THE notion that the UK has a special relationship with the USA is, to put it politely, away with the faeries.

The USA has only one special relationship – and that’s with Israel.

The bonds are explicable by the way successive Israeli governments have corrupted American politics, and they hit the jackpot with Donald Trump.

The man is a charlatan, a master of deception, distraction, and disruption. His cabinet is comprised of individuals who make Faust seem an honest fool.

Sophie Clarke: A tale of two cities: Why Belfast can’t ignore Derry’s revival

Pat McArt: DUP should realise ‘you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar’

They are a mix of disreputable, unreliable, anti-vaccine, anti-science, and fact-denying fanatics – fantasists who are sponsors of the greatest Ponzi scheme of all time.

They are pillaging the coffers of the USA in broad daylight and monetising public office in an unparalleled way.

Watching money-obsessed, third-rate evangelist preachers praying for Trump on cable channels is stomach-churning.

One said: “To disagree with Trump is to disagree with God.” Apart from being blasphemous and idolatrous, for many across the world Trump has become the personification of evil incarnate.

Despite claiming to be the stay-at-home President of Peace, Trump is the Ghengis Khan of this generation, with one exception: Khan actually participated in war and led from the front. Trump is a draft dodger who plays wars as if it’s an online game of Counter-Strike.

Trump’s joint enterprise of war with Israel against Iran is immoral, illegal, illicit, and illegitimate.

Not that any of those things will bother the war criminal Netanyahu or the felon Trump – they pulverised Gaza.

And unless something unforeseen and seismic happens within Iranian society, aerial bombing alone will not bring the Islamic Republic to its knees.

The Iranian people do deserve better government – as do the American and Israeli populations, if only they were not so mesmerised by the axis of evil which governs over them.

The intervention in Iran has sod all to do with building a democratic state.

The CIA helped depose the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 and installed a puppet – more peacock than prince – to rule Iran.

The UK supported the USA in this charade, and it was because of oil and a worry about declining influence.

The Iranian military structures are not conventional, although they do have one of the biggest armies in the Middle East (and eighth in the world).

These are supported by the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard and, more troubling, the paramilitary force of the Basij.

If Trump has to commit troops on the ground, this will be no short, sharp war. Remember, the Iraq war took nine years.

The presence of any Israeli forces in Iranian territory will be counterproductive and will only serve to inflame the indigenous population and more likely strengthen Iranian national solidarity.

Western countries attempting to force regime change in tribal or Islamic societies only repeat the folly of colonialism.

Libya is now officially a failed state. Syria is run by Ahmed al-Sharaa – one-time leader of Al Qaeda, once the greatest enemy of the USA and sponsor of the Twin Tower attacks. The oppressive Taliban are back running Afghanistan, and Iraq’s long-awaited, fragile stability is now threatened by American/Israeli belligerence in the Persian Gulf.

This proxy war is hitting those of us far from removed from the conflict.

As energy prices soar, we are wholly impacted by its economic consequences.

Prime Minister Starmer has had to endure taunts and insults from the daddy of all tantrums, Donald Trump.

Trump says: “Starmer is no Churchill.” Trump is definitely no FDR.

As the columnist and former Tory Matthew Parris wrote last week, “Standing up to Trump could be the defining moment of Starmer’s premiership.” If he continues to, I would agree.

Right-wing columnist Andrew Neil berated Starmer for letting down “our closest ally”.

But America does not do allies – it has subordinates. And in such a world, the proverbial excrement only flows downhill.

Starmer, like the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, has to walk a tightrope when dealing with Trump by being respectful to his office – pandering to his ego – and even if necessary, sucking up to his narcissism.

Nauseating as it is to watch leaders fawn up to Trump in a forlorn attempt to try to weather his erratic behaviour, the reality is that no matter how much toadying is done, Trump is simply carnivorous – wanting more and more.

Transactional normally means both sides get some of what they want in exchange for giving away something.

In Trumpville, transactional means the surrender, embarrassment, and humiliation of one’s quarry until they give in.

Trump/Netanyahu are playing roulette with the lives of real people, citizens throughout the Arab world and Iran. They are putting their own citizens at increased risk from Islamist terrorists.

To this columnist, all terrorism is wrong and amoral – either from the state or paramilitarism.

But when gullible young zealots think it is okay to wage a jihad and that even to die with a bomb strapped to you offers martyrdom, there’s much to fear in the days and months ahead.

Or as Alexander Pope put it: “On wrongs swift vengeance waits.”

If you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article and would like to submit a Letter to the Editor to be considered for publication, please click here.

Letters to the Editor are invited on any subject. They should be authenticated with a full name, address and a daytime telephone number. Pen names are not allowed.

© The Irish News