Donald Trump Stumbles Into A Foreign Policy Triumph

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I thought this was a really outstanding editorial explaining why Trump is succeeding in foreign policy.  While I don't agree that he's "stumbled" into success, the concepts of escalation dominance, etc., are the absolutely right ones on which to focus.  I think Trump "gets it" because he understands that in negotiations, you have press if you have the stronger bargaining position, and so that's exactly what he does.  Long article, but here's an excerpt:

The argument for escalation is simple: If the response to any aggressive act by a foreign adversary is always to de-escalate in order to avoid a spiral of violence, then the advantage borne by military and economic dominance is lost, creating more chaos, not less. A logic has been allowed to develop among countries such as Iran and Russia, the British diplomat said, that the West will not escalate a crisis and will remain boxed into its cautious, multilateralist view. Trump has changed this.

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/01/donald-trump-qassem-soleimani-iran-escalation/605053/

[aligncare]

 

“...Trump has changed this.”

Exactly. From the world’s policeman, to neighborhood watch. 

[Absalom]

'Stumbling into Success' has been the pattern among western leadership for most of the
modern era, yet it most certainly wasn't the pattern from the Ancients to the 18th century.
Recall the assertion that "It is far better the leader be feared rather than loved....."
W/the explosion of popularly chosen governance and demise of heredity governance;
it should be of little surprise that modern leadership has reversed Machiavelli's wise
adage in order to hang on to their office. Exhibit A is Barack Obama!!! 

[Maj. Bill Martin]

The headline is actually misleadingly anti-Trump, when the tone of the article is much more complimentary.  It's like Trump simply believes that we are the most powerful nation on earth, and should act like it.  As opposed to afraid of offending those who are much weaker than we are, and would have much more to lose in an all-out fight.  He recognized that Iran would back down when the rest of the establishment was terrified of WW III.