trump — from syria to north korea
Saturday 22 March 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Trump — from Syria to North Korea

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

trump — from syria to north korea

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid

North Korea’s foreign minister bemoaned former US President Barack Obama in a recent statement, saying that his successor, President Donald Trump, judging from his tweets and statements, appears evil. Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran had the same feeling when he attacked Trump, saying his election was a bad turn. When the US president warned Tehran that it was “playing with fire,” Khamenei responded defiantly that Trump’s statements did not frighten Iran. This was, however, before the Tomahawk missiles struck the Assad regime air base in Shayrat.

It is natural that the North Korean foreign minister should be nostalgic for Obama’s presidency. He looks back at an eight-year snooze in which evil regimes such as North Korea and Iran enjoyed a period of prosperity, developing their capabilities and expanding influence at the expense of others. The result was that North Korea dared to threaten Japan for the first time since World War II; it developed its nuclear and missile capabilities and became a global threat. Iran, meanwhile, took over Syria and Iraq, and is trying to do the same in Yemen.

Washington is trying to protect its two most important allies in the Far East: Japan and South Korea. Thus it has sent Vice President Mike Pence to the South Korean capital of Seoul as well as stationing an aircraft carrier nearby. Despite its internal political uncertainties, the US remains the largest force on the ground, with some 19 aircraft carriers, including 10 large ones. Russia, on the other hand, has only one, as does China.

Military might alone is not enough as the US is fighting far from its territory against neighboring states willing to sacrifice a million soldiers with no obligation of internal accountability. China this week raised its readiness and sent 150,000 soldiers to its border with its ally, North Korea, which also shares a border with Russia. Geopolitically, defending South Korea is a challenging task, as its capital Seoul is only a few kilometers away from the border with its evil northern neighbor. And North Korea has promised to obliterate Seoul and its 11 million people, which is precisely why the US built the world’s most heavily fortified buffer zone.

I do not wish to dwell on the subject of the American-Korean conflict except on the matter of similarities in terms of challenges to the international community. North Korea is very much like Iran; both are states under totalitarian rule with most policies centered around building a huge regional power in contrast to neighboring states.

At a time when South Korea developed socially and economically, and has become among the top countries industrially and technologically, its neighbor on the Korean Peninsula lives in debilitating poverty and under the control of a self-obsessed ruler who spends all the state’s revenues on his ambitions to enhance military force. The situation is similar in Iran. The country is no less rich in natural resources than its Gulf neighbors, but rather than following suit and focusing on developing its economy, Tehran has chosen to expend its resources and base its policies on hegemonic efforts in the region.

The US is keen to protect its areas of influence and self-interest, but under Obama’s administration, it let go of too much. Today, the US administration believes limits for Syrian and North Korean behavior must be clearly set, and it is sending a clear message that it is ready to defend its interests against Russian and Chinese actions. Since the 9/11 attacks, the US has been struggling to restore its image as a powerful and mighty country, but has not really achieved much. The Iraq war was admittedly unsuccessful, and under Obama’s leadership eight years passed during which the US retreated. Today, Washington is facing a changing world in terms of limits and influence.

 

GMT 09:55 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Washington chooses Syria as its battleground

GMT 09:52 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Road ahead full of danger as new front opens in Syria

GMT 09:43 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Now is the time to revive King’s beautiful struggle

GMT 09:15 2018 Monday ,22 January

US Syria policy leaves many questions unanswered

GMT 09:09 2018 Monday ,22 January

Spend a dollar, save a life

GMT 10:23 2018 Thursday ,18 January

65 Israeli laws that discriminate against non-Jews

GMT 09:52 2018 Thursday ,18 January

The dangerous entanglements of Idlib and Afrin
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

trump — from syria to north korea trump — from syria to north korea

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:57 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

To 'eternal style' of late Alaia

GMT 08:24 2017 Sunday ,24 December

Lebanese hold candle-lit vigil

GMT 21:24 2017 Friday ,29 September

ISIS militants killed in Libya by US airstrike

GMT 08:31 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Iraqi refugee jailed 16 years for Islamic State support

GMT 11:57 2012 Saturday ,14 January

Rare Chinese white dolphin

GMT 08:35 2018 Thursday ,11 January

Defying Israel with the help of Martin Luther King

GMT 04:26 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Ahlam a force to be reckoned with on social media

GMT 13:10 2017 Tuesday ,10 October

IMF raises Japan growth forecast for 2017 to 1.5 pct

GMT 13:00 2017 Friday ,17 February

UN Supports Political Reconciliation in Iraq

GMT 07:34 2017 Saturday ,26 August

Former VW engineer gets 40 months

GMT 07:23 2017 Sunday ,24 December

Israel dope dealers boost business

GMT 08:47 2017 Friday ,29 September

Signals arm is hidden gem in Siemens-Alstom tie-up

GMT 05:44 2017 Monday ,30 January

A ‘Jazz night’ in Riyadh

GMT 12:10 2017 Monday ,25 September

Uber sorry over London 'mistakes', but still to appeal

GMT 09:41 2017 Friday ,20 October

Danielle Darrieux, who charmed world

GMT 09:51 2015 Thursday ,10 September

Marvel adds Native American, Korean superheroes

GMT 12:18 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

EU court decision on Uber 'a social victory'

GMT 09:22 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Diddy wants to be first black owner
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle