Chronic. Is it the end of the president who didn't like war? Donald Trump built his foreign policy around the concept of "America first". America is not there to wage war and peace around the world. She no longer wants to pay to be the world's policeman. He pursued a policy – more or less bumpy – of withdrawal from the Middle East and Afghanistan, without fear of violating taboos: the release of the Kurds in northeastern Syria or negotiations with the Taliban.
He wants to stop the exercises on the Korean peninsula, takes "beautiful letters" from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for cash while he continues to send missiles. The real estate tycoon, who had a military school while avoiding Vietnam, seemed to give coherence to his foreign policy by a policy of assumed withdrawal, largely in words than in deeds: the review Foreign affairs calculated, in December 2019, that the level of American troops abroad remained roughly the same as at the end of Barack Obama’s presidency.
Incredible blunder
By targeting Iranian general Ghassem Soleimani, killed in Baghdad on the night of January 2 to 3, Trump does not seem to be taking the shortest route for the withdrawal of troops. The Pentagon announced on January 2 that it would send 3,000 more troops to Iraq. Defense Minister Mark Esper has even been forced to recall several times that he was not withdrawing his troops from Iraq after the incredible blunder of sending a letter announcing the departure of the American armies from Iraq. Quickly denied, the letter was well written and sent to the Iraqi government. Huge muddle or leak intended to prevent the American withdrawal by some representatives of the Pentagon deep state, maddened by Trump's policies? In either case, this is not good news for the US administration at a time when the conflict with Iran is worsening.
67% of Europeans do not trust the management of international affairs led by the American president
The episode will not improve Trump’s international image, which remains very low: 67% of Europeans do not trust his management of international affairs, according to a study published Wednesday by Pew Research Center. Only the Poles have a favorable image of it on the Old Continent, like Israel, India or the Philippines, in the rest of the world. The withdrawal of the Iranian nuclear deal is only approved in Israel.
