Posted on 12/16/2020 9:09:12 AM PST by Kaslin
It was hard to help but notice – and be somewhat sad about – all those happy faces Thursday afternoon when President Trump announced that Morocco had become the fourth Arab country, after Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates to formally recognize Israel.
These four agreements – all achieved in the last four months – establish Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and leader of his negotiating team on this, as one of the preeminent diplomats of our generation. These accomplishments, along with the president’s withdrawal of U.S. forces from former hot spots around the region, have dramatically remade America’s role in the Middle East.
Instead of trying to bribe the mullahs of Iran to hold off on provocative actions, President Trump has aligned Arabs with Israel against the country the State Department has identified as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. That the Iranians see their position as significantly weakened by this was proven last month when they failed to respond in any way to the killing of a key scientist in their nuclear weapons program.
Morocco’s King Muhammed VI said all the “right” things about continuing to stand by the efforts of the Palestinians to form their own independent nation and how the Moroccans really were more interested in the part of the deal in which the U.S. recognized their control of the Western Sahara.
But the fact is Morocco had one of the largest Jewish communities in North Africa just a few decades ago, and the country is savoring a capital infusion to help with their development plans in the desert and the extensive tourism expected from Israelis looking to reconnect with their ancestral homeland.
President Trump has remade the Middle East. He has extracted U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Somalia with little apparent harm to American interests.
He’s done the same in Europe, where he has inspired conservative governments in Poland, Austria and elsewhere, helped nudge Brexit to passage and, by pressuring countries to meet their requirement of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, added $130 billion in military capability to NATO – our most important alliance.
In our hemisphere, he has convinced Mexico to put 27,000 soldiers on its southern border to prevent migrants from coming to the U.S. from Central America. He also has made deals with Central American countries to strengthen their economies and thus discourage people from wanting to come north. He has spent nearly $12 billion on construction of a wall that would be completed if construction could be continued for just one more year.
The result is stability on the borders at a level not seen in generations and, before the pandemic hit, full employment and rising wages for American workers.
Speaking of stability, President Trump’s first few months in office were marked by near-continuous threats of nuclear attack from North Korea. Hardly a week went by without the Hermit Kingdom firing missiles into the Sea of Japan as a show of force. President Trump managed to pull off two summits and a surprise visit to the DMZ with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, and the saber-rattling from Pyongyang has ceased.
Unless President Trump prevails in court in Texas v. Pennsylvania or other litigation, though, Joe Biden will become president and much of this progress will disappear. Biden is not interested in keeping China in check – he already has said his message will be that we are “open for business” again, presumably the kind of business that resulted in him receiving “10 for the big guy,” and selling out American interests and jobs.
Biden has returned John Kerry, President Obama’s hapless Secretary of State, to a role in government – albeit as climate czar – so the progress in the Middle East, which is based on building alliances on terms the countries in the region agreed to with U.S. help and without regard to the Palestinians’ pursuit of an independent nation, can be expected to stall.
Biden was part of the Obama administration, which did little to get countries in Europe to meet their NATO obligations and did not support Brexit.
On the subject of climate, the U.S. is the only country currently meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Paris agreement, even though President Trump withdrew us from it. We’re doing it with energy independence, millions of well-paying oil and gas jobs and $2 per gallon gas. Will Kerry, who wants to discourage car use by any means, continue that success? Does he even want to?
Goals that have eluded U.S. diplomats for decades came to fruition on a regular basis under President Trump, and the world is without doubt a safer place for it. Moreover, what conflicts do continue are less likely to produce U.S. casualties because so many of our brave fighters have been removed from combat situations in which they did not belong.
Enormous progress has been made. But unless President Trump prevails in court, many of these significant gains could be lost.
I disagree. I think the nations in the Middle East understand the democrat playbook. To a large extent, they are dealing directly with Israel now and other Arab states can act as an intermediary.
The American media has ignored the fact that most Arab states see the Obama foreign policy clearly - it was a disaster.
