Mission Impossible President

After 738 days, the final 20 living Hamas hostages are home! And the entire world is giving America’s president the well-deserved credit for it. Furthermore, on the periphery of the celebrations around the world are the promising signs of a broader peace among most of the Arab nations and Israel. President Trump’s peace plan may be the catalyst for a positive transformation of epic proportions in the Middle East and Western Asia.

As soon as Israel became an independent nation in 1948, it was plagued by intense opposition from surrounding nations. Within hours of the British release of their claim to Israel, the nations of Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria invaded the new country, which started the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. After the war, unrest continued, constantly fomented by the Arab nations. Blockaids of Israel threatened the Jews with starvation. The Six Day War in 1967 handed devastating defeats to Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq. The Yom Kippur War of 1973 was in response to Egyptian and Syrian forces attacking Israel in the Sinai and Golan Heights. That fierce fighting lasted less than a month when the aggressors declared a cease fire. Between all these wars, Israel constantly suffered skirmishes, territorial incursions, random invasions, and terrorist strikes. The massacre of October 7, 2023, when Hamas savagely murdered 1200 civilians and kidnapped 251 Israelis crossed Israel’s red line as they vowed to destroy their enemies completely. During the two-year war, Israel was constantly attacked by missiles, rockets, and drones from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

Seventy-seven years of international hatred expressed through wide-spread anti-semitism and the continuous barrage of attacks from Arab-Islamic nations would seemingly never cease. Every U.S. president of that period–14 of them–made attemps to secure peace in the region. Only one succeeded. It took him all of ten months, during which time he also settled wars in seven other sites. Without question, President Donald Trump has the rare wisdom and skill to influence world leaders to attain peace and prosperity out of war and ruin. It is rather mysterious, but I think I know some of the reasons for his success.

There is no other head of state like President Trump. I’m not sure there ever has been. He has a passion for peace. That passion is manifested in his agressive pursuit of tranquility abroad and law and order in America. He has little tolerance or patience with bureaucracy and foot-dragging. He pushes the limits to get things done, and quickly. He dispises traditional politics and nontransparent civil dialogue. He says what he thinks and means what he says. He is a consumate risk-taker. He is not reluctant to make decisions that could backfire if there will be great reward for success. He has a wry sense of humor that often knocks his opposition off balance. It is frenquently flustering and can turn political posturing to his advantage. His behavior is unpredictible. This keeps his opponents and the world off-guard and unable to assume his response to anything. His unconventional approach to high stakes diplomacy is his strength. These personal traits, backed up by the overwhelming power of our great nation, make him one of history’s most impactful American presidents and world leaders.

With such attributes, though, come many criticisms. It is difficult not to focus on his repulsive side. Yet, his phenomenally positive policies and actions cannot be denied and have radically changed the world for the better. An honest assessment of pre-Trump versus post-Trump America has to acknowledge and celebrate his improvements in quality of life globally.

I will admit that I don’t like Donald Trump. I cringe at his egotism and borderline narcissism. I wince at his speech. I don’t even like his mannerisms. But I realize fully that his ability to elevate American life, regain America’s respect, and generally make the world a better place is dependent on his unorthodox and often offensive character. His rather eccentric personal traits are what draw other leaders to him. I have come to accept him for what he is and welcome what he is doing for my friends and family as well as my country and the entire world.

I have to challenge those who would say that, because he is not exactly a godly man, we should reject his leadership. The Bible has several examples of God using less-than-godly leaders to the advantage of His people. Sixth century BC King Cyrus of Persia was a pagan. Yet, he released the Israelites from Babylonian exile and provided them excessive supplies and protection as they returned to their promised land. Two hundred years earlier, the prophet, Isaiah, wrote that God said the future Cyrus would be “My anointed one” who would free the Hebrew captives. God used Cyrus to bless His own people. Can God not use President Trump, flaws and all, to make America great again and the world a better place?

The Trump derangement syndrome will continue, because there are radical Democrat liberals whose world view is to condemn everything Trump does. My hope is that more will begin to see beyond his personality and demeanor to the breakthroughs he is making for the betterment of all concerned. Let’s tolerate the man and joy in the results.