A story that got very little press occurred this week regarding India and Pakistan. It was overshadowed by the Mueller testimony, budget bill and the presidential seal issue, but it was a major faux pas and harmed relations with India, an important ally.
In a HuffPost article by Mary Papenfuss called “India Calls Out Trump Lie That He Was Asked To Mediate Kashmir Conflict,” she spells out what happened.
“President Donald Trump spun a tale in front of reporters Monday that he was personally asked by India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, to mediate the Kashmir conflict with Pakistan.Trump raised the issue during a meeting with Pakistan’s prime minister, Imran Khan, in the White House while reporters listened.
‘No such request has been made’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the U.S. president, said a spokesman for India’s government, despite what Trump claimed.” It should be noted, the White House would not confirm what Trump said, even before the India PM’s denial.
I caught the tail end of an interview with a US based expert on India on NPR Thursday. He said this was a “damn lie” by Trump as it could not have been close to being accurate. Kashmir is a hotly debated area between the two countries of India and Pakistan for decades. The conflict almost turned into a war only in the past few months. So, it is a powederkeg issue and Trump should have known better than to state such an untruth.
The expert (whose name I did not catch) added that Modi is a nationalist, so he would not seek outside help from a US president or anyone to resolve an issue like this. The fact the White House would not confirm it and India denied it within one hour is very telling.
Quite simply, this is as good a microcosm as any of the modus operandi of Donald J. Trump. It is also indicative of why he is so dangerous to our country and planet. It has been written by multiple sources that he does not take the time to study issues. His briefings have to be made extremely short because of his short attention span and disdain for history and being lectured. He has touted he does not need to know the details, as he has such an incredible gut instinct.
The truth is it does matter. Facts matter. History matters. Knowing what not to say matters. A few well-researched blogging friends and I chat often about Trump’s inability to tell the truth most of the time. We debate on whether he is purposefully lying or is it he lies so often, he does not know where the truth stops and the lies begin. I think it is more the latter, but I also think he lies to distract and defend.
But, think about this particular issue with India. If you were the India prime minister, how would this make you view dealing with the US president? Would the word “untrustworthy” come to mind? So, considering the president’s modus operandi, do you think other world leaders would think of this word? I do, as start out from the basis of not believing a word he says. The odds are in my favor.
musingsofanoldfart 
Note to Readers: My wife got a chuckle when I was searching for words and said “Trump lives in his own world, where he lives a different reality from the rest of us.” His not knowing where the truth ends and lies begin would be comical if it were not so scary.
That point where truth ends and lies begin is seamless with Trump and he wouldn’t see the changeover. No doubt whatever he says is a version of truth as it should be in his mind as a bully he has to be in control, even if the fact have to be altered. His tenure is doing the US no favours at all and it baffles me that the GOP are letting things go as far as they are knowing what this will cost them.They”re criminal if the don’t prosecute the’ i ‘word.
Hugs
David, it is criminal in my view as their silence is abetting his actions. There are so many surprising attributes that are obvious, but fail to register, at least with public feedback:
– he is accountable to nothing that goes wrong; it is always someone else’s fault or fake news
– he denigrates the speaker, group or country when he is criticized, rarely pushing back on issues; he attacks rather than debates
– he is endangering people when he winds up the extremists in his base with his lies and embellishments, but does not accept responsibility for so doing.
If people in his base worked for a person like this, they would be looking for another job. But, since they voted for him, they feel it discredits there own self-worth.
Thanks for seeing what should be obvious. It is easier to be bewildered from afar.
Keith
PS – Did this India story get news coverage where you are?
I am traveling so I didn’t see this story until now but I’m not surprised. I don’t think he has ever been made accountable for his words our his actions… EVER. I think he mostly lies out of habit, but often also to deflect blame.
Janis, safe travels. We are definitely creatures of habits and he has more than a few that should not be emulated. Keith
Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
Yesterday, I promised there would be a Part II to my post Open Mouth, Insert Foot, but I had some difficulties and hadn’t written the piece yet. Just as I was about to start it, I saw that our friend Keith had written of the incident with Trump v India, and he has done as fine a job as I could have done, so I figure … why re-invent the wheel, right? Thank you Keith for this post, for shining a light on a problem that many missed this week in light of all the detritus swirling about, and for permission to share your excellent work!
