Bullies Need Not Apply

“And one of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, well, sir, if we don't pay and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, you didn't pay. You're delinquent. He said, yes, let's say that happened. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.” Donald Trump 10 February 2024

               “Mr. Robinson, would you come up to school this afternoon. We need to talk to you about an incident concerning your son.”

               My heart rate picked up, as would any parent. I agreed to their request and shut down my computer and arranged with my commander to leave work early. I was stationed in San Antonio at the time and my son was a junior in High School. I drove over to McArthur High School with a growing sense of dread. Sitting down with the assistant principal in charge of discipline, I found out that my son had been involved in an altercation on the bus. As the details unfolded, I relaxed. My son had stepped in between a bully and his victim. Though there was some shoving and yelling, his boldness had defused the situation. Though the principal appreciated what my son had done, school policy nonetheless required some level of discipline. I told the principal that he should do what he felt necessary; however, I would take no action to discipline my son, since I felt that he’d done the right thing. I tried to teach my children to stand up for weaker individuals, even at some personal cost. I was, and remain, proud of my son for his actions protecting a weaker person from a predatory bully.

Bully Definition: Noun, a blustering, browbeating person especially : one who is habitually cruel, insulting, or threatening to others who are weaker, smaller, or in some way vulnerable. Marriam-Webster Dictionary

               Sadly, recent remarks by Donald Trump reveal a personal nature given to bullying. During his speech in South Carolina on 10 February of this year, he spoke of threatening another NATO ally by refusing to come to their aid if attacked by Russia for not living up to his perception of their fiscal responsibilities in regards to the rules of the NATO treaty. Aside from his fundamental misunderstanding of how the treaty works, he used the threat of violence to intimidate another country, “I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want,” referring to Putin and Russia.

               It seems to me that such remarks, designed to bully, show that Mr. Trump is fundamentally unsuited to hold high office. Our country needs a leader who knows how to encourage cooperation and trust among allies. No one trusts a bully whether an individual or a collective group such as a nation. While such language might stroke our national ego, making us feel strong and powerful, it clearly displays our inability to bring others over to our ideals.

In our political system we enjoy the privilege of choosing our leaders, and our choice says much about who we are, what we believe, and what is important to us. We must carefully consider what kind of person we want to represent us. These considerations transcend policy issues as many others participate in the policy generation process. Choosing a leader devoted to the tactic of bullying says that we as a nation believe in and support bullying as an acceptable tactic to get the things that we want. We must carefully weigh the ramifications, local, national, and international, of such a choice. Instead of generating and strengthening international bonds, such language, reminiscent of the mob, serves to separate and destroy trust. In the modern complex and interconnected world, we must work to build trust and cooperation.

During twenty-seven years of service in the U.S. Army, I spent over eight of it stationed in Germany. While assigned to U.S. Army South (USARSO) for over three years, I worked in a variety of countries in South America. In multiple deployments to Iraq, I worked with various allies and their contingents, some large and well known and other smaller and less prestigious. In every instance, we needed the help and cooperation of our allies. We could not complete the mission without the soldiers, equipment, and expertise they brought to the table. I count myself privileged to have served with so many fine men and women. During my time of service, the Soviet Union collapsed; consequently, I found myself in the interesting position of working with soldiers I formerly glared at across the divide of the “Iron Curtain.” We enjoyed swapping stories as we quaffed a beer or two after duty hours. I must say that I’m glad that history unfolded without us going at each other hammer and tongs as they say. All this to say, that I enjoyed extensive experience working with numerous allies in a variety of situations, to include armed conflict. In our complex international world, we need each other.

Of course, the leaders of other nations make decisions that forward their own interests; however, we must cooperate with each other. This involves significant give and take. A bully has no place in such convoluted and sensitive operations. Threatening and browbeating will only antagonize and isolate us from others that we very much need. NATO serves an important purpose. When we invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq, we did so as part of a large international coalition. Our Command Post in CJTF-7 included operations officers from all our NATO partners. We worked together to coordinate operations, enjoying the successes of our labors and occasionally mourning together at our losses. We needed one another and learned to shoulder a combined burden. Using threats to bend others to our will destroys the trust to engage in such operations, often fraught with peril. We should not choose a leader who embraces such indefensible tactics. They do not represent tough negotiating. They represent thuggery. They do not represent our best selves and should not find welcome in any public office.