2017 began with the newly elected president of the US Donald Trump tweeting lies about the inaugural crowd and calling Mexicans "rapists and criminals", and ended with lies about his legislative record, which is the worst in recent years ( even though the Republicans control both Houses and the Supreme Court), with many Executive Orders and just the Tax bill ( which has benefited the wealthy and pauoerized the poor, who will be denied health care and will have to pay higher taxes), and also saying that Nigerians live in "huts" and that Haitians have "aids".
     In between Trump has tweeted about China helping N Korea with oil and not doing enough to counter its nuclear program, while at the same time entertaining Pres. Xi at his golf course and regaling him while his daughters try to win more contracts in China to sell their goods. He declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ( going against 70 years of policy and the UN founding principles of Israel ...the two-state, pleasing the Zionist Netanyahu and increasing the chances of conflict. He is opposed to the Iran nuclear agreement and has tried to undermine it, while supporting Saudi Arabia and its genocide on Yemen. His ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley threatened to take the names of countries voting against Trump's Jerusalem declaration, but only 7 countries ( Togo, Honduras, Marshall Is, Palau) plus US and Israel sided with US and 128 voted against ( GB, France, Germany...)...talking/threatening loudly, but carrying a small stick. 35 countries, including Canada and Australia abstained and 22 countries did not show up. America's not getting " great" but "weak"
     He started out attacking Europe and NATO and supporting Brexit. He welcomed  PM Theresa May and it was downhill for and the invitation to visit GB has met with stiff opposition. He met Macron and after " buddying up" Macron lost 20 % in the polls. Europe has been very critical of his policies whether towards the Middle East, Iran or Russia.
     In the case of Russia, Trump has praised Putin ( who is expected to win another term), has condemned the American Intelligence services, the FBI and the Mueller investigation into Russian collusion. In the meantime four officials who worked on his campaign have been indicted including his National Security Adviser Flynn, his campaign manager Mannafort. The investigation continues even though there is  constant pressure from Trump and some Republicans.  Many more of those associated with his campaign , including his son-in law Kushner have been or are being questioned.
     In the Middle East, Russia holds sway. With Iran and Hizbollah, they have blunted ISIL and have kept Assad in power and Russia has a much-wanted presence with an air field, military ases and a warm weather port. The US, Israel and Saudi Arabia are not happy. The Iran nuclear deal has allowed Iran to improve its economy ( even though there have been protests recently, allegedly stirred up by the CIA and Mossad.
     The North Korean have defied Trump and his any threats to reduce them to rubble. Tests continue and China is very wary of an unstable North as that would mean millions of refugees flooding in. It as recently been accused by Trump of not upholding the embargo and supplying much need oil to the North. Japan and S.Korea are on pins and needles, both over the tests and Trump's bluster.
     In Europe, Angela Merkel is still trying to form a coalition government,.She is the steady hand of Europe as Macron faces problems with his "reforms" with decreasing popularity and unions opposition. In Britain, May continue to muddle on with opposition within her party and the Irish Question ( what to do about Northern Ireland and its border with the Irish Republic...should it be soft or hard. It is also one of the stumbling points in the Brexit talks). These talks continue but the issues of payments, relationship, trade and financial, and the tens of thousands  of expats in Britain and Europe). It has a way to go and it will not be easy.
     China is riding high. With its Belt and Road, its  investment in Asia ,Australia and Africa and Pres. XI firmly in control, it looks like China has indeed RISEN, getting wealthier.and more stable. It is filling up the space left by Trump's withdrawal. 
     So Russia and China are more and more confident as America withdraws from the world, becoming more and more self-centered and isolationist, with the incompetent and divisive Trump, whether it be climate change, NATO, TPP, NAFTA , Jerusalem , Iran or North Korea. The world moves on.  

     THE SELF-PROCA
​LAIMED ZIONIST GOVERNMENT OF BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS POKED THE OTHER EYE OF THE PALESTINIANS BY NAMING ASUBWAQY STATION IN EAST JERUSALEM AFTER TRUMP. THIS IS TYPICAL OF NETANYAHU, WHO WANTS TO DEFLECT FROM THE ONGOING CORRUPTIONS CHARGES AGAINSTHIM AND NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
​     THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY VOTED 14-1 TO REJECT THE US/TRUMP MOVE OF THE ANERICAN EMBASSY. THE US USED ITS VETO POWER. THE MATTER WENT TO THE                   



 

