Great Things Can Happen, and Not Just for America
When President Trump attended the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, the aspects publicly reported were mainly uncontrolled demonstrators, burning Porsche cars, and police at the end of their rope. Few benefits were attributed to the meeting. That is incorrect.
A longer term, all-embracing perspective shows important progress. Traditionally, Europeans and their media undertake little effort to learn and contemplate about U.S. plans, visions, and constraints. It’s like they are measuring in meters while we measure in yards, which can lead to bias and error. The 10 percent difference might not appear large, but it sure matters in the long run.
U.S. presidents tend to be attacked on a global scale for their thinking on trade, investments, collaboration, and innovation. Many misunderstandings emanate from differences in context and background. Meetings offer opportunities to clarify, explain, and build consensus. President Trump reflects U.S. leadership when raising the need for greater circumspection in trade, investment, and defense. No longer can there be continuous special flows of funds and privileges from the United States to Europe. Times have changed and Europe has the privilege and obligation to stand on its own.
In preparation for Germany’s September election, Chancellor Angela Merkel seeks to claim a leadership vision when she warns that Europe may need to assume responsibility for its own fate. Such a leitmotif invokes belated and hollow comparisons to the past due to a lack of commitment. It also bypasses progress due to a lack of implementation for the future. Aside from Trump’s comments, both exploratory and forward moving, little else from the G20 meeting was long term, silo busting, or innovative.
Trump has explained before that he does his best work one-on-one with leaders, rather than in a consortium. This was demonstrated by the improved mutual relations between the United States and France. In the past, ties often have been strained. Now President Trump has developed a new rapport with President Macron with new steps to help develop a relationship in which trade and investments and joint intentions can prosper.
The French president worked his way through the crowd of international leaders to ensure his position next to Trump. The two shared a firm handshake and a hug and a smile, proving President Trump might have a way with the French after all.
There also was the ceasefire in Syria, a major win for Trump. Earlier, attempts to create peace in the bombed-out nation failed. Now we seem to have a working cease-fire agreement. The atrocities that have infected Syria for the past years have diminished. In fact, groups have rested their weapons.
This could be one of Trump’s biggest achievements in the first year of his presidency. This peace treaty, if it holds, is not only a pat on the back for the United States, but will improve all global relationships.
The Trump approach aims to shape the future both of economies and countries. It sets far-ranging priorities, in which partners with good intentions rectifications and recognize their responsibilities and lead in their implementation both spiritually and financially. They also accept rectifications made necessary by shifts. Government-based on responsibility is not always fun to implement. By contrast, Europeans are much more transaction-oriented and opaque.
President Trump lives up to promises made. He maintains his support for more balanced trade relations and the requirement for all nations to pay a fair contribution for the benefits they obtain from the United States. He also aims to change formerly strained relationships to flourishing ones, not only for the benefit of international trade but for the viable maintenance and success for spheres of interest.
Change links new thinking, a new context, improved approaches, and incorporation of new parameters into newly structured partnerships. That is good and long overdue in an era of boiling liquids just below the surface. Relationships that are rigidly frozen cannot last. It is time for the emergence of new bonds and new trust bridges, which substitute for prejudice, uninformed claims, and rabble-rousing. There is also no longer room for failed treaties. Progressive positive relationships are upon us.