Next week I am bringing my 82-year ‘young’ mother to Arizona, USA to spend some time with her son, my wonderful brother. We plan to stay for a month, because we don’t know what effects the long flight (9 hours without boarding and waiting time) might have on her. In 1996 my mother lost the function of her kidneys, but luckily in 1997 she received a transplant. That kidney lasted longer than the expected average of 10-12 years and stop working two years ago, so now she is on dialyses three times a week, other than that she is healthy, mildly active and have the determination of a bull. Our trip has been planned months ago, and we have all insurances and medical arrangements in place. Mum was born in 1935 in Omdurman Sudan. But has been living in the U.K. Since 1992 and is a British citizen. We both have valid ESTA visas to enter the USA.

Last week’s news gave us a slight wobble, because the Sudan is one of the seven counties on the 90 days US Travel Ban. Thankfully, due to the UK’s relation with the current US administration and our government’s efforts dual national Brits are exempt from the current ban.

Now, if we travel all the way to Phoenix and for some reason border agency turn us back, we will no doubt be extremely disappointed. Because, that will mean no spending a month in the sun in February. For mum, that will mean no painting outdoors, or having a grand time with her beloved son taking pictures, visiting art galleries and open air art exhibitions. For me, it will mean no working by the pool on my laptop in between golfing (my brother’s backyard opens into an 18-hole golf course). There will be no practicing yoga daily or hiking in the desert (I grew up in Sudan, so I crave desert heat). It will also mean that I don’t get to see my friends, those I planned to spend a long weekend with in California or our mini reunion in Vegas and I might as well forget about that girlie spa break in Sedona. But most of all my brother and I were hoping to relive some of our childhood fun, western riding, range shooting and road trips.

Many are surprised I am not angry about this ban. I would if I was a hypocrite, but I am not. Not going or being turned back is an inconvenience and a huge disappointment I can most definitely do without, but I can’t in all honesty get angry about it.

Here’s why. I love the US. I spent my best years there and build some long and lasting friendships. It is the place where I cut my political teeth and learnt political campaigning. It’s where I learnt about democracy and understood governments are changed via the ballot box not tanks and a military Coup d’état.

America is a free country. Americans have the right to elect who they want, make the laws that suits them and secure their borders the way they see fit. These are the rights and freedoms I value and respect. I cannot therefore abandon them just because on this occasion they affected me unfavourably!

Whatever happens next week, no matter the outcome I will take it in the chin. Why? Because I am a democrat and not a hypocrite.

Despite the Brexit surprise and Trump’s unexpected victory, many are still missing the point. They are misreading the general mood and ignoring all the signs. they are not seeing that people are tired of the old politics and are hungry for change. My question is, are they missing it because they don’t yet get it. Or is it a case of wishing it away – hoping if they wished it hard enough it might just go? Sort of like when I was an Amway distributor, my mentor used to tell me “fake it until you make it”. I did, it made me feel good and to some extent, it even made me look good but clearly it didn’t work because I am not a diamond distributor.

Seems to me some folks, here and in the US, are “faking it” and hoping it might work. They are hoping that one day they wake up to find Brexit and Trump gone. They might feel good now but what next?

Listening to all the media and news outlets talk about Donald Trump believing Julian Assange over the intelligence services and I can’t help but despair at the level of self-delusion we face today.

We have two camps here. One camp, the establishment, pointing the finger at Russia and wanting so desperately to brush under the carpet this whole election. So, any chance they get to prove this outsider, who doesn’t play by the established rules, could not have been the choice of the people, they jump at it. They are busy looking for a wrong, and since they need the same people who elected Trump to elect a traditional candidate next time, they can not continue calling them stupid, ignorant, or do a Clinton by calling them deportable. But, they can say the “Commies” had a hand in his election. To most Americans Russia equals bad, because they are still the enemy. More so now as they are helping another enemy, President Assad.

Blaming Russia for the outcome of the 2016 US Election is the safest way to discredit Trump but not those who elected him. Julian Assange popping up with news that Russia did not help him leak the Clinton emails, is not what they want to hear now. It blows everything out of the water. So, what does the establishment media do? Not report on or debate what Assange admitted, but make their main focus Trump emphasising it. When all Trump is saying, look people Russia is not the offender here.

Regardless of what Trump or others think of Assange, the man is a hacker, for years it was accepted that he hacked many individuals and organisations. Then why when it comes to the Clinton emails it becomes a lie? Could it be because it does not neatly fit with the Russia involvement scenario?

The second camp is those who think Russia is the enemy, it is still too strong and must be stopped at all costs.