,     In November 1947 when the United Nations voted to create the state of Israel, it also voted for a Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as a separate entity. In March 1949, after the first Israeli-Arab war ends, Israel was in control of  West Jerusalem and Jordan, of East Jerusalem. In Jan. 1950 Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital, but no country recognized it. Then after the Six Day War, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and then in July 1980 annexed it. The UN Security Council voted to reject Israel's annexation. 
     The United States has for the past 70 years never accepted, to move its embassy to Jerusalem, even though the US Congress, in 1995, passed a law to move the embassy, unless  the President signs a waiver. No president did until Trump.
     He had campaigned to do so and after he won, he made his son-in law Jared Kushner, a 36 year old, with no experience or education in foreign policy but a Zionist ( believe in the idea of Greater Israel...Eretz Israel, that the land is totally Jewish, an Orthodox Jew and major contributor to Israeli settlements on the West Bank. He was not only unqualified but clearly biased and driven by religious zeal. 
     Dec. 2017 and Trump has poured gasoline on the fire and the Muslim/ Arab world is joined by all other countries ( with the exception of Taiwan, Vanuatau). Netanyahu, the Israeli PM and a believer of Zionism ( very much influenced by his father, a leader in that movement), deliriously declared it " a historic day for Zionism" ( once voted in the UN as " Racism" as it excludes all non-Jews).   
     Trump sent his vice-president, the religious fundamentalist Pence, on a charm offensive to the Middle East but he was rebuffed by all leaders,who refused to meet him and Trump's gambit of photo ops with smiling Arab leaders, fell flat. The crown prince of US ally, Abu Dhabi said " it extended a life line to terrorists"and indeed it is as it will be used as a recruiting device in the roiling streets.
     Netanyahu has launched a European selling tour and in France, his first stop he was told by Pres. Macron that it is " a danger to peace". The next stop is a meeting with the foreign ministers of the 28 in Brussels and Europe has called for a detailed plan from Trump, who of course does not have one. There is a meeting of the Security Council and Trump's mouth piece, Nikki Halley has attacked the UN as being responsible for there not being peace. She is ignorant of US/UN history or just lying for her boss. 
     This action by Trump breaks international law; goes against UN resolutions supported by the US and the Security Council. He is a known Muslim-hater and has repeatedly tried to ban Muslims from entering the US ( his executive orders have been struck down by the courts but he keeps making them). Even the autocratic leader of Turkey has come out with a blistering attack  and there is a battle of vitriol between him and Netanyahu. 
     The Pope has expressed " deep concern", and British PM MAY, calls it " unhelpful" and "the British embassy is based in Tel Aviv and have no plans to move it". Marco Rubio and some Jewish lawmakers support the move but not Nancy Pelosi who calls it "premature" and warned of "mass protests".
     Those protests have broken out. The streets of Palestine....West Bank, Gaza are erupting and From Pakistan to Indonesia to Morocco to  Lebanon and in the Middle East and elsewhere and it will get worse. Already there has been one bomb attempt in New York
      Trump has sown the winds of division and the whirlwind of violence is forming. 

     Xi Jinping is now " China Dream"is what he has called his vision of  " The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". He is now the Chairman of Everything, having overturned the system of shared power and concentrated powers in his hands, after his awe-inspiring performance at the just completed Communist Party Congress.
     He is now as powerful as Mao( China has arisen) and Deng ( to get rich is good). Chairman Mao with the Long March united the disparate ( regions and ethnicities ) and far-flung nation ( from the Pacific to Mongolia) and with the Cultural Revolution (the cleansing of the cadres and infusing of renewed commitment. Many were killed, imprisoned and reeducated, including Deng and Xi and power was consolidated but China stagnated. The Gang of Four tried to grab power as the heirs of the Revolution and of Mao's vision, but failed, were locked up and a new system of sharing power came into being in the 80's, but then Deng emerged all -powerful and set China on the way towards economic reform. 
     Deng saw that China had to open up its economy and so with his " to get rich is good", initiatives and incentives opened up China ( capitalism with a Chinese face....The State would still be central to everything and control the change). China exploded economically and became " the manufacturer to the world" With a huge and cheap and controlled workforce,  Western and Japanese investments and plants/corporations poured in and the economy boomed. There was a building boom and employment soared and cities grew as workers/farmers from the country-side flocked to them. 
     Man millions were lifted up economically and China became a major player in the world and not only economically but politically too. The Giant Panda could no longer be dominated by outsiders from the West. Now they came  and genuflected to make money. This would have an impact on their economy and employment as more and more corporations moved to take advantage of the Chinese boom.
     After Deng, growth continued but at a slower pace. A new stimulus/vision was needed and it came in the form of Xis aspiration to make China great again. It rested on four pillars....1. Restoring China to its former predominance in Asia...2. Establishing control over the territories of Greater China including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and Tibet.......3. Recovering its control/ sphere of influence over the adjacent seas (e g. building islands in the South China Sea ).....Commanding respect from the "other great nations" ...U N , EU, US , Japan, Russia ......As a result it has founded a new international bank and invited other nations to join and they have; starting and funding the new Silk Road to tie the world to it by land, rail and sea; investing heavily around the world from Australia to Africa building railways, ports, and buying up much needed resources from farmlands to forestry to oil and gas. 
     Xi, a son of one of Mao's top aides, who was arrested and imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution ( 1962), when he was 9 yrs. old, sent to be " re-educated" in the country-side, lived in a cave in Yan'an, shoveling dung ( his older sister, deprived and abused, committed suicide), survived by embracing the " change" and made himself " redder than red"( according to a long time friend, "doing what was needed to claw back to the top". Persistence paid off ( he was rejected 9 times, before becoming a member of the Party) and now he leads a nation of 1.4 billion  and is the unquestioned head of the 89 million Communist Party.  
     Aggressive, persistent, ambitious, driven and supremely confident. There is no stopping him and his vision of a rejuvenated, triumphant China.