President-elect Donald Trump has been confirmed as the US President by electoral college votes on December 19. By now, he has begun inducting members of his cabinet who are controversial. He selected three retired army generals. Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, known as' Mad Dog' has been made secretary of defence. Possibly this is for the first time a retired Marine General would lead the Defence Ministry instead of a civilian. A commentator Gordon Adams in the New York Times had this to say about appointing a retired General to oversee the Defence Ministry: "The nation's founders specially set up our government for civilians to oversee the military, not the other way around." It is interesting to note Donald Trump, who dodged the draft during Vietnam War to join Army, seems inspired to appoint Generals to cabinet level posts. Another retired General John Kelly would lead Homeland Security. Retired Lt.Gen. Michael Flynn has been appointed as his national security adviser. There is a speculation in mainstream news media that it is dangerous for Donald Trump to give so much political power to military personnel to solve all problems being confronted by America. On the other hand, there is apprehension for another war. History shows that military personnel are likely to favour use of force than civilians in international arena.
Most dramatic selection by the President-elect is Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State who has direct link with President Vladimir Putin. He had signed an oil deal with Russia in 2012 and continued business in spite of economic sanctions imposed by the Obama administration following occupation of Crimea peninsula of Ukraine. Exxon Mobil is involved in oil and gas exploration in Russia. Tillerson, having no knowledge about the nitty-gritty of foreign policy, was decorated with the highest civilian award of Russia. By now three Republican Senators have expressed concern over Tillerman's links with Russia.
Tillerman's selection, apart from appointment of Lt.Gen Flynn as National Security Advisor, strengthens the belief that Russia might have been involved in hacking e-mails of the Democratic Party. Senate majority leader Republican Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Republican Paul Ryan have given their support to a congressional investigation of Russian hacking in internal affairs of America.
Another controversial Republican Senator Jeff Sessions has been picked up as Attorney General who appears to be too racist for a federal judgeship in recent past by members of his own Republican Party. Another interesting pick-up as Secretary of Treasury is Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin while Commerce Secretary is a billionaire Wilbur Ross. The selection of two persons for the post of Secretaries of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency has been questioned as well.
On the other hand, the President-elect has begun nominating Ambassadors to important places around the world. For example, Governor of Iowa Terry Branstad has been picked up as Ambassador to China with which the President- elect has begun war of words. According to a report in the New York Times, the Governor has
"embraced China as a market for his state's pork and soybeans" but Chinese Foreign Ministry immediately welcomed the selection by saying Governor Branstad is an old friend of the Chinese people. A critic of president-elect Governor of South Carolina Nikki R Haley has been picked up as Ambassador to the United Nations while David M.Friedman, an orthodox Jew, has been selected as Ambassador to Israel who is critical of pro-Israel lobby group in America but he vowed to move US embassy to Jerusalem and is in favor of Jewish settlements in West Bank, an occupied Arab terrotory. This will create international crisis in the Middle East. According to a commentator in the Washington Post, naming Friedman appears to be a double insult; Trump has offended the liberal Jewish community which did not support him in the election.
It is really difficult to foresee which way the wind would blow after Donald Trump is officially inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20 of 2017 ending two terms of Barack Obama, the first African-American president in history.
The writer is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh. Email: [email protected]
