QED quid pro quo

US Ambassador to the European Union confirmed to the House of Representatives under oath today that he was acting on instructions from President Trump with the knowledge of the National Security Council and the State Department in demanding that Ukraine initiate investigations of former Vice President Biden and his son in exchange for already appropriated military aid. This is corrupt abuse of power: using US government assets to extort and bribe a foreign sovereign into providing assistance to President Trump’s re-election efforts.

Or more simply: it proves that President Trump ordered Sondland to pursue a corrupt purpose.

That this behavior is impeachable is beyond doubt. It is precisely the kind of behavior the US Constitution envisages as justifying not only investigation but also impeachment, followed by trial in the Senate.

There’s the rub. The Senate would have to vote by a two-thirds majority to remove Trump from office. There is no sign yet that the 20 Republicans needed to vote against him are likely to be available.

Any normal president would be chastened by today’s testimony and the impeachment that will follow, even if he were confident of winning the vote in the Senate. That won’t be Trump’s reaction. He will unleash a torrent of attacks against witnesses (especially those who are women), Democrats, and the world for treating him worse than has ever been treated before. This hyperbole feeds Fox News commentary and mobilizes his base, which not only believes what he says but is deaf to factual refutation.

Only when the country starts turning against Trump will the Senate Republicans find their courage. If they conclude they are going down with him, they will shift towards approving his removal from office. There is no evidence yet of that. The White House is doing everything it can to ensure that the shift doesn’t begin, because once it does they fear an avalanche. Senators are being threatened with primary fights and cajoled with every means available.

Meanwhile the nation’s foreign policy is mostly on neglectful autopilot, which may be the best we can hope for. There are no signs of real movement toward US objectives in North Korea, Venezuela, or Iran, all Trump Administration priorities. Russian military operations contrary to US interests continue in Ukraine and in Syria. The trade war with China continues to slow world and US economic growth.

Only on Israel has the Administration moved the ball lately, in the wrong direction: Secretary Pompeo has reversed US policy on West Bank settlements, claiming they are not inconsistent with international law. That is patent nonsense intended to feed another bone to Trump’s evangelical supporters, who like Greater Israel. The Administration has in practice abandoned the two-state solution, setting up the Palestinians either to struggle to restore or to claim equal rights within Greater Israel, where they would constitute a majority. No one who supports Israel should want either of those things to happen.