President Donald Trump has made the most of his meeting with president Macron in France. Thierry Chesnot / Getty Images
President Donald Trump has made the most of his meeting with president Macron in France. Thierry Chesnot / Getty Images

The current circus in Washington is not entertainment. It is tragedy



There have been worse starts to an American presidency. In 1841, the 9th president William Henry Harrison refused to listen to his advisers, attended his inauguration in grim Washington weather without wearing adequate clothing, spoke for a long time in the rain, caught pneumonia and died after just 31 days in office. The Trump presidency has lasted longer, but the conflicts within Washington and between Washington and various US states are damaging America’s standing in the world. I hope I am wrong, but even now the damage is greater than that of the premature death of the long forgotten Harrison. America is so much more important to the rest of the world than in Harrison’s time.

Let us leave aside for now the daily gossip from Washington. Who met what Russian when and why; who Tweeted what and when; who leaked what and with what aim. These matters may assume considerable importance in the future, but there is a more immediate concern for those of us who believe that for all their flaws and errors — including blunders in the Middle East and also Latin America — the United States is a good thing, a friend, an indispensable ally. For those of us who are pro-American, the spectacle of in-fighting in Washington destroys confidence in American leadership. A former speaker of the US House of Representatives once reminded me that a president cannot be strong abroad if he is weak at home. And whatever side you are on in the Washington hullaballoo, that sense of weakness is where we are now.

I grew up in Scotland and my friends included the sons and daughters from a US air force base nearby. During my childhood in the Cold War, my family saw America as a great ally in our common struggle to keep back Soviet communism. There were other reasons to like America too. The most important was, and still is, Americans themselves. My first American friend was Hans, son of a US air force officer. In Scotland at the time — I must have been about 10 years old — a sandwich was typically a tiny sliver of thin, almost transparent, meat and a slice of tomato equally thin between two slices of tasteless bread. But these Americans! Wow! Their sandwiches had chicken, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce and pickles and were four centimetres high. I fell in love with the American sandwich. It was my first bite of the American Dream. Later I lived in the United States for almost a decade, visiting 48 of 50 states, admiring American energy, culture, their friendliness, creativity and practical common sense. And yet like so many people who think a strong US is good for the world, I am now utterly dismayed. Instead of "make America great again", the mess in Washington seems as if someone hit a button to make America decline fast.

Donald Trump’s Tweets attract ridicule from some. But clearly they communicate effectively with his millions of supporters. Personally, I find it odd that he spends time commentating on television programmes. But since no one yet can quite unravel the tangle of charge and counter-charge in Washington, my real concern is the way in which Mr Trump’s presidency is seen around the world. He scored a big hit with many in the Gulf by his attitude towards Iran and Tehran’s expansion by stealth. He has made the most of his meeting with president Macron in France. But since the Trump inauguration, I have travelled widely across Europe and to the United States, and talked with many friends from the Middle East and China. Most are strongly pro-American and most also express great sadness that we are witnessing an administration under siege, showing its inexperience and at times incoherence and incompetence.

The danger is that the words “American leadership” might turn into a joke. To put it simply, leadership demands followers, and yet on issue after issue America’s allies and followers are often unimpressed. At the recent G20 summit, the opportunity for a very robust common statement about North Korea was lost. Administration attitudes to climate change and the hard-fought Paris Agreement have been widely repudiated, including in America itself, notably California and New York. In Congress, Republicans express support for Mr Trump and yet appear very reluctant to back key Trump administration policies.

Can this be put right? Possibly. One of my American heroes is the great former US diplomat George Kennan. Writing at the start of the Cold War, Kennan fretted about the threat posed by Stalin and the USSR. But he wrote that “to avoid destruction, the United States need only measure up to its own best traditions and prove itself worthy of preservation as a great nation.” I hope that the United States finds ways to “measure up” to its own best traditions. Of course, partisan rows will always continue, but the current circus in Washington is not entertainment. It is tragedy. When it comes to measuring up, now would be a good time. Please.

Gavin Esler is a journalist, television presenter and author 

UAE%20set%20for%20Scotland%20series
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20will%20host%20Scotland%20for%20a%20three-match%20T20I%20series%20at%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Stadium%20next%20month.%3Cbr%3EThe%20two%20sides%20will%20start%20their%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20League%202%20campaigns%20with%20a%20tri-series%20also%20involving%20Canada%2C%20starting%20on%20January%2029.%3Cbr%3EThat%20series%20will%20be%20followed%20by%20a%20bilateral%20T20%20series%20on%20March%2011%2C%2013%20and%2014.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
​​​​​​​Princeton

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

MATCH SCHEDULE

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)

Liverpool v Roma

Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)

Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26

Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)

Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20and%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20power%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20700hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20torque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20720Nm%20at%202%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330kph%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1.14%20million%20(%24311%2C000)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

The Light of the Moon

Director: Jessica M Thompson

Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David

Three stars

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Messi at the Copa America

2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final

2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals

2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final

2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

UK%20record%20temperature
%3Cp%3E38.7C%20(101.7F)%20set%20in%20Cambridge%20in%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is 'Soft Power'?

Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye. 
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength. 
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force. 
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.

Scorecard

Scotland 220

K Coetzer 95, J Siddique 3-49, R Mustafa 3-35

UAE 224-3 in 43,5 overs

C Suri 67, B Hameed 63 not out

The%20Mandalorian%20season%203%20episode%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERick%20Famuyiwa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPedro%20Pascal%20and%20Katee%20Sackhoff%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.