Trump led two allies down the garden path and left them swinging in his hot air breeze. Based on Trump trade promises Britain fell into Trump's bottomless pit. Acceding to Trump’s demands the British Prime Minister stonewalls the EU, supports war with Iran and attempts an overthrow of British democracy by shutting down Parliament. PM Johnson (the poor man Trump) was handed his head by Britain’s high court. It remains to be seen if he will do the honorable thing and leave quietly or be offered a quite room and pistol for a more traditional failed dictator’s exit. Advised by Trump Johnson returned home with attacks against everyone including the dead, (classic Trump distraction tactics). Further east Trump supported the dictatorial Israeli PM with promises of support for his seizure of the West Bank. After two elections in a year Netanyahu failed to win and is desperate to hold on to his office in order to prevent criminal corruption trials. Trump may attempt other dubious ploys to insure Israeli support for his war with Iran. Both Johnson and Netanyahu fail to appreciate that Trump is a pathological liar and never keeps his promises.
Speaking of which the administration is in a mad scramble to manufacture evidence that Iran launched the attack on Saudi oil fields as claimed by Trump. The truth is that the Saudis have learned to play Trump like an out of tune fiddle. Saudis gave Trump a parade and gifts which dazzled, insuring he would support them against all misdeeds. America that invented marketing, and spin in its arrogance is particularly vulnerable to manipulation by those it considers inferior. Historically the Middle East had few borders and political influence ebbed and flowed across the region. Now in the era of artificial borders ruling governments' blundering compounds those ancient influences. The region has an abundance of internal resistance groups and State competitors willing to resort to violence. In a day when big guns are of less importance that than big brains sophisticated weaponry is available to all.
Modern weapon systems are expensive to produce and nations use arms sales to offset cost. Before World War One arms sales were mostly in the hands of private dealers who were called “Merchants of Death”. Today governments support domestic arms production by sponsoring advanced weapon sales. For decades the Middle East has been the dumping ground for increasingly sophisticated arms. The United States has been the leader in arms sales but all weapon producing states have shared in the bounty. The result is a region awash in high tech weapons that local brains adapt, modify and improve. Every regional dissident group now has access cutting edge systems either through purchase, capture or provided by “sponsors”. To attribute a smoking gun as supplied by particular state player is more political speculation than reality. It is possible, but improbable that Iran launched the attack on Saudi oil fields. The arms trade makes it difficult to determine who supplied weapons even if the manufacturer is ultimately discovered since intelligence agencies supply foreign weapons to cover covert operations.
BOOM, and before the smoke blew away Trump claimed his favorite whipping boy is guilty on his way to war. Expect Trump to continue to swing his little sword in the run up to the GOP convention in order to appear decisive for votes. October 2020 may well see a declaration of victory and “peace in our time” for re-election and his coveted Nobel Peace Prize. There will be no peace and Iran, or some other target, may again have to serve a scapegoat diversion from more Trump geo-political blunders.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment