Shlomo Ben-Ami

Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is Vice President of the Toledo International Center for Peace. He is the author of Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy.

NOV 21, 2016 | https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/donald-trump-middle-east-policy-isis-by-shlomo-ben-ami-2016-11

Donald Trump’s Choices in the Middle East

TEL AVIV – US President-elect Donald Trump has said a lot about foreign affairs, without really saying anything at all. His muddled statements offer little insight into what kind of foreign policy he will actually pursue, and there is not much reason to believe that, when his approach does become clear, it will be what the United States – or the world – needs.
Trump is a businessman, not a statesman. He thinks in terms of immediate profits and losses – a worldview that is exemplified in his declarations that US allies need to contribute more to security alliances. At a time of evolving challenges and growing threats, adhering to this narrow-minded, isolationist approach is unlikely to do anyone much good. https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/donald-trump-middle-east-policy-isis-by-shlomo-ben-ami-2016-11