The hypothesis of a “coup d’état chirurgical” against Trump, a victim of “Sulaimānī’s curse”, fell. The weak American democracy discovers the futility of its alleged power and falters because of a small extremist group. The virus (Trumpism) is internal and large aircraft carriers or atomic bombs cannot defeat it. Will the next President Biden be the remedy? We will see: the true discontinuity to his predecessor has to be tested, yet.
by Glauco D’Agostino
An armed insurrection in the United States
An armed insurrection in Turkey
It was July 15th, 2016, when Turkey suffered a coup attempt failed due to its President Erdoğan’s determination in defending the institutions and the democratic state. Nothing comparable to the farce went on stage two days ago in Washington. In Istanbul, cannons thundered, in Washington, we have seen in the street shamans and Batman in their amazing costumes. That was enough for the newly elected President Biden to define it as an “insurrection” of “a limited number of extremists”, and, a little later in the same speech, to invoke “blessing for the Armed Forces”.
That was enough for the great world power to falter under the hits (at the end rather propaganda) inflicted by its own institutions. During the long-troubled hours, Americans and the whole world wondered: Who’s in charge in Washington? President Trump agrees with the assailants pounding institutions, Vice President Pence bypasses his President and orders to deploy the National Guard, Biden relies on God and the Armed Forces, many invoke the 25th Amendment to oust the President, basically a palace coup under law provisions. Who does remember the “coup d’état chirurgical” implemented on the Italian Prime Minister Craxi’s instructions, which “legally” ousted Bourguiba under the Tunisian Constitution article 57? Third world tricks now invoked in the U.S. out of control and with no recognised guidance. The dispute is between fierce opponents and recalls the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. But perhaps the real “ruler” is Jack P. Dorsey, the Twitter tycoon, who, judging unquestionably President Trump is a danger to democracy, censors him on his social network. And you know, the essence of democracy is social networks. Since the West is the heir of Greek civilisation, we can infer the Greeks already recommended social networks as democracy essence.
I’m not kidding and making fun of anyone. One can name it a Socratic logic inversion. Daily this happens in the performances of renowned political experts. These, especially the American ones but not only, often play with words, telling us that democracy by definition doesn’t resort to force, but when needed it has to be imposed by force, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, now known for their democracies. For decades they have been explaining to us that, sure, when one wins democratic elections, knocking him down could be legitimate in the name of democracy, such as happened to Haniyeh in Palestine or Morsi in Egypt. Or worse (unmentionable matter), when the Islamic Salvation Front won the elections in Algeria. Obviously, this logic applies to the third world. Democracy in America is and will remain strong. Except that, when you get used to a concept of democracy like the one just described, it is difficult to control its political or, better, cultural products. Eventually, someone (the internal virus) becomes convinced that these are the right methods and, after all, half the people are with him. So?
The United States is now experiencing internally the virus it spread in its foreign policy. Who? The Democrats? The Republicans? The damned Trump? Actually, I don’t know since how many decades, the only American president to have not warred is called Donald Trump! Trump whom? The confessed instigator of the Sulaimānī’s murder? Yes, just him. There is little to be happy. The American leadership (and perhaps most of its citizens expressing it) lacks an ethical sense. Instead, it is all tactics, assertion of power, self-centeredness, communication control. Eventually, who has taught these “new” principles will find them turned against. Despite everything, they don’t understand, yet. Just as it happened with the story of “comrades who make mistakes” in the USSR-dominated communist world. The United States needs a democratic re-education course. Because, if once again it proposes the story of “comrades who make mistakes”, we have not to expect the next presidencies (willing and enlightened as they could be) will be able to rediscover the meaning and spirit of that Greek democracy they invoke as a civilisation guide.
Why does this article begin by recalling the attempted coup in Turkey? Just a forcing? No, because that story is exemplary. The United States of Obama and his Vice President procrastinate not a little before taking the side of democracy of its NATO ally. Immediately after (and this attitude persists), the West as a whole (and I repeat, the West as a whole) started a political battle against the Turkish institutions, trying to undermine their democratic foundations, imposing sanctions, winking at a viable “coup de théâtre”, mobilising the mass media against the “Sultan”, while a “Boss”, but a democratic one, was growing up in Washington. Here is “politically incorrect” truths that social networks do not spread because not profitable. On the other hand, if Dorsey can censor the President of the United States, why can’t he do it to anyone?
Ultimately, the events of two days ago (a farce, we have already said) had the merit of uncovering the uncertainty of the democratic stability of a country proud of its power. A mighty one, perhaps, but with feet of clay!
