OP-ED: US, British Diplomats, and Political Wickedness

By Ofwono Opondo

A rough breeze is ruffling across the Atlantic between allies, United States, and United Kingdom, because UK’s former Ambassador, Sir Kim Darroch, described President Donald J Trump’s leadership in a leaked diplomatic cable, as incomprehensible, inane, divisive, insecure and likely to end in disgrace, yet this cable is supposedly the most secure.

Trump, the warrior and current twitter champion, but with a very thin skin for public criticism, shot back in withering terms, describing Sir Kim, as “a wacky Ambassador”, “a very stupid guy”, and “a pompous fool,” he doesn’t even know, and would no longer deal with. Trump then told him to “speak to his government, and Prime Minister Theresa May, about their failed Brexit negotiations.” It’s not surprising that Kim has quit his posting.

In 2017, Trump told a UN General Assembly that North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, was a “Little Rocket man on suicide mission,” who, the US would “totally destroy.” Jong Un, responded in kind “I will surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.” The Merriam-Webster, describes a dotard, as a person in a state of “senile decay marked by decline of mental poise and alertness.” But well, President Trump now says they are friends.

It’s worth recalling that it was only recently, when US, and UK diplomats, were exposed for tapping communications of another of their ally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Pope, and other world leaders, and it is gratifying, seeing them fall on own swords. For the ‘shithole’ countries, their leaders, are flayed publicly, even by clerks at embassies, and is considered normal.

And Trump, used to kicking trash cans along the road over and over, had to brag to the British, that after all, “the US has the best economy and military in the world,” a reminder how colonial Britain was chased out of America, and also, saved from being vanquished by German in both World I and II. Had it not been for the US, Britain could be speaking German! In Brexit, Britain is fleeing from German influence.

For the mendacious Brits, brought up in the fading tradition of imperial hegemony, exploitation, robbery, piracy, arrogance, and false self-superiority, this tiding shouldn’t come as a surprise, because, since 1945, they have been the US poodle. The Brits, should know, that their power, has diminished, even still calling themselves Great Britain and United Kingdom. Even with the huge global loot still stashed, it’s in Britain’s best interests to stop punching above its weight.

With Trump’s tweet, British officials, are once more falling on own daggers of intrigue, use of media propaganda machinery to drum selective world narratives. It is embarrassing that Sir Kim, has been felled by domestic media, and many hope, Russia won’t be the scapegoat again.

Currently, the US and UK, appear most fractious and dysfunctional, politically speaking, as their respective main political parties cannot easily agree on anything meaningful. Trump and the Senate, cannot reach consensus or agreement with Democrats who control the House of Representatives on many policy issues, and Trump relies more on Executive Orders, and many senior appointees in acting capacities.

In the UK, the Conservative party is devilishly maneuvering its way to have a third prime minister in a row, without having a popular election because of the uncertainties surrounding Brexit. it’s good, the stings are coming alongside Trump’s abrasive conduct against China, Venezuela, and Iran, to hopefully thaw the war drums. If the US administration is as awful, as described by Sir Kim, and much of the global media, then, US war propaganda will find difficulty gaining support as was the case including to each other, including to each other, including to each other, years back against Iraq, Libya and Syria.

Sadly though, the UN system, international diplomacy, or even common sense doesn’t seem to count much anymore in a world controlled by the US, especially under hawks, or mavericks like Trump, tweeting away his mind. Yet, to preserve and promote world peace, order, tranquility and ensure equity, the most powerful like the US and its Western allies, need moderation and listen to the small voices. The era of total conquest and subjugation, is long gone.

Many are wondering why Trump is angry at description in the diplomatic cable by an ally, when he has the highest senior staff turn-over of any president, and leading US media, CNN, Washington Post, and New York Times, terming him a serial liar. In these circumstances, Trump shouldn’t expect, the world to believe his accusations that China is the main problem to world economy. It’s absurd blaming Iran, for the nuclear impasse, when it’s Trump, who reneged from internationally brokered deal, over a year ago.

After the lies deception about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction, linkage to Al-Qaeda, and international terrorism, including concealment information from each other, the US and its allies still don’t find it disgraceful spreading more lies to the global community. The Washington Post Fact –Checker, says Trump, as president, had as of this month, told 10,796 lies or misleading statements.