President Trump’s
appointment of Nikki Haley to the position of United Nations ambassador in his
new administration proved to be another eyebrow-raiser among pundits across the
nation. Yet it can be argued that this may be another Trumpian maneuver designed
to provide a false sense of security to the country’s rivals and enemies. It
may also serve to placate opposition forces at home as well as give Trump
enormous leverage in taking preemptive action against subversives both foreign
and domestic.
Nimrata Randhawa is the daughter
of Indian Sikh immigrants, a graduate of Clemson University with a BA in
accounting. Her marriage to Michael Haley complemented her Anglicized nickname in
becoming Nikki Haley. She became one of six Asian governors in the United
States upon her election in South Carolina. Though she was a vocal opponent of
Donald Trump during the election, she is a pro-life advocate and a supporter of
immigration reform.
Although South Carolina
was a Confederate state, its antebellum demographics changed over two
centuries. It is estimated to have a seventy percent white population, the
majority being Southern Baptists. The remaining third of the state is largely
comprised of blacks, most of whom belong to the African Methodist Episcopal
Church. The economic downturn of the 21st century had a major
impact, and the state supreme court ruled that South Carolina was failing to provide
minimally adequate education. It was also ranked as thirty-third out of the
fifty states for quality of health care. It is also of interest to note that the
Palmetto State was once considered a bastion of the Ku Klux Klan in the
previous century.
Haley’s rise as a default
political leader was facilitated by weak opposition from state Representative
Larry Koon in 2004 and Governor Vincent Sheheen. She found support from Sarah
Palin and Mitt Romney, both of whom had collapsed before Barack Obama’s
campaigns in 2008 and 2012 respectively. There was also support from the
estranged wife of the ex-governor, Jenny Sanford. Power vacuums are
characteristic of sociological paradigms predicating weak leadership. One
considers the admonitions of the apostle Paul, who considered outspoken women
in the congregation as ‘shameful’. Scholars note that it is not based on
misogyny; rather, the lack of male leadership prompting a female to rise to the
occasion out of necessity.
Haley took a stand against
Trump during the election, citing his seemingly extremist stance against
immigration as well as his failure to denounce support from the KKK. Trump
fired back with remarks about her weak position against illegal immigration. Yet
it appeared as a sitzkrieg between
Republicans divided by what was proving to be an internecine war of attrition.
Trump’s extension of an olive branch was surprising but not as stunning as his
overtures towards Mitt Romney after winning the election.
The immediate benefit to
the fledgling administration is the inclusion of an Asian female to the ranks. Haley’s
comely looks and Southern accent make this far less sensational than it may
seem. It is also of note that Haley has characteristically downplayed her race
and gender, focusing instead on her resolve and integrity. Breaking racial
barriers has been a necessity along her journey through Southern politics. Only
the race card may prove a vital asset along the next leg of her sojourn.
The geopolitical nature
of international relations in the 21st century makes this an essential
factor. Although Sikhs and Muslims are as different as Catholics and
Protestants, they share common ground in the polemics against European Christianity.
There has only been one white Christian holding the office of UN Secretary
General since 1961. It reflects the changing of the guard in world politics,
where Third World nations are growing more powerful and homogenous in their
unity. Having someone like Haley representing Trump before these multinational
emissaries will have obvious benefits.
The shock waves rippling
across America has had a delayed effect on the global community. The military
presence of the Obama regime around the world as well as its impact on
international terrorism have left the nations in bewilderment. Many expected a
black leftist Muslim president to have withdrawn from the Middle East and to
have sought peace with ISIS and Al Qaeda. The increase in deportations of
aliens from the USA proved to be even more perplexing.
Only now the ascendancy
of Trump to the presidency has come with a sharp curtailing of his campaign
rhetoric. He calls for unity among all Americans regardless of race, color or
creed. The sloganeering of ‘making America great again’ comes as general relief
to the world community. For everyone knows that the USA has provided artificial
providence to most of the planet over two centuries. It gives financial support
to its enemies, military protection to its allies and agricultural relief to
countries on the other side of the Earth. This has ultimately resulted in a ten
trillion dollar debt that threatens to collapse an already weakened Goliath. If
this return to grassroots principles transforms America into an Antaeus, how
can the world help but be a better place?
No competitor ever wants
to stand against an omnipotent foe, and this is where Haley’s ‘weaknesses’ will
become her assets. Despite the world community’s call for inclusivity and
diversity, many Third World nations are decidedly chauvinistic in nature. A
major Trump criticism of the Clinton Foundation was its acceptance of millions
of dollars in contributions from Muslim nations where women are treated as
second-class citizens at best. Delegates from such countries will be naturally
inclined to think that Haley, as Trump’s advocate, is a subliminal indication
of the magnate’s weakness. They would hardly suspect that the opposite may be
true.
In an increasingly Muslim
European Union, Haley’s appointment will be seen as a major concession. The
influx of refugees from the Middle East is rapidly changing the constituency of
the continent. The desperate need to assimilate is causing extreme reactions,
from white nationalism to radical Muslim activism in every country. Many
nations have elected female leaders and Muslim politicians in attempts to restore
equilibrium. Seeing a mirror image in an American UN delegate will reassure the
EU that things are the same all over, yet not as bad as they seem.
Alternately, the United
Kingdom’s ‘brexit’ reflects accelerated effects beyond those seen on the
Continent. In a desperate attempt to rediscover their national identity, they
have isolated themselves though finding their ties with the US as a stabling influence.
They will look past Haley in seeking assurance in Trump, just as the Moral
Majority throughout America. They overlook what he is doing in expectation of
what he promised to do. And so the Anglo-American alliance waits and prays.