Thanks Jill. I greatly appreciate the comment and reblog. This episode is a perfect example of why he should not be president. Words have consequences. He had no clue how wrong and offensive he was to India. Keith
My pleasure, as always! His Twitter rants this weekend … his vileness, his abominable hate speech toward democrats in Congress, seems to be escalating at an alarming rate! Is there, I wonder, a point at which even the republicans say, “Enough” and invoke the 25th Amendment? I honestly see “crazy” in some of his Twitter rants yesterday and this morning … it’s actually frightening.
Jill, I truly do not know what else can be said to Republican lawmakers to get them to support the removal of this clear and present danger. But, the danger is beyond to our democracy, our planry and the GOP. He is a clear and present danger to truth, civility, honor, character, responsibility and accountability. I continue to be amazed this person got to be preaident of the United States. Keith
I live in India and that tale of President Trump’s was outlandish. I get CNN and BBC news stations and hear what’s going on. Anyone who understands conditions in Kashmir knows how totally ridiculous it is for President Trump to say that. I think many people in the U.S. have given up on the GOP doing anything. They’re afraid of the President’s power. It’s maddening. —- Suzanne
Suzanne, and this got so little press here. I forwarded a shorter, less editorial version to various news agencies and my local newspaper editor. I don’t want to make too much a case out of yet one more example, as Trump’s people will help him weasel out of responsibility (in the PR world, if they defeat the issue, they win). Yet, this is an, exemplar of his words causing harm (I hate to use exemplar, as to me it means an example of a paragon). Tell your friend there, we apologize for our untrustworthy president. Keith
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
President Trump’s statement about Kashmir could not be correct.
Thanks Suzanne for helping get the word out on this example of the harm lying can do when the untruthful person is president of the US.
Such a stupid thing for Trump to say. The issue of Kashmir is both complex and highly charged, and the thought that anyone concerned with its resolution would ask someone both famously ignorant and incredibly undiplomatic to meddle in it, is beyond ludicrous.
Mick, many thanks for the comment. I agree. Something I read a few years ago about Trump touting his deal making is a person in the know said “Trump does not make deals. He signs deals.” The deal making process requires due diligence and homework, neither of which are strengths of Trump’s. So, you are dead on accurate that he chooses to and brags on being “famously ignorant” saying his gut is smarter than someone who studies an issue. As former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said of an early meeting with Putin, “Putin out prepared us.” Keith
Yes, it’s off topic, Keith, but that’s what makes me think that obnoxious and venal though he is, he simply does not have the nous to have survived as POTUS thus far without a serious power base pulling all his strings.
Mick, I agree. It worries me when a real crisis emerges, such as the one percolating with Iran. Sadly, he set this in motion pulling out of a seven party deal, where the other six said please don’t. Keith
That one really does look as if it is being steered towards a confrontation, and I suspect the slimy hands of Pompeo and Bolton.
True, not a fan of either, but Bolton has always been a hawk. That is why other presidents passed on him for this kind of role.
It is such a reckless thing to do… Trump seems oblivious to the tensions between India and Pakistan (as though it is a school tiff or something minor that an independent headmaster can wave his tiny hands over and silence the kids). He is manifestly unsuitable as POTUS. He wreaks havoc on everything he touches.
Colette, the word “reckless” is apt. I think I might adopt that word for future references, as I am weary of words like untruthful, untrustworthy, bullying, egomaniacal, denigrating, etc. to define yet again, the president’s actions, words and style.
As we speak, this reckless behavior has picked another racist fight with a black Congressmen who dared criticize a border official, the president of France, and the president of Sweden, and that is just in the past 48 hours. Call me crazy, but it is long past tiresome to see the president “hold his breath” until he turns blue, when he does not get his way.
And, some people think this person is a great leader. Really? Keith
Keith – thanks for taking on this story. It’s a good thing to civilly point out inaccuracies every time this man takes to his storytelling 😉 – Susan
Susan, many thanks. This example needs to be widely shared. Keith
Note to Readers: Stories like these need legs as they provide concrete evidence of what happens when president lies about something he knows nothing about. Since he does not study, or listen, very well, my guess is someone told him it would be great if….Since he lives in a different reality, he switched that into Modi asking him. This reckless, untruthful person is a clear and present danger, even more so, because his sycophants aid and abet his behavior.