Tag: Demonization

Democracy can throw up odd leaders – sometimes they are odd and incompetent, but sometimes they are odd and exceptionally good – great men and women whose departure from the norm in superficial ways is matched by a more important departure from the norm in greater insight, vision or charisma. I could never have voted for Trump, because to me it seemed plain that in his appearance and behaviour he seemed to be a spoilt child and a bully. But hey, I thought, perhaps he will surprise us. The other countries that are party to the agreement, the UK, Germany, France China and Russia, agree with the IAEA and are satisfied too. But Donald Trump is not satisfied. Since the JCPOA was concluded in the summer of 2015, the Iranian regime has carried out a provocative series of missile tests, which were designed at least in part to assert Iran’s independence and to reassure hardline regime adherents in Iran – particularly in the Revolutionary Guard Corps – that despite the JCPOA, which they disliked, there would be no further backsliding and Iran would not be drawn into a closer relationship with the west and the US. Treaties have to be negotiated; only in exceptional circumstances can you dictate terms. To do that would be an abdication of his responsibility as president. And if Trump abdicates responsibility in this way, the logical next step is that he should have the responsibility taken away from him.