Think about it. The largest security services in the world, the inelegance gathering machine of the most powerful nation in the West would rather their nation is hacked by an outside government than the known master hacker! Ask yourself why is that? Why would an outgoing president openly discredit his own security and intelligence services, by admitting they failed to protect against a foreign cyber invasion? Is it honesty or something else!?

We all remember Brexit. It’s that referendum the government told us it will plunge the world into turmoil, starts wars, shuts industries and end humanity as we know it – if we dared to vote to leave the European Union. Because if we did then life as we know it will cease to exist. Remember? We are close to two months since we voted to leave, the skies are still blue and the sun still rises on the east.

On the other hand, the Arab Spring was a different affair. Wasn’t it? The same establishment and mainstream politicians were elated and impressed by the people of Arabia for finally having enough courage and gumption to stand up to tyrants that maligned and oppressed them. It began in November 2010 in Tunisia and quickly swept the Arab League from Tunisia to Bahrain. The wave of demonstrations and protests sped across the region carpeting it with civil unrest. In Tunisia, Egypt and Libya it resulted in regime change but to date only Tunisia moved to constitutional democratic governance. Libya and Syria are facing their nations’ worst civil war and turbulence in history and Egypt is right behind them.

When Donald J Trump decided to run for president of the United States, many laughed at the idea and didn’t pay it much attention. Yet, for over a year he pushed on and systematically defeated every opponent to secure the Republican nomination. From the start he was not a conventional candidate and some would say his style is somewhat outrageous. But, he kept on gaining support.

Trump is a phenomenon fuelled by the media and the Republican Party’s fear of him winning the nomination. This ‘self-fulling prophecy’ might look like it came out of nowhere, but like Brexit and the Arab Spring before it, the Trump phenomena is the result of bubbling disquiet in the grassroots and too much media sensationalism. The more the media and mainstream politicians berate him the stronger his appeal to activists became.

People of Europe and the US are not that different from Arabs or even Africans. Feelings and sentiments wise they are the same, the difference is in the manner they express these emotions.

From the start of the campaign, every week in almost every state, ordinary folks backed Trump in droves. The more the media berated him the stronger Jo Public backed him. Yet, the elite with their sophisticated polls, accomplished analysts and broadminded commentators did not see the link between his growing support and their criticism of him!

There is no doubt in my mind Trump is a clever businessman and a smooth media operator, plus his unorthodox ‘speak your mind no matter how it sounds like’ makes him unique and to some even a brave man of conviction. And here is where many went wrong with the Donald. Brave conviction politicians who speak from the heart without a polished, focus group tested, teleprompter delivered speech are extinct. When Trump gives a speech you can see his brain working, feel his heart racing and sense the passion in every word, and that is rare.

The political world might not think Trump is presidential material, but regular folks find him down to earth, relatable and funny. They are tired of unapproachable leaders who follow scripts and sound the same.

As the ordinary people’s choice, Donald J Trump might not win the 2016 US elections, but he will forever change the way America and the rest of the developed world do politics.

Absolute Brilliance!

I laughed so hard my sides still hurt.

Just Brilliant!

When I read Vogue’s editor Anna Wintour was tipped to be the next US ambassador, the first thing that came to my mind was not hooray a fashionable British born accomplished woman!

Seeing as the current US president has a history of looking down his nose at us Brits. From disrespecting a historic White House gift to gifting the former British Prime Minster something you pick up at Target …, the possibility of Obama appointing a fashion editor as the US ambassador to Britain made me wonder. What insults is disguised as a novel idea is this one going to be!?

Similar to rumours after the 2008 US election when media entrepreneur chat show host Oprah Winfrey was tipped to become the US ambassador to the UK as a thank you for her brilliant fundraising efforts, Miss Wintour is on the shortlist for donating thousands of dollars and raising hundreds of thousands for Obama’s re-election campaign and not for her diplomatic or political brilliance.

We know ambassadors are mainly errand runners between their government and their hosting country, but still a fashion editor in such an important country is a step too far for Mr Obama and that chip in his shoulders when it comes to Britain.

Mind you, these are just rumours; here’s hoping they stay just that!

Have to admit, at first I did not warm to Mrs. Clinton. First Lady Hillary Clinton was hard to like. I found her distracting and too attention seeking, like a needy kid who can never have enough and didn’t know when to quit, constantly acting out and looking for the limelight.

The Monica Lewinsky business did not help that image either. Granted Clinton was very brave and admirably stood by her man and her family, but her stone like silence although very dignified was a tad unhuman. Nonetheless, in my opinion, it is this taciturnity what made her the formidable stateswoman we see before us today.

That is why, along with many people, I was not at all surprised by her presidential bid.

