Trump Does What’s Right (For Trump)
Re: the headline of this article in today’s New York Times, it all depends on how you define “right.” He’s extremely predictable, in that he always does what’s right for his own aggrandizement and tenure as U.S. president. He’ll endorse anything that: • Plays to the portion of his base that consists of corporations and the amoral rich, which means financial deregulation and huge tax cuts, at the expense of the common American, the environment, and, ironically, the economic future of the U.S.
• Plays to the other, much large portion of his base, which includes ignorant, hateful working-class white males. This means actions and words that are pro-gun, pro-war, anti-Obama, anti-healthcare, racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, pro-Christian fundamentalist, anti-abortion, designed to inflict more misery on the poor, scornful of all critics, aggressive in muzzling the free press, and contemptuous of people of groups who attempt to investigate his alleged criminality.
• Further entrenches himself as a political strong man on the world stage. This means sidling up to the world’s great tyrants, the leaders of Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines, Turkey, China, Egypt, and (soon) Brazil, while alienating America’s traditional allies, i.e., democracies.
Here’s a challenge: next time you read one of Trump’s tweets, see if it doesn’t fit, quite obviously, into one or more of the three groups above.
Craig,
Do you really think an excitable, name calling rant will assist with the complex and difficult problems involved in Middle Eastern politics ?
What exactly do you want the US President to do ? The affair occurred technically within Saudi Arabian Sovereignty to a Saudi Arabian national. Where does the US have any jurisdiction ?
Who is the individual you believe is so important to the world that his death should be worth the US President risking so much of US strategic influence seeking justice for his killers.
Jamal Khashoggi was no champion champion of free speech and democracy, for that matter he wasn’t even strictly speaking a journalist.
Jamal Khashoggi main claim to fame was his uncle, the late billionaire weapons dealer. A close friend of the late Osama bin Laden Jamal Khashoggi was an activist spokesperson for some very dark and murderous causes.
Jamal Khashoggi spent his time in the murky and dangerous world of Middle Eastern politics and espionage.
His front organization DAWN, was affiliated with Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Al-Qaeda, and, ISIS. Islamic State. He worked as propagandist, fund raiser, publicist, activist and intelligence operative for the organizations as well as Iran.
Jamal Khashoggi believed fervently in the establishment of a fundamentalist Salafist Theocracy. He abhorred Western democracy and representative government, just as he hated Wahhabism the Saudi rival theocratic doctrine.
Jamal Khashoggi played an important role in assisting Iran backed forces in the Yemeni civil war. To Saudi Arabi who forces are fighting as allies on the opposing side, that makes Khashoggi a legitimate target. (Just as Israel and the US assassinate Taliban and other targets around the world).
In the murky world of middle East politics, the only question should be asked is how such a sworn enemy of Western interests get a work permit in the US, and why on earth is the Washington Post, New Yorker etc supporting such an enemy of all the values they supposedly seek to uphold ?
It’s no co-incidence these media outlets want to condemn and complain about the President’s campaign against Iran. Former Obama era aides have found a new home in these organizations and are actively pr5omoting a pro-Iranian policy to frustrate the President changing Obama era policies toward Iran.
Jamal Khashoggi is a casualty of the ongoing battles between rival group of Islamic fundamentalists. He was not an innocent bystander, but an activist combatant.
Given his background and affiliations, he should never have been granted an entry visa to the US. Whatever happened to him, is not the business of the the US.
Craig,
But hey, here’s a thought, all this fuss over the death of a terrorist spokesperson does deflect from James Wolfe’s guilty plea for lying to the FBI.
Who is James A Wolfe ? Wolfe was the Director of security for Senate Intelligence Committee, including the panel panel is investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
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He pleaded guilty to making false statements in December 2017, including his use of encrypted messaging applications and providing sensitive information about the Senate committee to two reporters.
It was Wolfe who fed reporters the story that former Trump campaign aide Carter Page had met Russian operatives in 2013. This story prompted FBI agent to obtain a FISA warrant against Carter Page based on false information.
This is the first crack in the Mueller investigation, which reveals Mueller or his staff knew of improper political deceptive by Government employees against the Trump administration but either covered it up or ignored the evidence.
As more is revealed, including the adulterous relationship between a NYT reporter and a Mueller aide coupled with and aide discovered to have been in a covert relationship to obtain immunity for a senior employee of the Democrat National Committee, thing are not looking good for the Mueller Inquiry.
The civil law suit brought by Carter Page may expose even more of the Machiavellian activities of the Mueller saga.
But of course, the liberal media will remain silent about these matters, concentrating instead on the demise of a terrorist spokesperson.
Are you saying that just because it was outside of e U.S., we shouldn’t care about it? I guess we should have let Hitler kill all people of Jewish descent. People like you shouldn’t exist!
Susan,
I’m sorry you feel that way, but who appointed the US the world’s policeman ?
Unlike you, I’ve actually taken part in a war promoted by the mistaken belief that the US knows best for other peoples disputes. The Vietnam War killed over 2 million people, mostly needlessly.
It’s not a matter of not caring about something it’s a matter of not making a bad situation worse by yielding to media speculation.
The US has a long history of getting it wrong! In the process it has killed millions of innocent people. Mostly, the US believes it’s on the “side of the angels” because it’s totally ignorant of local conditions and the nature of the dispute.
From starting a war with Spain to seize strategic advantage and territory using the lie of an attack on a US warship, to the destruction of Cambodia and Laos, Vietnam and Irag, the list is extensive.
US policies (and military interventions) in Central and South America left a trail of greed, genocide and injustice for over 100 years.
Oh, and btw, the US didn’t give a damn about Hitler’s persecution of the Jews, until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. Britain and the Commonwealth had been fighting Hitler for nearly two years before the US was forced to enter the war. I lost two uncles and four cousins fighting Hitler. My father served from 1939 until 1947. Before the war, my father was active in helping secure the exit of Jewish families from Nazi Germany when it was a relatively unpopular activity.
Just as the US justifies the “assassination” of perceived threat from individuals or organizations it deems a security threat, so too do the governments of other nations. One man’s “freedom Fighter” is another man’s “terrorist”. To the Saudi’s, Khashoggi was a security threat. an active combatant, and traitor.
His manner of his elimination, without due process,is regrettable, but not unexpected.
The US just can’t interfere in every local dispute.
Just remember in your indignation, it’s people like me whom you send to fight the wars you are so willing to start, but are horrified when people get killed !
President Trump’s response has been surprisingly calm measured and pragmatic. Alienating an old ally, to protest the death of an agent of Iran and Muslim extremists would only be counter-productive to US interests.
Despite all the mistakes made by the US, I still believe reaming a US ally, and believe the US usually means well.