Hey kids, it’s random commas time
Trump rescinded on Thursday his invitation for Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada to join his “Board of Peace,” an organization that he had founded to oversee a peace deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza but that he has now tried to broaden into an institution to rival the United Nations.
Which is like trying to square the circle, because the United Nations is what it says on the tin – a grouping of nations – while Trump’s “Board of Peace” is one deranged man’s plaything. There’s no rivalry because there’s no commonality.
In a high-profile speech at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Mr. Carney had urged leaders of smaller nations to band together to resist Mr. Trump’s America First doctrine and his efforts to dismantle the post-World War II international order. On Thursday, hours before Mr. Trump’s announcement, Mr. Carney went further, denouncing “authoritarianism and exclusion” in a speech that appeared to be referencing the president.
Though Mr. Trump did not explain why he was rescinding the invitation, Mr. Trump, who often lashes out against leaders who publicly defy him, appeared to be reacting to Mr. Carney’s candid remarks. In a similar episode months earlier, Mr. Trump sought to punish Canada with additional tariffs because of a Canadian television ad that quoted former President Ronald Reagan denouncing tariffs.
And so he struck the blow.
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post framed as a letter to Mr. Carney.
In a language purporting to be English but not really managing it.
Trump rescinding the invitation to Mr. Carney was also the latest sign that the Board of Peace would be anything but a typical international organization, where disagreement and open discourse among member states is tolerated or even encouraged. Its charter grants Mr. Trump, the chairman of the organization, outsized power, including the authority to veto decisions, approve the agenda, invite and remove members, dissolve the board entirely and designate his successor.
So why would anyone want to join such a “board”?
May the lightning strike any leader of a democratic country who agrees to participate in, and thus give legitimacy to, this travesty of a “board of peace”. Let Trump and his pals Putin, Xi, Lukachenko, Orban, Erdoğan etc. have it to themselves without any involvement from (what’s left of) the democratic world.
Bribes. That’s all of it. It’s another avenue for Trump to get bribes, in this case from foreign leaders, which will guide America’s foreign policy.
Call it the “Board of Piece” instead, because any funds going in, Trump’s getting a piece.
My guess is that dues are held in a bank in a country that is outside of banking regulations, or maybe in a cybercurrency and that Trump will be the signer or owner.
Carney starred at Davos, which must have pissed off the old Rambler.
“the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time”
Beats the Congress of Vienna? The Paris Peace Conference? Not that Trump would have heard of either of those.