Just my .02, but the detente with Israel is here to stay for a time and all of them recognize the threat of Iran. If anything, Israel is becoming far more powerful within the region thanks in part to Trump’s policies, but also due to the foresight of Bibi and the chaos sown by Iran.
Good thing Biden won’t be taken over.
China does not want peace in the Middle east.
Uhhhh, not ‘many’ but ‘all’ of Trump’s gains.
America and her Constitution are through in that case.
iran gets the bomb, billions more of our money, and the sanctions are lifted. cuba gets the embargo lifted. china gets all the tariffs removed. Israel once again has to fear its neighbors.
I want to say something to the stupid fools who voted for biden, but can’t, or I’ll be suspended.
[[[I disagree. I think the nations in the Middle East understand the democrat playbook. To a large extent, they are dealing directly with Israel now and other Arab states can act as an intermediary.]]]
I agree with your point. They are done with the yo-yo dance of US foreign policy. They’ll take Trump’s approach for $400 Alex. They need to take more responsibility for their own backyards. This is what mature nations do.
Turd Whirled Staytus Here WE Come!!
Turd Whirled Staytus Here WE Come!!
I am gratefully impressed at all the changes Mr. Trump has induced in the Middle East. I only wish his administration had done more to announce and explain these changes to the average short attention span public. I knew about many of the developments, because I make it my business to read all about it.
Perhaps this factor of unknowing was not directly the fault of his supporters.
Most of today’s media seemed more likely to hide anything positive about the Trump admin. just because they don’t like the president. It’s like a Mean Girls Club, where they don’t even pretend to act fairly.
America was through 12 years ago when SCOTUS ruled that not one single person on this country had standing to fight against an illegitimate candidate becoming president.
This is the second stage convulsions of such an act.
The most lasting damage to the world from the stolen election will be done by China who are the only nation in the world hellbent on world domination.
Trump had boxed them in using every tool available and I truly believe a military alliance to contain China was on the horizon in SE Asia.
How sad, and bad, for our country.
Please recall that Joe Biden was thought of as a foreign policy expert which is why Obama chose him to be his VP so that this would give Obama “gravitas” on the world stage...
Even though McStain is thankfully dead, I’m sure Lunch bucket Joe will have plenty of allies from the RINO party who will support his policies
Excuse me, but what does “Staytus” mean? Did you mean Status?
Agree. So much good accomplished in just four years on many fronts. I think Biden’s people will start start wars in ME, more terrorism in the West.
Thousands of illegals are already on their way for open borders. Lefties don’t care how many would bring Covid.
In the ME-so much of the peace settlement is new and fagile.... and hinges on agreement between several other local powers-with long standing animosities... so Biden and Giggle Box only have to screw with one of the signators (sp?) to upset the whole applecart. The idea of more blood and destruction is inconsequential to drunk on power, media whore Liberals, who NEED the ME instability to keep world attention focused on THEMSELVES
Under Trump:
President Trump: “Welcome back to the White House, Mr. Prime Minister!”
Prime Minister: “Thank you, Mr. President.”
President Trump: “Let’s discuss some mutual security issues between our countries.”
Prime Minister: “Certainly. Shall we proceed?”
Under Harris/Biden:
President Biden: “Netanyahu, this stuff has got to end!”
Prime Minister: “What stuff, Mr. President? And aside from having me enter the White House in the service entrance...”
Vice President Harris: “You misunderstand,...”
Susan Rice: “No, hook nose, that is where you should enter because you oppress the Palestinians and murder their children. Stop that nonsense, Netanyajew!”
Nettenyahu has shown his true colours. He will find no friends in a Biden administration, but he couldn’t wait to kiss Sleepy Joe’s corrupt backside. Israel’s doomsday clock has moved considerably closer to midnight.
Just my .02, but the detente with Israel is here to stay for a time and all of them recognize the threat of Iran. If anything, Israel is becoming far more powerful within the region thanks in part to Trump’s policies, but also due to the foresight of Bibi and the chaos sown by Iran.
—
Biden would return to the “pallets of cash” diplomacy with Iran which will finance terrorism.
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