America's electoral dilemma: Donald Trump
By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
Posted: March 03, 2016
Updated: April 06, 2016As the general election heats up in the United States, it becomes essential to posit an outsider's, albeit foreign, perspective/view.
At the outset, it must be states quite equivocally that the outside world still holds the highest regard/respect for the United States and its president. Indeed, the outside world ceremoniously welcomed/lauded the radical change in America's psyche with the election and subsequent re-election of its 44th President and the first African-American president in Barack Obama.
The fact of the matter is that whether one agrees with or disagrees with President Obama's domestic and/or foreign policy, one can assume that such policy has been thoroughly thought true. One can also assume that such policy was not ad lib and/or made off-the-cuff.
The salient reality is that presidential candidate Donald Trump seems to be formulating foreign policy decisions at the stump. To the casual foreign observer, Trump apparently just seems "to wing" it. In addition, no serious, in-depth analysis seems to be present in Donald Trump's decisions. They are all extremely shallow and devoid of logic.
In this crucial era of hostile terror attacks, the United States indeed needs a president who thinks through global issues. Donald Trump is certainly not such a definitive presidential candidate. If he were to be elected president of the United States (God forbid), then, respect for the United States will be relegated to a non-existence status by the outside world.
Put another way, President Donald Trump will not only give America a bad name but if his presidential campaign xenophobic demeanor/rhetoric is any yardstick, then, the office of the US presidency will be placed is disrepute.
Moreover, the majority of the outside world will not see a friend in the White House with Donald Trump in residence. The majority of the outside world will no longer look up to and admire the United States in terms of its values, compassion, humanism and system of governance.
In addition, the majority of the outside world will no longer take America's foreign policy decisions as evidenced by former President of Mexico's vitriolic, offensive retort to Donald Trump's "wall" fiasco.
Indeed, this is just one of countless hostile, acerbic and disrespectful re-actions from the outside world to Donald Trump's foreign policy decisions.
Furthermore, if this incident portends any foreign policy yardstick, then, the casual outside observer would shudder to envisage President Donald Trump addressing the annual United Nations General assembly meeting and/or any other global Heads of Governments gathering.
Under President Donald Trump global hostility, terror and anti-America sentiments will escalate exponentially In addition, the majority of the outside world would not hate America rather they would hate America's policy toward them under President Donald Trump. And most significantly, the office of the US presidency will now be used as a potent recruiting tool by ISIA and other like-minded terror organizations.
Truth Be Told: Yes, it is the truism that a sizeable portion of Americans are angry. They are also disgusted at the establishment in Washington for their marginalization and neglect. And this is the fodder that has so far fueled Donald Trump's campaign victories and popularity.
However, it must be inserted here that mainstream as in hardcore establishment Republicans neither support nor want Donald Trump as their presidential nominee. Ergo, it is yet to be seen if the tyranny of the Republican minority will prevail at the July convention in Cleveland.
Shem Hotep (I go in Peace).
Dr. Kwame Nantambu is Professor Emeritus Kent State University.
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