Ryan Bridge: Diplomacy’s gone to the dogs

Remember it was only a month ago Trump was parading around an Alaskan Air Force base, talking up peace for Ukraine. Within weeks, Putin sends 800 drones across the border - the biggest attack of the war so far. He’s targeted EU and British government buildings in Kyiv. He’s now entered NATO airspace. The fighter jets were scrambled. The alarm bells rang in Brussels.  Does any of this sound like progress? Does any of this sound like diplomacy is doing a god damn thing to stop regular folk being slaughtered in the crossfire? No, of course not. Meanwhile Netanyahu’s firing missiles into Doha.  And who was he aiming for? The Hamas lead negotiator. The same guy who, as recently as last week, was being given ceasefire details from the Americans via the Egyptians and Qataris.   If you really want peace, you don’t fire missiles at the guy you’re negotiating with. Now if you’re Hamas, what are you going to do now the place you thought was safe to have talks no longer feels safe? Some in Hamas believe the whole thing was a set-up, according to the BBC.  The American ceasefire proposal was all a trick to get them in one place at time, then bang. Bomb them. Blow them up.  Can’t blame them for thinking that.  It doesn’t matter where you look, which continent, which war, diplomacy is not working.  The Americans look weak. Trump looks weak. Netanyahu’s taking him for a ride. Putin couldn’t care less. And one guy in the world sitting back watching, smiling, biding his time, and growing a military empire is Xi Jinping of China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.