“Vision for Peace” Conceptual Map. Trump’s Middle East peace plan includes maps delineating the final borders of Israel and the future Palestinian state. Image courtesy of the White House.
President Trump has once again thrown the whole world into chaos when he very recently presented his plans to create and sustain peace in the Middle East. He unveiled these plans with President Netanyahu by his side, with no other official to represent the Palestinian government present during the conference. Just from the very format of this reveal, it was apparent that this was an agreement that did not involve equal amounts of collaboration. According to these plans, Israel will have a lot more control in the region, including that of Jerusalem. With the very act of Donald Trump giving the majority of Jerusalem — one of the most sacred locations on the planet to Israel — the Middle East has seen a dramatic rise in tensions, which were already present long before these plans were in the making.
There now seems to be a divide in the Middle East, as countries are unsure of what type of response to provide: a lack of support for the efforts of the US government could mean damaging diplomatic ties, while failing to stand behind Palestine might further divide the Middle East. This is exactly what happened when countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates decided to congratulate the US for making strides in trying to achieve peace in the Middle East, not exactly supporting the plan itself, but also trying to acknowledge their support for their efforts. The responses from these governments have created strong reactions from countries such as Turkey, which has aligned itself with Palestine, condemning the lack of criticism from the aforementioned governments. The US government, already expecting this kind of reaction from the Turkish government, did not allow Turkish press to be present during the reveal, which was also criticized by President Erdogan himself. In short, the reveal of this plan so far has caused nothing but diplomatic threats from one country to another, while also revealing the diplomacy behind the scenes between these countries, and how each country views one another.
Now the main question seems to be: Will President Trump be deaf to these reactions? Or will his cabinet have him act accordingly? So far, there seems to be no retreat from the White House. Such a reaction, however, is not surprising at all. The Trump presidency has shown its lack of interest in diplomacy through its action and manner in solving diplomatic conflicts throughout its term. Whether it was the act of bombing Iran and killing a top-level general, increasing American aggression against the Syrian government, or suddenly withdrawing American forces from the southeast Turkish border, leaving the Kurds, one of America’s allies, by itself, President Trump has really held on to the “America first!” belief, but at what cost?
President Trump and his cabinet seem to think that the might of the US military is the solution to everything, and at first glance, that might be true. With a combined force of 1.4 million soldiers and a budget almost three times more than that of China, the US military is a power to be reckoned with. With over several hundred bases all over the world, the might of the military can be recognized globally, and in the case of an emergency, deployed as soon as possible to dispense power and authority.
Even if a force this significant could solve almost any issue the US government has, one does not simply try to kill an ant by burning the house down. Even if Trump appears to be establishing control through the utilization of the military on the surface, the long-term damage regarding how the leaders and citizens of a country view the US is anything but under control, and with the rapid development of countries such as China, a slight overturn in power might turn everything against America’s favor.
Now, how does this all connect to the plan to create peace in the Middle East? Right now, it appears as if President Trump is trying to take the diplomatic route (though with minimum effort) by not trying to find a middle ground for the three parties involved, but caring mostly about his own goals as well as Israel’s. This can easily take a turn for the worse, as Palestine has clearly refused to agree on such a plan.
One very plausible scenario for the US would be to send in the cavalry once again; however, this would do nothing but further the conflict in the Middle East. Such an intervention would bring in almost every single country connected to the Middle East into play, from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia to Qatar to Turkey. This would disrupt the world economy, whether it is the selling and purchasing of oil, the purchasing of general goods from Middle Eastern countries, or even the access to basic supply lines through land or sea. Such changes would affect not only the Middle East, but both western and eastern countries surrounding it as well.
The worst part is, this is all very avoidable. President Trump and the US government in general need to learn the basic fundamentals of diplomacy once again. Diplomacy is what has created the vast global networks for trade in our time. Diplomacy is what has prevented serious escalations that might have led to another world war. Are there scenarios in which both parties leave unsatisfied? Most definitely. However, the thing about diplomacy, unlike aggressive acts such as sending in troops, is that you can renegotiate or renew agreements. Once destroyed, even if it is rebuilt, the same terrain will never be the same.
Therefore, as Trump preaches “America first!”, he needs to understand that for America to be first, there need to be other countries which have the resources and stability to purchase American goods. For America to be first, there need to be countries which are capable of showing noticeable and effective support for America’s goals. For America to be first, there cannot be countries that are trying to tear America down, as this will, over time, take effect and drain the resources of the American people.
Out of the many miscalculations Donald Trump has made during his presidency, none seem to have such a wide area of effect. Even though this plan only seems to involve Israel and Palestine, there is so much more to it than meets the eye, whether it’s religious representation, cultural representation, or even the influence the West has over the politics of the East. Don’t just send in the cavalry. •
