Asked trumps last days in office lame duck, all raging bull. Well, thanks very much. Indeed for joining us. My guests here in the studio, our susannah Foreign Correspondent for spiegel magazine, who says trump us had a devastating impact on americas standing as a reliable global leader. The old america no longer exists. Also with us, eric from a freelance journalist who writes for the l. A. Times and says, trumps power is fading by the day, but his failure to ensure a smooth transition to biden has become a real threat to National Security and a very warm welcome to 2 elephants all in a job to a german, iranian political scientist with the Afro Middle East Center in johannesburg. And ali out here is that overt military advice, sure isnt against abraded interests, may prove too costly, even for donald trump covert operations like planes. Thank you all 3 for being here today. 1st question. Eric Donald Trumps former National Security advisor. John bolton says the big question is how much damage can still do before the january the 20th inauguration. And you think he might do quite a bit of damage, though the biggest threat to National Security was not giving bidens team the secret. The intelligence reports that need to be given to the new president and not cooperating with the new team thats. Thats a risk here in this interim period of the incoming president not being up to speed. This is a big obama did for trump. This is something that bush did for obama. Its something its always done in america. Weve never seen a situation like this where the president is not cooperating with the incoming team. Thats hopefully going to be changing. Weve seen some small developments this week and hopefully that will get better. Thats the big problem for National Security on a what do you say on that question about the threat to National Security . Threat of National Security is most likely is most damage to 2 countries where the americans have a have a big leverage and a huge impact. Like, for instance, in afghanistan, like for instance, i heard, he still tries to convince pakistan to give up their resistance against israel. So he still does whatever he can, his heritage, that biden has to deal with it. But i think hes also, i mean, you know, trying to address 2 constituent or 2 circles of friends or supporters. One is the regional allies of trump, israel saudi arabia, most notably, who fear the, with the biden presidency, there might be another iran policy and which would, you know, tremendously decrease the pressure on iran. So theyre trying to figure something out to do in this interim period. Another one is appealing to a social constituency in the United States. And when it comes to the troop withdrawal enough on a son so that this is going to going to go down well with them. So, but at the end of day were going to see which, which of those developments going to materialize or not. His promises voters, hes going to bring the soldiers back home. Hes going to end these endless wars. And hes wanted to do more afghanistan all along. He had to fire his last defense minister a week or 2 ago who didnt want to withdraw the troops. And this is something that trump supporters, while this is something a lot of American Veterans wat. I think 20000000 americans have served in these last words the last 2 decades and theres a strong sentiment. Hate we lost, theres no point. Lets get out of there. Just tell me again about the perspective of the people of iran, if you can, can you generalise about, you know, which direction they lean in biden or trump . Well, this is a, you know, that there is a controversy in iran. I think. I mean, of course, i mean, i dont have a doesnt have any kind of fans of supporters among iranians because of its anti democratic credentials. So people are, you know, are not, do not have any illusions that is a kind of democratic president that can rely upon and pin their hopes on. But there is a controversy among iranians. You know, one side says that actually the action of prussia strategy with the economic sanctions on the regime has been quite important because it has been weakening the regime. So this is something that, you know, a lot of iranians are critical of the regime would welcome on the other hand, and in this wake actually they, they fear that biden, for an appeal meant policy on iran when sanctions would be eased and cash would return to the, to the leadership in iran. On the other hand, there are others who argue that state Society Power relations have developed negatively. Because with the sanctions also, Civil Society is actually weakened and i think this controversy is going to continue. You have to feverish, really writing down, you know, i mean, when it comes to iran, obviously, i mean the people of iraq, they dont, they dont mind the situation theyre living in. It will be changed by uprise or by negotiations or anything. They need to have something changed in their country, and theyre absolutely there. You know, its that they need something changed in this is many parts of the world. So what role can america ploy in this . What is, what is going to change with joe biden . And his no newly announced team coming into office has signals that he wants to reopen the return to the deal. Who knows his election coming up in iran. But one thing i liked about iran thats important to forget is hizbollah for 4 years ago was a real problem. Hizbollah has been starved of resources because of the sanctions. The sanctions that are popular among ordinary iranians are also reducing terrorism. The threat of terrorism, thanks to what trump did there. Thats one of the f. X. Actually really, i mean lets, lets, lets be fair. Also has a problem because you have a crisis in live on, which actually brought everything, everything down and also hizbullah. And they are just a part of that society. Suddenly the resources are cut. Iran doesnt have the money to be to be active everywhere there in yemen, theyre even in syria. They are in lebanon. But at the end of the day, its a combination of a couple of things. Didnt work out 100 percent, and i wouldnt, i wouldnt like to