Statesman or aged primary school kid?

[Thornyone]

World-class statesman, or insecure septuagenarian schoolchild? I think we all know who I’m referring to, so what’s your take on him?

[mercalia]

World-class statesman, or insecure septuagenarian schoolchild? I think we all know who I’m referring to, so what’s your take on him?

who I dont know. could be anyone of the politicans in the UK scene

[Psamathe]

Spoilt truculent child. Immature in the extreme.

[Thornyone]

World-class statesman, or insecure septuagenarian schoolchild? I think we all know who I’m referring to, so what’s your take on him?

who I dont know. could be anyone of the politicans in the UK scene

Not really. I use the term “statesman” to indicate a male, and the individual I have in mind is over 70 years of age. (I don't agree with the modern practice of calling women who act on stage etc “actors”. They are actresses, i.e. the female of actor).

[reohn2]

Spoilt truculent child. Immature in the extreme.

Nothing new there then

[Cyril Haearn]

Took me a moment to realise you were not referring to the Foreign Secretary

Answer: both are true. Maybe

[Thornyone]

Mr President reminds me very much of a child of junior school age, falling out with their “best friend” and then making up, before the next tiff. When he first became president his unorthodox approach seemed to me to hold some possible promise, but I now think I was being pretty naive to think that.

[Psamathe]

..... When he first became president his unorthodox approach seemed to me to hold some possible promise, but I now think I was being pretty naive to think that.

(I'm not American and didn't have a vote but) Things are going pretty much as I expected and he is achieving what I expected. Other countries were far too much enthral to the US, doing what they wanted when they wanted how they wanted. My hope/expectation was that with Trump the US standing in the world would diminish so other countries would be less inclined to bend over and take it however the US wanted us all to take it. US "standing" in the world is diminishing, and we're learning that US is not some distant entity deserving of our awe and obedience.

IAn

[Thornyone]

..... When he first became president his unorthodox approach seemed to me to hold some possible promise, but I now think I was being pretty naive to think that.

(I'm not American and didn't have a vote but) Things are going pretty much as I expected and he is achieving what I expected. Other countries were far too much enthral to the US, doing what they wanted when they wanted how they wanted. My hope/expectation was that with Trump the US standing in the world would diminish so other countries would be less inclined to bend over and take it however the US wanted us all to take it. US "standing" in the world is diminishing, and we're learning that US is not some distant entity deserving of our awe and obedience.

IAn

One thing that has always irritated me is to hear British politicians trot out the usual drivel about “special relationship” when referring to our relations with the U.S. government. A much better phrase seems to be “allies of a kind” (the title of a study of the often fractious US-British relations during the war against Japan). Yet we still have some supporters of Brexit seemingly able to convince themselves that the “special relationship” exists. Trump’s action over steel tarrifs should surely give them pause for thought. (Interstingly, I read recently that Obama’s now-infamous “back of the queue” line was inserted into his very poorly-judged intervention at the urging of Cameron).
Interesting to see now what the two men with the most nauseating haircuts on the planet manage to come up with in Singapore and how long things take to unravel even if the meeting does take off with a whirlwind bromance

[Tangled Metal]

World-class statesman, or insecure septuagenarian schoolchild? I think we all know who I’m referring to, so what’s your take on him?

who I dont know. could be anyone of the politicans in the UK scene

Corbyn but not May (he used the term him in the middle). So we're talking an older, male politician. Who's still around in his 70s? Corbyn isn't there yet I think, Kenneth Clarke? He's been around so long I expect he's in his 80s by now. Beast of Bolsover? Ken Livingstone is on his 70s.

Looking abroad you're best candidate is Trump. How old is Putin? 60s I reckon so he's out. Merkel is not 70 I'd wager. The Chinese supreme leader is possibly 70 but tbh he doesn't seem to fit the criticisms leveled by the op. He's one leader who seems rather clued up and stable. Not that I'm praising a socialist / capitalist / arguably a dictator too, well not much praise.

So smart money's on Trump. Of course apart from the age part you'd naturally assume it was Boris. I mean insecure schoolchild is a pretty good description of Boris at times.

[Tangled Metal]

American presidents have used the term "special relationship" with nations other than the UK. It's a term they trot out to appeal to the voters of their European allies. It has no meaning since Reagan and thatcher. IIRC the last use I heard it was when trump first met macron after he got into the presidency and swept through their parliament.

