Donnie is off to see the world, somewhat like a college student on summer vacation. This will be the greatest most successful presidential tour ever. It will be a really really fantastic. The crowds and receptions will be the largest of all time and by far the most enthusiastic. Donnie will strike up really really great friendships with mutual admiration, although more admiration will flow towards Donnie than away. He will make really great deals. Now that that is out-of-the-way we can move on.
Donnie's first stop will be Saudi Arabia. There are things we need from Saudi Arabia. That country is content to blast off the face of the earth the Shia Isis elements in Yemen, but has shown no willingness to participate in the struggle against Sunni Isis forces in Iraq and Syria. That needs to change. What Saudia Arabia most wants from the US is that Iran be reduced to at best a third rate nation. Saudi Arabia wants to be the predominant Arab country in the Middle East. We can expect the Saudi to remind Donnie that the deal made by six nations, including the US, was the worst deal he had ever seen. They will tell him a man of his great abilities can certainly do better. Donnie right now is wounded by what has happened to him in his own country. He is highly susceptible of manipulation. He may well make some stupid commitments to the Saudi's.
On to Israel. He will be told by Netanyahu how much greater a president he is than Obama. Netanyahu did not have any great affection for Obama because Obama was properly doing his job. As Henry Kissinger has written, the US role in the in the Middle East must be one of a balancing power brokering between the various factions. Obama understood that Israel was our greatest ally in the Middle East but that the interests of the Netanyahu faction and the US we're not coextensive. I am no great fan of Henry Kissinger but he is wise and experienced in and has a consistent theory of how world order can be maintained. That puts him way ahead of most, certainly ahead of Donnie and his advisers. Donnie's meeting with Netanyahu has all the promises of a replay of his session with the Russians where Donnie does something stupid and gets nothing in return.
One may wonder who is briefing Donnie and whether he is paying any attention. Notwithstanding the events of this week, we have to hope that his NSA and the career diplomats can take out their cranial drills and prepare Donnie.
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