Trump’s “America First” Policy A Gift To Dictators And Tyrants

President Trump’s bow to the Saudi Arabian King Salman is further evidence of Trump’s creepy attraction for some of the world’s worst dictators. In Trump’s recent Middle East trip, he celebrated with the Saudi Royal Family, one of the most repressive regimes in the world and a questionable ally of the United States. He is revealing that his new “America First” policy is based on embracing the world’s most hated dictators, tyrants and thugs.

The American media is primarily focused on Trump’s treacherous bromance with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. However, Trump has praised dictators and autocrats from Egypt, the Philippines, Turkey and Thailand. He even offered kind words for North Korean despot, Kim Jung Un. Trump said he would be “honored” to meet him:

“How many young guys — he was like 26 or 25 when his father died — take over these tough generals, and all of a sudden … he goes in, he takes over, and he’s the boss,” Trump said. “It’s incredible. He wiped out the uncle, he wiped out this one, that one. You gotta give him credit…This guy doesn’t play games.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a bully like Trump relishes the company of other bullies. But Trump’s “America First” alliance with the world’s dictators is a sharp rejection of the traditional America’s defense of democracy, human rights and free speech.

How can most Republicans continue to accept Trump’s refusal to criticize Putin and other evil authoritarians? His betrayal of traditional American democratic values finds most Republicans silent. Trump dismisses Putin’s attack on the integrity of our elections, which is the very basis of American Democracy.

A few Republican exceptions have spoken out on Trump’s recent celebration of the Saudis. Roger Stone, Trump’s longtime advisor, had this to say about Trump’s receiving an honor from his Saudi guests. Stone called Saudi Arabia “the enemy” and said, “Candidly this makes me want to puke.”

The photo of Trump bowing to receive a special award from the Saudi King made the headlines across the Arab world. Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough mocked Trump for bowing to the Saudi King in a twitter post.

TRUMP BOWS the top photo in Saudi and other Arab newspapers. pic.twitter.com/yGSAdbMPIM

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 21, 2017

Have other Republicans forgotten that 15 of the 19 hijackers that crashed airliners into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon on 9/11 were citizens of Saudi Arabia? Osama Bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, was from a wealthy Saudi Arabian family. The Saudi Royal Family that Trump was praising is an absolute monarchy that discriminates against women and gays. It has one of the world’s worst human rights records of any nation.

The basic law of the country is based on Sharia (Islamic law). The Saudis practice and promote the most fundamentalist Wahhabi religious doctrine. Its teaching of intolerance toward non-Muslims has been used to recruit Jihadists worldwide. It has been linked to terrorist attacks around the world. In his speech, Trump claimed terrorism is the greatest threat worldwide yet the Saudis have a direct link to that terrorism. Wealthy Saudis are still rumored to be funding Al-Qaeda.

Following Trump’s Saudi Arabia love fest, he went on to meet and insult many of our closest European allies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel summed up the European Union’s meeting with Trump. “The times when we could completely rely on others are, to an extent, over,” said Merkel.

Apparently, Trump’s disgraceful fawning to the world’s dictators like Saudi Arabia while dissing our allies is the new “America First” foreign policy of the United States.

by Rick Smith
Photo via Gage Skidmore
Posted 5/30/17