Duet, Colin Powell and Trump

Ambassador Abdel Mahmoud Abdel Halim

Ṭarafa ibn al-‘Abd spoke the truth in his Mu‘allaqa: “The days may reveal to you what you were ignorant of, and news will come to you from those you did not provision.”

If astonishment has gagged the world, leaving it frozen in the face of what Trump has done to Venezuela and its president; his declaration that Greenland would be seized, peacefully or by force; his generals’ preparations for military strikes against Iran; and his provocations towards Cuba, Colombia, and Panama—then this means that the world is now entering a dangerous phase of uncertainty and tension. It can do little more than raise its eyebrows in disbelief as it watches the European Union threaten sanctions against the United States and consult within its membership about sending peacekeeping forces to Greenland. At that point, the idea crossed my mind that the world might issue a statement calling on Brussels and Washington to “exercise restraint” and “protect civilians and ensure safe humanitarian access for those in need”, reminding them of what they have long preached to us—that there is

no military solution to the “conflict”…

Another casualty of the unprecedented developments unfolding before us is the body of international relations theories that assert democratic systems are generators of global peace and stability. I can almost imagine Immanuel Kant, the chief proponent of this theory, turning uneasily in his grave as the world sees the democratic superpower—the United States—becoming the greatest threat to global peace, stability, and security.

I recall the day we were in the chamber of the United Nations Security Council, packed with representatives and delegates of various missions. Colin Powell—who had previously commanded the entirety of the American defence establishment and then led US diplomacy after the events of 11 September, preceded in office by Madeleine Albright and followed by Condoleezza Rice—stood at the centre of the hall to present the file of the century’s lie. That lie claimed Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and had violated Security Council Resolution 1441 of 2002. He urged the Council not to grant Iraq any further opportunity, contrary to appeals from the foreign ministers of China, Russia, and others. The fabricated dossier included satellite images and falsified recordings.

In his memoirs, My American Journey, Colin Powell acknowledged that he had lied to the Security Council, calling it a stain that would cling to his record forever. He criticised the working methods of George Tenet, the intelligence chief, and later repeated his admission of guilt in an interview with Al Jazeera on 8 September 2005.

At that time, Maduro was spending his first night in a harsh detention facility, amid the cold winter winds of Manhattan at that time of year, while US ships hastily returned laden with Venezuelan oil. President Trump was meanwhile declaring that his country would “run” that nation. Even the most inexperienced observer could only conclude that Colin Powell’s “legacy” still provides a practical formula for those inhabiting the White House.

And while the Prime Minister of Denmark stood as though watching the final act of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, gazing towards neighbouring Greenland, a different countdown had begun elsewhere. Final preparations were underway for the World Cup competitions to be hosted by the United States, in partnership with Canada and Mexico. Colombia’s national team will be among the most prominent South American participants—while its president wages a battle and a match similar to Maduro’s confrontation with the United States. And we do not know who will prevail.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=10374