However, it was stepping aside and conceding to Barack Obama that shocked me. Yes, she has put up a good fight, but clearly, as the better of the two candidates, I had hoped she will fight harder and for a little longer than she did. Well, if Obama was the first black man…., then she was the first woman, the first former first lady and equally had everything to fight for.

And although getting two Clintons for the price of one was a good bargain, at the time, it seems America was not quite ready for a Clintons’ encore! With so much stacked up against her, in hindsight she made a good choice, the brave choice. It was then that I started to see her in a different light and understand better why she is that way. It was then that I started to admire her resolve and tenacity even though we did not share the same politics.

It was clear she was going to get something out of stepping aside quietly, some expected her to go on the ticket as the Vice President, but the remarkable Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton was never going to accept playing second fiddle to Obama.

Despite being sidelined by her own party, Hilary Clinton, the 67th Secretary of State of the United States of America has proved herself as a diplomat, an ambassador to her nation and an impressive stateswoman.

That statesmanship became very evident recently in the manner by which she took full responsibility for the Benghazi terror attack that lost four American lives. When both the White House and the US, United Nations’ Ambassador tried to spin and hid the facts, Clinton came out and owned the whole situation, took full balm and saved face. Something both Barack Obama and Susan Rice were unable to do and will probably never do.

Surreal, how by each passing day and as the 2012 US Elections approaches, President Barack Obama seems more like Jimmy Carter than Bill Clinton in his presidency!

Last night’s political compromise, although a triumph for Conservatism and smaller government, it also saved the president from having to repeat the whole thing again nearer the election. Nevertheless and putting to one side everything else – the latest debates have irrevocably damaged the public’s perception of him. He looked and behaved like a reluctant sitting duck!

As someone who was never bedazzled by the Obama project, the President’s charm and oratory – and since I was always suspicious that this president was never equipped for the task of Commander in Chief in the good the times let alone in such serious times, I’m not at all surprised. The bad news, it turned out I was right but the good news now many more see the true Barack Obama.

My fellow Conservatives, the Republicans and the members of the Tea Party Movement now have a great opportunity to win back the White House in 2012 – win is the operative word here. Unlike most elections this is not one for Obama to lose – he already did – but for the Conservatives to win! They need to applaud and build on their recent successes, come together, not allow the left to divide them – and fight united as one!

Today’s winner is the U.K – U.S relationship – which finally settled on some classification and depending on different views it has either been promoted or demoted from “special” to “essential”. The first is obvious; it was born of years of unique understanding and cooperation; it was built on warmth and affection as with Reagan and Thatcher in the 1980s and a couple of decades later between Blair and Bush. Essential on the other hand, although necessary feels rather basic, cold and measured – could be vital and indispensable but it’s still a relationship build on need as oppose to want. However, with the current administration I suspect most things British will be reminiscent of Mau Mau and build on necessity.

The Telegraph’s article on the rising rate of caesarean birth makes them a loser for hinting “assuming” that middle class women would rather not push for vanity reasons – clearly the piece was researched, written and edited by men who their only birthing experience involved cheerleading and cutting the umbilical cord before proudly sprinting out to pass out cigars – that’s if they didn’t like my “attention seeking” ex husband pass out during…..!

After reaching their fixed ceiling of $14.3 trillion dollars, the U.S. debt management is today in crisis. Nonetheless, President Barack Obama wants the current limit to be increased further so he can continue to spend. This weekend in an attempt to scare and shame Congress into approving further lifting the limit, he said in a town hall meeting: “If investors around the world thought that the full faith and credit of the United States was not being backed up, if they thought that we might renege on our IOU’s, it could unravel the entire financial system.”

However, in 2006, the same Barack Obama voted against similar proposal to raise government debt ceiling and explained it by saying: “the fact that we’re here today to debate raising America’s debt is a sign of leadership failure” then went on to say “by raising the debt ceiling, the government is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren.”

Fast forward five years to 2011 and he is now pushing for increasing the ceiling – therefore shifting the burden and laying it on the back of the future generations!

Allowing the U.S. to default is extremely irresponsible but it will be even more reckless to raise the debt ceiling without at least, at the same time putting in place the appropriate steps to reduce and curb government spending.

From where I’m standing Mr. Obama can either carry on spending other people’s money or do the “right” thing and tighten his belt!

……. there will be no need for government!

Watch Sarah Palin’s moving and measured response to the tragic events of Arizona. Quoting my favourite politician of all times the late great President Regan – We must reject the idea that every time a law is broken society is guilty rather than the law breaker, it’s time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions. Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own they start and end with the criminal that commits them!