英國《衞報》: 特朗普會為了連任不擇手段_風聞

以下圖文來自英國《衞報》專欄作家西蒙·蒂斯達爾(SimonTisdall)9月27日發表的社論

“特朗普第一”現在推動美國外交政策。 即使導致戰爭……

Trump First now drives US foreign policy. Even if it leads to war…

顯然，唐納德·特朗普（Donald Trump）會為了連任不擇手段。對RBG的垂死願望撒謊？加油。稱拜登（Joe Biden）是激進的社會主義者嗎？荒唐的，但是值得一賭。與中國或伊朗發動戰爭？在這裏暫停。考慮到他需要取勝，這並不超出可能性範圍。

隨着11月的投票臨近，特朗普正在為外交政策提供武器-不是捍衞美國的安全和國家利益，而是幫助他爭取第二個任期。這不是 “美國第一”。一切都圍繞着“特朗普第一” –通過任何危險的手段，不惜一切代價。

特朗普沒有在國際上取得重大成就。相反，他破壞了美國的全球聲譽，疏遠了它的朋友。他的朝鮮慶功會全部都是吹牛。他的阿富汗政策是不光彩的退卻。以色列在白宮撮合下與海灣獨裁政權的卑劣交易，破壞了對中東和平的追求。

特朗普對傳統外交不屑一顧，缺乏重大成就，因此選擇了對抗。就像在國內競選時一樣，他利用了發自肺腑的恐懼：對邪惡的外國敵人的恐懼，對他人的恐懼，對差異的恐懼。

他上週在聯合國激怒中國是典型的恐嚇者。他説，美國自2016年以來已在國防上花費了2.5兆美元。“我們擁有世界上最強大的軍事力量。”

這是威脅嗎？也許整個星球應該舉起手來投降。

這種粗暴的選舉操作對全球產生不可預測的影響，尤其是對於台灣這樣的爆發點。現在不同的是，特朗普煽動了雙方的迅速武裝升級。最近幾周，美國擬議出售數十億美元的武器，派遣高階的使節前往台北，並部署了強大的海軍部隊。

特朗普的蓄意挑釁可能主要是出於展示，這是他政治化的反華仇恨的一部分。誰相信他真正關心台灣的自由？

特朗普殘酷而且一意孤行的刺激伊朗，進一步表明他願意在連任的聖壇上犧牲明智的，協商一致的政策。上週美國在沒有聯合國支持的情況下，努力重新施加聯合國對德黑蘭的制裁的驚人的自大，只是徒勞無功。每個主要國家都在反對華盛頓，不是因為它們是反美的，而是因為在這個問題上，美國根本是錯誤的。

到目前為止，伊朗政權還沒有上鈎。

特朗普沮喪地將尼米茲號（US Nimitz）號航母打擊羣派遣到海灣，肆意巡航在波斯海岸附近。伊朗仍然沒有開火。

為了選票交換了莊嚴的承諾和長期確立的外交政策目標，特朗普為整個海灣地區的選舉後混亂裝雷管。

伊朗總統哈桑·魯哈尼（Hassan Rouhani）將美國的壓力與明尼阿波利斯警察殺害喬治·弗洛伊德（George Floyd）進行了比較。

他對聯合國説：“我們立即意識到，跪在脖子上的腳就是跪在獨立國家的脖子上傲慢的腳。”

特朗普希望破壞015年伊朗核協議到無法修復，以免拜登重啓該協議。但是，再一次，正如他暗殺革命衞隊將軍卡西姆·蘇萊馬尼一樣，他在賭伊朗的強硬派不會越過魯哈尼並開始射擊。

或者，也許在最後的敲門聲中，他將有目的地展開一場衝突以挽救他艱難的選舉。他已經與英國，德國和法國選出一個目標，後者公開指控美國非法行事。如果他連任，這種前所未有的分裂只會擴大。

特朗普以莊嚴的承諾和悠久的外交政策目標換票，為整個海灣地區的選舉後混亂作了準備。在阿拉伯聯合酋長國-巴林-以色列的“突破”之後，這種前景可能會越來越近。

特朗普將自己描繪成偉大的戴維營式和平使者。他更像是廉價的露天市場的小販兜售會很快破裂的破舊地毯。

持久和平不是建立在不公正，佔領和盜竊的基礎上，特別是對巴勒斯坦夢想的貶低。這種粗暴的背叛是對所有志趣相投的人的冒犯，並且是暴力極端分子的招募海報。

關於沙特阿拉伯的無法無天的獨裁者可能很快與以色列右翼領導人成為共同事業的建議，因為他們期望獲得有利可圖的美國投資，武器和核交易，並對他們的人權和性別權利惡習視而不見，這突顯了特朗普的偽造和平根本上反民主的本質。

