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May 2017 Edition of Power Politics is updated.  Happy Diwali to all our subscribers and Distributors       May 2017 Edition of Power Politics is updated.   Happy Diwali to all our subscribers and Distributors       
Issue:May' 2017

AMERICAN DIARY

The 100-day-old presidency

M. R. Dua

Donald J. Trump AS the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, completes his first 100 days this month, what do the American people say of his presidency? Nothing to celebrate, yet, whisper people in the street, worrisome, aver most still scared immigrants. 'Devastating for women', opines Center for American Progress. Generally, the Trump regime rings ominous bells for the United States and the world? How? Why? Here is how and why:
Umpteen questions are being asked about the Trump administration's new policy edicts, such as intimate involvement of the President's family members, particularly daughter Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner, moving office in the White House. Besides, Trump's numerous U turns, such as about renegotiating NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement that Trump had termed as 'disaster' and blamed for job loss and economic despair; renewed praise for the Chinese President Xi—'why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with on North Korea? silence on building wall costing $1 billion to eliminate immigration from Mexico; bombing of Syria and Afghanistan; talking tough with Russia, and not withdrawing Obama-imposed economic sanctions against Moscow. The list is getting longer by the day. Going by the White House's deeds and misdeeds, the innate impression one gets is that bad days for the American people and the world are not far off. In fact, beginning with day one of the Trump administration, January 21, 2017, the nation has witnessed everyday nothing but brand new upheavals skewing citizens' daily life -- be it repealing or replacing Obama's signature healthcare law; snub received from FBI chief James B. Comey casting aspersions on Obama's alleged wiretapping Trump Tower;banning entry of sevenMuslim countries' citizens into the US —since stayed by several state and the federal courts; Trump's choice of cabinet members who had to quit within days of appointment, e.g., Michael Flynn, and troubled continuance of chief strategist Stephen Bannon who ran into ugly arguments with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner; clouded departures of campaign manager Paul Manafort, and campaign adviser Carter Page for their alleged suspicious contacts with Russia; and, White House press secretary Sean Spicer believed to be on the firing list for his'disastrous news conference' referring to Adolf Hitler.
However,there have beenfar more seriousandclumsy, less than dignified moves and commentsby the Trump regime's dealings with Russia on the Syrian imbroglio;bitterly bickering issues with China on the South China Sea conundrum. North Korea's crazy missile attack threats on the US, and its failed missile launches--reportedly US computermanipulated, have further deepened US involvement in global affairs.
Meanwhile, America's tomahawks strike on Syrian rebels for chemical attack the local population;dropping of Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb --'mother of nonatomic bombs'--on ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan, are bound to further deteriorate ties with both these nations. The act was deemed to be 'violation' of Afghanistan's sovereignty. And, Russia's stern warning of grave results if Washington repeated such strikes.Remember, President Obama had studiously avoided invading Syria due to Russians'massive objectionsagainst Moscow ally. Besides, Trump's military actions in Syria and Afghanistan within his first 100 days' regime pronouncedly belie his sworn poll promises that America should not be the world's policeman, and that he will stick to his affirmed pledge of 'America First.'
Despite his big-mouth boasts for effecting essential legislative reforms, the Trump White House has not had any top-notch achievements to brag about to-date. Also, Trump had to contend with a humiliating defeat in Congress for his repeated desperate attempts to 'repeal and replace' the Obama healthcare law; a flurry of his Executive Orders – some, includingthe ban on Muslimentry, stayed by several state and federal courts. He also has not progressed to fulfill his much touted promise of raising a wall to stop illegal immigration from Mexico though over $1 billion has been provided for it in the next year's proposed federal budget. Several Obama-era technology policies that have been 'scaled back' include: programme on internet subsidies, probe into companies' phone data plans, and scrapping of broadband funding for schools. A marked US withdrawal from the Global Climate Change agreement has not been well received by other signatories.All these steps are certain to have significant multi-pronged adverse impact on the US image abroad. Sadly, a quickly shifting emphasis has been a pronounced hallmark of President Trump's foreign policy, particularly during March-April.

Now that the Trump White House has taken deep roots, the future is bound to unfold more controversies, bare greater domestic and international events will certainly drive the Oval Office's excessive participation in the unchartered areas.

Meanwhile, federal government's shutdown hangs like the Democles swordunless the $300-billion federal budget for the next financial year not approved. Though President Trump has just completed the eventful 100 days of his first four-year term, he has already started preparing and collecting money to contest the 2021- 2024 term election. In fact, nearly $20 million has been deposited in the kitty by his Republican Party supporters.

Now that the Trump White House has taken deep roots, the future is bound to unfold more controversies, bare greater domestic and international events will certainly drive the Oval Office's excessive participation in the unchartered areas. For, it's hard to believe Trump will not jump into any fray. Basically, Trump is publicity hungry and personality conscious—what- ever it takes.
Finally, though so far the US has not taken on any issue with India, defence secretary H. R. McMaster, during his recent visit to New Delhi, did touch upon certain issues of mutual strategic interest that may come up for detailed discussion when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Washington in the near future.