Peloni: Since Trump came to office, he has been focused upon the strategy of isolating and confronting Iran. From this isolated perspective, tightening the ties between the Gulf allies and the US was a strategically adept move as it promoted Trump’s domestic economic agenda while also advantaging his Great Game geopolitical contest with China. The cost of gaining this leverage in the geopolitical struggle with China, however, was to promote a terror slave state such as Qatar as being good people on the world stage, even as they are clearly responsible for the supporting Iran’s war against Israel, funding Hamas’ attack on October 7, and sponsoring the pro-Hamas teaching and pro-Hamas riots on US campuses. So too, the linkage of US support for Saudi weaponry and nuclear program with SA joining the Abraham Accords was another opportunity cost of Trump’s Arabian Gulf gambit challenging China. While these Gulf states will maintain a balancing position between the US and China, the economic largess which they advanced to the US in the resulting deals of Trump’s Gulf Tour will leave them less able to economically partner with China, providing at least this much support for isolating China from these regional actors. The consequences of lying down with dogs will of course not be easily or quickly shed, and it completely contrasts with Trump’s first term objectives of isolating and eliminating state sponsors of terror, as he is now readily connecting, trading and promoting them.
@Madeline
Unpleasant indeed. The context of the statement that only Nixon could go to China is such that our strongest advocates and allies are empowered with being capable of doing the greatest damage with impunity.
“The consequences of lying down with dogs will of course not be easily or quickly shed, and it completely contrasts with Trump’s first term objectives of isolating and eliminating state sponsors of terror, as he is now readily connecting, trading and promoting them.”
It is past time for MAGA to wake up to this unpleasant fact.