這可能會給他贏得一些基督教和猶太福音派選民的票，但不會讓他獲得渴望的諾貝爾獎。他的笨蛋獎將是永久的臭名昭著。

具有諷刺意味的是，特朗普為個人利益重新調整美國外交政策的努力可能喪失大多數選民。民意測驗顯示，他們優先考慮經濟，醫療保健，Covid-19，犯罪和種族平等，而不是對外關係。選民們對美國的全球角色也抱有極大的矛盾。接受特朗普的恐懼政治的許多人都認為世界充滿敵意和不可靠。

可悲的是，這也是當今世界對美國的看法。不管他是贏是輸，“特朗普第一”的歪曲和陰謀所造成的廣泛國際損害將難以消除。

It’s clear Donald Trump will do almost anything to cling to office. Lie about Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish? Go for it. Label Joe Biden a radical socialist? Silly, but worth a punt. Start a war with China or Iran? Pause right there. This is not beyond the realms of possibility, given his pathological need to win.

As November’s poll nears, Trump is weaponising foreign policy – not to defend US security and national interests, but to help him grab a second term. It’s not about putting “America First”. It’s all about putting “Trump First” – by any dangerous means, and at any cost.

Trump has no big international successes to his name. On the contrary, he has trashed America’s global reputation and alienated its friends. His North Korea jamboree was all hot air. His Afghan policy is retreat without honour. Israel’s shabby deals with Gulf dictatorships, stitched up by the White House, undermine the quest for Middle East peace.

Scornful of traditional diplomacy and lacking significant achievements, Trump chooses confrontation. He exploits visceral fears, just like he does when campaigning at home: fear of nefarious foreign foes, fear of the other, fear of difference.

His China-baiting at the UN last week was typical scaremongering. he said, had spent $2.5tn on defence since 2016. “We have the most powerful military anywhere in the world.”

Was this a threat? Maybe the entire planet should put its hands up and surrender.

Such crude electoral sabre rattling has unpredictable global implications, not least for flashpoints such as Taiwan. What’s different now is a rapid, armed escalation on both sides, stoked by Trump. In recent weeks, the US has mooted billion-dollar weapons sales, sent high-profile envoys to Taipei, and deployed powerful naval forces.

Trump’s calculated provocations may be largely for show, part of his politicised anti-China vendetta. Who believes he truly cares about Taiwan’s freedom?

Trump’s relentless, reckless goading of Iran further illustrates his willingness to sacrifice sensible, consensual policy at the high altar of re-election. The breathtaking arrogance of last week’s US bid to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran – without the support of the UN – was matched only by its futility. Every major country lined up against Washington, not because they are anti-American but because, on this issue, America is simply wrong.

So far, Iran’s regime has not risen to the bait.

Frustrated, Trump has sent the USS Nimitz carrier strike group into the Gulf, ostentatiously cruising off the Persian shore. Still Iran holds fire.

Trading solemn promises and long-established foreign policy objectives for votes, Trump has primed the entire Gulf region for post-election mayhem.

Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, cannily compared US pressure to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

“We instantly recognise the feet kneeling on the neck as the feet of arrogance on the neck of independent nations,” he told the UN.

Trump hopes to vandalise the 2015 Iran nuclear deal beyond repair, lest Biden reboot it. But once again, as with his assassination of Revolutionary Guards general Qassem Suleimani, he is gambling that Iran’s hardliners do not outflank Rouhani and begin shooting.

Or perhaps, at last knockings, he will purposefully start a fight to salvage his struggling campaign. He has already picked one with the UK, Germany and France, who publicly accuse the US of acting illegally. This unprecedented schism will only widen if he is re-elected.

Trading solemn promises and long-established foreign policy objectives for votes, Trump has primed the entire Gulf region for post-election mayhem. This prospect may be moving nearer following the bogus UAE-Bahrain-Israel “breakthrough”.

Trump portrays himself as a great Camp David-style peacemaker. He more closely resembles a cheap souk huckster peddling threadbare carpets that quickly fall apart.

Lasting peace is not built on injustice, occupation and theft, specifically the despoliation of Palestinian dreams. Such gross betrayal is an affront to all fair-minded people – and a recruiting poster for violent extremists.

Suggestions that Saudi Arabia’s lawless autocrats may soon make common cause with Israel’s rightwing leadership, in anticipation of lucrative US investment, weapons and nuclear deals, and a blind eye turned to their human and gender rights abuses, underscore the fundamentally anti-democratic nature of Trump’s fake peace-ifying.

It may win him a few evangelical Christian and Jewish votes but not the Nobel medal he craves. His booby prize will be lasting infamy.

Ironically, Trump’s efforts to re-purpose America’s foreign policy for personal advantage are probably lost on most voters. Pollsters suggest they prioritise the economy, healthcare, Covid-19, crime and racial equality over foreign relations. The electorate is also deeply ambivalent about America’s global role. Many who have bought into Trump’s politics of fear view the world as hostile and unreliable.

Sadly, this is how much of the world now views America, too. Whether he wins or loses, the widespread international damage wrought by “Trump First” distortions and machinations will be hard to erase.