The rank and file is clueless, when it comes to foreign policy. I don't mean that as an insult, more like a statement. Trump is not going to get us into another war in the Middle East. Adopting the neocon strategy, of on-sided support for Israel, is back to the old days, where we were not involved militarily, but made sure that Israel had the upper hand.
His supporters will not know the difference.
The rank and file is clueless, when it comes to foreign policy. I don't mean that as an insult, more like a statement. Trump is not going to get us into another war in the Middle East. Adopting the neocon strategy, of on-sided support for Israel, is back to the old days, where we were not involved militarily, but made sure that Israel had the upper hand.
His supporters will not know the difference.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@RodionRomanovitch Yeah he moved the capital. He is that bad.
Northwest · M
If you're talking about the Embassy, then that's the easy issue. The real problematic issue, is the rest of the "peace" plan. Highlights:
1. West Bank settlements get expanded and officially recognized.
2. The PA is offered a deal, by the US, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC countries, to accept a boatload of cash, in return for a swiss cheese country, where citizens who leave, are not allowed to come back, no one if allowed to emigrate into the PA, and those with historical claims are not allowed to come in. Over an extended period of time, this will eliminate Palestinians from their Swiss cheese country.
3. The PA will not be allowed to have an army, airport, ports of exist/entry. It's all under Israeli control.
The Saudis have been trying to move some pieces around, to clear the deck for this plan. The arrest of all those princes/business people, the forced resignation of Lebanon's PM, the "accidental" deaths of several high ranking military officials (and a contender to the throne, that same night), etc.
This will be a disaster, because it's not going to put an end to the underlying conditions that continue to fuel extremism. Abbas is not going to accept this, and neither is the Palestinian street.
Trump has to keep his right-wing Evangelical and right-wing Jewish backers happy, and they don't give a rat's ass about the people they will be hurting.
1. West Bank settlements get expanded and officially recognized.
2. The PA is offered a deal, by the US, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC countries, to accept a boatload of cash, in return for a swiss cheese country, where citizens who leave, are not allowed to come back, no one if allowed to emigrate into the PA, and those with historical claims are not allowed to come in. Over an extended period of time, this will eliminate Palestinians from their Swiss cheese country.
3. The PA will not be allowed to have an army, airport, ports of exist/entry. It's all under Israeli control.
The Saudis have been trying to move some pieces around, to clear the deck for this plan. The arrest of all those princes/business people, the forced resignation of Lebanon's PM, the "accidental" deaths of several high ranking military officials (and a contender to the throne, that same night), etc.
This will be a disaster, because it's not going to put an end to the underlying conditions that continue to fuel extremism. Abbas is not going to accept this, and neither is the Palestinian street.
Trump has to keep his right-wing Evangelical and right-wing Jewish backers happy, and they don't give a rat's ass about the people they will be hurting.
RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M
@Northwest The very notion of a two-state solution has been little more than a fantasy for a long time now. The Israelis have said it will never be allowed to happen and that's all you need to know.
If Trump thinks SA are going to be enamoured by this move then he is very much mistaken. No matter what machinations the two young princes ( Salman and Kushner) have concocted this will not be tolerated more widely. They may believe they have some understanding with US/Israel but they are still Arabs first. It's Just one more foreign policy disaster to add to an already impressive list for Prince Mohammad bin Salman.(Qatar , Yemen , Lebanon.) This is what happens when neophytes are left to their own devices.
It will be an unmitigated disaster (like most everything that idiot in the WH touches)and is entirely against America's own self-interest.
And you're right , the only people this will please are those on the extremes in both the US and Israel. And not forgetting of course the real beneficiary of this crass decision , Trump's old pal Bibi Netanyahu. Trump Tower Tel-Aviv anyone ?
If Trump thinks SA are going to be enamoured by this move then he is very much mistaken. No matter what machinations the two young princes ( Salman and Kushner) have concocted this will not be tolerated more widely. They may believe they have some understanding with US/Israel but they are still Arabs first. It's Just one more foreign policy disaster to add to an already impressive list for Prince Mohammad bin Salman.(Qatar , Yemen , Lebanon.) This is what happens when neophytes are left to their own devices.
It will be an unmitigated disaster (like most everything that idiot in the WH touches)and is entirely against America's own self-interest.
And you're right , the only people this will please are those on the extremes in both the US and Israel. And not forgetting of course the real beneficiary of this crass decision , Trump's old pal Bibi Netanyahu. Trump Tower Tel-Aviv anyone ?
Northwest · M
@RodionRomanovitch Yes, I believe Kushner and MBS are in for a big surprise. The old Middle Eastern math no longer works in post Arab Spring. The French Le Monde did a great piece on the MBS boomerang shot, following the Hariri fiasco.
King Salman is going to be forced to publicly reject this move, Kind Abdallah, and President for life Sissi will do the same. Of course this is music to Netanyahu's ears. If Trump, in his naïve state of mind, believes that he can check off one more item, off his list of "accomplishments", but this one will have as deep impact.
About 60% of Israelis disapprove of Netanyahu, but ironically, the illegal immigrants, who get automatic citizenship, continue to keep him in place, thanks to the Israeli system of coalitions, that keep someone with less than a majority, in the office of the Prime Minister. Another reason Bibi wants to keep the settlements going.
King Salman is going to be forced to publicly reject this move, Kind Abdallah, and President for life Sissi will do the same. Of course this is music to Netanyahu's ears. If Trump, in his naïve state of mind, believes that he can check off one more item, off his list of "accomplishments", but this one will have as deep impact.
About 60% of Israelis disapprove of Netanyahu, but ironically, the illegal immigrants, who get automatic citizenship, continue to keep him in place, thanks to the Israeli system of coalitions, that keep someone with less than a majority, in the office of the Prime Minister. Another reason Bibi wants to keep the settlements going.
sighmeupforthat · 46-50, M
Xuan12 · 31-35, M
I think the strategic purpose of having Israel is to have a direct hard point on the mediterranean coast that can give NATO ground forces a deployment point from which they can reach the Arabian peninsula without being dependent on the Suez canal or sailing around the entirety of Africa. Mossad also seems to run a lot of espionage in the area, mitigating the amount of effort it takes to locate high value targets. That's why the US holds onto Israel I think.
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SW-User
Obama did not support settlements which is why Bibi hats him. @LvChris