1. To say that Trump’s foreign policy actions have no strategic coherence other than his singular desire to undo President Obama’s accomplishments in the global theater misses an important point. And it is this: Trump is of the mind that the preponderance of military power in U.S. hands allows him to unilaterally dictate to the rest of the world, and the world, in turn, has no other option than to comply with his dictates, even if very reluctantly. Trump, in effect, believes — and now he is surrounded by advisors of like mind — that there are no limits to the projection of U.S. power, despite much evidence to the contrary..

I will be surprised if a majority of people approve of Trump’s action, especially as they learn more about its consequences.

2. In light of yesterday’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, one has to wonder if regime change is far behind? After all, that is the overweening desire of not only the Trumpists, but also the Saudi and Israeli governments. The latter two, notwithstanding the free pass given to them by the major media, are anything but innocent actors in the Middle East.

3. Trump’s decision to opt out of the nuclear agreement with Iran much like his pulling out of the Paris climate change accord does more than isolate the U.S. on the global stage and rupture our alliances internationally. Both also — and this point should be emphasized — existentially endanger the very well being of the American people, not to mention people worldwide, in the near as well as the longer term.

4. Amidst all the chatter around the abrogation of the Iran deal it is easy to forget about the control of oil and other energy sources.

I have said that a heterogeneous coalition is the best defense against Trumpian authoritarian rule. And this morning I listened to Madeline Albright, who discussed her new book, “Fascism: A Warning” and its contemporary relevance. She was on point and it’s welcome.

Anyone looking for politically pure movements of a mass character will forever be disappointed, and not only at this stage of struggle.

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062802187/fascism-a-warning

Where’s the outrage here? Innocent Palestinian people, including young people in the springtime of their lives, are being murdered for peacefully protesting a cruel occupation by an occupying colonial power.

Interesting take from Thomas Piketty on present day Russia; and to think that some people on the left think the Putin government is center-left in its politics.

Capital in Russia

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/bernie-sanders-obama-anger-martin-luther-king-death-assassination-jackson-mississippi-a8289456.html

1. Even if Sanders in his comments above is right — and I think things are more complex than he suggests — he is too often tone deaf when it comes to the African American community and the fight against racism.

What is more, he seems similarly unmindful of the alliances that are necessary at this stage of struggle if we have any hope of forestalling the danger of entrenched authoritarian rule. In fact, on too many occasions, his critique of the Democratic Party and the “establishment” echoes the talking points of Trump, and thus mitigate against a united response to Trump and right wing extremism.

It’s not enough for people on the left, including Sanders, to be right. Instead, they have to be right in the right way, that is, in a way that helps in unifying the main social constituencies and organizations that together — and only together — have the power to decisively defeat the main (strategic) danger to social progress and democratic and class advancement at this moment. And, of course, that danger is Trump and Trumpism – not Democrats, not liberals, not labor leaders, not even Blue Dogs in the Democratic Party.

Or to frame it a bit differently, in the face of the present, overarching, and unprecedented danger that the nation is looking in the teeth, the accent of the left in its coalition relations with the varied groupings and institutions opposing Trump should be on unity, not struggle. The latter doesn’t go into hibernation to await a more propitious day to cause a ruckus, but it should be ever mindful of and bend in most instances to the imperative of unity.

2. John Bolton’s first day on the job and Trump is tweeting that the Syrian government will pay a “Big Price” for alleged use of nerve gas. Nothing good can come from this. In fact, things in the Middle East could get very bloody and go downhill very fast. Neither will it help our struggle here.