The Ongoing Retreat to the Solitary Confinement of Trumpery

Trump ran away from the Paris Accord as an expression of the ideological derangement that denies science, sharing apostasy from the global community with Bashir al Assad’s Syria, instead of wielding influence in developing the essential technological innovations of the future.

Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran over the objections of every other country that signed the agreement. Now, Iran is resuming its nuclear weapons program - and kicking sand in the petulant bully’s face while doing so.

Trump accepted an offer to sit down with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un on the spot, without consulting anyone else. Now, after Trump was deftly snookered, Pyongyang is restarting its weapons tests.

Trump precipitously hit China with tariffs on U.S. imports after failing to change Beijing’s longstanding trade practices deemed unfair. Now, the two are at an impasse on trade negotiations, causing anxiety to ripple through the global markets, and requiring Trump to initiate a multi-billion dollar entitlement for America's farmers. "Trade wars are good, and easy to win!"

Since WWII, the United States of America has become the pre-eminent, most prosperous nation on earth by a policy of consistent, steadfast international engagement with friend and foe alike. It earned trust and respect, successfully promoting its democratic principles.

Trump's fake threats to Mexico - Force it to pay for his wall? Shut down the border? Impose massive punitive tariffs? Deport 11-12 million people? "VAPID SWAGGER Я US!"

Even some of the nation's dubious military caprices - such as that of George H W Bush undertaken to return Kuwait to the corrupt al Sabah family - was achieved through a masterful diplomatic show of strength - first attempting negotiation with Saddam to withdraw his forces, then rallying opposition to Iraq in the United States and among European, Asian, and Middle Eastern allies, then securing both UN approval and Congressional authorization.

Throughout the three-quarters-of-a-century of US global leadership, trust has been the essential underlying facilitator. Trust had been earned.

A testament to the confidence in the integrity of the US was expressed by fervent nationalist Charles de Gaulle during the Cuban missile crisis, an event that might have easily triggered WWIII. When former Secretary of State Dean Acheson was dispatched to solicit France’s support, he brought with him the arial surveillance photographs that confirmed the Soviet Union’s covert aggression. De Gaulle famously waved them off saying, "No, no, no, no. The word of the president of the United States is good enough for me.”

That was then; this is now.

Whether bone spurs might have impeded the surefootedness of prior POTUS's, a loudmouthed capriciousness and blatant mendacity is unlikely to perpetuate the role the nation had achieved as first among equals.

It’s easy to proclaim yourself #1 when you’re all alone.
​

He finally built himself his very own “big, beautiful wall.”​

​

 

Trump has created a mess internationally. The U.S. reneging on treaties and agreements, - The Paris Climate Accord, The TPP, the Iran Nuclear deal, NAFTA modification unilaterally. His ham handed relationships with both dictators and our allies has added another layer of bone headed moves that serve only to isolate us from the world. Trump has no appreciation of the 70 year history after WWII. He believes history began on January 20, 2017.

The Iranian agreement was working. Seven of the eight signatories know this. Now Iran has become unstable and the rest of the signatories have abandoned the yes position. Japan has not accused Iran of attacking their shipping, yet Trump feels obligated to stick our collective noses into the matter.

The G20 meets next week. It is safe to say that no nation will trust Trump to honor any agreement. We stand alone.

 

What ever you think about trump policies, he has established a precedent that future American presidents can disregard previous agreements...
This essentially means that no country can count on an agreement with America lasting longer than
The President making that agreement..... if that long.
We have devolved into a country regarded as unreliable and dangerously erratic

 

Wow, first sentence and you already torpedoed your own post.

 

Honesty is one of your better policies. Trump has crapped on the hard-earned reputation of America.

 

Its candor wasn't intended to pander to diehard Trumpers. The fakery they crave is another matter entirely.

 

You can't count on any democracy to hold their agreements. The people have a habit of changing their minds.

 

Oh, I know, it was for the useful idiots, not normal people.

 

"One two three four
Can I have a whole lot more?
Five six seven eight nine ten
I love ME!

A B C D
Can I come alone to tea?
E F G H I J
I love ME!

Bom bom bom bompa bom
Sail the ship Bompa bom
Chop the tree bompa bom
Skip the rope bompa bom
Look at ME!

