US missile strikes against Syria were Donald Trump’s warning to the world, says Professor Mark Almond
Everyone misunderstood the President's 'America First' slogan - they thought his USA would pull in its horns and retreat from the world, but they were wrong
PRESIDENT Trump’s devastating cruise missile strike sent shock waves around the world.
Pretty much everyone had misunderstood his “America First” slogan. They thought his USA would pull in its horns and retreat from the world.
But he wants the US to reshape the world in its own interests, according to its values, using its immense power.
He saw an opportunity to put his mark on world affairs early on in his presidency.
Syria’s Assad was the recipient of an explosive message meant for North Korea, Iran, Russia and China too.
He ordered the action then told his allies in Europe and rivals like Russia and China about it.
Diplomatic it ain’t. But Trump is sending us all a message. Get on-side or take the consequences.
Trump sees American power as something to be used in overwhelming force.
His missile salvo told the rest of the world that he was not going to talk tough and then back off.
He wanted the world, as well as Syria, to be shocked.
By choosing the moment when China’s President was visiting for tough trade talks, Trump put Beijing on the spot.
The fact that the Chinese leader didn’t walk out showed that China puts getting on with Trump first even when it doesn’t like what he does.
Trump wanted North Korea’s nuclear-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-Un to get that message.
He reminds me of Richard Nixon. He was as deeply disliked by the Washington establishment as Trump. But he was the shrewdest geo-political operator of his day.
Like Nixon, Trump is willing to be ruthless and yet not afraid to talk to rivals. He will use force as a bargaining chip.
If Russia and China don’t like it, they will lump it if offered something behind the scenes for letting Trump settle with regimes he really dislikes.
But Vladimir Putin is sending more weapons to Syria to show whose side he is on.
Washington warned Moscow of the attack so that any Russians there could scarper.
And Trump will welcome Putin’s outrage at the bombing. It shuts up claims he is some kind of Kremlin stooge.
Trump and Putin are showmen and hate being upstaged.
Friday’s raid showed he is unpredictable when provoked. He likes it that way. He can live with the uncertainty.
But can the world rest easy when unpredictable chancers like Jong-Un could rile Trump at any moment? Only Trump knows the answer to that.