Erin Molan: Trump’s response to Hamas over hostages one of strength
Seven weeks before he is due to take the oath of office, Donald Trump has already set the tone. Not one of weakness and appeasement, but one of uncompromising strength, writes Erin Molan.
Opinion
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This week, a bloke who isn’t even president yet has delivered the first legitimately sensible announcement regarding the hostages in Gaza from a Western leader since the whole horrific saga began on October 7 last year.
Some seven weeks before he is due to take the oath of office, Donald Trump has already set the tone. Not one of weakness and appeasement, but one of uncompromising strength.
President-elect Trump declared if Hamas’s hostages weren’t released by the time he’s sworn in there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY”.
The lingering and languishing incumbent, Joe Biden, off the back of the discovery of another American citizen dead in Gaza this week, managed to cobble together only the following words: “Jill and I are devastated … we join Omer’s family in grieving this tragic loss, and pray to find strength and resilience.”
Where do I start? Without hesitation, by offering my condolences to the family of this brave young man – but that’s where the platitudes end.
The American President is praying to find strength and resilience?! Sir, you are the most powerful man in the world, in the most powerful office in the world, in the most powerful country in the world.
Pray to your god, absolutely. For many of us in these awful times it’s the only hope we have. But you, Mr President, you actually already have the strength and resilience. It’s at your fingertips. Massive power, incomparable intelligence and strategic resources, massive army, massive ability to destroy most evil players in the world.
Given, sir, that you already have these things, what you should be praying for is the courage and judgment to use them. Despite your position of momentous advantage and extraordinary privilege, you have failed free people everywhere on all fronts.
Indulge me for a moment. When I was growing up, the United States of America was almost like a unicorn. We learnt at school how incredible this country was. How dominant. The leaders of the free world.
A country that has made mistakes and holds regrets, but also a beacon of hope and the inspiration for democracies all over the world. The land where anyone and everyone could be free, safe and prosperous.
I know the America I learnt about 20 years ago – that I at times idolised – doesn’t exist anymore. I also know the extraordinary lengths previous American governments have gone to protect and save their citizens, including some of the most daring and heroic rescues, and rescue attempts, of modern times.
Furthermore Mr President, aside from doing absolutely nothing yourself, I certainly know of no other country, mighty or not, which has also tried to stifle the ability of third-party states to liberate its hostages.
The performance of Biden and his administration during the past 18 months – well, let’s be honest; the past four years – has been nothing short of treasonous. A weak America has emboldened our enemies and contributed to the perilous state of the world.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law this week – before it was overturned – citing North Korean influences. That’s his version of events. It’s complex of course but regardless, the opportunity to cause chaos and instability has never been more open.
Syria falling apart, Iran’s proxy lead attacks on Israel and other Western nations, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and of course in our part of the world the continued rise of an aggressive and powerful China. The US’s shameful fall from grace can take credit for many of the tragic events occurring across the globe.
The US doesn’t need to insert itself into every conflict, but history has proven the potency of deterrence – driven by a compelling ideological and pragmatic commitment to the values, institutions and political processes of the West, the integrity, reputation and leadership of the US was often enough to keep most shady operators in line.
This is the issue that many on the left fail to understand. They see strength as evil and uncaring; almost the opposite of compassionate when it comes to defining governments.
There is a widespread reluctance to even canvass, let alone conclude, that it’s the absence of national strength and resilience that frequently leads to more death and destruction than a deficit of anything else. You might not like Donald Trump’s rhetoric, or his often unconventional approach to leadership, but you’d be foolish to dismiss the impact it’s already having.
You’d be lying, in fact, if you refused to admit the shift we’ve already seen since his election is in the right direction. When our leaders here at home in Australia are weak it hurts us – but not so much the rest of the world. When American leadership fails – we all suffer immeasurably, and that era is, thank God, about to end.
Join me at 5pm this afternoon for Erin on Sky News Australia, featuring an interview with Steve Bannon – the engineer of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement
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