Unstable Alliances Quotes
While the point he is making has validity, his examples are reversed. In the two instances he cited, both were friends who then became enemies and terrorists, not the reverse as he claimed. There are examples of the other way around. For Americans, the best example is the Civil War where there were many examples of Southern terrorism, where the terrorists became leading citizens of the Union. America has a strong friendship with Ireland, which supported terrorism for centuries. In some cases, the terrorists change and reform; in others, our standards change and reform.
In contrast to Trump, most political leaders engender loyality via their exemplary and admirable personal qualities and character and/or via a shared philosophy or ideology. Their loyalty tends to transcend proagmatics and the utility of the moment.
