By Andrew L. Urban
‘In the United States, President Donald Trump would like to establish his own mafia-style state but cannot, because the Constitution, other institutions, and a vibrant civil society won’t allow it.’ That’s the third sentence in an article by George Soros in the February 14 Project Syndicate, under the heading ‘The Social Media Threat to Society and Security’. It follows on from the first two sentences which give it context: ‘The current moment in world history is a painful one. Open societies are in crisis, and various forms of dictatorships and mafia states, exemplified by Vladimir Putin’s Russia, are on the rise.’
If this wasn’t enough to suggest Soros is a fool, perhaps this next section of the article will confirm it: ‘Not only is the survival of open society in question; the survival of our entire civilization is at stake. The rise of leaders such as Kim Jong-un in North Korea and Trump in the US have much to do with this. Both seem willing to risk a nuclear war in order to keep themselves in power.’
Mr Soros should stick to global leftist disruption via his fistful of dollars strategy; he is good at that. (Talk about mafia-style …) He has a stack of money (hedge fund earned), but a smaller stack of wisdom. His wealth has clearly not taught him expertise in US or global political analysis. Or even just plain common sense.
The notion that Trump wants to establish ‘his own mafia-style state’ is risible, because it is contrary to observed reality, and stated without evidence. That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence, as Christopher Hitchens once pointed out. It is hereby dismissed.
As for his assertion that Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump ‘both seem willing to risk a nuclear war in order to keep themselves in power’, the kindest response to that is to disregard it. Soros seems to have been fooled by the shouting match between the two leaders, neither of whom, in fact, are prepared to start a nuclear war. Both are playing global chess in which the securing of a strong position and psychological threat are paramount.
Common sense tells us that Kim Jong-un is not a stupid, globally dangerous dictator; he is a frightened and vulnerable outcast, intent on acquiring nuclear bragging rights as a negotiating tool. Has been doing it for 25 years very successfully. He knows full well that if he as much as touches the red button he claims to have on his desk, he and his entire country will be annihilated.
As for Trump, he would neither wish or be able to single handedly launch a nuclear war, Mr Soros, and the notion that he would or could is plainly ignorant. As you say, ‘the Constitution, other institutions, and a vibrant civil society won’t allow it…’