By P. Gunasegaram
Who is the greatest menace to world peace and harmony today? Who has triggered major tensions throughout the world putting millions in danger of being killed, starved or otherwise irreparably harmed across the globe?
Who is forcing a friendly neighbouring nation to become a state of the US, has threatened to invade territory belonging to a staunch Nato ally, abducted the president of a foreign country and his wife, cut off supplies to a country which did it no harm and threatened former US presidents?
Who has put the world oil markets spinning in a tizzy, upended world trade by imposing ridiculous tariffs, is taking criminal action against the Federal Reserve chairman, has set up a brutal force to track down immigrants and takes delight in bombing foreign ports and oil installations just for fun?
Who has caused panic at home and abroad by over-reaching himself to help the agenda of a person wanted for war crimes and has a warrant of arrest over his head, in the process causing an oil supply squeeze which threatens the world economy and forcing prices up in the US?
Invasions and attack
Who has made brazen illegal invasions and attacks across the globe and threatened more, not seen since the days of Hitler in Nazi Germany when tanks and troops rolled into Poland, and when others kept quiet, into the rest of Europe, triggering World War 11?
Who rules the world’s most powerful economy and has the levers of destruction at his finger tips, using it like a child might given too much, despite being a convicted felon, having instigated a march on Capital Hill and had numerous allegations of sexual misconduct made against him?
The answer if you need one: Donald Trump in every single case, amply demonstrating the need for regime change – but in the United States of America, no less – where a person who should NOT have become president is wreaking havoc at home and abroad.
When is the world going to realise that you have to push back against a megalomaniac intent on shaping the world according to his narrow, narcissistic desires to see the return of imperialism and all its untramelled effects?
Naked power
Where naked power rules without check or balance to the exclusion of norms of behaviour established through international treaties and groupings between and among nations established post World War 11 to maintain relative peace and equity in a world previously torn asunder by conflict.
Instead, most major countries are bowing to the infantile demands of a spoiled child who has suddenly realised the power he holds in his hands and instead of using it with great restraint and calm is taking delight in its irresponsible, irreverent use.
After boasting that he had hit Iran’s Kharg Island which holds many of its key oil facilities, Trump crowed, “We may hit it a few more times “just for fun“,demonstrating crass insensitivity, extreme idiocy and a total lack of sympathy for the needless suffering he imposes on the innocent.
The world should remember that Trump and his good friend the cruel and heartless Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Palestine, struck Iran and killed its top leadership with a sneak attack during negotiations for nuclear disarmament.
A trust deficit
Can anyone trust this devious destructive duo with any agreement after such a flagrant violation of international norms, law and order, clearly against United Nations protocol and common human decency, to engage in negotiations with them again? Won’t those affected swear eternal revenge against them instead?
The Independent newspaper described the Israeli attack on Iran’s energy installations as a possible war crime and a move taken straight out of Putin’s playbook in Ukraine. Now who believes Israel would have done this without US support despite what Trump says? No one decent trusts him anyway.
The response from the so-called civilised West – the United Kingdom, Germany and France were muted, instead of calling Trump to account, expressed mere regret and reiterated that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. There is no evidence they have.
This follows the same kind of reaction when the Venezuelan president and his wife were abducted at gunpoint and whisked away to New York to stand trial. Ahead of this, the US torpedoed boats off Venezuela’s coast on a mere suspicion of being engaged in the drug trade – no evidence needed.
Blockading Cuba
With Venezuela falling, the US has blockaded oil to Cuba, a country which has not harmed the US in any way, resulting in considerable hardship to its citizens. The West remained mute, giving courage to Trump to venture forth even more outrageously.
There could be more than a touch of racism here – most of the decisions of the West have always been considered behind racist lenses and it seems clear that black, brown and yellow lives matter less than white ones.
But if the history of Hitler and Nazi Germany is to be learnt it is that despots and demented people need to be put in their place before they get out of hand – everyone becomes a victim. Who is to know what Trump does next, if Iran does capitulate – or if they don’t?
And what would the West do – indeed what can they do – if the US moves against Greenland or Canada or if they demand that they want to control the EU? What are they going to do to resist?
The only way is if the rest of the world collectively stood up to the US and its main allies the way they did against Nazi Germany and Japan – remember the Soviet Union fought with great effect on the side of the allies as did the Chinese under Mao Tse Tung against Japanese occupation.
If they allow Trump to get too strong, it may be too late to avert a catastrophe – a full blown war in other words.
What would happen if the US strongarmed its way into Greenland for instance? This is not unjustified speculation. Jonas Gahr Store, Norway’s leader, received a text message from Trump in January according to the New York Times:
“Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”
That’s from a person who is so embroiled in embellishing his own credentials and an unhealthy penchant for the Nobel prize during an international crisis, he has lost all sense of perspective, making him unfit for the presidency and a menace to world peace.
The West needs to push back hard against Trump and if necessary act in concert with the rest of the world to do so. Trump cannot simply act as he pleases and the sooner he is stopped the better.
Opposition to Trump
Considerable opposition to Trump is building up against him at home, especially about allowing Israel to drag the US into the Iran war at the height of the Epstein scandal which also reached into Trump. Some even postulate that the war was to divert attention from that.
If the rest of the world is brave enough to confront Trump, it will also send a message to US voters who will decide who controls the House of Representatives in the November polls. If the Republicans lose that round, Trump’s powers will be considerably curtailed.
The majority party post elections decides the legislative direction of the House, which is responsible for initiating revenue bills, acting on impeachment, and voting on federal law. It may not be regime change yet but it’s definitely the first step – it will limit presidential power substantially.
The rest of the world needs to show what kind of a person Trump is and why he is not fit to lead the US. He will take the US into the gutter, not “Make America Great Again”. The sooner the US public realises it, the sooner regime change in the US will happen.
P Gunasegaram thinks all aspiring leaders should be required to take tests of intelligence, knowledge, mental and physical fitness, ability, integrity and honesty – and pass – before holding public office. Perhaps Malaysia can set an example by starting!
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