Who are you friends with today?

AFP photo

By

Siddhartha Rastogi

In Politics you don’t have friends or foes, you have only

Opportunity!

Opportunity!!

& Opportunity!!!

Politicians across the globe are redefining the time periods of strategy as per their own convenience. When they talk about long periods, they mean tomorrow whilst short term means now. Their relationships and terms of engagement are altering by the day. Five year plans and forecasts are only applicable to speeches in their constitutional jurisdictions and parliament. Their words are in no way connected to their actions or the decisions they take.

Let me substantiate it by giving a few examples:

Donald Trump & China

In June 2016 Trump quoted “I love China & Chinese People”. Early Nov 2016, Trump again batted for China when Chinese monkey predicted Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton. At the same time a Chinese think tank reciprocated the love for Trump as they felt he would follow the same principle of Mao Zedong “Without destruction there can be no construction”. The world is also aware that Xi is a big follower of Mao’s teachings and hoped that two great leaders sharing common thoughts would lead the world to peace and prosperity.

Then Trump wins the election. Congratulatory conversations occur between Taiwan’s President and Trump. China fumes (Trump ignoring the One China Policy) and China captures a military underwater drone of the United States. Trump fires back with an “unpresidented” tweet snubbing China.

Trump & Europe, Russia

Europe has been an old partner and supporter of US policies across the globe. Now the US President elect seems to undermine these connections and hopes to bring change to US –European relations by getting in bed with Russia (European leaders hate Russia due to the latter’s annexation of Crimea & rioting in Eastern Ukraine). All this bonhomie because Russia has potentially helped Trump in leaking secret documents of democrats thus aiding him to swing the US electorate in his favor.

Trump, a shrewd businessman sees Eurozone’s end nearing sooner than later (Brexit, No to Italian referendum, rise of Extreme right wing in Netherlands & France). Hence his strategy is to ally with individual nations in Europe and thus he is out to break the NATO treaty (compelling all NATO members to contribute 2% of GDP to NATO’s defense spending); which Trump believes has not brought any good to the US. At the same time, Russia’s military prowess has helped Assad’s Syrian regime to gain control in the heart of the Middle East (US has failed miserably to maintain relations in the Middle East, loosening ties with Iran earlier and Saudi Arabia recently – the biggest powers in the Middle East). Also Trump’s and  Putin’s anti Muslim rhetoric gel well together.

Trump & Japan

Japan is one of the few countries which does not have an offensive military base of its own and spends approx USD 1.64 billion annually on US forces to keep it secure. Japan’s leadership believed that Trump is an arrogant selfish leader and Trump reciprocated by stating that “United states is losing billions and billions of dollars to Japan”. Several books were written in Japan before the US elections mentioning that Trump will destroy US-Japan relations.

Immediately after the elections, Japan’s Premier Abe stated that he is confident on Trump and mentioned he is a trustworthy leader.

So, is the world going to see the end of the Cold War and a new era of opportunistic love?

Only time will tell.

Siddhartha Rastogi

Siddhartha was born to a learned middle class educated family in Semi Urban India. His father was an extremely honest man who because of his honesty had to pay the price in corporate world. Mother is a determined woman who ensured that children are being well taken care off. After a few years of birth, doctors called Siddhartha, a slow child having flat foot. He would fall more than he could walk. Determined mother ensured all therapies for her son to come out strong to fight the world. Siddhartha joined swimming when he was in 6th standard. Seeing other children of his class, he jumped in 10 feet deep pool and learnt swimming on his own, the very same day.

From that day there was no looking back. He topped his city in 12th and went to score highest in his B school exams. During his profession as banker, he became youngest branch manager of a MNC bank managing their biggest wealth branch in the country. There he found love of his life and got married. His love of his life emerged in the form of his daughter who completely changed him for good.

Siddhartha Rastogi is Director for a boutique Investment bank in India.

Siddhartha is a forward looking thinker & writer who has written a book on decision making. 8 Simple steps to effective decision making.

He writes on various social and current issues via his blog and can also be found on twitter.