Trump’s Art of the Good ‘n Bad Cop

Is it possible the author of “The Art of the Deal” is gulling Putin while setting him up for a fall? Has he “thought a dozen moves ahead & has the Russian right where he wants him”? He’d better, or else a Ukraine fiasco could be worse than Biden’s Afghanistan.

Karl Rove recently opined as much in his WSJ piece titled, “Can Trump Lift the Fog of War?” The columnist reminded us (as has President Trump many times) how Joe’s inept withdrawal from that Middle Eastern hell not only likely triggered Iran’s subsequent aggression via proxies against Israel, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Peace through strength” has been the motto behind No. 47’s foreign policy, yet Rove lists the several recent moves by Trump seemingly favoring if not pandering to Russia at Ukraine’s expense. This week the world even witnessed the unexpected deterioration in Trump’s relationship with Zelenskyy as the two supposed allies traded barbs about who started the war & who sounds like Putin’s lawyer. What must the evil axis of Russia, China, Iran & North Korea be thinking?

Mind you, this “chaos” is typical of the real estate magnate’s “negotiating style,” which alternates between good & bad copping the parties. Yes, as critics say, President Trump “looks like he wants a deal more than” the Russians or Ukrainians,” but has he ever cared about “looks” so long as the “results” satisfy his goals? As Rove notes, “A lot is riding on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine ENDS.” Think the lives of 38 million Ukrainians, peace & security in Eastern Europe, America’s as well as Trump’s reputation home & abroad. Concluded Rove: “Let’s hope [everyone] concludes there’s a tough new powerbroker in town.”

Davd Soul