"Trump and his interventionist critics share a fatal flaw. They fetishize armed force as the acid test of U.S. engagement and influence. As a result, both sides treat the deployment or removal of troops as the only act that really matters. And they denigrate the one tool thatâs actually capable of resolving conflicts and comporting with U.S. interests: diplomacy. "
Yup, on a bad day, it seems like US policy elites have completely given up on diplomacy. Perhaps it is natural given that the USA invaded Syria.
As in Syria, so in the greater Middle East. Trump may lambast endless war in tweets, but he has increased U.S. troop levels by 30 percent since May, in addition to nearly doubling U.S. forces in Afghanistan since taking office. The first two years of his presidency saw 28 percent more drone strikes in Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan compared with his predecessorâs first two years. True, he has so far refrained from launching a new war on Iran, but his âmaximum pressureâ campaign helped bring the two countries close to the brink to begin with.
Yeah, OK, I like Nadar, but.... US corporations that deployed Trumpesque transparency, accountability, and similar methods in the past have often been caught and have suffered reputation hits. Frequently due to the tireless efforts of consumer advocate Ralph Nadar.
I would say that western multi-national corporations have significantly improved transparency, accountability, labour and human rights practices, environmental practices, community relations, etc., over the past few decades. Corporate social responsibility is real and many, many companies take it very seriously. Many major oil companies have followed the example set by Norwegian owned but publicly traded multi-national oil and gas company Equinor (formerly Statoil). Many are committed to reducing carbon emissions. Many talk the language of foot print. Many now recognize and fully embrace the notion that pollution reduction more often than not coincides with cost reduction.
There are exceptions and advocacy groups, shareholders groups, minorities, governments and interested individuals should vigorously pursue those companies. Non-violently please.
Trump sells a vision of tough-guy, zero-sum version of capitalism that plays right into the long-standing, traditional critique of the radical left-wing and other anti-western, anti-freemarket capitalism groups around the globe. Trump's policies and governance do American and other multi-national corporations absolutely no good whatsoever. His constant lying contributes to the punishing uncertainty his rhetoric and policies have created for private businesses inside and outside the USA.
Multi-nationals have learned and many have changed for the better. Is Trump capable of learning and changing for the better? I see no evidence of that to date.
