Trump in Riyadh: an Arab NATO Against Syria and Iran

1) Trump builds on the theory of terrorism as a battle between Good and Evil. That’s the single most useless theory to explain conflicts and violence. He obviously has no intellectuals around to help him.

2) Trump blames Iran for all terrorism and the wars in both the wars in Syria and Yemen. He wants the world to isolate Iran. Iran’s people – thanks to vibrant political debate and over 70% going to the polls – overwhelmingly voted for moderates and an open attitude to the West. Trump should be grateful…

3) Trump doesn’t mention Saudi Arabia – why does he go there in/as the first place? – as the far largest funder of terrorism and behind the 9/11 attack on his own country. He conveniently doesn’t mention democrcy, freedom of speech, women’s and other human rights – neither the war on Yemen.

4) Trump thereby opens the way for and legitimates future Arab-NATO war on Iran and Syria. NATO Turkey as go-between and as a ‘guarantor’ of de-escalation zones in the latter will likely be helpful.

5) Nobody bothers to relate all this to the fact that the Gulf States already spend roughly 10 times more than Iran and Syria on their military. Add Israel…

6) Arab NATO?? What?? Yes, just read this two-part PressInfo about this – untold – aspect of his visit.

7) Denmark’s embassy in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, coordinates the relations between the Arab NATO and NATO in Brussels. Why Denmark? Hasn’t this rogque state done enough harm for its size already in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria?

8) Trump now proceeds to Israel that want to get Syria’s president killed and destroy Iran. If not its official view, Netanyahu should fire the minister who said that.

9) Trumps presents no vision for the Middle East, only and concretely more weapons – weapons worth US$ 110-300 billion paid as bribe by Saudi Arabia – weapons with which you anyhow can’t fight terrorism.

10) Sunni fundamentalists, Saudi Arabia, other Gulf States, ISIS and other terror organisations plus Israel will all be happy with his speech.

Yes, indeed, historic it was.

For all the wrong reasons.

Expect more wars in the Middle East and more suffering of the Syrian people, further isolation of and possible attack on Iran.

But also – such is dialectics – the gradual dissolution and end of the US Empire thanks to its pervasive militaristic, self-destructive impulses.

And find some little comfort in that kakistocracies tend to last shorter than other forms of governments.

Jan Oberg is director of the Transnational Foundation for Peace & Future Research in Lund, Sweden.