A new diplomacy from America to the world
There’s a new diplomatic code from Washington DC and it’s making America’s old allies and neighbours pretty uncomfortable. Basically, it demands that you give your enemies an olive branch, bullshit your neighbours, talk down on your friends and keep the world guessing. Apparently, it is good for the economy - the American economy that is. Figures show America’s economy booming. Unemployment is at its lowest and Trump’s promise to revive ailing industries is coming true. The American dollar keeps its pace against global currencies and things are looking up. It looks like America could afford to take its age-old allies for granted and it is doing that successfully.
Trump is known for area-boy diplomatic language and he is far from toning down on that rhetoric. Before heading to the Canadian town of Charlevoix last week for the G-7 meeting, he introduced new tariffs against his closest neighbour - Canada, slamming it’s aluminum and steel products with heavy taxes. In order to justify that, he described Canada as a security threat to US interests, alluding to a non-existent trade deficit with Canada. Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister appeared on American television describing the claims of being a security threat ‘insulting’ to Canadian soldiers who have fought and died side by side since World War II; in active combat in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
But Trump’s convictions are as interesting as a record player hooked on a groove. So, he arrived late to Charlevoix, basically displayed an I-don’t-care attitude to the summit for the few hours he spent there and left before the communiqué could be signed. Once above sea level he was throwing even more dirty salvos at the Canadian leader calling him weak. Observers called it the most undiplomatic language ever used between friends, especially powerful ones.
Trump, a climate change denier refused to sign the communiqué. His lieutenants took on the bellicose rhetoric with Trade Adviser, Peter Navarro saying “There’s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door”.
Trying to maintain a dignified stance, Christia Freeland responded to the latest tirade by saying that “Canada does not believe that ad hominem attacks are a particularly appropriate or useful way to conduct our relations with other countries.” Trump has promised to hit back at Canada with more tariffs if the new Canadian tariffs hit on July 2 as promised. That threat is not taken lightly across Canada where citizens are torn between patriotism and partisanship. While a few asked Canadian leaders not to match Trump’s belligerent diplomatese with reciprocal language because of its likely effect on the Canadian economy, other patriots agree with Trudeau that Canada should not be pushed around.
It is a difficult time for the Canadians, but even more difficult for the government. Three years ago Canadians trooped out to elect Justin Trudeau and his Liberal friends after years of coping with the usually dour Conservatives led by Stephen Harper. In Ontario, the Liberals were in government giving Trudeau the support he needed to work for his party at all levels. Things have since changed, and the Liberal party has not sustained either the trust or the tempo. Two weeks ago, the Liberals suffered their worst electoral shellacking in two decades losing to the less-known Progressive Conservatives led by a less-experienced Doug Ford and dropping to a third position in the regional parliament.
This is what makes Trump’s description of Trudeau as dishonest and weak look like a blow below the belt. Not to worry, Canadians, including Stephen Harper are rallying behind Trudeau for now although there are fears it won’t be for long if Trump goes ahead with his threat to hit Ottawa with more tariffs. Canada is America’s biggest trading partner and its economy; especially its auto industry and power sector could buckle under a Trump sanction.
Trump seems to like despots more than he loves his fellow democrats. Before the G-7 meeting, he called for the readmission of Russia, suspended after it annexed the Crimea and for not supporting other G-8 causes. Trump’s election is under probe for allegedly receiving help from the Russians. Several of his past aides have been indicted by an independent counsel for colluding with Russia to tinker with US elections. But Trump calls it a witchhunt hears. He hardly had time to check on Melania before jetting off to Singapore to meet with Kim Jong Un with whom he engaged in a war of words and threatened with ‘force and fury the type of which the world has never known’ and who also called him a dotard.
The duo appeared cozy, although American diplomats say their leader was not prepared for this meeting. Trump said it’s in the mind. Canada is not the only country under hammer, Mexico and fellow G-7 nations are under the slammer causing diplomatic jitters across the world. The big question is how to deal with a big bully not subject to the global rules of diplomacy and powerful enough to undermine international security?