say that. Ok, lets just rewind for a moment to the incumbent. President s of the United States of america is still donald trump, but it seems that he is slowly accepting that he cant stay in the white house indefinitely. So the question is, will it be by the front door by the back door of the tea leaves and will it be with a bang, or donald trump as halfheartedly and indirectly admitted defeat on twitter for weeks after the election. The incumbent president remains in the judicial the Election Results success hardly completing mandatory tasks, such as the virtual g 20 summit. After a while he cut the signal to play golf. He seems to be spending more time at the golf course. And one of his few public appearances seemed somewhat inspired. That even his personal broadcaster, fox news broadcast, it is getting lonely for the most powerful man in the world. Does donald trump give it up . Still is the question, has he given up and hes got another couple of weeks to work with. What should we expect from those couple of weeks . I mean, he said that he looked at the g. 20 very washed out. But we have, we have the impression that he still has a lot of sort of dog. Well, i mean, hes certainly struggling, as someone, as i alluded to earlier, who doesnt believe that really and Democratic Institutions and processes. So he has had a tough time. And you know, i think he is, you know, trying to prepare or to satisfy his supporters domestically and internationally. Some of the moves that we have talking about. But we have to see whether all those moves going to materialize. And this is also probably an if you have as you know, problem or eventually or probable or unlikely whatever. Rerun in 2024. So to keep the support of regional allies and also to keep, keep, keep the support of the social constituencies that he has in the country. When you talk about moves being made, youre talking, i assume about diplomacy. And im just wondering, just how did you see you indicated to the top of the show in your statement that the old america is no longer the america . That was there is a different america. Now. Are you talking there about diplomacy . America lost its, i think its america, america has 1st fog, lost its credibility. People dont know what to expect from this american and anger. And secondly, it suddenly left a mark which will go on noticed for the, for the next years, a decade. So he has really changed the face of america, and america has changed its focus. I mean, the middle east and europe is not, is not their 1st priority any longer. So this has begun already. Its intentional. I know. Yes, it has. Yeah. So, so, so that in the pacific area is a region is actually, they are there now, and we have to live with the repercussions and trump was just an extreme and extreme way. Toot toot toot. To present this to us. And joe boyd says, america is back to get the confidence from, well, i would be, is gloomy and depressed as the others here. I mean, i think the United States is a leader will be a leader. And i think thats one of the reasons biden wanted to run for president. He wanted to help restore the United States tradition, the reputation as being a leader, and he likes working with alliances. He likes working with partners. He gave a very important speech last year at the munich security conference, talking about alliances. I think biden will be a lot like previous american republican and democratic president s, i think trump will be the aberration when we look back at this period in history. Diplomacy is back, so its definitely, i mean, look at his choice for foreign secretary of state. I mean, this is somebody who works, whos lived a lot of his life in europe and is and realizes the importance of him really realize the values of these relations and alliances and biden says himself, the United States is stronger with his partners. Is a new to a new sound, a new tone coming from washington. I think the last 4 years of hardened. A lot of people in europe, they think horrible things about their states, but it worked in the institutions work, democracy worked and now we have a new president. After 4 years of the whole job, a major rebuilding job has just begun. Its already underway, toronto, do you buy into it . Well, i mean, as much as, you know, trump tried to revive its reverse everything obama did biden is going to do the same when it comes to trounce policies. Yet were not going to see a sea change on all conceivable levels, some of the things that were preceding him, the, you know, the disagreements over the role of European Partners and nato. The issue with china and also i mean, biden, its true that biden has decades of you know, experience in the Foreign Policy establishment, but realities in the ground in middle east have true, dramatically changed since a decade ago. We have entered a process where, you know, some people call it a long term revolutionary process, where theres a lot of, you know, dissatisfaction uprisings all over the place. So this is, there is changing realities on the ground. And there are probably also different expectations from the United States. So the challenges are extreme, but surely he can mend transatlantic relations. There is also an appetite for that here in europe. Ok when you talk about change on the ground, the part of the world were talking about is the one that goes from the middle east through iran, right over to afghanistan. Donald trump has had quite an impact that lets have a look at what, where things stand for the time being. And then well talk more about those revolutionary pushes. Afghanistan and iraq. The old president is creating facts before the new one is sworn in truck withdrawn 2000, u. S. Soldiers from hindu alone by mid january outraged because without american air support, their deployments on the ground could become suicide missions. The taliban could regain power, and afghanistan could once again become a haven of terror. But trumps policies have many supporters in the rich countries of the middle east. