DONALD Trump believes he invented wars. Like a mischievous arsonist, he can start fires, but does not know how to quench them.

Before occupying the White House, Trump should have studied Bob Woodward’s book Obama’s Wars (2010). Woodward reveals how Obama, as president-elect, received a detailed security briefing on Nov 6, 2008, two days after winning the election. Obama, made suddenly aware of America’s military strength and involvement globally, confessed that before the election, he had been worried about losing it. After hearing the briefing, he was worried about winning it.

Unlike previous presidents, Obama did not define any specific foreign policy doctrine. He emphasised “negotiation and collaboration rather than confrontation and unilateralism”. He put it simply: “My doctrine is we will engage, but preserve all our capabilities.” His secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, having shared her husband’s presidency, admitted: “We’ve got a lot of damage to repair.”

President Donald Trump used a different approach. He spent his first administration (2017-21) focusing on an ‘America First’ policy. Deals were more important to him — sales of arms to Saudi Arabia, brokering the Abraham Accords, a ‘handshake’........

© Dawn