A country needs good allies, some friendly countries and many trade partners.
A country cannot run its allies or control their governments. It can try to influence them, and work to common standards. I think the USA is a strong enough democracy to sort out the concerns about the temporary travel ban. It has already been modified following court and political action. The Vice President himself called the original version unconstitutional.
It is not feasible for a country to provide a permanent running commentary on all the decisions and views of all its allies and certainly not of all its trading partners. There are many features of undemocratic regimes we do not like, yet we carry on trading with them. Some of us did not like the USA’s use of Guantanamo Bay for detention without charge or trial, but we kept our stance as an ally of Mr Obama’s USA. A UK company has recently signed a contract to supply arms to Turkey, a NATO ally. Are we happy with all Turkey’s policies? The EU has been helping Turkey build frontier walls . Are we content with that? That after all is being done our money and in our name as an EU member.
Today many say we have to take a further view on Mr Trump’s policies. What do you think the UK should say and do?
Follow this news feed: John Redwood MP