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have established diplomatic relations with israel, with the help of u. S. Mediation. Saudi arabia may be the next to do so. The palestinians and their interests, however, have been completely ignored by the trial. Hostility towards iran is legendary. After he terminated the iran nuclear deal, sanctions and threats against tehran followed, even an air strike on iran under trumped, cannot be ruled out, will transform policy become a Security Risk in the final days of his term in office. Is there a biden doctrine . As far as i can see, there is a doctrine that he wants to to heal the wounds that trump has created. The doctrine is certainly to to reunite with the allies. But the u. S. Is not an interesting country. Its a country driven by and trysts. So finally, what we see is a nice or a nice approach, good intentions, good intentions. Tensions are back in times are back, which is a good thing, which is a great thing. And at the same time, the interests will stay the same. I mean, theres much more room for negotiations now, which is wonderful. And people who know their job and know have their expertise busy having a party to be heard, which has not been the case in the last 4 years, only rarely has been the case. So i think thats definitely true, but it would be, well see, is not the america we have seen 5 years ago, which we have known 5 years ago and under obamas america, you know, tell me about the mood, the mood on the streets in iran and how do you know this diplomatic, this new would be new diplomatic approach on the high and the people down on the streets getting more more angry and impoverished in iran. How do together . I mean, i think, i mean 1st of all is a point to point out how the iranian leadership also thinks about this question of been fearing the ramifications of transmission of maximum pressure strategy because of the economic you know, comic sanctions that were quite onerous on the regime answer is that there was a lot of hopes pinned on the biden administration. So from the leadership side, its quite clear from, from the societal level as of there are different estimations on, on the benefits of sanctions and, and some sections might be in favor of sanctions. But there are other important sections in sections of the population in iran who fear the, you know, the ramifications of economic sanctions on the general population, but beas be it as it may, the general feeling for a few years. Now, at least in iran, is that they identify the policies of their own governments to be the most important factor in their own fate for their own if is the sort of so. So foreign forces, although they havent very important impact upon iran beats by action or by in action be its the United States or europe will have a continuing impact. But there are no more, lets say there are no more illusions that there is a foreign savior. Although the domestic situation in iran that is also not really, you know, filled with hope, pushes some people to think about a foreign savior. But i think also trump didnt prove to be, you know, aiding iranian democracy. Yeah. So the administration is promising sake of a radically different approach. I just want to thank you know, Something Like the american assurance that recognition of jerusalem as thing as the capital of israel is not the kind of policy that joe biden might reverse. Where, where we expect to reverse is no, i dont think america will change a policy with the cap, with the embassy in jerusalem and the recognition of the capital and trying to hugely popular in israel. Hes been very pro israel from the beginning as we, as we saw him. Other thing hes done in the middle east, its important. Its also written about in the u. S. Presence is the, the, the peace with u. A. E. And possibly saudi arabia. This is something thats getting, a lot of attention or got a lot of attention. The u. S. , also from from liberal columnists who are praising trump, saying in other times hed be nominated for the nobel peace prize. And i know in germany, trump is not that popular, and i was really interested to see the media hardly wrote about that, but there were quite a few liberal journalists who were generals. Well, yeah, but i mean, in germany, if that had been obama, it would have had a lot different story, i think. So you see how unfair sometimes the media is towards trump, especially in europe. And that was a pretty big, important breakthrough. And i think thats something a legacy that will trump will be remembered for the breakthrough with u. A. E. And saudi arabia. I would be actually more cautious because what actually happened under trumps watch is an official izing of some of them that americas policies and realities in the region that were there. You know, so there was cooperation between all those states, you know, more covertly than overtly and now it is official ised plus the fact that none of those regimes are, you know, democratic there are, you know, very authoritarian regimes. And they, by no account can, you know, represent the arab populations and their aspirations in the region so, so this is, you know, this is not a positive development, per se, that there is now a peace deal between bad. I mean, saudi arabia, the u. A. E. And israel, this is not something you know, that is going to lead necessarily to a positive development for the region and also 2 positive outcomes for the populations of the region. So there is a lot of, you know, euphoria about what was happening, although i think its much of value for us. Misleading is also not the end of the story. I would say, i mean for instance, i mean you, you can, you can befriend the u. A. E. About at the end of the day, the problem is not solved with the palestinians. So you cannot ignore the meeting, put into that through the history books as they have solved. No, its not solved. I mean the palestinian issue is still there. Its considered as failed. Now. I mean, you have huge frustration in the palestinian communities and just look to jordan for instance. I mean they take, they, they have taken like millions of palestinians. And where shall they go . Actually, they just, they just leave the problem in the region and give it back