Politics and Press

The interaction of the press and politics; public diplomacy, and daily absurdities.

Archives for April 2019

Love in the Age of Dystopia

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The love affair of Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu evolved quickly from light petting. Were there a wedding the exchange of gifts would have included Trump’s recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights and Netanyahu’s naming an illegal Jewish settlement in honor of Trump. It will amuse future geographers to note that Trump’s name is on the map of the Middle East especially when reflecting on Trump arriving in Israel from Saudi Arabia and announcing, “I have just arrived from the Middle East”.

Netanyahu, who was being investigated for fraud, may actually owe his re-election to Trump as billboards featuring the lovers went up in Israel during Netanyahu’s campaign, after Trump announced moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and then – just prior to the Israeli election – announced the U.S.’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Trump’s actions have virtually eliminated any chance of a Middle East settlement that could be remotely acceptable to the Palestinians and waiting for a peace plan from Jared Kushner is, of course, a fool’s errand. The prize for Trump is not just a place on the Middle East map, but also huge political donations from far-right supporters of Israel like shady casino owner Sheldon Adelson, and shared friendships with a variety of international thugs like Viktor Orban in Hungary, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and the ubiquitous Vladimir Putin.

The remaining question is just what to call the illegal settlement honoring Trump. I’m thinking “Grifterville”.

Richard Lugar, RIP

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Former Senator Richard Lugar (R – Indiana) died yesterday at the age of 87. Lugar served six terms in the U.S. Senate and was one of the last breed of respectable Republican conservatism that for many years provided honest leadership in foreign affairs while promoting what is now an old-fashioned kind of conservatism on domestic issues. While his views on domestic politics were far from progressive they never morphed into the kind of weirdness which we now see from most Republican Senators.

But Lugar’s major interests and impact were in the international field, highlighted by his efforts towards nuclear disarmament and his commitment to ensuring bipartisanship in foreign relations. That this did not always gain the support of his more doctrinaire Republican colleagues led to Jesse Helms forcing him off the Foreign Relations Committee because he was an “internationalist”. Who knew that Helms could be ironic?

One important event illustrates Lugar’s fact-based approach to foreign affairs as well as his political courage and ability to speak truth to power. Ferdinand Marcos served as president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. Marcos and his family stole billions during those years and he became increasingly ruthless in maintaining his power. Marcos  was finally defeated in an election in 1986 and proceeded to attempt to steal the election. Lugar was in the Philippines as an election observer working with U.S. Ambassador Stephen Bosworth. When President Reagan began to waver in his support for the election results, it was Lugar who made the phone call to Reagan that led to his finally supporting the election results and sending Marcos into a too-long delayed retirement.

Lugar got defeated by a Tea Party candidate in 2012 and replaced with a mediocrity. That was one of many signals that the Republican Party was being taken over by dopes and fools. Donald Trump is the conclusion to that movement.