By The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE (16:33):
I would not describe President Trump as a revolting slug unfit for public office, nor would I describe him as a good President for Australia. Like many in the United States, we were intrigued by Donald Trump's presidential candidacy and with what a Trump presidency would mean for the US and the world. His campaign style and election agenda were a curiosity, and very unorthodox, to say the least. His presidency has been unique, and it continues to shock and awe. The support of Fox media helped Trump to sell his agenda. He may be re-elected, though I see hope for Senator Bernie Sanders.
Given the intensity of division between Democrats and Republicans, and continued impeachment attempts, it is clear that President Trump is unlikely to achieve major domestic success before the election. His main drive—some might say main strength—has been his foreign policy. Let us look at his foreign policy decisions. Donald Trump—Mr Tweet—has continued his stunning changes in direction, confusing his administration and often catching the White House by surprise. No-one knows when or what the next tweet will carry. John Bolton, his third national security adviser, learned of his sacking by a pair of tweets.
Trump has been perplexing in his foreign policy agenda. His position on Syria and Iraq has been baffling. He has escalated tension with Iran, declaring that the United States is "locked and loaded". He continues to beat the drums of war in Venezuela and that region. In Afghanistan he opens negotiations with the Taliban and then retreats. In North Korea, he calls Kim Jong-un a friend, and then calls him "rocket man". On Palestine, Trump helps kill the Oslo peace accord and then buries it by allowing the Israelis a free hand to take over Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the annexation of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Then he allows the strangulation of Gaza and now talks of the so-called deal of the century, part of which involves taking land from Jordan, hence formally scrapping the two-state solution. Trump's support for the five-year Saudi war on Yemen has devastated the country, with hundreds of thousands killed, injured and displaced, and many more hungry and starving.
Trump announces trade war with China and then predictably flags the resumption of talks. Prime Minister Scott Morrison lends support to Donald Trump, but then says it must be resolved quickly to prevent collateral damage to Australia. It goes without saying that we will pay the price if we make ourselves the meat in the sandwich. Let us always keep in focus that, while the United States is our ally, China is not and should not be made our enemy
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