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Reading time: 7 minutes
In the newspaper presentation, we review opinion articles dealing with various political issues, including an article about the extent of the danger of US President Donald Trump entering into a war with Iran without clear goals, and an article that sheds light on how the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin unintentionally contributed to pushing Europe to adopt a more solid and resolute stance, along with an article that deals with the controversy over Trump placing Bill and Hillary Clinton in the indictment in a move described as having a revenge nature.
We begin our tour with The Economist newspaper and an opinion article by the editorial board entitled “Donald Trump faces the risk of launching a war without a goal.” The writer begins by pointing out that the outbreak of an American-Iranian war without a clear goal would be extremely dangerous.
The newspaper says that fame built on issuing threats without implementation is a disastrous step, citing the experience of Barack Obama 13 years ago, when one of the Middle Eastern dictators defied the then American president’s warning not to cross the “red line” and threatened to use chemical weapons against his people. At that time, the world awaited Obama’s punishment of this dictator, but he did not take any action, and the ruler of Syria continued in power, and many saw that the president’s credibility had been severely damaged.
The newspaper adds that the Middle East today faces another regime accused of violently killing its people, in response to protests, and Trump stated that he would intervene to support the protesters. He also pledged to overthrow the Iranian regime, and announced in his State of the Union address this week his intention to prevent any revival of the Iranian nuclear program, which he described as “dangerous.”
The newspaper points out that the most important thing in the matter is that Trump crossed the limits of statements into action, as he sent a naval fleet near the coast of Iran to give credibility to his statements. Today, the Middle East is witnessing the largest American military buildup since 2003. A second aircraft carrier also arrived, and various fighters, bombers, and air forces were deployed, while the allies were placed on alert.
The newspaper believes that Trump, “by preparing tools of punishment for the regime of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is pushing the crisis to its peak, at a moment that combines danger and a test of credibility.”
The newspaper also talks about an additional reason to expect military action, which is that Trump is inclined towards the option of force, and prefers to achieve gains without shooting. However, the Iranian leadership appears defiant, as it may seek to buy time in the nuclear negotiations, or agree to an agreement and then delay its details. Khamenei may be ready to endure an air war, and may bet on his survival, even if others fall. It also appears that the Iranian regime is counting on steadfastness to emerge from any conflict stronger.
If this assessment is correct, according to the newspaper, Trump will have put himself in a dilemma, as launching an attack without a specific goal represents a major stumbling block for Washington. Many limited wars have turned into long-term conflicts, at a time when Iran possesses drones and ballistic missiles, and its leadership confirms its willingness to use them. If an attack kills a large number of American soldiers, China or Russia will be happy to see the United States stuck again in the Middle East region.
The article concludes by noting that Trump may later declare a clear war goal to gain public and congressional support, but in order to do so, it may be wiser to continue negotiating with the fleet on alert, rather than sparking a war, even if abstaining from fighting seems like a retreat.
“Putin is unwittingly strengthening Europe”
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We turn to the Washington Post newspaper and an opinion article written by David Ignatius entitled “A Hidden War Strengthens Europe.” The writer begins by pointing out how Russian President Vladimir Putin’s campaign to sabotage and intimidate Europe has turned into a predicament facing Russia itself and strengthening the power of European countries.
The writer says that four years after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Putin found himself facing a double failure, as he did not succeed in subjugating Ukraine, and his efforts to intimidate Europe through acts of sabotage and secret undermining backfired and led to a more solid and resolute European response.
The writer adds that the escalation of European resistance to Putin has become a strategic factor that is often overlooked in the analysis of this conflict. Instead of submitting to what is described as a Russian “hidden war,” European countries have begun implementing counter-operations of a “disruptive” nature. Some European officials even see the need to seriously begin planning for the possibility of a comprehensive war.
The writer cites statements made by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, during a visit to Kiev, saying: “Every missile or drone that hits Ukraine only increases our resolve.” Cooper added that Putin “believes that he is able to exhaust the United Kingdom and its allies, but he is delusional.”
The writer notes that similar warnings were issued by security officials from major European countries, as they announced the imposition of new sanctions and called for tightening intelligence activities to confront Russian moves. Therefore, this gains importance in terms of the Europeans moving independently, in light of the uncertainty of the United States’ support for their challenge to Moscow.
The writer believes that Putin believed that he was able to terrorize Europe and make it accept his aggression against Ukraine, but he misjudged when he imagined that Europe would yield under the pressure. The first European move came in the form of expelling Russian intelligence officers, whose number reached about 600 people, according to a report issued last year by the GlobeSec consulting firm, who were involved in organizing secret plans.
The writer poses a question: What does the European response look like? To answer his question, he cites a series of countermeasures taken by European countries over the past months, including European countries intercepting some Russian ships suspected of carrying out secret missions, in addition to intensifying efforts to pursue sabotage elements linked to Russia.
Writer David Ignatius concludes his article by pointing out that as the war enters its fifth year, Putin’s experience represents a case study in the law of unexpected results, as he sought, through the invasion of Ukraine, to eliminate a country that he considered hostile on his borders, but he contributed to uniting the Ukrainians against him. Likewise, his secret operations against Europe aimed to impose a state of submission, but they led to an escalation of the spirit of challenge and the strengthening of defensive commitment.
“The Clintons are in a dilemma”
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We conclude our tour with The Independent newspaper and an opinion article written by Anne McElvoy entitled “There is no doubt that Donald Trump has put the Clintons in the crosshairs.” The writer begins by saying, “Finally, the president found an opportunity to gloat about Hillary (Clinton) as he had hoped.”
The writer says that a quarter of a century has passed since Bill and Hillary Clinton were in the White House, and yet the prominent Democratic duo is still firmly at the top of the news headlines, after the recent revelation of the Epstein files prompted them to appear before a congressional investigation, which is a development that is a clear setback for them, after only one month ago they described their refusal to testify as a counter-position in the face of what they considered to be politicization of the justice system during the Trump era.
The author believes that the existing animosity between Hillary and Trump, in particular, is of a deeply personal nature, after her dream of becoming the first female president of the United States and establishing family influence in American power collapsed in 2016, under the weight of Trump’s campaign, which caused a radical transformation in the American political scene.
The author notes that the fierce election campaign at the time revealed the difficulty of Hillary renouncing her statement in which she described some of Trump’s supporters as “a group of miserable people” with extremist tendencies, while the Trump campaign invested in conspiracy theories and attacks on “deceitful Hillary” in a race that ended with her defeat.
The writer says that Hillary’s appearance before public opinion, at the request of her opponent who has returned to the White House, represents a very sensitive development, and there is no doubt that subjecting two people who have long been targeted by Trump, and subjecting them to interrogation regarding any personal or institutional links with Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sexual crimes, constitutes exciting political material for a movement that raises the slogan “Make America Great Again.”
The published files do not include anything proving the former president’s involvement or indicating illegal activity on his part, but public anger over the content of the leaks put Bill and Hillary Clinton in a dilemma, facing Republican movements seeking to link wealthy Democratic figures to Epstein, and bypassing sensitive questions related to Epstein’s previous relationship with Trump.
The writer says that the couple were forced to testify remotely before the Congressional Committee, after the House’s hardening position and the possibility of a bipartisan vote that might hold them responsible for contempt of the procedures, as their hesitation at first was understandable in the context of a revelation process led by the Trump administration, but the political context has changed, and Democrats need new models to advance their agenda.
The author, Anne McElvoy, concludes her article by noting that this puts an integrated system of power, networks, and mechanisms for evading accountability on trial, not just the Clinton family, despite the fact that today they have become a part that cannot be excluded from this context.
