In 1900, Republican, William McKinley [25th US President] took it on himself to send troops to China in the Eight Nations Alliance’s “China Relief Expedition”, without prior consultation with Congress, and a declaration of war.
Such an unprecedented crucial shift in the deployment of US armed forces on foreign soil from then on became synonymous with the unique US brand of primitive and crude diplomacy (?)
By its very nature, such a policy carries disastrous consequences, more often than not generating deep-set resentment and a spectrum of counter reactions, ranging from a stiff exchange of words to violent escalation.
The list of such US-generated bravados is substantially long. Suffice it to mention a few recent ones still vivid to those having a good memory. Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile and practically all Central and Latin American countries, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and the list is bound to increase dramatically should Trump manage in barraging his way to the White House. Portrayed on television as an arrogant loudmouth, I reckon he does not qualify to be the level-headed serious person needed in our present super-charged global village, whose contribution possibly cools the environment and makes for Peace and Stability.
The almost comical theatrical antics associated with the US presidential primaries are a clear indication of the potentially dangerous superficiality of the exercise. Such a system, instead of favouring the production of a serious, studious, respectable candidate of integrity, regrettably gives room to a variety of dangerous buffoons with money to burn, and probably big axes to grind.
Indeed, I wish to think it will finally turn out to be another hilarious Chuck Jones’ creation of “Daffy-Duck for President”, but most pointers seem to indicate that our protagonist could, if given the opportunity, prove to be more potentially hazardous than the once much-applauded but now banned carcinogenic Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane; the DDT insecticide of old!
Surely our world, with an estimated population of over 7,200 million souls, 4.5 per cent of whom are our cousins who lived till recent times in relative splendid isolation across the ocean, deserve better!
Ramon Borg-Bartolo
Sliema