Trump dosn't want another war but his Rhetoric Could Stoke Many
By Wahab Raofi The Prussian diplomat Klemens Wenzel Fürst von Metternich famously said, "When America sneezes, the world catches a cold." In much the same way, one could say that when America speaks, the world listens. American adversaries carefully analyze and adjust their agendas in response to U.S. actions, while regional powers focus on strategies to exert influence over their weaker neighbors. Trump was quoted as saying he would not rule out using military or economic action to pursue acquisition of the Panama Canal and Greenland, part of a broader expansionist agenda he has promoted since winning the Nov. 5 election. From Greenland to Panama to Mexico, leaders are in shock. One has to wonder if Trump is even aware that such rhetoric undermines diplomatic norms, jeopardizes global stability and emboldens adversaries to take similar actions, potentially escalating conflicts beyond control. What does Trump, as an incoming president, aim to achieve by with such pr...