Laying out a new national security policy Dec. 18, 71-year-old President Donald Trump served notice that the U.S. would not lead from behind, promising to keep its military and global superiority. Calling Trump’s new policy “imperialist” and a return to “Cold War” politics, China and Russia criticized Trump’s “America First” plan. At the same time, both countries pledged to find common ground with the U.S. Saying the world faced growing “competition,” Trump promised to invest the necessary dollars to rebuild the U.S. military in an age of growing global threats. “Whether we like it or not, we are engaged in a new era of competition,” Trump said in a nationally televised speech. “We recognize that weakness is the surest path to conflict and unrivaled power is the most certain means of defense,” drawing a clear contrast with former President Barack Obama who took a globalist approach.
Faced with an implacable challenge with North Korea, Trump has drawn his red line when it comes to North Korean completing a nuclear-tipped Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Russia and China—and all U.S. allies—have been put on notice that the U.S. could attack Pyongyang at any time, though its doubtful until after the Seoul Winter Olympics, running Feb. 9 – 25, 2018. Trump has ordered the Pentagon to postpone joint military exercises with South Korea scheduled in January 2018, hoping it keeps 33-year-old North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un from detonating another nuke or launching a ballistic missile. Whether Trump’s gesture works before the Seoul Games is anyone’s guess. South Korea has been busy preparing for war on the Korean Peninsula, something that could happen soon after the Winter Olympics China and Russia have begun to accept Trump’s position on North Korea.
Trump sent a loud message to Russia and China that while the U.S. wants to cooperate, it would protect its national security from gathering threats in North Korea. Both Russia and China bitterly oppose any U.S. military action on the Korean Peninsula, despite the fact that Kim’s regime threatened the U.S. with nuclear war once it has an operational nuclear-ready ICBM. Watching former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama allow North Korea’s nukes and ballistic missiles to morph into a “clear-and-present danger,” Trump’s put Russia and China on notice. If North Korea doesn’t agree to unilateral disarmament—and do so quickly—that U.S. will have no choice but to neutralize Kim’s regime. For weeks, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency has been threatening the region and world with nuclear war, something intolerable to the world community.
China’s Xinhau new agency said that Trump’s foreign policy was a “victory for hardliners.” Foreign Minister Spokesman Hua Chunying called on the U.S. to “abandon its Cold War mentality and zero-sum game concept,” warning the world of dire consequences to the U.S. and the region. Kremlin Spokesman Dimtri Peskov warned the U.S. of “clearly Imperial nature” and urged the U.S. to abandon its concept of a “unipolar” world, with the U.S. on top. Yet Peskov, after Trump supplied the Kremlin with a St. Petersburg terrorist plot recently, said he saw “positive things” coming from Trump’s White House. Peskov acknowledged that Russia and the U.S. would cooperate on joint security issues. “It is totally in line with our approach, voiced by the president, because Moscow also seeks cooperation with United States in areas, which are beneficial for us, depending on how far our U.S. counterparts are ready to go,” said Peskov, offering a new era of U.S.-Russian relations.
Under former President Barack Obama, U.S.-Russian relations had deteriorated to Cold War lows, primarily over White House policy to arm-and-supply cash to rebels to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Obama’s policy directly pitted the U.S. against Russia which backed al-Assad’s government. Instead of letting Russia clean up Syria’s terrorist mess, Obama funded terrorists—no matter how well intentioned—to topple the al-Assad government. Putin stated clearly when he decided to intervene Sept. 30, 2015 that toppling al-Assad would bring more anarchy and chaos to the Middle East. Obama ignored Putin’s concerns, adding to the seven-year-old insurgency that killed over 400,000 Syrians, displacing 12 million more to neighboring countries and Europe. Instead of dealing with reality, former Obama National Security Director James Clapper calls Trump as Russian “asset.”
Turning a corner on U.S.-Russian relations, political hacks like Clapper can’t admit he made things worse during his tenure. Obama and Clapper did their best to hurt U.S.-Russian relations, pitting the U.S. against Russia in Saudi’s proxy war in Syria. Now that Trump’s stopped Obama’s proxy war in Syria, the door has opened for Trump to cooperate with Russia, especially on dealing with global threats like North Korea. Former Obama national security officials like Clapper do the country a disservice by interfering with Trump’s foreign policy and national security. “It [Trump’s foreign policy] acknowledges the central role of power in world affairs, affirms that sovereign states are the best hope for a peaceful world, and clearly defines our national interests,” said Trump’s foreign policy message. “We are normalizing our relations,” said Putin, agreeing with Trump’s foreign policy.
