Fortress North America's Feet of Clay

“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”  C.S. Lewis from The Abolition of Man.


Yesterday was U.S. President Donald Trump's 72nd birthday, but no matter. The excoriation of "45" has continued unabated in these days immediately following his much anticipated meeting in Singapore with North Korean strongman Kim Jong-Un. Some were applauding the summit as "historic" and successful (mostly people in the White House and the North Korean propaganda machine) while much of the American media and public were, for the most part, appalled.

Here is, I think, a blunt assessment of what happened between Trump and Kim as told by Noah Rothman of NBC, "Kim Jong-Un, the warden of a prison in which 200,000 people and their families are held hostage, was treated like a rock star in Singapore. Kim, the man who reportedly ordered the murder of his half-brother, uncle, and ex-girlfriend, among many others, took smiling selfies with Singaporean officials. Kim, the man who impoverishes, extorts, and tortures his chronically malnourished and parasite-riddled population, was called 'funny,' 'smart,' 'a great negotiator' who 'loves his people' by the American president. Indeed, Trump said the meeting was 'my honor'."

Then there was the video that went viral of Trump saluting a North Korean general. The North Korean media milked it for all it was worth while many Americans recoiled in disgust. The optics of this and his gushing over Kim have damaged the credibility of this president and now he must go to work each day with his wounded image wrapped in a Singapore sling.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's stunted image at home is getting a minor boost from Trump's bullying of his trading partners over international tariffs. However, in his own way, Justin is no better. Trump is taking heat for fighting with America's closest allies and befriending her greatest enemies. This is typical bully behaviour - harass your friends, suck up to your enemies out of fear. Trudeau, meanwhile, pushed gender equality in China when he visited there last year but when he went to India, did he press Prime Minister Modi to rein in Hindu extremism against Muslims, Christians and environmentalists? Not a chance. Instead, he embarrassed himself (and Canada) with shameless attention-seeking selfies.  

I wonder if they have too few principles or too many. I mean, it seems they have different ones for each setting they enter. Both men think they can govern and change the world by the sheer force of their personalities. The reality is, however, neither one of them understands (or cares much about) statecraft. To them, stagecraft is what matters.

But is it right to judge them so harshly? It has been said that nations get the leaders they deserve and after generations of opportunistic and valueless thinking and living, should North America be surprised by the character of its leaders? They were, after all, duly elected by us. If North America crashes and burns, it's on us as citizens. Change begins with us. When we change, so will our leaders, and I'm hoping here in Canada the change will be ushered in next year.