SELF INTEREST or BETRAYAL ?
We may well be in a position to suggest there are conceptual points of similarity between the developments of Roman and American civilizations, in particular, the present collapse of U.S. foreign policy with that of the Roman world in its death throws as it raced towards its inevitable decline and eventual demise just another pretender tossed into the rubbish bin of history.
What started as a Middle East foreign policy catastrophe under the Obama administration has now developed into the inextricable mess President Trump’s touted withdrawal from northern Syria has and will undoubtedly bring to the whole of the Middle East and eventually to the very heartlands of Europe.
The psychological and emotional forces at work are very similar in both the case of Romes capitulation to the Barbarians at their gates and the United States miserable surrender to the triumvirate of Turkey, Russia and Iran in Syria today.
Trump by virtue of his nieve policy decision has given Turkey, Russia and Iran a victory they could not have achieved through force of arms and now the Triumvirate appear free to impose their collective if self-interested will by naked force on all within their spheres of influence; and being openly motivated by the one desire to wield their power in the pursuit of regional domination.
Trump has declared his unilateral withdrawal will create the environment for stability in the region. This couldn’t be further from the truth and his ad-hoc policy decision has guaranteed peace will remain elusive, and instead of improving the situation his action will mean the end of American hegemony in the Middle East and all that entails for the countries of the region.
“Might is Right” and “Every man for himself”.
Trump’s flight of fancy leaves only two alternatives autocracy or anarchy.
So while America reneges on its international responsibilities and in particular in the Middle East one is left with the question what comes next and who or what will fill the vacuum left by the retreating American legions. In the Middle East there is only one credible answer and it happens to be the Jewish State of Israel it alone stands in the way of Russia, Turkey and Iran realising their dreams of the sapient Middle East and the inevitable consequence for the rest of the world.
America’s culture and political self-confidence can only continue to decline as they withdraw back to Fortress America Under a Trump-inspired America first policy. While the United States remains unwilling to act to defend its own interests, it can no longer expect others to respect Uncle Sam.
Trumps America has forgotten foreign policy must be backed up by force should the need arise otherwise its stature is an illusion.
If America does go down this track it will forgo its leadership pretensions and become an overweight spectator while others seize the opportunity to bid for hegemony this can only lead to chaos and the breakdown of International Law.
Watch this space for further developments on the world stage.
