Trump’s Shenanigans and the World

Fair is foul, and foul is fair

First performed in 1606, the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth opens up with the scene of Three Witches discussing toils and troubles in these words: “Fair is foul and foul is fair,” meaning thereby, the witches take the positive things negatively and vice versa. Today, shenanigans employed by the US President Donald Trump remind one of these witches as his decisions are identical to those of the witches. The rash and hasty decisions being made by Mr Trump have raised deep concerns all over the world. His ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan seems to be a prophecy told by some ‘witches’, for he has taken the ways similar to those adopted in Macbeth. Perhaps, he is unaware that fiction is one thing, reality another.

Trump’s announcement of shifting US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a calculated move and has been viewed as a Trumpian assault on the Middle East peace – the region already tangled in an intricate web of wars and destruction since long. Though Trump’s predecessors had been siding with Israel, albeit covertly, in this regard and, hence, had given a tacit approval to do what the incumbent president has done, but it was Donald Trump who dared to go on for its implementation. This offers no solution to the ills of the Middle East but would definitely deteriorate the situation in the region. The development has flabbergasted the world.

In effect, Trump has joined the chorus of ‘Macbeth witches’ for yet another time, as the very witches in Act IV of the play are in one voice singing: “Double double toil and trouble/Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

The tensions between the United States and North Korea are at all-time high as Trump’s rhetoric as well as his actions has brought about new level of hostilities against Pyongyang. The threat of military provocation between the communist regime and the United States has been very visible since day one of the Trump administration. The heightened tensions between the two states have recently waned as Kim Jong-un gave a gesture of optimism for talks on nuclear weapons; however, the dust is yet to settle.

Trump’s tough rhetoric against Pakistan is another glaring example of his devilments. The US got tough with Pakistan over the issue of Afghanistan war – it has been accusing Pakistan of being in league with the terrorists – since the Trump administration took office. Let alone the acknowledgement of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror, the US president announced the suspension of the security aid that is granted to Pakistan under the head coalition support fund.

But, this is still not the whole picture; some maintain that this is a behaviour called “my way or the highway”. It appears that Trump wants his strategy of ‘Make America Great Again’ carried out on come-what-may basis. “We are making America great again, and much faster than anyone thought possible,” the over-ambitious Trump tweeted. The US president is fanning issues and, hence, planting the seeds of catastrophe in the world. The deviltries of Trump do not augur well; rather, they smack of a bigger plan, a big scheme of things – perhaps one like the 9/11 – for world powers need an issue after every decade or so.

There is hardly any blinking at the fact that the Trump administration is sowing the seeds of destruction and devastation. A number of instances vindicate this stance. The Trumpian assault on the Middle East peace has ignited chaos in the region. In addition, the US has been accusing Pakistan of sponsoring terrorists; the charge that Pakistan vehemently rejects. Even those in the policymaking circles in the United States believe that the tough rhetoric against Pakistan has driven it to join the Russo-Chinese camp. For instance, in his response to the Trump’s decision of halting security aid to Pakistan, former US Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta, warned of the options for Pakistan. He expressed his fear that Pakistan would ally itself with China and Russia. Additionally, former US ambassador to Pakistan, Richard G. Olson, in his article “How not to engage with Pakistan,” published in New York Times, warned the US administration in these words: “[T]he Trump administration’s attempt at humiliating and penalizing Pakistan is unlikely to work. Pakistan, like most countries, reacts very badly to public attempts to force its hand. It is likely to respond by showing how it can truly undercut our position in Afghanistan.”

Thus, this will create troubles for the United States in Afghan war. With Pakistan out, the US cannot reach the fruition of the war. Hence, a state of perpetual chaos may keep inflicting miseries and destruction to this region.

Furthermore, the rise of China and Russia has already perturbed the US and the addition of Pakistan to this coalition will multiply its woes manifold. A counter-move to this will definitely be in the form of new alliances and, hence, a threat of military provocation in the near future might surface.

This opinion holds water because a cursory look into the developments around the world reveals that the current toils have welcomed world powers other than the US. Thus, the world is going multi-polar and the US will leave no stone unturned to maintain its position of a solo-superpower. Consequently, the chaos would engulf the world.

Moreover, President Trump brought with himself an unprecedented rise of populism and racism around the world. The rise of racism-oriented populism has hit the West. The very problem of Trump unfolded a new twist of events in Europe and the populist movements in countries like Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France and the Netherlands, appeared on the horizon last year. The very remarkable developments in the West might turn chaotic in the near future.

The other unwise decisions and steps taken by President Trump include immigration policy, withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty, reversal of climate change policy, undiplomatic rhetoric, and threatening of undoing the Iran Nuclear Deal (also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA) that was concluded between Iran and the P5+1 countries, and so on. Such decisions have been termed as a blatant breach of international law and, hence, received scathing criticism.

To cut the long story short, the global peace is feared to be shaken seismically from where it stands now. The chances of more catastrophes in the world are always there, as the US president has prompted many an issue to soar to new heights. With that, the crises in the world have worsened. Unfortunately, the world powers continue to create crises and the masses keep waiting for peace and prosperity and, hence, waiting futilely: “When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won.”