US in the dock under Donald Trump By Ansar M Bhatti

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The UN General Assembly on Dec 21, 2017 in its extra-ordinary session adopted Pakistan co-sponsored resolution declaring US President Donald Trump’s decision to move American Capital to Jerusalem, by 128 votes. Only nine countries chose to side with the US President while 35 countries including Australia, Canada, Israel, Romania, Hungary did not attend the session. The UNGA decision and the earlier decision of the UN Security Council in which 14 countries out of 15 voted against Trump decision, may not force belligerent American President to withdraw his decision, nevertheless huge moral and political pressure from the international community has ostensibly put America on the back foot.

If morality has any relevance in the American system then President Trump ought to apologize to the world community, especially the Muslim world and people of Palestine, for hurting their sentiments and trampling principles of a just and impartial mediator.

In my article published on February 1, 2017 titled “Testing Times for America” I wrote “Donald Trump’s “biased” approach towards Muslims will land him in serious trouble in the coming days, unless he makes genuine efforts to mend fences…”

My view point stands vindicated after President Turmp’s Jerusalem decision that has not proved counter-productive for America but has created further divisions among various pillars of the States. Most of the key American institutions do not seem eye to eye with President’s what they call ‘miscalculated’ and ill-timed move. According to them, due to President’s Trump’s recent decision regarding internal and external security, had already taken a heavy toll on Americans particularly living abroad. Then, the skewed Trump foreign policy has contributed greatly towards severing of US relations with many of its otherwise friendly countries including Pakistan. Trump’s immature and non-diplomatic approach towards certain international issues such as Palestine, in fact has proved a blessing in disguise particularly for the Muslim world, which now stands united, at least on the issue of Palestine.

Recent developments for sure should not augur well for the USA as it may not afford straining of relations at least with those countries, which otherwise happen to be the staunch supporters of US policies no matter how much biased and lop-sided they are. Those countries that remained absent from the UNGA session, as a matter of fact, should also send alarm bells in the power echelons of US administration because those countries in a way disapproved the Trump idea. Also it must be a matter of concern for the US policy mandarins that even those nine countries that voted in favour, happen to be extremely tiny and unknown states and Islands.

There appears a global consensus emerging that US under Donald Trump cannot do any good in terms of global peace. Also a perception is fast evolving both in the US and abroad that with President Trump in power, Americans do not need enemies.  Mr. Trump is doing exactly what the American enemies wanted however they could not do it mainly because of a strong connection between the respective US presidents and the American people. A visible disconnect between these two pillars of course is taking a heavy toll on the super power.

Recalling of the Palestine Ambassador: The news of recalling of the Ambassador of Palestine Walid Abu Ali came as a stunning blow for the Pakistani nation. Baffled Pakistanis cannot understand logic behind recalling the ambassador and that too under the Indian pressure! Ambassador Walid Abu Ali for sure happens to be one of the best Palestinian ambassadors, who had been championing the cause of Palestinian people whole-heartedly. The move would surely disparage respect of President Mahmoud Abbas in the eyes of Pakistani people. It may serve as a blow to Pakistan-Palestine relations also because the decision gives an impression as if Palestine Authority considers India more loyal to the Palestinian cause as compared with Pakistan.