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Global Pulse: The Trump administration has fired yet another member, the National Security Advisor

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The Trump administration now has their third National Security Advisor in just 14 months. Lieutenant-General H.R. McMaster has been replaced by John Bolton, a former UN ambassador under George W. Bush. Concern over how a global trade war initiated by the US and China is reminiscent of the Cold War is beginning to reach new peak. The Australian home affairs minister Peter Dutton is facing heat over accusations of alleged racism for trying to introduce a controversial immigration policy.

Another one bites the dust

In a confusing move, John Bolton has been appointed as the new National Security Advisor, following Michael Flynn and H.R. McMaster. The confusing bit is that Bolton is a “war hawk” who still defends the Iraq invasion in 2003 and is a fan of the NATO alliance. He is also majorly critical of Vladimir Putin, who Donald Trump is partial to and admittedly a fan of. Bolton also backed American intervention in the Middle East to counter Russian influence in the region. In short, his policy stance is the clear opposition to that of the American president’s.

“Mr Bolton believes to his bones that Mr Putin is a liar and that Russia cannot be trusted, any more than China can, or Iran or North Korea or a long list of foes who he believes need to take seriously the possibility that America might reduce their cities to dust,” writes The Economist. 

“In contrast, Mr Trump is a blustering showman who would always rather cut a deal than fight a war, and who calls the invasion of Iraq “the single worst decision ever made,” akin to “throwing a big fat brick into a hornet’s nest.” Mr Trump has repeatedly grumbled about the costs of NATO and suggested that America’s defensive alliances with its members are conditional on their paying more for their own defence.”

How could Trump hire Bolton? “Part of the answer lies in Mr Trump’s love for spangly-costumed wrestlers, with their staged fights and feuds. Mr Bolton is being hired as a carpenter. His unfeigned hawkishness is to be deployed to make Mr Trump, the rising star, look strong and intimidating,” The Economist writes.

But for all their differences, Trump and Bolton agree that the most important goal is to “make America great again”. However, now that Rex Tillerson is gone, the only sane voice of reason if James Mattis, the defence secretary. Both Mike Pompeo and Bolton are allied against Iran.

Bolton appears to be a hire to make Trump look tough. “Hope that this is more showmanship, and that Mr Bolton’s belligerent instincts will not have full rein. But anything is possible now.”

Australia’s Trumpian strongman

Last week, the Australian home affairs minister, Peter Dutton made headlines when he announced that white South African farmers “deserve special attention” from civilised countries like Australia, because they face the “horrific circumstances” of land seizures and violence. He proposed arranging fast track visas for these farmers so that they can enter Australia quickly. The South African government reacted with outrage, calling the Dutton’s decision racist and pointing out that the country could suffer from massive food shortages if its farmers emigrated.

Dutton responded to his critics strongly, calling them “crazy lefties” in the media, and saying they were “dead” to him. But Jacqueline Maley writes in the Sydney Morning Herald that Dutton needs his critics. “In Dutton’s case, his political brand is classic Strong Man. Dutton seems to have a defensive world view, and is finely attuned to potential threats, be they of the Muslim terrorist, African gang, or left-wing-media-bias variety. As Immigration Minister he is the country’s gatekeeper. He protects us from these threats.”

“Without critics, you can’t have controversy, and controversy is the oxygen politicians like Dutton need in order to breathe and grow,” Maley writes.

“Consider his feat last week – with no warning, he came out with a left-field proposal to help an obscure sub-group of the world’s persecuted population, a group whose suffering, such as it is, is so niche it has escaped global attention for several decades, and is beneath the mention of the United Nations, which appears focused (however ineptly) on the persecution of Syrians, Rohingas and Christians in the Middle East.”

The plight of these farmers is an issue only among the alt-right and white nationalists. “No one in mainstream political discourse has talked about South African farmers in decades. They are a ’90s throwback,” she writes.

“And while we must resist the temptation of Trump Totalism – seeing all politics through the lens of the unfortunate US presidency – there is a touch of the Trumps about Dutton.”

“Dutton’s trick is to co-opt the disruption and sideline-screaming of the right-fringe and bring it into mainstream political debate. To civilise it. That way, voters don’t have to turn to independents, because their grievances (anxiety over reverse racism, nerves about how far political correctness will alter social values) are embedded in the main party of government,” Maley writes.

A Cold War-ped mentality

Donald Trump has entered into a Cold War mentality, the South China Morning Post editorialises. He has named China and Russia his biggest threats, but has also expressed admiration in the past for Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

This time, however, it is not the Soviet Union that is the rival — it is China.

“(Trump) has so far failed to congratulate Xi and, highlighting a contradiction in his administration’s stance towards Russia, he phoned Putin to praise him for gaining another term, just days after the United States imposed new sanctions on the country for claimed election interference and cyberattacks,” the South China Morning Post notes.

“Xi has repeatedly tried to allay concerns, promising that China’s rise is no threat to the world; he said in closing remarks at the National people’s Congress on Tuesday that “only those who are used to threatening others will see others as a threat to them”.”

“China and Russia were once suspicious of one another, but have mended fences. There are good reasons for greater cooperation, with their economies being complementary and both at crucial stages of their development.”

“But also drawing them together is a sense of growing hostility from the West, highlighted by how governments responded to the re-election of their presidents.”

“Working together for the common good through mutual respect and cooperation, the approach adopted by Beijing and Moscow, is how Trump’s administration should handle its foreign relations.”

 

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