The race for the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations passed a significant milestone on Tuesday. Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic favourite Hillary Clinton picked up several delegate-rich states, solidifying their leads in the race. Pending some unforeseen circumstance, we will see a Clinton-Trump showdown for the White House.
We have certainly been entertained by the race so far and in particular by the outlandish campaign of Mr Trump. As a former reality television star, Mr Trump knows how to engage an audience with the right mix of simple terminology, confident delivery and levity. He has also learnt how to take positions without really taking positions and that is one of the most worrying aspects of his campaign so far. While his verbose statements about issues ranging from immigration to women’s rights have been a steady source of material for comedians, many analysts are unclear where Mr Trump actually stands on pivotal issues such as Middle East foreign policy. Now that he is cruising towards the nomination, it is high time for him to get serious about what the complexion of a Trump presidency would look like for the United States and the world.
When it comes to the Middle East, it is difficult to ascertain how Mr Trump plans to address the challenges we face. He has said that it is good that Russia is involved in Syria, a view at odds with most Western countries and also noted that the US shouldn’t train Syrian rebels it doesn’t control. Mr Trump also thinks that Russia should attack ISIL while Germany should defend Ukraine. He has called for a ban on all Muslims entering America and believes that strongmen rulers are best suited to rule Middle East countries.
When it comes to Palestine, Mr Trump angered the pro-Israel establishment with statements that he would not immediately take a pro-Israel stance in negotiations to end the conflict. At the same time, he has been quick to call for more US support of Israel. By contrast, Mrs Clinton recently reaffirmed her hawkish support of Israel while arguing that Russia is a negative influence in Syria. Given her record in the US senate and as secretary of state, however, we have a better understanding of Mrs Clinton’s foreign policy positions.
Mr Trump’s appeal as a spectacle is undeniable, but his success at the polls is worrying if he doesn’t begin to form coherent policies that are subject to debate. The reality show is over.