The Oncoming Storm

(Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP)

Is there anyone really in charge of U.S. foreign policy? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Mr. Trump’s latest foray into foreign (read “war”) policy is another frightening example of a rank amateur with no inkling of what he is saying or doing that could potentially have catastrophic consequences. Mr. Trump’s comments before the dinner he and Melania hosted for a bevy of high ranking brass, that this meeting represented “the calm before the storm”, should be another claxon stridently calling us to wake up.

What “storm” are we talking about exactly? When the Commander-in-Chief is standing in front of a group of smiling high ranking military officers, all looking pleased at the comments being made, that pretty much narrows down the meaning behind the playful, almost teasing words from he who is supposed to be the most powerful person in the world. The added “You’ll find out” to reporters before sojourning to the dinner table just added to the ludicrous nature of the photo op.

Isn’t this the type of thing that one playfully says to younger children?

“Guess what we’re having for dinner tonight?”

“Ohhh, what?”

“You’ll find out!”

“Hey, kids, guess where we’re going on vacation?”

“Where? Where?”

“You’ll find out!”

For the love of God, we’re talking about the supposed leader of the free world toying with the military forces of countries already expecting a U.S. pre-emptive attack.

“Hey, Kim Jong Un, guess when we’re going to attack you?”

“When, you dotard?”

“You’ll find out!”

Are these comments in regards to North Korea? Or Iran? Or both? Is Trump planning on launching two more fronts on which to fight? Is Congress already expecting this, as explained by the additional $80 billion tacked on to next year’s budget?

With the expected decertification of the Iran Nuclear Deal by Mr. Trump this week, a return to high tensions with Iran is assured. And why? Why is this necessary? A rising Iran is a perceived threat to the duopolistic Middle Eastern hegemony of Israel and Saudi Arabia, something that Mr. Trump and many in his administration can’t abide. Despite the fact that Iran has met the terms of the deal, Mr. Trump is willing to push the region closer to war, citing how this was just a bad deal for the United States. Let’s get this straight, in order for it to be a good deal for the U.S., Trump and Company believe it must involve a further destabilized Middle East. More chaos equals more opportunity for the ultra-wealthy, per Naomi Klein’s “Shock Doctrine.” If the situation is allowed to settle down and normalize, those who make money off of the chaos of war and the threat of war are frozen out, hurting their bottom lines.

Neither of these countries are not to be trifled with. North Korea and Iran’s militaries are large, well-trained and well-armed. These are neither the small pockets of tribal warriors of Afghanistan nor the relatively uncoordinated cells of ISIS or Al Qaeda. Our military has seemed to have problems dealing with all of these groups as evidenced in the unending wars of the Middle East. Mr. Trump should not be spoiling for a war, especially a war that would quickly spread out of control, ushering in an era of protracted wide-spread fighting and, quite possibly, the use of nuclear weapons. This would be a really, really bad deal for all parties involved.