All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now

Black white green red
Can I take my bimbo to bed
Pink brown yellow orange and blue
I love ME!

All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now

Bom bom bom bompa bom
Sail the ship Bompa bom
Chop the tree bompa bom
Skip the rope bompa bom
Look at ME!

"All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All together now
All to-geth-er NOW!"


​

 

Maybe Trump would have considered it, if democrats included the largest polluters India and China. They got a free pass but America was still forced to pay bs taxes, that dont address any real solution.

 

"If it ain't perfect, don't try ..." isn't really a solution to anything.

 

Paying economy killing taxes when the largest 2 offenders dont pay anything is American suicide.

 

"Oh, yeah!
Well, what about ...?"
​

I suppose that Trump, whose divisiveness was a major factor in Putin's promoting him, can claim to be a unifier to the extent that most folks around the world agree with most Americans that he stinks.

​

​

 

Ha, well honesty does not appear to be one of your better policies, Obama ruined the US rep long before Trump ever came along.

 

Where were you when people around the world were protesting Obama?

 

I think that historically the usa has tried to present itself as a reliable partner
I think that Americans have thought of themselves as reliable partners
I think that, up to this point, the United States has not presented itself as a country that only had its self interest in mind and basically was willing to walk away from all alliances and agreements

However, Clearly, that is the new reality. And since that is what trump is doing... logically it has always been a possibility. But I think we have to acknowledge that this new attitude is a substantial change in how we present ourselves

 

Obama has always been trustworthy, especially when compared to who preceeded him and who came after. Obama's reputation around the world was and is quite good. As is with Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Where as Bush and Trump don't dare as well.

In an odd coincidence it is mostly those who think global warming is a hoax who have the most disapproving opinion of Obama.

 

"Oh, yeah!
Well, what about ...?"

"Oh, yeah!
Well, what about ...?"
​

The desperate attempt at diversion is not even self-serving. Evoking a prior president who was twice elected with over 51% of the popular vote and completed his two terms with 60% approval to draw attention away from a current one whose disapproval, consistently and relentlessly, is solidly in excess of 50%?

​

... and the relative estimation of the international community posted in #14 above reflects the sentiment of Americans.

​

 

Whats the point of having democratic state and national governments if the leaders of these republics decide among themselves to ignore the people's will as far as treaties go and "respect the last guy"?

We the people must have popular control.

I dislike that treaties have a lower bar for ratification than ordinary legislation. It encourages government to do a sneaky around the will of the people and their representatives in the House.

 

I guess those other countries are feeling a bit like training wheels on a mule right about now.

Sucks to be as stupid as they are. If I was a foreigner about now, I'd be ashamed to be less than an American.

 

Trump has clearly proved this to be true
Although i doubt that we the people voted for him to alienate our nato allies while making nookie with kim and putin

That said, my point was not that this could not be done
But that this has not been how we have presented ourselves in the past
Just as we are committed to pay our bonds...
Up to this point we have been committed to honor our agreements

What is the point of negotiating an agreement.... which has no binding power?
It is like getting married... but ****ing who ever you want when ever you feel like it

Well, in this case the senate
And, fwiw, a 2/3 majority in the senate
is a substantially higher bar than either the popular or the electoral vote that you consider to be the will of the people sufficient for trump to abrogate long standing agreements

 

No agreement can ever be binding on a national government except by threat of war if the agreement is broken.

Indeed under US law no treaty is higher law than ordinary statute. It is quite legal for ordinary acts of Congress to conflict with and override international treaties.

To make it clear I'm not saying it is a good idea to violate agreements for the fun of it, but when a past treaty and the people of the day or their representatives are at odds, it is the duty of those in power to side with the people.

If some Brussels bureaucrat is insulted by that so be it.

The Senate is not the popular house, the HOR is. The House is unrepresentative enough as it is, 700,000:1, the Senate alone is just obscene.

It's a real issue - Presidents have long used treaties to shove througg legislation they know they'd never get past the House. This is contrary to the spirit, but not the letter of the law.

 

If Trump had a crowd like this in Europe, they would all have ropes.

 

Where were you when people around the world were protesting Obama?