In many quarters, the New York Times’ David Sanger is considered the country’s best diplomatic journalist. After a recent article in the NYTs, titled “Trump’s Personal Diplomacy Results in a Strategic Muddle” maybe it’s time to scrutinize his work more carefully. The article made no sense whatsoever in trying to compare the personal styles of Donald Trump and Theodore Roosevelt. Sanger believes the comparison is relevant and dispositive because both Trump and Roosevelt rely on their “powers of persuasion as the central element of success in America foreign policy—and ending wars.”

A comparison of Trump and Roosevelt is flawed and fallacious on any level. Roosevelt was arguably one of the most interesting presidents in American history; Trump is the most vindictive president in American history and not even compos mentis. Roosevelt played the crucial role as the mediator in the Treaty of Portsmouth, which formally ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. He initiated the peace talks, despite the initial reluctance of both Russia and Japan. He skillfully guided the negotiations, and ultimately earned the Nobel Peace Prize in in 2006. Roosevelt was a strategic thinker, who understood the importance of the balance of power for U.S. interests in East Asia. As a result, he........

© CounterPunch