PRESS RELEASE
London Times Gives Theresa May Orders on How To Control Trump
Jan. 25, 2017 (EIRNS)—In an article published in today’s Times of London, journalist Roger Boyes makes several recommendations to Prime Minister Theresa May as to how she might "reset"—manipulate and control—the special relationship with the new U.S. President when she visits on Jan. 27. Best to consider the relationship between Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher as the model, he proposes.
Wrongly portraying Britain as the U.S.’s "junior partner," Boyes suggests that were Thatcher’s ghost sitting at May’s right hand today, she’d strongly recommend that, first, May not underrate Trump, but rather "tap into" the Brexit vote, as it is "an important ideological bridge with the Trump White House."
Boyes particularly zeroes in on the importance of "exploiting the splits in the Trump cabinet," recalling that when Reagan was reluctant to intervene in the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas war, Thatcher appealed directly to "anglophile" Defense Secretary Cap Weinberger. He suggests that Defense Secretary Gen. Mattis could be similarly approached, because, in Boyes’ view, he is both strongly pro-NATO and "skeptical" of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Keep in mind, he adds, that some of Trump’s appointments
"may be short lived, and there will be plenty of interdepartmental clashes in the court of King Donald. We should be on the right side of these arguments. And keep all channels open to Congress."
May has to show Thatcher-style drive to keep tabs on Trump, Boyes asserts, and specifically to intervene in his relationship with Putin. To have a "lasting effect...this week’s visit should set in train a series of regular phone calls with the White House." Naturally, he coyly affirms, Britain can’t force Trump "to sideline Mr. Putin," but
"it can and should ... argue for the continuation of sanctions... When Mr. Trump announces cooperation with Mr. Putin in the fight against ISIS, we should listen carefully and test his argument. If such a move encourages Moscow to make a land grab or to slaughter innocents,"
then May should dig in her heels.
It’s instructive that Boyes singles out the importance of "intelligence and defense cooperation" in the special relationship. "If Mr. Trump trivializes the work of the intelligence services, if he plays down looming threats, then we should express our concerns loud and clear."
