The days to the American Presidential election are shortening and there seems a chance that Donald Trump might just inch over the line - and be the next US president. Perhaps a time to reflect and imagine what sort of country America could become if he actually put in place some of the crazy things his stump speeches have promised.
We actually have just such a scenario playing out in real time in the Philippines. A man named Rodrigo Duterte stood for election on a rather similar platform to Donald Trump. Amongst other extreme policies he promised to rid the country of the drug scourge. He intended to ignore the law and threatened to fill Manila Bay with the rotting bodies of drug dealers.
It was wild talk - and the voters loved it ! Duterte was seventy-one years old and had form as the Mayor of the city of Davao. He was a refreshing change from conventional politicians and he shot up the opinion polls as the voting day drew near.- and won handsomely when the votes were counted.
"True to his word, the day he stepped into office he declared "open season "on drug pushers and drug users. The cops responded enthusiastically - and the body count mounted. There were no investigations or coroners reports and law in the Philippines simply ceased to exist. The door was wide open for all kinds of extra judicious killings and grudges were being settled and the underworld sorting out rivals to consolidate home turf.
The problem is that Duterte now has a situation out of control and he is powerless to stop it - even if he wanted to. More to the point, he is being threatened by the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) of which the Philippines is a signatory. If he steps out of the country he may be arrested and put on trial in the Hague.
At least this is a reminder that presidents do have limits on their powers, although in the case of America that is tempered by its incredible military power - and Trump has not suggested extra judicial killings to solve the drug problem. What he has suggested is a withdrawal from the security alliances America has with many other world countries - and that includes Australia.
Hopefully, this is just rhetoric that may ginger up those sheltering under the American nuclear umbrella and convince them to increase their own defence budgets, but should Trump gain the presidency and put that threat into practice the consequences could be catastrophic.
We have an expansionist Russia and a growing belligerence in China's claim for the South China sea. Both would greet what they would see as an American withdrawal with pleasure and assert their claims. It is almost inevitable that in such circumstances South Korea would seek its own nuclear deterrent and there would be a similar reaction from Communist Vietnam. Such a policy would certainly bring to an end our protection under ANZUS.
No doubt a lot of world countries will be just as avidly watching the votes being counted in this American election - as the voters making the decision on who will sit in the oval office !
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