His Parents Never said No

Maria Machado must be the most selfless person in all of public life... or the most wiley controller of men's minds ever.

Trump was making noises for several months - some quite infantile sounding ones - about being the most deserving candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. No-one should ever be granted such a highly esteemed award just because they made a few simple moves to put an end to a few military situations here and there, or because they utilised military power as a disincentive for war, or because they funded and backed the party in the right in a conflict. That is too easy, and it makes a mockery of the concerted efforts of other past recipients.

Along comes a situation where Trump finds a reason to intervene in Venezuela. My contention is not even remotely to criticise or to give credit to what follows from the military engagement of the US against Venezuelan drug trafficking. I know nothing but what has been on international news. I simply find it intriguing that the person with the greatest incentive of all to get onto Trump's good side, for the good of her country and the opposition party she leads, has just followed the well-known playbook of flattery and friendly favours to get good results and happy noises from Donald Trump. I think she is pushing buttons, like I thought Mark Rutte briefly tried some time last year, and hoping for a better election outcome with some American support.

But, importantly, will it work? Does Trump not have enough people around him to tell him how damned silly he looks. The appearance of a mature aged man in a highly responsible position in public life, accepting this coveted, esteemed recognition as a free gift is embarrassing just to think of. The award is for years of hard work, credit for which was given to another fully invested in the good of her country by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Does he really think possession of a golden medal is the same as doing the necessary humanitarian work and being judged worthy? The news photos seem to suggest he does think that.

As for the rest of us normal folk, we can reflect that the man is rightly depicted at times as a baby. Most of us would politely decline such an offer and regard it as reverse psychology intended to provoke embarrassment. The current Preseident of the United States, however, thinks other thoughts.