David A. Andelman, visiting scholar at the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, wrote an op-ed for CNN about U.S. foreign relations under the Trump administration.
There is a belief, only reinforced after his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, that President Donald Trump is positioning the globe for hurtling toward nuclear proliferation, courting disaster.
Trump’s defiant messaging — given Iran’s steadfast adherence to a nuclear deal that the United States wants desperately to kill — is powerful evidence of looming troubles.
Playing to an American audience and voters in the November midterm elections, Trump began his half-hour speech to the UN General Assembly by boasting about the accomplishments of his presidency.
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In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, before Trump’s inflammatory speech, Rouhani calmly and collectedly observed that Iran will remain in Syria “until terrorism is completely eradicated” — adding there is no way Trump can achieve his apparent goal of bringing Iran’s oil sales to zero when sanctions on its oil industry kick in November 4.
Instead, the boycott has simply had the salubrious effect for Iran of raising the price of oil to a four-year high when OPEC nations and Russia refused last weekend to raise production to counter any shortfall.Russia will also find an immediate windfall as oil prices surge, helping to neutralize the immediate bite of any Western sanctions.
Since Iran has no intention of cutting its sales abroad, China, India and Turkey are delighted to find a new, willing supplier, despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent trip to cultivate India’s leaders.