When President Donald Trump disembarked from Air Force One with the First Lady in Riyadh this past weekend, it marked the beginning of changing times in the relationship between the United States and the House of Saud. When meeting the King, the President did not bow, First Lady Melania did not wear a hijab, the President was honored by presentation of the highest award given to a foreigner by the Saudi government and and the King offered his hand to the First Lady. And these symbolic actions were just the beginning of a new page in the relationship between the two countries, a relationship that will be open and honest and which will result in mutual respect.
But beyond the symbolism, some amazing things happened during his short visit in Saudi Arabia. The President delivered a speech where he politely, but directly, called out the assembled Arab leaders gathered from many nations to hear him, and stated that they had to wipe the scourge of ISIS and Islamic terror out of their countries. He told them it's time to face the twenty-first century and those same leaders reacted favorably. He didn't act like Rambo, he was reasoned but firm and clear, and he told them America will be at their side but it's their responsibility to clean up the horror that is originating in their lands. It was like a million years had gone by since Barack Obama made his apology tour to the same region at about the same point in his first term when he apologized for America. Trump made no apologies for America, rather he offered military assistance in terms of weaponry for the fight and has added impetus to the ongoing efforts to unite Arab nations who want peace and tranquility with Israeli forces for that effort. Back channels interface, notably between President El Sisi or Egypt and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already shown signs of those two nations working together.
And then Trump was on to Israel to meet with Netanyahu and also with Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. This is a definite "tough nut" to crack, but with several of the Arab leaders desiring to end the hostilities, their added push to have Abbas to come to the table as opposed to the stand of his predecessors, things could improve. First and foremost, however, will be Trump's continued insistence of the right of Israel to be a Jewish State, otherwise it will all fall apart.
In these two stops, however, President Trump has brought both strength and reason to the table, something the Arabs of the Middle East haven't seen in a decade. America is and always will be the one nation that can bridge gaps, and with an approach that recognizes that forcing democracy on all nations of the world has not worked, and that rather we must work with nations who will work with us providing grounds for mutual trust can be found, perhaps he can succeed. One thing is certain, it's a pleasant change from the chaos and disastrous policies of his predecessors and it is needed if the threat from Iran is indeed as serious as it appears to be. Make no mistake about it, Iran cannot be allowed to refine their nuclear capacity to the full delivery stage or the Middle East as a whole, not just Israel, will become the Valley of Armageddon. The world may very well not be able to survive that.
But beyond the symbolism, some amazing things happened during his short visit in Saudi Arabia. The President delivered a speech where he politely, but directly, called out the assembled Arab leaders gathered from many nations to hear him, and stated that they had to wipe the scourge of ISIS and Islamic terror out of their countries. He told them it's time to face the twenty-first century and those same leaders reacted favorably. He didn't act like Rambo, he was reasoned but firm and clear, and he told them America will be at their side but it's their responsibility to clean up the horror that is originating in their lands. It was like a million years had gone by since Barack Obama made his apology tour to the same region at about the same point in his first term when he apologized for America. Trump made no apologies for America, rather he offered military assistance in terms of weaponry for the fight and has added impetus to the ongoing efforts to unite Arab nations who want peace and tranquility with Israeli forces for that effort. Back channels interface, notably between President El Sisi or Egypt and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already shown signs of those two nations working together.
And then Trump was on to Israel to meet with Netanyahu and also with Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. This is a definite "tough nut" to crack, but with several of the Arab leaders desiring to end the hostilities, their added push to have Abbas to come to the table as opposed to the stand of his predecessors, things could improve. First and foremost, however, will be Trump's continued insistence of the right of Israel to be a Jewish State, otherwise it will all fall apart.
In these two stops, however, President Trump has brought both strength and reason to the table, something the Arabs of the Middle East haven't seen in a decade. America is and always will be the one nation that can bridge gaps, and with an approach that recognizes that forcing democracy on all nations of the world has not worked, and that rather we must work with nations who will work with us providing grounds for mutual trust can be found, perhaps he can succeed. One thing is certain, it's a pleasant change from the chaos and disastrous policies of his predecessors and it is needed if the threat from Iran is indeed as serious as it appears to be. Make no mistake about it, Iran cannot be allowed to refine their nuclear capacity to the full delivery stage or the Middle East as a whole, not just Israel, will become the Valley of Armageddon. The world may very well not be able to survive that.
 |
RSS Feed