Afghan Author Fears U.S. Isolationism: 'Trump Is Strongly Opposed To Internationalism; He Believes That America's Main Priority Should Be Addressing Its Internal Issues'

Memri

31-01-2025

On January 20, 2025, Afghan news website Rewayat published a Dari-language article by Afghan writer Abdul Shaheed Saqib marking the return of Donald Trump as the president of the United States for a second term and expressing concern that America will adopt a policy of isolationism.
In the article, titled "Welcome To The Trump Era!" noted that Trump represents a reversal of the principle of internationalism started by Woodrow Wilson, and as a result the world may see the weakening and collapse of international institutions.
Rewayat News and Analysis Website was established in 2022 to provide accounts of events related to the geography, history, and identity of Afghanistan and publishes content in Dari and Pashtu. Most of its articles and news focus on criticizing the Afghan Taliban.
Following are transalted excerpts from the article:
"The Trump Era Is The Era Of The Far-Right's Return To Power; The Far-Right Refers To Groups That Are Anti-Immigrant, Xenophobic, And Place Little Importance On Human Rights Or International Treaties"
"Francis Fukuyama, the renowned American-Japanese theorist, stated in an interview that Trump's return in 2024 differs from his victory in the 2016 election. He explained this difference by saying that in 2016, most researchers believed that Trump was an exception in American history and a temporary deviation because, on the one hand he faced a weak opponent who did not take him seriously, and on the other hand he did not win the majority of the popular vote.
"After Biden's victory, it was thought that this deviation had been corrected, and that American politics had returned to normal. However, according to Fukuyama, Trump's return in the 2024 election shows that he is not an exceptional or deviant phenomenon, but rather that we are at the beginning of a new era.
"What is this new era?
"I would like to call this new era the Trump Era.
"What is the Trump Era and what are its characteristics? Are we prepared to enter this era?
"I believe that for our generation (a generation that has grown up over the past two decades and has fought for democracy and human rights in Afghanistan), there is nothing more critical than asking these questions. If we do not understand the era we are living in and its demands, any political activism we undertake will be akin to shooting arrows in the dark.
"What is the Trump Era?
"The Trump Era is the era of the far-right's return to power. The far-right refers to groups that are anti-immigrant, xenophobic, and place little importance on human rights or international treaties.
"Today, the far-right has swept across the globe, from the United States to Europe and beyond. Trump in the United States, the Brexit movement in Britain, Marine Le Pen's movement in France, the Alternative party in Germany, Erdoğan in Turkey, and the Hindu nationalist party in India, etc., are all part of this ideological faction."
"Far-Right Parties Are The Ideological Heirs Of Fascist Regimes In Germany And Italy"; "Far-Right Parties Not Only Spread Lies In Their Propaganda But Also Promote Fake News To Discredit Journalism And The Media, Blurring The Line Between Truth And Falsehood"
"The characteristics of the Trump Era, in my opinion, are the same as those of far-right parties. Here, I will highlight three characteristics of this era:
"Xenophobia and Identity Conflicts
"Far-right parties are the ideological heirs of fascist regimes in Germany and Italy. One of their most prominent features is intense xenophobia and the creation of an extreme 'we' versus 'them' dichotomy. By exaggerating differences among individuals, nationalities, and ethnicities, these parties portray immigrants and foreigners as existential threats to the cultural identity of nations.
"A key manifestation of this xenophobia is their staunch opposition to immigration. Today, far-right parties have made up dozens of conspiracy theories against immigrants, using them to fuel anti-immigration sentiment across Europe and the United States, and advocating for the expulsion of migrants from these countries.
"The Post-Truth Era
"Another characteristic of far-right parties is their reliance on lies and propaganda akin to Goebbels-style lies. Goebbels, a German Nazi politician, served as the Minister of Propaganda for the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945 and assumed the position of Prime Minister following Hitler's death.
"Goebbels initially worked as an ordinary journalist, but his exceptional ability to manipulate the truth propelled him to the position of Minister of Propaganda in Hitler's regime. He was so adept at lying that he could convincingly present falsehoods as truths, even making black appear white.
"Goebbels pioneered a technique in lying that is referred to in political literature as Goebbels-style lies. He believed that the bigger the lie, the more believable it is. While he often accused Hitler's opponents of lying, it is said that no politician utilized lies in political propaganda as extensively as Goebbels did.
"Far-right parties, inheritors of fascism and Nazism, rely heavily on lies in their political propaganda. In an investigative report published by the Washington Post, it was revealed that Trump told 30,000 lies in the first four years of his administration. Far-right parties not only spread lies in their propaganda but also promote fake news to discredit journalism and the media, blurring the line between truth and falsehood, and leaving no one capable of distinguishing between the two."
"Another Characteristic Of This Era Is The Transition Of Countries From Internationalism Or Globalization To Isolationism"; "Trump Is Strongly Opposed To Internationalism – He Believes That America's Main Priority Should Be Addressing Its Internal Issues"
"The Era Of Isolationism
"Another characteristic of this era is the transition of countries from internationalism or globalization to isolationism. Internationalism in the United States began with [Woodrow] Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, whose principles are known as Wilson's Fourteen Points. However, Trump is strongly opposed to internationalism. He believes that America's main priority should be addressing its internal issues.
"Far-right parties, including Trump's administration, are opposed to unions, organizations, and international agreements. With their rise to power in Europe and the United States, international unions and organizations face significant threats of weakening or collapse.
A screenshot of the article
"The Era of Belligerence and Polarization of Societies
"Every republican order requires two types of safeguards for its stability and survival:
"1. Hard Safeguards: These include principles like the balance of power and other institutional arrangements enshrined in the constitution. 2. Secondary or Subtle Safeguards: These encompass a spirit of mutual tolerance and self-restraint.
"The spirit of mutual tolerance refers to an attitude where political groups view each other not as enemies but as competitors. This perspective requires leaders to seek competition in serving the nation rather than eliminating their opponents. On the other hand, the spirit of self-restraint pertains to the exercise of legal authority by an institution or leader. For example, while constitutions grant certain powers to presidents, this spirit encourages them to exercise restraint in using their authority and to engage with political opponents through compromise and dialogue.
"Political scientists refer to the full utilization of legal authority as legal obstinacy. These scholars consider mutual tolerance and self-restraint as the subtle safeguards of democracy. They believe that if the political elite of a society lacks these two attitudes or fails to adhere to these two norms, the principle of democracy and republicanism will be weakened, leading to dangerous polarization in the society to the extent that it results in the collapse of political consensus and endangers the principle of republicanism. Far-right parties, by ignoring these secondary safeguards, transform competition into enmity and polarize societies."
Source: X.com, January 20, 2025.