"This is the American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream", This is the main statement of the speech on the state of the Union given by Trump, last Tuesday, before the Congress convened in joint sections. At the same time, however, the president wanted to remember how, in this historical moment, in front of the United States there are many threats advanced both by the so-called Rogue states both from opposing nations, namely China and Russia, which can undermine the hegemony of the United States in the world. The goal for Washington, therefore, must be, according to Trump, to strengthen the armed forces in order to discourage rivals and forge a world based on peace. Nothing new then for what concerns the US military policy, which since the Eisenhower presidency is based on the maintenance of a large military industrial complex in order to deter potential enemies from attacking the United States directly. "That is why I am asking Congress to end it with the cutting of defense funds (decision taken by President Obama with the Budget Control Act of 2011, ed) and that it should start again to fully fund the military expenses". One of Trump's goals is to modernize and restructure the US nuclear triad (i.e. the ability to use nuclear weapons from the air, land and sea, ed), stressing in his speech the hope of never having to use the potential. US nuclear power. With this move, the US administration would resume rearmament in order to maintain the nuclear deterrent against opposing nations, with the hope that: "One day in the future there will be a magic moment, in which countries will unite to eliminate nuclear weapons. But, unfortunately, it does not exist yet".
The international scenario is not in a state of perennial peace, indeed, there are many threats, starting with North Korea, considered a "Deprained regime"From Trump, continuing with Iraq and Syria, where the United States is engaged in the campaign against ISIS:"Last year I made a commitment: we would work with our allies to eliminate ISIS from the face of the Earth. A year later I am proud to let you know that the anti-ISIS coalition has released almost 100% of the territory that belonged to these killers in Iraq and Syria". A task, one carried out by the United States and by the anti-Assad rebels, on the one hand, and by Syria and Russia, on the other, which is not yet concluded and to this end, continued Trump: "We will continue in our struggle until ISIS is finally defeated".
If the military fight against ISIS can be considered close to closure, another matter is that of the fight against terrorism, because terrorists are not just criminals but, directly quoting Trump: "They are illegal enemy fighters and as such they should be treated when they are captured". This statement goes against the policies of the Obama presidency, where it was decided to opt for a total break with the treatment of terrorists during the Bush presidency. In fact, Trump in his speech has deemed crazy to have released hundreds of dangerous terrorists including the leader of Isis Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who had been captured by American troops and then released. This is why Trump announced that he had signed an order, to the defense secretary James Mattis, in which he was asked to re-examine the military detention policies and to keep the Guantánamo prison open, trying to ditch the program of progressive closure of the camp detention wanted by Obama. Instead, at the Congress, he asked: "Ensuring that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaeda, the United States can continue to have the necessary power to arrest and detain terrorists". A decision intended to make it almost as controversial as the decision to change the rules of engagement of American soldiers engaged in Afghanistan, where they will work in close contact with the Afghan forces, both to complete the training of the regular forces of the government of Kabul and to avoid: "Our enemies know our plans".
A part of the speech, that on military aspects, very different from that concerning aspects of domestic politics, because on these points, Trump, appeared less inclined to openness to the Democratic Party. Program points, however, that appear vital and that, if implemented, could give back to the United States that role of hegemonic power so coveted, but that in the last decade has been undermined by the emergence of China and the return of Russia on the world geopolitical scene.
(pictures: US DoD)
