Col. Douglas MacGregor dismisses Pakistan's mediation role in West Asia, citing a lack of trust from Israel. He also criticises the West's portrayal of China and Russia and calls President Trump's leadership 'confused' and 'theatre of the absurd'.
'Pakistan's Mediation Bid Will Lead Nowhere'
Geopolitical risk advisor Colonel Douglas MacGregor (Retd) dismissed Pakistan's bid to act as a mediator in the ongoing conflict in West Asia, asserting that Islamabad's efforts will not lead to "anywhere". Speaking in an interview with ANI, MacGregor questioned Pakistan's credibility as a diplomatic intermediary in the volatile confrontation that has drawn in the United States, Israel and Iran, underscoring deep scepticism about Islamabad's ability to act as a neutral broker. "I don't think it's going to lead anywhere. Again, the Israelis don't trust anything that comes out of Pakistan. Why should they? The Pakis have promised to nuke them. What a great strategic partner," Col. MacGregor said.
'West Fails to Understand China, Russia'
He also reflected on the broader failures he sees in Western strategic thinking, contending that countries like China and Russia are unfairly portrayed as adversarial despite their interest in global stability and prosperity. "I think the Chinese were serious. I think they tried to offer some means of mediation. And there is a complete failure in the West to understand anything Russia or China does is considered evil, demonic. It's not. They are just as concerned as you and I and millions of other people all over the world about business, about the economy, about stability and prosperity," he stated.
'US President Has Lost the Plot'
MacGregor further stated that the current US leadership, under President Donald Trump, is "confused" and indulging in what he termed "the theatre of the absurd" with threatening rhetoric about bombing and military engagement against Iran that, he argued, makes the United States look like "clowns". "We've got a president that has just lost the plot. He's confused. And I think he's now enamoured of his position as commander-in-chief, and that's why he makes these outrageous statements about bombing somebody in the Stone Age," the advisor said.
"This kind of talk, it's not just impolite and ill-advised. It's the theatre of the absurd. Makes us look like clowns," he added.
Trump Vows to Hit Iran 'Extremely Hard'
His remakrs comes after Trump, during his address to the nation, stated that Iran would be hit so hard that it would go "back to the Stone Age". He warned that Iran could face severe military action in the coming weeks amid the ongoing conflict in the region, stating that Washington's action against the Islamic Republic is "on the cusp" of ending what he described as Tehran's "sinister threat" to the US and the world.
Delivering his address, the US President said that Iran would be hit "extremely hard" amid ongoing diplomatic talks between the two sides in order to sign a deal to end the conflict, which has been going on for over a month. "We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing," the US President said. "Tonight, every American can look forward to a day when we are finally free from the wickedness of Iranian aggression and the spectre of nuclear blackmail. Because of the actions we have taken, we are on the cusp of ending Iran's sinister threat to America and the world," he added.
(ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)