What If Trump Goes To War

(Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)

At the end of his first mandate as POTUS [1] Donald Trump is shifting gears in the foreign policy of the USA, playing hardball on four different tables.

What’s going on in Sweden?

The Ministry of Justice of Sweden noticed last month a press release (look HERE) about their new sexual offense legislation, setting up higher standards for the concept of consent and introducing in their law system two new offenses, “negligent rape” and “negligent sexual abuse“.  The fundamental idea is that there has to be always an explicit consent before having sex, no matter the situation.  It’s a positive change, a sign of awareness about the rising incidence of sexual offenses. Hopefully, it is destined to raise the stakes against all the sexual crimes in all Europe.

Question: what causes the increment in the sexual-related crimes in Sweden?

Europe, it’s now or never

One of the most important consequences of the beginning of the Trump presidency is that the last pillar of the old European diplomacy is gone. The new POTUS openly dislikes NATO, will support a new age of economic protectionism (Buy American! Anybody out there remembers this catch phrase?) and is ready to redesign the US foreign policy.

The Pendulum swings to the right

The political pendulum is swinging to the right side in Europe, the real deal now is to understand to what extent and to what consequences.
In the last ten years, the far right-wing parties in the Old-and-not-so-merry continent are booming and it’s quite likely that we will see one or more of the biggest countries in Europe going full throttle in that direction in a matter of five or fewer years. Bookmark the next round of presidential elections in France (2017) and the general political elections in Germany (also 2017) to check out what will become the European future.

Brexit – what will change?

The forthcoming UK’s referendum about the future of the permanence inside the EU of the United Kingdom is important for all the other countries inside such union and for the perspective of the nations that are considering to enter the EU.
No country opted out before and the future choice of the UK citizens will open a door to unknown lands. There’s no procedure to follow, no legal precedents and no historic references to use. EU is not an alliance based on strategical/military agreements like NATO, nor it’s a short list of economic matters.

The voice of fear

Here we are again. Another batch of terrorist attacks in Europe, this time in Belgium, followed by a storm of empty words and emptier actions in the media. Politicians of every color and denomination, so-called leaders and not-so-famous people, a lot of noise and zero solutions. What you hear is the voice of fear.

Do we still need symbols?

A week ago or so an European music contest gave its first prize to an Austrian drag queen. It’s a very simple thing, no reason at all for any kind  of unrest – let alone public protests and diplomatic notes, isn’t it?
Well, it looks like this is enough. Austria was criticized for its decision to select such a candidate for the contest, a massive number of negative considerations / comments flew thru the social media and, after the drag queen’s victory of the final round of the contest, an official note from Russia’s foreign minister was sent to the media – expressing deep concern for such a frivolous matter.