While Donald Trump has been the 47th president of the US for less than two months, we can already discern the outline of the “doctrine” he will be adopting towards the rest of the world – including us. Because America is still the largest economy in the world; remains the foremost hegemon, and we are in its self-defined “sphere of influence”, we must interrogate this doctrine. The previous doctrine was articulated after WWII, when the US replaced the British Empire in many of those roles. It was based on the ideological principle of “anti-communism” to oppose the communist threat from the USSR that was considered a clear and mortal danger to the principles that America announced it stood for – capitalism, or the “free-enterprise system”. The status quo was described as a “Cold War” between the USSR/Russia and the US and its allies while other countries were placed on a continuum between those two poles.
By 1961, the first modern Guianese politician Dr Cheddi Jagan was adjudged by US President John F. Kennedy (JFK) as having communist tendencies. His government was immediately destabilized and eventually overthrown in favour of the PNC of Forbes Burnham, even though the latter had been described to them by the British as “an opportunist, racist and demagogue intent only on personal power.” Since the 1960’s, Guyana was torn asunder and more than half of the population fled abroad, mostly to the US and Canada. JFK initiated several projects to complement NATO in Europe such as USAID, Peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress and interventions in Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere to counter USSR/Russia’s “communism”. The goal was always to further America’s interest even though it was cloaked as spreading or protecting “democracy” or assisting with social and other humanitarian projects. These projects and programs have grown exponentially and cost mega billions.
In declaring its first and foremost guiding principle continue being “America is 1”, Trump seem to be disjuncturing it from the “moral principles’ to which it was tethered, because some of its own players were confusing tactics with strategy. Take for instance USAID: this was a vehicle for assisting foreign countries on the premise that the programs might influence leaders who would prove useful allies of the US economically or strategically. In several countries in Africa and Europe, however, USAID funded “pro-democracy” groups, such as in Ukraine, have staged successful changes of government to ensure support for the West. The “vote like a boss” campaign here was funded by USAID and helped the Opposition win in 2015.
The Trump Doctrine, however, is pointing out that since the collapse of the USSR and the fissioning of fifteen republics to leave a rump Russia, which by 1991, had adopted capitalist/free enterprise system. But America reflexively continued supported NATO and fight a war that was over. And even if Russia is a threat, Trump insists it is one to Europe and not the US, an ocean away. As such, Europe should not only stop expanding NATO to further encircle Russia but should start paying for defending against any threat they may perceive.
The second principle is that the US must be transactional in its approach and if it extends its power or its money there must be a quid pro quo. We see this in the interaction with President Zelensky of Ukraine where Trump demanded if the US is to continue with its aid – military or social – it would have to be given mining concessions for the rare-earth metals that America needs. Realistically, Trump pointed out that the presence of US corporations in Ukraine is also a “security guarantee” because the US would have to protect those corporations. Congo has just made an explicit offer of its metals for US corporate-backed security.
For us in Guyana, the Trump Doctrine suggests that the US would intervene to protect the US corporations’ (ExxonMobil/Hess/Chevron) investment in our Stabroek Block. But in a transactional move, might also be willing to have US oil majors re-enter Venezuela if the US can control the oil production as in pre-Chavez days.
