For this discussion, let us set Trump aside. Let us ignore him. Not easy. He seems to be everywhere, everywhere.
Let us look at the latest U.S. policies. He will get credit for all. “Trump’s foreign policy toward East Sudetenland…”. But the policies are really created by many people. They have been itching for years to shape such.
At last they are in positions to do so. Their leader looks kindly on their proposals.
Imagine a dry-as-dust prof. Lecturing on Strategies 101. Utterly objectively. No political bias. I suspect the prof would explore some of our current strategies. Because they differ much from our previous strategies. For that reason alone, they are interesting.
For instance, we have gone on the attack on trade. We have taken the fight to our trading partners. With all guns (or tariff threats) blazing. We are forcing these partners to react to our demands. We are not going into negotiations saying “Let us discuss our issues.” We are, instead, opening with “You are screwing us! This must stop! Here is a list of our demands.”
Of course, this is a negotiating strategy. It flings the other side onto defense from the start.
It is also a strategy to try to change the assumptions on both sides. The assumptions. That is a particularly important ingredient. European leaders, for instance, have long assumed that they deserved to run trade imbalances with us. Ditto for many American leaders. We are attempting to change that thinking, those assumptions.
The Chinese – and American leaders – have long assumed Chinese could impose their self-serving rules upon us. And that we would complain, but do nothing about them. Old policy. They assumed we are so desperate for their cheap goods we would continue to cave.
The North Koreans assumed we would not get serious about their nuclear threat. They assumed our strategy would remain as it was. We would pretend to bring pressure. They would pretend to respond, while building nuclear firepower.
America obviously is trying a new policy. We have lined up support from countries in the region. We have told China and Russia they will suffer repercussions if they don’t also bring pressure. We have told Kim to shut his yap. And to do his talking at a negotiating table.
We are trying new policies with NATO. For years our policy was to suggest to NATO countries that they pony up for their defense. To meet their treaty obligations. But that policy had no urgency to it. We never pushed hard. Today we do. Today we embarrass them publicly. “You are screwing us with your puny defense spending! Here’s what we want from you.”
We are challenging old assumptions at the UN. As well as in the Middle-East.
We are trying new policies with our borders and with illegal immigration. We are also looking at changing our policies on legal immigrants.
Our economic policy certainly differs from what it was. It is not really new. It copies much of Reagan’s policies. And JFK’s. Thus far, it is getting similar results.
If the dry old prof was smart he (or she) would keep Trump’s name out of the discussion. He would know that it instantly colors people’s thinking. It prejudices their thoughts one way or the other.
If he was wise he would urge students to look objectively at these policies. To monitor and assess their effect. To measure if they succeed or fail. Or don’t move the needle at all.
He might suggest to students they live in a time when major policies of this country are changing. And that “change” may change the thinking of millions in this world. Perhaps for the better. Perhaps for the worse.
(As I wrote this, a story arrived on how many of China’s top officials and intellectuals are awed by the strategies coming from the U.S. So says one of Europe’s top foreign relations guys. He says they believe the strategies are designed to dismantle many old institutions. After that the U.S. strategy will be to rebuild. With America dealing then from great strength. This may cause the Chinese to “prepare the ground for a new grand bargain with the U.S. based on Chinese retrenchment.” A change of assumptions. He says this is the first time for more than 40 years that the U.S. is bashing China on three fronts simultaneously: trade, military and ideology.)
Anthropologist Margaret Mead told us to “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
These truly are extra-ordinary times.
From Tom…as in Morgan.
Find Tom on Facebook. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com.