Middle East Peace on Trump’s Abacus: More Remote than Ever
2018/05/22
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Middle East Peace on Trump’s Abacus: More Remote than Ever
China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)
May 16, 2018
Translation of an Excerpt
It seemed that Trump had wanted to strike a balance; when rays of dawn for peace appeared amid the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear weaponry, President Trump tore apart the Iranian nuclear agreement, opening up a new battlefront.
The Jewish influence in the United States has been rather strong and constitutes Trump’s important stronghold for support. Trump threw away even the façade of neutrality, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocating the U.S. embassy to that city. In actuality, he was backing up Israel under the cover to disrupt Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and blocking Palestinian plans for nation building. Assad, supported by Iran, has once again stabilized his regime in Syria; Iran is also behind Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the rebel forces of the Houthis in Yemen, showing Iran’s expanding influence. Recently Iran attacked Israel with guided missiles, while Israel air-raided Iran’s military facilities in Syria. At this juncture, Trump tore apart the Iran nuclear deal; it not only bolstered Israel, but also adjusted from reconciliation to battle mode vis-à-vis Iran, while forcing Iran’s relations with the West to deteriorate.
For Trump, tearing up the Iran nuclear deal, which had been implemented for only three years, would not incur too much damage, but it destroyed another achievement of Obama. Abrogating the Iran nuclear deal is to fulfill his political commitment to his stronghold of support, which should be beneficial to his re-election bid. As to the damage to his reputation and prestige as an international leader by unilaterally abrogating a treaty, he could make amends from handshakes and amicable talks with Kim Jong-un. As to the long-term stability of the world situation, as well as peace and reconciliation in the Middle East, it will be more remote than ever.
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