Trump's near the east tour has more substance than the White House

Cnn
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Donald Trump's Middle East trip has more than billion dollar contracts, camel parades and a storm at home about the offer of Qatar to give the president a new Air Force One.

A tour that was narrowly charged by the White House as an opportunity for Trump to show that he is a Master Dealmaker who is pursuing the region's geopolitical puzzle.

Wherever he goes, Trump's disorders brings with him that can create the possibilities. And he goes into risks Example of his decision on this trip to increase sanctions on Syria in order to give a second chance of a war.

But the step stimulates a question of Trump's entire foreign and trade policy. Can he use enough to achieve real breakthroughs from the openings that he creates?

The obsession of the White House of Löwen -Trump means that its most important initiatives are often flooded by hype.

A deal for Qatar for the purchase of Boeing-Jets worth ten billion dollars on Wednesday became more attention at home than his encounter in Riyadh with the Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. The historical first meeting between US and Syrian leaders in 25 years could be the signature initiative of Trump's tour.

Before he plunged the murderous dictator Bashar al-Assad, Al-Sharaa was a rebel leader who promised Al-Qaida and had a bounty of $ 10 million up. But Trump sat with him and increased sanctions against his country in civil war, hoping to give the chance to combine and save civilians with severe hunger.

Trumps grow regional diplomatic ambitions

Trump's geopolitical release does not end in Syria. He used the trip to build up Iran a new pressure to agree to restrictions on the nuclear program – before warning about military measures if he refuses but clearly tries to control the bad view of a new Middle East War.

His journey also emphasized the growing daylight with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was regarded as the ideological converter of the 47th president, who is increasingly an object of Trump's frustration.

Behind the scenes, Trump's team spoke to the officials of Qatar and Saudi about how to relieve a humanitarian crisis in Gaza strip, which is caused by the blockade of Israel and a rush that killed tens of thousands of civilians. Netanyahu's answer was to be explained that he had “no choice” than to fight further, and he aimed at the Hamas leader, who is needed for peace talks in a strike against a hospital.

There is no sense that the US alliance is endangered with Israel. But gaps between Trump and Netanyahu also opened up on a US pact to stop rocket attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen, which did not belong. Trump's circumvention of the Israelis in a deal this week to free the last living American hostage in Gaza; And about the decision of the Syria sanctions.

Trump has not only focused on the Middle East in the past few days. He had also hoped to fly to Turkey to make a surprising photo with President Vladimir Putin from Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky from Ukraine, who would have confirmed his previously unsuccessful attempt to end their war. None of the competing guides will probably appear until the talks on Thursday and Trump will promptly give his plans for an unexpected side trip and to throw further doubts about his peace initiative.

Trump's decision to raise sanctions against Syria is one of the largest foreign policy games in his second term.

Details of the complicated diplomacy that must have led to this decision have not yet been unveiled. However, the step reflects an understanding that Syria, which has been destroyed by years of civil war, is at a turning point, occupies an important place on the region's map and has the potential to give a greater chaos if it continues to deteriorate.

The President said reporters that he believed that Al-Sharaa “had a real shot to hold it together”. Officials later said Trump wants Syria to recognize Israel. This would represent an extraordinary transformation in a region that is ill.

Firas Maksad, director of Outreach at the Middle East Institute, told Becky Anderson of CNN that the Syria train was a significant victory for Trump on a trip that was dominated by economic concerns. “I think Trump was very careful and very careful, I would say that geopolitical successes are also activated,” said Maksad. “Whatever happens in Syria does not stay in Syria.”

The step of the President reflects the willingness of some European and the Middle East of the leaders of supporting aversion to Al-Sharaa's earlier activities in the hope that he can end a return to the civil war.

Unusually, a Trump -Political decision is also praised by some long -standing critics. “I think it's a good step,” Leon Panetta, former CIA director and US defense minister, told “CNN News Central” on Wednesday. “I think (Trump) is right because this person was able to discontinue assad and, as far as I can see, work to stabilize a difficult challenge in terms of Syria.”

Trump's decision to raise sanctions came at the urging of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who want to avoid both unrest in Syria. In Riad, Washington and Doha, there is also a wish to prevent external powers from returning to Syria, which has suffered decades of foreign interference by states, including Iran, Russia, Turkey and Israel.

But Trump takes a risk.

While al-Sharaa is considered stability of Syria outside the country as the best hope of Syria, concern is growing that his government does not protect religious and ethnic minorities. In Washington, high -ranking congress members want the assurances that he emits ISIS elements before they agree to raise the legally anchored sanctions that the president cannot do without alone.

“To use the moment, it will be important that the decision of the President will be implemented quickly, and the Syrian government, quickly to change the national security concerns of the US security concerns,” Sens. Jim Risch and Jeann Shaheen, the Republican Chair and the Supreme Democrat in the Committee of the Senate Committee, said in a statement. “This will help Syria on the way to freedom from the malignant influence of Iran and Russia, from China's attempt to grasp economically in the Middle East and through the resurrection of ISIS.”

South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, an ally of Trump, has made a caution. “I am very inclined to support the sanctions for Syria under the right conditions,” said Graham in a explanation released from Turkey. “However, we have to remember that the current leadership in Syria has reached its position through weapons, not through the will of their people.”

Graham noticed that Israel was particularly concerned about the decision to increase sanctions against Syria and argued that the United States had to work with allies to coordinate the new opening. “This newly formed government in Syria may be a good investment and could be the way to unite Syria, which makes it a stable part of the region. However, a lot has to be learned before the determination,” said Graham. “A stable Syria would be a player for the region, but in view of their past, their progress must be evaluated.”

If Trump is supposed to shield Syria in the direction of stability, he must use the power of the United States to convene like -minded nations. This type of work with allies is hardly a trademark of this white house. And it is another challenge for a stretched foreign policy team that is hindered by chaotic personnel decisions and the inexperience of some important players – for example Trump's envoy for all occasions Steve Witkoff.

Trump already seemed to be the basis for the guilt if his decision backwards, since he found several times that part of his reason was due to the lifting of sanctions to the lawsuit of the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Oh, what I'm doing for the crown prince,” said Trump.

Some of Trump's recent victories hardly suggest that he is ready to do the hard work of diplomacy. He claimed that he had concluded large trade agreements with Great Britain and China. But they would be better described as an announcement of the intent to achieve agreements. If the sanctions are similar on Tuesday, his SYRENGIPLOMETION will never achieve their goals.

There is another reason for fear. Al-Sharaa seems to have activated Trump's weakness for strong men. He described the former terrorist as a “great young attractive guy” and a “fighter”. In view of the Syrian leader's ALQAIDA associations, the president stated that he had “a very strong past”.

The story is full of examples in which Washington distributes his confidence in the Middle East Hart Schools in one piece in one piece. Such a bet cost thousands of us in Iraq.

But Trump is more optimistic.

“It is your time to shine,” he said. “Good luck, Syria. Show something very special.”