So IMHO if a US president uses the term to describe the French then the term is dead over here. It's not a issue I have with the French just that the French I think have a history of not working as closely with the US as the UK (possibly Vietnam excluded). I could be wrong with that view but I have it until convinced otherwise.

PS why did my auto correct on my phone change otherwise to Petraeus the disgraced former US General? He's not been prominent on the scene for perhaps a decade now.

[Psamathe]

I believe that what the individual is seeking is to have everybody talking about him. Ideally admiring him but failing that at least have him as the centre/focus of their attention. Worst thing would be to have people not noticing him.

Hence the insults flying about. After the G7 who is everybody talking about? In reality if a government wants to change trade arrangements/deals then they have to discuss it. You don't have to be smart to appreciate that throwing insults around Twitter does not help you negotiate a better trade arrangement with other countries!

But was also beggars believe is how Dr Fox still seems to think we [UK] are imminently getting a fabulous trade deal given to us by the US. And Blobby still acts as a cheerleader for the guy (suggesting only a few days ago what a good deal the UK would get from the EU is Trump was negotiating our position).

“Imagine Trump doing Brexit,” Johnson said, according to the recording leaked to BuzzFeed news and the Times. “He’d go in bloody hard … There’d be all sorts of breakdowns, all sorts of chaos. Everyone would think he’d gone mad. But actually you might get somewhere. It’s a very, very good thought.”

Which I think reflects rather badly on our politicians - that they cannot recognise the shortcomings and cannot be realistic about what is happening.

Ian

[mercalia]

Now be a good boy and eat those vegetables!

[Ben@Forest]

One thing that has always irritated me is to hear British politicians trot out the usual drivel about “special relationship” when referring to our relations with the U.S. government. A much better phrase seems to be “allies of a kind” (the title of a study of the often fractious US-British relations during the war against Japan). Yet we still have some supporters of Brexit seemingly able to convince themselves that the “special relationship” exists. Trump’s action over steel tarrifs should surely give them pause for thought. (Interstingly, I read recently that Obama’s now-infamous “back of the queue” line was inserted into his very poorly-judged intervention at the urging of Cameron).
Interesting to see now what the two men with the most nauseating haircuts on the planet manage to come up with in Singapore and how long things take to unravel even if the meeting does take off with a whirlwind bromance

We know two things, until Trump American policy towards North Korea has never resulted in a meeting between a president and a sitting North Korean leader. And that previous presidents' approaches to NK have failed, including Obama. I don't know if Trump's approach is a flash in the pan or not but he's already made something happen.

Secondly this idea that we should have some favourable trade relationship with the USA is really only the stuff of headline writers and journos . Surely the question is - what is a fair relationship? The BBC (who should know better) push this relentlessly when they should speak to their colleagues in the World Service who often provide a better world view.

[Thornyone]

One thing that has always irritated me is to hear British politicians trot out the usual drivel about “special relationship” when referring to our relations with the U.S. government. A much better phrase seems to be “allies of a kind” (the title of a study of the often fractious US-British relations during the war against Japan). Yet we still have some supporters of Brexit seemingly able to convince themselves that the “special relationship” exists. Trump’s action over steel tarrifs should surely give them pause for thought. (Interstingly, I read recently that Obama’s now-infamous “back of the queue” line was inserted into his very poorly-judged intervention at the urging of Cameron).
Interesting to see now what the two men with the most nauseating haircuts on the planet manage to come up with in Singapore and how long things take to unravel even if the meeting does take off with a whirlwind bromance

We know two things, until Trump American policy towards North Korea has never resulted in a meeting between a president and a sitting North Korean leader. And that previous presidents' approaches to NK have failed, including Obama. I don't know if Trump's approach is a flash in the pan or not but he's already made something happen.

Secondly this idea that we should have some favourable trade relationship with the USA is really only the stuff of headline writers and journos . Surely the question is - what is a fair relationship? The BBC (who should know better) push this relentlessly when they should speak to their colleagues in the World Service who often provide a better world view.

I agree with your first point and this is why I did feel that his unorthodox approach to diplomacy might just hold possibilities. However, his performance during and after G7 does not bode well. We’ll have to wait and see.

Is not the belief in the possibility of a favourable post-Brexit UK-US trade deal also held by Brexit supporting politicians?
Regarding “fair” trading relations, Trump raised the issue of Canadian tarrifs on dairy imports from the US, which sound unfair. But the Candian argument for these taffifs is that there is worldwide dairy overproduction and whilst Canada has cut back on its production, the US has not, and moreover the US government is still subsidising its own dairy sector.