NATIONALIST politicians come in many varieties, from blustering to downright scary, but most share a common flaw. They forget, or do not care enough, that foreigners have politics, too. The marrow-deep hopes, fears and grievances of their own citizens fascinate them. But all too often, nationalist and populist leaders behave as if other countries are bloodless technocracies, guided by coolly weighed interests.
President Donald Trump is guilty of just this error whenever he predicts that other governments will bend to his will because they know what is good for them. Whether demanding that allies pay more for their own security, browbeating commercial rivals, or menacing geopolitical adversaries, Mr Trump seems sure that once foreign rulers realise he is serious about putting America first, and calculate the costs of defying him, they will swallow their pride and obey. He is oddly incurious about foreign publics.
A European ambassador recently told Lexington an...Continue reading
Source: United States http://ift.tt/2rGkRLl
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