Al-Sharq, Qatar, August 23
It seems as if the global resentment of America is growing stronger with each passing day. When President Donald Trump was first elected, world leaders expressed hope that their countries’ relations with the United States would remain steadfast. But in the months since Trump took office, the American president succeeded, quite skillfully, to turn the U.S. into an international pariah—a subject of mockery and ridicule among much of the free world. Consider, for example, Trump’s recent attempt to squash the Turkish economy. Following the president’s orders, the Treasury Department imposed extensive tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum imports, sending the Turkish stock exchange into a tailspin. Washington also placed sanctions on the Turkish ministers of justice and interior. Yet despite a quick decline in the exchange rate of the Turkish Lira, the economy managed to recover. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan succeeded in securing high-profile investments from other trade partners, such as Qatar, which vowed to save Ankara from Trump’s sanctions. A similar reaction took place following Trump’s decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran. Instead of cooperating with Trump’s dictates, many European nations were quick to inject money into the Iranian economy in order to protect vital Iranian industries. There are now talks of a new nuclear agreement that would be signed directly between Iran and the EU, China and Russia, leaving the United States excluded. Therefore, it is important to remember that even while President Trump takes pride in the strength of his country’s economy and boasts of his achievements, the U.S. is becoming increasingly isolated under his leadership. More and more countries prefer to do business elsewhere in the world, with more faithful trade partners that provide stability and security. This, combined with the growing attraction of rising powers such as India and China, may very well render the U.S. an isolated country in just a few years. Washington may find itself alone, with no trade partners other than Israel and a few oil-wealthy states willing to stand by its side. –Rabiya Bin Sabah al-Kawari