This
week, President Trump has been directly trapped by Bashar al-Assad of Syria and
Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Both dictators decided to challenge the incoherence
that defines the global policy of the new US President. Assad with sarin, the
gas that he dropped from his airplanes and killed scores of innocent people. A
true war crime, by all measures. Kim by firing a new missile towards the Sea of
Japan, just a few days prior to his powerful neighbour´s visit to Florida for a
first meeting with the big man from Washington.
He
is also being challenged by Vladimir Putin. This special, unique strongman
created the most absurd “explanation” to excuse the war crime committed by his
ally in Syria. And decided to continue to block any action the UN Security
Council could have taken on this appalling crisis.
The
US President cannot limit his response to these major challenges to words of
condemnation and expressions of outrage. They are essential, indeed, but not
enough at this stage. He came to the White House as man of action and
determination. He has now to show his resolution. Actions ought to match the
promises.
But
he has very narrow options.
The
first one is about prioritising. He has to focus on one of his challengers and
show that man that Trump means business. And that priority as things stand now should
be about Assad. It must combine diplomatic initiatives, including a serious
push for an international commission of inquiry, with other political measures and
direct military pressure. The package has to be multifaceted, clear in its
purpose, well explained to everyone but also limited in its range, in its
initial stage.
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